In the news today: maple leaf love in Alberta, Wainwright grieves, B.C. vote nears

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

Maple leaf love: Albertans vote strongly to stay in Canada

O Canada, Alberta is staying put.

In a historic referendum Monday that capped a long debate over separation, voters on both sides overwhelmingly marked their ballots to remain in the country that made Alberta a province 121 years ago.

In early returns, about 76 per cent of Albertans said yes to Confederation, while 24 per cent said they wanted the province to hold a second, binding referendum on leaving.

Both Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney lauded the result in statements on social media.

Smith said she would give a TV address Tuesday night to detail where the province goes from here.

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Wainwright, Alta., residents grieving but resilient after tragic fire on army base

Residents of a central Alberta town are grieving but stoic after a vicious fire killed four soldiers and wounded dozens more at a nearby military base.

Living alongside soldiers preparing for battle, they say, has built up a deep stoicism and resilience in Wainwright, southeast of Edmonton.

Sharon Pashko says Saturday’s tragedy at CFB Wainwright — one of Canada’s busiest military bases — is heartbreaking, but that the town will bounce back.

Defence officials have said 84 members of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry were in a training area of the base when strong and sudden winds sent flames from a nearby grass fire barrelling toward soldiers at lightning speed, sending 39 to hospital.

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Federal ministers defend major projects bill at House committee meeting

Four federal ministers defended the government’s contentious legislation to speed up major projects in the House of Commons on Monday, as Ottawa continues to face criticism from Indigenous, environment and labour groups.

The 243-page bill would fast-track approvals for major projects, cut their review times and create zones of “national interest” to pre-approve certain types of projects.

Labour leaders and union members gathered across Canada last week to protest Bill C-39, arguing the legislation would undermine workers’ right to strike, as it proposes changes to the Canada Labour Code.

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said Monday the bill strengthens the right to strike by removing the ability to use Section 107 before a labour disruption, adding that “Protecting workers and protecting the national interest go hand in hand.”

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Advance voting in B.C. election is down compared to 2024

The number of ballots cast in the first three days of advance voting in the British Columbia election is down about 8 per cent compared to 2024.

Elections BC says there were about 440,000 votes cast from Friday to Sunday, compared to almost 480,000 in the first three days of advance voting last election, which set a record for total advance turnout.

Early voting continues at hundreds of places across the province today and tomorrow until 8 p.m. ahead of final voting day on Saturday.

There were more than one million advance ballots cast in 2024, a surge of 49 per cent compared to the previous election, and a report by the chief electoral officer says the process has been steadily increasing in popularity for two decades.

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Paris police issue overnight curfew in 2 areas of French capital to try to prevent further disorder

Paris police issued an overnight curfew in two areas of the French capital “to protect people and property from the violence and looting.”

The statement on Monday said that the orders ban gatherings and demonstrations and impose a curfew prohibiting anyone from entering or remaining around the Place de la République, where rioting took place Saturday.

The shopping neighbourhood of Les Halles, which has been subject to looting, has also been included in the curfew.

The curfew was in effect from 11 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2026.

The Canadian Press