As the search for a missing Calgary boy continues, his family are asking people to continue looking even as an Amber Alert issued last week expired.

The 11-year-old, Parker, has been missing for 10 days as of Sunday.

“Each day we continue to hope, to search, and to believe that bringing him home is possible,” read a statement from the family posted Saturday on Facebook. “Every hour matters. We are asking our community to stay with us, to keep looking, and to continue supporting the search in whatever way you can.”

Search efforts continued Sunday, with police closing a parking lot and pathway entrance at Nose Hill Park through the weekend.

Though the search continues, the family also noted that an Amber Alert issued two days after Parker went missing has since expired.

But the family is stressing this expiry is “normal.”

“This is a normal part of how the Amber Alert system works and does not mean the search is ending, slowing down, or becoming any less urgent,” the family wrote. “The Amber Alert was never intended to remain active indefinitely.”

The alert was issued July 19, after the province issued an exemption to the alert for the vulnerable missing child.

Though his disappearance doesn’t meet the legislated criteria for an Amber Alert, the province granted an exemption because of the “unique circumstances of this investigation.”

Parker is neurodivergent and non-verbal and may become even more scared if confronted by strangers, according to police.

A missing child alert is still active.

Lee Wayne, the commanding officer of Calgary Police’s missing persons team, provided more details on the ongoing search and investigation into Parker’s disappearance in a video post Sunday.

Wayne said the team has worked with frontline patrol to determine search parameters and investigative steps that could be taken.

This has included a canvass speaking with members of the public and gathering video footage, and asking for tips. Wayne said more than 500 tips have already been received.

Parker went missing on July 16, and was last seen in the 5000 to 6000 block of Travis Crescent N.E. in the city’s Thorncliffe neighbourhood at around 12:52 p.m.

Police have previously asked residents on several nearby streets, including Travis Street, Travis Crescent, Trail Drive, Taylor Crescent and Travis Place N.E., to repeatedly check vacant homes and surrounding properties.

Local real estate agents have also joined the search, organizing checks of vacant properties and listings in and around Thorncliffe.

According to police, Parker is also known to close and lock doors behind him so people have been asked to check properties, sheds and other places even if a lock has been used as it’s possible the boy was the one who locked up.

—with files from Global News’ Prisha Dev and Rebecca Lau

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

Toronto police said on Sunday they’re investigating after two Jewish-owned bakeries that are part of the same chain were vandalized, with at least one showing evidence of shots fired.

The first call came in at about 8:12 a.m., with reports of a window being struck by gunfire at Kiva’s Bagel Bar at Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue West.

Police received another report at about 8:30 a.m. of a broken window at Kiva’s Steeles Avenue West location. There was no evidence of a firearm being used there.

There were no reports of injuries.

Members of Toronto police’s guns and gangs and hate crime unit are investigating. Duty Insp. Scott Bradbury told reporters on Sunday that police will be canvassing the area, resulting in an increased presence.

While the two businesses are part of the same bakery chain, it is not clear at this time what other connections there may be between the two incidents.

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

Montreal’s main animal protection organization is calling on the province to scrap rules that bar pets in rental units as the tally of animal surrenders surges this month.

The local branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says it is dealing with more than double the number of abandoned animals that it typically registers daily.

SPCA executive director Sylvie Bourbonnière says that while it ordinarily takes in about 20 pets in a 24-hour period, it’s been receiving at least double that number since shortly before Canada Day, with up to 70 surrendered animals arriving on exceptional days.

Bourbonnière says the vast majority of Montreal landlords impose major restrictions or refuse outright to rent to residents with pets.

She says the situation complicates the search for housing and, for SPCA staff and volunteers, adds a lot more pressure — on them as well as the group’s finances.

Canada Day in Montreal has traditionally been synonymous with moving day, as junk piles up on street corners, sweaty bodies heave couches up and down twisting staircases and abandoned animals show up in droves at the SPCA.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Made-from-scratch Buttermilk Waffles & Blueberry Compote

Part 1: Classic Crispy-Fluffy Buttermilk Waffles

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups All-purpose flour

2 tbsp Cornstarch

2 tbsp Granulated sugar

2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Fine salt

3 Large eggs, separated

2 cups Buttermilk

6 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the iron: Preheat your waffle iron. Preheat your oven to 200°F (95°C) with a wire rack inside to keep finished waffles crisp.

2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.

4. Whip egg whites: In a clean bowl, beat the reserved egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 2–3 minutes.

5. Combine batter: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined (a few lumps are fine — don’t overmix). Gently fold in the whipped egg whites until just incorporated; streaks of white are okay.

6. Rest the batter: Let the batter rest for 5 minutes so the leaveners activate and the flour hydrates.

7. Cook the waffles: Brush the iron with oil or butter. Pour in enough batter to mostly cover the grid, close, and cook until deep golden and crisp, about 4–5 minutes depending on your iron.

8. Keep warm and serve: Transfer cooked waffles directly to the oven rack (not stacked) to stay crisp while you cook the rest. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

Extra Tips

● For extra crispness, letting the batter rest longer (up to 30 minutes) deepens flavour.

● No buttermilk? Mix 2 cups milk with 2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar and let sit 5 minutes.

● Leftover waffles freeze beautifully. Reheat straight from frozen in a toaster.

 

Part 2: Blueberry Compote

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups Fresh or frozen blueberries

3 tbsp Granulated sugar

1 Lemon, juiced and zested

1 tbsp Water

1 stick Cinnamon

1 tsp Cornstarch

1/4 tsp Salt

1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the slurry: In a small bowl, whisk the water and cornstarch together until smooth to make a slurry. Set aside.

2. Combine in saucepan: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest, cinnamon, and salt.

3. Simmer the berries: Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until the berries start to break down and release their juices, about 5 minutes.

4. Thicken: Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue to simmer, stirring, until the compote thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes.

5. Finish and serve: Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract if using. Let cool slightly — the compote will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Extra Tips

● Frozen blueberries work great and don’t need thawing — just add a minute or two to the simmer time.

● For a thicker, jammier compote, mash more of the berries as it cooks.

● Keeps in the fridge for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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

The Curator independently decides what topics and products we feature. When you purchase an item through our links, we may earn a commission. Promotions and products are subject to availability and retailer terms.

When I came across this trending kitchen appliance on TikTok, I had to pause—mid scroll. I watched as a woman seasoned, tossed and drizzled, before simply popping on the top of the Ninja Crispi. Just like that, meal prep was complete and dinner was in progress. A short time-lapse later, she glided back to her marble island only to reveal the results: a perfectly cooked, golden salmon nestled beside tender, caramelized sweet potatoes—ready to serve as a stunning spread for family and friends.

There was something different about this air fryer. No small cooking baskets or hard-to-clean parts. Instant and easy. It reminded me of that iconic magic microwave scene from Spy Kids, where Alexa PenaVega’s character pulls out a plate of fries and a burger with just the press of a button (90s and early 2000s kids will remember). Some might say I’m easily influenced, but at that moment, I knew I had to try one out for myself. And with the Canadian Winter Olympics and Super Bowl Sunday on the horizon, I was thinking about food (and the hosting possibilities!). Time to *add to cart!*

 

Available in the colours Cyberspace, Sage Green, and Sand.

@bettyyannhill

SHUT THE FRONT DOOR 👏🏽 easiest YUMMY dinner ever! To think I can plan out a few days of meals at once, store them in the fridge, then just POP this thing on top of the glass container & have dinner 😩👏🏽🤌🏽 @Ninja Kitchen did NOT miss! Seriously you’ll fall in love, even if you’re like me & don’t like to cook 🤪❤️ #ninjacrispi #ninjakitchen #ninjaairfryer #ninjacrispirecipes #glassairfryer #easydinnerideas #tiktokshopcreatorpicks #dealsforyoudays #easymeals #easymealprep

♬ original sound – BETTY ✨ TTshop Girly

So what’s my honest opinion of the Ninja Crispi? For the past few weeks, I’ve been frying, baking, roasting and reheating, and it’s easily become one of my most-used appliances, second only to my Delonghi La Specialista Opera (we love her too!). Full disclosure, I am no Gordon Ramsay. I’ve struggled to boil eggs correctly in the past. Easy to use was a non-negotiable for me. Luckily, the Crispi features an intuitive control panel with only a few buttons (mode select, start, and timer), so you don’t need to fiddle with lots of settings or confusing menus. The presets (like air fry, bake, max crisp, and recrisp) are clear and take the guesswork out of choosing time or temperature.

What truly makes it different from other air fryers is it’s ingenious use of glass containers. As someone always on the go who hates clean-up and loves meal-prepping, this was the standout feature for me. What could be easier than cleaning dish-washer safe glass containers? The 4-qt (3.8 L) container handles full meals for multiple people, while the 6-cup (1.4 L) container is ideal for single servings, sides, or reheating. They’re the same containers you can cook with, eat from and store. Even reheating food was as easy as taking the container out from the refrigerator and snapping it back into the appliance.

Ninja Crispi cooking time cheat sheet

Approximate times. Check doneness; adjust for thickness & batch size.

Frozen

• Fries: 380°F | 12–16 min
• Nuggets / Tenders: 375°F | 10–14 min
• Mozzarella Sticks: 360°F | 6–8 min

Proteins

• Chicken Breast: 375°F | 14–18 min
• Wings: 390°F | 20–24 min
• Salmon: 375°F | 8–12 min

Veggies

• Broccoli / Cauliflower: 375°F | 10–14 min
• Brussels Sprouts: 380°F | 14–18 min

Baked goods

• Cookies (refrigerated dough): 325°F | 7–10 min
• Brownies (small pan): 320°F | 12–16 min
• Muffins (mini): 330°F | 10–14 min

Tips

• Preheat 2–3 min
• Don’t overcrowd
• Flip/shake halfway

 

Since picking up the Crispi, my home has been filled with delicious aromas from new recipes I’ve been trying. Caramelized pork chops with a seared crust, flaky, buttery salmon fillets, soft, gooey cinnamon rolls. I’ve gotten real compliments on my culinary skills as I’ve successfully fooled my friends into thinking I can cook. I love air frying foods I’d normally feel guilty for eating the deep-fried way (wings, fries, chicken fingers, etc.). Hello, it’s a new year and I’m trying to be a little more health-conscious when possible. I do also have a sweet tooth though, so I love that it lets me bake desserts on cheat days.

Yes, it’s a five star rating from a busy, amateur cook like me. While it’s not the cheapest air fryer on the market, for it’s features and design, it can justify it’s mid-range price point. I can’t wait for the creations to come.

 

Alternative air fryers you might like

Truthfully, everyone has different preferences when it comes to cooking the perfect meal. We’ve rounded up a few alternative options for every kind of home chef. We hope you find your perfect match.

If you’re looking for versatility, this personal oven from Our Place truly does it all. The Wonder Oven lets you air fry crispy fries, roast a whole chicken, bake muffins, toast sandwiches, reheat leftovers, and broil perfectly seared salmon—all in a compact countertop appliance.[/product_listing]

 

This Ninja air fryer features two independent rectangular baskets with separate controls, letting you cook two foods two different ways at the same time. Quick, family-sized dishes just got easier.[/product_listing]

 

Looking for the best of both worlds? The Instant Pot Pro Crisp combines pressure cooking and air frying in one versatile appliance, with interchangeable lids that let you switch between tender, flavourful meals and crispy, golden favorites. With 11 cooking functions and an 8-quart capacity, it’s a convenient choice for feeding the whole family or tackling meal prep.[/product_listing]

You may also like:

32 Large Food Storage Containers – $29.99

Electric Food Processor – $49.99

COSORI Air Fryer – $109.99

Salton SmartSealer 2-in-1 Bag Sealer and Cutter – $11.97

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

Canadians may feel a sense of deja vu as three new byelections are being called, the latest round of polls to be held this year.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the votes for the ridings of Beaches-East York in Ontario, Chicoutimi-Le Fjord in Quebec and North Vancouver-Capilano will be held Aug. 31.

The elections come just three months after voters in three Ontario ridings took to the polls that handed the Liberals three more MPs and the government’s first majority since the 2015 election.

All three seats became vacant earlier this summer, with one MP choosing to leave politics, one being named an ambassador to the European Union, and the third being named to the Senate.

Nate Erskine-Smith stepped down from his Beaches-East York earlier this month, two months after losing the Ontario Liberal Party nomination for Scarborough Southwest. He had previously told local media outlet, the Beach Metro Community News, he still planned to resign as MP whether he won the nomination or not. He’s now said he’s considering a run for Toronto city council.

The riding is considered a Liberal stronghold that the party has held since Erskine-Smith ran in 2015, but it was previously held by the NDP following its 2011 Orange Crush.

North Vancouver-Capilano lost its MP, longtime Liberal MP and cabinet minister Jonathan Wilkinson, when he was named by Carney as Canada’s EU ambassador. He stepped down from Parliament last month.

The Liberals have held the riding since 2015 when Wilkinson defeated Conservative MP Andrew Saxton as the party swept to power under Justin Trudeau.

Quebec’s Chicoutimi-Le Fjord riding has switched hands multiple times over the past two decades between the Bloc Quebecois, NDP, Liberals and, since 2018, the Conservatives.

Richard Martel was named to the Senate by Carney earlier this month, when the prime minister dropped the non-partisan criteria for appointments that had been in place.

The Liberals currently hold 172 seats, the Conservatives hold 139, the Bloc Quebecois have 21, there are five NDP MPs, one Green MP. There is also one independent, Alexandre Boulerice, who was elected under the NDP banner but changed his status as he announced plans to run in the Quebec election later this year.

That leaves one vacancy in the riding of Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot-Acton in Quebec which became vacant when former Bloc MP Simon-Pierre Savard Tremblay left politics. The earliest a byelection can be called is Aug. 10, with the latest being Dec. 19, according to Elections Canada.

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

German investigators on Sunday hunted a man who allegedly drove a van into a crowd near Berlin’s Pride festival, killing one person and wounding many more, before apparently stabbing others with a machete in what authorities believe was an Islamic extremist terror attack.

Authorities issued a wanted notice and warned people against approaching Abdul Ballout, a German citizen with Lebanese roots, saying that he may be armed and dangerous.

“Everything we see here points to us dealing with an Islamic terror attack,” Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said.

Dobrindt put the total number of injured at 29.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called the attack “horrific.”

“The attack at the Christopher Street Day festival in Berlin is horrific,” Carney wrote in a post on X. “No one should face hatred or violence because of who they are or who they love. My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Berlin and around the world.”

Ashley Jump, a 26-year-old U.K. resident, had traveled to Berlin for Saturday’s Pride parade but had left the celebrations before the attack. They returned Sunday to leave flowers at a memorial near the crime scene in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

“They’ll never erase us, we’ll never be gone,” they said. “As long as humanity has existed, we’ve existed. And as long as humanity exists, we will exist. We will not be removed.”

Suspect allegedly has ties to Islamic extremism

Dobrindt said the suspect had come to authorities’ attention in the past because of numerous previous crimes, of which he didn’t give details, and also because of “radicalization and belonging to the Islamist scene” in the German capital.

He said Ballout was born in Germany, and that his mother was naturalized in 2002 — three years before he was born.

Dobrindt said the suspect had been convicted in Berlin in the past, though he didn’t specify for what. He said that he had been given a suspended sentence of 1 year and 10 months.

Police conducted operations in the city as they searched for the suspect. Those included a search at an apartment in Berlin’s Schöneberg district in the early hours of Sunday, but police said they found no one there.

Berlin’s Pride festival is one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations

According to police, a white van drove into the Tiergarten park around 10 p.m. and hit several people before colliding with a tree. The closing party at the Pride festival, known as Christopher Street Day, was ongoing at the time next to the Brandenburg Gate, a short distance away. The party followed a parade with some 80 trucks that had made its way through downtown Berlin earlier in the day.

The attack did not occur at the festival, along its route or at the closing party. Rather, the violence took place a few hundred meters (yards) away on a track in the Tiergarten park. The van drove into a crowd that was likely a mix of festivalgoers and other locals or visitors.

Police said a woman was killed. Berlin’s fire service said that three people sustained life-threatening injuries and another eight were seriously injured.

The Pride event next to the Brandenburg Gate was called off around 10:15 p.m. and a band’s performance on stage was interrupted. People were urged to go home and to avoid taking the route through the park.

Hundreds of thousands of people had come to Berlin to celebrate on Saturday, though it’s unclear how many were still at the festival by late evening. It’s one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations.

The van, with its battered front resting against a tree, could still be seen at the scene Sunday morning.

“We are simply stunned by what happened,” said Andre Lehmann, a top official with the main national LGBTQ+ association, LSVD+. “This suspected attack hits the heart of the queer community.”

Amsterdam says it will celebrate freedom in the wake of Berlin attack

Chancellor Friedrich Merz described what happened as “an attack on our society.” He added in a post on X that Germany loves freedom, “and we will preserve and defend that.”

Dobrindt said he expected security measures at other major events in Germany, including Pride events elsewhere, to be reviewed and if necessary significantly strengthened.

He pointed to concern about possible copycat crimes, adding that “this is not typical of such situations, but it also can’t be ruled out.”

Berlin has seen Islamic extremist attacks before. In December, 2016, a rejected asylum seeker from Tunisia plowed a hijacked truck into a Christmas market, killing 13 people and injuring dozens. He was killed days later in a shootout in Italy.

In February last year, a Spanish tourist was stabbed and seriously wounded at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial. A Syrian man was convicted in March and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Saturday’s violence “is suspected to be an Islamist terror attack on our way of living together, on our liberal democracy, on our openness and our freedom,” Wegner said.

In the neighboring Netherlands, Amsterdam is hosting World Pride this week and next alongside its own annual Pride celebrations. Mayor Femke Halsema said authorities and organizers “are closely monitoring the security situation” after the Berlin attack but aim to prevent any extra measures getting in the way of celebrating freedom and love.

—Associated Press reporters Kirsten Grieshaber, Fanny Brodersen, Pietro De Cristofaro and Stefanie Dazio in Berlin, and Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, contributed to this report.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Israel is pitching itself to Canada as a technology partner that can offer tangible solutions and safer artificial intelligence, despite the heavy strains on the bilateral relationship over wars and conflict in the Middle East.

“Canada and Israel are both countries that are very much looking to export technologies, to open new markets and to solve problems that also exist elsewhere,” Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed told The Canadian Press.

Moed has said his country’s relationship with Canada is at its lowest point in nearly 80 years of relations. Canada accuses Israel of grave violations of international law, while Israel argues Ottawa is taking steps that undermine prospects for peace.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has never had a formal call or meeting with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court.

Carney has accused Netanyahu’s government of failing to prevent a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip by repeatedly restricting the delivery of essential aid to Palestinians. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said in May that Israel’s mistreatment of Canadians participating in a flotilla trying to reach Gaza violated the Vienna Convention.

Israel says Canada is undermining peace in the region through its growing criticism of the country, its withdrawal of support in United Nations votes and its formal recognition of the State of Palestine.

Moed said he still believes the Carney government has some interest in collaborating with Israel on AI and that this could involve companies working together to boost defences against cyberattacks. He said Israeli tech firms could also help Canadian municipalities use data to better manage road traffic flows.

Moed said Israeli companies also want to collaborate with Canada on Israel’s hospital-at-home concept, which involves monitoring patients with acute or chronic needs through wearable devices and video calls. Israeli firms have run hospital-at-home pilot projects in Europe and the U.S., and are interested in doing the same in Canadian provinces, he said.

“Many times, Israelis are leading in finding quick solutions for significant problems,” Moed said.

He argued that Israel’s tech sector dovetails with the Carney’s government’s focus on economic productivity. He said both countries have a “culture of innovation” but Israel has put more focus on translating research into startups that become economically viable.

His embassy is trying to connect companies in both countries in the hope that Israeli innovation can benefit from Canada’s larger population and market access to the U.S. — even as Washington upends continental trade.

“We are working on sort of a digital virtual network or virtual community that will bring together technologists in any area, in cyber and AI, that cuts through in many sectors (like) agriculture, communications, transportation, aviation,” Moed said.

AI Minister Evan Solomon met with Moed in January to discuss possible collaboration with Israel. The minister appeared to acknowledge the strained state of Canada-Israel relations at the time.

“Dialogue matters, particularly in complex times,” Solomon wrote in his social media posts about the meeting.

Not every Canadian politician is as open to engagement with Israel.

Earlier this month, Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi apologized after posing for a photo with Moed at the Calgary Stampede, saying it had “caused a lot of harm to a lot of people.”

The photo was taken as Moed was accompanying an Israeli technology delegation.

Citing Israel’s “indiscriminate” bombing in Gaza and invasion of Lebanon, Nenshi said he regretted posing for the photo — particularly since the embassy posted it on social media with a message equating support for Israel with support for democracy and human rights.

The embassy later said Nenshi’s apology allowed “for hate to creep and fester into a place built on hospitality.”

Moed’s pitch to Canada also includes safer uses of AI.

Ottawa has been pushing for guardrails on how artificial intelligence is designed and deployed since at least 2018, when it was one of the topics Canada focused on at the G7 summit in Charlevoix, Que.

At an April reception ahead of Israel’s national day, Moed took aim at what he claimed are efforts “to recode the algorithms” of social media “so that the world might once again become addicted to antisemitism.”

He said countries can work together to cull hateful content from AI services.

“We offer here in Canada all kinds of ideas and even a joint collaboration, to find new ways to address this,” he told The Canadian Press.

“It’s not, of course, just Jews. It’s about spreading hate and actually inciting for violence.”

Moed did not single out any specific platform. The X social media site has seen an surge in antisemitic rhetoric and anti-Jewish influencers since it was taken over by billionaire Elon Musk, according to the U.S. ⁠Center for Countering Digital Hate.

Musk himself made a gesture that many interpreted as a Nazi salute at a rally celebrating U.S. President Donald Trump’s second inauguration, though he denied that was the case.

Facebook’s parent company Meta also has seen its AI chatbots echo racist tropes and antisemitic conspiracy theories.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Running a music festival is a perilous thing, a task that might be best left to ultra-optimistic, foolhardy dreamers. So many things can go wrong. The weather. Logistical breakdowns. Crowd control issues. It’s not a profession for the faint of heart. Most festivals eventually — and often quickly — flame out.

Canada has lost a few of them recently. Rifflandia, an excellent late-summer event in Victoria, B.C., has been cancelled for 2026 with no plans to bring it back. The Sound of Music Festival, held in Burlington, Ont., is no more, although it was replaced by the Lakeshore Music & Arts Festival. And Elora Riverfest, in Elora, Ont., one of the greatest small-town music festivals in the country, has folded.

And it’s not just a Canadian problem. Festivals across the U.S. and Europe have run into serious problems. Many of the small- and medium-sized events have either scaled back or gone dark entirely. In the U.K., at least 43 music festivals will not happen in 2026.

Some, though, have figured things out. The Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island has been running continuously since 1959. Pinkpop in the Netherlands has been going since 1970. Same thing with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Glastonbury started in 1970, but has occasionally paused for “fallow years” every half-decade or so to allow Worthy Farm to regenerate.

There’s also Hamilton’s Festival of Friends, which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at Gage Park in Hamilton starting this Friday and running through Sunday (July 31 to Aug 2). Fifty years is a major accomplishment. But what sets the festival apart is that it’s free. Anyone can attend for the entire weekend and not spend a single dollar. In today’s world, that’s an incredible strength, very unique. No wonder between 100,000 and 120,000 people show up every year.

The first event was organized in 1976 by local artist and coffee shop owner Bill Powell. From his hippie hangout on Augusta Street, the first festival took shape.

The artist list from over the years is incredible. Stan Rogers, Bruce Cockburn, Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman, Jane Siberry, Gord Downie, Don McLean, Dr. John and literally hundreds of others. There was a brief and unpopular detour to the Ancaster Fairgrounds in 2011 after the city declared that it had outgrown the park, but by 2017, it was back at its original home after things were patched up at city hall. The only year not to feature a Festival of Friends was 2020 because — well, you know why.

The current general manager is Robert Rakoczy, who marvels at the festival’s longevity and resilience. Of course, the fans and artists have a lot to do with it.

“One of the things that makes work is that it was started organically by a bunch of hippies, “says Rakoczy. “They weren’t worried about the economics or financial success. That kind of mentality has allowed the festival to continue. It’s obviously changed over the years, but I think what we’ve been able to do is use a generational volunteer base that believes in what we do.

“It’s not a money-making endeavour, but obviously needs to make money,” he continues. “But it’s not here to make a profit. It’s here to celebrate art, and it’s surrounded by people who are very strongly in favour of that vision continuing.”

Everyone associated with the festival is realistic, too. Idealistic ventures like this usually fail because they don’t take into account the perils of the real world, from the realities of the need for sponsorships to the number of porta-potties needed. The hippie vision is long gone, but there’s still some of the spirit.

The first years were offered some objectively weird performers, as you can see from this 45-minute documentary on the inaugural year. Make sure you stick around for the dude doing his interpretative dance to … something.

Powell was dead against selling beer at the first festival. Only Canadian performers were booked until 2007. A big stage took over from the bandshell, which is now used as a secondary stage. A midway was added as a way to appeal to families. The vendor booths have evolved with the times and now there are more of them at Festival of Friends (at least 150) than you’ll find at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The variety of performers has changed, offering more than just the original folk styles.

This year’s lineup features Feist and Dallas Smith as headliners on the main stage. There are three other stages, children’s performers, and a 50th anniversary all-star concert taking place on the last day of the fest, which is expected to run for about two and a half hours.

Chantal Kreviazuk, Matt Mays, Bif Naked, Maestro Fresh We, Hawksley Workman, Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies), James and Scott from Finger Eleven, Dan Hill, Andy Kim, Teenage Head, Terra Lightfoot, Elliott Brood, Moe Berg (Pursuit of Happiness), Ashley MacIsaac and even Sharon of Sharon, Lois, and Bram will take part. The entire production will be hosted by Blackie & The Rodeo Kings. The full schedule can be found here.

The idealistic hippie spirit of music lives. And that should do our hearts some good.

 

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

One year into her new job as commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet said she could see an immediate effect of the federal government’s defence spending boost: RCAF pilots are spending more time in the air.

In a recent interview with The Canadian Press, Speiser-Blanchet also acknowledged that preparing the entire service for what she described as a rapid and “giant transformation” — rebuilding the whole plane while it’s flying, so to speak — sometimes gives her pause.

“It’s that pace of change sometimes that worries me a little,” she said.

She said while she’s “very comfortable” with the decisions made preparing for modernization, it’s “the thought that there’s something we should be doing now to make sure that we’re set up for success in the future and that we’re missing it” that keeps her up at night.

The former Griffon helicopter pilot was sworn in as the first woman to lead the air force last July. She said the service is now pivoting from planning to execution mode as it brings a dizzying number of new systems online.

The RCAF is acquiring a lot of new aircraft: fighter jets and surveillance craft that require new infrastructure and security, search-and-rescue planes, refuelling tankers and five new aircrew training fleets.

While that happens, the air force must continue to operate its old fleets, overhaul its training and massively upgrade its radar equipment — all while grappling with personnel shortages and playing catch-up with the rapid advances in drone and missile technology that have transformed modern warfare.

Speiser-Blanchet has settled into the command role just as the military finds itself flush with cash for the first time since the Cold War.

The past year saw Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government announce a major spike in defence spending as it rushed to meet its NATO spending commitments.

While the increase in spending shows up in NATO’s books as a share of GDP, the military itself is starting to feel the extra funding on the ground, and in the air.

“By having this money, we were able to generate more spare parts and more flying hours,” Speiser-Blanchet said. “That results in more experienced personnel, more upgrades, more readiness.”

Yearly RCAF flying hours, which fell over the past decade, are now on an upswing. Although each fleet is different, Speiser-Blanchet said the CC-130 Hercules, the C-17 Globemasters and the CF-18 Hornets are getting more time in the air largely due to the influx of funds.

“That allowed us to have the necessary exercises or be able to participate in more training events with allies, and that translates to an increased level of readiness, interoperability, and ultimately contributes to operational effectiveness,” she said.

Even though the roughly 15,000-strong force is expanding, it’s still short some 2,000 personnel.

Speiser-Blanchet said the RCAF’s “future is very bright” but she’s “quite clear-eyed about ongoing challenges that we absolutely just have to keep pushing through.”

Internal government briefing notes warn the RCAF will face “tough decisions” on prioritizing projects, personnel, the “divestment of less-relevant capabilities,” and operational commitments.

The toughest such decision so far was the one to retire and replace the CT-114 Tutor Snowbird demonstration jets, Speiser-Blanchet said.

She said she knows more challenges are coming down the road — likely unexpected ones, such as adjusting on the fly to surprise procurement delays or falling short of trained people.

“I don’t have a lot of those difficult decisions in front of me today. However, I am anticipating them,” she said. “My teams are working very hard to cohere all of that information so that we can ensure we’re making really informed decisions.”

Military personnel saw a substantial pay hike this past year, something the RCAF hopes can help it recruit thousands more people.

It has had no trouble attracting pilots — a profession that wins recruits through its cool factor and unbeatable view from the office.

Recruiters are now out promoting the other key air force trades needed to keep operations going: aerospace telecommunications and information systems techs, construction engineers, and airborne aerospace sensor operators.

They’re offering recruiting bonuses for stressed trades, such as firefighters.

The force is adding new positions, such as space mission operators and security forces to guard sensitive technology like the F-35s and work with counter-drone systems at airbases.

The first new security crews are being trained now. Internal RCAF documents suggest it may eventually need more than a thousand such personnel.

The force is also preparing to mark a major milestone: the first of its new F-35 fighter jets is set to be delivered to a U.S. airbase in Arizona by the end of the year.

“We have people in Luke Air Force Base that we’re just posting this summer and there’s a squadron that’s been stood up. We are going to begin training, so that’s exciting,” Speiser-Blanchet said.

Since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, politics has cast a shadow over Canada’s air and space force.

The Carney government placed its full order for 88 F-35 fighters under review more than a year ago. The ultimate decision could change the eventual fleet makeup, though Canada will buy some of the jets either way.

Trump also has pressed Canada to pay tens of billions of dollars to join his proposed “Golden Dome” missile defence system.

The air force commander has watched her words carefully on the fighter review and has stayed far from the fray.

Speiser-Blanchet said she remains focused on implementing the current plan for the jets and ensuring the force is working closely with the American military — a relationship she said remains unscathed by all the drama surrounding Canada-U.S. politics.

“When I think of working with my U.S. counterparts, our military relationship is solid. Norad is, quite frankly, stronger than ever.”

© 2026 The Canadian Press