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    • Australia appoints second woman governor general in 123 years

    Governor General of Australia Sam Mostyn, center, speaks during the swearing in ceremony in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, July 1, 2024. (Lukas Coch / AAP Image via AP) Governor General of Australia Sam Mostyn, center, speaks during the swearing in ceremony in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra, Monday, July 1, 2024. (Lukas Coch / AAP Image via AP)
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    MELBOURNE, Australia -

    Australia appointed Sam Mostyn on Monday as only its second woman governor general, a largely ceremonial role representing the British monarch who is the nation’s head of state.

    It is the first such Australian appointment since the reign of King Charles III began in 2022 and the first by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left Labour Party government that wants to replace the British monarch with an Australian president as head of state.

    The businesswoman and gender equality advocate, who in 2005 became the first woman Australian Football League Commissioner, was sworn in as Australia's 28th governor general since 1901.

    In her first speech in her new role, Mostyn quoted Australia’s first woman governor-general Quentin Bryce, who described her role in 2013 as “striking a balance between observing traditions and protocol and being thoroughly contemporary.”

    “I will be an optimistic, modern and visible governor general, committed to the service and contribution that all Australians expect and deserve from the holder of this office,” Mostyn said.

    Mostyn said she had spoken about the role with all five surviving former governors-general, including Bryce who was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of a Labour prime minister and served from 2008 and 2014.

    Albanese’s government was elected in 2022 advocating for a referendum to create an Australian republic with an Australian citizen as head of state.

    But he gave preference to holding a referendum in his government’s first three-year term to enshrine in the constitution an Indigenous panel that would advise the government on Indigenous issues.

    That referendum was defeated last year and though Albanese has not yet announced plans for a republic referendum, the office of Assistant Minister for the Republic has been created to prepare the nation for change.

    Critics of Mostyn’s appointment highlight her past activism. She had also supported an Australian republic and described Australia Day, the arrival of the first British colonists at the site of Sydney on Jan. 26, 1788, as “Invasion Day,” a term used by some Indigenous leaders.

    Mostyn said she had met the king in Britain in May and passed on Australians’ best wishes for the health of both he and Kate, Princess of Wales, who are being treated for cancer.

    “I am not the first Australian to be struck by the interest and warmth the king feels for this country where he lived and studied as a young man,” Mostyn said, referring to several months he had spent as a teen in an Australian boarding school in 1966.

    Many Labour Party supporters who want a republic remember the 1975 dismissal of Labour Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's government by then Governor-General John Kerr.

    Mostyn recalled watching television news coverage of that constitutional crisis as a 10-year-old in a Canberra hospital where she was being treated for a broken leg.

    Mostyn replaces Gen. David Hurley, a former Australian Defence Force chief.

    The government last week passed legislation to raise the governor general's pay to 709,000 Australian dollars a year (US$473,000) for her five-year term, drawing criticism from some lawmakers that the salary was excessive. Hurley was paid AU$495,000 (US$330,000) a year, but also received a military pension. 

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    Authorities were called to break up an altercation involving "numerous" golfers in Burnaby, B.C., over the weekend – apparently prompted by some serious breaches in etiquette.

    An order from the federal labour minister to send WestJet and its plane mechanics into binding arbitration unexpectedly resulted in a strike on one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer.

    An eastern Ontario doctor facing four charges of first-degree murder and negligence causing death in connection with the deaths of four seniors at a Hawkesbury hospital was acquitted on all charges at the Ottawa courthouse on Tuesday.

    Canada

    • An eastern Ontario doctor facing four charges of first-degree murder and negligence causing death in connection with the deaths of four seniors at a Hawkesbury hospital was acquitted on all charges at the Ottawa courthouse on Tuesday.

    • Authorities were called to break up an altercation involving "numerous" golfers in Burnaby, B.C., over the weekend – apparently prompted by some serious breaches in etiquette.

    • WestJet flights have been cancelled at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Tuesday in the wake of a mechanics strike over the weekend.

    • A newly formed group of protesters called the Coalition Against Pinkwashing says the decision to interrupt Canada’s largest Pride Parade was made after Pride Toronto refused a special meeting over demands put together by Queers for Palestine, which called on Pride Toronto to divest from corporations with ties to Israel.

    • A boil-water advisory warning residents of the possibility of unsafe drinking water within the Halifax Regional Municipality remains in place Tuesday.

    • At least 20 homes have been affected by flash flooding in the British Columbia Interior following heavy rains that forced the overnight closure of the Trans-Canada Highway near Kamloops.

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    • WestJet passengers faced more flight disruptions Tuesday despite a deal reached over the weekend to end a strike by its mechanics, as the airline says full resumption of operations "will take time."

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    • It used to be cash was king and that you could get a better deal if you paid for a car in full, but now many dealers want you to finance your purchase so they can make more money.

    • Several stolen vehicles believed to have been used in organized and serious crime, including one homicide, have been found in Alberta during an investigation into an auto theft ring.

    Local Spotlight

    When Zhya Aramiy was living in Turkey and Iraq, he had to keep his Pride flags hidden away.

    A rave at the Ontario Science Centre was the place where Greg LeBlanc says his relationship first began with his husband Mark in 1997.

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    A grandfather and grandson duo proudly graduated alongside each other at the same northern Manitoba school.

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    For half a decade, a Saskatoon family has been trying to bring their orphaned niece to Canada, they say now it’s a matter of life or death.

    • Authorities were called to break up an altercation involving "numerous" golfers in Burnaby, B.C., over the weekend – apparently prompted by some serious breaches in etiquette.

    • Mounties are urging witnesses to come forward after an alleged road rage incident escalated into a shooting that injured a driver in Richmond, B.C.

    • Marine mammal rescuers in British Columbia are searching for an entangled humpback whale in the waters off northern Vancouver Island.

    • WestJet flights have been cancelled at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Tuesday in the wake of a mechanics strike over the weekend.

    • A report by the provincial privacy watchdog has found that Toronto’s public transit system was not prepared for the cyberattack that knocked down some of its communication systems and compromised the private information of more than 25,000 employees in 2021 -- despite an internal warning from the commission's security department issued years prior.

    • The co-chair of the Liberals' Ontario campaign is suggesting the party's candidate in the Toronto—St. Paul's byelection needed more time to campaign before the vote.

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      BREAKING

      Calgary's mayor has given citizens the go-ahead to begin easing their indoor water saving measures and slowly return to normal water use inside their home.

    • WestJet passengers faced more flight disruptions Tuesday despite a deal reached over the weekend to end a strike by its mechanics, as the airline says full resumption of operations "will take time."

    • The driver of a vehicle in a crash that killed her younger sister and friend in 2021 is expected to be sentenced in an Alberta courtroom on Tuesday.

    • An eastern Ontario doctor facing four charges of first-degree murder and negligence causing death in connection with the deaths of four seniors at a Hawkesbury hospital was acquitted on all charges at the Ottawa courthouse on Tuesday.

    • Ottawa Paramedics say one man was taken to hospital in critical condition and another suffered serious injuries after an overnight shooting in the ByWard Market.

    • Families visiting Calypso Waterpark were forced to cancel their plans after 'technical issues' forced the closure of the park on Tuesday.

    • An eastern Ontario doctor facing four charges of first-degree murder and negligence causing death in connection with the deaths of four seniors at a Hawkesbury hospital was acquitted on all charges at the Ottawa courthouse on Tuesday.

    • A 42-year-old man is behind bars after police allege he defrauded multiple homeowners on Montreal's South Shore by offering driveway sealing services and other home repairs.

    • A group representing Quebecers waiting to sponsor family members living abroad says the province is acting in bad faith by slashing the number of family reunification applications it will accept.

    • Canada Day celebrations led to tragedy in a small northern Alberta community, RCMP said.

    • A fire that broke out in an industrial area east of Edmonton on Canada Day has destroyed an unused cooling tower.

    • The Edmonton Oilers play their first four games of the season at Rogers Place, starting with the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, Oct. 9.

    • A boil-water advisory warning residents of the possibility of unsafe drinking water within the Halifax Regional Municipality remains in place Tuesday.

    • After a long weekend which had some periods of rain in the Maritimes, along with some severe thunderstorms in Sunday in New Brunswick, the start of this week is off to a sunny start.

    • A-17-year-old male is under arrest for allegedly assaulting people with brass knuckles during Canada Day fireworks in Charlottetown, P.E.I.

    • A funnel cloud weather advisory from Environment and Climate Change Canada has been issued for parts of Manitoba, including Winnipeg.

    • The City of Winnipeg is close to having filled 200,000 potholes in 2024, more than any previous year dating back to 2020.

    • It was an eventful Canada Day in southern Saskatchewan. In addition to celebrations and fireworks, severe weather provided a dangerous spectacle for those living in the Yorkton/Melville area.

    • 15 Wing Moose Jaw's long standing legacy of flight training will continue into the next quarter century, as the base is among three locations chosen for an $11.2 billion initiative for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

    • The Outlook RCMP detachment is seeking the public's assistance in locating 58-year-old Michael Edstrom of Dinsmore, Saskatchewan.

    • Waterloo regional police are investigating a series of incidents that took place during a Canada Day celebration in Kitchener.

    • A driver has died after a Tuesday morning crash in Norfolk County, police say.

    • Brandon Montour is making a big move fresh off his Stanley Cup win with the Florida Panthers.

    • The Outlook RCMP detachment is seeking the public's assistance in locating 58-year-old Michael Edstrom of Dinsmore, Saskatchewan.

    • The Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) is investigating a homicide after a 41-year-old man died in hospital on Monday.

    • Two Saskatchewan men who dove into icy waters in a bid to save two young girls and a woman who fell through the ice of a frozen lake are being honoured posthumously.

    • Authorities were called to break up an altercation involving "numerous" golfers in Burnaby, B.C., over the weekend – apparently prompted by some serious breaches in etiquette.

    • Highway 69 is closed Tuesday morning in both directions following a collision.

    • The London Fire Department is on the scene of a natural gas leak at 31 Rogers Avenue. The leak is reportedly coming from the ground.

    • OPP are sending out a reminder about water safety after having to help a group of swimmers in distress in Lake Huron. Just after 7 p.m. on Monday, the South Bruce OPP marine unit responded to four swimmers off the coast of Station Beach in Kincardine.

    • In the fourth incident in as many years, Huron Shores United Church in Grand Bend was targeted on Sunday when its pride flag was once again stolen. After being targeted for the second time, the church installed surveillance cameras pointed toward the area.

    • The Crown wants 22-year-old Curtis Gamble sentenced to 10 years behind bars for sex crimes against five young girls who were 12 to 14 years of age when Gamble was 19.

    • The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre warns of scammers using legitimate-looking logos.

    • A man of-no-fixed-address was arrested shortly after the dumpster fire behind the Simcoe Hotel Monday.

    • Windsor firefighters are on scene of an upgraded fire in an apartment on Ouellette Avenue.

    • Windsor police say they have arrested two people related to a road rage incident in east Windsor.

    • Andrea Khanjin said a controversial landfill project will be put through a rigorous approval process.

    • Marine mammal rescuers in British Columbia are searching for an entangled humpback whale in the waters off northern Vancouver Island.

    • Authorities were called to break up an altercation involving "numerous" golfers in Burnaby, B.C., over the weekend – apparently prompted by some serious breaches in etiquette.

    • Mounties are urging witnesses to come forward after an alleged road rage incident escalated into a shooting that injured a driver in Richmond, B.C.

    • A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect Sunday for a swath of the B.C. Interior, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

    • Mounties in Kelowna say a suspect is at large after a man was stabbed in the city Sunday afternoon.

    • Police are remaining tight-lipped about a woman’s death in a Kelowna park on Friday.

    • With the recent moisture and cooler temperatures, fire bans and restrictions in the Lethbridge area are no longer in effect.

    • Plenty of tourists will descend on Lethbridge to see what the city offers. Locals, too, will have no shortage of activities this weekend.

    • The 122-year-old Raymond Stampede is set to get underway this weekend, but this year’s event will occur at a new location.

    • A 37-year-old has been charged after a security guard in Sault Ste. Marie was attacked by a shoplifting suspect June 30.

    • A group of Elliot Lake seniors and homeowners who have been fighting the Canadian government and by extension the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for the last three years over the radioactive backfill used under their homes will be getting their day in court on Wednesday.

    • A researcher from the Netherlands is looking to identify the families of a couple of dozen Indigenous heroes who gave their lives while fighting for freedom in World War II. It’s all part of a larger remembrance project she’s working on.

    N.L.

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