In the news: First Nations water protections, death in the ER, New Year’s resolutions

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …

Minister not promising source water protection in new First Nations clean water bill

With her government under pressure to eliminate boil-water advisories in First Nations communities, Canada’s minister for Indigenous services isn’t committing to bringing back a defunct clean water bill in the new year as written — after two provinces objected to it.

The bill died when the last federal election was called, but Mandy Gull-Masty said she was committed to reintroducing it — despite opposition from the provincial governments in Alberta and Ontario.

Speaking to The Canadian Press this month, she would not commit to including the same source water protections in the new bill — nor would she say whether she is pushing for those protections around the cabinet table.

Indigenous leaders say the government’s progress on addressing their own communities’ critical priorities slowed to a crawl over the past 12 months.

New legal structure of Alberta health system in place, Premier Smith now eyes results

The Alberta government in 2025 completed the final legal foundations of its new health-care system — and Premier Danielle Smith says she’ll be working in 2026 to prove it was worth it.

Smith’s government has been working to restructure the health system from one province-wide provider to four organizations handling different specialties.

Smith tells The Canadian Press that with one major piece of legislation passed in the fall sitting, the restructuring effort “is pretty much done.”

The premier has acknowledged the challenges that have long plagued Alberta’s health-care system and is promising a new public dashboard to show decreasing wait times for things like surgeries.

Grieving wife of man who died waiting for treatment in Alberta ER shares her story

Niharika Sreekumar’s husband died in her arms in a hospital emergency ward after waiting nearly eight hours for care, but her hardest day has yet to come.

On Wednesday, she will be putting to rest her husband, Prashanth, the family’s sole provider, with her three kids, their grandparents and several community members by her side.

Niharika Sreekumar says her kids haven’t stopped crying and keep asking where their father is since his death a week ago at Edmonton’s Grey Nuns Community Hospital.

The Alberta government has ordered a review of the circumstances and factors leading to Prashanth’s death, but Niharika doesn’t believe a review will serve justice and is planning to ask a lawyer about her options.

Winter storms continue to hammer parts of Eastern Canada

It’s gearing up to be another messy day on the roads in parts of Ontario and Quebec as storm fronts continue to pound the area.

A winter storm Monday brought freezing rain, blowing snow and strong winds across Eastern Canada that, at one point, left tens of thousands without power in Ontario.

Environment Canada says some areas northeast of Quebec City and into northern New Brunswick could see between 15 and 40 centimetres of snow along with high winds.

Much of Canada has been blasted with a number of weather systems over the last week, ranging from blizzards and cold snaps to freezing rain.

How to build an emergency fund, pay off debt and make a plan for your money in 2026

With 2026 fast approaching, many people will be looking at financial wellness as a New Year’s resolution.

Experts say New Year’s is a good time to review and realign financial goals overall.

Erica Grundza, with the investing and savings app Betterment, recommends focusing less on the past and more on an optimistic yet realistic vision for the future.

Many who spoke to The Associated Press say their resolutions involve paying off credit card debt, saving for a new house and bettering their understanding of money.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 30, 2025.

The Canadian Press