ETA Canada News

Malcolm Brodie, the mayor of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada , will not seek re-election after 25 years in office, ending his political career as the longest-serving mayor of a major city in the Greater Vancouver area. He has been a long-term winner in regional politics, consistently winning over 60% of the vote and maintaining a stable and pragmatic governing style. On the night of his final victory in 2022, Ma Baoding publicly corrected media reports. CBC reporter Karin Larsen claimed he was about to win his seventh consecutive term, mentioning his lead of 11,000 votes. Ma Baoding stated that, strictly speaking, including his victory in the 2001 mayoral by-election, this would be his eighth term.

This detail reflects the public’s impression of Ma Baoding: precise, perhaps a little too meticulous, and consistently victorious in elections. In an era of increasing partisan polarization, he has entered politics as an independent and rarely gets embroiled in political trouble. Two of the most iconic infrastructure projects during Ma Baoding’s tenure, the Canada Line and the Richmond Olympic Oval, were both completed during his first term following Vancouver’s winning bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. This provided the basic framework for his later handling of housing issues. On housing issues, Ma Baoding has long followed the “grand compromise” approach among the cities of Greater Vancouver.

This approach, proposed by former Vancouver City Councillor Gordon Price, advocates concentrating development and high density around new rapid transit hubs while allowing most of the city to remain as it is. In his farewell interview, Ma Baoding recalled that he participated in related discussions as a city councillor in the late 1990s. All redevelopment revolved around transportation accessibility, with rapid transit lines being key to the entire plan; for him, the Canada Line and transit-oriented high-density development were of utmost importance.

He opposed the provincial government’s new density and housing start regulations for municipalities, but unlike the mayors of Vancouver or Surrey, he did not politicize the differences or sue higher authorities over the controversy. Ma Baoding stated that while there are disagreements with the provincial and federal governments on many issues, progress must be made realistically and within workable limits. This realism is also reflected in his way of chairing the city council. He often says that he only has one vote, while there are eight city council members, and they need to discuss goals and ways to achieve them together, rather than entering the meeting room with preconceived conclusions. As a result, he occasionally loses in votes.

These setbacks involved several major issues, including Chinese road signs, reducing housing size on agricultural reserves (ALR), and the initial rejection of the Steveston Highway bike lane, the latter of which was later overturned. However, unlike the tensions that have arisen between mayors and councils in some cities, these differences have never escalated into a sustained confrontation, nor have they formed a strong alliance that could truly challenge Ma Baoding in subsequent elections. Two-term city councillor Carol Day commented that Ma Baoding is very capable, having served in city hall for decades and knowing how to chair meetings. She believes Ma Baoding tends to follow established practices and manages strictly; while the two sides may not always reach an agreement, he has never been impolite.

Ma Baoding stated that he would not intervene in the fierce election campaign to succeed him, believing that his successor would inevitably face difficulties. He said the danger lies in the fact that candidates make many promises, but many of these promises cannot be fulfilled. This can be interpreted as either realism or condescension, and it also serves as a final commentary on Ma Baoding’s 25-year governing style.

With just 60 days to go before Alberta’s referendum, both sides are ramping up their final mobilization efforts. The referendum consists of 10 questions; the first nine concern immigration and constitutional reform, while the tenth asks voters whether they want to remain in Canada or call a second binding referendum on secession. This question is expected to be a focal point at rallies and city hall events in the coming weeks. Janet Brown, a long-time pollster, points out that support for secession has remained virtually unchanged over the past eight years, consistently significantly lower than support for remaining in Canada. Currently, undecided voters represent only between 5% and 8%. She believes the focus of this referendum campaign has shifted from persuasion to mobilization, and voter turnout is crucial for both sides.

On the side supporting independence, the third-party advertising agency “Let Alberta Decide” has received over $415,000 in donations, leading similar organizations. The organization plans to hold a large rally at the provincial legislature on October 17, two days before the referendum. The organization’s leader, Keith Wilson, stated that while some supporters are reluctant to publicly state their position, the strategy remains based on the assumption that polls are accurate, acknowledging the significant challenges they face. They said they will gradually increase mobilization, including organizing minibuses to transport voters and tailoring their messaging on social media to different demographics. Because polls show that independent support is stronger in rural areas and weaker in urban areas, the organization is focusing its efforts on smaller cities such as Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Lloydminster.

The focus is on reaching young men in their 20s and older adults concerned about their grandchildren’s future. Forever Canadian, a pro-unity organization, said volunteers recently tidied lawn signs at their Edmonton office and plan to continue distributing them throughout the province. The organization has established volunteer teams in almost every municipality, with over 18,000 Albertans signing up. Organizer Thomas Lukaszuk said several large rallies and “Unity Bus” parades will be held over the next two months.

Lukaschuk said the organization’s current focus remains on boosting Canadian pride rather than directly mobilizing voters, but resources are available if needed. He described the election campaign as being like a hockey game in its second period, but overall it has been going on for a year and a month. The Alberta Prosperity Project, which launched a citizen petition to push for a secession referendum, will hold a “Province in Crisis” rally at the provincial legislature on August 29, followed by a city hall event. Project leader Mitch Sylvestre stated that while not entirely in favour of early voting, he will encourage supporters to use it as much as possible.

The organization also encouraged members to create lists of friends, family, and neighbours to ensure they vote on referendum day. Sylvester believes that mobilizing supporters to vote would significantly increase their chances of winning. The pro-federal organization Alberta’s Voice has listed the highest donations among similar campaign groups, exceeding $87,000 CAD. Its leader, Stephen Carter, stated that they hope to purchase radio advertising in Calgary, Edmonton, and rural areas, but funding remains a major challenge, with leading separatist organizations raising four times as much.

The organization will focus on winning over undecided voters, aiming to remain in Canada with a 75-25 vote in the referendum. Carter said that while the number of undecided voters is small, they will determine whether the issue will be faced again in the future. The organization also plans to open a “campaign school” to train volunteers and establish a contact network. Carter stated that he hopes to register 100,000 people through a contact mechanism to change the overall voter turnout, targeting voters who are close to active participants but not yet highly engaged. In addition, Elections Alberta allows residents to vote by mail, but special ballot packages must be received by 5 p.m. on October 16, earlier than the referendum day.

The BC Preservation Police Service reported that a three-year-old girl was attacked by a black bear while playing on her backyard patio on Sunday. A parent intervened and chased the bear away. Maple Ridge RCMP stated that during the day police were present, a bear believed to be the same one returned to the scene multiple times and exhibited aggressive behaviour. Officers fired shots to protect public safety. The bear fled into the woodland after being shot but was later recovered and underwent an autopsy. The Ministry of Environment and Parks confirmed that the autopsy results showed the bear was not the same individual that attacked the girl.

The girl was taken to hospital for treatment; her injuries were not life-threatening or caused permanent damage. The predator attack team from the nature reserve police service is still investigating at the scene, and the public has been asked to stay away from the area. Wildlife veterinarian Ken Macquisten was not surprised by the result. He pointed out that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are not bear experts, have not received the specialized training of officers in nature reserves, and that police ammunition calibres are usually not enough to kill a bear with a single shot, making it more likely to injure it, and an injured bear is more dangerous than an uninjured one.

Lesley Fox, executive director of the animal protection organization The Fur-Bearers, emphasized that while such emergencies require a swift response, accurate identification is equally crucial. Decisions must be made under pressure based on reliable evidence and scientific methods to ensure that the specific offending animal is dealt with. Both individuals agree that additional positions for nature reserve police officers should be created to allow professionals to directly respond to wildlife grievances.

In a statement, the Maple Ridge RCMP said officers were certain they had located the correct target and made the decision to shoot to prevent further casualties. The statement said that the death of any wild animal is a serious matter, and such decisions are never made lightly. Fortunately, encounters with bears are not routine for officers, but they are more common when working with nature reserve officers during seasonal bear activity. Police also stated they will continue to review their procedures and look for areas for improvement in training or equipment. The Nature Reserve Police Service reiterated that predator attacks are a top priority and that it is working in collaboration with law enforcement partners across the province.

Mark Edward Grant, who was convicted and later acquitted in the 1984 Winnipeg teenage murder case, was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting and forcibly confining a woman in her 60s in Vancouver. After deducting 215 days of pretrial detention, the 62-year-old Grant has 9 years and 42 days remaining in his sentence.

Vancouver police previously reported that on January 8, a woman was sexually assaulted in a residential building near East Hastings Street and Columbia Street in the Downtown Eastside, and Grant was subsequently arrested. Prosecutors charged Grant with unlawful imprisonment, armed sexual assault, and making threats, with the threats charge being deferred. In addition to imprisonment, the court imposed a lifetime ban on firearms and weapons, required him to submit a DNA sample, and added him to the national sex offenders database under the Sex Offenders Information Registry Act.

Grant was tried in connection with the 1984 murder of Candace Derksen, who disappeared on her way home from school in East Kildonan, Winnipeg. Her body was found on January 17, 1985, in an industrial storage shed not far from her home, her hands and feet bound with rope; the cause of death was hypothermia. More than two decades after the crime, on May 16, 2007, police confirmed that Grant’s DNA matched the DNA found on the rope, and charged him with first-degree murder. This case is one of the most high-profile murder cases in Manitoba, and the trial began in 2011, exactly 26 years after Dexter’s body was found.

A month after the trial began, a jury found Grant guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. Two years later, the Manitoba Court of Appeal overturned the conviction, finding that the trial judge had erred in failing to allow the defence to submit evidence pointing to another possible perpetrator. In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the decision. In October of the same year, the judge acquitted Grant on the grounds that the DNA evidence was “fundamentally flawed.” In 2019, Grant sued the Winnipeg police and prosecutors for wrongful conviction. The civil lawsuit is still pending, and the Dexton case remains unresolved.

On Thursday, a Porter Airlines flight PD444 from Victoria to Toronto was forced to cancel after a young child refused to fasten his seatbelt, leaving more than 100 passengers stranded in the city until the following day.

The flight had closed its doors and departed Victoria International Airport terminal, taxiing to the runway for takeoff. At this point, the crew noticed a young child standing in their seat, refusing to sit down and fasten their seatbelt. According to the airline statement, parents and crew members made several unsuccessful attempts to fasten the child’s seatbelt.

Porter Airlines stated that the aircraft could not take off under unsafe conditions, and the crew ultimately decided to return to the terminal and disembark all passengers. Because removing the young child and their parents along with their luggage, resubmitting the flight plan, and completing related formalities took a considerable amount of time, the entire process was delayed until after 12:30 AM the following day, by which time Victoria International Airport’s runways had already entered their nighttime closure period.

As a result, passengers on flight PD444 were unable to travel that evening and had to spend the night in Victoria. Porter Airlines apologized for the inconvenience caused to other passengers and confirmed that all passengers had departed on another flight on Friday.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canada’s negotiating stance with the United States has been “quite tough,” and emphasized that trade negotiations with Washington remain “constructive,” despite the U.S. threat to impose a new 50% tariff on a range of Canadian imports starting August 19.US President Trump has threatened to impose a 50% tariff on a large number of Canadian imports starting August 19. “We still have time,” Carney said at a press conference in Toronto on Wednesday. “We are engaged in real, constructive negotiations on multiple issues.”

When asked whether Canada should change its strategy and take a tougher stance against the Trump administration, Carney said that now is not the time to adjust its course. He also pointed out that Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister in charge of Canada-US trade, and Janice Charette, the chief trade negotiator, are in Washington, holding multiple meetings with their US counterparts to advance negotiations.

The two men also travelled to Washington last week to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. “I have also had dialogues with the U.S. side. But this is a negotiation, and now is not the time to change things,” Carney said. Trump’s threatened new tariffs would impose a 50% tax on multiple categories of Canadian goods. Unlike previous measures, this round of tariffs will not exempt products that comply with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). The White House stated that this round of tariffs is a response to restrictions on alcohol, dairy supply regulations, and certain automobile quotas imposed by Canadian provinces.

Carney had previously stated that trade negotiations between Canada and the United States would be further accelerated. The tariff dispute initiated by the US president has lasted for more than a year. In early July of this year, Washington announced that it would not renew the current version of CUSMA as Canada and Mexico wished, but instead launched an unprecedented annual review process. Last month, LeBron told the Canadian Press that the annual review was fraught with uncertainty.

“We recommend introducing more structure and normativity into the review process initiated by the U.S.,” LeBron said. The annual review can be renewed annually, for a maximum of 10 years. If the three countries fail to reach an agreement on a follow-up plan, CUSMA will expire in 2036 when its current term expires. Canada hopes to eventually reduce tariffs on industries including steel and aluminium through bilateral negotiations with the United States.

The Globe and Mail reported that Canada is considering setting export quotas on steel and aluminium products in exchange for the U.S. lowering tariffs on those industries. The report cited anonymous sources and has not been independently confirmed by the Canadian Press. Carney declined to comment on the possibility of export quotas on Wednesday. “Now is not the time to activate these options, but we do have alternatives,” he said. LeBron’s office said the secretary also met with Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, on Tuesday, and then met with Republican Senators Kevin Cramer (North Dakota) and Bill Hagerty (Tennessee) on Wednesday.

Residents of a small town in Alberta , Canada , were shocked to learn that Second Sons Canada, one of the country’s most active white supremacist groups, secretly held its second annual national rally at a volunteer-run community centre. Footage from the event showed dozens of masked members participating in militarized drills. “My first reaction was fear,” said Lou Kuijak, a resident of the Millarville area. “I never imagined something like this would happen in our backyard, in such a small town.” The rally was held in early July in a location about 70 kilometres southwest of Calgary, near the small village of Millarville.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) visual investigation team located the rally site using visual cues from videos released by the organization itself. The videos and images showed over 60 members practicing crawling and weighted marches. Founder Jeremy MacKenzie, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, led the chanting of militarized slogans related to the fight against the Taliban, as well as the organization’s motto, “Our people, our home, our future.” Some members wore T-shirts printed with the words “Oldblood Law Enforcers,” featuring crossed swords and an old-fashioned hockey goalie mask.

Evan Balgord, executive director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, explained that “Oldblood” refers to white people and those of European descent, while the self-identification as “law enforcers” is related to their belief that cultural, political, and violent means must be used to carry out racist mass expulsions of non-“Oldblood” Canadians.

Founded in 2024, Second Son has branches across the country and calls itself a “male nationalist club,” but its operating model is closer to that of “active clubs” favoured by the global white supremacist movement. The organization’s leaders have welcomed neo-Nazis, called for the mass expulsion of non-whites “at gunpoint,” and stated that American politicians should be executed as traitors. When its members release videos of their drills, they often wear masks or digitally blur the images, never revealing the exact location; in this instance, they only stated afterward that the rally was held in the “Alberta foothills.

“CBC used a video as a starting point, discovering members holding up a banner that read “Tribe and Training” on an overpass on Highway 2 near Okotoks, Alberta. Following this lead, the investigation team narrowed down the meeting place to Square Butte Hall, located about 43 kilometres from Okotoks in Miraville. The hall’s distinctive welcoming archway and interior details matched the video. The hall, run by volunteers, regularly hosts community events such as dance performances, recipe sharing sessions, and fire safety training. Board Chair Shana Dunn stated in an email that the person who made the reservation “completely failed to identify themselves,” and that the association is committed to providing inclusive community spaces. Dunn revealed that a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer has contacted the hall requesting information about the gathering.

In a statement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said it neither confirmed nor denied whether an investigation was underway, but was “aware of the organization ‘Second Son’”. The RCMP emphasized that it does not investigate “movements or ideologies” but focuses on the criminal activities of individuals or groups, and is “actively monitoring the rising trend of hate-motivated crimes and incidents nationwide.” Local residents were deeply shocked and disturbed by the incident near their homes.

Coffee shop manager Leanna Bridgeman said she was “completely stunned; it’s extremely disturbing.” Grocery store owner Tim Babby expressed “great surprise,” believing the locals to be quite tolerant, but still bewildered by such an event. Foothills County Executive Rob Siwait responded that the county had only recently become aware of the alleged activity on private property and had not yet received any formal complaints. This use of community halls is not an isolated case.

Last September, CBC tracked down a similar gathering held by the group at a Lions Club in Southern Ontario, which afterwards stated it would never have approved it if it had known the true purpose. Bargod pointed out that white supremacist movements often book community venues under false pretences because most venues simply wouldn’t agree to host such events. Second Son did not respond to requests for comment.

Trudeau applied sunscreen to Katy Perry, his hand even went inside the tube. Katy Perry, affectionately known as “Fruit Sister,” was spotted on a boat trip in the south of France with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, behaving very intimately. Trudeau was seen applying sunscreen to Perry and, at one point, slipping his hand inside the neckline of her dress.

Perry wore a light blue fitted dress, sunglasses, and high heels, while Trudeau wore a green top and casual pants. The two smiled and took a selfie, enjoying a rare moment of leisure. The 41-year-old Perry and 54-year-old Trudeau were first rumoured to be dating in July 2025, and Perry publicly announced their relationship on social media in December of the same year. In June 2026, the two made their red carpet debut at the Tribeca Film Festival for Perry’s concert film.

When Perry spoke about the relationship at the event, he said that his life had become more grounded in many ways and that he was very invested in the relationship, like a rainbow kite that had finally found its anchor. Perry has a five-year-old daughter with her former fiancé, Orlando Bloom, whom she separated from last year. Trudeau, on the other hand, married Sophie Grégoire Trudeau in 2005, separated in 2023, and they co-parent their three children.

Canada’s highest-earning CEO last year took home $230 million. His company isn’t involved in artificial intelligence or is a financial giant; it’s actually in the garbage recycling business, which many people consider dirty. The Globe and Mail, in collaboration with Global Governance Advisors, has dissected the executive compensation of Canada’s 100 largest publicly traded companies for fiscal year 2025. The salary gap on the list is alarmingly large. Patrick Dovigi, president and CEO of GFL Environmental, has a total compensation of $230,735,743, more than the combined total of the six people ranked 2nd to 7th on the list . What does 230 million mean? That’s roughly 630,000 a day! If you break it down, it’s even more outrageous. Patrick’s base salary is $2.46 million and his bonuses are $9.91 million. These two items combined only amount to $12.37 million, which is not even a fraction of his total .

The real bulk of the compensation is $108 million in “other compensation,” plus $110 million in stock awards , while the options and pension categories are simply zero. Second place goes to Jim Kessler, CEO of RB Global, with $60.23 million . This company owns the well-known Ritchie Bros auction house. His base salary was $1.33 million, his bonus was $3.14 million, and his “other compensation” alone amounted to $30.11 million . The third person on the list is Tobias Lütke, co-founder and CEO of Shopify, with a base salary of $1 . Bonuses, other compensation, stock awards, and pension benefits are all zero. Looking at the next section, the option reward is $48,912,536, bringing the total to $48.91 million . There’s another interesting person on the list. Mark Bristow, the former CEO of Barrick Mining, left the company in September 2025.

He received zero bonuses, zero stock awards, and zero stock options, but his “other compensation” section showed $29.8 million, bringing his total to $31.95 million . The remaining individuals are largely comprised of those in the energy, mining, railroad, insurance, and auto parts industries. Charles Brindamour of Intact Insurance earned $29.32 million; Seetarama Kotagiri of Magna International earned $27.23 million; Keith Creel of CPKC Railroad earned $25.65 million; Ammar Al-Joundi of Agnico Eagle Mining earned $24.65 million; Gregory Ebel of Enbridge earned $24.38 million; and Robert Mionis of Celestica earned $24.33 million. In other words, the threshold for making it into the top ten highest-paid CEOs in Canada has risen to $24.33 million . These ten people split $520 million in one year, with the top-ranked individual accounting for nearly half of it.

An Asian woman impersonated other people’s nursing identities and forged professional qualifications, working as a registered nurse in several long-term care homes in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) for four years. She even rose to a nursing management position, responsible for the medical care and medication management of dozens of seniors. She has now pleaded guilty to fraud.

According to the Toronto Star, 32-year-old Anh Nguyen stole the identity information and registration number of real registered nurses and forged related documents to work in five long-term care homes in the Greater Toronto Area from June 2020 to November 2024, all of which began during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He worked at five different nursing homes over four years, earning an annual salary of $94,000.

Court records show that Nguyen previously worked at the following nursing facilities: Villa Santa Maria in Vaughan (then known as Woodbridge Vista Care Community).

Silverthorn Care Community in Brampton;

Nisbet Lodge in Toronto;

Ina Grafton Gage Home;

Tendercare Nursing Home.

According to Ontario regulations, registered nurses are responsible for continuously monitoring residents’ health status, recording changes in their conditions, assessing whether a referral to a doctor is necessary, and carrying out the doctor’s orders. They play a vital role in the long-term care home healthcare system. However, Nguyen does not actually have any registered nurse qualifications.

The prosecution pointed out that in one of the nursing homes, she was not only responsible for supervising five personal care workers (PSWs), but also directly managed the care and medication distribution of 31 residents, including injecting prescription drugs such as insulin into the elderly.

Even more shockingly, she later served as the deputy director of nursing at one of the nursing homes, earning an annual salary of CAD 94,000, where she was responsible for working with management to plan, organize, and coordinate the hospital’s medical and nursing care. Infiltrating nursing homes in severely affected areas during the worst of the pandemic

The first nursing home Nguyen entered was now Villa Santa Maria. At that time, the facility was still called Woodbridge Vista Care Community, and it was one of the long-term care homes in Ontario most severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the first wave of the pandemic, the outbreak at the nursing home was completely out of control, prompting the deployment of the Canadian military to assist in handling the outbreak and providing care. As a result, the nursing home became a focus of national attention.

Against this backdrop, a person without nursing qualifications successfully entered the nursing team and worked there for many years. Residents face potential risks from long-term impersonation of nurses.

Prosecutor Matthew Shumka stated in court, while reading the facts of the case agreed upon by both parties, that although Nguyen was not a registered nurse, he had long: Provide direct care to residents;

Communicate the patient’s condition with the family members;

Management and dispensing of medications;

Training and directing subordinate medical staff;

Access to residents’ personal health data.

The prosecution pointed out that this behaviour not only violated the law, but also posed real risks to long-term care home residents and the operation of the institution. Identity exposed due to whistleblowing

The case was eventually exposed due to a tip-off. The College of Nurses Ontario (CNO) received a complaint that Nguyen was employed at Ina Grafton Gage nursing home, but her registration records showed that she should be working at another hospital in downtown Toronto.

The college then contacted a registered nurse who actually held the registration number and had a similar name, and advised her to report the case to the police. In June 2024, the real registered nurse filed a formal report with the Toronto Police Service, which immediately launched a fraud investigation and reconstructed her work history over the past few years based on various documents that Nguyen had forged. Several nursing homes have been found to have loopholes in their recruitment processes.

Court documents did not explain in detail why Nguyen was able to get away with it for so long, but investigations revealed that many nursing homes had obvious loopholes in their personnel vetting processes.