For more than a decade while it was in power, the former Conservative government railed against a great, faceless bureaucracy it blamed for undermining its ambitions for the Department of National Defence (DND). Blair also claimed that under the current government, defence spending is in the process of doubling to $40 billion annually. When the Conservatives cut the defence budget, that third category was the one that took a major hit. Perhaps that's a pause, a moment to pause for reflection and ask ourselves, is this really the time to cut the defence budget? He said it was rather a reduction in the pace at which we have been increasing the defence budget.

Fresh from his election win in Manitoba, NDP Leader Wab Kinew talks to Matt Galloway about becoming the first First Nations provincial leader in Canada; and delivering on campaign promises around health care, affordability and searching a landfill for two missing women.

October 4, 2023 —By now you already know, the NDP won a majority vote in the provincial election on October 3rd, 2023. The NDP won 34 seats, PC’s 22 and the Liberals won one seat. The win also added a new chapter to Manitoba’s history books with it’s first First Nations leader as Premier with Wab Kinew. Here is some of the coverage on election night and the day after with contributions from some of the University’s political experts. Christopher Adams, adjunct professor of political science with CBC: Dougald Lamont concedes to NDP in St. Boniface, steps down as Manitoba Liberal leaderRoyce Koop, professor of political studies with CityNews: Expert predicts NDP victory in final hours of Manitoba electionNiigaan Sinclair, Indigenous Studies professor with Your Morning: Manitoba NDP wins majority governmentRoyce Koop, professor of political studies with The Globe and Mail: NDP wins Manitoba election as Wab Kinew set to become first First Nations provincial premier in CanadaRéal Carrière, an assistant professor at University of Manitoba who specializes in Indigenous politics spoke with Reuters and was shared in the Daily Mail UK: Kinew to be Manitoba’s only First Nations premier as province elects NDP governmentChristopher Adams, adjunct professor of political science with CBC Manitoba Radio One: Wab Kinew says his party will be there to help you when you need it but you need to take the first steps

(Celeste Decaire/CBC - image credit)Ottawa's largest school board is shuffling kids and classrooms after finding fewer elementary students are enrolled than initially predicted. The chair of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) says each spring, a formula is built to predict how many students will attend its schools. 1,600 fewer students than expectedEnrolment at elementary schools is comparable to last year's figure, staying largely unchanged at just over 50,500 students. School board trustee Lyra Evans, running for reelection in Rideau Vanier-Rideau Rockcliffe. The Ottawa Catholic School Board said it will present enrolment numbers at the Oct. 11 board meeting.

The University of Toronto’s Transitional Year Programme (TYP) is celebrating 53 years of the access-to-education program with a gala in the Great Hall at Hart House on Oct. 4. Former TYP faculty Horace Henriques, Safia Gahayr and Roslyn Thomas-Long will also be honoured at the event. Every spring, TYP holds a graduation ceremony to celebrate the students who completed the eight-month program. They include Floria Kangootui, who graduated this spring with a bachelor’s degree from U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science. Fallon Young, now in her third year of studies at U of T, told CBC News the program changed her life.

(Andrew Nguyen/CBC - image credit)David Common will be the new host of CBC Radio's Metro Morning. And yes, he has woken up early before: Common was the host of CBC Radio's World Report. Common has hosted Metro Morning many times, even taking the show to air from his basement studio during the COVID-19 pandemic. Common has hosted Metro Morning many times, even taking the show to air from his basement studio during the COVID-19 pandemic. Asked if he'd learned anything from the long-time host, Common said Galloway has passed on plenty of tips over the years.

According to Dr. Melissa Lem, people who spend two hours per week in nature are not only happier, but healthier. Lem is to present the findings on October 12 at the UBC Okanagan Distinguished Speaker Series, presented by the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. She also serves as the President of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, and Director of PaRx, Canada’s first national, evidence-based nature prescription program to improve mental health. In her talk, Dr. Lem will discuss highlights from the wide-ranging body of knowledge on nature and health, present an overview of PaRx—including its significant national and international influence—and reveal how prescribing nature can improve both patient and planetary health. The Distinguished Speaker Series brings compelling speakers to the Okanagan to share their unique perspectives on issues that affect our region, our country and our world.

At the age of nine, Greyeyes was accepted into the National Ballet School. The loneliness of being separated from her family informed their decision to move with Greyeyes when he was accepted into the National Ballet School. Dancing CareerDuring his time with the National Ballet School, Michael Greyeyes was one of only three Indigenous ballet dancers at the school. Greyeyes graduated from the National Ballet School. Directing CareerIn addition to his acting, dancing and teaching careers, Michael Greyeyes is also an acclaimed director.

Evidently, the transition towards a full EV market is the most significant one and has contributed to the overall increase in vehicle prices. Evidently, the transition towards a full EV market is the most significant one and has contributed to the overall increase in vehicle prices. Well, with the quality of production of our industry, there are simply fewer cars on the used market: vehicles are now staying on the road for around 13 years (all-time record for Canada). This generates upward pressure for the used prices and seems to naturally redirect consumers towards new vehicles. One thing is clear: the direction of the EV market will dictate a lot of what is perceived and understood about the overall automotive industry.

Director Kim O’Bomsawin sits down with John Moore to discuss Telling Our Story, a new 4-part series streaming on CBC Gem. Director Kim O’Bomsawin sits down with John Moore to discuss Telling Our Story, a new 4-part series streaming on CBC Gem, which connects tales and traditions with eloquent and charismatic protagonists from 11 First Peoples in Canada. Eleven cultures speaking 11 different languages, who inhabited what’s now Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick.

A young man was killed when a pickup truck went off Cap Saint Louis Road in Saint-Louis de Kent late Saturday afternoon, say RCMP. (RCMP - image credit)A 24-year-old man from Prince Edward Island is dead following a single-vehicle accident in eastern New Brunswick. RCMP said a pickup truck went off Cap Saint Louis Road in Saint-Louis de Kent and into the ditch. The driver, a 24-year-old man from Kings County in P.E.I., died at the scene as a result of his injuries. A 28-year-old man, the only other person in the pickup, was transported to the hospital with what are believed to be minor injuries.

National announces its three-day post-natal care policy, Labour pledges a third supermarket chain to break the duopoly and Watercare announces its plans to stop future sinkholes. Video / NZ HeraldBOOST TO POSTNATAL CARENational says mums and their babies need the best start they can get. It’s pledged to ring fence funding for extending post-natal care from two days to three - if elected. National to boost number of days in postnatal care. SINKHOLE SOLUTIONWatercare says it plans to invest in pipeline infrastructure to stop future sinkholes in Auckland.

Zachary Clay of Canada in action during the men's artistic gymnastics competition at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018. Clay was instrumental in helping the men's gymnastics team qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. (Dita Alangkara/The Associated Press - image credit)On Sunday, Canada's male gymnastics team qualified for the 2024 Olympics in Paris for the first time since 2008 — and B.C. They finished fourth, with Gymnastics Canada saying Clay's performance on the pommel horse was pivotal. (AP Photo/)Clay competes on the parallel bars during the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships men's qualifications in Liverpool, England in October 2022.

There is a landline telephone outage affecting the area from Woodstock to Perth-Andover, N.B. Cellphone networks and 911 services are working, the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization said in a tweet. Residents in the affected area are asked to use a cellphone to contact 911 if needed. People in the area are being asked not to call 911 to test their phones.

In a nutshell:Residents in Juliette, Georgia are urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to uphold its rejection of Alabama's proposed coal ash disposal rules. The EPA's decision not only affects Alabama but also has implications for Georgia, where Georgia Power manages coal ash from retired power plants, drawing concern from environmental advocates. We are still suffering here.”The big picture:Living near a coal ash disposal area can pose significant health and environmental risks. Improper coal ash disposal can also harm ecosystems and affect the surrounding environment, further emphasizing the importance of proper regulation and oversight in such areas. Too often toxic coal ash, a byproduct of coal-fired power, ends up in poor, minority communities, writes Brian Bienkowski.