B.C. Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson said he was “deeply humbled” by his party’s victory and vowed to earn the trust British Columbians have placed in him.

Doerkson’s BC Conservatives won a resounding victory on Saturday night, with Global News projecting a majority government less than an hour after polls closed.

“I’m very excited that yesterday British Columbians chose change and they chose that,” Doerkson said Sunday in his first official news conference after election day. “People in every corner of this province, from the Peace to the island, from the Kootenays to the Coast placed their trust in us … It was lent to us for purpose and it must be earned back every single day.”

The man who was previously a relatively unknown backbench MLA took the reins of the party as an interim leader heading into the election after Kerry-Lynne Findlay resigned amid numerous departures.

On Sunday, his party was projected to win 64 seats, a total no party has surpassed since the BC Liberals won 77 seats in 2001.

Outgoing premier David Eby triggered the election less than two years into his mandate, initially saying it was necessary in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, though he later shifted his focus to affordability issues, a key part of Doerkson’s campaign.

Doerkson stressed he was an ally of British Columbia when asked about Trump reposting about the Conservatives’ win on his Truth Social platform.

“I’m an ally to British Columbia and we should have taken the opportunity years ago to protect ourselves against these attacks,” Doerkson said. “My focus is going to be to supercharge our economy … It’s just about endless, where I believe we can support different industries that will protect us against these attacks.”

Work was already underway in forming government, with the premier-designate saying he’s spoken with Lt. Gov. Wendy Cocchia and named Kim Henderson as chair of the government’s transition team. Henderson previously served as deputy minister to then-premier Christy Clark.

“When this party is sworn in, it will be ready on day one and it will hit the ground running,” he said.

He said his government will launch an independent review of the province’s finances on day one to “know where things stand,” promising residents would have a “full picture” before a budget is tabled.

He also reiterated campaign promises, stating within the first 100 days an expert commission would look into keeping emergency rooms open and cutting wait times.

But the first priority, Doerkson said, was raising the basic personal exemption to $32,000, amounting to about $1,000 a year “back in the pocket” of working British Columbians.

“These are serious times, people are stretched, the economy has stalled and too many British Columbians have stopped believing government can get anything done,” he said.

Though the BC Conservatives won a resounding victory, they also achieved a majority with the lowest voter turnout in decades. Preliminary figures from Elections BC show 48 per cent of those eligible voted. Prior to this year, no provincial election in recent history has seen turnout fall below 50 per cent.

Doerkson’s party was projected to win 64 seats with 48.05 per cent of the votes, with the NDP receiving 27 seats and 37.38 per cent. The Green Party won two seats and received 10.97 per cent.

During the campaign, Eby questioned if Doerkson would remain as premier going forward. As interim leader of the party, he is not currently permitted to run in an eventual leadership race.

Asked whether he would stay, Doerkson said that’s an “administrative detail” that will see information provided “imminently.”

“But I will remain leader of the party and I am thrilled to be the premier-elect of British Columbia right now,” he added.

The next premier also faced questions on his stance on repealing the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA).

He stressed he was committed to working with First Nations as premier, but remained firm on his plan.

“It has not worked in this province, and frankly, it has caused more problems to date than I think potentially anything else,” Doerkson said, questioning what it has done to solve problems in the province.

Congratulations for the premier-designate have come in from across the province and country, with Doerkson adding he’s heard from “a number of First Nations,” including in his riding of Cariboo Chilcotin.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew  congratulated Doerkson on his win and thanked Eby for his friendship over the past few years.

Kinew did have caution though when questioned about Doerkson’s policies on DRIPA and Indigenous rights.

“I think the election results in BC should concern every elected politician and every consultant out there for this reason,” Kinew said. “It’s a reminder that what we’re doing is not a game. When you’re elected to serve the people of your province or of your country, it is a serious responsibility that isn’t to be played with.”

A date for when Doerkson’s government will be sworn in has yet to be announced and he did not say if there would be a fall session, though he didn’t rule it out.

—with files from Global News’ Amy Judd

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A new Canadian approach to treating a common heart rhythm condition could change the game for patients who deal with atrial fibrillation or AFib.

AFib is considered the most common arrhythmia and occurs in the upper chambers of the heart.

Affecting one to two per cent of the general population, the irregular heartbeat can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue, but can lead to severe consequences such as stroke or heart failure.

Fatigue caused Jon Davies of Edmonton to suspect something was wrong.

“I used to go mountain hiking and played a lot of squash and then that sort of quickly went away as I got into my early 50s,” he told Global News in an interview. “I just figured it was old age and having a desk job and not enough exercise maybe.”

His wife, Nora, said he was often tired and would sleep a lot.

He was eventually diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, but when speaking about treatment options he was left in shock.

“They told me that my heart had enlarged so much that it wouldn’t make sense for them to treat it surgically, so that’s when they said you’re going to stay on blood thinners,” Davies said.

Until this year, he said he’s had to accept the “status quo,” adding he got a second opinion with the same result.

People with AFib often receive treatment either through medication or with what’s known as “catheter ablation.”

“Patients are usually sedated or put to sleep entirely and we put little tubes in the groins and we pass wires into the heart, cross over to the left side of the heart and what we try and do is kill the tissue around the pulmonary veins,” said Dr. Paul Angaran, cardiac arrhythmia director at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

The process involves creating tiny scars in an area of the heart, according to the Mayo Clinic. During AFib, faulty signals can tell the heart to beat irregularly. The scars prevent those faulty signals from reaching their target.

“Typically we burn, so we use energy sources that overheat the tissue and sometimes we can use energy sources that freeze the tissue,” said Dr. Gianluigi Bisleri, the director of minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery at St. Michael’s Hospital. “But either way, we create these scars that become permanent and stop the irregular heart rate.”

But Angaran said not everyone with AFib will see such a treatment be effective.

Angaran joined with Bisleri to develop a new approach for helping people with AFib.

The result is a two-part robotic technique using ablations from outside the heart and then going inside using a catheter technique.

“It allows us to not only use the robotic technologies which give us more dexterity, more ability to reach and see the heart, but also to treat broader areas of the heart with the ablation,” Bisleri said.

Using both minimally invasive robotic surgery and catheter technology is a Canadian first, Bisleri said.

Patients interested in the procedure must be referred to Bisleri and Angaran, but the former told Global News while a referral is simple there isn’t enough awareness of their approach.

Patients need to wait a few weeks or months between each procedure, with Angaran noting doctors want patients’ scars on the outside to have healed before they proceed with the internal procedure.

One of their first patients was Davies, who learned about the procedure by searching online.

Davies had the first part of the procedure, the robotic technique, in September and is expected to return to Toronto in the coming weeks for the catheter ablation.

“It’s nice to be able to potentially, you know, take that diagnosis and direct it in a much more human, in a way that, you know, appreciate much more than the alternative,” he said.

Angaran told Global News that in patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation, the long-term success rate through this approach could hit as high as 70 to 80 per cent.

—with files from Global News’ Katherine Ward

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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Whether you’re working with a small condo, a basement with low ceilings or a room that just feels dim, the right lighting can completely transform how your home look and feels. From strategic fixture swaps to simple upgrades that maximize brightness, these lighting ideas will help your space look larger, airier and more inviting – no major renovation (or huge budget) required. Use the three-layer lighting rule to combine ambient light for overall brightness, task lighting for focused activities and accent lighting to highlight features, creating a balanced, functional and inviting space and to enhance your family’s comfort, safety and style. From Article, Govee, Anthropologie and beyond, bring some much-needed brightness into the year’s darkest months with these top picks.

 

 

Chandeliers serve the dual purpose of providing both a decorative focal point to your space and ceiling lighting with multiple lights. They easily brighten up a space and if you prefer a modern look to the delicate crystal versions – that’s an option these days too. Still, if you love a little shine (and honestly, who doesn’t?), the Cadza chandelier delivers. With a sleek brass finish, bright LED bulbs and adjustable arms, it’s fully customizable. Hang it, tweak it and let its warm glow highlight everything you love about your space.[/product_listing]

 

Ideal for smaller spaces, flush-mount lighting sits close to the ceiling, minimizing visual clutter. This Pottery Barn polished Cooper ribbed glass flush mount beauty blends iron and glass with your choice of nickel, brass, or bronze finishes. It’s dimmer-compatible, UL-approved for bathrooms or covered outdoor spaces and fits two standard bulbs. It’s simple to maintain, features a classic style and offers plenty of glow – just add your favourite bulbs and enjoy.[/product_listing]

 

Mounted on walls for ambient or accent lighting, the Clarissa armed sconce requires no floor real estate and puts a fresh spin on a vintage lantern silhouette. With a brushed nickel finish and a soft white fabric shade, it casts a warm, flattering glow. Style it bedside, in the kitchen, or above the sofa for an effortlessly chic statement.[/product_listing]

 

Floor lamps are a great way to add some freestanding light for corners or reading nooks. Wayfair’s Nalan tripod floor lamp is equal parts stylish and practical. With sleek metal legs, a soft drum shade and subtle industrial vibes, it brightens bedrooms and living spaces with ease. A handy foot switch and sturdy, lightweight design make it cozy and effortlessly versatile.[/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

6 Pack Under Cabinet Lights – $44.62

Glass Flameless Candles with Remote – $35.99

Hatch Restore 3 Sunrise Alarm Clock – $229.99

 

Usually installed above or beside bathroom mirrors, it can also be used as accent lighting to showcase your favorite artwork or other design features. This large slender golden scone has a sleek, tapered design and casts a warm, diffused light that enhances any room – from bathrooms to living areas. Featuring a polished brass metal frame and integrated LED bulbs, it’s stylish, functional and ready to elevate your home.[/product_listing]

 

Used to set a specific atmosphere or feeling, mood lighting often features dimmers, warm bulbs, or color-changing lights. We love this dimmable floor lamp from Amazon as a prime example of this. Three white glass globes on a gold frame create a modern, luxurious look while dimmable LEDs with a handy rotary switch let you find the perfect glow. The sturdy metal base keeps it safe and stable, making it ideal for living rooms, bedrooms or even busy office spaces.[/product_listing]

 

Smart lighting systems are controlled via apps, voice assistants, or some form of automation, allowing you to customize the brightness, color or lighting schedule for your home. Case in point: the Philips Hue Signe Gradient smart floor lamp. This sleek design delivers warm-to-cool whites and virtually millions of colors, creating stunning gradient effects for instant mood lighting. Control it with the Hue app or voice commands via Alexa or Google Assistant, and unlock advanced automations and seamless smart-home integration by adding a Hue Bridge..[/product_listing]

 

Decorative lighting acts as a design statement while also providing light. The fixture itself is the focal point while brightening your room to boot. Bring whimsy to any space with the Merkury Innovations mushroom table lamp from Walmart. Standing 7.9 inches tall, its playful mushroom-shaped shade casts a cozy, warm glow. With a soft matte ceramic finish, four warm white LEDs and battery-powered convenience, it’s a fun and charming addition to bedrooms, desks, or living areas.[/product_listing]

 

Bonus:

This sleek, app-controlled floor lamp proves that statement lighting can also be seriously smart. Customize brightness, colours, and lighting effects right from your phone–or sync it with SmartThings for seamless smart-home control. With its modern silhouette and immersive ambient glow, it’s the kind of lamp that sets the mood while quietly stealing the spotlight.[/product_listing]

 

You may also like:

Amazon Basics LED Puck Lights – $14.66

Modern Candle Warmer Lamp – $39.58

Ophouliy Set of 2 Cordless Table Lamps – $39,99

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

One of the four Canadian Armed Forces members killed last week in the deadly CFB Wainwright fire was remembered as “one of the bravest and funniest people” as family and friends paid their respects.

Hundreds gathered Sunday at Park Memorial Funeral Home in Edmonton to say farewell to 26-year-old Sgt. Morgan Wong, who died Oct. 17.

“Long before he was the fearless soldier many of you came to know, he was one of the bravest and funniest people I’ve ever met,” said his sister, Megan Wong. “He was always making us laugh and he could always find a solution to any problem.”

The 26-year-old was born in Edmonton and graduated from the University of Alberta in 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He also held certificates in real estate and civil-military leadership.

His family said he served as a medical first responder with St. John Ambulance in 2022.

In December 2017, Wong joined the CAF and served on Operation Reassurance in Latvia from October 2024 to June 2025.

Last Saturday, he was participating in live-fire exercises as part of training for potential deployment overseas, including in Latvia and other regions.

Lt.-Col. Bryn Wright, commanding officer of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, said he knew Wong throughout the soldier’s time in the CAF and commended him for his professionalism and commitment to the military.

“Sgt. Morgan Wong is no longer with us in body, but he remains with us in spirit,” Wright said. “He lives on in the soldiers he trained, in the standards he upheld, and the friendships he built, and in the family who loved him.

“Prepared, dependable, always on the ball. That was Sgt. Morgan Wong.”

Fellow soldiers also spoke at Wong’s funeral, including MCpl. Scott Gilroy who spoke of how the two men took courses together and were promoted to sergeant together.

“From the very beginning of our careers, we’re side-by-side, and that’s something I’ll always be grateful for,” Gilroy said. “Morgan Wong always brought people together no matter how busy in life you got or what everyone had going on … He was the kind of guy who made sure friendships didn’t fade no matter where life took us.”

Staff Sgt. Anesh Raju said he struggled writing his eulogy because he wasn’t sure how to describe someone “who was so selfless.”

“He was a warrior in the truest sense of the word, not simply because he wore the uniform but because the character with which he wore it,” Raju said.

Wong was killed Oct. 17 when a grass fire overtook soldiers during a live-fire exercise at CFB Wainwright. Pte. Aidan Goulding, Pte. Shaun Farrell and Pte. Hayden Lykkemark also died.

Another 39 soldiers were taken to hospital. As of Thursday, 27 remained in hospital, including 13 in critical condition.

An investigation is ongoing into the fire, with military officials saying Thursday that the decision to hold the live-fire training exercise later in the day during a high-risk fire month was part of the probe into the incident.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Brazilians began voting in Sunday’s polarizing presidential runoff between incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro, a contest that will determine whether the U.S. will significantly expand its growing influence in Latin America.

Polls ahead of the vote showed the two candidates, who need more than 50 per cent of the vote to become Brazil’s next leader in January, in a neck-and-neck race. The election pits the left-of-center veteran politician Lula against Bolsonaro, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump and the son of imprisoned former President Jair Bolsonaro.

Flávio Bolsonaro bested Lula by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round of the election earlier this month. However, more than 33 million voters out of nearly 160 million did not turn out even though voting is compulsory.

The difference between the two candidates is stark. Bolsonaro and Lula have opposing ideological views on issues ranging from U.S.-Brazil relations and climate change to social welfare.

A win for Bolsonaro would signify a pivot to the right by Latin America’s most populous country and its largest economy, in a year when Trump allies have notched victories in Chile, Peru and Colombia.

A victory for Lula would leave Brazil and Mexico, which is the region’s second most populous country and led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, with left-of-center leaders.

In many ways, Brazil’s runoff vote resembles a rematch between the country’s two polarized political forces that trigger passion as much as loathing. Four years ago, Lula beat Bolsonaro’s father by the narrowest margin since the country’s return to democracy in 1985. Polls suggest that this election will be even closer.

Security and cost-of-living concerns

Lula, who first governed the country between 2003 and 2010, has faced a tough reelection battle because of concerns about the cost of living and security. Bolsonaro made a tough-on-crime approach the cornerstone of his campaign and pledged to bring down food costs.

Both have been hit by corruption suspicions involving family members and allies, with Bolsonaro implicated in a sprawling scandal rocking Brazil. Lula spent more than a year in prison on corruption convictions that were eventually annulled.

Bolsonaro’s admission that he accepted about US$12 million from disgraced former banker Daniel Vorcaro to produce a film on his father’s life has cast a shadow over his campaign. He is under investigation for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion in connection with the case.

As Bolsonaro voted at a school in Rio de Janeiro around 8 a.m., his supporters shouted “Lula, thief, your place is in prison” while Lula’s supporters chanted in his support.

“The time of real change has arrived,” Bolsonaro told journalists. “Brazil can’t go on another four years on its current trajectory.”

Fabianne Borges Santoro, a 45-year-old physiotherapist in Rio de Janeiro, once voted for Lula’s party but now associates it with corruption.

“The Workers’ Party has been in power for a long time and the voice of the people is saying that we need change to see improvements in security and the cost of living,” she said.

In the lead-up to the vote, Lula frequently portrayed Bolsonaro, whose father is under house arrest for attempting a coup, as a threat to democracy. Bolsonaro has promised to seek an amnesty for his father if elected.

The next president will name at least three Supreme Court justices out of 11 in his next term due to upcoming retirements. Bolsonaro has long taken aim at the country’s top court — which has been rocked by a corruption scandal — and promised to push for judiciary reform.

Lula, trying to lure undecided voters, has invested in costly incentives since he lost the first round of voting. His government’s most recent moves have been endorsing a debt relief program for small businesses and promising free public transportation on weekends. A win for the incumbent came with the Senate’s approval of the end of the six-day working week — a popular proposal backed by the government.

He thanked his voters for an outpouring of support in recent days as he voted in the city of Sao Bernardo do Campo, where he kicked off his political career as a union leader in the 1960s.

“It is a lot of generosity, a lot of care, a lot of love. I will be forever grateful,” Lula said.

“Lula is a man of the people and he knows what it’s like to be poor,” said Luzia da Souza, who runs a bar in a middle-class neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro. “I find it impossible not to vote for him.”

The Trump administration has loomed large

Lula has criticized the U.S. president before Brazil’s election, speaking about the risks of U.S. intervention in Brazilian elections after the Trump administration imposed high tariffs against Brazilian exports, sanctioned a Supreme Court justice who chaired the investigation that ended up resulting in the sentencing of Jair Bolsonaro and classified drug-trafficking groups as foreign terrorist organizations, which experts say may have been intended to make Lula look soft on crime.

Flávio Bolsonaro has touted his proximity to the White House and insisted that Brazil needs to strike better deals with the Trump administration, including the rare minerals economy. Brazil estimates that its deposits hold up to 21 million tons, second only to China. He denies he’s being helped by the U.S. government.

Voting in Brazil is conducted electronically and the result is usually available within hours after polling stations close at 5 p.m. in Brasilia.

–Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

There was a time when I spent hours in dance clubs. I never saw a single episode of the first run of Seinfeld, because for eight straight years, I left the house at 9 p.m. to oversee a club gig in Hamilton.

I called 1995 “the summer of clubs.” As a lowly afternoon radio announcer, I was always looking for ways to boost my income. The easiest way was to host an alt-rock night at a club. Owners were always looking for ways to get people in the door every night of the week. That summer, I hosted nights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, which involved a long trip to Buffalo, a last call at 3:50 a.m. and an arrival back home at around 7 a.m. Other announcers at the station had similar schedules.

It was exhausting, but the income helped us toward the down payment on a house. And it was gratifying, too, presiding over an evening that featured hundreds of people dancing like no one was watching.

When I was program director of 102.1/The Edge about 20 years ago, live-to-air broadcasts from local dance clubs were big, big business. At one point, we had events on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday night. These broadcasts brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars every year, were highly rated and attracted hundreds of people each night.

We weren’t alone. Other contemporary music stations in Toronto were doing the same thing. If you scanned across the dial on a Friday or Saturday night, you could eavesdrop on what was happening in clubs across the city. If you cared to step out, the west end of downtown, along King and Richmond streets, had every second door leading to a club. Some were tiny holes in the wall. Others, like Lucid on John Street, were massive. It stretched over four floors and 53,000 square feet. It was later taken over by Ontario-born New York City club legend Peter Gatien (The Limelight, Palladium, Tunnel) and turned into CiRCA.

Sidewalks were jammed with lines of people waiting to get into each one. Toronto cops patrolled the Entertainment District area on horseback until dawn and city council was constantly getting complaints about crowds, noise and the inevitable idiot behaviour. Meanwhile, we’d hear insane stories about club scenes in places like New York, London, Berlin and Ibiza.

This was in addition to all the raves happening in Toronto at the time, which made the city one of the two or three biggest rave capitals on the planet.

It was truly the best of times and the worst of times. You could disappear into the mysterious darkness of a dance club and lose your mind for a little bit. Many bad decisions were had, but at least most went unrecorded for posterity.

Today, though, the dance club scene everywhere is a shadow of its former self. Yes, gentrification was a factor. Shifting musical tastes can be blamed too, as can local authorities who saw clubs as the enemy and did what they could to make conducting business as difficult as possible. And when COVID-19 came along, that was the death knell for whoever was left. It also resulted in a two-year hiatus when it came to those all-important ages, 18 to 21, who were finally old enough to go out with all the adults. They never got into the habit.

But I have a theory that the biggest killer of dance clubs was the smartphone.

Before smartphones and you wanted to meet someone new, you had to leave your home, travel through time and space, endure the dignities of rude doormen, pay an extortionate cover charge, another charge for coat check and then empty the rest of your wallet on drinks. For that, you got a whole lot of social interaction (both good and bad), exposure to great music at high volumes and a chance to dance away your cares.

With smartphones, none of that is necessary. Want a hookup? Call up Tinder, Grindr or any number of other dating apps and order in. Music? You have 250 million songs at your fingertips through streaming music services. Social interaction? That’s what texting, WhatsApp and social media are for, isn’t it?

There’s one other smartphone factor to consider, something that has just been confirmed by a study conducted by LifeStance Health, a U.S. mental health-care provider. It suggests we’ve gone from FOMO that might occur when we stay home to the fear of accidentally going viral.

This survey asked 1,000 American adults about attitudes toward going out to dance. Almost half (49 per cent) said that dancing in public made them too anxious. The idea of dancing like no one is watching (there’s that saying again) fills them with such fear of being recorded on a smartphone and humiliated on social media that they’d rather just stay home. Gen Z (43 per cent) fears “acting silly” will turn them into social media jokes. About 40 per cent says that this anxiety stops them from being in the moment and just enjoying themselves. And lest you think that it’s just Gen Z, the survey reported that 30 per cent of adults in this survey felt exactly the same way.

Some are strangers shooting surreptitiously while club promoters and influencers have no problem sticking cameras in the faces of patrons, all in the name of creating “content.”

It’s not just in America, either. A British study says that Gen Z is “hyper aware” of what’s going on around them in nightclubs and constantly watch for strangers taking pictures and video. They know that one bad decision will live on the internet forever and perhaps impact important things in the future. Perhaps just sit on the sidelines. And if they do decide to dance, few people decide to really let loose. Self-consciousness rules the dance floor.

Some clubs are taking precautions. In Berlin, many clubs provide customers with a sticker that they must put over their camera lens. Hey, it’s something.

Smartphones and fear of TikTok or Instagram infamy after a few drinks is one thing. Now, though, we’re moving into the era of smart glasses with built-in cameras like Meta’s Ray-Bans. Gee, what could possibly go wrong there?

Dance like no one is looking? Expressions of pure joy in public? Not caring about what other people think? Thanks, but maybe just best stay home, yeah?

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

British Columbians got their best look so far at Lorne Doerkson on Saturday night, their premier-designate, and self-described “guy from Williams Lake.”

The interim B.C. Conservative leader delivered a rollicking victory speech as he revelled in a sweeping majority win, secured in a snap provincial election called by outgoing Premier David Eby in a disastrous political miscalculation.

Doerkson had emerged from obscurity to unify a fractured Opposition that was a political basket case just six weeks ago. The party had seen waves of defections under former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay.

The former bronco rider said he knew all about coming back from indignity.

“I have watched a lot of people get thrown at a rodeo and I’ll say I’ve been thrown a few times myself,” Doerkson said.

“But what I’ve learned, what I have learned from that (is) you pick up yourself, dust yourself off and you get back on.”

Doerkson, who has worked as a newspaper publisher and auto dealer, was once little known outside Williams Lake and his home riding of Cariboo-Chilcotin, which he has represented since 2020.

But that all changed on Sept. 20, when he was hurriedly installed as interim leader of the Conservatives — having returned from a trip to Africa — after the resignation of Findlay, whose divisive leadership had been tearing the party asunder.

Two days later, Doerkson was campaigning to become premier after Eby’s early election call.

“I didn’t expect this, I certainly didn’t seek this and I certainly did not plan two years ago to somehow put all of these stars into alignment,” Doerkson said in a campaign interview.

“I mean, the fact is, (in) politics every day is an exciting day and the next one you have no idea what is about to happen.”

His first task was returning Conservative defectors to the fold, including seven who said just days earlier that they were joining the upstart CentreBC party.

He was sometimes being a scarce presence on the campaign trail. But Doerkson and the Conservatives consistently led Eby and the NDP in opinion polls, as the premier faced intense criticism over an early election call that he seemed to struggle justifying.

Before his elevation, Doerkson had stayed mostly out of the culture-war fray, his time in the legislature spent mostly hyper-focused on his riding and region, beset by wildfires and hospital emergency room closures.

Doerkson’s time as publisher of the local newspaper had put him squarely at the heart of the community. As a former rodeo rider, he framed positions on health care from his perspective as a former visitor to emergency rooms.

Scott Tucker, who owns the local Home Hardware in Williams Lake, has been Doerkson’s financial agent since he entered politics, and said in a recent interview that he had known the man for about 15 years or more.

They’re both Rotarians and would encounter each other at community events, where Doerkson was more often than not the master of ceremonies.

Tucker said Doerkson is “not one to go it alone,” describing him as someone who seeks out guidance and input from others, drawing on his experience in business, and volunteering and dealing with different points of view.

Doerkson was certainly gracious in victory.

He thanked Eby for his public service, saying “it asks a lot of a person and a lot of their family.”

“He has given to this province for years, of both of those things. So thank you very much, David Eby,” said Doerkson, who also thanked Green Leader Emily Lowan for “all that she’s done to inspire thousands of young British Columbians.”

His acknowledgment of his political rivals drew warm applause.

But the night belonged to the guy from Williams Lake.

– With files from Brenna Owen

© 2026 The Canadian Press

First Nations leaders gathered in Ottawa on Sunday for ceremonies ahead of a historic meeting on Monday with some premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak told reporters that First Nations want to be partners with the provinces in making a strong economy that works for everyone.

“We see geopolitical unrest around the world for many people including Canada. And we want to work toward prosperity for First Nations, and make sure that this meeting isn’t a one-and-done,” she said.

As part of the ceremonies, premiers were given a handful of tobacco they were encouraged to pray upon. They then followed Woodhouse Nepinak to a tree on the grounds of the Diefenbaker Building where they placed the tobacco at the trunk.

Monday’s meeting will be the first such gathering since the Kelowna Accord talks of 2005, which brought premiers and then-prime minister Paul Martin together with Indigenous leaders to discuss ways to close the socioeconomic gaps in their communities.

First Nations will be represented in the closed-door meeting on Monday largely by regional chiefs from the Assembly of First Nations.

The Privy Council Office has not said which premiers will be attending the meeting. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, who is Ojibwe, attended the day of ceremony along with New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham and Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson.

Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith have both said they will be absent from the Monday meeting.

St-Pierre Plamondon explained that he wants to prioritize a different approach with Indigenous peoples and that he has several meetings scheduled in the near future, including one with the chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador.

Smith said she will not be attending because the meeting overlaps with the resumption of question period in her province as well as the aftermath of a historic referendum on separation.

Woodhouse Nepinak said it’s important premiers attend as First Nations have a role in national unity.

“There is no shortage of issues, and the quicker we all get back to the table, the better this country will be,” she said.

The ceremonies were held in Ottawa with knowledge keepers, elders, First Nations leaders and community members.

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty was at Sunday’s ceremony, alongside Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty and Northern Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand.

Woodhouse Nepinak said it’s important to start the meeting with ceremony to ensure all participants are entering with the right frame of mind, grounded in First Nations spirituality.

The meeting comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney works to speed up major project approvals and development — efforts some First Nations chiefs say threaten their rights.

Tensions between Ottawa and First Nations spiked soon after Carney was elected in 2025 when his government passed legislation to create a new office tasked with streamlining major project developments and approving projects within one year.

First Nations leaders warned the compressed timelines would interfere with their rights and lead to court challenges. Provincial governments have enacted similar legislation.

But tensions are boiling over for a number of other reasons as well, including the lands claim process in British Columbia, the newly announced Pacific Link pipeline project in Alberta and development of the mineral-rich Ring of Fire in Ontario.

The Assembly of First Nations has been preparing for the meeting for months by holding town halls with chiefs to discuss actions they want to see governments take. Gina Wilson, who recently served as deputy minister at Indigenous Services Canada, helped to advise chiefs as they lined up their priorities for the meeting.

The AFN released a handful of position papers last week on economic development, policing and public safety, employment and health.

Mohawk policy analyst Russ Diabo said he’s worried the meeting will focus entirely on economics and avoid tougher conversations about First Nations rights. He has helped to organize a counter-meeting of grassroots leaders and advocates and a protest of the meeting itself, saying he does not trust the AFN to act in the best interest of communities.

The collective was meeting Sunday afternoon to strategize.

Diabo said he fears the AFN — which represents chiefs but is not a rights-holding institution — will make agreements with Carney and the premiers.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – There are lessons to be learned in every game and the Ottawa Senators, so far, are proving to be good students.

Now three years under head coach Travis Green, the Senators (8-4-0) have fully bought into his system and are reaping the rewards.

A perfect example was Saturday’s night’s 7-4 win over the New York Rangers.

Ottawa jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the second and by the end of the period found themselves clinging to a 4-3 lead.

Green admitted he felt a shift in the team’s play when it went ahead 3-0.

“We got like five per cent loose or less competitive, and that happens a lot when you get a lead, and it’s something you have to guard against, especially against a hardworking team,” Green said. “Sometimes it’s that five or 10 per cent that just kind of turns the table a little bit, and you can feel the game turning a bit.”

The Rangers pressed hard in the final frame, but the Senators stuck to their system and didn’t try to press the game. They blocked shots and kept New York’s chances to a minimum.

“I think you know, game’s never over ’til it’s over,” said Jake Sanderson. “You saw they had their push, they had their chances, and you know, I think credit to us not to give up and cave, and just keep pushing through ’til the end.”

Sanderson spoke about it being an indication of the team’s growth and maturity. He admitted it would have been easy to get frustrated at the way things turned around in the second.

“I think when you talk about the growth of this group, you know, bearing down, knowing how important these games are early in the season because you know a win’s a win whether it’s at the start of the season or at the end,” he said. “So you know, I’ll take it.”

The Senators are heading out on a five-game, 11-day road trip and will likely need to rely on backup goaltenders Samuel Ersson and Jonas Johansson for much of it. Linus Ullmark was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week and is expected to miss at least a couple games. The earliest he could return is Thursday.

Johansson made his Senators debut Saturday and held his own when it mattered most.

Acquired in late September, the 31-year-old has been with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville, Ont., and isn’t well acquainted with many players, but made a solid first impression.

“I thought he did a real good job getting out of the crease and stopping some of their rims,” Green said. “You know, rim forecheck is hard to defend against, and he did a real nice job.”

Sanderson was impressed with Johansson’s puck handling.

“I think it’s pretty gutsy for a goalie to do, especially his first game with an organization,” he said. “It was a huge help tonight.”

With more than 100 NHL games to his credit, Johansson has been around long enough to understand the impact a solid first performance can have on new teammates.

“I just try not to change the way I play, I just try to do my best out there for whatever team I play for,” said Johansson. “I mean, I’m really happy to be here. There’s a great group of guys in here, and a really good team.”

Johansson is in good company with two fellow Swedish goaltenders. He previously played with Ullmark in Buffalo and trained with Ersson for much of the summer so there’s a familiarity that helps.

Thomas Chabot will travel with the team and Green is hopeful he could be ready to play at some point on the trip.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

EDMONTON – Picking the Toronto Maple Leafs to win in Edmonton has become a safe bet in recent years.

William Nylander had two goals, including the 300th of his career, as the surging Maple Leafs scorched the Edmonton Oilers 7-2 on Saturday.

No team has had more success in Rogers Place in Edmonton than the Maple Leafs. Since the Oilers moved into their new arena, Toronto has gone an impressive 12-2-1.

Jack Roslovic, Auston Matthews, Troy Stecher, Zack MacEwen and Vinni Lettieri also scored for the Maple Leafs (7-4-2), who have won four straight and are getting a complete team effort.

Matthews said the atmosphere on the Leafs is incredible at the moment.

“I just think the energy in the locker room day in and day out has been great,” he said. “I think the guys, the environment that we’re in, it’s so much fun. It’s competitive, you know. Guys, a lot of joking around, a lot of chirping one another. It’s just been a lot of fun, and I think that emotion, that energy carries over in the games, and it doesn’t matter who scores, everybody’s excited, everybody’s happy.

“It’s just everything’s about the team, and the team’s been first all this time, and that’s what is most important. That’s what I feel like is kind of driving us right now.”

Matthews and Kirill Marchenko (two assists) both extended their season-opening road point streak to five games. Matthews now needs just one point to reach 800 in his career, which will make him the fastest player in franchise history to reach the milestone, in addition to the NHL’s third-quickest American skater to hit the mark.

When asked about trying to contain Oilers Connor McDavid, who had two assists to pad his season-starting points streak to 11 games and 33 points, and Leon Draisaitl who recorded his third consecutive two-goal game to give him a league-leading 12 on the season, Matthews said it took “all hands on deck.”

“You recognize the challenges that you’re going up against, and obviously you need everybody to meet that challenge, and you know it’s not pretty at times,” Matthews said. “But I thought we stuck with it. Penalty kill was great. Defence was great. (Goalie Anthony Stolarz) was great, and we were able to put the puck in the net when we needed to.”

Stolarz made 30 stops to earn the win for Toronto.

Toronto head coach Jim Hiller said everyone in his team’s locker room can hold their heads high.

“It’s not just Matthews. It’s not just Nylander. It’s not just (John) Tavares. It’s going through the lineup, and that gives you a chance to win every night,” Hiller said. “And so as much as I’m happy for those guys, I’m happy for our team that they can feel there’s other guys there to support, and that’s a pretty good feeling right now.”

Toronto got goals from a couple unlikely sources as MacEwen scored his first goal since Oct. 14, 2024, and Lettieri hadn’t found the back of the net since April 1, 2025.

Nylander hitting 300 goals was significant in a number of ways. He became the fourth fastest player in franchise history to the milestone as well as the fourth fastest Swedish player and passed Rick Vaive for sixth in Maple Leafs history. It was also his 45th career multi-goal game, putting him 10th on the Toronto all-time list.

The Maple Leafs have been superb this season on the penalty kill. They had killed off 40 of 41 opposition power plays and 30 in a row until Edmonton got one late in the game.

The Oilers (8-2-1) had a three-game winning streak halted.

“They were just better than us. They were more competitive and won more battles,” said Oilers forward Zach Hyman. “They just beat us in every area today.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press