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Tech community weighing how to balance AI’s risks and rewards at Elevate conference

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

TORONTO — Members of Canada’s tech community are concerned about how the country will rein in the risks of artificial intelligence without stifling innovation.As they gathered in Toronto for the annual Elevate tech conference, much of their chatter focused on the technology’s great promise, but many said they also feared over-regulating AI would put the nation behind its counterparts hurdling toward adoption without guardrails.“I’m a little bit afraid of just putting the brakes on because while we might want to put the brakes on, other places aren’t putting the brakes on and I feel that that’s going to create an adoption gap that we can’t afford to lose,” said Joel Semeniuk, chief strategy officer of Waterloo, Ont., tech hub Communitech at a breakfast adjacent to the conference.“I actually feel like we need to go all in but with all of the regulatory perceptions in place at the same time.”Semeniuk’s remarks came as the globe nears one year since the deb...

Ontario will not compensate Greenbelt developers, housing minister says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

Ontario Housing Minister Paul Calandra says the province will not compensate developers whose lands are going back in the protected Greenbelt.Calandra says he has put that into draft legislation that is coming soon that will also “codify” the boundaries of the Greenbelt.The province removed land from the Greenbelt last year as part of its broader push to build 1.5 million homes by 2031.Premier Doug Ford apologized last week when he announced the province would return those lands to the protected area after damning reports from two legislative watchdogs that found the process was flawed and favoured certain developers.The auditor general found the developers stood to see their land value increase by $8.3 billion.The province is soon set to table legislation so future changes to the Greenbelt would have to be done through the legislature and not done by regulation, as the Ford government did last November.

CP NewsAlert: Driver sentenced to 12 years for killing Calgary police officer

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

CALGARY — A young man convicted in the hit-and-run death of a Calgary police officer has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.Sgt. Andrew Harnett died after he was dragged by an SUV and fell into the path of an oncoming car on Dec. 31, 2020. The driver of the SUV was days away from turning 18 and was charged as a youth with first-degree murder.A judge convicted him of manslaughter and ordered that he receive an adult sentence.The driver testified during his trial that he was scared when police approached the SUV during a traffic stop, and he saw Harnett put a hand on his gun. Court heard the SUV took off with the officer holding onto the wheel, trying to get the driver to stop.More coming.The Canadian Press

‘ET Canada’ cancelled by Corus Entertainment, blames ‘challenging’ advertising market

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

TORONTO — The studio lights are going dark at “ET Canada.”Corus Entertainment says it has decided to cease production on the long-running Canadian arts and entertainment news magazine after 18 seasons.The media company blames the cost of producing a daily show in “a challenging advertising environment.” Representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.“Entertainment Tonight Canada,” the name it used when it launched on Global Television in 2005, put a distinctly Canadian lens on the world of film, television and music. Over the years, its hosts have included former MuchMusic VJ Rick Campanelli and R&B singer Keshia Chanté. It is currently co-hosted by Sangita Patel and Cheryl Hickey, who has been with the show since its start.Global News, which is owned by Corus, reports the final air date will be Oct. 6, after which encore specials “celebrating the history and impact of ‘ET Canada'” will air in the same ti...

Company at centre of E. coli outbreak at Calgary daycares faces licensing charges

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

CALGARY — The company that runs a commercial kitchen at the centre of an E. coli outbreak that has infected hundreds at numerous Calgary daycares has been charged with operating without a business licence.The City of Calgary announced Wednesday that Fueling Minds Inc. and its two directors face a total of 12 charges under municipal business bylaws and face a total fine of up to $120,000.Meanwhile, Alberta chief medical officer Dr. Mark Joffe said the number of cases has plateaued at 351, and tests and interviews indicate the cause of the outbreak was meat loaf. He said there are also 37 confirmed secondary cases and four children remain in hospital.Fueling Minds provided meals to six of its own daycares that were affected by the outbreak, which was declared Sept. 4, but also to five separate daycares.The city alleges Fueling Minds did not have the proper licence to serve those other five.Joffe said the investigation into the cause of the outbreak has included interviews with hundred...

Military’s key witness takes stand at court martial for Lt.-Gen. Whelan

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

GATINEAU, Que. — The complainant in the court martial for Lt.-Gen. Steven Whelan has told the court she believes he wrote a poor performance report for her while they were deployed together because she refused his invitation to have a private meeting in his hotel room. Whelan has pleaded not guilty to a charge of conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline related to improperly changing the woman’s performance evaluation report in 2011.Military prosecutors allege that Whelan improved her score on a performance report because he wanted to stop her from releasing personal and inappropriate emails between them. The defence is arguing that the woman manipulated Whelan to get a better review and that he was charged for political reasons.The woman, whom The Canadian Press is not naming due to the nature of the allegations, testified that she met Whelan in early 2010 while working in Ottawa. Her position involved liaising with small missions, which included Operation Proteu...

Pipestone shareholders approve merger with Strathcona Resources

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

CALGARY — Shareholders of Pipestone Energy Corp. have voted to approve a merger with Strathcona Resources Ltd., a deal the companies say will create what will be the fifth largest oil producer in Canada.Shareholders voted in favour Wednesday of a proposal which will see privately held Strathcona buy them out in an all-stock deal, creating a combined company with an initial market capitalization of $8.6 billion.The merger had been opposed by dissident shareholder GMT Capital Corp., which controls about 19 per cent of Pipestone’s shares. The final vote tally was not immediately available Wednesday.Under the terms of the deal, Pipestone shareholders will receive 9.05 per cent of the equity in the merged company, while Strathcona — one of North America’s fastest-growing oil and gas producers — will go public.“The arrangement will enable shareholders to participate in the upside of a much larger and more diversified producer with a well-positioned reserves base and much...

Bulgarian parliament approves additional weapons to Ukraine to aid in its war with Russia

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s parliament Wednesday approved the provision of additional military aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.At a closed-door meeting, lawmakers voted 141-40, with three abstentions, in favor of supplying Ukraine with defective surface-to-air missiles for the Russian-made S-300 air defense system and small-caliber automatic weapon ammunition discarded by the Interior Ministry, the state-run BTA news agency reported.Military experts said the missiles cannot be repaired in Bulgaria, but Ukraine has the needed facilities to fix them or use them for spare parts.The Chief of Defense, Adm. Emil Eftimov, assured lawmakers that the provided weapons do not harm Bulgaria’s defensive capabilities.“We have no intention of giving (Ukraine) the entire S-300 missile complex until we find a replacement capability,” he said.The vote mirrored divisions in the Balkan country over sending military aid to Ukraine. It sparked criticism from the Socialist Party and the pro-Ru...

Massachusetts man stabs five officers after crashing into home following chase, police say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts man who sped away during a traffic stop led police on a chase that ended with him crashing into a home and then stabbing five officers, including the local police chief, before he was arrested, authorities said.The Taunton police officers were injured trying to take Douglas Hagerty, 35, of Lakeville, Massachusetts, into custody Tuesday night. One officer suffered slash wounds to the face, neck and back and was taken to a hospital in Boston, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) to the north.The other four, including an officer who was stabbed in the arm, were treated at a local hospital. Among them was Police Chief Edward Walsh, who responded to the scene because he lived nearby. He was stabbed in the stomach and was treated and released.Police did not immediately provide an update on the condition of the officer sent to a Boston hospital.According to police, Taunton officers tried to pull over Hagerty, whom they accused of driving erratically. Hagerty...

Wednesday Forecast: Scattered showers, storms possible

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:26:51 GMT

CHICAGO — Mainly cloudy Wednesday with scattered storms. Winds: E 5-10 mph G15. High: 69. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Mainly cloudy tonight with scattered storms. Winds: ENE 5-10. Low: 61.Thursday Forecast: Mostly cloudy, decreasing clouds, AM 10% shower/storm. Winds: ENE 5-10. High: 70.Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog