EDMONTON – Vincent Blanchard kicked four field goals as the Edmonton Elks continued their stellar start to the CFL season, holding on for a 19-17 victory over the B.C. Lions on Friday.

The Elks, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2019, moved back into sole possession of first place in the West Division at 5-1.

The Lions remained in last place in the West, dropping to 1-4. B.C.’s lone win came against Edmonton, a 36-24 victory on July 4 in Kelowna, B.C.

After Lions’ starting quarterback Nathan Rourke left the game following what appeared to be a shoulder injury when he was sacked on the opening drive, Edmonton’s defence came up big before the five-minute mark as B.C. backup Chase Brice had his arm clipped on a pass and the ball went up in the air before landing in the waiting arms of lineman Gavin Meyer, leading to a 38-yard field goal by Blanchard.

The Lions came roaring back as Keon Hatcher made a nice 40-yard catch to set up a one-yard TD plunge by Zander Horvath.

Edmonton reclaimed the lead midway through the second quarter after an interception by Tyrell Ford eventually set up a four-yard touchdown pass from Cody Fajardo to T.J. Luther.

The Elks extended their league on their next drive as a 54-yard passing play to Joshua Cephus led to a 26-yard Blanchard field goal.

Brice was picked off a third time by JJ Ross, leading to another Blanchard field goal to end the first half with Edmonton up 16-7.

Blanchard kicked his fourth field goal from 16 yards out late in the third.

The Lions marched back early in the fourth quarter and got an 11-yard TD catch by Hatcher.

The B.C. defence then made a huge play as they forced a fumble that was recovered on the Edmonton 19 by Matt Spatny. Sean Whyte kicked a 19-yard field goal to cut the Elks’ lead to 19-17.

Edmonton had a big defensive stand to turn the ball over on downs with 41 seconds left, allowing them to run out the clock.

UP NEXT

Lions: Host the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday, July 25.

Elks: Visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Thursday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

For most people, it’s just another highway through the South Okanagan.

For Osoyoos Band Chief Clarence Louie, it’s a daily reminder of land his community says was taken more than a century ago.

After years of negotiations, the Osoyoos Band is working with the province of British Columbia on a land claim swap that could re-draw where the reserve starts and ends.

Rather than seeking the return of highways that now cross reserve land, the band is negotiating for a patchwork of Crown land of comparable value, including culturally significant sites and an ancestral burial site.

“They want the highway that goes through our reserve,” Louie said. “They are demanding it. We want our old reserve lands back. Call it a land swap.”

The proposal would allow the highways to remain open while returning other Crown land to the band.

Louie says the biggest misconception is that nearby homeowners could lose their property.

“Property owners have nothing to worry about,” he said. “No private property has been on the table. No one needs to be concerned about their private property.”

Instead, the negotiations focus entirely on Crown land.

For Louie, however, this isn’t simply about replacing acres.

“Natives didn’t have churches,” he said. “We had landmarks, like Spotted Lake — that’s our church. We want our churches back, and we want our grave sites back.”

Those spiritual and cultural connections are why some of the land being discussed includes places of historical significance.

B.C. Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Spencer Chandra Herbert says negotiations like these can avoid years of uncertainty in the courts.

“You actually get more done when you work together. When you find mutual interest you get more out of it,” he said.

Louie hopes this agreement proves historic land disputes don’t have to pit communities against one another. Instead, he says, they can be resolved through negotiation, protecting public highways, leaving private property untouched and returning Crown land that carries generations of history.

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

Preparations are underway in Penticton, B.C., for the 43rd annual Peach Classic Triathlon, with organizers expecting a record-setting turnout that is also anticipated to provide a significant economic boost to the community.

More than 1,100 athletes have registered for this year’s event, an increase of nearly 60 per cent over last year.

“We’re really excited about the growth and we actually brought back the kids race this year as well, which used to exist in town quite a while ago, so we’re really excited,” said Drew Mitchell, the president of the Penticton Triathlon Club.

Participants have travelled from across British Columbia and beyond, with many making a weekend vacation out of the race.

“I’d heard so many things about the Peach, the Peach Classic,” said Kim Klassen, who travelled from Calgary to take part in the event. “It’s a doable distance from Calgary. We could bring our dog. We could just make a vacation out of it.”

Organizers attribute the event’s continued growth to a combination of strong marketing, support from municipal and provincial partners and Penticton’s reputation as a premier destination.

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “We swim, then they go up Vancouver Hill.  It’s a bit of a shot in the head right up there — it’s a bit stiff — but then they ride up the Naramata Bench. Is that not just a beautiful place?”

The influx of competitors, along with family members and supporters, is expected to generate at least $1 million in economic activity for the city.

“We’re right in the thick of it,” said Kendra Mitchell, general manager of the Kettle Valley Beach Resort.  “It’s just exciting to see this event grow. The amount of people that are coming in to do the race, obviously, we benefit from that.”

Mitchell said the hotel is fully booked for the weekend with all hands on deck ready to serve guests.

“We have lots of guests that are staying here,” Mitchell said.  “The restaurant is going to be busy, so it’s really exciting for us to see.”

For many competitors, their plans go well beyond just swimming, biking and running while in the South Okanagan city.

“A little shopping, a little eating, and enjoying that canal cruise,” Klassen said of her plans after crossing the finish line.

 

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

A 22-year-old British Columbia man says a dream vacation became a terrifying ordeal after he was arrested in the country of Georgia for carrying prescription ADHD medication.

Simon Rovensky spent nearly two months in Gldani Prison before being released after his family raised tens of thousands of dollars to cover a fine, legal fees and other costs.

Now reunited with his sister in Turkey, Rovensky is speaking exclusively to Global News about his arrest, the conditions he endured in prison and the strangers whose generosity helped secure his freedom.

“I realized pretty much right off the start that I was going to get arrested,” Rovensky said.

“It was really scary because I described that I had this medication legally. When they asked me what it was, I showed them the bottle. It had the prescription tag on it with all of the information, the medication name, the dosage, my name and where I bought it.”

Rovensky said Georgian authorities appeared to regard the medication as a narcotic. Although it was in its original pharmacy container and he had a receipt, he did not have a paper copy of his prescription that had been translated into Georgian.

Authorities took his phone, leaving him unable to call his doctor or family, he said.

Rovensky said he was questioned for about six hours with the assistance of a translator whose English he had difficulty understanding.

“I also did request to call the consulate, but they denied that request,” he said. “They told me that somebody from the consul was going to come see me eventually.”

He said authorities then handcuffed him and filmed him being escorted through the airport.

“They actually took a video of my arrest,” Rovensky said. “I walked through the airport in front of everybody handcuffed. They did two takes. I don’t know why exactly. Maybe they didn’t like the first one.”

He said he was placed in an unmarked vehicle and taken first to a medical facility, where he underwent tests and further questioning, and then to a detention centre.

For his family in Canada, the first indication that something had gone wrong was a brief message from Rovensky.

“We were frantic,” his sister, Nika Rovensky, said. “My mom and my sister and I just got this text from Simon saying, ‘I’m being arrested. They took my ADHD pills. I don’t know what’s going on.’ And that’s it.”

Nika said the family did not initially know where he had been taken or whether he was safe.

“He just disappeared from the airport,” she said.

Rovensky had been travelling with a friend, who alerted the family. Simon said that without his friend’s help, he does not know how long it would have taken anyone to find him.

“If he wasn’t there, then I don’t know how long I would have been there without any contact,” he said.

Rovensky said he was unable to speak directly with his family for about two weeks.

His family also requested that Canadian consular officials conduct a welfare check.

“We had requested a welfare check on Simon, and it wasn’t until two weeks later that they had actually done the welfare check,” Nika said. “We had to repeatedly follow up with them to do that, just to make sure that Simon had his basic needs being met.”

Global Affairs Canada did not provide details about Rovensky’s case, citing privacy considerations.

‘I didn’t know if I was ever going to see my family again’

Rovensky was eventually transferred to Gldani Prison, where he said he spent about 23 hours a day inside a small cell shared with five other people. Gldani prison is a notorious facility that has been the subject of international human rights concerns.

“It was very difficult, more so mentally than physically,” he said. “It was just the uncertainty of not knowing what was going to happen to me.”

“I didn’t know if I was ever going to see my family again or my friends, or if I was going to spend a very long time in prison.”

Rovensky described crumbling walls, exposed wiring, cockroaches and rats. He said insects sometimes crawled over prisoners while they slept.

“There was a large cockroach infestation,” he said. “They would crawl over you when you’d sleep.”

He said a piece of plaster and concrete once fell from the wall onto another prisoner while they were eating.

During his initial quarantine period, Rovensky said the lights remained on continuously and he had little access to personal items.

He said he was unable to shower for the first 10 days and wore the same clothing for weeks because people outside the prison were initially prohibited from delivering supplies.

“If you don’t have somebody on the outside that can bring you things, you’re pretty much stuck there with what you’re wearing,” he said.

Rovensky said prisoners were sometimes allowed onto the roof for about an hour, where they walked in circles inside an enclosed area.

Even that opportunity was not guaranteed, he said.

“If we got lucky, then we got the outside time,” Rovensky said. “Most of the time, it was just in the cell.

“You’re trapped in there.”

He also lost access to his ADHD medication.

Rovensky said the isolation, uncertainty and lack of treatment took a severe mental toll.

I was going crazy from overthinking,” he said. “My anxiety was through the roof. I couldn’t eat. I would wake up and have almost like a panic attack.”

For several weeks, he said, there were no English-language books available to occupy his time.

“All I could really do was just look at the ceiling and overthink, not knowing what’s going on,” he said.

Family calls for clearer medication warnings

Rovensky was released after paying a fine his family says was equivalent to approximately $16,000 Canadian.

Nika later said the fine was closer to $20,000 once converted, while legal fees, translation services and other expenses brought the family’s total costs to about $35,000.

The family says donations made through an online fundraiser on GoFundMe helped make his release possible.

Nika is now calling on the federal government to make warnings about travelling with medication more prominent.

She said hundreds of people contacted the family after the case became public, with many saying they had also travelled internationally with ADHD medication.

“Georgia has very specific laws that maybe not every traveller would think to check, especially if it’s their first time travelling,” she said.

Nika said the family wants travellers to be warned before they reach an airport in another country.

“There wasn’t even a question asked,” she said. “By the time you figure out that it’s illegal, it’s already too late, and you’re walking out of the airport in handcuffs.”

The family argues that Canadians may not realize medications commonly prescribed in Canada, including some ADHD and pain medications, can be prohibited or more heavily regulated elsewhere.

Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod provided the following response to Global News:

“Global Affairs Canada monitors events worldwide that could affect Canadians and Canadian interests abroad, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and updates its Travel Advice and Advisories.

“The Travel Advice and Advisories are provided to help travellers make their own informed decisions regarding destinations. However, the decision to travel is personal, and individuals are responsible for their own safety while abroad.

“Canadians should consult the travel advisories regularly for the latest information and advice, including any advisories against travel. The latest travel advice and advisories for Georgia can be found online, including the Health section for this country.

“Consular services are tailored to the needs of the situation in accordance with the Canadian Consular Services Charter. For general information about the types of assistance that may be provided, refer to the department’s information on arrest and detention.

“Before travelling, Global Affairs Canada highly encourages Canadians to sign up online with the Registration of Canadians Abroad system to receive important updates, know where the closest Canadian office abroad is for consular assistance, and follow Global Affairs Canada’s travel accounts on social media.

“Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed.”

The department did not directly answer Global News’ questions about whether warnings involving prescription medications are sufficiently prominent or whether additional measures are being considered.

‘I hope one day I can pay back the kindness’

Rovensky is now in Turkey with his sister.

He said the experience changed the way he views his freedom, family and community.

“It really made me think about my life and how lucky I am to have the freedom I had, or took for granted,” he said.

“A lot of people in there didn’t have any of that, and I would just think for days on how lucky I am to have people that actually care about me and are there for me.”

Rovensky became emotional while speaking about the people who donated money, sent messages and supported his family.

“I’m forever grateful for every single individual, even people that didn’t know me,” he said. “Just out of the kindness of their heart, they felt for my situation and they showed their support.”

He said hearing that people in Canada, Georgia and elsewhere were following his case helped him endure his imprisonment.

“It was truly a morale boost to hear that so many people cared about my situation,” Rovensky said.

“I hope one day I can pay back the kindness. I’m very, very grateful to every single person from Canada, from Georgia, from everywhere in the world. There was just a lot of support, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

The family says any money left over from the GoFundMe will be donated to a charity supporting people with ADHD.

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

A group of B.C. First Nations recently travelled to Ontario to learn about nuclear power and small modular reactors and how they could help the province meet its growing electricity needs.

Ontario is moving ahead with plans to build up to four small modular reactors (SMRs).

The Respective Territories of the Haisla Nation, Metlakatla First Nation, Nisga’a Nation, Halfway River First Nation and Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation are now asking if that technology could one day have a place in B.C.

“Is it the right thing?” Chief Wes Sam of the Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation said.

“I don’t know, I’m trying to determine that. I’m not for or against, but I like to educate myself and so does my community, and maybe probably the province of B.C. should look into potential possibilities.”

B.C. is expecting a surge in electricity demand over the next two decades. While the province is betting on wind and solar, First Nations say they’re exploring every option to meet future energy needs.

“While infrastructure co-ownership is already a well-established model for our Nations across LNG plants, port infrastructure and gas facilities, introducing advanced nuclear power like small modular reactors represents a completely new frontier for British Columbia,” Sam added.

“As we lead major industrial decarbonization efforts across northern B.C., we must proactively evaluate every potential low- and zero-emission power option to sustain our economies and secure our clean energy future.”

For now, nuclear isn’t part of the B.C. government’s plans.

The B.C. government says nuclear power isn’t in its plans for now, saying recent power calls attracted thousands of megawatts of wind and solar proposals, much of it Indigenous-led.

There are also questions about whether SMRs make economic sense in B.C.

Ontario’s first reactor is still years from completion, and experts say building an industry from scratch in Western Canada would take even longer and cost even more.

“I think the evidence on that is pretty clear that renewables are lower cost than anything else right now, and … that wasn’t the case, you know, 15 years ago,” Tim Weis, senior director of the Industrial Decarbonization group at the Pembina Institute, said.

“But wind, solar, and batteries are the lowest-cost electricity we’ve ever seen from any technology, and so they’re basically outcompeting almost everything.”

First Nations leaders insist the trip wasn’t about endorsing nuclear power.

They say it was about understanding a technology that could become an option decades from now, while renewable energy remains the immediate focus.

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

RCMP in northern B.C. are asking the public to help in looking for a missing mother and her one-month-old son.

Fort St. John RCMP said 31-year-old Nicole Andrus and her infant son, Krew Gordon, were reported missing on July 16 — but they haven’t been seen since a week earlier on July 9.

“Nicole has not been seen in person since July 9, and it is out of character for her to be out of contact with her family,” Cpl. Brett Urano, an RCMP spokesperson, said in a release.

He said that previously Nicole was in contact with her family by phone but had not been seen in person.

Police said they and their family are concerned for the wellbeing of the mother and infant.

Police believe Nicole and Krew may be travelling in a green 2003 Ford Expedition SUV bearing British Columbia licence plate RK3 60C.

“We are asking anyone who has seen Nicole, Krew, or the vehicle they may be travelling in to contact police immediately.”

Andrus, 31, is described as five-foot-seven and weighs 135 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes.

• 31 years old
• Caucasian female
• 170 cm (5 feet, 7 inches)
• 61 kg (135 lbs)
• Brown hair
• Hazel eyes

Anyone who sees the mother and son, or the green Ford SUV, is asked not to approach them and instead contact the Fort St. John RCMP immediately at 250-787-8140.

For those who wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

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

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra says President Donald Trump‘s threat to impose new tariffs over smoke from Canadian wildfires should be taken seriously, arguing the ongoing haze is causing economic damage in the United States.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed several major American cities, including Detroit, Washington and Chicago, prompting Trump to lash out at Canada on social media Friday.

https://x.com/TrumpTruthOnX/status/2078201497855426977

“We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He said the wildfire smoke amounts to “Willful Negligence” and is “becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars.” He added that the cost of the pollution “is incalculable” and should be “added to the tariffs Canada currently pays.”

About 30 minutes after Trump’s post, Hoekstra sat down with Global News for an exclusive interview, where he defended the president’s position.

“The president is saying, yeah, I’m holding Canada accountable. We need to fix this,” Hoekstra said.

Hoekstra would not say how large any potential tariffs could be or what legal mechanism the administration might use to impose them. But he said Canada could face consequences if the issue is not addressed.

“There are potential consequences if we don’t get to a resolution,” he said.

The ambassador pointed to economic and environmental impacts in the United States from the smoke. “Businesses are closing, because they don’t feel it’s safe for their workers to go into work. You know, bees are not pollinating,” Hoekstra said. “It is (also) affecting the tourism industry.”

The frustration is not limited to the White House. Republican House members Jack Bergman, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney this week calling for what they described as immediate action by the Canadian government.

“American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year,” the lawmakers wrote. “Sovereignty comes with responsibility, and the responsibility to prevent a foreseeable disaster from crossing into another country’s airspace has not been met.”

Trump has previously threatened additional tariffs against Canada when frustrated with Canadian policies, including a proposed 10 per cent levy linked to the Ontario government’s anti-tariff advertising. Those threats were never implemented.

Asked whether the latest warning should be viewed differently, Hoekstra said, “Not taking the president of the United States serious — do that at your own risk.”

The U.S. Ambassador to Canada added if smoke from the wildfires continue to blanket New Jersey ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday, President Trump will not hesitate to ask the game be postponed.

“If the pollution is so bad that it’s dangerous to the players or it’s dangerous to the fans, the first person to say don’t hold the game will be the President of the United States,” Hoekstra said.

He also said the frustration is growing in the U.S. over recurring smoke from the wildfires north of the border. He said one proposal under discussion is having Canadian officials testify before Congress and state legislatures to help lawmakers better understand the unique challenges of fighting large fires in remote areas of Canada.

Hoekstra said the idea has been raised with the Prime Minister’s Office and Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Mark Wiseman. However, a senior government source told Global News Canadian officials have no plans to testify at public hearings in the United States.

The criticism from Trump and his ambassador comes despite the administration’s own moves to scale back U.S. climate action, even as scientists continue to link climate warming to more frequent and intense wildfire conditions.

In February, the Trump administration revoked scientific findings that have long been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, the most aggressive move by the president to roll back climate regulations.

Trump also withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate deal in 2025, removing the world’s biggest historic emitter from global efforts to fight climate change for the second time in a decade.

A 2023 study found that human-caused climate warming more than doubled the likelihood of extreme fire weather conditions in eastern Canada.

 

–with files from Adriana Fallico, Katherine Cheng,  Sergio Vargas, Ariel Rabinovitch, The Associated Press and Reuters

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

The sudden death of a baby boy is being investigated by Edmonton police.

The Edmonton Police Service said it’s investigating the sudden death that took place Friday at a home on northeast side of the city.

Police were called to the home around 11:30 a.m. after the infant was found unresponsive.

Police said Edmonton Fire Rescue Services and EMS performed life-saving measures and the baby boy was taken to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Police did not share more specific details on what neighbourhood the death occurred in, nor how old the child was.

An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday, July 20.

Police said they continues to investigate and no arrests have been made.

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

An evacuation order has been issued for an area in the southern Cariboo region of B.C. due to a wildfire burning in the region.

The Thompson Nicola Regional District says the Fiftynine Creek wildfire near Big Bar Lake is rapidly escalating and the current evacuation alert is being upgraded to an order.

This order is in effect for approximately 107 addressed properties in Electoral Area “E” (Bonaparte Plateau).

Impacted areas are:

• All properties around Big Bar Lake, including the campground at Big Bar Lake Park; and
• Nearby properties southeast of Big Bar Lake, as outlined on the map.

The regional district says there is a risk that Big Bar Road, which is a gravel road, may be impacted by the fire, so there is a need to upgrade the evacuation alert.

Everyone in the affected area should leave immediately.

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

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra says if smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to blanket New Jersey ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump will not hesitate to ask the game be postponed.

“If the pollution is so bad that it’s dangerous to the players or it’s dangerous to the fans, the first person to say don’t hold the game will be the President of the United States,” Hoekstra told Global News in an exclusive interview.

 

Hoekstra said conversations with FIFA were currently taking place about the air quality ahead of the final between Spain and Argentina.

“We’re not going to jeopardize the health and well-being of the players, or from people around the world, by setting a game that is in unsafe conditions,” said Hoekstra.

The final is set for Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium, an open-air venue in East Rutherford, N.J., where air quality reached “unhealthy for everyone” levels on Friday, according to the U.S. Air Quality Index.

Trump is expected to attend the final and hand out the FIFA World Cup trophy to the winners of the match.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires has blanketed large parts of the United States, estimated to be impacting over 100 million Americans, leading to threats of additional tariffs on Canada from the U.S. president.

Air quality was enough of a concern on Thursday night that MLS postponed the Chicago Fire-Vancouver Whitecaps soccer match scheduled to be played at Soldier Field in Chicago. The MLB also had at least one baseball game postponed and others moved due to the dangerous air quality.

“You can sense the atmosphere a little and you can see there’s smoke in the air,” said Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino on Friday, a day after his team trained outside in hazardous conditions ahead of the World Cup final.

“But for a game that is as important as a World Cup final, you have to be able to shut out external factors as much as possible.”

The predicted air quality for the weekend outside New York is “not extreme by any measure. Also not optimal,” said Christopher Carlsten, the head of the Respiratory Medicine Division at the University of British Columbia.

“On Sunday, what’s predicted in the current models, again, subject to change, is pollution levels of 10 to 20 micrograms per cubic meter. And just to put it in perspective, the recommended for overall health in the World Health Organization is closer to 5.”

 

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