The good news: It’s official summer. The band news: The days will now start getting shorter. Best immerse yourself into New Music Friday for some tunes that will help you forget that the next stop is fall, then winter.

Singles

1. Featurette, Xanax (Division 11)

Featurette, a trio from Toronto, has been apparently been recently immersed in trip-hop, resulting in a new track that’s all about anxiety and numbness. Oh, there was also a trip to the emergency room that included a Xanax prescription following what vocalist Lexie Jay calls “a stress-induced cardiac event.” Given what’s going on the world today, I hear you, sister.

2. Hollerado, Keep on Moving (Royal Mountain)

Hollerado’s not-retirement continues with another single from their Start a Band EP. They’re also back on tour (Europe with Billy Talent, Hillside Festival, an RBC Amphitheatre Show on July 18). It looks like this non-retirement will continue for a while.

3. Lazarettes, Undertow (Independent)

Here’s a happy-sounding song from a Toronto band that features lyrics that are pretty dire when it comes to commenting on existing in today’s messed up word. Gotta love the Farfisa organ, which gives everything a cool New Wave feel. The line-up includes Chris Tait (Chalk Circle), Bryce Thomas, Richard Peirce, Chris Monster and Adam Warner. Some of their collaborations have been with Jill Barber, Royal Wood, and Ron Sexsmith

4. Marilyn Manson, Exit Wound (Nuclear Blast)

Perennial #MeToo problem child Marilyn Manson continues to record and tour, most recently with Rob Zombie with the “Freaks on Parade” tour. A new album, One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2 (the follow-up to 2024’s Chapter 1) will arrive on August 14. Once again, the producer is Tyler Bates, who scores horror films and gory video games. Sounds like a perfect match, don’t it?

5. Valley, Vending Machine (Universal)

More Canada. Valley is a trio who have been nominated for multiple Junos. This song begins with a very simple question, the answer to which is “Yes. Most definitely.”

Eddie Vedder and Guitars Over Funs, Better Believe (Independent)

If you saw the entertainment surrounding the opening of the Obama Presidential Library in Chicago yesterday (June 18), you will have seen Eddie perform this song. The Obama Foundation helped organize this project, bringing in Audio Arts students from Columbia College Chicago. All royalties will go to Guitars Over Guns, an arts-based youth development group that uses music and mentorship to help empower young people.

Listen on Spotify.

Albums

1. Belvedere, Seven Years of Bad Luck (Thousand Island Records)

Our list of the week’s new albums begins with the seventh full-length record from Calgary punks Belvedere. These guys have been at it for more than 30 years, Respect.

2. Haircut One Hundred, Boxing the Compass (October is Orange Ltd.)

Yes, this is the Haircut One Hundred that had hits like Fantastic Day, Love Plus One, and Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) back in the early 80s. Original vocalist Nick Heyward is back with the crew (he left in 1982) for the group’s first album since–wait for it–1984. Forty-two years is a long time between records, innit? This track sounds like it’s 1983 all over again.

3. Pond, Terrestrials (Mangovision/Secretly Distribution)

From the white boy funkiness of Haircut One Hundred, we move to some Australian psych featuring Pond, originally from Perth. (I’ve been to Perth; I found that they really like their psych and shoegaze.) This is their 11th studio record, with which they say they tried to capture a “goths at the pub” sound.

4. Stupidity, Beyond Stupidity (Wicked Cool)

I had to include this Swedish garage band just because of their name. This is their eighth album and will no doubt get some love from Little Steven and his Underground Garage channel on SiriusXM.

5. Tired of Fighting, And Then It Suddenly Hits You (Punkerton)

We end with some English emo featuring Tired of Fighting, a trio from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne (est. 2019) who mine the angst of the early 2000s via bands like Taking Back Sunday and crossing it with a little Gaslight Anthem, followed by a dash of Paramore. This is their debut album.

 

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Many artists won’t go back and listen to their previous albums because all they hear are the mistakes and the things they should have done to make it better. But what’s done is done and it’s just best to move on. This happens to Dave Grohl every once in a while. He has a very hard time listening to the fourth album, One By One, from 2002.

Nothing was working during those sessions after three-and-a-half months of work and spending more than a million dollars in studio fees. Production was halted, and Dave went off to do some work outside the band, including a stint with Queens of the Stone Age. Then there was Taylor Hawkins’ near-fatal overdose, which messed things up even further.

The album did eventually come out and sold a respectable four million copies, but Dave feels it doesn’t sound like the band and didn’t feel right. Today, he thinks there are only four good songs on the record and seven bad ones.

© 2026 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

For the Scalzo family, time together has taken on a new meaning.

After a life-changing diagnosis a few years ago, Rick Scalzo is back home for good — something they weren’t always sure would be possible.

“I had leukemia, so it was a bit of blur. It all happened so fast,” Rick said. “I went to the Jewish and everything just happened so quick.”

After months of intense treatment, the family celebrated a remission.

But the relief didn’t last long.

The cancer returned in 2024, and doctors told him a stem cell transplant was his best chance.

“I think it’s the waiting that was tougher to see if they found anything because it was like OK, do they keep treating him or will they have a match soon?” said his wife, Andrea Pugliese.

Then came the call that would change everything.

The family learned Rick’s two sons were a match — and that his youngest child, Antoine, would donate his stem cells, which would ultimately help save his dad’s life.

“When the lady from the hospital called me to let me know I would be donating, I said yes without hesitation,” Antoine said. “Even she was surprised that I didn’t think about it.”

For Rick’s daughter, Felicia, the experience remains one of the most emotional moments of their family’s journey — and also the reason why she’s decided to pay it forward.

“We were really lucky that people had previously donated, and it also saved his life for the time being,” she said. “So I wanted to give back to the community to make sure other people had that opportunity as well.”

That desire to give back has already led her to organize two blood drives.

She’s now preparing for her third on Aug. 29, at the Kirkland donation centre, which is currently celebrating five years in the community.

“Giving blood takes an hour of your time; giving plasma is just a gesture that will make a whole difference in the life of the Scalzos and in the life of so many other families,” said Josée Larivée, Héma-Québec spokesperson.

Those interested in participating in the Scalzos blood drive can find more information online.

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

When Aderonke Aderbigbe first put on the virtual headset in the University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing simulation lab, she didn’t expect it to feel so real.

“It was really eye-opening,” the nursing student said. “I had a ‘this is the future’ kind of feeling.”

Aderbigbe is one of nearly 900 University of Alberta Faculty of Nursing students who has taken part in the virtual reality pilot project, which gives students the chance to play out different scenarios online.

“It gives me the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from it without actually doing damage to an actual patient,” she said.

When students step in to the virtual hospital room, they not only are able to take part in scenarios they may not see during their clinical hours, like caring for a patient with mpox or helping a mother through labour. It also allows them to be in charge during high-stress situations.

“I think it’s a stepping stone that helps students take that small step towards real-life practice, with a bit more confidence,” Drew Owen, nursing student, said.

“We have scenarios where things kind of go sideways with patients really quick. Usually in real life, a nursing student wouldn’t be handling that. ”

“This gives people the chance to practice that on their own and give their best swing at it, without any of the real-world consequences that could come with it,” he added. “You forget that you’re in this space and you really feel like you’re there in the hospital. ”

Owen, who will graduate in November from the Faculty of Nursing’s after-degree program, helped run the immersive virtual reality (iVR) pilot project that ran from September 2025 to April 2026, putting students through nearly a dozen virtual clinical scenarios.

“When they’re just in their lectures and writing tests, you know what the right answer is by studying. But when you’re actually in that scenario, your fight or flight kicks in and you forget,” said Abigail Shuman, a recent grad from the program, and a part of the group that made the program a reality.

“When I was facilitating, it really helped me build my own confidence and my own knowledge and then I can carry that forward into my job.”

Dr. Tracey Stephen is the executive director of the Nursing Simulation Centre. She told Global News that simulated learning was first developed in the 1960s. Since then, nursing programs have used everything from a simulated arm to place IVs to high-tech mannequins that breath, blink and can respond to what students are doing.

Virtual reality is an add-on to the training that already exists.

“Virtual reality really focuses on critical thinking, clinical decision making, clinical judgment, so that students can make decisions and prioritize the best things for the patient,” she said. ” It doesn’t require huge amounts of space, doesn’t require a huge amount of equipment, so it’s easier to access.

“As soon as you get into the experience, you forget actually that you are basically in an empty room. You’re in an environment, you’re working with a patient, patient visitors, and all these different things are going on, and you have to think in real time, and you need to respond in real time.”

Students also don’t need to be in the same room to take part in the same simulation.

“The positive feedback from students has been overwhelming,” she said.

The pilot project will be expanded to include more rooms and equipment for the next group of nursing students that start in the fall of 2026, doubling its current size.

While it’s technically still a pilot project, the hope is to make VR a regular feature of the nursing program moving forward.

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

For years the CFL has been a landing spot for Australian talent, especially kickers and punters.

“They figured out a good pipeline and it’s not just our league, it’s college football, it’s the NFL as well. You know, they kind of cornered the market as far as their skillset,” said head coach Corey Mace.

The Roughriders have had players raised kicking with Aussie rules football who have found that their unique skill set translates perfectly to the Canadian game, something that Saskatchewan has embraced.

“I was playing footy, Australian football back home and did that all the way up until I was about 20, thought I was going to play that the rest of my life and kind of fell out of it found punting as my next opportunity and went to college in the U.S. for five years and found my way to Canada,” said Oscar Chapman.

The Riders have inked 11 Australian players over the years. This season the green and white added kicker Alex Hale and punter Oscar Chapman.

“Excellent guys and workers, they really try to perfect their craft and what they do, they take their job extremely seriously. So, these guys are dialed in, learning the game as it pertains to the CFL and then ultimately adjusting what they have to, to go out there and execute for us,” said Mace.

While it’s a whole different game out here, there are many adjustments to be made — not just on the field but off of it, too.

“Obviously driving but I’ve been in the states for a while now so I’ve kind of adjusted to different stuff, but I would say the Canadian culture is a little closer to the Australian culture, which is nice,” said Hale.

“I played golf the other day with Alex and the mosquitoes were killing us so I got to get used to mosquitoes, flies, whatever the mixture of everything is here,” Chapman added.

From the Great Barrier Reef to the Prairies, the pipeline to Riderville continues to prove that great kicking talent comes from down under.

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

For the Saskatchewan Roughriders, every win leaves a mark — literally. Following victories, the team gathers under a wooden plaque inside Mosaic Stadium for one of the organization’s most unique traditions.

Implemented in the Corey Mace era, it was important to bring in something new.

“We looked at starting a new tradition for us and to be able to pull in a piece of wood, you know, off the farm here in Saskatchewan, have it nicely put together with the Rider nation on it and just start a tradition that every win that we get we celebrate together and then branding off a tick mark for us,” said Mace.

The beam itself is a piece of Saskatchewan history, salvaged from a potash mine in Esterhazy, and dating back more than 60 years. It adds a piece of home to the new tradition.

“Kind of pride ourselves on being Saskatchewan and embody what Saskatchewan is, hardworking and stuff like that, so the fact that it comes from Saskatchewan obviously makes it even better,” said Dhel Duncan-Busby.

The tradition started back in 2025, prior to winning the Grey Cup. The team’s championship rings have 14 notches marked on them to emphasize the 14 brands that started the tradition last season. Located in the player tunnel, it is a daily reminder of the culture and standards they set.

“Going out there every game, seeing it and smacking it before I go to the field and getting that first little notch on it after the game, it means something to the team, and it means something to me as well,”  said James Letcher Jr.

As for who gets the privilege, that is decided by head coach Corey Mace. For game one this season, the honour went to quarterback Trevor Harris following a phenomenal week two performance.

Many players haven’t had the privilege yet, but it’s something that adds even more motivation — not because of the personal recognition, but the honour symbolizes the contributions to the team’s win.

“It’s the ultimate, like, helping the team out, so that’s the goal for sure. That’d mean a lot,” said Daniel Wiebe.

“I never got to put one up yet so hopefully one day,” Tevaughn Campbell added.

As the victories pile up so do the marks, creating a lasting record of Roughrider history. With lots of room to add more ticks, it is a tradition that will last quite long.

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

The executive director of Premier Danielle Smith’s office says that instead of criticizing her, First Nations chiefs should fix their own communities, describing them as entrenched in poverty, drugs and violence.

Bruce McAllister, in a post on social media Thursday, says the chiefs should focus on their own problems rather than having “the gall” to accuse the premier of treason over Alberta’s looming separation referendum.

McAllister accused the chiefs of engaging in “childish nonsense” and said their misaligned priorities make him wonder if they’re taking orders from someone else.

“People are sick and tired of hearing unrealistic demands from them,” McAllister writes.

“It might be tolerable if their communities were beacons of prosperity, safety, strong families and real accountability, but sadly, they’re anything but.”

He said they need to fix “heartbreaking” problems such as addictions and overdoses, housing, poverty, high unemployment, welfare, substandard schooling outcomes, high rates of children in care and domestic violence.

“Shouldn’t the priority be fixing these failures for their people?” said McAllister.

“I know we have a premier and government that care deeply about these serious issues and want to help fix them.”

McAllister acknowledged he was steering into controversy.

“I’ll probably take heat for saying these things but if we don’t, we continue to bury our heads in the sand and pretend they aren’t happening.”

The post comes after the Assembly of Treaty Chiefs, representing First Nations across Alberta, voted to ask RCMP to look into whether the Oct. 19 referendum amounts to criminal treason by Smith and her United Conservative Party.

The chiefs, earlier this week, said organizing the vote is an intentional treaty violation and that Smith’s government is ignoring serious risks to Canada’s sovereignty.

Smith responded to that Wednesday, telling reporters the chiefs should “check themselves” for such an inflammatory accusation.

Smith’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Anne Many Heads, CEO for the Treaty 7 First Nations Chiefs’ Association, said in an email that the Stoney Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nation chiefs reserved comment when asked to respond to McAllister’s tweet.

She said the chiefs support their earlier statement calling for Smith to be called to account for treason.

It’s not the first time accusations of treason have been thrown around in the separation debate.

In January, B.C. Premier David Eby said a meeting between an Alberta separatist group and the U.S. administration amounted to treason.

According to the Criminal Code, treason is narrowly defined.

It includes sharing sensitive information “for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or defence of Canada” with another state, or the use of force or violence in order to overthrow a Canadian government.

Smith’s United Conservative government and the chiefs have been at odds in the separation debate, with First Nations winning a recent court decision to quash a separatist petition because the government neglected its duty to consult them.

On Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on whether to stay in Canada or whether it’s time to hold a second referendum on leaving Confederation.

Smith has championed the pro-Canada cause. She says she was obliged to call the vote in order to settle a debate reflected by hundreds of thousands of Albertans signing petitions for and against separation.

Critics call it a cynical tightrope walk by Smith to save her job by launching a referendum to assuage the separatist hardliners in her party while stumping for a united Canada in order to stay onside with the majority of voters.

McAllister has been the locus of controversy before.

Last fall, McAllister, while moderating a public meeting, urged a teen be spanked for demanding answers on a looming teachers strike. McAllister later apologized.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

British Columbians are being warned to check before harvesting shellfish this summer because contaminated shellfish can cause serious and potentially life-threatening illness.

The B.C. Centre for Disease Control says microorganisms occur naturally in coastal waters, especially as temperatures rise during the warmer months, and can accumulate in shellfish.

Harmful toxins are most often found in mussels, clams, oysters, scallops and crab, but cockles, whelks, prawns, squid and other species that feed on plankton can also be affected.

The centre says eating contaminated shellfish can lead to serious illness, including paralytic shellfish poisoning, amnesic shellfish poisoning and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.

It says shellfish contaminated with these toxins cannot be made safe by cooking.

Symptoms can begin within minutes to hours after eating contaminated shellfish, but may also appear up to 24 to 48 hours later.

Anyone who experiences numbness or tingling that spreads beyond the lips and mouth, increasing weakness, or difficulty walking or swallowing after eating shellfish should go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

For diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramping after eating shellfish, people are advised to call the Drug and Poison Information Centre at 1-800-567-8911, HealthLink BC at 811, or see a health-care provider.

The BCCDC advises residents to check its shellfish harvesting map for open and closed sites on the day they plan to harvest, and to harvest on a receding tide.

It also recommends keeping harvested shellfish in a chilled cooler to prevent bacteria from growing.

The centre says people should only eat cooked shellfish to reduce the risk of illness from viruses and bacteria, but notes cooking does not destroy shellfish toxins.

People are also advised not to cook crabs whole. The BCCDC says crabs should be split first and the gut contents removed before boiling.

The centre also recommends separating raw and cooked seafood, keeping cooking areas clean, sanitizing knives and cutting boards, and washing hands before and after preparing food.

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

A gold mine south of Prince Rupert, B.C., is now the subject of a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed against the provincial government.

“They invested money in good faith in British Columbia, hoping to bring jobs and prosperity here, and instead have ended up in this place where they can’t do anything and that’s simply not acceptable,” Joan Young, a lawyer at McMillan LLP, told Global News.

The Yellow Giant mine on Banks Island began commercial production in 2015, but was shut down by the province that same year after releasing excess tailings and effluent.

In the lawsuit, MCC Canadian Gold Ventures says after the original owner went bankrupt they were lobbied by the province to take over the mine, and did in 2019. However, after investing millions to clean it up, the province in 2024, without warning, suspended the company’s mining rights through orders in council.

“They get told after the fact that there’s been kind of a secret arrangement and you can’t go ahead and that’s not, from their perspective, the way we should be doing business in British Columbia,” Young said.

The suit claims the province made the move to help settle a separate legal dispute with the Gitxaala Nation.

The mine is on Gitxaala territory and it came in the aftermath of the Nation’s successful challenge of the province’s mining claims regime.

A notice of civil claim reads: “The province acquired significant advantages and benefits from the taking of MCC’s property interests” and therefore “avoided significant environmental liability” and “resolution and partial settlement of existing litigation with the Gitxaala Nation.”

The plaintiffs say they have no issue with the Gitxaala; this is purely about the province’s alleged actions and as the NDP government pursues more mining investment, this fight could send a conflicting message.

“You have investors in place here that chose to invest in British Columbia, that played by the rules to this point; they expect and frankly deserve a fair shake, and they haven’t received that; the opposite has happened,” Todd Stone with the BC Association for Mineral Exploration said.

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

The late Cal Murphy will be this year’s inductee into the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Ring of Honour.

Murphy will be the 18th member of the Ring of Honour and just the second head coach, joining legendary coach Bud Grant as the only coaches to receive the honour. Murphy served as both head coach and general manger in his 14 seasons with the blue and gold.

He helped the Bombers to three Grey Cup championships and was named the CFL’s coach of the year on two different occasions.

“Cal was such an important part of the Blue Bombers for his many years with the club as a coach, a GM and a steadfast voice for Canadian football,” Winnipeg Football Club president and CEO Wade Miller said in a statement.

“Strong-willed and passionate in his beliefs, he had his hand on the rudder during one of the most successful eras of Blue Bombers football.”

He has the third most wins in club history behind only Grant and Mike O’Shea.

Murphy is already a member of both the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. His statue has stood outside Princess Auto Stadium since 2017.

“We are excited to know how complimentary people are about him and honoured they still remember him as their own Canadian and Winnipeg-born head coach and GM,” said the Murphy family in a statement.

“He was both supportive and stern as well as a leader. A good husband and father and strong in his Catholic faith.”

He will officially be added to the Ring of Honour during a ceremony at halftime during their game against the BC Lions on July 30.

Murphy died in 2012.

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