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Workers raise the bar: 2023 was a year of wage gains marked by high-profile strikes

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

A month after 3,700 grocery store workers walked off their jobs at Toronto-area Metro stores earlier this year, they returned to work under a new contract that Unifor called “historic.” Long days of picketing, including demonstrations at warehouses that halted deliveries to Metro stores across the province, led to a deal giving all workers an immediate raise of $1.50 an hour. By January, full-time and senior part-time workers will get another 50 cents, essentially bringing back the pandemic-era “hero pay” that ended in 2020. A tight labour market and breakneck inflation have empowered many workers to make new inroads.July’s Metro walkout, the B.C. port work stoppage in July and the Public Service Alliance of Canada strike this spring help paint a picture of a workforce fighting hard to catch up to the cost of living. “When you look at the wage data, union members are faring much better this year than they have in any year in the past decade. And that is a result of...

Bank of Canada to announce interest rate decision today, expected to hold at 5%

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada is set to announce its interest rate decision this morning as forecasters widely expect the central bank to continue holding its key rate steady.The Bank of Canada opted to maintain its key interest rate at five per cent at its last two announcements as the economy shows clearer signs of a slowdown.Last week’s GDP report showed the economy shrank in the third quarter, while the country’s unemployment rate ticked up once again in November. Inflation in Canada has also slowed considerably, with the annual rate coming in at 3.1 per cent in October.As the economy softens and inflation comes down, economists will be watching for any signs from the central bank on when to expect future interest rate cuts. So far, the central bank has dismissed any talk of rate cuts and instead maintained it’s prepared to raise rates again if needed.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2023. The Canadian Press<!– Photo: 2023120...

StatCan: Eight million people, 27 per cent of Canadians, have at least one disability

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

The number of Canadians with at least one disability has doubled in ten years, a reality that should push governments to help reduce barriers to accessibility, says the head of a human rights organization.Statistics Canada data shows that 27 per cent of people 15 and older — about eight million Canadians — reported having at least one disability in 2022, about twice the percentage of people who reported a disability 10 years ago.Collected every five years, the StatCan numbers are important because they influence government policy at the federal, provincial and local levels, Heather Walkus, national chair of the Council for Canadians with Disabilities, said in a recent interview.“At least eight million Canadians have a disability and we are still excluded, not able to join in with families and be part of the Canadian experience because of environment, because of attitudes, and because of the way the system is set up to ensure there’s no success or little success,” Walkus said.O...

Assembly of First Nations to elect new national chief in special assembly

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

OTTAWA — It’s election day for the Assembly of First Nations, where chiefs in the assembly or their proxies will decide who’s best suited to lead the organization after several turbulent years.The election comes months after former national chief RoseAnne Archibald was ousted over the findings of an investigation into complaints from five staff members about her conduct.The third-party independent review concluded some of Archibald’s behaviour amounted to harassment, and that she had breached confidentiality rules and violated internal policies by retaliating against complainants.Archibald denied the allegations. Her supporters maintain she was removed from the post for trying to change the organization’s status quo.Of the 231 chiefs who took part in the special assembly, 71 per cent voted to remove her.Six candidates put their names forward to replace Archibald and interim national chief Joanna Bernard, including Reginald Bellerose, Craig Makinaw, Sheila Nor...

First-degree murder trial of Saskatchewan Mountie set to hear autopsy evidence

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — The first-degree murder trial of a former Saskatchewan Mountie is set to continue today with autopsy evidence.Bernie Herman, who is 55, has pleaded not guilty in the 2021 death of 26-year-old Braden Herman in Prince Albert, Sask.The two men are not related.Court has heard that Braden Herman’s naked body was found in an isolated area of Little Red River Park, on the outskirts of the province’s third largest city. Police have testified he was shot, had two large bruises on his upper chest and other injuries. The trial was told the two men met on Facebook and often shared a bed, after Braden Herman moved in with Bernie Herman and the veteran officer’s family in 2018. The officer’s wife, Janice Herman, told court that she was hurt by the changing dynamic in her marriage. She said Braden Herman was possessive and would get angry with her husband whenever the officer showed her affection. The Mountie’s daughter, Jana MacDonald, called the relationship be...

Most Canadians want more federal spending on health care, housing: poll

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

OTTAWA — A majority of Canadians think the federal government should spend more on health care, a housing strategy and initiatives to ease inflation and cost-of-living issues, a new poll suggests — but they also want it to freeze or reduce other spending. Nearly three-quarters of respondents to the new Leger poll, or 71 per cent, said the federal government should spend more on health care and health transfers to the provinces. Only three per cent of the 1,545 Canadian respondents polled over the weekend said the government should spend less. The poll does not have a margin of error because online polls aren’t considered truly random samples.When it comes to a housing strategy and initiatives to tackle inflation and cost-of-living issues, 66 per cent said they were in favour of increasing government spending, and only six per cent said it should decrease.But most respondents wanted the government to reduce or maintain other spending, including on national defence, services to Indige...

Deal on new EU rules to make sustainable products the norm

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

On Monday night (4 December), Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on revising the EU’s ecodesign framework for sustainable products, ENVI.Parliament and Council negotiators agreed on an update to the so-called “ecodesign” regulation that aims to improve various aspects of products throughout their lifecycle to make them more durable and reliable, easier to reuse, upgrade, repair and recycle, use less resources, energy and water. Specific product requirements will be outlined by the Commission through secondary legislation.Negotiators agreed that ecodesign requirements should also address practices associated with premature obsolescence (when a product becomes non-functional or less performant due to, for example, product design features, unavailability of consumables and spare parts, lack of software updates).Priority productsAt Parliament’s initiative, negotiators agreed that the Commission should prioritise a number of product groups in its first working plan to...

Harriette Cole: I’m nervous about the impression I’ll make on my boyfriend’s family

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: This Christmas, I’ll be meeting my boyfriend’s family. They live out of state, and it’s the first time we’ll be face to face.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: I’m in college, and I need my mom to stop with the panicky phone calls Advice | Harriette Cole: My boyfriend’s Instagram posts make me worried that he did something wrong Advice | Harriette Cole: We split up a year ago, and I can’t stop thinking about him Advice | Harriette Cole: I want to shut down my friend’s snooping without a lot of drama Advice | Harriette Cole: My birthday wish list could get me in trouble with my family We have been dating for nearly a year now and I really like him, so I’m looking forward to getting to know his family and see how he grew up. I want to make a great impression, but I’m a bit nervous.Do you have any advice or tips for making a ...

Miss Manners: This is way too much money for a co-worker gift. How can I get out of it?

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a colleague who consistently asks for what I consider large contributions to work gifts.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: Am I wrong to insist my husband should take a bite of everything at a party? Advice | Miss Manners: I was in tears after this stranger’s comment in the grocery store Advice | Miss Manners: Both teens are uncomfortable with the other mom’s comparisons Advice | Miss Manners: I want Florida woman to stop sending these texts Advice | Miss Manners: Our little boy’s striking hair prompts questions we’d rather not answer I’ve explained to her that I’m not comfortable giving that kind of money. I want to show kindness for things such as birthdays and Boss’s Day, but the amounts she asks for are above my comfort level.I get the feeling that everyone begrudgingly agrees. We all feel the same, but none of us wants to be the...

Dear Abby: We learned the truth about our daughter when her fiance ditched her

Published Sat, 08 Feb 2025 07:00:25 GMT

DEAR ABBY: Three days before my daughter “Ginger” was to be married, her fiance called to announce that he could not marry her because she’s bisexual.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: His ex-wife is coaching her children to be mean to this little girl Advice | Dear Abby: My boyfriend doesn’t want this woman to know about me Advice | Dear Abby: My son’s wife and mother-in-law are ganging up on him Advice | Dear Abby: I am furious that the bride disinvited my little girl from the high-profile wedding Advice | Dear Abby: My husband invites his friends and waltzes away from the hassle It’s something he knew about for a year but waited until three days before the wedding to mention.Needless to say, my husband and I were shocked, embarrassed and devastated.We had gone to a wedding with Ginger and her fiance the previous weekend, and they were excited about their own weddin...