Airdrie

A sentencing hearing for a Calgary couple in the death of their badly burned and emaciated toddler has been rescheduled for next month.

Sonya Pasqua and Michael Sinclair pleaded guilty in December to manslaughter.

Gabriel Sinclair-Pasqua, who was 18 months old, died in 2021 after suffering major burns to a third of his body.

An agreed statement of facts says the parents didn’t seek medical treatment and tried to treat the burns with honey before the child died from an infection and head trauma.

Airdrie RCMP has credited a five-year-old girl from Crossfield for her bravery and quick thinking after her father suffered a medical emergency late last month.

According to RCMP, on March 26, 2025, Ellie Mae Lefebvre was at her home in Crossfield with her father when he suddenly had a medical emergency.

"Ellie stayed calm and called 911 (she activated the medic alarm they have at home and then 9-1-1 called the residence and obtained additional information from Ellie Mae). RCMP and EMS quickly responded, and her father was taken care of," police stated.

Recruiters say there's been a surge of interest from American doctors considering moving to Canada since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump in November. 

Katrina Philopoulos, physician recruitment director for Nova Scotia Health, says 27 American doctors are in serious negotiations to move, talks that have so far resulted in one person being hired and a second who is expected to move to the province next year.

The economy shed 33,000 jobs in March, the biggest loss since January 2022, while the unemployment rate ticked higher, Statistics Canada said Friday.

The agency said the unemployment rate for March rose to 6.7 per cent compared with 6.6 per cent in February.

The hit came amid increased uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs that have threatened economic growth.

The job losses reversed some of the gains made at the end of last year and into January.

The polls are open, and Crossfield is officially in the fight for the Kraft Hockeyville 2025 crown.

Voting began this morning at 7:00 a.m. MT and will remain open until 3:00 p.m. MT on Saturday, April 5. Crossfield is one of four national finalists vying for $250,000 in arena upgrades and the chance to host an NHL® preseason game at Pete Knight Arena. The competition includes Honeywood, Ont, Saint-Boniface, Que., and Lower Sackville, N.S.

How to Vote

• Visit www.krafthockeyville.ca

As of Friday evening, the confirmed candidates posted on the Elections Canada website for the Airdrie–Cochrane riding ahead of the April 28 federal election included three names.

"Please note that the close of nominations for candidates is Monday, April 7, 2025. Therefore, the list of confirmed candidates may be incomplete. The complete list of confirmed candidates will be available on Wednesday, April 9, 2025," Elections Canada states.

Editor’s note (April 4): Calgary police have issued a correction stating the undeveloped RV park referenced in this story is located northwest of Sundre, not southeast as originally indicated in a previous news release.

A Chestermere man is facing a fraud charge after Calgary police alleged he sold dozens of long-term leases at an undeveloped RV park that never received municipal approvals.

The Alberta RCMP reminds motorists that warmer weather and clearer roads don’t make speeding any less dangerous or illegal.

According to RCMP, 48,600 speeding tickets were issued last year in areas under its jurisdiction. In April alone, 4,283 violations were recorded. Meanwhile, officers laid 9,419 charges for aggressive and dangerous driving.

The King Charles III Coronation Medal has been awarded to Kirk Wassmer. Wassmer retired in June 2024 after 23 years as a band teacher at Didsbury High School.

Member of Parliament Earl Dreeshen nominated Wassmer for the award in the education category and presented it to him several weeks ago.

Several public figures in Carstairs will be detained Saturday, with donations to the Mountain View Food Bank Society being the only way to secure their release.

Andrea Young, a community peace officer in the Town of Carstairs, discussed the Jail and Bail for Food event on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at the Carstairs Community Hall and its purpose.