Year in review: A look at events in May 2024

1 – StubHub says its sales for WNBA games have gone up 93 per cent compared to last season. The wave of incoming rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso is fuelling an unprecedented demand for WNBA games on one of the world’s largest ticket resale platforms. The increase follows StubHub’s record sales for the 2023 WNBA finals as well as the women’s NCAA Tournament.

2 – Canada’s latest greenhouse-gas emissions report shows the country is making progress in meeting its next target in 2030 — but there is still a long way to go. The 2022 report published today shows that Canada produced 708 million tonnes of greenhouse gases throughout that year. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says it was expected that emissions would be higher in 2022 than during the COVID-19 years because people resumed more normal daily routines.

3 – Long-term care homes in Ontario must have sprinkler systems installed by the end of this year and at least two announce they are closing because they won’t be able to meet that deadline. One says the aging building’s structural aspects have proved difficult, while another blames its rural location and reliance on well water. Long-Term Care Minister Stan Cho says he is looking at the issue and delays caused by COVID-19 seem to be a factor.

3 – China launches a lunar probe to land on the far side of the moon. The lander is tasked with gathering samples and returning them to Earth, which could provide insights into the differences between the less-explored region and the better-known nearside. China already landed a rover on the moon’s far side in 2019, the first country to do so.

3 – The federal government announces it is providing Toronto $104 million to help host six matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Toronto expects the World Cup to create jobs and inject millions into the local economy as it attracts 300,000 out-of-town visitors. Vancouver will get $116 million from the federal government as it hosts seven games. Canada is co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with the United States and Mexico.

3 – A federal commission of inquiry says foreign interference by China did not affect the overall results of the 2019 and 2021 general elections. An initial report from Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue says it’s possible the outcomes in a small number of ridings were affected by meddling but this cannot be said with certainty. She concludes that interference from abroad undermined public confidence in Canadian democracy. Hogue says that may be the greatest harm caused by meddling.

3 – Three men are arrested in connection to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. RCMP Assistant Commissioner David Teboul says in addition to the murder case, separate investigations are ongoing into possible connections to the Indian government. Nijjar was shot and killed last June as he left the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey, B.C. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons in September that there was credible evidence linking India to Nijjar’s death. India has repeatedly denied involvement.

3 – The first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel for Canada’s Pacific fleet is officially commissioned in a christening ceremony featuring British royal Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles. Princess Anne attended the event in North Vancouver in her role as commodore-in-chief for the Canadian Fleet Pacific. The Department of National Defence says the HMCS Max Bernays arrived in its new home port in Esquimalt last month. The new ship was named after the Canadian naval hero from the Second World War’s Battle of the Atlantic.

3 – Crown-Indigenous Minister Gary Anandasangaree says Winnipeg, and Manitoba at large, is the epicentre of a crisis involving missing Indigenous women and girls. Anandasangaree says the long-awaited Red Dress Alert system will bring forward solutions that can be implemented across the country. Canada and Manitoba announce a partnership to launch an alert system that would inform the public whenever an Indigenous woman or girl goes missing.

4 – Research presented at a conference in Toronto shows Black children and youth wait twice as long as white patients for mental health care. Researcher Tiyondah Fante-Coleman speaks at the conference held by the Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario. She says Black youth often navigate a disjointed mental health-care system while also dealing with anti-Black racism Fante-Coleman says Black children and teens are also more likely to enter the mental health system through encounters with police or through emergency departments.

4 – Decorated Vietnam War pilot Dick Rutan dies at the age of 85. Rutan and co-pilot Jeana Yeager completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: a full flight around the world without stops or refuelling. A statement from a friend says Rutan died on his own terms at a hospital in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

4 – Moscow puts Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list. Russian state media cite the interior ministry’s database, which also features the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces and one of Zelenskyy’s predecessors. It’s unclear from the database what they have been charged with.

5 – The Hamas militant group says the latest round of Gaza ceasefire talks ended in Cairo after in-depth and serious discussions, reiterating their key demands that Israel again has rejected. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects all calls to halt the war in Gaza, saying, if Israel is forced to stand alone, it will stand alone.

5 – Israel’s government votes unanimously to shut down the local offices of Al Jazeera. Israel’s communications minister says the channel’s “equipment will be confiscated.” The decision escalates Israel’s long-running feud against the broadcaster and threatens to heighten tensions with Al Jazeera’s owner – Qatar – when that country’s government plays a key role in mediation efforts to halt the war in Gaza. Al Jazeera says Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law.

5 – RCMP in northern Manitoba arrest two teen girls in an alleged homicide. A 32-year-old woman was found critically injured and later died at a home in Easterville yesterday morning. Police also found a second victim nearby with unspecified, non-life-threatening injuries. Officers arrested the 13-year-old and 14-year-old girls, but did not indicate whether they knew the victim or if they will be facing charges.

5 – Israel closes its main crossing point for humanitarian aid into Gaza following an attack by Hamas militants, with Israel’s defence minister warning of a powerful operation in the very near future. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant says Israel can see signs Hamas does not intend to go forward with a ceasefire deal.

5 – Actor Bernard Hill, known for his rousing battle cry before leading his people into battle in “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” and as the captain in “Titanic,” dies at the age of 79.

5 – India’s Foreign Affairs Minister says Canada is his country’s “biggest problem” when it comes to Sikh separatism. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar accuses Canada of welcoming criminals into the fold, responding to developments in the case of the murder of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last June in Surrey, B.C. Jaishankar accuses Canadian politicians of various stripes of giving electoral clout to people wanting to carve out a Sikh homeland separate from India, called Khalistan.

6 – The Israeli army orders 100,000 Palestinians to begin evacuating eastern Rafah. The Israeli Defence Force issues a statement signalling that a ground invasion is imminent. People are told to move to Muwasi, an Israeli-declared humanitarian area near the coast. Hamas says Palestinian militant groups are ready to defend their people and defeat the enemy. The Israeli Defence Force confirms the military launch of at least 50 missiles into Rafah.

6 – Thirty-seven-year-old Jeremy Skibicki admits killing four women in 2022, in Winnipeg court this morning, but his lawyers ask he be found not criminally responsible because of mental illness. Court of King’s Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal says Skibicki’s mental capacity and intent will now be the focus of his trial, which will be heard by judge alone. Skibicki faces four counts of first-degree murder, although only the partial remains of one woman have been found so far.

6 – Hamas accepts an Egyptian-Qatari ceasefire proposal, hours after Israel orders about 100,000 Palestinians to begin evacuating Rafah. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says while the proposal is “far from Israel’s essential demands,” it would still send negotiators to continue talks on the ceasefire agreement while continuing its military operation in Gaza.

6 – Google says it is taking Canada’s broadcasting regulator to court. Google is suing the CRTC to have YouTube video ad revenue exempted from regulatory fees, saying those revenues come from user-generated content. In an application filed in the Federal Court of Canada, Google argues the “significant” revenue it earns from advertisements on YouTube videos should be excluded from fee calculations because of exemptions in the Broadcasting Act.

7 – A security guard working outside Drake’s Toronto mansion is rushed to hospital with serious injuries after a shooting outside Drake’s home in the prestigious Bridle Path neighbourhood. It’s not clear if the rap superstar was at home when the guard was shot, but police say his team is co-operating with the investigation. Toronto police have surveillance video of the shooting and are looking for suspects and the vehicle they sped off in.

7 – Global Affairs confirms six Canadian children have been flown to Montreal from a detention camp in northeastern Syria. Lawyer Lawrence Greenspon says staff at a specialized clinic is helping settle the siblings. He says Ottawa refused to let their Quebec-born mother return to Canada for security reasons, and she left the camp but her whereabouts are unknown.

7 – The Boy Scouts of America changes its name for the first time in its 114-year history. Scouting America is announced as the new name at the organization’s annual general meeting in Florida, as it seeks to focus on inclusion. The organization that’s steeped in tradition is marking a significant shift as it emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims.

8 – The European Medicines Agency says British drugmaker AstraZeneca has asked it to pull the European authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine. AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine was first approved by the European Union medicines regulator in January 2021. But within weeks concerns grew about its safety, and dozens of countries suspended the vaccine’s use after unusual but rare blood clots were detected in a small number of immunized people.

8 – The head of the Ontario Medical Association’s Section on General and Family Practice says it is insulted by the government’s claim that recruitment and retention of doctors is not a major concern. The OMA says there are 2.3 million Ontarians without a family doctor and data from a government agency shows more than 3,000 job vacancies. The province is negotiating the next four-year Physician Services Agreement, which determines how doctors are compensated.

8 – The company behind the iconic Swiss Army Knife announces it is going to make a model without the knife in response to a possible U.K. government ban on carrying knives in public. Removing the tool would serve markets that legislate against pocket blades. But Victorinox says its original, bladed Swiss Army Knife will remain on sale.

8 – Public service unions vow to stage a summer of discontent if they’re forced to work in federal government offices at least three days a week. That includes filing grievances and launching legal challenges. Ottawa announced the change earlier this month, saying it will take effect on Sept. 9. Treasury Board President Anita Anand says the government has the jurisdiction to make the changes and hybrid work arrangements aren’t in the unions’ collective agreements.

8 – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh criticizes the Liberals for giving $12 million to Loblaw for energy-efficient refrigerators and freezers, and more than $15 million to Costco for fridges and to reduce emissions. The payments were made between 2019 and last year. Singh is accusing the Liberals of deciding how many millions of dollars to hand out to grocery giants while Canadians are struggling to afford to put food on the table.

8 – Jewish post-secondary school students raise the alarm about growing antisemitism on campuses across the country amid the Israel-Hamas war. The students appeared on Parliament Hill alongside several MPs. Students and pro-Palestinian activists have recently set up encampments at various schools across Canada and the U.S. in protest of Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Administrators and Jewish leaders have also expressed concerned about antisemitic chants and slogans being featured at these protests.

8 – The Writers Guild of Canada reaches an agreement with the Canadian Media Producers Association that could effectively avoid a screenwriters strike. Both sides announced a new, three-year deal has been struck, after the WGC authorized the first strike in its 33-year history over issues like pay, staffing minimums and safeguards against artificial intelligence replacing writing jobs. Terms for the new agreement still need to be ratified by WGC workers.

8 – The U.S. restores “net neutrality” rules that prevent broadband internet providers from favouring some apps and websites over others. Net neutrality effectively requires internet service providers to treat all traffic equally, eliminating any incentive to favour business partners or to hobble competitors. The Federal Communications Commission decision effectively reinstates an FCC order that was repealed in 2017 during Donald Trump’s presidency.

8 – B.C.’s government is hit by what it calls “sophisticated cybersecurity incidents” involving government networks. Premier David Eby says the provincial government is working with the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and other agencies to determine the extent of the incidents. Eby says in a statement there is no evidence at this time that sensitive information has been compromised. Similar recent incidents include hackers targeting B.C. libraries, and pharmacy chain London Drugs being forced to shut its stores for more than a week.

9 – The Toronto Maple Leafs fire head coach Sheldon Keefe, days after he told reporters he accepts responsibility for expectations not being met. The announcement comes after the Leafs fell to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Keefe signed a contract extension last August, and guided the Leafs to that series win last spring, but the club has also lost four winner-take-all games on his watch.

9 – Two men instrumental in creating a global seed vault are the co-winners of the 2024 World Food Prize. U.S. special envoy for Global Food Security Cary Fowler and British agricultural scientist Geoffrey Hawtin created the vault to protect the world’s agricultural diversity. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in 2008 and now holds 1.25 million seed samples from nearly every country in the world, keeping them safe from political upheaval and environmental changes.

9 – One of the prosecution’s key witnesses wraps up testifying at Donald Trump’s hush money trial. Porn actor Stormy Daniels’ testimony is a buildup to star witness Michael Cohen, who arranged the US$130,000 payment to Daniels and later went to prison. Under cross-examination from Trump’s lawyer, Daniels said she never spoke with Trump about payment she received from Cohen, and didn’t know if Trump was aware of or involved in the transaction.

9 – The Canadian Cancer Society recommends all provinces and territories start screening for breast cancer at age 40, instead of the age of 50. Later this month, the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care is expected to revise its current advice that women start screening at age 50.

9 – A pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of Toronto grows to more than 100 tents. Protesters have been calling on the university to disclose ties with the Israeli government and divest from Israeli companies as the Israel-Hamas war rages on. But concerns have been raised about antisemitism on campuses, as pro-Palestinian encampments are set up at several Canadian schools, including McGill University in Montreal, and the universities of Ottawa and British Columbia.

9 – Canadian superstar Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey Bieber announce on Instagram that they’re expecting their first child. The video online features Hailey draped in white lace and a baby bump prominent in the sheer fabric. Her representative confirmed that the model is just over six months pregnant.

9 – The National Post reports that broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy has died. The newspaper, where he worked as a columnist, says in an obituary on its website that Murphy died at age 77 following a battle with cancer. Murphy hosted CBC Radio’s “Cross Country Checkup” for more than two decades, before retiring from the role in 2015.

10 – The UN General Assembly votes 143 to nine with 25 abstentions to approve an Arab and Palestinian-sponsored resolution to grant new rights and privileges to Palestine. It is asking the Security Council to reconsider Palestine’s request to become the 194th member of the United Nations. Under the UN Charter, prospective members must be “peace-loving,” and the Security Council must recommend their admission to the General Assembly for final approval. Palestine became a UN non-member observer state in 2012.

10 – The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says officers responding to a disturbance at a home are assaulted by an angry man wielding a block of cheese. They aren’t saying what type of cheese. The St. John’s man was arrested, charged with assault, assaulting a police officer and breach of probation and taken to jail to await a court appearance.

10 – Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ+ groups for a ban that was in effect until 2022 on gay and bisexual men from donating blood. CEO Graham Sher apologized at an event in Ottawa, saying the policy contributed to discrimination, homophobia, transphobia and HIV stigma. When the ban was lifted, it was replaced by a questionnaire that asks all donors about their sexual behaviour.

10 – Defence Minister Bill Blair says Canada will contribute $76 million toward an air-defence effort to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian missile and aircraft attacks. Blair says a lag in an American air-defence system to Ukraine — which Canada contributed $400 million to last year — is the reason it’s joining the German initiative.

10 – Canada says it’s open to supporting Palestinian statehood before the end of the current Israel-Hamas war. This comes after Canada abstained from a United Nations vote aimed at formally recognizing Palestine.

10 – The federal government announces an unprecedented plan that aims to set limits on the number of new temporary residents living in Canada. A key method of restricting the population of temporary residents is to offer them permanent resident status, but that doesn’t mean everyone who wants to stay will be able to. Immigration Minister Marc Miller says the goal is to rein in the runaway growth, which has put pressure on the housing market and other services across the country.

10 – Officials in Alberta issue an evacuation alert for Fort McMurray as a wildfire burns nearby. Alberta Wildfire says the blaze is about 16 kilometres southwest of the community. The out-of-control wildfire is about 10 square kilometres in size. Residents of Fort McMurray as well as the nearby community of Saprae Creek are told to be ready to leave on short notice.

10 – An unusually strong solar storm hits the Earth, producing northern lights across Canada and much of the United States. Scientists warn the storm could disrupt power and communications infrastructure. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issues a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning when a solar outburst reaches Earth hours sooner than anticipated.

10 – Thousands of people in northeast British Columbia are ordered to evacuate the town of Fort Nelson and flee to Fort St. John, about 380 kilometres to the south. The order comes as a fast-growing out-of-control wildfire threatens the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and Fort Nelson First Nation. The BC Wildfire Service says the blaze measures eight square kilometres and is “highly visible” from the town, as groundcrews and nine bucketing helicopters work to gain control.

11 – A fourth person from India is charged in last year’s murder of a Sikh activist in Surrey, B.C. Police say 22-year-old Amandeep Singh was already in custody in Ontario for unrelated firearms charges. He is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the shooting death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Three other Indian nationals arrested in Edmonton earlier this month face the same charges.

12 – An Alberta community is on edge as a wildfire southwest of Fort McMurray grows to nearly 4,000 hectares in size. In Fort Nelson, B.C., officials warn all remaining residents to evacuate as the fast-growing, 25-square-kilometre Parker Lake wildfire continues to burn nearby. Meanwhile, officials in Manitoba say a fire north of Flin Flon is now about 4,000 hectares in size. An evacuation order is issued for some properties in the area and the province is getting help from crews from Ontario and air tankers from Saskatchewan.

12 – Pro-Palestinian activists set up a new encampment at the Universite du Quebec’s Montreal campus. The move comes as nearby McGill University prepares to go to court to clear the protest camp set up on its grounds since April 27.

13 – The vast coin collection of a Danish butter magnate is set to go on sale, a century after his death. The collection of Lars Emil Bruun could fetch up to $72 million at auction. Bruun’s will stipulated that his 20,000-piece coin collection be safeguarded for 100 years before being sold. Now, more than a century since Bruun’s death at the age of 71 in 1923, New York-based Stack’s Bowers coin auction house will begin auctioning the collection this fall.

13 – One of the top 10 richest Canadians dies at the age of 93. Arthur L. Irving spent his life growing the oil business his father founded in New Brunswick. Forbes Magazine says Irving had an estimated net worth of $6.3-billion last year, which includes a Saint John refinery that is the largest in the country. Irving attended Acadia University before joining Irving Oil in 1951, where he worked with his father and his two brothers.

13 – More than a dozen tents are set up as part of a pro-Palestinian encampment at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Music plays and signs display messages such as “disclose, divest, reinvest” and “free Palestine,” in a campus courtyard with around 20 people.

13 – The B.C. government wants to prevent anyone convicted of serious criminal offences from legally changing their name. The province introduces legislation after British Columbians learn child-killer Allan Schoenborn legally changed his name to Ken John Johnson. Schoenborn was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of his children in 2008. A judge ruled he was not criminally responsible because of a mental disorder.

13 – Legendary Canadian writer Alice Munro dies at the age of 92. Munro’s short stories of small-town Ontario earned her an international fan base and awards, including the Man Booker International Prize, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and multiple Scotiabank Giller Prizes and Governor General’s Literary Awards. She also won the Nobel Prize in literature in 2013. Her daughter Jenny Munro says the celebrated writer had dementia for many years, and she died at a Port Hope, Ont., care home where she had spent her last days surrounded by family and friends.

14 – A two-day summit begins in Winnipeg that sees Indigenous leaders discuss how they’re dealing with what they call Indigenous identity fraud. The summit’s discussions include Bill C-53, a federal piece of legislation that would formally recognize Métis governments in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. The Assembly of First Nations opposes the bill.

14 – At least 32 children are identified in an RCMP investigation of a man accused of sex offences in multiple communities in southern Saskatchewan. Forty-seven-year-old Richard Dyke was originally arrested in November after police received a report of a historical sexual assault. Since then, officers have analyzed more than 1.5 million pieces of digital evidence considered to be child sexual-abuse materials and identified more children. Authorities say the children range in age from 18 months to 17 years.

15 – A miniature poodle named Sage wins the top prize at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Sage bested six other finalists to claim the best-in-show award at the U.S.’s most illustrious canine event. More than 2,500 dogs from about 200 breeds and varieties entered the show.

15 – Whitehorse bans online voting for its upcoming city elections over concerns about foreign interference. City Councillor Ted Laking says the city’s strong support of Ukraine has led to some Yukon residents being placed on Russia’s travel ban. He says the city will increase accessibility for elections and that could include extending voting dates and having more polling stations.

15 – Former federal Liberal leader, historian and writer Michael Ignatieff wins the US$54,000 Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences. The Spanish prize organizers are honouring the 77-year-old for his critical reflections on major conflicts. Ignatieff has written more than 20 books and has taught and researched at many of the world’s leading universities, including Harvard, Cambridge and Oxford.

15 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is buying the historic Quebec Bridge that connects Quebec City with the south shore of the St. Lawrence. The deal the government has reached with CN Rail will see Ottawa spend $1 billion over the next 25 years to repair, repaint and maintain the bridge. CN and the Quebec government will retain responsibility and ownership of the rails and roadway on the longest cantilever bridge in the world, which is crossed by 33,000 vehicles a day.

15 – Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is shot multiple times in the stomach and gravely wounded after a political event in the town of Handlova. The 59-year-old pro-Russian leader is reportedly fighting for his life. A suspect is in custody, but police haven’t revealed any motive for the shooting.

15 – Social media giants have reached a deal with the B.C. government in an effort to keep people informed during emergency situations like wildfires. A joint statement between the province and social media organizations says Meta, Snapchat, TikTok and X have offered to provide B.C. and other emergency organizations with advertising support to relay safety information during this wildfire season. Meta cut off news feeds last year in response to the federal government’s Online News Act, which forces companies to pay news organizations when their stories are shared online.

16 – Longtime TSN broadcaster Darren Dutchyshen dies at age 57. His family says he was surrounded by his loved ones, but didn’t say what caused his death. Dutchyshen revealed in 2021 he had prostate cancer and spent a year away from TSN while receiving treatment. He began his TSN career in 1995 and became a mainstay on the network’s flagship SportsDesk and SportsCentre news programs over the next three decades.

16 – Media companies including The Canadian Press, La Presse, Quebecor and the CBC say a new bill to protect Quebec politicians from abuse contains measures that compromise the freedom of expression of citizens and the media. The legislation stems from a wave of resignations by elected officials who reported experiencing harassment and intimidation. Media companies argue the bill is too broad and lets elected leaders to potentially silence unfavourable criticism from both citizens and journalists.

16 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre would rather watch the country burn than fight climate change. He says Poilievre’s pledges to axe carbon pricing come at a time of wildfires and other disasters in Canada, noting scrapping the carbon price would also mean the end of rebate cheques that most families receive. Trudeau’s comments come after Poilievre called for a “vacation” from carbon pricing between the upcoming Victoria Day long weekend and Labour Day.

16 – Canadian swimmer Summer McIntosh breaks her own world record at the Olympic and Paralympic trials. She swam the women’s 400-metre individual medley in a time of 4:24:38, eclipsing her previous record of 4:25.87 set at the 2023 trials in Toronto. The 17-year-old from Toronto is the two-time defending world champion in the event.

17 – Public Health Ontario reports a child under five years old has died after being hospitalized for measles. The child hadn’t been vaccinated against the disease. Officials say this is the first such death in 11 years. Children make up more than half of the 22 confirmed cases of measles in Ontario so far this year and almost all of them were not immunized against it.

17 – The Israeli military says its troops have found the bodies of three Israeli hostages killed by Hamas at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7 and taken into Gaza. They are 22-year-old Shani Louk, 28-year-old Amit Buskila and 56-year-old Itzhak Gelerenter. Photos and video of Louk’s twisted body in the back of a pickup truck played around the world on Oct. 7, highlighting the scale and horror of the militants’ attack.

17 – Craig Berube is named the new head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The NHL squad made the announcement today, less than a week after firing previous head coach Sheldon Keefe. His dismissal came after the team failed to make it to the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

17 – Top PGA golfer Scottie Scheffler faces criminal charges after he reportedly struck an officer with his car. Police say the officer was directing traffic after a fatal accident shut down traffic.

18 – A major international report on the safety of artificial intelligence says experts can’t agree on the risk the technology poses. The report on general-purpose AI, such as ChatGPT, concludes its future is remarkably uncertain. Dozens of experts contributed to the report, including a panel nominated by 30 countries, the European Union and the United Nations. As for the document itself, one of the areas of debate between experts was the likelihood of AI causing large-scale labour market impacts, hacking or biological attacks and if society could lose control over general-purpose AI.

18 – Ontario Premier Doug Ford ask the federal government to pause safe-supply programs around the country. In a letter to the prime minister, Ford also calls for a review of the Health Canada-approved sites around Canada. The requests come after the provincial health minister and solicitor general wrote to Toronto Public Health’s top doctor, telling her to drop the city’s application to decriminalize illegal drug possession for personal use. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government is taking a public health and safety approach to the opioid crisis “as opposed to unnecessarily criminalizing and further marginalizing people.”

19 – Lawyers question Canada’s approach to screening visa applications for people in Gaza with extended family in Canada. The concern is being raised after one applicant – a medical worker – was asked whether he had treated members of Hamas. The Canadian Press obtained a redacted letter from an official at Canada’s immigration office in Jordan to a medical worker that asks if they have ever “provided medical care to injured Hamas members.”

19 – Canadian women score a historic rugby win. The Canadian women defeat the rugby World Cup champion New Zealand 22-19, winning the Pacific Four Series. The milestone win moves the Canadian women to Number 2 in the world, equalling their highest-ever position.

19 – Sean “Diddy” Combs admits he beat his ex-girlfriend Cassie in a hotel hallway in 2016. In a video statement posted to Instagram and Facebook, Combs says he was “truly sorry” and called his actions “inexcusable.” The apology comes after CNN released video of the attack on Friday in which Combs is seen punching, kicking and throwing a vase in his longtime girlfriend’s direction. In the apology video, Combs says, “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. (And) I’m disgusted now.”

19 – America’s first Black astronaut candidate makes it to space, 60 years later. Ninety-year-old Ed Dwight blasts off from West Texas with five other passengers, flying with Jeff Bezos’s rocket company Blue Origin. Dwight was an Air Force pilot when former president John F. Kennedy championed him as a NASA astronaut candidate, but he wasn’t picked. The trip makes Dwight the oldest person in space, eclipsing the record of “Star Trek” actor William Shatner, who flew in 2021.

19 – Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is confirmed killed in a helicopter crash in a remote mountainous region in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. Raisi’s helicopter went down Sunday with Iran’s foreign minister, a provincial governor and several others also on board, after attending the inauguration of a dam.

20 – The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court says he is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders. Karim Khan says that includes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders. Khan says they are all responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and Israel, in connection with their actions during the seven-month war.

20 – Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland heads up a group of federal ministers announcing the federal government’s national action plan against auto thefts at a news conference in the Toronto area. The plan includes ramped-up intelligence sharing and a multi-level government working group, along with making it illegal to own or sell the electronic and digital devices police say are being commonly used to steal cars.

21 – The Vatican says it won’t take further action after an investigation concluded a senior leader of Quebec’s Roman Catholic Church did not commit sexual misconduct. Quebec City archbishop Cardinal Gerald Lacroix was named in January in a class-action lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by clergy and staff. The reported incidents of sexual touching involving Lacroix took place between in the late 1980s in Quebec City when the plaintiff was 17.

21 – British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after a major assault at a Quebec prison. Correctional Service Canada confirms today that Pickton, 74, was injured in Sunday’s incident at the maximum security Port-Cartier Institution. The correctional service says the assault did not involve any of its staff.

21 – Canada announces more sanctions against Russians and companies it says are supporting Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The sanctions apply to two men and six shipping companies Ottawa accuses of shipping weapons from North Korea to Ukraine. Ottawa alleges the companies are closely linked with the Russian military and involved in transporting the weapons, and so they are banned from financial dealings with Canadians.

21 – Los Angeles police say they are investigating the death of actor Matthew Perry. The Los Angeles Times says police confirmed they are assisting the Drug Enforcement Agency with a probe into why the 54-year-old “Friends” star had so much ketamine in his system when he died last October. An autopsy into the actor’s death found the amount of ketamine in his blood was in the range normally used for general anesthesia during surgery.

21 – An Alberta queer community organizer says United Conservative Party members are banned from Pride events in the province. Queer Citizens United says the ban is in direct response to Premier Danielle Smith promising changes to rules and legislation involving transgender and queer people. The Calgary-based organizer says the group won’t stop speaking out against what it calls the most draconian and discriminatory moves proposed against transgender people in Canada. Smith has promised to ban medical treatments for some transgender minors while ensuring there are sports leagues geared specifically toward players who are biologically female.

22 – Israel’s foreign minister orders his country’s ambassadors in Ireland and Norway to return home immediately — and a similar order is expected for Spain — after all three European countries today announced they would recognize a Palestinian state. Israel Katz says the trio are sending a message to the Palestinians and the whole world that “terrorism pays.” He says the recognition could impede efforts to return Israel’s hostages still being held in Gaza.

22 – As part of a new Barbie project, Mattel says it will honour Canadian soccer star Christine Sinclair, U.S. tennis champion Venus Williams and several other athletes. Others to be depicted in doll form include gymnasts Rebeca Andrade and Alexa Moreno, swimmer Federica Pellegrini, and para-triathlete and doctor Susana Rodriguez.

22 – A renowned Sherpa mountain guide scales Mount Everest for the record 30th time, making his second trip to the top of the world this month. His first trip to the world’s highest peak was on May 12 guiding foreign clients. Kami Rita reached the 8,849-metre-high summit this morning. He also climbed Mount Everest twice last year, setting the record for most climbs.

22 – Former Manitoba premier Heather Stefanson has a new gig. Just weeks after resigning her seat in the legislature, she is appointed to the board of directors of WestJet. Stefanson says in the company’s statement that it’s an honour to join the WestJet Group Board at this time of growth and opportunity for Canadian aviation.

22 – WestJet’s CEO says the federal government could improve air travel affordability by cutting the rent it collects from airports. Canada’s major airports are all operated on federally owned lands, and they must pay rent to the federal government based on a proportion of their revenues. Airports earn money by charging fees to airlines, to businesses like restaurants and to passengers through ticket surcharges such as “airport improvement fees.” Alexis von Hoensbroech says these charges drive up the cost of flying in Canada.

22 – Families of victims in the Uvalde elementary school shooting in Texas are suing nearly 100 state police officers who were part of the botched law enforcement response. The attack at Robb Elementary School in May 2022 was one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, leaving 19 students and two teachers dead. Hundreds of officers who converged on the scene waited more than 70 minutes before confronting the shooter.

22 – Canada Infrastructure Bank is lending $75 million to British Columbia’s ferry service, helping buy four zero-emission vessels and install electric charging infrastructure in the region. The federal Crown corporation says it has closed a deal with BC Ferry Services as the company expands the electrification of its fleet, adding that terminal upgrades are to be completed by 2027. The loan is part of the BC Ferry Services’ plan to replace its existing fleet with quieter and more environmentally friendly vessels.

22 – Canada and the U.S. suspend all fishing for Yukon River Chinook salmon for seven years. It’s an attempt to protect the dwindling species. Fisheries and Oceans Canada says since the 1980s the Chinook population originating from the Canadian portion of the watershed has declined to less than 10 per cent of its historical average. The agreement covers all commercial, recreational and domestic fishing through 2030.

23 – Toronto is awarded the WNBA’s first franchise outside the United States, and the league’s 14th overall. The expansion team is set to begin play in 2026. The team will be owned by the Larry Tanenbaum-led Kilmer Sports Ventures. Tanenbaum is also the chairman and a minority owner of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns several Toronto sports franchises, including the NBA’s Raptors and the Maple Leafs of the NHL.

23 – A New Brunswick appeals court says the province’s lieutenant-governor is not required to be fluent in both French and English. The Court of Appeal has reversed a lower-court ruling that said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau violated constitutional language protections when he appointed anglophone Brenda Murphy as lieutenant-governor in 2019.

23 – The U.S. Justice Department alleges Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment run an illegal monopoly over live events, driving up prices for fans. The sweeping antitrust lawsuit filed in New York was brought with 30 state and district attorneys general. It seeks to break up the monopoly they say is squeezing out smaller promoters, hurting artists and slapping fans with endless fees.

24 – A pair of major grocery companies find themselves in the sights of Canada’s Competition Bureau for allegedly using so-called “property controls” to stifle competition. The bureau says both Loblaw Companies and Empire — parent companies to Loblaws and Sobeys respectively — are the subject of recently launched investigations. The commissioner claims the controls that the grocery giants have baked into lease agreements are designed to restrict other potential tenants and their activities and are hampering competition in the grocery market.

24 – Canada Post announces it lost $748 million before taxes in 2023, its second-worst year on record. That disappointing performance has experts calling for drastic measures to be implemented to help stop the fiscal bleeding.

24 – The truck driver who caused the deadly bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team has received a deportation order. Jaskirat Singh Sidhu is from India and has permanent resident status in Canada. He was granted parole after being sentenced to eight years for dangerous driving in the 2018 bus crash in Saskatchewan that killed 16 people and injured 13 others. But the order doesn’t mean Sidhu has to leave the country right away. Sidhu’s lawyer has said there are still numerous other legal procedures to come.

24 – The dog that gained worldwide fame as an internet meme and became the face of the cryptocurrency dogecoin has died. A number of media reports say the Japanese owner of the Shiba Inu named Kabosu says she died in her sleep at 18 years old. The account for dogecoin on X is paying tribute to Kabosu, calling her an inspiration. A picture posted by her owner online showing the dog rose in popularity as a meme in 2013 and captured the attention of early adapters of cryptocurrency.

24 – Ontario says the expansion of alcohol sales to grocery and convenience stores will start this August. The changes had been set to take effect by 2026, but Premier Doug Ford says he’s speeding that up. He says licensed grocery stores already selling some alcohol will be able to expand their offerings on Aug. 1, and eligible convenience stores will be able to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails after September 5. After Oct. 31, all grocery stores and big box stores could sell such products, including large-pack sizes. The early rollout comes as Ontario pays the Beer Store $225 million to buy out its exclusive rights to sell 12- and 24-packs of beer.

24 – “Super Size Me” director Morgan Spurlock dies of cancer at age 53. The Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker famously ate only at McDonald’s for a month to illustrate the dangers of a fast-food diet in 2004’s “Super Size Me.” He returned in 2017 with “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!” — a sober look at an industry that processes nine-billion animals a year in the U.S.

25 – A director of adaptation research at the Canadian Climate Institute says disasters that bring people to the emergency room – such as fires, floods, heat waves and other extreme weather – also strike hospitals. Ryan Ness is joining other experts in calling on Canada to disaster proof its hospitals, as an increasing number of extreme weather events threaten the country’s health systems.

25 – Egypt says it has agreed to send United Nations humanitarian aid trucks through Israel’s main crossing into Gaza. It remains unclear if the aid will be able to enter the territory as fighting rages in Rafah with Israel’s escalating offensive in the southern city. Meanwhile, Israel’s army says the bodies of three more hostages killed on Oct. 7 were recovered overnight from Gaza.

25 – The head of Saskatchewan’s RCMP major crimes unit says officers were certain Tiki Laverdiere was killed weeks before they found her burned, bludgeoned body wrapped in a carpet under rocks in a Saskatchewan pond in 2019. Superintendent Joshua Graham says key witnesses had told investigators early on about how female gang members tortured and killed the Edmonton woman. Ten people have been sentenced for their roles in her killing, with the last case completed in April.

25 – Classic Disney songwriter Richard M. Sherman dies at the age of 95 of age-related illness. Sherman wrote hundreds of songs with his late brother, Robert, including tunes featured in Disney classics such as “The Jungle Book” and “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” They also penned the most-played tune on Earth, “It’s a Small World (After All),” and won two Oscars for their efforts in the 1964 Disney classic “Mary Poppins.”

25 – Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray dies at the age of 30. His death comes one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. His parents confirm Murray died by suicide. Murray won the Sony Open this year with a 40-foot birdie putt in a playoff and previously won the Barbasol Championship in 2017.

26 – As the warming climate brings a wide range of diseases to Canada, cases of Lyme disease have increased more than 1,000 per cent in a decade. Researchers say populations of exotic mosquito species that could potentially carry illnesses have become established in parts of Ontario. A federal report says there were more than 3,100 reported cases of Lyme disease in Canada in 2021, up from 266 in 2011.

26 – Norway takes steps to symbolically recognize the state of Palestine. The Nordic nation hands over papers today to the Palestinian prime minister in the latest step toward recognition. Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide says Ireland and Spain have also pledged to recognize a Palestinian state in a show of support during Israel’s war against Hamas. The handover is made during a meeting in Brussels.

27 – The University of Toronto asks a court to move quickly to hear its request for an injunction to clear a pro-Palestinian protest that has been on campus since May 2. University officials issued a trespass notice on Friday ordering demonstrators to remove their encampment by 8 a.m. The protesters haven’t budged and are instead being joined by labour groups for a rally.

27 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Madrid to sign a US$1.2-billion bilateral security agreement with Spain. The deal will see Spain supply Ukraine with more weapons.

27 – Evacuees begin returning home to Fort Nelson, .B.C., more than two weeks after being forced out by wildfires. The Northern Rockies Regional Municipality and the Fort Nelson First Nation jointly rescind their evacuation orders at 8 a.m., but warn active fires continue burning in the area. An evacuation alert is in place.

28 – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy picks up a second $1-billion promise of military aid in as many days for his war with Russia. The pledge comes from Belgium, which topped up the money with a commitment to give 30 F-16 fighter jets over the next four years. The Netherlands adds to the goodwill by promising to quickly assemble with partners a Patriot air defence system.

28 – History is made in the Ontario legislature, when a First Nation legislator rises at Queen’s Park to speak in his native language, Oji-Cree. For the first time ever, the legislature allows, interprets and transcribes a language other than English and French. Northern Ontario New Democrat Sol Mamakwa from Kingfisher Lake First Nation sparks the change after convincing Government House Leader Paul Calandra to alter the standing order on languages spoken in the chamber. He says Indigenous people are losing their languages, and his speech in the legislature marks a step toward reconciliation.

28 – Spain, Norway and Ireland all move to formally recognize a Palestinian state. The symbolic, diplomatic move is a co-ordinated effort by the three nations to add international pressure on Israel to soften its devastating response in Gaza to last year’s Hamas-led attack.

28 – Pope Francis issues an apology after he was quoted using a vulgar term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests. Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says the pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms. Francis reportedly said jokingly that there is “already an air of faggotness” in seminaries while speaking in Italian during a meeting with the country’s bishops a week ago.

28 – Canada has a new women’s pro soccer league. Project 8 has now become the Northern Super League. Project 8 co-founder and CEO Diana Matheson says it was a deliberate decision not to include women in the league title because it will first and foremost be an internationally competitive professional soccer league. Ottawa and Montreal join Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Halifax as the founding franchises slated to kick off next April.

29 – A new certification program is launched in B.C., aiming to help Black-owned businesses enter the lucrative world of government and corporate procurement. Jackee Kasandy, who heads the Black Entrepreneurs and Businesses of Canada Society, says the non-profit started the Black Business Certification Program because few companies owned by Black people are awarded contracts under government procurement systems. The program is the first of its kind in Canada and is being run in partnership with Public Services and Procurement Canada.

29 – North Korea flies hundreds of balloons carrying trash and manure toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years. South Korea’s military has mobilized chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country. The balloon campaign came as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un urged his military scientists to overcome Monday’s failed satellite launch and continue developing his nation’s space-based reconnaissance capabilities.

29 – Defence Minister Bill Blair says the government will spend $11 billion over 25-years to train Air Force pilots and another $2.5 billion to buy logistics vehicles for the army. Blair made the announcements at the CANSEC defence trade show in Ottawa this morning.

30 – Police in Montreal say a Jewish school in the city’s most populous borough has been hit by gunfire. Officers in Cote-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grace responded early the previous evening after learning that some projectile impacts were visible on the school. Police found more than one such impact on the front of the school, but report no injuries and have no suspects. They believe the incident happened before Wednesday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has posted on social media he is “disgusted” that another Jewish school has been the target of a shooting. He calls it “antisemitism, plain and simple.”

30 – Ontario high school students will soon be required to pass a financial literacy test. Education Minister Stephen Lecce says students will learn home economics such as managing a household budget and how to protect themselves against financial fraud. It’s part of a number of changes coming to the requirements needed to earn a high school diploma in the province. Ontario is also reinstating the math proficiency test for students applying to teachers college.

30 – Canada’s largest vaccine production plant opens in Toronto. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford were among those present for the announcement at the new Sanofi facility. It’s expected to significantly increase Canada’s domestic production of pediatric and adult vaccines for whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus. It comes after Canada was forced to rely on imported vaccines during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic because there wasn’t enough domestic production capacity to respond to the emergency.

30 – Donald Trump becomes the first former president in U.S. history to be found guilty of felony crimes. Trump sat stone-faced in court, looking down as the jury found him guilty on all 34 counts in his New York hush money trial. The jury took nine-and-a-half hours to come to the verdict after listening to lurid claims of sex and financial coverups. The verdict comes six months before the U.S. presidential election and will test if voters are willing to elect a candidate with a criminal record.

31 – Convicted serial killer Robert Pickton dies. The 74-year-old was placed in a medically induced coma earlier this month after being attacked at a Quebec prison on May 19. He was serving a life sentence after being convicted of six counts of second-degree murder in B.C. in 2007.

31- B.C. Premier David Eby says a Vancouver synagogue was firebombed in what he calls a deliberate act of hate and attempted intimidation. In a statement, Eby says hate crimes that try to terrorize a specific community make everyone feel less safe. Police are investigating last night’s incident at Schara Tzedeck synagogue as arson and a possible hate crime. Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt says people were inside the synagogue when it happened.

31 – The mother of former first lady Michelle Obama dies at age 86. Marian Shields Robinson had moved with the first family to the White House when her son-in-law Barack Obama was elected U.S. president. Her death is announced today by the former first lady and other family members in a statement saying she had died peacefully.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

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