CTV National News: Alberta's new rules banning 'sexually explicit' books from schools
Alberta schools will soon have to pull books with 'sexually explicit' content from its libraries. Kathy Le on what prompted the controversial ban.
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CTV News
34 minutes ago
- CTV News
Final day for Canada's premiers to meet at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, top centre, speaks as he hosts the premiers during the 2025 summer meetings of Canada's Premiers at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ont., on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette Canada's premiers are set to meet for the third and final day in Ontario cottage country Wednesday with internal trade, public safety and health care on the agenda. The premiers met with Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday as the August 1 deadline looms to strike a trade deal with U.S. President Donald Trump. Carney says he's not worried about the impending deadline, stating that his government will use all the time that's necessary to get the best deal. The prime minister described his ideal agreement as one that preserves, reinforces and stabilizes the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. while still leaving Canada free to pursue other interests. Related Articles
CTV News
34 minutes ago
- CTV News
Trump administration fights to keep ex-Trump lawyer Alina Habba as New Jersey federal prosecutor
Alina Habba speaks after being sworn in as interim US Attorney General for New Jersey, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on March 28, 2025. (Pool File via AP) TRENTON, N.J. — The U.S. Justice Department fought to keep U.S. President Donald Trump's former lawyer, Alina Habba, in place as the top federal prosecutor in New Jersey on Tuesday after a panel of judges refused to extend her tenure and appointed someone else to the job. Habba, who had been named the interim U.S. attorney for the state in March, appeared to lose the position earlier Tuesday, when judges in the district declined to keep her in the post while she awaits confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Acting under a law that generally limits the terms of interim U.S. attorneys to 120 days, the judges appointed one of Habba's subordinates, Desiree Leigh Grace, as her successor. But just hours later, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that she had in turn removed Grace, blaming Habba's removal on 'politically minded judges.' 'This Department of Justice does not tolerate rogue judges,' Bondi said on social media. The attorney general's second in command, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, said in a post on social media that he didn't believe Habba's 120-day term expired until 11:59 p.m. Friday. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement that Trump has full confidence in Habba and that the administration would work to get her confirmed by the U.S. Senate, despite opposition from New Jersey's two senators, both Democrats, who potentially have the power to block her nomination. The judicial order appointing Grace, signed by Chief Judge Renee Marie Bumb, didn't list any reasons for picking her for the position over Habba. Grace's LinkedIn page shows she's served as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey for the last nearly nine years. Messages seeking comment were left with Habba's office and the Justice Department. Alina Habba's tenure in New Jersey as top prosecutor During her four-month tenure, Habba's office tangled with two prominent New Jersey Democrats — Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, over their actions during a chaotic visit to a privately operated immigration detention center in the state's largest city. Baraka was arrested on a trespass charge stemming from his attempt to join a congressional visit of the facility. Baraka denied any wrongdoing and Habba eventually dropped that charge. U.S. Magistrate Judge Andre Espinosa rebuked Habba's office over the arrest and short-lived prosecution, calling it a 'worrisome misstep.' Baraka is now suing Habba over what he says was a 'malicious prosecution.' Habba then brought assault charges against McIver, whose district includes Newark, over physical contact she made with law enforcement officials as Baraka was being arrested. The prosecution, which is still pending, is a rare federal criminal case against a sitting member of Congress for allegations other than fraud or corruption. McIver denies that anything she did amounted to assault. Besides the prosecution of McIver, Habba had announced she launched an investigation into New Jersey's Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, and attorney general, Matt Platkin, over the state's directive barring local law enforcement from cooperating with federal agents conducting immigration enforcement. In social media posts, Habba highlighted her office's prosecution of drug traffickers, including against 30 members of a fentanyl and crack cocaine ring in Newark. Habba's nomination has stalled under senatorial courtesy Trump, a Republican, formally nominated Habba as his pick for U.S. attorney on July 1, but the state's two Democratic U.S. senators, Cory Booker and Andy Kim signaled their opposition to her appointment. Under a long-standing Senate practice known as senatorial courtesy, a nomination can stall out without backing from home state senators, a phenomenon facing a handful of other Trump picks for U.S. attorney. Booker and Kim accused Habba of bringing politically motivated prosecutions. What is Habba's background? Once a partner in a small law firm near Trump's New Jersey golf course, Habba served as a senior adviser for Trump's political action committee, defended him in court in several lawsuits and acted as a spokesperson last year as he volleyed between courtrooms and the campaign trail. U.S. attorneys often have experience as prosecutors, including at the state or local level. Many, including the acting U.S. attorneys in Brooklyn and Manhattan, have worked in the offices they now lead. Habba said she wanted to pursue the president's agenda of 'putting America first.' Habba was one of Trump's most visible defense attorneys, appearing on cable TV news as his 'legal spokesperson.' She represented Trump in 2024 in the defamation case involving E. Jean Carroll. But Habba has had limited federal court experience, practicing mainly in state-level courts. During the Carroll trial, Judge Lewis A. Kaplan chided Habba for botching procedure, misstating the law, asking about off-limits topics and objecting after he ruled. Mike Catalini, The Associated Press
CBC
35 minutes ago
- CBC
Projected cost of Regina's new aquatic facility grows 16% to $285M
Social Sharing Regina's elected officials must once again grapple with a growing bill for the city's new aquatic facility. A new staff report heading to Regina's executive committee on Wednesday highlights how the budget for the project has increased by $40 million — climbing from the $245.1-million budget approved by the outgoing council in October 2024 to $285.1 million. The increase in cost is the result of market volatility, the limited availability of skilled trades workers and further clarity on the scope of the project, according to the report. Staff are proposing the city cover the budget increase by redirecting $30 million in funding from other projects and take on an additional $10 million in debt financing for a total of $156 million in debt financing. If approved, the city is now on the hook for $205.9 million in a project that was originally forecast to cost a total of $180 million in 2021. The federal and provincial governments are contributing $79.2 million though a federal government infrastructure program. The latest budget update is a Class B estimate, which means it's considered accurate within a margin of error of 10 to 15 per cent. First indoor pool to be built in Regina in 35 years The last time the City of Regina built an indoor pool was in 1990. In 1991, the population of Regina was 191,000 people, a figure which grew to 249,000 as of 2021. The disconnect between a growing population and a lack of aquatic amenities is why a new indoor aquatic facility is the top priority in the city's recreation master plan. A new facility was also a central part of Sandra Masters' successful mayoral campaign in 2020. The new facility will be built on the land that used to house Taylor Field, which is right behind the Lawson facility. The new budget estimate will present this council — some of whom campaigned on cutting waste and expensive projects — with the first chance to make a meaningful decision on the indoor aquatic facility. The two alternative options presented in Wednesday's report are not recommended by city staff. Alternative 1 The first one is to reduce the scope of the project through reducing leisure and competitive spaces. Adjustments include: Reducing the length of the pool equipped with a dive tank and dive towers from 50 metres to 30 metres. Eliminating the program lane swimming space. Eliminating the cold plunge pool. Eliminating one of the waterslides. Reducing other leisure amenities such as the length of the lazy river and the size of the wave pool. This option would still require an additional $30 million in funding, meaning the City of Regina would only save $10 million from the staff recommendation. It would also limit the ability for the facility to serve community growth, reduce capacity for national events and require significant additional costs and time for redesign. Alternative 2 The second option would eliminate the leisure aquatic spaces in the facility. Staff note this would require a substantial rescoping of the project and reallocating an additional $21.7 million from reconstruction of outdoor pools. "This option is the least developed and requires the most time for design, carries more risk than the other options and could not be delivered within the current budget," the report says. While it does maintain the ability to accommodate national level aquatic competitions, staff say segments of residents will likely have the perception that the facility does not provide the modern leisure experience offered in other municipalities. It would also reduce accessibility and eliminate the accessible waterslide approved by city council. This alternative would also further delay the projects it requires a redesign. That could mean additional costs, according to staff. The staff report says maintaining the current scope of the project will help the available pool space keep up with the expected growth of the community over the next 20 years, while also centralizing services in one section through a connection to the fieldhouse. Geothermal facility One feature not included in the potential rescoping is the geothermal heating system meant to heat the facility. Council could reconsider the geothermal system if it chooses to reduce the scope of the entire project. The geothermal heating system is currently budgeted at $28.5 million. If council were to instead use natural gas as the fuel source, approximately $9 million in debt funding could be redirected. However, that could raise problems relating to the federal and provincial grant program, the report notes. Staff do say the facility will help the city get to net-zero carbon emissions, which is a key goal of Regina. The City of Regina has confirmed construction on the aquatic facility is set to begin this fall with the completion set for 2029.
