Strathmore

Parks Canada says a weekend drenching of rain on parts of Jasper National Park is doing a lot to quell fire activity, but the wet weather also comes with a warning.

In a daily update on the local wildfire situation, Parks Canada says parts of the national park received over 30 millimetres of rain on Friday night.

Cooler temperatures were also in the forecast, which the agency says could further decrease fire activity.

Traffic at Canada's two largest railways is slated to resume today as a rail work stoppage comes to an end following a Saturday decision from the federal labour board. 

Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Kansas City shut down railways last Thursday, locking out workers and disrupting freight traffic countrywide and commuter lines in the Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver areas.

The lockouts affected more than 9,000 railway workers amid an ongoing contract dispute between the two companies and the Teamsters union.

Canada's rail companies and the union have been ordered back to work following a decision from the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).

The decision supports Ottawa's call for binding arbitration between CN, CPKC and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), and extends the current collective agreement until a new deal is signed.

The CIRB held a case management hearing with all parties on Friday and released its decision late Saturday.

The economic fallout of the country's rail shutdown is set to come into focus this week as shippers and producers take stock of cargo delays and financial losses.

A work stoppage that began early Thursday morning at Canada's two major railways is slated to end first thing Monday after a decision from the federal labour board ordered the companies and their workers to resume operations.

Freight trains must start rolling again first thing Monday morning, the federal labour board ruled Saturday as it ordered thousands of rail employees back to work to end a bitter contract dispute that shut down the country's two major railways.

The decision from the Canada Industrial Relations Board imposes binding arbitration on all involved parties following an unprecedented dual work stoppage at Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Kansas City that halted freight shipments and snarled commutes across the country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will kick off a three-day cabinet retreat in Halifax on Sunday, where the themes are fairness and Canada-U.S. relations, but the feelings are all about déjà vu.

A year ago in Charlottetown the cabinet hoped its annual post-summer retreat and the massive cabinet shuffle that preceded it would give new life to the Liberal government. 

Spoiler alert: They did not. 

In a contest between the Charter-protected freedom of expression and Ottawa residents' right to the enjoyment of their property, there is no contest, the lawyer for "Freedom Convoy" organizer Tamara Lich argued Friday. 

Lawrence Greenspon's final arguments in the criminal trial focused largely on the fundamental freedoms that protect protest in Canada, and the failure of Ottawa police to enforce the law during the 2022 demonstration.

One of Canada's most scenic highways has reopened as the wildfire in Jasper National Park continues to be held.

Jane Park, incident commander with Parks Canada, says Highway 93, also known as the Icefields Parkway, is now open to through traffic.

But she warns travellers must head straight through the mountain- and glacier-lined road without stopping.

She says there are no services available on the highway between the town of Jasper and the Icefields Discovery Centre and Saskatchewan River Crossing, a stretch of about 150 kilometres.

Strathmore RCMP has provided an update on the search for Elijah Strawberry, who is wanted with warrants in connection to the death of Colin Hough, a Rocky View County employee.

​Sgt. Rob Nederlof has finished his nearly 1,000-kilometre bike ride from Edmonton to Regina.

According to Nederlof, over the last four years, the initiative has unofficially raised over $100,000 for Wounded Warriors Canada and its PTSD Service Dog program.

As of this morning, a total of $7,516 has been generated for the fundraiser so far. This does not include any funds raised from many of the Royal Canadian Legion branches. Donations are also on the way that have still not been counted.