Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today...
B.C. ports in limbo as union removes strike notice...
The fallout from the labour dispute at British Columbia ports continues to unfold, as the union representing about 7,400 workers abruptly rescinded a strike notice hours after issuing it.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stepped up action in the federal response to B.C. ports potentially shutting down again in the dispute between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and the BC Maritime Employers Association, convening an incident response group typically gathered at times of "national crisis" or events with major implications for Canada.
In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office says Trudeau spoke with B.C. Premier David Eby about the labour dispute and agreed on the need to "ensure the stability" of national supply chains.
The strike originally started on July 1 and ran for 13 days, shutting down or severely disrupting operations at the more than 30 B.C. port terminals and other sites where ILWU members work — including Vancouver, the country's largest port.
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Wildfire-scarred Métis settlement wants new road
A Métis settlement in northern Alberta is asking for a second road out the community two months after a devastating wildfire.
There is only one way in and out of the East Prairie Métis Settlement, and chair Raymond Supernault says if a fire starts in the north end of the settlement, it would block the only road and trap the community.
The 40-kilometre range road on the north end of the community connects with Highway 2 about 360 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
He says the settlement has been asking for a second road for more than 20 years, but the Alberta government hasn't taken any action.
Canada kicks off FIFA Women's World Cup action
International soccer's all-time leading scorer will make her return to the FIFA Women's World Cup stage as Canada takes on Nigeria in its tournament opener.
It will mark Christine Sinclair's sixth World Cup and 324th international appearance. Yet, 20 years and 190 goals later, the Canadian soccer icon says she still gets the nerves, the butterflies and the excitement the same as she did back in her 2003 debut.
Kickoff at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium is expected at 10:30 p.m. ET.
After the Nigeria contest, the Canadian team flies 2,720 kilometres west to Perth to face No. 22 Ireland before returning to Melbourne for a July 31 date with No. 10 Australia that is expected to decide who tops Group B.
Managing asthma in bad air quality
The death of a nine-year-old boy in B-C whose asthma was exacerbated by wildfire smoke is a horrific example of how dangerous poor air quality can be for people suffering from underlying respiratory and cardiac conditions, experts say.
Dr. Anne Hicks, clinical lead of the children's environmental health clinic at the University of Alberta says there is a definite increase in asthma exacerbations when wildfire smoke pollutes the air.
She recommends people use Environment Canada's online Air Quality Health Index to check the level of pollution in their communities, stay inside a cool space and use an air purifier if the air quality is bad, and wear a mask when you do have to go outside.
Inmates in N.S. jail say lockdowns violate rights
Inmates at a Halifax-area jail say their rights have been violated by months-long rolling lockdowns, as correctional officers refuse work because of dangerous conditions in the provincial detention centre.
A series of complaints recently brought before the Nova Scotia Supreme Court tell a similar story: inmates locked in their cells for extended periods, sometimes 23 hours a day, because of staff shortages at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility.
The details are included in complaints known as habeas corpus applications, in which a judge assesses the conditions of a person's confinement to determine whether a detainee's Charter rights have been violated.
At least eight complaints have been made since April.
Ontario municipalities face ambulance pressures
Several Ontario municipalities say their paramedic services are under immense pressure, with worrying stretches of times during which no ambulances are available to respond to calls – but the province doesn't track the problem.
The government does have data on the hours paramedics spend waiting in emergency rooms to transfer patients to the care of a hospital, which are often a key factor in ambulance availability, but won't disclose it.
Some emergency officials and community leaders say more needs to be done to help paramedic services, but the lack of publicly available provincial information makes it hard to assess the scope of the problem.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2023.
The Canadian Press
