Westman

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says the Canada carbon rebate for small businesses will be tax-free.

In a statement posted to X late Tuesday, Freeland clarified the parameters of the program after an advocacy group for small business raised concerns that the rebate would be a taxable benefit.

Dan Kelly, president and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, posted on X soon after that post that he had received a call from Freeland, who offered "assurance" that the rebate would be tax-free.

Donald Trump's second administration is filling up with some of his most loyal supporters and many of the people landing top jobs have been critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and security at Canada's border.

One expert says there are not many Canadian allies, so far, in the president-elect's court.

"I don't see a whole lot of friends of Canada in there," said Fen Hampson, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa and co-chair of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations.

The recent talks with the federal environment committee regarding Jasper National Park and the massive fire this summer. Dan Mazier, Member of Parliament for Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa, says that what has come out of the hearing regarding the fire has him very concerned about the lack of communication from Parks Canada. 

With issues this summer coming to light over zebra mussels in Riding Mountain National Park, Mazier says the government still doesn't seem to have answers to how the issue started.

All time tables regarding the Boundary Trails Health Centre expansion remain on schedule more than a year after the project began. Southern Health-Santé Sud's Kyle MacNair says all parts of the project are moving ahead on the originally planned timelines.

In rural communities, where farming is not just a livelihood but a way of life, mental health often remains a silent struggle. For many farmers, the stress of unpredictable weather, financial pressure, and isolation is compounded by a deeply ingrained culture that values self-reliance and hard work over seeking help. However, one former-farmer-turned-mental-health-advocate is working to break this silence and offer hope to those facing similar battles.

Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon intervened Tuesday to end work stoppages at ports in both British Columbia and Montreal, directing the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order the resumption of all operations and move the talks to binding arbitration.

But labour experts and other groups say the minister's decision to intervene in the dispute sets a dangerous precedent that undermines workers' rights. 

Thanks to everyone who called in to the program this season with great gardening questions for host Carla Hrycyna, have a great Winter and we'll be back in Spring 2025!

2024 and 2025 marked the 150th anniversaries of Mennonite communities in Manitoba and in this season of Still Speaking, host Conrad Stoesz from the Mennonite Heritage Archives is sharing true historical stories around this theme.

Following the plague of locusts that ravaged the crops, gardens and even cloth of the first Mennonite settlers in Manitoba, 500,000 square kilometers in size, they were faced with the possibility of starvation, but thanks to the good name of Mennonites in Ontario, they found a solution...

The DEKALB SuperSpiel will begin in nine days at the Morris Curling Club. Co-chair Mat Norris will join Clayton Dreger on This Week in Curling which airs Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m. on CJRB Radio 1220.

The Brandon Wheat Kings seven-game points streak came to an end Monday afternoon at Westoba Place. Koen Cleaver made 35 saves as the Lethbridge Hurricanes blanked Brandon 3-0. Wheat Kings netminder Connor Bjarnason stopped 30 shots.