The 4 soldiers killed in fast-moving fire at CFB Wainwright in Alberta
Four Armed Forces members were killed when a fast-moving fire overwhelmed soldiers during a training exercise at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton, on Saturday. Dozens of others were injured, with 33 still in hospital on Tuesday.
Here's a look at the four who died:
Pte. Shaun Farrell
Farrell, a member of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based at Edmonton, was from Prince Albert, Sask.
He wanted to make a career in the forces, Prime Minister Mark Carney said during a tribute in the House of Commons.
"Pte. Farrell was generous and deeply loyal friend, known in his battalion as the grandmaster of chess," Carney said.
Farrell's mother said in a social media post that the family is confronting a profound loss.
"We want to thank everyone for your love, support, and prayers during this incredibly difficult time," Patricia Farrell said.
She asked for privacy as she grieves the loss of her "darling child."
Saskatchewan lowered flags in the province to half-mast in his memory.
"Shaun was a young man full of promise who chose to serve his country," said Premier Scott Moe.
"His loss will be felt deeply by his family, friends, fellow service members, and all who knew him," Moe said in a statement.
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Pte. Aidan Goulding
The 23-year-old of North Vancouver was also a member of the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
His family said he was an exceptional athlete and, after high school, became a mechanic.
He later quit to join the Army.
"Although he was making excellent money and had a good life, he decided he wanted to defend his country. His goal was to work for Special OPs and then onto CSIS," his mother, Sonia Monk, and older brother, Wylder Goulding, said in a statement.
"He was the guy that kept people's spirits up, a contagious laugh and a cheeky smile, he took his role in the army seriously, and our family and his dear friends have suffered a great loss."
They said he loved his adopted army family and was looking forward to peacekeeping in Latvia.
"Before he went to basic training, he said, ‘I know I have one life to live, and I’m gonna make the best out of it.' That was our Aidan."
He went above and beyond in his service, added Carney.
"Pte. Goulding met every hardship with a joke, and when others struggled, he shouldered more than his share without ever being asked."
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Pte. Hayden Lykkemark
The 19-year-old was from Langley, B.C., and served with the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
"Pte. Lykkemark was known for his gift for lightening a hard day, his quick wit. He dreamed of a career in law enforcement," said Carney.
Trevor Plater, who coached Lykkemark in rugby his senior year at Langley Secondary School, said he was "always looking out for everybody."
Plater added that all of the team and Lykkemark's schoolmates thought of him as a best friend.
B.C. Premier David Eby recognized Lykkemark and Goulding in a social media post.
"In this moment of profound heartbreak, as British Columbians and Canadians, let's wrap our arms around their families, supporting them and joining in the mourning of this horrible tragedy," he said.
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Sgt. Morgan Wong
The 26-year-old from Edmonton was a reservist with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, serving with the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry.
"He was an incredible person who was always there whenever anyone needed him," his family said in a statement.
"He loved being active and spending time with his friends and family. He was extremely proud to serve with the Canadian Armed Forces."
They said he earned a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Alberta, as well as certificates in real estate and civil-military leadership.
He joined the Forces in 2017, and for the last four years worked as a financial analyst and manager with the Alberta government. He also served as a first responder with St. John Ambulance.
He served in Latvia from October 2024 to June 2025, and was preparing for a second tour in Europe.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Sergeant Morgan Wong of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, and all those who lost their lives yesterday at Wainwright," the 49th Battalion Loyal Edmonton Regiment Association said in a social media post.
"Our thoughts and prayers are also with the injured, their loved ones and everyone affected by this tragedy.
"We will remember them."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.
— By Dayne Patterson in Edmonton, Bill Graveland in Calgary, Nick Murray in Ottawa, and Ian Bickis in Winnipeg
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Galloway defamation trial hears of 'inflated and outrageous' email rhetoric
A former creative writing student testifying in author and former UBC professor Steven Galloway's defamation trial says she was "shocked" and "horrified" at language used in a mass email by a fellow student investigating misconduct allegations against Galloway.
Cara Woodruff, a UBC creative writing graduate, says in the ongoing trial of Galloway's defamation lawsuit that she received an email in November 2015 from Chelsea Rooney, who had been tasked with collecting complaints against Galloway but has now apologized for spreading unproven allegations against him.
Woodruff says the email from Rooney contained "inflated and outrageous" rhetoric and urged recipients to anonymously contact a reporter from The Canadian Press about allegations against Galloway.
She says she did not believe an allegation by another former student known as A.B. that Galloway sexually assaulted her, and she kept asking A.B. to go to the police to have it investigated "properly."
Woodruff says in her testimony to the B.C. Supreme Court on Tuesday she felt "blindsided" learning of the allegations because she had been friends with A.B., and it "was very unclear" to Woodruff if there was a criminal investigation.
A.B. is not testifying in the trial, and the court has heard she is not asserting in her defence that the allegations she made against Galloway are true.
Rooney issued a public apology to Galloway this month, days before the trial began.
She said she understood her conduct toward him was "serious and harmful," saying she deeply regretted "contributing to the harm Mr. Galloway has suffered."
Galloway, the author of novels including "The Cellist of Sarajevo" and "The Confabulist" was a tenured professor and the chair of the creative writing program at UBC.
He was never charged over the allegations by A.B., whose name cannot be reported due to a publication ban, though he was fired from his job.
Rooney said in her apology that she had been asked by UBC, A.B. and faculty members to gather complaints against Galloway, but she had "no information" that the "very serious and unproven allegations" against Galloway were true.
Woodruff had sought to have her name suppressed at the trial, but her request was denied.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Researcher who became sick after pesticide exposure asks government to follow science
Since he was a child, Gérald Chouinard knew he wanted to be a scientist. He fulfilled that dream for three decades, researching alternatives to pesticides in Quebec, until his work was cut short eight years ago.
Chouinard was in his mid-50s when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Three years later, in 2022, his diagnosis was recognized to be a work illness after exposure to pesticides.
“It’s a little ironic — that I worked to reduce risks related to pesticides and it made me ill,” he told The Canadian Press in an interview.
Now, he is petitioning the federal government to stop what he sees as a weakening of pesticide regulation and is asking them to follow the science.
Chouinard’s petition, which has over 13,500 signatures, is asking the governments to reverse what advocates describe as a trend to weaken oversight of the use of pesticides across the country. The petition takes aim at legislation they warn will weaken the federal Pest Control Products Act.
Bill C-30, which was passed in June 2026, amended the Act to allow cabinet to override Health Canada and authorize the use of banned pesticides in the interest of economic or national food security, or in response to “seriously detrimental infestation.” Bill C-31, which is under review, would eliminate mandatory reviews of the health and environmental risks of pesticides.
The petition asks the government to repeal the changes made by C-30 and remove those proposed by C-31.
Chouinard’s right hand trembled as he spoke to The Canadian Press on an October morning, detailing his research and the illness he developed as a result. Chouinard spent around three decades exposed to dozens of chemical pesticides.
“I was like most people, I was confident that the regulatory system was reliable, that it was good,” he said.
Chouinard no longer works, as his symptoms — which include difficulty sleeping, trembling and low energy — make it hard to keep a job, he said.
“But I stay active for a cause that’s important to me: to help people understand that pesticides are of course dangerous, but also that Canadian systems ensuring the safety of those products are important,” he said.
When he learned about the changes that bills C-30 and C-31 were bringing to pesticide regulation, he was stunned, he said.
“The Quebec government paid me a salary for 30 years for me to reduce pesticide use. And now, I’m seeing a bill that proposes a weakening of the (oversight) systems,” he said.
Around half of the products that Chouinard was exposed to before he developed Parkinson's disease were banned following the mandatory reviews of their environmental and health impacts. Those products could now return to the market through the override authorized by bill C-30.
“I’m a scientist, I think this process should be led by science. Not by lobbies, not by politics, by science,” he said.
Chouinard was in Ottawa on Tuesday to speak out against the changes to pesticide regulations. He joined a coalition that included Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Bloc Québécois MP Maxime Blanchette-Joncas.
Health Minister Marjorie Michel dismissed concerns about the changes during question period in the House of Commons.
"I would say the health and safety of Canadians will always remain our top priority. But we can do this while supporting our agriculture sector and cutting red tape," she said.
Chouinard said industry professionals like him, who interact most closely with pesticides, will be the first impacted by lower oversight.
"We don't want our producers to be exposed to risks unnecessarily," he said.
In a press conference, May criticized the Carney government’s environmental policy and accused it of being “in the pocket of the pesticide lobby.”
“It's not too late for Canadians to rise up and ask this government, I'll be blunt, what the hell is going on here?” she said.
In an email to the Canadian Press, Health Department spokesperson Alexandre Bergeron said the government's proposed changes would allow federal officials to focus on the biggest risks.
“These changes will help reduce backlogs and ensure regulatory resources are focused on higher-risk products and emerging concerns, rather than automatically reviewing products simply because 15 years have passed,” wrote Bergeron.
Chouinard dismissed the idea that reducing reviews would help cut down on bureaucracy.
“We hear about reducing useless bureaucracy, but that is not what we’re looking at here. This is essential work,” he said.
— With files from Pierre St-Arnaud
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.
By Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Voici pourquoi la chicane entre Varda et Marie-Chantal n'a pas été diffusée à Big Brother
Le lundi 25 janvier, Varda et Marie-Chantal ont dévoilé en confessionnal qu'un événement créait des tensions entre elles à Big Brother Célébrités. N'ayant jamais eu accès aux images montrant la chicane, les fans sont confus alors que des caméras filment les candidats 24 heures sur 24.
Pourquoi est-ce qu'une querelle entre deux candidats ne serait pas montrée, alors qu'elle affecte tout le monde dans la maison, et a même mené à la mise en ballotage des personnes concernées?
L'équipe de production de Big Brother explique ses raisons à Narcity.
La sélection de l'éditeur : Les fans veulent des réponses sur la chicane de Marie-Chantal et Varda à Big Brother
Big Brother Célébrités
Selon ce que Marie-Chantal, Varda et d'autres participants ont révélé lors de l'émission, la bisbille aurait commencé lorsque la chanteuse était sous médication pour sa dent cassée.
Cette soirée-là, Marie-Chantal aurait consommé de l'alcool malgré les contre-indications et aurait passé un commentaire au sujet de la santé mentale de Varda.
Cette dernière, qui essayait apparemment d'inciter Marie-Chantal à aller se coucher, rapporte que ce genre de commentaire est inacceptable.
Cela dit, les images n’auraient pas été diffusées, car elles ne servent pas à faire avancer le jeu côté stratégie :
« Leur récente chicane teinte fortement l’ambiance dans la maison. Comme ça influence l’aventure, il était important d’expliquer la situation et que les deux nous en parlent en confessionnal.
« Il se passe beaucoup de choses dans la maison et on se concentre sur les stratégies et le jeu. Il n’était donc pas nécessaire de rentrer dans le détail pour comprendre le contexte et pour le narratif de l’émission. »
On en voit donc juste assez pour comprendre les décisions stratégiques des joueurs, comme celle de mettre Marie-Chantal et Varda en ballotage à cause de l'ambiance que leur discorde apporte dans la maison.
Lors des dernières éditions d'Occupation Double, comme celle à laquelle Kevin a participé en Afrique du Sud, de gros conflits entre participants ont mené à des prises de positions et des vagues de haine du côté des Québécois.
La section commentaire sur les comptes Instagram de certaines personnalités de téléréalité a déjà dû être fermée, et des messages haineux ont été reçus par centaines par les participants.
Certains ont donc proposé que le « drama » entre les candidats qui n'amène rien au « narratif de l’émission », comme le fait Big Brother, ne soit pas montré pour éviter ces comportements.