Politics & World
Canadian negotiators have proposed breaking the planned purchase of up to 12 Type 212CD submarines from Germany into two batches, three sources told CBC News. Ottawa would commit to eight boats up front and decide on four more later. The idea came up during meetings in Ottawa last week with German builder TKMS and Norway's Kongsberg. Officials want to keep options open for future governments, since deliveries won't begin until the mid-2030s, and some question whether drones could eventually replace crewed submarines. Germany is studying how a smaller order might affect the $86 billion in promised economic benefits for Canada.
Economy
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada and the U.S. are closer to a trade deal, though work remains. Speaking at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua, Carney said Washington is now "asking less" and "offering more," and that talks have intensified since negotiations collapsed in August. American demands touching Canada's red lines, including rules promoting French-language content on streaming services and limits on Canada's ability to sign deals with other countries, are now off the table. Autos are expected to remain a key sticking point. Carney plans to meet President Donald Trump at the APEC summit in China later this month.
Provinces & Territories
NLNewfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador has introduced civil forfeiture legislation that would let the province seize property linked to criminal activity, even when no one is convicted. Justice Minister Helen Conway Ottenheimer said the goal is to ensure crime does not pay. The province and Prince Edward Island are the only two without such a law. Cases would be heard in civil court, where the government must prove its claim on a balance of probabilities rather than beyond a reasonable doubt. Under current rules, $435,000 in cash found during a murder investigation into Kurt Churchill was eventually returned to him in 2025.
PEPrince Edward Island
More than 120 members of P.E.I.'s Progressive Conservative Party have signed a petition calling for a special meeting within 15 days to vote on Premier Rob Lantz's leadership. Member Martie Murphy said members are discouraged by weak polling, and the resolution cites the province's growing deficit and concerns about transparency. Lantz, who won the leadership in February, said the party's constitution requires only 75 signatures, calling it a low bar and a distraction. He suggested a small group never accepted his win. Party president Robert Larsen confirmed receiving the petition and said the party is consulting lawyers about next steps.
NSNova Scotia
Halifax's annual point-in-time count found 1,078 people experiencing homelessness in October, down 72 from last year. The count was organized by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia and the Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre. Executive director Michael Kabalen said emergency supports have stabilized, but the total will stay high until governments invest in housing at scale. Of the 164 people sleeping rough, far fewer were in encampments, only two of which remain designated. More people were sleeping alone in streets, parks or vehicles. The report says the vehicle count is likely a significant undercount, especially in rural areas without shelters.
NBNew Brunswick
New Brunswick has introduced the Young Consumers in Digital Markets Act to protect children under 16 from being misled into online purchases. Justice Minister Rob McKee said the Financial and Consumer Services Commission would handle complaints and could secure refunds or cancel unfair charges. Companies that pressure kids to buy, or use advertising to unfairly influence them, could face fines of up to $5 million and jail time. The rules would cover apps, software, music, artificial intelligence and social media, including companies without Canadian offices. The commission would not moderate content and will get no extra money for the work.
QCQuebec
A former home daycare operator in Quebec City's Beauport borough has been sentenced to life in prison, with no chance of parole for 12 years, for killing a 14-month-old girl in March 2024. Guenuite Mubwaka pleaded guilty last week to second-degree murder. Security footage showed she had abused the child for months before the fatal attack, after which the toddler went into cardiorespiratory arrest and died in hospital days later. Superior Court Justice François Huot accepted the joint recommendation, though he called it too lenient and said he would have chosen 18 years, to spare the grieving parents an appeal.
ONOntario
Ontario Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn says he will not release a KPMG audit into student aid use at private career colleges. Preliminary findings were serious enough that the government referred the matter to the Ontario Provincial Police. Quinn has cited concerns about common ownership, links to immigration services firms, weak enrolment verification and clusters of OSAP applications from the same places. Court documents allege thousands of applications came from a single IP address; the schools deny wrongdoing. Progressive Conservatives on a legislative committee voted down a Liberal motion asking the auditor general to conduct a public investigation instead.
MBManitoba
Two bypass gates at Winnipeg's North End sewage treatment plant opened unexpectedly early Monday, sending about 9.8 million litres of partially treated sewage into the Red River over roughly two and a half hours. Water and waste director Tim Shanks said the gates were meant to be opened manually but had been set to automatic, and no alarm alerted staff. The city is investigating why, and the gates are now locked. Officials do not expect long-term effects on river water quality and will keep testing. The province is investigating whether enforcement is needed as the plant undergoes a $3.2-billion upgrade.
SKSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan has unveiled a Dash-8 Q400 multi-role airtanker, the first of four replacing its aging CV-580s under a $187-million deal with B.C.'s Conair Group. The plane, the first of its kind in Canadian wildfire fleets, can drop 10,000 litres of water or retardant and also carry cargo, crews and evacuees. Minister Michael Weger expects it to be flying in the 2027 wildfire season. McGill aviation lecturer John Gradek noted the plane must refill at airports rather than scoop from lakes, and called the province's six water bombers, averaging about 40 years old, a ticking time bomb that needs replacing soon.
ABAlberta
Alberta's United Conservative government has introduced Bill 38, which would require universities and colleges to stay institutionally neutral on political issues and protect freedom of expression. Advanced Education Minister Myles McDougall said students, faculty and staff would remain free to voice opinions. The bill follows a court ruling that the University of Lethbridge wrongly cancelled a 2023 lecture by Frances Widdowson. The bill would also cap tuition increases for Canadian students at two per cent in 2027-28 and set minimum standards for student conduct codes. Separately, McDougall said parental income will no longer count when assessing eligibility for student loans.
BCBritish Columbia
Family members have identified Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20, as the victims of a suspected grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola. The pair went for a walk Saturday on the Snooka West Trail, a short drive from home, and were reported missing Sunday. Balcarras's remains were found Monday, and Reed was found dead Tuesday. Relatives remembered Balcarras, an art therapist and mother of four, as the heart of the family, and Reed as a gentle education assistant who loved ballet and hiking. Conservation officers are now trying to trap the bear, but none had been captured.
NUNunavut
A new follow-up report from the auditor general of Canada says Nunavut has made little progress fixing child and family services, three years after an urgent call to action. Focusing on foster care, it found homes were not properly screened or monitored, caregivers often lacked key health and background information about children, and training was rare. In 90 per cent of files reviewed, there was no evidence of required monthly in-person contact. Deputy auditor general Andrew Hayes said the department has known about these problems for nearly 15 years and called for a whole-of-government approach to protect children and families.
NTNorthwest Territories
Lesa Semmler, who resigned as the Northwest Territories' health minister and MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes in September, has a new job with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. The corporation announced Tuesday that she will become associate executive director of health, wellness and beneficiary services, starting November 9. In that role, Semmler, a registered nurse, will help develop and deliver health programs for Inuvialuit beneficiaries and communities. The corporation praised her public service experience and understanding of the region's needs. Semmler had represented her riding since 2019 and gave no specific reason for leaving cabinet, saying only it followed careful reflection.
YTYukon
The Yukon's few family lawyers are swamped, leaving about 70 per cent of family law litigants to represent themselves, compared with 58 per cent nationally. The Law Society of Yukon lists only 12 family lawyers, and half live outside the territory. Retired chief justice Ron Veale said people facing separation, divorce or custody disputes need help quickly but are often left carrying the burden alone. Caroline Grady of Yukon University said lawyers from outside cost more and lack local expertise. The university plans to launch its first law cohort next September with the University of Calgary, possibly enrolling 25 students.
