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Thousands of Canadians missed out on federal housing and dental benefits: report

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

OTTAWA — A new report says hundreds of thousands of Canadians may have missed out on government money intended to help with the rising cost of living because the housing and dental benefits rolled out last year have had “atrocious” take-up. The analysis by David Macdonald, senior economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, assesses both benefits, as well as how much the federal government has actually spent on the measures. He compares the federal government’s estimates in the fall economic statement with updated figures provided on its website at the end of March. Macdonald finds only 44 per cent of those who would have likely been eligible for the one-time top-up to the Canada Housing Benefit actually received it, while just over half have received the Canada Dental Benefit. “These are pretty atrociously low take-up rates. We should be learning lessons from this (so) the next time around we have much higher take-up rates,” Macdonald said...

Inquest to hear officers’ testimony in 2015 police-involved death of B.C. man

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

BURNABY, B.C. — Vancouver police officers involved in a fatal beating of a man almost eight years ago are expected to testify this week at a coroner’s inquest into the death.Myles Gray, who was 33, died in August 2015, shortly after a beating by seven officers, leaving him with a broken eye socket, a crushed voice box, a ruptured testicle and other injuries.The inquest began Monday in Burnaby, B.C., with testimony from six of the more than 40 witnesses expected to appear over 10 days. Officers from the Vancouver Police Department are expected to testify staring today and continuing into next week.   Melissa Gray, Myles Gray’s sister, told reporters at the start of the inquest that the officers stole her brother’s life and that they don’t deserve to continue their jobs in policing.A coroner’s jury can’t make findings of legal responsibility, but can make recommendations to prevent future deaths under similar circumstances.Gray’s mother, Margi...

Premier calls for silent reflection to mark anniversary of Nova Scotia mass shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is asking people to pause for a moment of silence today at noon and again on Wednesday to remember the 22 people killed three years ago during the worst mass shooting in Canadian history.Houston issued a statement saying the impact of the tragedy in northern and central Nova Scotia on April 18-19, 2020, is still being felt.Flags at the provincial legislature and all provincial government buildings will fly at half-mast from today at sunrise until sunset on Wednesday.As well, the premier is encouraging all citizens, businesses and community organizations that fly flags to lower them to half-mast during that time.Last month, a public inquiry released a 3,000-page final report that highlighted a litany of mistakes made by the Mounties during their response to the shootings, and it called on Ottawa to rethink the RCMP’s central role in policing.The inquiry heard that the killer was disguised as a Mountie and driving a replica RCMP cruiser ...

Ontario tells court of ‘unwarranted incursion’ into cabinet in mandate letters case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is telling the country’s top court the disclosure of ministerial mandate letters would reveal the substance of deliberations of the premier and his cabinet — breaching a key tenet of Westminster-style government.In a written brief filed with the Supreme Court of Canada, the Ontario attorney general says cabinet confidentiality, candour and solidarity are fundamental to a system where responsible ministers collectively decide government policy.The court is set to hear oral arguments today concerning Ontario’s attempt to block the release of 23 letters Premier Doug Ford wrote to cabinet ministers shortly after his Progressive Conservative government took office five years ago.The cabinet office refused the CBC’s freedom-of-information request for the letters, citing a cabinet privilege exemption in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.The CBC appealed to the Ontario information and privacy commissioner, who ordered ...

Daily horoscope for April 18, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Aries.Happy Birthday for Tuesday, April 18, 2023:You are passionate, determined and romantic — colorful attributes that make you interesting to others. In fact, others see you as heroic. This year is slower-paced. It’s time to rejuvenate yourself. Focus on relationships and finding people and situations that will bring you happiness.ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★★This is a mixed day for you. In one way, it’s a fortunate day, because you’re powerful, determined and convincing. Nevertheless, disputes with a family member or frustrations with something going on at home might be in the picture. (Patience is the antidote to anger.) Tonight: You’re in charge.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★There’s a lot going on behind the scenes right now (that your boss or a parent doesn’t know about). Some of you might be involved in a secret flirtation or love affair. Later...

As Putin signs new law on draft, Russia says spring call-up is proceeding as scheduled

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

Russia's regular spring military draft campaign is proceeding as scheduled and there are no plans to send out mass electronic notices under a new system just signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, a top official said on Saturday (15 April).The announcement by Colonel Andrei Biryukov, an official in an armed forces department responsible for the draft, appeared aimed at quelling speculation that Russia may quickly use the new system to launch another mass call-up for the war in Ukraine.Russia is currently in the process of calling up 147,000 men aged 18 to 27 between 1 April and 15 July to perform compulsory military service as part of its longstanding twice-yearly conscription cycle.Biryukov said the first conscripts would be dispatched to "permanent deployment points on the territory of the Russian Federation" from April 20.He emphasized that some people were still entitled to defer their military service, and said there would be no mass mailings of new electronic summonses t...

Deposit Bonus vs Free Spins: What to Choose?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

Online casinos and sportsbooks are a fairly recent development coming from the gambling industry. Their popularity has made them one of the leading factors in it. This popularity is well deserved and it comes thanks to many different factors, of which the accessibility perks are the biggest attribute. In-person casinos and sportsbooks require a lot of time from their users, sometimes even an entire day. The online medium has circumvented this by allowing users to play and bet whenever and wherever they are. This streamlines the medium and also opens it up to newcomers through many great systems. One of these systems is gambling bonuses, which are free perks players can claim upon signing up for a select service. Find the best Swedish free spins offers before you select a service to have the option to choose what kind of gambling bonus you would like.How to claim a Gambling Bonus?Whether it is a casino or sportsbook bonus, to get access to it you first need to sign up for your select...

Chucky Stunt Actor Ed Gale Allegedly Caught Trying To Meet With Minor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

Ed Gale, best known for his physical portrayal of Chucky, was confronted by a vigilante group who posed as a minor in alleged online conversations with him.The meet occurred Friday, April 14, and the group, who call themselves the “Creep Catcher Unit,” (CC Unit) confronted Ed Gale with a folder containing printouts of alleged conversations he had with what he thought was a minor.While LAPD was called to the scene, Gale was not arrested, with CC Unit citing his health condition as the determining factor.The CC Unit group is led by a person who goes by the name “Ghost” to protect their identity on camera.The group has been known to livestream its “catches” on YouTube or Instagram, but did not stream the Friday interaction.The group says Gale was their 353rd “catch” since starting their “To Catch a Predator” style stings in 2018.Ghost has explained in the past that the group will pose as underage girls and have conversations w...

Miss Manners: I was offended by the artist’s name, but nobody would hear me out

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I was at an art show with my husband and mother-in-law that featured a 19th-century female artist. A brochure was given to us at entry that listed the artist’s name as “Mrs. John Smith,” with no first name given.As an avid art lover and a feminist, I was taken aback, and said as much to the others. They both defended the practice, saying that that was the name she used when she was alive and that the writer of the brochure probably felt they were honoring her by using her husband’s name.I would have been grateful had my husband been willing to hear me out as to why this offended me, but he wasn’t interested. Both he and his mother shut me down.How should I have handled this — should I have kept my mouth shut? Also, did the use of the artist’s husband’s name “honor her,” or should the writer have been more cognizant of today’s sensibilities?GENTLE READER: Shouldn’t you be more cognizant of past...

Dear Abby: Who brings a husband to a playdate?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:06:32 GMT

DEAR ABBY: I’m in my early 30s, married and juggling a full-time job and caring for my children, ages 3 and 6.I live in an affluent area where people have more free time than most. When I’m able to squeeze time in for a playdate with local mom friends, I find it annoying when they bring their husbands.I’m all for double dates, but I feel like a third wheel when they bring their spouses along for playdates. A handful of women do this at every single get-together with the kids. Their husbands don’t need to work as much as mine does.I crave being able to talk freely with other mothers. Even if my husband were available, he wouldn’t want to join, and I wouldn’t want him to, either.When I invite a woman and her kids to my home, I end up having her husband show up at my door, too. I feel like I’m entertaining their whole family instead of just a simple playdate.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: I saw security video of my fiance, and m...