The Kakisiwew-Ochapowace Nation and the City of Saskatoon are entering a year-long partnership allowing members of the nation to access recreational facilities like leisure centres, outdoor pools, and indoor rinks.
“Recreation is not just about buildings and not just about programs. It’s about belonging, it’s about health, it is about connection and family and the simple but important opportunity to fully participate in your community life,” said Deputy Mayor Holy Kelleher.
A headperson of the nation, Tyler George says this is a significant partnership that will make a difference as it allows families to come together in a healthy way.
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“When we, as nêhiyaw people want to bring families together, live a good life… a lot of it comes from physical wellness. And so, being able to access swimming pools, indoor and outdoor skating rinks, tracks, it’s very exciting for our membership.”
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George says being able to be active and have fun as families in these ways helps play a part in reconciliation through family bonding.
“When it comes to families, it’s really important for them to come together, because through colonization, our family systems have always been, well, they’ve been disrupted,” they said, adding, “You know, I talked about our mission and vision statement, being a unified, proud, prosperous sovereign nation. And that unification piece is important for our families so that we can be proud.”
Although the partnership is only one year long, they look to expand on it in the coming year and open more opportunity for partnerships with the city.
“I’m very hopeful that something like this will open the doors for future partnerships with the city. You know, employment, summer jobs for our people living here. The opportunities I think are wide open and endless for us right now,” said George.
Watch above for more on the new partnership and what it will mean for Ochapowace families in Saskatoon.
The University of Calgary is exploring the construction of a new stadium on its campus for its various varsity sports teams, after years of quietly fundraising for the project.
Those teams currently play at McMahon Stadium, a shared home for the University of Calgary Dinos and Calgary Stampeders since it was built 66 years ago.
“We’ve known for some time that the Dinos will outlive McMahon Stadium,” said Nick Holt, the dean of UCalgary’s Faculty of Kinesiology.
“We need a long-term solution to ensure the future of Dinos programming.”
That long-term solution could come in the form of a “fit-for-varsity stadium,” in which UCalgary plans to seek bids for design work in the coming days after “quiet phase” fundraising $21 million alongside the Dino’s 5th Quarter, the football team’s alumni group.
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According to university officials, the proposal being explored would be a training and competition stadium with a capacity between 3,500 and 7,000 seats that could support multiple Dinos field sports, including football, soccer, and rugby.
The stadium would include a “seasonal dome” to allow for year-round use, and would be open to the public when it’s not in use, Holt told Global News.
“A big part of our vision is making it available to the community,” Holt said. “We know there’s a huge shortage of facilities in Calgary, we also know there’s a massive shortage in the wintertime so our vision is to have a seasonal dome and make it available to the community in the winter.”
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According to Moshe Lander, an economist at Concordia University, the move signals McMahon Stadium is “not financially viable,” and opens the door to significant redevelopment on the site.
“Building something that’s much more in line with university athletics in Canada seems much more reasonable,” he told Global News.
“Once McMahon is no longer in use, there’s a huge opportunity there to build, whether it’s dorms, building or infrastructure to support a growing campus.”
The move is raising questions about where the Calgary Stampeders will play in the future as the university’s proposal is smaller than typical CFL venues.
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In a statement, Calgary Stampeders president Jay McNeil said McMahon Stadium has been “an incredible home” for the team, but the building is “reaching the end of its functional life.”
“The conversation about what comes next must be led by the community it serves,” McNeil’s statement said. “This isn’t just about football — it’s about what Calgarians want for their city: a modern, accessible and welcoming gathering place that supports sport, culture and year‑round community use.”
While the building is owned by the University of Calgary, it’s the McMahon Stadium Society that oversees its operations and upgrades.
The McMahon Stadium Society’s chair, Steve Allan, told Global News he’s “rooting” for the university’s success in its proposal, as conversations are in early stages about a new home for the Stampeders.
“We’ve been working on this for about four years now when I realized we won’t be getting any more money to put into McMahon,” Allan said Thursday.
Last month, Calgary Stampede officials hinted future planned upgrades to the infield seating at GMC Stadium could make way for field sports to be played on the site.
According to Allan, moving the Calgary Stampeders to an upgraded facility on the Stampede Grounds is a logical step.
“The Calgary Stampede already has the guts of a stadium, they attract people down there, they have transportation, they have parking,” Allan said, “They’ve got a lot of what we need so I think it makes a ton of sense.”
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Back at the university, officials expect to receive initial designs for a potential stadium by the fall to firm up timelines and costs, with a “more public” campaign to raise funds for the project in the coming months.
According to Holt, officials continue to assess potential locations for the stadium on the campus’ west side, noting the project is “years, not decades” away.
“The key thing is to be on campus to bring the energy to our campus and give something for our students to really get behind,” he said.
McMahon Stadium is set to host the 113th Grey Cup game later this year.
A historic library straddling the Canada-U.S. border is nearing completion of a new entrance on the Canadian side, marking a major shift in how visitors access the landmark building.
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House, built in 1901, was intentionally constructed across the international boundary as a symbol of unity between the two countries.
“For over 100 years, it served both communities as a sign of friendship,” said Sylvie Boudreau, president of the board of trustees.
For decades, Canadian visitors in Stanstead, Que., could walk a short distance across the border into Derby Line, Vt., to enter the building without passing through a checkpoint or showing identification.
That changed last year, when local officials said U.S. authorities moved to close the main Canadian access point, ending the long-standing tradition.
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The decision meant Canadians would need to formally cross the border to use the U.S. entrance, prompting concerns about access to what has long been seen as a symbol of cross-border co-operation.
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In response, the library began work on a new entrance located just inside the Canadian side of the building.
Boudreau said the project is now in its final stages.
A historic Canada-U.S. border library is nearing completion of a new Canadian entrance after access changes restricted how Canadians enter the building.
Courtesy of Haskell Free Library
“We’re in the final stretch,” she said, noting remaining work includes finishing construction details, landscaping and parking access. The project has cost more than $600,000.
“It costs a lot of money… something we didn’t need to pay, that we didn’t want to pay, but it’s a necessity,” Boudreau said.
Once complete, the new entrance will allow Canadian visitors to access the library without crossing into the United States, restoring easier access for the local community.
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Visitors can still choose to enter through the U.S. side by going through an official port of entry.
Founded in 1901, the library continues to serve communities on both sides of the border, offering bilingual services, programming and access to arts and culture.
Despite the access changes, Boudreau said the goal remains the same: preserving the building’s role as a shared cultural space.
Ontario’s electricity system operator is giving long-term energy generation contracts to 12 new solar and two wind projects.
The Independent Electricity System Operator says it marks the first large-scale renewable development in the province in more than a decade.
It comes as the IESO projects an increase in electricity demand of up to 90 per cent by 2050, and is turning its attention to meeting Ontario’s energy needs into the 2030s and beyond.
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It is also expected to announce later this year more capacity from natural gas and battery storage projects, which would help contribute to the system during periods of peak demand.
Premier Doug Ford cancelled 750 renewable energy contracts shortly after his Progressive Conservatives formed government in 2018, after the former Liberal government had faced widespread anger over long-term contracts with clean power producers at above-market rates.
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The IESO says the prices they secured for the new solar and wind projects are competitive and lower than other weighted average prices for the two renewables.
Emergency officials in southern New Brunswick say a tanker truck spilled more than 36,000 litres of fuel when it rolled over on Route 1 near Nauwigewauk.
The RCMP say part of the highway between Hampton and Quispamsis was shut down after the crash Wednesday night, and New Brunswick’s Emergency Measures Organization was called in.
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The agency issued a statement on Thursday saying a cleanup was underway and the province’s Environment Department was providing oversight.
The organization said those responsible for the spill had brought in contractors to help with the cleanup, but there was no word on the extent of environmental damage.
It also said inspectors were visiting homes in the area, but had not yet identified any additional impacts.
The highway’s eastbound and westbound lanes between kilometre markers 142 and 158 were expected to remain closed until Friday at noon.
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Passenger vehicle traffic has been diverted to nearby roads, but spring weight restrictions require heavier trucks to stick to main highways.
The deportation of a Bishnoi extortion gang member was put off on Thursday after federal officials could not find the suspect.
Just minutes into Abjeet Kingra’s deportation hearing, the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) said it had lost track of the Indian citizen.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which is attempting to deport Kingra, also said it no longer knew his whereabouts.
“Without knowing where he is, there’s not much else we can do,” Azeem Lalji, the IRB member overseeing the case, said before shutting down the hearing.
The B.C. court, however, confirmed to Global News that Kingra remained in custody, awaiting trial for a shooting and arson at a Surrey home.
The Bishnoi gang is an India-based crime group behind a wave of extortion violence targeting Canadian cities with large South Asian populations.
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It is a listed terrorist group in Canada, which blames it for murders, shootings and arsons targeting prominent South Asian community members, businesses and cultural figures.
Kingra is one of the first Bishnoi members to face a deportation hearing amid a crackdown against extortion in B.C., Alberta and Ontario.
But as the case was set to begin on Thursday morning, he was not present. The IRB said it thought he was detained at the Pacific Institution in Abbotsford, B.C.
When the jail staff did not bring him to his virtual hearing, the IRB said it had just learned that he had been moved but did not his new location.
The IRB member said the proceedings would resume “in the very near future.” The CBSA said it would try to find out where he was now held.
Neither the IRB nor CBSA responded to questions about the matter by deadline. The B.C. government referred questions to the federal government.
Surrey extortion shootings spike
Border officials are investigating 372 foreign citizens identified through B.C.’s extortion task force, the CBSA said on Thursday.
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Removal orders have been issued for 70 of them. Thirty-five have already been removed from Canada, the CBSA said. The figures are as of March 12, 2026.
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But a handful have also been sent to the Immigration and Refugee Board for deportation hearings, alleging they are inadmissible to Canada.
Global News has learned that Kingra is facing deportation for allegedly being a member of a criminal organization.
Like many of those implicated in the extortion crisis, Kingra entered Canada on a student visa. He worked for a moving company in Winnipeg.
But he was allegedly recruited into the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, a crime group based in India that makes money by extorting victims in Canada.
Last August, Kingra pleaded guilty to shooting the Vancouver Island home of Punjabi singer AP Dhillon. He also set fire to the victim’s cars.
A security camera recorded flames erupting from the vehicles as Kingra aimed a handgun at the house, fired off 14 shots and fled into the waiting car.
The Bishnoi gang took responsibility for the attack.
Indian crime group Bishnoi Gang’s foot soldier sentenced in Canada
“Your goal and your intent was essentially to terrorize Mr. Dhillon at the behest of a criminal organization known as the Bishnoi gang,” the judge wrote at sentencing.
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“Mr. Dhillon’s apparent transgression was to have included an individual in one of his music videos who had himself fallen afoul of this organization.”
Kingra was sentenced to six years.
“I choose wrong way to support my family,” Kingra later wrote in a handwritten apology he addressed “to the victim and community.”
“I feel sorry for my actions and I am very ashamed.”
But last October, he was charged over another incident. According to the charges, he shot at and set fire to a home in Surrey on Aug. 10, 2024.
He is due in Surrey court on April 21. His alleged accomplice, Vikram Sharma, allegedly fled to India before he could be arrested and remains wanted.
Canadian-born Sikh activist speaks publicly about assassination threats
The RCMP has accused the Bishnoi gang of working for the government of India to kill Sikh activists, among them B.C. temple leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
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Nijjar was gunned down in the parking lot of his Surrey, B.C. temple in 2023. Four suspects allegedly tied to the Bishnoi gang face murder charges.
Canadian national security agencies believe the killing was ordered by the Indian government, which set out to kill opponents abroad in 2022.
But while Ottawa expelled Indian diplomats in 2024 over their alleged role in violence in Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney has worked to rebuild ties.
Canadian Sikh organizations have accused Carney of disregarding their security as he seeks closer trade ties with India to offset a White House trade war.
At the same time, the extortion campaign waged by the Bishnoi gang and others like it have spread fear in South Asian communities.
Since the bulk of extortion gang members are from foreign nations, the CBSA has played an increasing role in the fight against the crimes.
It has been working with the B.C. Extortion Task Force and Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team in Edmonton and Calgary, as well as police in Ontario.
“When police identify individuals who may be in violation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, they notify the CBSA who conducts investigations that may lead to immigration enforcement action, including removal from Canada,” the agency said in a statement last month.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is just one Elizabeth May and one Bloc Québécois MP away from bringing representatives from all the House of Commons’ political parties under the Liberal banner.
With social conservative MP Marilyn Gladu now sitting with the Liberals, Carney has assembled the most ideologically diverse — or perhaps politically confused — iteration of the Liberal Party of Canada since Justin Trudeau took over the party in 2013.
His caucus now includes four former Conservative MPs ranging from Red Tories to social conservatives, an NDP MP who backed Avi Lewis, and could soon include the former deputy leader of the Ontario New Democrats.
Reactions to Gladu’s departure have ranged from cynical to pearl-clutching, dismissed as either a power grab or an affront to the Liberal Party’s values — insofar as Liberal Party values extend beyond grabbing at power.
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But Carney’s ability to provoke defections from both the conservative wing of Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives and the progressive left of what’s left of the NDP says something about both the prime minister and the unique political moment Canadians find themselves in.
“I think that (Carney) is a business person and makes deals. I don’t think that having people in the party who have pretty divergent viewpoints on policy issues is a problem for him at all,” said Lori Turnbull, a professor at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Management.
Turnbull said that Carney doesn’t centre partisanship in his political approach — but cautioned that doesn’t mean the institutions he’s inherited “aren’t completely built around the assumption of party loyalty, and carrots and sticks rolling out.”
For the Liberals, though, a majority government is a pretty significant carrot.
Gladu’s floor crossing brought the Liberals up to 171 seats in the 338 House of Commons — a razor-thin majority ahead of Monday’s three federal by-elections, two of which are seen as likely Liberal wins. The third, Terrebonne in Québec, is a tight race with the Bloc Québécois, but polling indicates it could remain Liberal.
Barring surprisingly catastrophic results for the Liberals on Monday night, Carney is expected to be able to govern with a majority for the foreseeable future — even without factoring in persistent rumours about more Conservative MPs joining the government benches.
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Carney’s welcoming of Gladu, a social conservative who pushed “alternative” COVID-19 treatments, voiced support for the convoy protests of 2022 and in 2023 brought forward a private member’s bill to declare December “Christian Heritage Month,” makes sense if you look at it as just one more vote to secure his government’s agenda.
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For Gladu, it doesn’t seem to be about political survival, given that she’s won her Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong seat in four straight elections, winning for the first time despite Stephen Harper’s loss in 2015 and surviving the failed campaigns of Andrew Scheer, Erin O’Toole and Pierre Poilievre.
It could be a signal that there’s an even larger political reorientation happening than public polling would suggest, and Gladu is picking up on it, Turnbull agreed. It could equally mean that the fully-pensioned MP saw this as a chance to experience the House of Commons from the government benches for a change — and a better one than running under Poilievre in the next election.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Carney acknowledged Gladu’s past political stances but said that all five new Liberal MPs have to abide by the party’s positions and would be expected to vote for them.
“It’s a big country, and it’s a diverse country,” Carney said.
“(The floor crossers) all bring perspectives from their regions, from their backgrounds and from their histories, but they all are subscribing to the values of the party and the core mission, the core element of our mission, which is to build Canada strong and build Canada strong for all Canadians.”
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Former Liberal cabinet minister and leadership candidate Karina Gould told Global News that she’s known Gladu to be a “very congenial and constructive colleague” despite their “very different perspectives on a wide range of issues.”
“I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt that she understands the values of the Liberal Party and has decided to join the Liberal caucus because she either now shares those values or respects the values and the rights the party membership has fought so hard for over the years,” Gould said Thursday.
There are signs that Carney’s open-minded embrace of his former political adversaries — particularly one with Gladu’s formerly sincerely-held beliefs — is beginning to rub some longtime Liberals the wrong way.
Lisa Kirbie, who worked for the Liberals both in the House of Commons and the Senate, told Global News Thursday that Carney’s lack of background in partisan politics means he may not appreciate the effect floor crossers can have on internal party dynamics or fundraising.
“I never, ever expected that someone to the right of Pierre Poilievre was going to be brought into the Liberal fold,” Kirbie, now the CEO of Blackbird Strategies, said in an interview.
“This is not a Red Tory crossing into the Liberal Party. This is someone who would never have been greenlit to run as a Liberal to begin with … We can be a Big Red Tent party, but at the end of the day, we have to have some fundamental principles that we’re adhering to.”
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But Turnbull said that Carney’s openness to opposition MPs joining the Grit cause hearkens back to the Liberals’ historic role as a “brokerage” party, welcoming diverse viewpoints as long as MPs can agree on the overall vision.
“That’s the key, is that you put the stuff you agree on upfront, and then you leave the stuff you can’t agree on kind of in the back as much as you can, then the party can work,” Turnbull said.
It’s not just segments of the Liberal Party base that are unhappy with the situation, however. Speaking to reporters in British Columbia on Thursday, Poilievre again called on his erstwhile MPs to resign and run in by-elections.
“If you ran in an election, you went out and you said to little old ladies, to veterans, to truckers, to single moms that you are going to stand up for the Conservative platform of affordability, safety and national sovereignty, and to do so as part of the Conservative Party that people voted for, then you should respect those people and honour your word,” Poilievre said.
Asked how many of his MPs he’d have to lose to the Liberals before he’d consider his own political future, Poilievre boasted of the record number of votes cast for the Conservatives in the last election, which was won by Carney’s Liberals, and his endorsement from the Conservative grassroots during the recent leadership review vote.
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There have been persistent rumours in Ottawa that more Conservative MPs are in talks to join the Liberals since Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont broke the ice last November. Those rumours haven’t gone away after Gladu’s departure, putting the Conservatives in a state of paranoia about which among them could be next to jump.
Darrell Bricker, the CEO of Ipsos Global Affairs, said that caucus management will need to be the priority for Poilievre going forward — especially now that the Liberals could have a working majority and early-election speculation has died down.
“When restless members in opposition have nothing to worry about, and there’s no prospect of being in government, and (the Conservatives) haven’t been in government since 2015, well, idle hands are the devil’s workshop,” Bricker said in an interview.
“(Poilievre) can’t make the argument ‘you need me to be around because there could be an election any day.’ There isn’t going to be an election any day.”
Gladu and the other newly-Liberal MPs will have a chance to meet with the party’s grassroots in Montreal this weekend, where Carney’s expansive and expanding movement will gather for a three-day policy convention. Lively conversations in the hospitality suites are likely.
With files from Global’s David Akin and Jillian Piper.
Hamilton police are investigating after a person was found dead in the water along the city’s waterfront Wednesday afternoon.
According to a release put out by police, officers were called to the Hamilton waterfront around 3:15 p.m. after a member of the public reported what appeared to be a person in the water.
Police said responding officers located the individual in the water, near Harbourside Way and Discovery Drive, and confirmed they were deceased.
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Detectives, along with the marine unit and forensic services, remain on scene as the investigation continues.
The identity of the individual has not yet been confirmed.
The circumstances surrounding the death remain under investigation and a heavy police presence should be expected in the area.
Toronto police investigating body found in suitcase off Highway 401
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he has had discussions with floor-crossing ex-Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu about the “core values” of the Liberal Party, adding that she will “vote with the government” on any proposals around abortion and LGBTQ rights.
Gladu crossed the floor to the Liberals Wednesday, becoming the latest to switch over to the government caucus and bringing Carney just one seat away from a functional majority.
But her floor-crossing also spurred controversy because of her social conservative views and voting history.
While running for the Conservative leadership in 2020 against Erin O’Toole, Gladu said she would allow caucus members to bring forward private members bills to restrict abortion, saying it would allow for “healthy discussion.”
“I had discussions, and colleagues had discussions, with Ms. Gladu about those issues. She will vote with the government if there are votes relating to any aspect of that issue as well as the rights of Canadians to be their whole selves, to love who they love, and to fully enjoy their rights under the Charters of Rights and Freedoms,” Carney told reporters after being asked specifically on Gladu’s stance on abortion.
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Carney said the Liberals will continue to stand by their values, such as “defending the right of women to choose, defending same sex marriage, (opposing) anti-conversion therapy.”
“We have those core values. Those values don’t change,” he added.
The decision to welcome Gladu into the Liberal fold was in part due to her “two decades of business experience,” Carney said.
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“She’s an engineer. She’s an experienced parliamentarian. She is someone who works well with other people, including across the aisle,” he said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gladu was criticized by then-Conservative leader Erin O’Toole for downplaying the severity of the virus and the safety of vaccines in an interview. Gladu later apologized.
Gladu also appeared to promote unproven treatments for COVID-19 and pushed for workplaces to reopen at the height of the pandemic in comments she later said were taken out of context.
In 2018, Gladu also sparked an angry response from the Mexican government when she implied that many Mexican visitors to Canada are involved in the illegal drug trade.
That statement came during debate over legislation that ultimately made marijuana legal across Canada, a policy Gladu opposed.
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In 2021, Gladu was one of 62 Conservative MPs who voted against legislation outlawing conversion therapy, a discredited practice that has been used on LGBTQ Canadians.
With the Liberal government teetering on the edge of a majority, Carney was asked if Canadians could expect more floor crossings in the weekend leading up to a crucial byelection on Monday.
The Liberal policy convention is also taking place in Montreal this weekend.
“I’m often the last to know,” Carney said.
“The individuals [who crossed the floor] have come to people they know well in the Liberal caucus and expressed an interest in joining and then a conversation has evolved from that. And near the end of the conversation is when I’ve met with those individuals,” he added.
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Gladu’s crossing to the Liberals puts the governing party at 171 seats in the House of Commons — just one seat shy of a functional majority.
That would require House of Commons Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia to break ties when voting on legislation and motions.
Although Scarpaleggia is a Liberal MP, precedent is that Speakers vote to maintain the status quo: in practice, that means voting to allow bills to continue through the House of Commons from first reading through to committee introduction, and then against the bill when it comes to a third reading vote before moving to the Senate.
If the Liberals get 173 seats, that would secure a slim but “full” majority government that does not rely on the Speaker breaking ties.
Byelections are set to be held in three ridings Monday, including Terrebonne, the Quebec riding where last year’s election was called for the Liberal candidate by one vote.
Flag football and the 2028 Summer Olympics aren’t proving to be a distraction for quarterback Nathan Rourke.
The CFL’s top Canadian and outstanding player last season has started playing flag football to acclimate himself with the sport should Canada qualify when it debuts at the Los Angeles Games. But he’s doing so with the B.C. Lions’ approval.
“They know (flag football) won’t take away from my (CFL) preparation,” Rourke said recently. “I do this on weekends for a couple of hours.
“I wouldn’t do it without their blessing.”
Last season, Rourke became the first Canadian quarterback since Russ Jackson in 1969 to win both the top Canadian and outstanding player awards in the same season. He joined Jackson, Brady Oliveira, Jon Cornish and Tony Gabriel as the only players to win each honour in the same year.
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Rourke, of Victoria, established career-highs in passing yards (5,290, most ever by a Canadian), touchdowns (31), rushing yards (564, tops among quarterbacks) and rushing TDs (10). B.C. (11-7) finished its regular season with six straight wins to take second in the West Division.
After dispatching Calgary 33-30 in the West Division semifinal, B.C.’s season ended with a 24-21 road loss to eventual Grey Cup-champion Saskatchewan. That defeat drastically tarnished Rourke’s lofty individual accomplishments.
“That’s always the case and always will be,” he said. “The season is a means to get to the playoffs and that’s where you make your strides of determining what kind of team, what kind of player you want to be.
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“Certainly there’s plenty of work to do.”
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And for Rourke, there’s no better place to start in 2026 than by cutting down on his interceptions. Last season, Rourke and Winnipeg’s Zach Collaros were tied for the most picks at 16 apiece.
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“I had too many last year,” Rourke said. “My goal is to be in single digits … I don’t want to continue to give our defence short fields to work with.”
B.C. led the CFL last season in offensive points (31.1 per game), net yards (430.2) and passing (325.4 per game). Receiver Keon Hatcher was tops in targets (145), catches (102), yards (1,688) and yards after catch (611) while adding nine TD grabs and running back James Butler was third in rushing (1,213 yards, 5.3-yard average) and tied for first in rushing TDs (11).
But gone are stellar offensive lineman Jarell Broxton (free agent, Winnipeg) and receiver Ayden Eberhardt (free agent, Ottawa) who had CFL-best 19.3-yard average per catch.
“Eberhardt and Broxton are big losses for us on offence but we’ll find ways, we have to,” Rourke said. “We’ve still got a really good receiver room with Hatcher, Justin McInnis, Jevon Cottoy and Stanley Berryhill III and we’ve got James and Zander Horvath in the backfield so we’ve got some really great weapons.
“We’ve got to figure out who’s going to be the guy up front or in the receiver room but that’s what training camp is for. That’s what’s great about pro sports, the opportunity to compete every single day and earn your spot regardless of how many seasons you’ve played or what you did last year.”
Rourke heads into training camp with a full season under his belt in head coach Buck Pierce’s offence. Instead of learning new schemes, Rourke will be able to build upon what worked — and fix what didn’t — in 2025.
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He hopes that helps B.C. finish atop the competitive West Division and host the final rather than be on the road for it.
“I’m not saying that’s why we lost in the West final last year but it doesn’t make it any easier,” Rourke said. “If we could host that playoff game and get a bye late in the year, that would be a huge get for us and be very helpful.
“Every game will be tough but that’s what makes it fun and we’ll be doing some good things if we’re able to host that second game.”
But it’s sustained success Rourke is chasing with the Lions.
“That’s why you look at people like Zach, (Hamilton starter) Bo Levi Mitchell and (Saskatchewan’s) Trevor Harris,” Rourke said. They’re guys who’ve have incredible careers and sustained success, which is why they’re great players.
“If I want to be a great player and to win championships, I have to reach that level of sustained success and do it over multiple seasons. Who cares about one? In pro sports, if you’re not great every year, your job isn’t safe.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2026.