The Friday news briefing: An at-a-glance survey of some top stories

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PM MEETS INDIGENOUS PROTESTERS: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dropped by a demonstration teepee on Parliament Hill Friday. The teepee was set up by indigenous activists who are using Canada 150 celebrations to draw attention to the history of First Nations in Canada. Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau spent about a half hour at the teepee. The activists gave Trudeau kudos for coming but said that didn’t mean an end to their presence on the Hill.

Cleaning roadways

City of Red Deer to begin street sweeping on Sunday

19h ago

mixed bag

Unemployment rate both up and down for Red Deer in March 2026

20h ago

March 2026 Incident

Trial date set for Red Deer man charged in downtown assaults

20h ago

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ROYAL TOUR SHIFTS TO ONTARIO: Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited the eastern Ontario military base of CFB Trenton Friday. They greeted members of the military and honoured soldiers who died in Afghanistan. The royals opened their trip in Nunavut and will be in Ottawa Saturday for Canada 150 celebrations.

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ORDER OF CANADA TO GROW BY 99 SATURDAY: A host of prominent people are among those to be appointed to the Order of Canada on Saturday. They appointees include Prince Charles, soccer star Christine Sinclair, hockey legend Mark Messier, actor Mike Myers, actress Catherine O’Hara, musician Alan Doyle, and TV host Alex Trebek. In all some 7,000 people have their names on the rolls of the decades-old honours program.

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HORGAN SAYS PIPELINE WON’T BE TOP PRIORITY: British Columbia’s new premier says blocking the Trans-Mountain pipeline project won’t be his top priority. John Horgan has vowed to do everything possible to halt the expansion of the Alberta to B.C. pipeline that has been approved by the federal government. However in an interview Friday morning, Horgan said there are other issues he’ll be focusing on first, such as the opioid crisis and housing.

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FIVE-YEAR-OLD CHILD INJURES THREE PEOPLE: RCMP in Nunavut say three people suffered injuries when a five-year-old child got a hold of a high-powered rifle. Police say the incident happened Thursday night from Whale Cove, a remote community on Hudson Bay. Police say the child managed to find, load and fire a rifle that had been unloaded after a hunting trip. Three people were injured by the shrapnel, suffering superficial wounds. No charges are expected to be laid.

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MANITOBA STILL NOT SIGNING ON TO HEALTH DEAL: Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he won’t be signing on to a federal health deal that he calls “dangerous, reckless and risky.” The other provinces have agreed to the deal that limits annual federal health spending increases to three per cent a year — half the six per cent annual increase set out in the last long-term agreement with the provinces. But the federal government has offered up extra money for specific projects in various provinces including opioid addiction.

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AMERICAN SCIENTIST CALLS WHALE DEATHS A DISASTER: A scientist with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute on Cape Cod is calling the deaths of six right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence a “mortality disaster.” Mark Baumgartner says the deaths are on a scale likely not seen since whaling decimated their population in the 19th century. He says the deaths this month should be a call to do more to protect the animals when possible. North Atlantic right whales are among the most endangered large mammals on Earth, with only about 500 still alive.

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GUNMAN OPENS FIRE IN NY HOSPITAL: A law enforcement official says the gunman who opened fire at a New York City hospital was a doctor who formerly worked there. The official says Dr. Henry Bello walked into Bronx Lebanon Hospital Friday afternoon with a rifle concealed in his lab coat and opened fire, killing at least one person and injuring six others. He then apparently killed himself.

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MSNBC HOSTS SAY TABLOID ARTICLE WEAPON IN TRUMP FEUD: The feud between U.S. President Donald Trump and the “Morning Joe” team of Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski is spreading. The hosts said on Friday that White House aides told them this spring they could make a National Enquirer probe into their relationship “go away” if Scarborough called the president and apologized for the show’s harsh commentary. Scarborough said he refused. But the president later tweeted that Scarborough asked him to intercede with the newspaper and that he said no. The Enquirer isn’t getting in the middle of it. The newspaper said that it was unaware of any discussions involving the White House and the MSNBC hosts.

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The Canadian Press