Ginoogaming First Nation, Ont. — Police are urging residents of Ginoogaming First Nation to shelter in place as they search for two armed and dangerous individuals believed to be at large in the area.

According to a release issued by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) around 6 a.m. Wednesday, officers from both the OPP and the Anishinabek Police Service (APS) are responding to an unfolding situation near Longlac, about 300 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.

The suspects are described as Black males, one taller than the other. The taller suspect was last seen wearing a grey jogging suit and has braided hair, while the shorter suspect was wearing black pants and black shoes.

Police have warned residents to lock all doors and windows, close curtains, and stay indoors until further notice. Drivers are being told to avoid unnecessary stops and not to pick up hitchhikers along Highway 11 between Longlac and Ginoogaming.

“We recognize the significant emotional impact sheltering in place can cause. The OPP is taking every precaution necessary to resolve this situation,” the release stated.

Matthew Donovan, deputy mayor of Greenstone, said residents were anxious but cooperative.

“We do understand that this can be stressful,” he said. “It’s certainly a dose of the outside world — something we’re not used to experiencing up this way.”

The Municipality of Greenstone has closed multiple services, including Friends of the North Daycare, the Seniors Centre, and the Municipal Ward Office in Longlac.

All public and Catholic elementary schools in Longlac and Long Lake #58 First Nation are also closed for the day. Confederation College’s Longlac campus remains closed, while Geraldton Composite High School and B.A. Parker Public School remain open, though bus transportation for Longlac and Ginoogaming students has been cancelled.

An earlier emergency alert for the nearby town of Manitouwadge has now been lifted, police confirmed.

Residents are urged to remain vigilant and call 911 immediately if they spot the suspects, but to avoid any confrontation.

“No one should attempt to approach them,” said the OPP. “We are working to bring this situation to a safe resolution.”

Winnipeg — A Manitoba judge has stayed all sexual assault charges against disgraced Canadian fashion executive Peter Nygard, ruling that missing police records from the 1990s compromised his right to a fair trial.

In a decision delivered Wednesday, Judge Mary Kate Harvie found that investigators’ failure to retain key evidence related to a 1993 allegation amounted to a serious procedural lapse. Nygard, appearing by video from Toronto, listened as the court halted proceedings that had been set to go to trial in December.

The complainant had alleged that Nygard sexually assaulted her at his Winnipeg warehouse three decades ago. However, the judge concluded that the absence of police records — lost over time — prevented the defence from adequately testing the evidence.

“The loss of disclosure in this case was not trivial,” Harvie said, noting that the missing records would have been central to Nygard’s ability to defend himself.

The ruling marks another turning point in Nygard’s long legal saga. The 83-year-old, once hailed as a Canadian fashion tycoon, faces multiple sexual assault allegations across the country and in the United States.

Nygard was convicted in Toronto earlier this year on four counts of sexual assault involving incidents between 1986 and 2005. He is currently awaiting sentencing in that case, while other charges in Quebec remain before the courts.

Nygard, founder of the former international brand Nygard International, has denied all allegations. His lawyer argued that the Winnipeg case could not proceed fairly due to the loss of crucial evidence and the decades-long delay in prosecution.

Prosecutors have not indicated whether they will appeal Wednesday’s decision.

The stayed charges in Manitoba effectively end the only Prairie-based case against Nygard, whose once-luxurious empire has collapsed under the weight of criminal allegations, bankruptcy, and civil lawsuits.

Toronto — TheOntario government is refusing to disclose which cabinet ministers’ vehicles were caught speeding, citing privacy and safety concerns.

Documents obtained by Global News show that vehicles assigned to Premier Doug Ford’s cabinet ministers were recorded 23 times by automated speed cameras over three years — including one instance of a vehicle driving 70 km/h in a 40 zone.

Internal records also revealed 12 cases of stunt driving, with one vehicle clocked at 162 km/h. Despite repeated requests, the government’s privacy officials redacted the names and ministries, saying disclosure could “seriously threaten the safety or health of an individual.”

The premier’s office confirmed that the driver responsible remains employed and said all fines were repaid personally, not by taxpayers.

“Speeding’s unacceptable, no matter who it is,” Ford told reporters. “They’re paying it out of their own pocket.”

However, critics say the government’s refusal to identify those involved undermines public accountability.

Ontario NDP MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam said Ford’s response was “inadequate,” calling for transparency.

“Anybody repeatedly speeding at 150 km/h is not learning their lesson. Mr. Ford must set an example,” Wong-Tam said.

Ontario Liberal MPP Rob Cerjanec echoed the demand for disclosure.

“The public deserves to know which ministers’ vehicles received speeding tickets and who was behind the wheel,” he said.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said the situation underscores the need for more automated enforcement, not less.

“As the driving records of his ministers show, the premier needs to take this issue seriously and support speed cameras,” Schreiner said.

Global News has appealed the government’s decision to the Information and Privacy Commission.

For now, the province maintains that revealing the names would violate privacy — leaving Ontarians in the dark over who, exactly, was behind the wheel of the speeding government cars.

Montreal — Passengers on Via Rail’s Quebec City–Windsor corridor have received more than $31 million in travel vouchers since last fall, following record-breaking delays tied to a dispute with Canadian National Railway (CN).

The vouchers — offered when trains arrive more than one hour late — represent about seven per cent of Via Rail’s total 2024 revenues, underscoring the scale of the disruption. Passengers receive vouchers worth 50 per cent of their fare for delays over an hour and 100 per cent when trains arrive more than four hours late.

The delays began after CN imposed new speed restrictions at level crossings last year, citing safety concerns about Via’s new Venture trains, which it said might not always trigger crossing barriers due to shorter train lengths.

Before the restrictions, 45 per cent of Via trains were on time; that number has since dropped to just 29 per cent. About 15 per cent of all trains have been delayed by over an hour.

“This is not good news for anyone,” said Jacques Roy, a retired logistics professor at HEC Montréal. “It reflects bad service and hurts taxpayers.”

Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon called Via’s performance “unacceptable,” adding that delays have undermined public confidence and business strategy.

CN insists the new limits ensure safety systems at crossings are activated properly. Via, however, argues the restrictions are excessive and has sought court intervention. In April, Quebec’s Superior Court rejected Via’s request for an injunction against the restrictions.

To ease disruptions, Via and CN reached a temporary deal in August, allowing trains to operate at consistent — though reduced — speeds over longer segments. Via says this could improve reliability but warns it’s “too early to confirm the impact.”

“This is a step forward, but not a definitive solution,” said Via spokesperson Karl Helou.

The dispute remains before the courts, while the federal Transport Ministry continues to push both sides toward a lasting agreement.

For now, travellers on Canada’s busiest rail corridor continue to face unpredictable delays — and a steady stream of apology vouchers.

Burlington, Ontario — The City of Burlington has laid multiple charges against a developer, landowners, and contractors after 425 trees were cut down at a privately owned golf course earlier this year.

In a statement released on Sept. 23, the city confirmed charges under its private tree bylaw against five parties — including Argo Development Corporation, Argo (Millcroft) Limited, Millcroft Greens Corporation, Timbertek Inc., and 2079610 Ontario Ltd. The city also filed additional charges against the contractor under the public tree bylaw.

The city alleges that the defendants removed or damaged trees without required permits between April and June 2025. The first court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 5 at Halton provincial offences court.

Developer Millcroft Greens, through an emailed statement, denied all charges, saying it “categorically denies these allegations and looks forward to the matter being cleared up in court.”

The redevelopment project, located within the Millcroft Golf Club community in north Burlington, plans to replace sections of the existing course with 90 new homes and an apartment complex.

The plan has faced strong local opposition from the community group Millcroft Against Bad Development (MAD), which has been fighting to preserve the neighbourhood’s green spaces.

“We’re absolutely thrilled about the charges,” said Cynthia Shanahan, a MAD member. “We still cry when we look at the stumps.”

MAD argues the development will destroy the character of the community without significantly improving housing affordability. The Ontario Land Tribunal had previously approved the project in 2024, overruling the city’s earlier denial.

According to the city, the tree removal occurred before the installation of site fencing and other preparation work. Environment and Climate Change Canada investigated whether the removal violated the Migratory Birds Convention Act, but found no reason to suspect non-compliance.

Millcroft Greens maintains that it followed all required approvals and that 425 trees were protected while 2,600 new trees will be planted as part of the redevelopment.

The City of Burlington says it remains committed to enforcing its bylaws and protecting community green spaces as it pursues its broader goal of adding 2,724 new housing units by 2026, including 228 affordable homes.