From Nov. 11-13, the premier farm equipment show will once again be in Red Deer, with over 500 exhibitors set to be in attendance.

Show manager Krissy Fiddler said they’re super excited for the show to begin.

“Coming off of a pretty good harvest, everybody’s pretty optimistic both on the exhibitor and attendee side,” she said. “So far, so great.

“Agri-Trade generates over $300 million in equipment sales and tourism spending, so we are really grateful for Red Deer and surrounding communities because they are so welcoming… We are really proud to showcase Red Deer and the communities around us. We’ll keep building on that.”

Fiddler explained there’s plenty to be excited about at this year’s Expo, including 90 new never-before-seen product launches by exhibitors. She said this is the first time ever this many new product launches will happen at the show.

In addition, they will be introducing new Centrium stage speaker sessions, which will feature panel discussions regarding the industry and how to improve agriculture in the province. She said these sessions will take place at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. every day.

Finally, for the first time, the Ag Innovations competition will feature seven finalists. Each year, Agri-Trade hosts the competition, which showcases the creativity of manufacturers and marketers of agricultural products and services. The competition, which will present the winner with $25,000, will be held on Nov. 12 at 3 p.m. on the Centrium stage.

“There’s so much new; we could talk about the entertainment and the family zone, but I’m thinking everyone just needs to come to the show and see it all,” Fiddler said.

“This is for not just farmers or producers but for anybody in central Alberta and beyond.”

Fiddler added that there will be new entertainment as well as a new family zone, giving kids a chance to get off the show floor and learn about agriculture in a fun way.

She said Agri-Trade continues to be the top agricultural expo in North America but still has work to do to take over the world crown from a similar expo based out of Germany.

Those interested in attending the show can buy tickets at agri-trade.com.

Early bird tickets are $15 each for a one-day pass, $30 for a two-day pass, and $40 for all three days. If you don’t buy them online, Fiddler said tickets will also be available at the gate for $20.

“We do encourage everyone to get their tickets in advance,” she added. “We encourage everyone to attend. Whether you’re hoping to learn more about agriculture or are in the business, there’s something for everyone.”

"We've made progress but we haven't finished," Carney told reporters Tuesday in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda.

Carney said some of Canada's "red lines" have been taken off the table, including language, culture and Canada's ability to negotiate trade deals with other markets.

"They're asking less and they're offering more but we're not quite there," he said.

Trump told Fox News in an interview Tuesday that a deal with Canada is imminent.

"Canada is very good, we're going to make a deal with Canada very soon. We're going to make ⁠a great deal," he said.

He also claimed Canada would provide fertilizer to the United States tariff-free. Canada does not charge any export tariffs on fertilizer or its components, including potash.

Carney called off formal trade talks with the United States in August at the eleventh hour as the two sides worked to finalize a deal before a new round of U.S. tariffs was imposed on nearly $28 billion worth of Canadian goods.

The prime minister said Tuesday there are still important issues that need to see progress in negotiations but didn't say what those are. He also did not say when Canada's chief negotiator is likely to return to Washington.

"Because we have made progress, it was felt (to be) important to acknowledge that publicly," he said. "It's not always necessary to have the trade negotiators go in formally into the U.S. trade representative's offices or the Department of Commerce."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

— With files from Dylan Robertson in Ottawa

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press

The CHL, which is the umbrella of 61 teams in the Western, Ontario and Quebec-Maritime major junior leagues, is the top feeder of hockey talent to the NHL and vows that will continue.

The league features players between the ages of 16 and 20, with some 15-year-olds allowed entry under exceptional status.

The NCAA previously considered the CHL a pro league, but announced Nov. 7, 2024, that CHL players would be eligible to play Division I hockey as of Aug. 1, 2025.

The CHL's commissioners and team governors met Tuesday in Calgary less than two years after the NCAA's announcement.

Discussion revolved around the early effect of what QMJHL commissioner Mario Cecchini called "change with a capital C."

"The changes are monumental," concurred CHL commissioner Dan MacKenzie. "We still don't know where it is going to land."

A high-profile player to immediately jump from major junior hockey to the NCAA was Gavin McKenna, who played for Penn State last season after leading the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers to the Memorial Cup final.

He's now in his NHL rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who made him the first draft pick in June.

Overall, there's been a push-pull effect on the CHL in the early going.

Some players who previously avoided the CHL to retain their NCAA eligibility immediately joined major junior clubs, even if some didn't stay and went to the NCAA when they reached college age.

As more players now choose the CHL as an option, more players can also choose to leave it for the NCAA.

One example is 18-year-old centre Caleb Malhotra, who departed the BCHL to play for the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs last season.

Malhotra was drafted third overall by the NHL's Vancouver Canucks in June and started his freshman season at Boston University this fall.

The CHL states that since the NCAA announced the eligibility changes two years ago, over 350 players who could have chosen another path opted to compete in the CHL, including 61 from the BCHL, and a combined 144 Americans from the USHL, NAHL and U.S. national development team.

The WHL's Calgary Hitmen have a record 10 players from the United States on their roster this season.

"Two, maybe three, is the most in years gone by," said Hitmen vice-president Mike Moore.

"We adapted by trying to find the best talent in Canada, in the U.S., in the import draft to build our hockey team, knowing that we may lose those players at 18, 19, 20.

"The development cycle used to be three, four years you could build your team. Now it's two, maybe three years, if you're lucky."

There are 397 former CHL players on NCAA Division 1 men's rosters this season compared to 174 to start the 2025-26 season, according to College Hockey Inc.

The consensus Tuesday was that CHL clubs have upped their off-ice game in workout facilities and player amenities to compete with the NCAA.

"We don't want to lose any of these great players before they age out of our league and we've got to make sure we do the right things to make sure that it's attractive for them to continue to play here," said OHL commissioner Bryan Crawford.

As a club that travels a lot, Soo Greyhounds president Tim Lukenda says the team spends more on meals and accommodation on the road.

"We've all kind of sharpened our knives a little bit because of the NCAA," Lukenda said.

A player must turn 18 before Sept. 15 of his NHL draft year to be eligible for it, so the CHL remains confident its leagues and teams will continue to play a large role in developing sought-after NHL prospects.

Of the 247 North American prospects on Central Scouting's players-to-watch list in October, 69.2 per cent (171) were current CHL players.

Landon DuPont, who played two seasons and won a WHL championship with the Everett Silvertips, joined the University of Michigan this season. He's also a top-ranked Central Scouting prospect.

"If you want a career in pro hockey you're likely going to need to play in the CHL. That will help you prepare when you're 16 years old 17 years old, 18 years old for sure," Mackenzie said.

"The other side of the coin is the old rules indicated that you couldn't leave till after you were 19. Those rules have now gone away. We have lost some 19-year-olds we would have kept, but it's been mitigated definitely from a numbers perspective by the amount of players we're getting coming in that we wouldn't have gotten."

An additional wrinkle this season that can also siphon an elite player away from a major junior club is a change to the CHL-NHL agreement. NHL teams can assign their 19-year-old, first-round CHL draft picks to the American Hockey League, where previously that player had to be returned to his junior club.

Among the handful of those players in the AHL this season is centre Brady Martin, who played three seasons for the OHL's Greyhounds before the Nashville Predators assigned him to the Milwaukee Admirals this fall.

"We hope that he'll have a very long NHL career, but he's 19 years old and, in the past, he would have spent one more year at our level developing physically, developing emotionally, and preparing for that next step of hockey. He's also a player that was not inclined to go the university route," Lukenda said.

"Brady was probably our most popular jersey sale. Brady was the most popular player in the community. We hate losing a player like that has such an impact on the overall team dynamic, but at the same time, we wish him the best."

Tuesday's meeting in Calgary included NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly. The latter felt the CHL will find equilibrium after a sea change.

"Based on the player shifts I've seen, other than the fact that the CHL teams aren't used to losing 19-year-old players, I'm not sure we've noticed anything detrimental to a player's development path by leaving junior early and going to play in the NCAA. It's just become another step in the path," Daly said.

"There was some concern that it would diminish or affect CHL club status in the whole infrastructure and ecosystem of elite, hockey player development in North America. I don't think it really has. It's changed some of the demographics of it.

"I think the CHL ultimately is going to be a little bit younger than it's been historically, but they're going to have access to better players as well."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

Carney, speaking in Antigua at the Commonwealth Summit, said Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be permitted to represent their countries in Canada as long as the war in Ukraine continues.

"While Russia and Belorussia (sic) are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that's going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada," Carney said when asked if Russian players would be denied visas.

"So if you're asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there."

In a statement Tuesday, the federal government said it would use its immigration powers to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering Canada to compete under their national symbols.

“This measure is not directed at the Russian and Belarusian people. Rather, it is intended to prevent the governments of Russia and Belarus from using international sporting events hosted in Canada as platforms for state representation, political legitimacy and propaganda," the statement said.

The government said entry would be assessed individually, while athletes competing as neutrals could still participate in international sporting events hosted by Canada.

Carney's comments come after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled Friday that Russia must be reinstated to international hockey competition, starting with the world junior tournament. Russian teams have been banned since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev said in an Oct. 30 statement that the CAS ruling was final and that Russia would work with the International Ice Hockey Federation to secure its return to competition, starting with the upcoming world junior tournament.

Several European hockey federations, including Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Latvia, have said their teams will refuse to face Russia.

"We respect the decisions of the Finns, the Czechs, the Swedes, other nations, but this is a decision we take on our own," Carney said.

Hockey Canada released a statement supporting the federal government's position.

"Hockey Canada thanks the Government of Canada for today's strong position that Canada intends to prevent Russian and Belarusian officials and athletes from participating under their national symbols in international sporting events taking place on Canadian soil," the organization said.

"We will be meeting with our board of directors this week to discuss next steps given the government's clear position."

Earlier Tuesday, Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha thanked the federations that had refused to play Russia and urged other hockey powers, including co-host Canada, to follow suit.

"If CAS lacks a moral compass, let's show that hockey still has values. Refuse to play against Russia and deny visas to its players," he wrote in a post on X.

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress had also urged Ottawa to deny visas to Russian players, with senior policy adviser Orest Zakydalsky calling the CAS ruling "a disgrace and entirely unjustified."

The world junior tournament begins Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer.

Sweden is the defending champion and one of 10 teams currently set to compete at the world junior tournament, along with Canada, Czechia, Switzerland, the United States, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Norway and Finland.

"The Swedish line was and is crystal clear: Sweden will not play ice hockey matches against Russia in the situation we are in right now," the Swedish Ice Hockey Association said in a statement. "The decision does not mean that Sweden will refrain from participating in World Cup tournaments where Russia is participating."

Norway has also refused to face Russia at the 2027 men's world championship. Norwegian Ice Hockey Association general secretary Petter Salsten told The Associated Press that Norway could be dropped from the world juniors to make room for Russia.

Finland’s federation said no player or team official would be obliged to take part in a tournament involving Russia or Belarus, and that it supported those who chose not to.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday the province would comply with the CAS ruling.

"We recognize that the IIHF will consider the ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport and determine its next steps as an organization," Alberta's Sports Minister Andrew Boitchenko said in response to Carney's comments. "Our focus remains on working with our partners to deliver a successful 2027 world juniors in Edmonton and Red Deer and welcoming players and fans from around the world to Alberta."

— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Antigua and Bill Graveland in Calgary.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

The Canadian Press

Annabel Lyon, who is now the director of the university's school of creative writing, testified today in the trial where Galloway alleges he was defamed by the former student and others for publishing the unproven allegations.

Lyon is the first witness for defendant A.B., whose name is under a publication ban, and she told the court that faculty from the department met in November 2015 to discuss the allegations after the woman had relayed them to another professor.

Lyon says those in the meeting were "absolutely shocked" over the allegations, recalling a discussion that while A.B. had reported them to police, she later retracted the statement out of concern the RCMP were going to reach out to Galloway and she felt unsafe.

Galloway, the bestselling author of the novel "The Cellist of Sarajevo," filed the lawsuit in 2018 against A.B. and several other defendants for statements that spread widely online alleging the assaults which he has denied.

He was fired his job as the creative writing chair and a former judge hired by the university later found the claims were unsubstantiated, while Galloway won an arbitration proceeding against the university in 2018.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 20226

The Canadian Press

This fundraising figure for the party of premier-designate Lorne Doerkson appears in interim financial reports released by Elections BC on Tuesday.

The agency says that Conservatives raised almost $2.73 million between July 1 and Sept. 30, even as the party weathered several controversies leading to the resignation of former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay on the eve of last month's election.

The party of outgoing Premier David Eby raised just over $986,000 during the same period, prompting further questions about the NDP's readiness for an election that saw it reduced to the Opposition.

Between Jan. 1 and June 30, New Democrats raised about $1.81 million, while Conservatives raised about $2.29 million.

Elections BC says the B.C. Greens, with new leader Emily Lowan, raised just under $346,000 in the third quarter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press

The five-foot-10, 210-pound Edmonton running back rushed for 1,170 yards at 5.7 yards per carry over 17 games, but B.C. held him to 19 yards on seven carries in a 36-24 win July 4. Two weeks later, he managed nine yards on seven carries in Edmonton’s 19-17 victory. He averaged 2.7 and 1.3 yards per carry in those games, respectively.

Rankin gets another crack at the Lions on Saturday, when the Elks host the western final in Edmonton. Edmonton finished first in the west at 13-5 to earn home-field advantage; B.C. finished second at 10-8 and advanced by beating Saskatchewan in last weekend’s western semifinal.

Elks offensive-line coach and running-backs co-ordinator Stephen Sorrells said Tuesday the team was confident it could counter B.C.’s run defence after returning to practice following a week off.

“Their two interior guys are as good as you’re going to find,” he said. “They’ve got really good players, and they do some good things schematically on defence. We feel like we have answers this week.”

Rankin can shift to receiver when the running game bogs down, or the Elks want a different look on offence. He said the Lions did a good job of plugging the middle, leaving him few holes to run through.

“We need to do a better job of blocking,” Sorrells said.

Rankin carrying the ball only 14 times in the two games wasn’t part of Sorrells’ game plan, either.

“The way those games played out, we didn’t get enough attempts as we needed, for different reasons,” he said, adding that the run game needs time to get established.

“It’s like if you throw an incompletion on the first attempt, you’re not going to stop throwing. A successful run game is about giving it opportunities and attempts, especially with our backs … they can take it the length of the field every time they touch (the ball).”

Whether he runs for nine yards or 109, Rankin said, his concern remains the final score.

“If it’s zero yards and we win, that’s fine,” he said. “The biggest thing is that we're winning games regardless of whether the run game is hitting or not. Obviously, we want to be able to run the ball; we want to be able to dominate the line of scrimmage, but when it's not going our way, we still have other avenues. And I think that just shows how much depth that we have, you know, on the offensive side of the ball.”

Saturday’s forecast at Commonwealth Stadium calls for temperatures around 10 C, cloudy skies and light winds.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

John Korobanik, The Canadian Press

Advanced Education Minister Myles McDougall says schools could still make official expressions of sympathy, and that the bill, should it pass, would not restrict the rights of staffers to make personal statements.

But he says the schools themselves should not be taking stands on political issues, such as the ongoing Israeli military action in Gaza.

The bill also grants the government authority to review university policy to ensure schools are complying.

And it would give the minister the power to set maximum tuition amounts.

McDougall says post-secondary schools need to be a neutral environment with space for diverse opinions.

“Underlying some tragedies there can be some political issues, and what we’re saying is that’s not the role for the institution,” McDougall told reporters Tuesday prior to introducing the bill.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

Transport Minister Óscar Puente made the announcement at the end of an hourslong appearance before lawmakers about the crash — the second such deadly collision this year involving Spain’s extensive high-speed rail network.

“A transport minister in a country like Spain cannot remain in office after two accidents of this seriousness in less than a year,” Puente told lawmakers.

The Oct. 28 crash took place when a high-speed train slammed into another that had stopped on the tracks. The chain of events that led to disaster started when the communication system key to the functioning of the security system on the Madrid-Seville line went down. Central controllers in Madrid took over and gave the go-ahead for a state-operated Renfe high-speed train to proceed, even though there was a stationary train ahead operated by the company Iryo.

It was the second major crash on the Madrid-Seville line this year. In January, more than two hours further south along the route, a train derailed and struck another traveling in the opposite direction, killing 46 people. That crash remains under investigation.

Puente said he had taken the decision to resign immediately after the deadly crash, but had not made it public.

The collisions have raised fresh concerns about the safety of the country’s rail network, and the most recent crash came four weeks before a national election.

Spain’s high-speed rail network has been considered one of the country’s crowning achievements. It is the world’s second-largest, after China’s. Until this year, it had not experienced a deadly crash since coming into service over three decades ago.

Earlier Tuesday, Puente announced safety measures the government would implement on the rail network, including improving conditions in control centers and pushing for a faster rollout of the standardized European Rail Traffic Management System for safety and signaling.

Suman Naishadham, The Associated Press

It should be an intriguing off-season for the Toronto Blue Jays, who have several big-name players coming off the books as free agents. General manager Ross Atkins will be busy as he aims to get the team on track after a last-place finish in the American League East Division standings.

Here's a look at five things to watch on the Blue Jays' front:

FREE AGENCY

George Springer, Max Scherzer, Yimi Garcia and Shane Bieber are some of the high-profile players who are now out of contract with the Blue Jays. Toronto also declined Myles Straw's club option for the 2027 season.

The team could still be interested in some of those players, but it will depend on a number of factors, including the appetite in the free agency market.

The Blue Jays have reinstated several players from the 60-day injured list, including right-hander Cody Ponce (knee), who's expected to be a key cog in the starting rotation next year.

Right-hander Jose Berrios (elbow), also reinstated from the 60-day IL, decided not to opt out of the final two years of his seven-year, US$131-million contract.

He's expected to return for the second half of the season and join a rotation that's currently set to be anchored by ace Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, Jose Soriano and Ponce.

BIG NAMES

The Blue Jays have not been afraid to make big splashes early in free agency season, and they could very well be active again this year.

The team struck quickly last fall to land Cease on a seven-year, $210-million deal.

The biggest name in this year's class is starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, who's expected to set a record for a free-agent pitcher contract. Other star hurlers available include Michael King, Sonny Gray and Freddy Peralta.

The Blue Jays are among the big spenders in the sport and may be in the mix to add a high-profile starter even though it's not necessarily a pressing need. As this year's injury-plagued campaign showed, starting depth can be paramount over a 162-game season.

POSITION PLAYERS

There are some question marks as the Blue Jays' focus shifts to the 2027 lineup.

Can sluggers Addison Barger and Anthony Santander return to previous form after extended injury absences? Will infielder Ernie Clement rebound after a rough second half? And who will replace Springer as designated hitter?

Toronto has several areas of strength (catcher, bullpen) and may look to the trade market as well.

INTERNATIONAL MARKET

Japanese third baseman Kazuma Okamoto was one of the few bright spots on a Toronto team that disappointed on the heels of its World Series appearance in 2025.

The Blue Jays may explore the Asian market again this fall, and there are prominent Japanese players available now that their posting windows are open.

Pitchers Hiromi Itoh and Kaima Taira and slugger Teruaki Sato are names to watch in a free-agent class that also includes second baseman Brandon Lowe and outfielders Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki.

DEADLINES APPROACHING

Some key dates over the month ahead include the Nov. 10-12 general manager meetings and the Nov. 17-19 owners' meetings.

On Nov. 17, the deadline arrives for teams to protect eligible players from the Rule 5 draft. It's also the deadline for players to accept or reject qualifying offers.

The big date comes Dec. 1, when the current collective bargaining agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. ET.

A potential lockout could begin the next day and, barring a deal, teams would be unable to communicate with players on the 40-man roster.

It remains unclear how long a lockout will be in place, but many baseball observers expect it to last a few months at a minimum.

Toronto's pre-season schedule is set to begin Feb. 19 with split-squad games against the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. The Blue Jays' regular season is set to start March 25 at Yankee Stadium.

With files from The Associated Press.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 3, 2026.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press