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Statistics Canada to release third quarter GDP numbers today

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada is set to release its gross domestic product reading for the third quarter this morning.The federal agency’s preliminary estimate suggested the economy shrank 0.1 per cent.A decline in real GDP would mark the second consecutive quarterly contraction, meeting the definition of a technical recession.However, economists tend to have a higher bar for calling a recession as they look for signs of a broader slowdown.The softening economy comes as high interest rates put a damper on business and consumer spending.Forecasters anticipate that slowdown to continue into next year, likely leading to a rise in unemployment as well. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023. The Canadian Press

Crown to lay out conspiracy argument in ‘Freedom Convoy’ organizers’ trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

OTTAWA — The Crown is expected to lay out its case for why evidence against one “Freedom Convoy” organizer should apply to the other in the criminal trial of two of the protest’s leaders.Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are co-accused for their role in the 2022 demonstration that blocked streets around Parliament Hill for weeks in protest of COVID-19 public health restrictions.The Crown alleges that the two worked together so closely that they should be considered co-conspirators in the trial.The pair’s lawyers have opposed the allegation, and say that planning a protest together isn’t inherently illegal.But prosecutors say that just because the protest wasn’t violent, that doesn’t make the organizers’ actions lawful. The Crown closed its case in the trial last week, but the defence is seeking a ruling on the conspiracy allegation before it calls any evidence.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023.The Canadian ...

Fresh off big win in Google news standoff, heritage minister to testify at committee

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

OTTAWA — Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge is appearing at a committee hearing this morning, fresh from finally ending Canada’s standoff with Google over the Online News Act.St-Onge called the agreement announced Wednesday a “historic development” that gives a win to both the federal government and the local news publishers the law is designed to support.That’s despite the fact Google has only agreed to spend a maximum of $100 million a year compensating Canadian news outlets for the use of their content, a far cry from the $172 million that initial government calculations would’ve demanded.The legislation, which is to take effect next month, requires tech giants like Google and Meta to reach compensation deals with news publishers for content that generates revenue on their platforms.Meta, which operates Facebook and Instagram, has steadfastly refused to negotiate, opting instead to block its Canadian users from accessing news content.The new law is de...

Closing arguments to begin in B.C. first-degree murder trial of Ibrahim Ali

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

VANCOUVER — Closing arguments in the first-degree murder trial of Ibrahim Ali are expected to begin today in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver.Ali pleaded not guilty in April to murdering a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby, B.C.The body of the girl, whose name has been protected by a publication ban, was found in Burnaby’s Central Park in July 2017, just hours after her mother reported her missing.The jury heard from about four dozen Crown witnesses over the course of the almost nine-month trial, including police, civilians and experts who said the girl was sexually assaulted and strangled, and Ali’s DNA was found inside her body. Ali’s lawyer Kevin McCullough told the jury last week that they would not be calling any evidence in defence of the allegations because the Crown hadn’t proved its case against Ali.  Crown lawyers are expected to give their closing remarks first, with defence to follow, and the judge will give his final instructions to the jury before memb...

Liberal minister to testify after heated testimony from Métis, First Nations groups

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

OTTAWA — As Indigenous leaders engage in heated debate over a federal bill that would formalize several Métis self-governance agreements, the Liberal minister for Crown-Indigenous relations is expected to face tough questions on Wednesday afternoon.While the leaders of Métis groups in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario say the legislation would unlock new opportunities and foster a new relationship with Ottawa, prominent First Nations voices are raising concerns about irreparable damage to treaty rights. They say that with the bill, the federal government is essentially giving Métis organizations a blank sheet of paper to write treaties on, with no oversight.Now it’s Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree’s turn to take questions at the House of Commons Indigenous and northern affairs committee, which has been studying Bill C-53 for more than a month. His appearance comes after weeks of acrimonious testimony.The Chiefs of Ontario, a group representing the...

As ChatGPT marks one-year anniversary, here’s how Canadian companies are using AI

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

When OpenAI released ChatGPT one year ago, it instantly dazzled the world’s tech community and beyond.The artificial intelligence-based chatbot could turn simple prompts from users into reams of text, including essays and speeches, within moments. Its capabilities already stretched past what experts in the field thought was possible in the near future.Many, including some of AI’s pioneers, were so taken by how fast the technology had evolved that they started warning it could lead to an existential crisis, if it continued to advance this quickly and without much regulation.However, Canadian companies have been keen not to ignore a technology that could disrupt their business or deliver efficiency and cost savings. Even before ChatGPT, several had worked with large language models (LLMs) — the algorithmic foundation of AI, which takes natural language inputs and predicts the next word based on what it’s already processed. Others saw ChatGPT as a catalyst that convinced th...

Daily horoscope for November 30, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Cancer.Happy Birthday for Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023:You are an enthusiastic go-getter who is passionate, intense and focused. You want personal success. This is a playful, fun-loving year for you. Let your guard down and loosen up a bit. Have fun but don’t lose sight of your goals. Old friends might reappear in your life again.ARIES(March 21-April 19)★★★You might entertain unusual friends or groups today, or a spontaneous gathering might take place where you live. Meanwhile, you will feel “tuned in” in an almost psychic way to family issues and relatives today. Kinda trippy. Tonight: Support family.TAURUS(April 20-May 20)★★★★This is a high-energy day, which means you will be mentally turned on. Trust your intuition. You are imaginative and capable of visualizing things, especially for the future. Clever ideas might suddenly occur to you. Why not write them down for future c...

Lisbon and Linköping win the 2023 European Capital of Innovation Awards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

The European Commission has revealed the winners of the European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital), with the main prizes going to the cities of Lisbon and Linköping (Sweden).Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner Iliana Ivanova awarded the prizes in Marseille during a ceremony co-hosted by the Aix-Marseille Provence Métropole, winner of iCapital 2022. The commissioner said: “Congratulations to Lisbon and Linköping! They are shining examples of how cities can use innovation to reshape the urban landscape, tackle demographic and economic challenges and work for the benefit of their residents. But I also applaud all finalists. They create a better future for people through innovation.”Through iCapital awards, the EU recognises cities with inclusive innovation ecosystems. The prize identifies cities connecting citizens with academia, businesses, and the public sector to successfully translate results into improved well-being of society while simultaneously...

Miss Manners: Our little boy’s hair prompts questions we’d rather not answer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: My husband and I are in the process of adopting my sweet 2-year-old nephew. He has lived with us since he was 7 weeks old, due to my sister and brother-in-law’s inability to care for him.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: Did they really think it was OK to say this in an obituary? Advice | Miss Manners: I get tactless comments about my literary name Advice | Miss Manners: How do I tell these people I don’t want their prayers? Advice | Miss Manners: My mother-in-law tried to ban me from wearing bright colors on vacation Advice | Miss Manners: Is this lowering of office chairs a common practice? He is the sweetest, happiest child you could ever want to know, and has bright red hair. This garners him a ton of attention when we are out in public. We get several comments and questions, mostly about his hair, every time we leave the house.The most common question is something...

Dear Abby: Should my adult children forgive their dying mother?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:57 GMT

DEAR ABBY: I was married young to my high school sweetheart. We had five children together. During that time, I joined the Air Force.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I accidentally opened my son-in-law’s mail. Should I tell what I learned? Advice | Dear Abby: I’m tired of older people sneering about smartphones Advice | Dear Abby: I can’t believe my son spoke to his partner that way Advice | Dear Abby: My sister met a British guy, and now she’s a mouse Advice | Dear Abby: My husband says he can’t wear his wedding ring to the office After six years of marriage, I discovered my wife was cheating on me. Once I realized we couldn’t reconcile, I told her I wanted a divorce and custody of the children. She agreed. It cost me my career with the USAF.Flash-forward to today: Thirty-seven years have passed. I have never said a bad word to my children about their mother. My e...