A 21-year-old Calgary man with what the Crown calls a “horrific record for violence” was sentenced for his part in a brutal attack on a Calgary Transit operator, who was more than three times his age.

Amarjit Grewal was 66 years old at the time of the attack in May 2025.

Brothers Curtis Baker-Spence and Darryl Flett were 20 and 22, respectively, at the time of the attack.

Crown prosecutor Greg Piper described the inequality of the assault, pointing to the fact Baker-Spence and Flett were youthful and both armed, while Grewal was a senior citizen, working alone and unarmed.

Piper said this case demonstrates the danger faced by transit operators.

“ The city of Calgary runs on transit,” Piper told court. “ If Calgary were a body, transit would be the circulatory system.”

Amalgamated Transit Union Local 538 held a rally at city hall ahead of the sentencing, showing support for Grewal and highlighting the real risks faced by transit operators across the country.

“The Criminal Code states that there is an aggravating factor, when a transit driver is attacked during the course of their work, “ said Mike Mahar, ATU Local 583 president.

During sentencing, section 269.01 of the Criminal Code, which deals specifically with attacks on public transit personnel, was taken into consideration.

“The victim in this was alone, and a senior and particularly vulnerable, is something that was properly considered by the judge,” prosecutor Greg Piper said.

Mahar says the impacts of any assault ripple across the city, as well as the rest of Canada.

“ The impact is brutal on them as individuals,” said Mahar. “Nobody sees or I think recognizes the impact on the industry. Right now Calgary Transit is trying to hire 800 operators — that’s a significant number and we are struggling.”

 

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas attended the rally, joined by eight city councillors.

Like the union members who organized the rally, the mayor wore a bright yellow shirt with the words  ‘ ‘assault a transit operator, go to jail’ printed across it.

Coun. Raj Dhaliwal represents the northeast ward where the attack on Grewal occurred.

He says council has already increased the transit budget for further safety enhancements, but says more needs to be done.

“We need to look at the operational procedures of transit, especially after dark. What operators should and should not be doing. What is the role of shift supervisor when it comes to keeping operators safe?” said Dhaliwal.

Curtis Baker-Spence has been sentenced to four years for his role in the attack. With credit for time spent behind bars, he has 28 months left on his sentence.

His brother, Darryl Flett, is to be sentenced in August.

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

A B.C. brewery was hoping to host a World Cup street party next week, but FIFA says they are not allowed.

Patina Brewing was planning a family-friendly block party for the Canada vs. Switzerland match on Wednesday. They wanted to shut down the street and add outdoor screens for the big game.

The brewery said it followed FIFA’s application process, received city approval and lined up local sponsors and vendors, including a fundraiser for PoCo FC.

“We were involving the PoCo FC, which is our local soccer association; we were raising money for them so that they can help the underprivileged children play soccer in our community,” Sarah Harbord, Patina Brewing’s director of operations, said.

However, this week, FIFA denied the application.

“As your organization operates in a category that directly competes with one of FIFA’s commercial partners, it is not eligible to host, sponsor, exhibit at, or otherwise be associated with a public viewing event relating to the tournament,” the statement read.

Megan Spletzer, Patina Brewing’s events coordinator, told Global News they were surprised at the rejection.

“Because we just didn’t think that that was going to be an issue,” she said.

“We didn’t think that that would be the main reason that we couldn’t host our party.”

FIFA said Patina is competition for its official beer producer, AB InBev, which operates in 50 countries and generates roughly $60 billion in revenue a year.

Port Coquitlam’s mayor, Brad West, said it was disappointing to learn of FIFA’s decision.

“You know, yesterday everyone swept up in World Cup fever and Canada has a historic win and then you get a reminder like this that FIFA are a bunch of arseholes,” he said.

“So I was pretty disappointed. I think this is probably why they have the reputation that they do.”

Patina can still show the matches inside the brewery, but the street party is off.

Staff said it will continue finding ways to support PoCo FC and bring people together during the World Cup.

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

Vancouver residents and World Cup visitors are celebrating Team Canada’s win at BC Place on Thursday and the fun and festivities in the city.

“Yesterday was amazing. I mean, as everybody knows, big win for Canada, six-nothing, BC Place completely sold out, 54,000 fans,” Don Chapman, Deputy Chief of the Vancouver Police Department, told Global News.

“We had our fan fest pretty much at a sellout as well; I think at one point with 21,000 fans on site there, another 40,000 for the totality of the game. The Granville Entertainment District was busy as well as viewing sites all around the city. All in all, great day, great deployment. I think everybody had a great time.”

Chapman said about 1,200 officers were deployed across the city throughout the day.

He said there were only three people ejected from BC Place and no arrests.

Chapman said there are going to be some small deployment changes inside BC Place for Canada’s Wednesday game, but other than that, no major changes to policing are expected.

Victoria residents Dallas Nicholls and Nahoa Kahakauwila attended the game at BC Place and said the atmosphere was electric.

“I’ve never felt so patriotic,” Nicholls said.

“It was pretty cool that we did the march before and the streets were just flooded with red and everyone was just chanting. Like, the energy was just insane and inside the stadium was tenfold more. It was insane.”

Kahakauwila said it was a huge win for Team Canada and Canadians.

“I think this is a huge win, huge historical moment for us and I’m happy that we were able to witness history,” he said.

Nicholls said it is a sign that other teams shouldn’t count Canada out.

“Don’t underestimate us just because maybe we’re not a European country; Canada’s still got it,” he said.

“We’re hosting this tournament and I don’t know, I have a lot of confidence in us and I hope we just make it far in this tournament. And yeah, don’t underestimate a six-nothing win was a staple.”

Bars and restaurants playing the game were packed with fans.

“It was absolute insanity,” Murray Saunders, general manager of the Shark Club, said.

“It was one of the best energies I’ve experienced here. I’ve experienced a lot of things here. You know, Olympic watching, Canada versus U.S., Grey Cup, this was the best.”

He said they served more than 1,200 customers, with 650 of those before the 3 p.m. kick-off.

They served more than 1,500 beers, 1,000 cocktails, 1,000 meals and 200 burgers.

“Other big game days won’t quite do those numbers. You know, the biggest thing we had here was the Grey Cup, but this match was right up there with them,” Saunders added.

He said it’s busy for the other World Cup games as well, not just the Canada games.

“I said to all of my staff, you need to walk up to the table and say welcome to Vancouver, because we’re seeing people from all over the globe right now,” Saunders said.

“They’re supporting their country.”

He said they will be opening earlier for Canada’s Wednesday game to make sure everyone gets in before the game starts.

Jesse Adcock, host committee lead and chief delivery officer for the City of Vancouver, said there was one ticket left at the end of the day for the Fan Fest at the PNE.

“We had over 40,000 people come through the Fan Fest yesterday,” she said. “So it was beyond our wildest dreams, you know? We’re so happy that people are enjoying it, that it’s resonating with them.”

Adcock added that it was also a learning opportunity.

“We have scaled the city now to a point that we are in uncharted territory, so we are every day checking in across agencies, across groups, across levels of government, you know, because we’re all working together to deliver this event. This is not just one singular host committee,” she said.

And it appears that people heeded the message to take transit to the game and the downtown core.

Transit riders from across Metro Vancouver packed buses, SkyTrain cars and SeaBus routes Thursday.

TransLink said June 18 brought the highest ridership across its system since early 2020 and according to preliminary figures released Friday, there were more than 1.36 million boardings across the transit system on match day, along with approximately 849,100 trips.

That is an 18 per cent increase in boardings compared with what TransLink said would be expected on a typical Thursday.

The agency said the numbers show fans travelled from across the region to support Canada, with especially strong ridership growth in Richmond, Burnaby and the Tri-Cities.

Ridership was also up in Surrey, with Scott Road Station seeing a 21.8 per cent increase and King George Station recording a 13.1 per cent jump.

YVR-Airport Station saw ridership rise 23.6 per cent, a sign, TransLink said, of visitors continuing to arrive in the region for the tournament.

TransLink said the ridership increase reflects both the excitement around the tournament and the role transit is playing in moving fans, workers and visitors during major events.

The agency said the increase was not limited to downtown Vancouver or stations connected to FIFA Fan Festival shuttles. It said preliminary data showed strong growth at stations across the region, suggesting fans were coming in from multiple communities rather than just the city core.

The numbers also offer an early look at how Metro Vancouver’s transit network is handling World Cup demand.

Vancouver is one of 16 host cities for the 2026 tournament, which is being held across Canada, the United States and Mexico. The city is hosting seven matches, including five group-stage games and two knockout-round games.

For TransLink, Thursday’s ridership was a major test of how the system can absorb large crowds while still serving regular commuters.

The agency said transit continued to help people get to work, school and other destinations while also moving thousands of soccer fans to and from the match.

TransLink said a boarding is counted every time someone gets on a transit vehicle, while a trip represents a full journey from start to finish, including transfers.

The agency said its comparison to a typical Thursday is based on projected ridership had the World Cup match not been taking place. That projection is calculated using recent ridership patterns and ridership from the same day last year.

The figures released on Friday are preliminary and could change as estimates are finalized.

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

Investigators believe an illegal campfire sparked the wildfire that tore through West Kelowna’s Kalamoir Regional Park earlier this week, forcing hundreds of residents from their homes and scorching more than nine hectares of land.

“RCMP come up to me and he said, ‘You have one minute sir to leave and the fire is 500 yards from your front door,'” said area resident Bert Legault. “People panicked.”

The wildfire, which quickly grew to more than nine hectares due to strong winds, erupted Tuesday on the south side of the roughly 30-hectare park.

While the wildfire has now been extinguished, officials say significant hazards remain throughout the park, which remains closed to the public.

“The fire was pretty unexpected,” said Wayne Darlington, manager of parks capital planning and asset management with the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO).

Darlington toured the burned area with Global News, pointing out numerous dangers left behind by the fire, including unstable terrain, hazardous trees and hidden ash pits.

“We have trees that are burnt that potentially could fall, injure, harm people,” Darlington said. “We have rocks that are potentially broken, as a result of the heat of the fire, that could tumble down and injure people. We have burn holes on the sides of the trails, where a tree used to stand and we call them ash pits.”

Officials estimate roughly one-third of the park was burned.

However, West Kelowna’s fire chief  said the damage could have been much worse if not for fuel mitigation work carried out in previous years.

“This is a fire that we have planned for decades,” said West Kelowna Fire Chief Jason Brolund earlier this week. “The regional district has done wildfire mitigation work in the park for a day like today and it proved its worth.”

Geotechnical specialists and hazard-tree experts are expected to conduct a detailed assessment of the park early next week to determine the full extent of the damage and whether portions of the park can safely reopen.

For now, the public is being urged to stay away from the park and the many hidden hazards that exist within it.

“We have concern over public safety and public safety is our number one thing,” Darlington said.

Officials are reminding the public that campfires are not permitted in parks and could result in fines of up to $1,000.

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

Environment Canada has issued a tornado watch for the Prince George region of British Columbia.

The agency says that “conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms which may produce tornadoes. Strong winds, large hail and heavy rain are also possible.”

A severe thunderstorm watch has also been issued for the Shuswap, up to Burns Lake and Dawson Creek.

Environment Canada says “significant damage or destruction to infrastructure, homes and the natural environment is possible.”

It cautions that in the event of a tornado, or if a tornado warning is issued, people should go indoors to a room on the lowest floor, stay away from outside walls and windows and take shelter in a strong building if possible.

They said that if anyone hears a roaring sound or sees a funnel cloud or swirling debris, take cover immediately.

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

As Canada works to implement a national strategy around artificial intelligence, announced earlier this month, advocates in Saskatchewan say a provincial version could help, too.

The federal government unveiled Canada’s new AI strategy on June 4, centred around scaling and securing the sector, with six “pillars” of focus.

Alex Fallon, founder of Artificial Intelligence Saskatchewan (AiSK), is welcoming the federal strategy, saying it provides clarity and certainty to the industry and academics.

“And now the province can kind of look at that and ask, ‘How do we align to it? How does industry benefit from that strategy?” Fallon said in an interview.

While provinces such as Ontario and Alberta have frameworks around their approaches to AI, Saskatchewan does not — something advocates say could help protect jobs and scale the workforce.

“Government supporting the tech sector is absolutely key to keeping our talent here and helping to attract talent and then really supporting startups and medium-sized companies to grow,” said Fallon.

In a statement to Global News, Innovation Saskatchewan’s CEO says the province supports AI adoption and is helping businesses do so safely.

“Saskatchewan is taking a responsible and coordinated approach to AI adoption, supporting practical use across government and our economy,” said Kari Harvey.

“Through collaboration with ecosystem partners, we are supporting AI literacy and helping deliver practical learning opportunities so Saskatchewan businesses can adopt AI safely and in ways that match their size, capacity and business needs.”

Support for companies using AI is a sentiment shared by Phillip Harder, VP of Data Science at Croptimistic, a Saskatoon-based agriculture technology company helping farmers map their soil.

“There’s a lot of hype that’s gone into AI, and it becomes a silver bullet, but it’s just the reality that it’s another tool, right? And we still need to learn how to use it,” said Harder, noting the costs of integrating the technology into businesses.

Croptimistic was given a nod by AI Minister Evan Solomon in his opening address in the strategy, something Harder said was unexpected and humbling for him and his colleagues.

“We hear about these strategies and all these things, and then all of a sudden we’re in the second paragraph being mentioned as one of the AI innovators in agriculture.”

The company is not alone in its usage of AI, with opportunities and interest growing around the province, especially in industries the province already excels in.

“I think the real opportunity for AI in Saskatchewan is how we apply it to our key sectors. So, using AI in mining operations, in farming, agriculture, and manufacturing, I think that’ll be a strength where Saskatchewan can play in the AI space,” said Fallon.

As interest in the technology grows, Saskatchewan’s privacy commissioner says a provincial strategy could also help protect residents from concerns such as deepfakes and facial recognition.

“Without a lot of guidance and a lot of thought as to how it’s adapted, it can really turn into a massive surveillance technique,” Grace Hession David, Saskatchewan’s information and privacy commissioner, told Global News in an interview.

Hession David says the best way for people to protect themselves from AI at this time is through education.

“We all have to admit AI is here and it’s going to be the way of the future, there’s no going back from it. But we have to really be aware of it. We have to understand it as best we can. And we have know how to approach it,” she said.

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

Designs have been completed for a major planned expansion to the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada, at the site of the former residential school in Portage la Prairie, Man.

Executive director Lorraine Daniels says it will be a place of healing and community.

“For some it will bring closure, and continue on with their healing journey,” she says. “It’s a place where they can connect with other survivors.”

The plans include a new building behind the old school, centred on the Seven Sacred Teachings and including space for cultural activities, sweats, and sharing circles. A new medicine garden and a new monument to the students who never came home is planned for the grounds, and a dock with canoes is planned for the riverbank in front of the property.

Daniels says it will be a way to reclaim the space, and let people connect with the land and water.

“At one time, they weren’t allowed to leave the grounds, and now it’s open and there’s freedom, and it’s just a way to relax,” she says.

The project is in its early stages. Daniels estimates it may take between 5 and 10 years to complete, and the museum will have to raise up to $30 million.

Watch the video above for the full story.

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

Five children killed in a devastating crash in rural Ontario last week will be laid to rest Saturday, as family, friends and community members gather to mourn their loss.

Peter Doerksen, 12, Helena Doerksen, 10, Sara Doerksen, eight, Maggie Doerksen, six, and Susy Doerksen, four, died following a two-vehicle collision in Mapleton Township on June 12.

According to an obituary, visitation was held Friday at Wallenstein Bible Chapel in Wallenstein, Ont.

A funeral service is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m., followed by interment at Morningview Gospel Cemetery in Milverton.

“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of five beloved children,” the obituary states.

The children are survived by their parents, Cornelius Doerksen Froese and Judit Doerksen, as well as six siblings.

OPP have said the children were among 10 occupants in a passenger van that collided with an SUV at the intersection of Wellington Road 12 and Fourth Line in Mapleton Township, northwest of Guelph.

Four adults and an infant who were also travelling in the van suffered serious injuries. The driver of the SUV was also seriously injured.

In a crowdfunding appeal published after the crash, the children’s sister, Nancy Doerksen, described the family’s grief as “beyond words.”

“Our mom remains in the hospital suffering from multiple injuries, including injuries to her kidney, liver, gallbladder, broken ribs and pelvic bone, along with extensive bruising and trauma,” she said on the page.

“At this time, we are unsure how long her recovery will take,” she wrote, adding that her father is recovering at home while helping care for the family.

The fundraiser said the donations would help cover funeral expenses and other costs as the family focuses on healing and recovery.

The weight of the tragedy has reverberated across the country.

“My thoughts are with the family and their loved ones as they face this horrific tragedy, and with the people of Elmira and Mapleton,” Prime Minister Mark Carney shared on social media.

“I offer my sincere thanks to the first responders for their swift action and support of those who were injured.”

Police have not released any information suggesting charges are expected, and the investigation remains ongoing.

—with files from Global News’ Rachel Morgan

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

The Chief of the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Chief Sheldon Sunshine, is calling for an apology from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s office after some controversial comments made Thursday by a senior staffer in a social media post.

In a post on X, the executive director of Premier Danielle Smith’s office, Bruce McAllister said, in response to Alberta Chiefs calling for the premier to be investigated for treason, that “people are sick and tired of hearing unrealistic demands from them.”

Describing their demand for an investigation into allegations of treason as “childish nonsense,” McAllister said the chiefs’ priority should be to fix issues such as “devastating addition and overdose crises” that are tearing families apart and described First Nations as being entrenched in poverty, high unemployment and domestic violence.

Responding Friday to the comments, Chief Sunshine said in a statement that if such comments “were made by a senior staffer in a Premier’s office in any other province, they would be fired.”

Alberta Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi also called for McAllister to be fired on Friday.

Nenshi says McAllister’s commentary echoes bullying behaviour from Smith and a pattern of disrespect from her United Conservatives.

He says if the premier wants to send the message that she respects Albertans, she should start by firing McAllister.

“These are dog whistles,” said Nenshi, who added that “(McAllister’s) entire world is about making and keeping people angry.”

“We cannot afford to normalize this type of racist language in Alberta,” said Chief Sunshine, who added, “We look forward to his public apology.”

When asked for a response to the Chief’s comments, an official in Premier Danielle Smith’s office sent a written response to Global News that said, “Accusing elected officials of treason is dangerous and unacceptable rhetoric that only fuels division. It must be rejected entirely.”

“We want to work collaboratively on a government-to-government basis to make our communities stronger. When the Treaty Chiefs are ready to do that, we’ll look forward to it,” the statement added.

–with files from The Canadian Press.

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

Starting this fall, the Alberta government plans to allow approved doctors to work in both the public and private health care systems in the province.

The announcement about the launch of the “dual practice model” was made Thursday by Health Minister Adriana LaGrange, who says the status quo is not working because too many Albertans are waiting in the queue too long to get surgery.

 

The procedures that will be eligible under the new model include hip and knee replacements, orthopedic procedures, cataract surgery, select ear, nose and throat surgeries, dermatology, plastic surgery and gynecological surgeries.

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, only 64 per cent of hip and knee replacements are done within the six-month target time.

While the health minister claims the new system will reduce wait times, University of Calgary researcher Babatope Adebiyii says that might not be true.

“With every policy it’s always a good idea on paper (but) when it comes to implementation, how do we implement dual policy?”

In a paper published last month in the world-leading, peer-reviewed, medical journal The Lancet Adebiyii found that when surgeons in Ireland, Australia, the U.K., Brazil and Chile worked in both the public and private health care systems, wait times go longer for people in the public system and shorter for those able to pay.

Some details of the Alberta government’s plan still need to be revealed — like what the minimum hours will be that a doctor must work in the public system, before they can work in the private system.

The CEO of Acumen Health, a private sports medicine, orthopedic and rehab clinic that operates in Alberta, says those details are key.

“How we’re going to be working with the public is the utmost importance,” says Francesca Sebastion. “How we are going to be able to rent the OR room that is in non-hospital facilities and those surgeons that are going to be coming from public and private, how will that affect the access to patients?”

The Alberta NDP say under the government’s “two-tiered” health care plan an individual’s income will determine how quickly they can receive non-emergency medical care — ushering in “American-style for-profit health care.”

The NDP says that is “unacceptable, and so is the silence from the federal Minister of Health.”

They’re calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Health Minister to enforce the Canada Health Act.

The federal government says it is reviewing Alberta’s plans carefully and will ensure the Canada Health Act is upheld before the Alberta government’s plans are fully implemented.

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