Year in review: A look at news events in April 2024

1 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says a planned national school food program will feed 400,000 more kids each year. Ottawa plans to spend $1 billion over the next five years on the program. Trudeau mad the announcement in Toronto with Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Families Minister Jenna Sudds as part of the Liberal government’s pre-budget tour.

1 – Politicians from all sides of the political aisle are paying tribute to former Quebec Liberal cabinet minister Benoit Pelletier. The well-known constitutional expert has died at age 64. His family did not release his cause of death, but note he survived a severe bout of COVID-19 in 2021. Pelletier was a University of Ottawa law professor and later served as a cabinet minister in former premier Jean Charest’s government, where he held numerous portfolios between 2003 and 2008. Charest describes Pelletier as a “colleague, adviser and a friend” who leaves a strong intellectual and political legacy.

1 – Canada’s evacuation from Haiti is being expanded to include relatives and Canadian permanent residents. The federal government says it has also arranged a charter flight for Canadians to pay a market rate, flying between the Dominican Republic and Montreal. Global Affairs Canada says there has been an uptick in the number of Canadians seeking help to escape the island, as hopes for a lull in widespread violence have given way to gang-fuelled chaos.

1 – An Israeli airstrike against the Iranian consular building in Damascus kills two Iranian generals and five officers, marking an escalation of Israel’s targeting of military officials from Iran. Since the war in Gaza began nearly six months ago, clashes have also increased between Israel and Hezbollah along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon. Iran’s ambassador Hossein Akbari says Iran will strike back at the same magnitude and harshness.

1 – Health officials in Gaza say four international aid workers and their Palestinian driver have been killed after they helped deliver food and other supplies which had arrived earlier by ship. Footage shows the bodies of the five dead at a hospital in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah – with several of them wearing protective gear with the World Central Kitchen charity’s logo. The Israeli military says it is conducting a review to “understand the circumstances of this tragic incident.”

1 – Joe Flaherty, one of the stars of the Canadian sketch series “SCTV,” dies at the age of 82. His daughter confirms his death came after a brief illness. Flaherty was born in Pittsburgh but moved north to help establish the Second City theatre’s Toronto outpost. He went on to star alongside John Candy, Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara in “SCTV,” playing characters that included network boss Guy Caballero and the vampiric TV host Count Floyd.

2 – Ukrainian drones attack a major oil refinery and a drone factory in the Russian province of Tatarstan, officials say. It appears to be the deepest strike inside Russian territory since the war began more than two years ago. Russian regional authorities say 12 people were injured.

2 – Protesters stage a noisy protest during a Halifax news conference by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The group of about 25 beat a traditional drum through Trudeau’s housing announcement to protest the alleged treatment of two Mi’kmaq elver fishers by federal fisheries officers. Protester Haley Ward tells reporters that two Mi’kmaq men were fishing last week near Eskasoni when they were apprehended by fishery officers. Ward says the officers dropped them off at a gas station in a secluded area without their phones or shoes.

2 – Music producer, poet and counterculture figure John Sinclair dies of congestive heart failure after being admitted to a hospital in Detroit this morning following a brief illness. He was 82. Sinclair was sentenced to almost 10 years in prison in 1969 for giving two joints to undercover officers, serving only 29 months before he was released.

2 – A powerful earthquake rocks the entire island of Taiwan, collapsing buildings in a southern city and creating a tsunami that washed ashore on southern Japanese islands. Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency gave the magnitude as 7.2 while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.4.

3 – The first world hockey championship in the Professional Women’s Hockey League era starts in Utica, N.Y. Almost 40 PWHL players are participating in the 10-country tournament, and 19 of them play for Canada.

3 – Israel apologizes for what it calls an “unintentional” attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy. The airstrike Monday hit the three vehicles as workers were leaving behind a large aid delivery. Among the innocents killed was a 33-year-old dual Canadian-American citizen Jacob Flickinger. Canada and the U-S have joined several allies in demanding Israel conduct a full investigation into the attack.

3 – One of Canada’s top medical schools announces changes to its admissions process in the hopes of reducing “systemic barriers” facing low-income and diverse candidates seeking to become doctors. The School of Medicine at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario says the key change coming into effect for next year’s admissions is a lottery system. The new process will have an “early-phase” lottery system, whereby randomly selected candidates who meet the standard M-CAT, Casper and GPA thresholds will move on to the interview stage.

3 – Ontario’s York University says it will open a new medical school it hopes will help address the shortage of family doctors. The new medical school will devote 70 per cent of its postgraduate seats for primary care.

3 – Canadian referee Drew Fischer is appointed to work the football tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 43-year-old from Calgary is one of 21 FIFA referees appointed to the post this summer. He has served on the FIFA refereeing panel since 2015 and previously worked the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2022 Men’s World Cup as a video assistant referee. He has also worked in both the Canadian Premier League and Major League Soccer.

4 – The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is celebrates its 75th birthday. Foreign ministers from all 32 allied countries, including Canada, are in Brussels talking mostly about continued support for Ukraine as Russia’s war is in its third year.

4 – Ford delays the start of electric vehicle production at its Oakville, Ont. plant until 2027. The U.S. automaker had planned to start production next year at the plant, which employs 2,700 workers. It says work to overhaul the plant will begin in the second quarter of this year as planned, but the launch of the new three-row electric vehicles to be produced at the factory won’t happen until 2027.

4 – Canada’s top court dismisses an appeal by Ticketmaster and Live Nation in class-action lawsuits in multiple provinces accusing the ticket sellers of profiting from third-party ticket reselling. The case stems from allegations Ticketmaster facilitated mass ticket scalping by allowing resellers to use automated “ticket bots” to scoop up event tickets beyond limits it imposes on individual buyers.

5 – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announces plans to reopen a key border crossing in Northern Gaza to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the area hours after U.S. President Joe Biden told the prime minister that future U.S. support for the war in Gaza depends on Israel taking more action to protect civilians and aid workers. The announcement did not elaborate on quantities or types of items to be let in.

5 – The United Nations human rights body calls for a halt to weapons shipments to Israel. A resolution passed at the Human Rights Council aims to help prevent rights violations against Palestinians as Israel’s blistering military campaign in Gaza continues. The sweeping but non-binding measure takes aim at Israeli actions, such as impeding access to water and blocking shipments of humanitarian aid into Palestinian areas.

5 – More people looking for work sent Canada’s unemployment rate to its highest level in nearly two years. Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate jumped to 6.1 per cent in March, up from 5.8 per cent in February. Last month’s job losses were concentrated in accommodation and food services, followed by wholesale and retail trade and professional, scientific and technical services.

5 – The federal Liberal government has announced a $600-million package of loans and funding to help make it easier and cheaper to build homes for owners and renters. The government hopes $500 million worth of low-cost loans will foster projects with innovative construction techniques from prefabricated and modular housing manufacturers and other builders. The remaining $100 million will be split between a homebuilding technology and innovation fund and the modernization and expediting of construction.

5 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declines a call from some premiers to convene a first ministers’ meeting on the federal carbon levy. The premiers of Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador posted open letters with their requests on social media, as they expressing concern about the charge’s effects on affordability. Trudeau says he met with the premiers on the carbon price years ago and that another such meeting would be unnecessary.

5 – British Columbia’s first female lieutenant-governor dies at age 91. Iona Campagnolo was appointed as the province’s 27th lieutenant-governor in 2001 and remained in the position until September 2007. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says He says her relentless dedication, optimism and commitment to equality will leave a lasting mark on the country. Climate action, gender equality and reconciliation were some of the causes she championed during her time in the role.

6 – Israel’s military says it has recovered the body of 47-year-old Israeli farmer Elad Katzir who was held hostage in Gaza – believed to be killed in January by militants with Islamic Jihad, one of the groups that entered southern Israel in the Oct. 7 attack. About half of the 250 hostages taken that day have since been released while at least 36 hostages in captivity have been confirmed dead.

6 – Thousands of protesters gather in Tel Aviv as part of dozens of demonstrations held across Israel. They’re demanding the government make a deal to secure the release of the remaining Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. They’re also calling for early elections.

6 – An Englishman now holds the title of world’s oldest man. John Alfred Tinniswood was bestowed the title by the Guinness World Records after the death of Venezuelan record-holder Juan Vincente this month at 114. At 111 years young, Tinniswood says the secret to his longevity is luck, moderation and weekly fish and chips.

7 – The Israeli military withdraws its forces from Khan Younis in southern Gaza. This brings troop levels in Gaza to some of the lowest since the Israel-Hamas war began.

7 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces $2.4 billion to build Canada’s artificial intelligence capacity while in Montreal today as part of his government’s pre-budget tour. The majority of the money is going into a fund that will aim to provide access to computing capabilities and technical infrastructure.

7 – A Canadian soldier is missing and presumed dead after an avalanche in Switzerland says a statement today from the Armed Forces. It says Capt. Sean Thomas was on leave when he went missing during a snowslide on April 1. Local authorities say three people were killed in an off-piste area of the Riffelberg below the famed Matterhorn peak. The military says Thomas was deployed to Jordan last November as part of the Canadian Training Assistance Team. He was set to return home in May.

8 – Wearing special protective glasses, many curious Canadians turn their eyes to the skies for today’s total solar eclipse. The rare celestial event produces a “zone of totality” that runs from Mexico’s Pacific coast, across the U.S. and into Canada’s eastern provinces. Astrophysicist Jedidah Isler says it’s the first total solar eclipse in North America since 2017 – and this time the moon is closer to Earth.

8 – The Vatican declares sex-change operations and surrogacy grave threats to human dignity, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that violate God’s plan for human life. The Vatican’s doctrine office issues its “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication.

8 – The federal government plans to spend $8.1 billion over the next five years upgrading and modernizing the Canadian military, with an eye to defend Canada’s Arctic sovereignty. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the money is part of a larger $73-billion plan over the next 20 years. The plan will boost military spending to 1.76 per cent of GDP by 2030.

8 – An Ontario paramedic is confirmed among the Canadians killed in an avalanche in Switzerland last week. Perth County officials say Nikky Nagy began working as a primary care paramedic in April 2022. The Canadian military has said Capt. Sean Thomas is presumed dead after going missing during the avalanche. Local authorities in Switzerland reported that three people were killed in an off-piste area of the Riffelberg, below the famed Matterhorn peak.

8 – An Alberta minor hockey volunteer is facing sex-assault charges in a case involving four teenage males. Sundre Minor Hockey vice-president Amber Jenkins says “the accused was not a coach, manager or otherwise directly involved in the delivery of hockey programming to the kids of the association.” In a statement, Jenkins says the allegations are not related to hockey activities or the league, adding the association has removed the person from its board while the matter is before the courts. The 32-year-old has been charged with sexual interference, sexual assault and four counts of making sexually explicit material available to a child.

9 – The Fisheries Department says freshwater in the Vancouver Island lagoon where the trapped younger killer whale is has whitened the skin on its dorsal side. Veterinary experts say they aren’t concerned about the short-term impact, adding the calf is active and does not show signs of emaciation. The calf has been trapped alone since March 23, when its pregnant mother became stuck on a rocky beach at low tide and died. Planning for a rescue operation continues with the Ehattesaht First Nation.

9 – The European Union’s climate agency says Earth was record hot for the 10th consecutive month in March. Copernicus data released today shows last month averaged 14.14 C, exceeding the previous record from 2016 by a tenth of a degree. It was 1.68 C warmer than in the late 1800s, the base used for temperatures before the burning of fossil fuels began scaling up. Climate scientists attribute most of the record heat to human-caused climate change from carbon dioxide and methane emissions.

9 – Turkey announces it is restricting the export of dozens of products to Israel, including aluminum, steel, construction materials and chemical fertilizers over Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The decision came a day after Turkey’s foreign minister said Ankara would impose measures against Israel for rejecting a request for Turkish military cargo planes to join an operation to airdrop aid to Gaza. He said Turkey would continue the measures until Israel declares a ceasefire and allows the uninterrupted flow of aid to Gaza.

9 – Europe’s highest human-rights court becomes the first international court to ever rule on climate change. The European Court of Human Rights rules its member nations have an obligation to protect their citizens from the ill effects of climate change, siding with a group of more than 2,000 senior Swiss women.

9 – Hamas and Israel are reviewing a new ceasefire proposal that would include a six-week pause in fighting and a swap of 40 Hamas-held hostages for at least 700 Palestinians in Israeli prisons. The proposal has been presented to both sides during the latest round of negotiations in Cairo. The proposal also calls for Israel to gradually dismantle checkpoints it had built on a new road that split the Gaza Strip in half to prevent the return of Palestinians to the north.

9 – Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announces a $500-million fund to help community health organizations provide more mental-health care to young people. The funding comes one week before Freeland delivers the federal budget.

9 – A judge in suburban Detroit sentences the parents of school shooter Ethan Crumbley to at least 10 years in prison. Judge Cheryl Matthews says Jennifer and James Crumbley failed to take steps that could have prevented a runaway train – referring to the killing of four students at Oxford High School in 2021. The Crumbleys were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and are the first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting.

9 – King Charles is presented with the first new banknotes with his portrait on them. The five-, 10-, 20- and 50-pound notes will go into circulation in June. The presentation at Buckingham Palace follows a long tradition of the new monarch receiving the first issue of the newly-printed bills.

9 – Six children between the ages of five and 12 will be repatriated to Canada from a detention camp in Syria. But not their Canadian mother. A lawyer who represents the mother says Global Affairs Canada is working with the Polarization Clinic in Montreal on the return of the children. The lawyer previously said the federal government has refused to repatriate the woman because officials believe she poses a security risk.

9 – The U.S. wins the She Believes Cup final in a dramatic match against Canada. Canada scored late to tie the game at 2-2 after 90 minutes. But the American squad downed the Canadian side 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

10 – French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal begins a three-day visit to Canada, his first since he was appointed in January.

10 – The Bank of Canada did as economists expected by keeping its key interest rate steady at five per cent. There is some good news from the central bank for anyone with a mortgage or loans. It says it is starting to see the economic conditions necessary to lower interest rates. Most economists are anticipating the first rate cut will come in June.

10 – Prolific jazz composer Phil Nimmons has died at the age of 100. His family says Nimmons died peacefully in his sleep on Friday at his home in Thornhill, Ont. Daughter and Canadian Music Centre CEO Holly Simmons says her father’s accolades include the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2002, the Order of Canada and a Juno Award. The clarinetist’s education included stints at the University of British Columbia, the Juilliard School of Music in New York, and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

10 – Air Canada has resumed flights to Israel after a six-month pause. The airline says flights between Toronto and Tel Aviv resumed April 9, while a flight between Montreal and Tel Aviv will resume service next month. Air Canada suspended service to Ben Gurion International Airport on Oct. 8 after the latest war broke out between Israel and Hamas. The federal government is still advising Canadians to avoid non-essential travel to Israel due to ongoing hostilities in the region and an unpredictable security situation.

11 – Summer McIntosh posts the world’s fastest 200-metre freestyle time of the year at the Canadian Swimming Open. The 17-year-old from Toronto swam to first place in one minute 54.21 seconds at the Pan Am Sports Centre. McIntosh is one of Canada’s biggest medal hopes for this summer’s Paris Olympics.

11 – New research finds that the Canadian government has used artificial intelligence in nearly 300 projects and initiatives. AI is being used to help predict the outcome of tax cases, sort temporary visa applications and promote diversity in hiring. Joanna Redden, an associate professor at London, Ontario’s, Western University, pieced together the database using news reports, documents tabled in Parliament and access-to-information requests.

11 – One of the greats of sumo wrestling and a former grand champion dies at the age of 54. Hawaii-born Akebono Taro was the first foreign-born wrestler to reach the level of “yokozuna” — or grand champion — in Japan, winning his first in 1993. At the prime of his career he was reported at to weigh 500 pounds and was six-foot-eight. Akebono retired in 2001 as an 11-time grand tournament winner.

11 – OJ Simpson is dead at the age of 76. Simpson’s attorney says TMZ he died the night before in Las Vegas, surrounded by his children and grandchildren after battling cancer. The world watched as the former football star went on trial in Los Angeles for the 1994 murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman. Live TV coverage of his arrest after a famous slow-speed chase marked a stunning fall from grace for the sports hero. He was acquitted of the murders, but in 2008 was found guilty of a hotel room armed robbery in Las Vegas.

11 – The Canadian government announces it will allow 30-year amortization periods on insured mortgages for first-time homebuyers purchasing newly built homes, beginning August . Some advocates praise the federal government’s move to lengthen mortgage amortization periods for certain homebuyers, but say expanding the policy to all Canadians would help make home ownership more affordable.

12 – French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal says France wants to help Quebec protect the French language. The 35-year-old made the comments while on a three-day visit to Canada, addressing members of Quebec’s legislature. In response to views of state secularism as antireligious or a form of discrimination, Attal says state secularism is the requirement for liberty, equality and brotherhood. His support for secularism drew a large applause from the legislature.

12 – A judge in Texas dismisses Canadian hip-hop superstar Drake from a lawsuit over the deadly 2021 Astroworld music festival stampede. Ten people were killed at the Houston concert where Drake was a special guest of headlining rapper Travis Scott. The two were on stage performing at the end of the show when the crowd surged and hundreds of attendees couldn’t breathe and were crushed. The families of the 10 people who died and hundreds who were injured sued Drake, Scott and promoter Live Nation, as well as several others.

12 – Walmart Canada says it’s is planning to bring robots to its distribution centres in Mississauga and Cornwall, Ont., over the next five years. The retailer’s Calgary distribution centre already uses robots to move pallets of merchandise, unpack pallets and put products on conveyor belts and label, scan and put shipping tags on products. Walmart Canada says human staff are still required for oversight, safety and more complex tasks requiring problem solving and critical thinking.

12 – The Greater Toronto Airports Authority announces a multibillion-dollar plan to update and modernize Toronto Pearson Airport. Forty-five-million passengers used the airport last year — a number that’s projected to rise to 65 million by the early 2030s. Plans include high-speed taxi lanes, a modernized airfield electric lighting and control system, and investments in power generation to help the airport achieve net-zero targets.

12 – Esteemed Canadian journalist Robert MacNeil dies of natural causes at a New York hospital at the age of 93. MacNeil graduated from Carleton University in 1955 before moving to London where he began his journalism career with Reuters. He switched to TV news in 1960, covered the assassination of president John F. Kennedy in Dallas and in 1971, became a senior correspondent for PBS. That’s when he teamed up with Jim Lehrer to create the even-handed, no-frills newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour,” which won several Emmy and Peabody awards.

12 – Dozens of angry Israeli settlers storm into a Palestinian village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, shooting and setting houses and cars on fire. Palestinian health officials say the settler rampage killed a Palestinian man and wounded 25 others, with the violence marking the latest escalation in the West Bank that has accompanied the war in the Gaza Strip. An Israeli rights group says the settlers were searching for a missing 14-year-old boy from their settlement.

13 – The Israeli army says the body of a missing Israeli boy has been found in the occupied West Bank. They say the 14-year-old-boy was killed in a “terrorist attack.” The boy’s disappearance sparked a large settler attack on a Palestinian village, which local health officials say killed a Palestinian man and wounded 25 others. The Israeli army says security forces are continuing the pursuit of those suspected of carrying out the attack. Global Affairs Canada says there is a heightened risk of attacks on Israeli territory and is urging Canadians to avoid all travel to the country.

13 – Iran launches its first full-scale military attack against Israel in retaliation for an airstrike widely blamed on Israel that destroyed the Iranian Consulate in Syria. Iran sends more than 300 bomb-carrying drones and missiles toward Israel. Israeli Defence Forces says 99 per cent of them are successfully intercepted by Israel and its strategic allies, including U.S. forces. A small number of hits are identified, including minor damage to an IDF base in southern Israel. A seven-year-old girl is seriously injured in the attack.

14 – Artist and award-winning children’s book author Faith Ringgold dies at the age of 93. Ringgold has been celebrated for her story quilts that combine painting, fabric and storytelling in addressing issues of race and gender. Her rise to prominence as a Black female artist wasn’t easy, leading her to become a social activist who frequently protested the overwhelming whiteness in American museums during the 1970s and 1980s.

14 – Iran says the attack on Israel is over after it launched its first direct military assault on the country and the nation has no intention of continuing any operation against Israel. Both Israel and Jordan announce they have reopened their airspace. Iran’s president claims Iran had taught Israel a lesson and warned that “any new adventures against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

14 – Canada reclaims the women’s world hockey championship. Danielle Serdachny scores a power-play goal at 5:16 in overtime to give Canada a 6-5 win over the U.S. in Utica, N.Y.. It’s some revenge for the Canadians who lost last year’s gold-medal game to the U.S. on home ice in Brampton, Ont.

15 – The hush-money trial of former U.S. president Donald Trump begins this morning with jury selection in Manhattan. It’s a singular moment for American history as the first criminal trial of a former U.S. commander-in-chief. It’s also the first of Trump’s four indictments to go to trial. He has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records as part of an alleged effort to keep salacious stories about his sex life from emerging during his 2016 campaign.

15 – The Associated Press is reporting the FBI has opened a criminal investigation into last month’s bridge collapse in Baltimore. Sources tell the news agency that federal agents are aboard the cargo ship that slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six members of a road work crew. The investigation is focused on the circumstances leading up to the crash and whether all federal laws were being followed.

15 – While a conference in Paris is underway to raise money for humanitarian aid, Canada announces sanctions against a Sudanese paramilitary commander and a former foreign minister. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly blames them for perpetuating the two-year-old civil war. Ottawa also sanctions four companies it accuses of supporting a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces.

15 – Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson doubles Ottawa’s investment to $800,000 to train urban firefighters to battle wildfires. Twenty-five instructors trained more than 300 firefighters in Chilliwack and Kamloops, B.C., and Grand Prairie, Alta., last year. Wilkinson says about one in 10 Canadians now live in areas near combustible forests, and the latest forecast suggests we could be in for a repeat of last year’s record-breaking wildfire season.

16 – Gruff and ingenious Baseball Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog dies at 92. The crew-cut, pot-bellied, tobacco-chewing manager guided the St. Louis Cardinals to three pennants and a World Series title in the 1980s. He perfected an intricate, nail-biting strategy known as “Whiteyball” that relied on speed, acrobatic fielding and line-drive hitters.

16 – The federal budget is tabled with the Liberals intent on spending $8.5 billion on housing initiatives. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland projects 3.87 million new homes will be built in Canada by 2031. The budget includes $535 billion in total spending along with a $39.8-billion deficit. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he hasn’t yet decided whether his party will vote in favour of it.

16 – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for an urgent de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East. A spokesperson says Guterres spoke with Iran’s foreign minister yesterday and urged for an end to hostilities after a weekend Iranian missile and drone strike was launched against Israel.

17 – A trio of men has been found guilty of mischief for their roles in the 2022 border blockade at Coutts, Alta. Alex Van Herk, Marco Van Huigenbos, and Gerhard (George) Janzen were each found guilty of one count of mischief over $5,000. The three had been charged for their roles in a blockade that tied up cross-border traffic between Canada and the United States at Coutts for two weeks in early 2022 in protest of COVID-19 rules and restrictions.

17 – The federal government boosts tobacco and vaping taxes, as laid out in its budget. The government will collect an additional $4 per carton of 200 cigarettes, on top of the $1.49 added on April 1 as part of an automatic inflation adjustment. Vaping excise duty rates will increase by 12 per cent, or between 12 and 24 cents per typical vape pod.

17 – Peel Regional Police arrest nine people and lay 19 charges in a nearly $24-million gold and cash heist from Toronto’s Pearson airport one year ago. The arrests follow a joint task force investigation that included American police that was dubbed Project 24-K. Security company Brinks filed a lawsuit against Air Canada, alleging a thief presented a fake waybill and was handed 400 kilograms of gold, plus nearly US$2 million in cash. Air Canada has denied any improper conduct or responsibility for the theft.

17 – The NBA bans Toronto Raptors backup centre Jontay Porter from the league for life after its investigation found Porter violated league rules on betting. The probe found Porter disclosed confidential information to sports bettors that could have netted one person a $1-million payout, limited his own participation in games to influence bets and placed his own bets on NBA games.

17 – The Liberal government introduces changes to how corporations and the country’s wealthiest individuals pay taxes. The newly presented federal budget proposes increasing the capital gains tax to two-thirds rather than one-half, a move that business groups are not happy with.

17 – The House of Commons admonishes a private citizen for the first time since 1913, part of the fallout of the ArriveCan app development. GC Strategies partner Kristian Firth was ordered to appear before the bar of the House after MPs accused him of refusing to answer certain questions at a committee hearing. During his appearance, Firth was ordered to respond to questions that MPs said he refused to answer during a House committee meeting last month.

17- Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews didn’t join the NHL’s 70-goal club this season, finishing with 69 goals in 81 games. The Maple Leafs sniper was held in check for the second straight night in Toronto’s 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. There hasn’t been a 70-goal scorer in the league since the 1992-93 season.

18 – Emerson the elephant seal is back in Victoria, B.C., after defying attempts to relocate him. The two-year-old swam more than 200-kilometres to return to his preferred urban habitat to moult — a process in which seals shed their fur — and a top layer of skin. Fisheries officer Morgan Van Kirk says he was “blown away” by news of Emerson’s return last week, lounging on a beach during his annual moult.

18 – Speaker Ted Arnott’s ban on kaffiyehs being worn in the Ontario legislature will stand. An NDP motion to allow the scarves that have come to symbolize solidarity with Palestinians failed after it did not receive unanimous consent. Premier Doug Ford and the opposition leaders want Arnott to reverse his decision, but he says the kaffiyeh meets the definition of items trying to make an overtly political statement.

18 – The Arizona Coyotes are officially headed to Salt Lake City. The NHL Board of Governors approves a US$1.2-billion sale from Alex Meruelo to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith, clearing the way for the team’s move to Utah next season. The deal includes a provision for Arizona to get an expansion team if a new arena is built within the next five years.

18 – The United States vetoes a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for Palestine. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 12 in favour, the United States opposed and two abstentions. This is the second Palestinian attempt at full membership.

18 – Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident. A travel company Harry controls filed paperwork this week informing British authorities that he has moved and is now “usually resident” in the United States. It comes four years after Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, decamped to a villa in Southern California. While Harry formally remains a counsellor of state, the crown informed Parliament in 2022 that “in practice” only working members of the Royal Family would be called upon to fill in for the monarch.

19 – Canadian rock star Randy Bachman is bidding farewell to some of the instruments that shaped his legendary rock career. The Winnipeg-born musician says 200 of his signature guitars will be auctioned at New York’s Hard Rock Cafe and online on May 29 and 30. Among the guitars up for sale are the one Bachman crafted the 1970 smash Guess Who hit “American Woman” on, as well as a 1968 Fender Hardtail Stratocaster. Other items include a 1957 Sunburst Harmony acoustic — the first guitar he acquired as a young violinist.

19 – Taylor Swift released her 11th album titled “The Tortured Poets Department” at midnight. The amalgamation of her previous work was followed two hours later by the release of “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology,” featuring 15 additional songs. Swift posted on Instagram that she has written so much tortured poetry in the past two years she wanted to share it all with her fans.

19 – Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and other G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy co-sign a lengthy statement urging Israel and Iran to de-escalate their conflict. The final communique from the summit on the island of Capri touched on the Israel-Hamas war, the humanitarian plight in Gaza and attacks on ships off the coast of Yemen. The ministers condemned Iran for attacking Israel with missiles that were almost entirely shot down, and noted reports that Israel is behind a drone attack on a major airbase in Iran.

19 – Tesla recalls more than 3,800 2024 model year Cybertrucks because the accelerator pedal can get stuck, which could cause the vehicle to accelerate. The company says it isn’t aware of any collisions, injuries or deaths related to the issue.

19 – Nova Scotia’s justice minister resigns a day after disputing a public inquiry’s finding that domestic violence is an epidemic. Brad Johns said yesterday that drugs and gun violence are more serious problems. His comments came on the anniversary of the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting, which led to an inquiry that recommended treating domestic violence as an epidemic.

19 – Efforts to extinguish a fire that has spread to an area containing explosive material in a Labrador town are underway. The mayor of Happy Valley-Goose Bay says the fire broke out at several buildings on the north side of town and all residents in that area are being told to evacuate immediately. Police say an explosion is expected. A state of emergency has been declared.

19 – Grammy-winning artist Mandisa dies at age 47. Her representative says the contemporary Christian singer was found dead in her home in Nashville, Tenn., this week and says the cause of her death isn’t yet known. The artist – whose full name was Mandisa Lynn Hundley – appeared on “American Idol” in 2006, finishing in ninth place. She later won a Grammy for her 2013 album “Overcomer.”

19 – A New Brunswick man who spent 40 years trying to clear his name in a murder case before being declared innocent in January dies. The organization Innocence Canada says Walter Gillespie died today in his home in Saint John. He was 80. Gillespie and his friend Robert Mailman were found to have been wrongfully convicted in the 1983 murder of a Saint John man.

20 – Police plan to use specialized dogs to search a Saskatoon landfill for a woman who has been missing for more than three years. Mackenzie Lee Trottier was 22 when she disappeared in December 2020. Police say their lengthy investigation has led them to a specific area of the landfill. The search is expected to begin in May and last more than a month. Police released video surveillance in 2022 of a man investigators believed may have information about the case, but that man has still not been identified.

20 – Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey is offering support to the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, where a fire prompted a state of emergency the night before. RCMP say the blaze that was close to an area containing explosive material is now under control. The area is home to a Canadian Forces Base. The state of emergency is lifted and residents are returning home.

20 – Acclaimed British conductor Andrew Davis dies at age 80. He was music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra from 1975 to 1988. Davis also helmed the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and other institutions around the world. His manager says he died in Chicago from leukemia.

21 – Ukraine and other U.S. allies are welcoming the passing of a massive aid package by the U.S. House. Democrats and Republicans banded together to approve US$61 billion in aid after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling Russia’s invasion. The package also includes aid for Israel and Taiwan.

21 – The man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer in 2021 is found not guilty. Jurors reach the verdict four days after deliberations began in Umar Zameer’s trial. Det. Const. Jeffrey Northrup died three years ago after he was hit by a vehicle in an underground parking garage at Toronto City Hall. The court heard that Zameer thought he and his family were being attacked when the two plainclothes officers approached them in the empty parking garage, and he tried to quickly drive away.

21 – Wildfire season in British Columbia’s central Interior and Cariboo regions is off to an early start. The BC Wildfire Service is reporting multiple wildfires south of Quesnel and east of Vanderhoof, with the largest of the fires located about 45 kilometres south of Quesnel at 50 hectares in size. The Wildfire Service is reporting 113 active wildfires in B.C., six of which erupted within the past 24 hours. At least one fire has been listed as out of control. Last year’s wildfire season was the most destructive in the province’s history.

21 – A globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent who became one of America’s longest-held hostages dies at 76. Terry Anderson was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years, writing about his abduction and torturous imprisonment by Islamic militants in his best-selling 1993 memoir “Den of Lions.” His daughter says he died at his home in Greenwood Lake, N.Y.

22 – Today marks Earth Day and the global theme for this year is “Planet Versus Plastic.” The environmental movement is calling for the end of plastics for the sake of human and planetary health. Plastic production continues to ramp up globally and is projected to triple by 2050 if nothing changes. Environment and Canada is welcoming delegates from around the world to Ottawa for a conference to develop a first-of-its-kind agreement to end plastic pollution by 2040.

22 – The head of Israeli military intelligence is the first senior figure to step down over his role in the deadliest assault in the country’s history. Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva’s resignation letter says the intelligence directorate under his command did not live up to the task it was entrusted with on Oct. 7. His departure could set the stage for more resignations over Hamas’ unprecedented attack.

22 – The Canadian Press learns the federal and Ontario governments are set to announce that Honda Canada will build an electric vehicle battery plant near its auto plant in Alliston, Ont. That’s where Honda plans to produce fully electric vehicles. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the deal will be double the size of a $7-billion Volkswagen deal announced last year.

22 – A 32-year-old woman from Sundre, Alta., who volunteers with a minor hockey association appears in court on sex charges involving four male teenagers. RCMP started an investigation after a person with the Sundre Minor Hockey Association filed a complaint late last month. Alexa Suitor is charged with sexual interference, sexual assault and four counts of making sexually explicit material available to a child.

22 – Toronto police ask the Ontario Provincial Police to conduct an independent review into the case of a man who has been acquitted of murder in the death of an officer. The police service says the decision comes from “adverse comments” made by the judge in the trial of Umar Zameer. Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy told jurors there was no evidence to fully support the Crown’s theory that Det. Const. Jeffrey Northrup was hit by a car while standing out of view of a security camera. Northrup died in July of 2021.

22 – The Palestinian civil defence in Gaza uncovers more than 280 bodies from a temporary burial ground inside the main hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. The burial area in the Nasser hospital had been built when Israeli forces besieged the facility last month. The group says people were not able to bury the dead in a cemetery at the time and dug graves in the hospital yard.

22 – A law recognizing the Haida Aboriginal title is introduced in the British Columbia legislature. Haida Nation President Jason Alsop says the new law in B.C. is a “step toward peaceful coexistence” with the province. The B.C. government says the “Rising Tide” Haida Title Lands Agreement provides for a “staged transition” to Haida jurisdiction – marking the first negotiated agreement of its kind in Canada.

23 – As Jewish Canadians mark the start of Passover, some say they will be leaving empty seats at their seder tables with pictures of Israeli hostages kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and its affiliates. Shimon Koffler Fogel, the CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, says many Jews across the country are marking the holiday in fear amid a rise in antisemitic incidents at synagogues and schools across Canada.

23 – A longtime civil rights activist and supporter of the Black Power movement who worked with Malcolm X and other prominent leaders in the 1960s, dies. William Strickland was 87 years old. After the assassination of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Strickland co-founded the independent Black think tank the Institute of the Black World in 1969.

23 – Jurors hear from former “National Enquirer” publisher David Pecker, who testifies that he pledged to be Trump’s “eyes and ears” during his 2016 presidential campaign. Pecker recounts how he promised the then-presidential candidate he would help suppress harmful stories and even arranged to purchase a Trump Tower doorman’s silence. That was over a story about a child Trump had allegedly fathered with an employee, which the tabloid concluded was not true.

23 – The U.S. Senate votes to move ahead with US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The vote draws the support of 80 senators, which virtually guarantees the bill will soon reach U.S. President Joe Biden’s desk. A final vote could come as soon as this evening.

24 – Alberta’s premier is standing by the doctor she chose about a year ago to lead a pandemic data review. Danielle Smith appointed Dr. Gary Davidson to head up the special panel. The former chief of ER medicine at the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre has accused the province of overstating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in hospitals. Smith says she wants to hear a broad range of perspectives on the issue and needed someone with a contrarian perspective.

24 – The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and Criminal Lawyers’ Association say the case of a Toronto man acquitted in the death of a police officer underscores how essential bail is to the justice system. And they agree Umar Zameer’s case should serve as a lesson as to why political leaders would be best to refrain from commenting on the decisions. Ontario Premier Doug Ford initially called Zameer’s release on bail “completely unacceptable” and an example of the justice system needing “to get its act together.” He now says he only had limited information when he made the remarks. After a jury acquitted Zameer on Sunday, the judge made the rare step of apologizing to him for all he experienced.

24 – U.S. President Joe Biden signs a $95-billion war aid package into law. It includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and a provision that would force social media site TikTok to be sold or be banned in the U.S.

24 – Ontario’s transportation minister says drivers can handle higher speeds on sections of Highways 401, 403, 406, 416 and Highway 69. Prabmeet Sarkaria says the province is boosting the speed limit to 110 kilometres per hour on 10 stretches of road in southwestern and eastern Ontario and near Sudbury. He says data collected after the province made similar increases on six sections of provincial highways in 2022 show drivers can handle the increased speed.

24 – Former high-ranking SNC Lavalin executive Normand Morin is sentenced to three and a half years in prison in a $2.23-million bribery scheme involving several company executives. The former vice-president at the engineering firm was convicted of corruption and fraud last month in a case that saw executives take bribes to secure a repair contract for the Jacques-Cartier Bridge in Montreal. RD

24 – The portrait of a young woman as painted by Gustav Klimt is sold at an auction in Vienna for $32 million. The Austrian artist started work on the “Portrait of Fraulein Lieser” in 1917, the year before he died. The sale price was an art auction record for Austria. The highest price previously paid at an auction in the country was more than $10 million for a Frans Francken the Younger painting in 2010.

24 – A Canadian couple captures what may be the first 2024 sighting of Scotland’s mythical Loch Ness monster, Nessie. Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman were visiting the lakefront Urquhart Castle with their two sons when they spotted something sticking out of the water and swimming against the current towards them before disappearing. Malm says they were able to take a photo of what they saw and sent it to the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register “for a bit of a laugh.” The couple have received numerous calls and texts from family and friends in Canada for their appearances on TV.

25 – The New York Court of Appeal overturns Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, reopening a painful chapter in America’s reckoning with sexual misconduct by powerful men. The court ruled the judge at the landmark “Me Too” trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case. The court has ordered a new trial for Weinstein, who is serving a 23-year sentence in a New York prison. He will remain imprisoned because he was convicted in Los Angeles in 2022 of another rape and sentenced to 16 years in prison.

25 – The federal and Ontario governments are each going to contribute about $2.5-billion to a new Honda electric vehicle battery plant. It will be built next to the automaker’s assembly plant in Alliston. That plant is going to be re-tooled to produce fully electric vehicles as part of a $15-billion project that is expected to create 1,000 new jobs.

25 – One of the country’s most iconic voices in sports has gone quiet. Longtime broadcaster Bob Cole died last night at his home in St. John’s, Nfld., at the age of 90. Cole’s voice provided a distinctive soundtrack to hockey games across Canada, calling some of the sport’s biggest moments. After being honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame and adopted into the Order of Canada, Cole retired from broadcasting in 2019.

26 – The last original member of the Moody Blues dies. Mike Pinder, the band’s keyboardist and vocalist, was 82. His family confirms he died peacefully, with final days filled with music. Pinder played on every Moody Blues album from 1965 to 1977, when he left the band.

26 – Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says Air Canada needs a protocol for Indigenous Peoples so they aren’t “harassed” when carrying sacred items. According to Woodhouse Nepinak, the flight crew on a recent flight she was on took away a ceremonial headdress she was carrying, put it in a plastic bag and removed it from the cabin to store it with checked luggage. It was eventually returned for her to hold during the trip. Air Canada says it has apologized and is reviewing its policies.

26 – A two-year-old orca calf finally leaves the Vancouver Island lagoon where it has been stranded for several weeks. The young wheal swam out early this morning on its own. She still has to leave the Little Espinosa Inlet and reconnect with her family pod but rescuers say they are optimistic will encourage her toward the open ocean.

26 – B.C.’s government is asking Health Canada to “urgently change” the province’s decriminalization policy to stop drug use in public. The province is not requesting a full reversal, but Premier David Eby says the change would make illicit drug use illegal in all public spaces — including inside hospitals, on transit and in parks. B.C. had tried to make drug use illegal in public with its own legislation, but was stopped by a court injunction.

27 – Cambodia’s Prime Minister says 20 soldiers have been killed and several others are injured after an ammunition explosion at a military base. Hun Manet issues a Facebook post saying he was “deeply shocked” when he received the news of the explosion at a base in the west part of the country. It is not immediately clear what caused the explosion.

27 – Hundreds of protesters rallying against the war in Gaza greet journalists and politicians as they arrive for the annual White House correspondents’ dinner. U.S. President Joe Biden’s motorcade to the dinner takes an alternative route from the White House to the Washington Hilton, largely avoiding the crowds of demonstrators.

27 – Quebec singing star and cultural icon Jean-Pierre Ferland dies at the age of 89 of natural causes. He had been staying at a long-term care facility north of Montreal since Feb. 14. Ferland was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.

28 – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says in a series of podcast appearances that he believes democracy is under threat and Canadians will have to choose what kind of country they want next time they go to the ballot box. Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts where he opened up about the challenges ahead. He tells Vox’s “Today, Explained” that his rivalry with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is part of a broader fight against populist and authoritarian leaders worldwide.

28 – Quebec officials announce a $603-million investment over the next five years to counter what the province views as a decline of the French language. French-language minister Jean-Francois Roberge says the government’s nine priorities include better monitoring of language trends, boosting the French cultural offering and improving students’ mastery of the language. The strategy unveiled today includes 21 measures, some of which are already in place.

28 – The charity currently delivering food supplies to Palestinians caught between fighting in the Gaza Strip says it will resume operations. The World Central Kitchen plans to resume its work in Gaza, four weeks after the Israeli military killed seven of its aid workers with airstrikes. The aid group says their vehicles were clearly marked and their movements were known to the Israeli military when they were attacked. Israel has accepted responsibility and has said the strikes were unintentional.

28 – Ontario says it will limit cellphone use in classrooms, restrict access to all social media networks and ban vaping on school properties starting this fall. The province’s education minister Stephen Lecce says the parents and teachers he has spoken to have expressed concern over the growing problem of cellphone distractions in class and the disturbing rise of vaping in schools. Quebec and British Columbia have already made similar moves to ban the use of cellphones in class, but Lecce says Ontario will be the first province to block access to all social media platforms on school networks and devices.

28 – Pro-Palestinian student activists in Montreal set up camp at McGill University, following the lead of similar protests across the United States. More than two dozen tents are pitched at the school’s downtown campus Sunday afternoon, with a steady stream of visitors dropping off donations and supplies. An encampment spokesperson says the campers intend to remain indefinitely. They are demanding their schools divest and cut ties with Israeli institutions and companies in response to Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

29 – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tells a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that Israel must do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Blinken says the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza is to reach a ceasefire agreement. He says at this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and ceasefire is Hamas.

29 – Cambodia is recording its highest temperatures in 170 years, and millions of public school students in the Philippines have been ordered to stay home today as a heat wave continues across Southeast Asia.

29 – Canada is now the first country to have messages directly on cigarettes that read things like “Poison in every puff” and “Tobacco smoke harms children.” There are six different messages, including warnings about how the habit can lead to conditions including cancer, impotence and organ damage. The regulation will see retailers sell only packages carrying cigarettes with warnings by July 31.

29 – The House of Commons unanimously agrees to adopt a final version of legislation to create a new oversight body tracking Canada’s reconciliation efforts. The soon-to-be-enshrined law would create a council of 13 directors to oversee Ottawa’s progress towards reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. The Crown-Indigenous relations minister and a transitional committee will appoint most of them. But each of three national Indigenous organizations will also get a seat.

29 – Mike Duheme is the new head of the RCMP. He has been filling the role on a temporary basis since March 2023, after the retirement of Brenda Lucki. The Prime Minister’s Office says Duheme’s permanent appointment will bring stability to the national police force. Duheme worked as an RCMP officer for 35 years and was named the first director of the Parliamentary Protective Service in 2015.

29 – Yellowstone National Park officials say a man who kicked a bison in the leg was then hurt by one of the animals. Park rangers arrested and jailed the 40-year-old man after he was treated for minor injuries. The man has pleaded not guilty to charges of being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and approaching and disturbing wildlife. Bison are the largest land mammal in North America, and routinely injure tourists who get too close.

30 – The federal government has been forced to adjust the setup in the House of Commons and committee rooms after another language interpreter suffered a significant hearing injury. The interpreter has been off for the past three weeks since a microphone and an earpiece got too close to each other, resulting in sharp, sudden feedback. It’s called the Larsen effect, and can be loud or frequent enough to permanently injure someone. The Canadian Association of Professional Employees blames inadequate equipment on Parliament Hill for multiple injuries in recent years.

30 – Saskatchewan’s premier says the Canada Revenue Agency plans to audit his province for not paying carbon levies on home heating. Scott Moe says the CRA has indicated it will look at Saskatchewan’s books to see what’s owing to Ottawa. The Saskatchewan Party government decided earlier this year to break the law and not remit the federal carbon price on natural gas after Ottawa exempted users of home heating oil from the levy. Moe saw that move as politically motivated to boost Liberal support in Atlantic Canada.

30 – King Charles returns to public duties with a visit to a cancer-treatment charity. The event marks the king’s first formal public engagement since his own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months. On February 6th Buckingham Palace announced Charles would be taking a break from public duties to focus on his treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer.

30 – Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre is kicked out of the House of Commons during question period. Speaker Greg Fergus turfed the Conservative Leader after giving him multiple chances to withdraw comments calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a “wacko” and an “extremist.” All Conservative MPs left the chamber in protest after the incident.

30 – The Canada Energy Regulator gives the green light for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project to open. The pipeline expansion project took four years to build, twinning the existing Trans Mountain pipeline system from Alberta to the B.C. coast in an effort to increase shipping capacity to 890,000 barrels per day. The project can now open on May 1.

The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press