Reach

The annual Rotary Food Bank Drive is coming up September 11th here in Grande Prairie, with Rotary, Rotaract, Interact, and hundreds of volunteers hitting the streets to collect food in support of the Salvation Army Food Bank. It’s an event that helps local families and seniors make it through some very tough times. 

Canada’s canola industry is expressing deep frustration over the federal government’s newly announced support package, saying it fails to meet the urgent needs of farmers and the broader value chain affected by the ongoing closure of the Chinese market.

While industry leaders welcomed the government’s attention to agriculture, they say the measures announced on Friday do not reflect the scale of the crisis.

While the Alberta government is urging teachers to get back to the bargaining table to get out of an ongoing stalemate, their union says the province needs to move beyond reiterating a deal that teachers have already rejected.

Finance Minister Nate Horner is encouraging teachers to take a closer look at the latest offer, which he says shows respect for teachers.

"We've never left the table," Horner said in an interview Monday.

"We think this is a fair deal. We think this is a good deal."

The federal government says it plans to launch a public registry to keep Canadians in the loop on its growing use of artificial intelligence.

"We are seeing a lot more activity across departments and agencies," Stephen Burt, the government’s chief data officer, told The Canadian Press.

The federal government says it has found almost 500 ways to streamline regulations and cut costs following a 60-day red tape review exercise.

Departments and agencies have published reports identifying measures to make them more efficient and eliminate complicated or redundant regulations or processes.

Examples include a Canada Border Services Agency proposal to end the rule requiring that travellers arriving in Canada only on their way to another country, be examined by the agency before making their way to their departing flight.

Matthew 6:14

We cannot be right with God until we are right with one another.

The power of reconciliation is stronger than revenge. It is amazing how forgiveness unloads the weapon in the other person's hand.

When you reconcile with your brother or sister, it is amazing what it does in both hearts. It is like having your nervous system flushed out. It is like getting over a long-standing fever and cleansing the corruption that has been diseasing your mind.

Titus 2:2

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative government says it will fight hard to defend a court challenge to its school pronoun law.

“Alberta’s government will vigorously defend our position in court,” Heather Jenkins, press secretary to Justice Minister Mickey Amery, said in a statement after two LGBTQ+ advocacy groups officially filed the court challenge last week.

Jenkins stressed the legislation was introduced to strengthen ties between parents and their child’s education.

A new poll suggests 44 per cent of Canadians want to see the temporary foreign worker program scrapped as the country grapples with high unemployment, especially among young people.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recently proposed eliminating the program in response to high youth unemployment. The unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 hit 14.6 per cent nationally in July, according to Statistics Canada data.

Federal, provincial, and territorial agriculture ministers are gathered in Manitoba this week for critical discussions on the future of Canadian agriculture. The meetings, which wrap up Tuesday, come at a time when global trade disruptions, domestic infrastructure needs, and food security are top of mind for producers and policymakers alike.

Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald says the meetings are an opportunity to listen to regional concerns and collaborate on national solutions.