Shopaholic author Sophie Kinsella reveals aggressive brain cancer diagnosis

Best-selling British author Sophie Kinsella announced Wednesday that she has glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. The 54-year-old author, whose real name is Madeleine Sophie Wickham, wrote in a statement posted to her social media accounts that she was diagnosed in 2022. She said she’d had surgery and is undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. “I’ve wanted for a long time to … Read more

Liberals pledge $9B in new money for Indigenous communities in 2024 budget

The Trudeau government is promising $9 billion in new cash for Indigenous communities over the next five years, a smaller spend than some past budgets but one the government says builds on past investments and maintains an upward trend. The plan sparked mixed reviews from Indigenous leaders, with some immediately panning it as a failure and others … Read more

Rust armourer sentenced to 18 months over fatal on-set shooting by Alec Baldwin

A movie weapons supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison over the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the western film Rust during a hearing Monday in which tearful family members and friends gave testimonials that included calls for justice and a punishment that would instill greater accountability for … Read more

Quebec employers group worried ‘political’ immigration debate will hurt jobs

The latest spat between Quebec and Ottawa over immigration is based on politics and not the reality of the labour market, says the head of a major employers group. “In some ways, it’s deplorable,” said Karl Blackburn, president and CEO of the Conseil du patronat du Québec. His comments come as Quebec Premier François Legault … Read more

Why the Conservatives and NDP are headed for a clash over Canada’s working-class votes

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s path to power may be by prosecuting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s past eight years in government, but his road to victory is painted NDP orange. Appealing to working-class voters in rural and northern ridings — like those held by New Democrats across British Columbia and Liberals in northern Ontario — is … Read more

Advocacy groups decry federal government’s shutdown of mental health website, app

Mental health and addictions experts are slamming the federal government’s decision to shut down an online service that offered help with finding free counselling and peer support over the last four years. Health Canada announced in February that it would stop funding the Wellness Together Canada website and PocketWell app on April 3. Despite a … Read more

Can retraining the brain help silence tinnitus? Some scientists are trying to find out

The Current23:55Retraining the brain to silence tinnitus For nearly 40 years, Ken Jones has heard a very loud hissing in his ears.  “It sounds like [an] electrical power line,” he told The Current‘s Matt Galloway. “Mine is at about 92 dB on the decibel scale” — as loud as hairdryers and power tools. The sound … Read more

Hundreds of Canadian artists denounce ‘alarming’ anti-trans legislation in open letter

More than 400 Canadian artists from the worlds of music, film and literature are denouncing what they describe as “alarming and destructive” anti-trans legislation in an open letter released Sunday by music superstars Tegan and Sara. The list of stars who signed the letter includes actor Elliot Page, Great Big Sea frontman Alan Doyle, actress … Read more

This layoff could have been an email. Is there a good way to lose your job as a remote worker?

Is there a good way to lay off a remote worker?  Four years after remote work became the norm for a huge section of the labour force, it appears some companies are still struggling with the etiquette of letting someone go virtually. And amid a gradually cooling labour market and mass layoffs in several sectors, such as media and the tech industry, it’s … Read more

Bank of Canada holds key interest rate at 5% again, saying it’s still too soon for rate cuts

The Bank of Canada has held its key interest rate at five per cent again, saying that it’s still too soon to consider rate cuts while underlying inflation persists. Economists were widely expecting the central bank to hold the rate. The bank said in a note on its website that it was still concerned about underlying inflation, which strips … Read more