France to decide next month on extradition of ex-Manitoba law dean in fraud case
A former law dean at the University of Manitoba wanted on a fraud charge is expected to learn next month if he will be extradited from France.
A court document says Jonathan Black-Branch was in the Investigating Chamber of the Versailles Court of Appeal today opposing his extradition.
The court reserved its decision to Nov. 6.
Black-Branch was arrested in a municipality west of Paris in April, after a Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued for fraud over $5,000.
The disbarred lawyer is accused of misusing more than $600,000 from the university to pay his bills, buy pricey meals at a members-only club and spend on his education at Ivy League schools.
Black-Branch was hired as the Winnipeg university's law dean in 2016 but suddenly left the post in 2020 and moved to Europe.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.
By Brittany Hobson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Rowdy homecoming in Guelph drew up to 15,000 people, cost $91k in policing: report
A new report shows as many as 15,000 people gathered on a Guelph, Ont., street during an unsanctioned homecoming party last month, prompting a police response that cost more than $90,000.
A report presented to the Guelph Police Service Board Thursday details the scale of the Sept. 26 gathering on Chancellor’s Way near the University of Guelph.
It says police responded to approximately 550 incidents across Guelph that Saturday, including about 250 directly related to homecoming.
That’s more than double the roughly 250 incidents police typically handle on a Saturday.
The report says the police response involved approximately 88 officers and civilian members – and hundreds of hours of overtime – with the cost totalling about $91,000.
It says police made six arrests during the event, including four for public intoxication, one for assault and one for causing a disturbance.
About 70 provincial offence notices were also issued that day, mostly liquor-related, the report says.
Videos from the off-campus homecoming party showed massive crowds of young people in the streets, with some throwing bottles and other objects as police officers tried to control the situation. Police said officers were also dealing with people climbing buildings, as well as shoplifting and vandalism at nearby businesses.
University of Guelph president Rene Van Acker said the party risked the safety of students and neighbours and the university was reviewing the incident.
Guelph police said earlier this month that they're establishing a "homecoming working group" to manage large unsanctioned gatherings in the future. The group includes the city, the University of Guelph and Guelph General Hospital.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Immigrants unsure of their future in Quebec following the PQ victory
Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon succeeded in growing the PQ to 59 seats in the Oct. 12 election from just three seats the party won in 2022, but it’s not enough to form a majority government.
Still, newcomers are concerned about decisions the PQ might make regarding immigration policies.
The party has said it would reduce temporary immigration by at least half, targeting 250,000 to 300,000 non-permanent residents by the end of a four-year term. It also wants to reduce the number of international students to 50,000 a year.
According to the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the number of non-permanent residents is tentatively estimated at 514,050 as of Jan. 1, 2026.
For Timothée Kouame, a master’s student in environment and sustainable development at the University of Montreal, the cuts to temporary immigration, particularly those affecting international students like him, are his biggest concern.
“The announced policies regarding the reduction of temporary immigration raise questions about our future,” Kouame said. “Many of us have invested a tremendous amount of time and, let me be clear, a tremendous amount of financial resources as well.”
In his view, most international students aim to integrate into Quebec society after earning their degrees and contribute to the province’s economy. In his case, this means putting his skills to work in the environmental field.
In the future, he said he hopes to gain professional experience in his field and potentially settle permanently in the province, but he’s not sure what to expect from the new government.
“It's hard to plan for the future when the conditions for transitioning from student to worker, and eventually to permanent residence, remain uncertain,” said Kouame, who arrived from the Ivory Coast in 2024.
Despite the uncertainty, Kouame said he remains positive but cautious about the future of temporary immigrants in Quebec.
“I hope the new government will recognize the efforts and contributions of the immigrants already living in the province, particularly those who are studying, working and actively participating in Quebec society,” he said.
“The key issue is not just how many people Quebec wants to welcome, but also what opportunities it offers to those who have already begun to build their future here.”
Leidy Johanna Martinez, a Colombian temporary worker who has been living in Quebec for six years, said she prefers to remain cautious about the future of immigration in the province.
She said it is too soon to jump to conclusions about the new government and thinks that despite the PQ’s proposals to reduce immigration, and the fact that the party won’t have a majority government means it will need additional support from the Parti Libéral du Québec (PLQ), which will make it difficult for the governing party.
“It's important to see what stance (the PLQ) takes and whether it’ll be willing to support or modify the measures proposed by the PQ,” Martinez said.
“So yes, there are reasons to stay alert, especially for those of us going through immigration proceedings, but I also don’t think this is the time to think that it’s all over.”
For Loane Grimm, who arrived in Quebec from France seven years ago and is close to obtaining Canadian citizenship, it is also too early to say if the party’s platform will win him over or not. But he said he views the change in government as positive.
“I simply value a change in government in a democracy — that's what keeps it alive.”
Grimm said he believes being a permanent resident now allows him to view the political landscape through a different lens.
“If I were still a temporary resident, or in the middle of the immigration process, I think I would have felt some unease about this political party,” he said.
“But since I’ll soon be a Canadian citizen, I think this election will spark interesting debates, including of course the issue of Quebec’s identity and sovereignty.”
Copyright 2026, New Canadian Media. All rights reserved.
Natalia Rivero, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, New Canadian Media.