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Category: Canada

  • MIL-OSI USA: English version: Roya Rismankar Appointed IAM Canadian Research Analyst

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM International President Brian Bryant has appointed Roya Rismankar as a Research Analyst in the Canadian Territory, effective March 10, 2025.

    Rismankar will play a crucial role in providing members with accurate and timely information to support their success. 

    “With her experience and dedication, we are confident that Roya will make meaningful contributions to our research efforts and help set strategies to advance our goals,” said IAM Canadian General Vice President David Chartrand.

    Rismankar graduated in 2021 and has gained four years of research experience, specializing in public policy. She has worked with the Government of Canada on an ongoing qualitative research project for the Privy Council Office, advising the Prime Minister on key issues such as housing, government benefits, and cost of living. 

    “As a Research Analyst, it is a foundational component of my role to provide our fellow members with timely and accurate information to set them up for success,” said Rismankar. “The collective IAM Union will continue to set the standards for workers’ rights at all stages, from employment wages and benefits to retirement and pensions. I am elated to start my journey with the IAM and contribute toward a meaningful cause to amplify workers’ voices all across Canada.”

    In addition to her professional work, Rismankar is actively involved in several humanitarian organizations, volunteering her time to support various causes.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Happy Valley-Goose Bay — RCMP Labrador District GIS arrests two individuals for drug offences, thanks public for providing information

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Thanks to information received from the public, two individuals, 42-year-old Nachelle Nuna and 35-year-old Brent Diamond, were arrested on March 21, 2025, for possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine at a traffic stop by RCMP Labrador District General Investigation Section (GIS).

    Last Friday evening, with the support of Sheshatshiu RCMP, a traffic stop was conducted by Labrador District GIS in Sheshatshiu. Nuna and Diamond were arrested. Inside the vehicle, officers located and seized a quantity of suspected crack cocaine, cash, and other items consistent with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

    The pair were released from custody and are set to appear in court at a later date, each to face charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and possession of cocaine.

    The investigation is continuing.

    RCMP Labrador District GIS is dedicated to the enforcement of drug related crimes throughout the Labrador region of the province.

    If you are a resident of the Labrador region of the province and suspect drug trafficking in your community, Labrador District GIS wants to talk to you. You can remain anonymous by calling the Happy Valley-Goose Bay detachment directly at 709-896-3383 and requesting to speak to a police officer with Labrador District GIS.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Manning — Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit investigates homicide in Manning

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On March 16, 2025, at 2:25 p.m., Manning RCMP responded to a report that a deceased individual, later identified as Nathan Loonskin, a 38-year-old Paddle Prairie, Alta. resident, was located within a vehicle on Range Road 224, in Carcajou, Alta. The Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit was deployed and has taken carriage of the investigation.

    The deceased has been taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Edmonton and the death has been deemed as a homicide. Although early in the investigation, RCMP believes this was an isolated incident and that there is no ongoing risk to the public.

    Alberta RMCP Major Crimes is requesting assistance from the public. Anyone with dash cam footage, or reports of suspicious persons or activity, in the area of Highway 35, between Manning and Paddle Prairie, between March 15, 2025 around 8:00 p.m. and Mar. 16, 2025 around 2:00 p.m., is asked to please come forth. Furthermore, anyone who has knowledge of the whereabouts of Nathan Loonskin leading up to March 16, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. is asked to please do the same.

    Anyone with information can contact the Manning RCMP at 780-836-3007 or your local police. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www. P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: SafeCard Reviews (Read Before Buying): Does It Really Work or Is It a Scam?

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MONROE, La., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The world is gradually going fully digital with the advent of many of the latest technologies. We have embraced the convenience it brings with each tap, swipe, and contactless payment, even though it brings with it a new set of vulnerabilities. The proliferation of digital technologies raises the possibility of illegal access to private data, and resultant theft of personal information. This is where RFID-blocking technology comes into play, and SafeCard is one gadget that has generated a lot of attention.

    SafeCard Reviews

    SafeCard is designed to serve as a portable protector for your personal and financial data. According to the manufacturer claims and many consumer reports, It successfully prevents unwanted scanning by erecting an imperceptible barrier around your credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices using an innovative RFID and NFC blocking technology. To put it another way, SafeCard quietly protects your sensitive information in the background so you may profit from online transactions without worrying about cybercrime all the time.

    The SafeCard has been trending online and on different blogs because of the many claims and features users stand to gain from getting it. Also, users have asked many questions with the aim of confirming the authenticity and manufacturer’s claims. Is the SafeCard Worth My Dime? SafeCard Consumer Reports? Benefits of SafeCard? How Is the SafeCard better than an RFID Blocking Wallet? You will get to learn the answers to these and even more by the end of this review.

    We will holistically be looking at SafeCards performance, features, consumer reports, usefulness, and design. We are aware that making an informed choice requires a clear, factual analysis of the device’s functionality in real-world situations and we will be giving you just that. We will also discuss actual user experiences of the SafeCard from people in the USA, and Canada. Let’s get started!

    What Is SafeCard?
    (SafeCard Reviews USA, Canada, Australia)

    SafeCard is a thin and lightweight innovative card designed to keep you safe from unwanted access to your digital information. SafeCard provides a crucial line of security for your credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices in this age of contactless payments and growing cyberthreats. It prevents possible scanners from intercepting your data by establishing an imperceptible electromagnetic barrier using innovative RFID and NFC blocking technologies. Even in crowded public areas, this protective field guarantees that your personal identification and financial information stay private.

    SafeCard has an incredibly tiny design, unlike traditional RFID-blocking devices that come in the form of large wallets or separate sleeves. It blends in perfectly with any wallet, pocketbook, or cardholder thanks to its slightly thicker than one millimeter thickness, which keeps the design simple and elegant without adding extra bulk. SafeCard is a great option for anyone looking for both style and security because of its small size.

    The SafeCard functions passively so it doesn’t need batteries, recharging, or complicated setup. It automatically starts protecting your data by thwarting unauthorized scanning efforts as soon as it is put next to your cards. Whether you’re traveling, commuting, or just running your daily affairs, its sturdy, water-resistant materials guarantee that it can endure normal wear and tear. Essentially, SafeCard offers 24/7 security against digital theft by fusing an innovative technology with a user-friendly design.

    Does The SafeCard Really Work?

    By employing RFID and NFC blocking technology, SafeCard creates an imperceptible electromagnetic barrier that protects your private information from unwanted scanning attempts. SafeCard actively blocks radio frequency signals that hackers could otherwise intercept when it is in your wallet with your credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices.

    Your financial and personal information is always safe because of this passive interference, which operates constantly without the need for batteries or any setup. SafeCard eliminates the risk of digital theft by creating a protective barrier around your cards that stops skimming devices from accessing or sending your data. Because of its incredibly thin and light form, it fits neatly into any wallet or pocketbook and offers strong yet covert security wherever you go.

    SafeCard essentially provides a hassle-free, automated solution to protect your digital data around-the-clock. It is indispensable for anyone interested in digital security.

    DON’T MISS OUT: SafeCard is Available At A Special Price – Click Here To Order From The Official Website

    What Are the Special Features Of SafeCard?
    (SafeCard Reviews United States)

    The SafeCard has become a must-have device, especially for frequent travelers. Let’s quickly look at the features of the SafeCard RFID/NFC blocking card.

    • Advanced NFC and RFID Blocking Technology: To protect your private data from online scammers, SafeCard uses state-of-the-art NFC (Near Field Communication) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) blocking technology. The SafeCard blocks unwanted scanning attempts before they can intercept your financial data by forming a strong undetectable electromagnetic barrier of about 5 centimeters. SafeCard provides complete protection for all RFID-enabled devices, including credit and debit cards, identification badges, smart passports, and tap-to-pay devices, in contrast to traditional security methods that might only protect a subset of cards. Even the most sophisticated skimming tools are made ineffective by the SafeCard tried-and-true protection system, providing you with peace of mind in any crowded or public location.
    • Slim and Compact Design: The days of compromising convenience and style for security are long gone. The smart thin design of the SafeCard, which is only 1.1 mm thick, makes it nearly identical to a regular credit card. Its incredibly thin profile makes it fit neatly into any wallet, pocketbook, or cardholder without adding extra bulk. SafeCard fits in perfectly with your lifestyle, regardless of whether you’re a minimalist who appreciates clean design or someone who carries numerous cards and documents on a regular basis. In addition to preserving your wallet’s overall appearance, its small size guarantees that all of the RFID-enabled cards in your collection are protected without the mess of bulky wallets or conventional RFID-blocking sleeves.
    • 24/7 Protection: SafeCard’s capacity to provide continuous protection without any active action is one of its best qualities. SafeCard offers 24/7 security without requiring batteries or recharging thanks to its passive operation. Its protection field is instantly activated when it is placed next to your RFID-enabled cards, guaranteeing that no unlawful scan is missed. Your personal information is always protected thanks to its always-on security system, whether you’re at home, on the road, or in a crowded public area. SafeCard’s dependable, continuous operation allows you to concentrate on your day while your digital security is taken care of automatically, eliminating the need for planned maintenance or downtime.
    • No Setup Required: SafeCard’s design philosophy is centered on ease of usage. There is no installation, configuration, or technical expertise needed. The SafeCard starts protecting you as soon as you put it in your wallet with your RFID-enabled cards. It’s a simple plug-and-play experience with no buttons to click, software upgrades to handle, or complicated instructions to follow. SafeCard is perfect for users of all ages and technical skill levels because of its simple usage.
    • Award-Winning Innovation: Both customers and industry professionals have acknowledged SafeCard’s superiority. This device, which has received praise and prizes from respectable organizations all around the world, is praised for its innovative approach to digital security. SafeCard has established itself as a reliable and creative solution in digital security thanks to thousands of good reviews and an expanding user base of over 10,000 happy customers. It is the preferred option for people looking for dependable, cutting-edge protection against digital theft due to its demonstrated track record of accomplishment. Choosing SafeCard ensures that you’re always one step ahead of cyber threats by investing in a device that has undergone extensive testing and been praised for its effectiveness and inventiveness.
    • Lightweight: SafeCard is the perfect addition for everyone who appreciates portability because, in spite of its strong security measures, it is remarkably light. Its feather-light design practically never adds weight to your daily carry, maintaining the convenience and comfort of your wallet.
    • Long-lasting and durable: SafeCard’s design places a strong emphasis on durability to make sure it can handle the rigors of regular use. SafeCard is made from high-quality, durable materials and is designed to withstand physical wear and tear, including scratches and water spillage. The sturdy design ensures that your card will stay in perfect shape for lengthy periods of time, offering ongoing protection without the need for regular replacements. SafeCard’s resilience guarantees that it will continue to be a reliable defender of your digital data regardless of the challenges provided by inclement weather or the demands of regular use..
    • Travel-Friendly: SafeCard is a necessary travel companion that blends ease and security for those who travel frequently. You may carry it covertly everywhere you go thanks to its small form, which fits neatly into any pocket or travel wallet without calling attention to itself. SafeCard’s dependable security is especially helpful in transit hubs where RFID skimming is more likely, like train stations, airports, and crowded cities. SafeCard guarantees that your sensitive information is protected during your travels. You can now concentrate on your experiences without having to worry about digital theft thanks to this travel-friendly feature.

    Are SafeCards Safe?

    SafeCards are designed to protect against illegal digital scanning and RFID skimming. SafeCard creates a barrier that keeps your RFID cards and documents protected when you slide them into your wallet.

    SafeCards provide complete protection for all RFID-enabled objects, including credit cards, passports, and even key cards, so it’s not just about stopping one kind of card. The verified efficiency reduces the possibility of illegal data collection in congested public areas such as busy transit stations, shopping malls, and airports.

    Once positioned next to your cards, they constantly protect your information around-the-clock because they don’t need batteries or active setup. Thanks to this hands-off design, you won’t have to bother about upkeep, which guarantees that your data is safe every day.

    The increasing quantity of glowing client testimonials also supports its safety. SafeCards are praised by users for providing peace of mind by lowering the danger of fraud and identity theft. Cybersecurity experts agree that SafeCards are a helpful personal security tool. The SafeCards is 100% safe and will not disappoint when you need them the most!

    How Do You Use SafeCard?

    SafeCard doesn’t require any technical setup and is incredibly user-friendly. Unlike other security devices, SafeCard runs passively, so you don’t need to charge it, turn it on, or do any other maintenance. Use SafeCard effectively by doing the following:

    • Unbox and Place SafeCard in Your Wallet: Place SafeCard in your wallet, purse, or cardholder just like you would with a regular credit card.
    • Place SafeCard Next to Your RFID-Enabled Cards: Keep your SafeCard near your contactless payment cards, identification cards, or passports for optimal security. One SafeCard can be used to protect several cards.
    • Take Advantage of Automatic RFID Protection: SafeCard begins to function as soon as it is in your wallet. By emitting a low-frequency signal that tampers with RFID scanners, it stops unauthorized access to private data.

    Is SafeCard Shield Legit?

    SafeCard Shield, a small and powerful RFID-blocking card made to protect your private data, is one product that has drawn a lot of interest. But is the SafeCard Shield genuine? The answer is definitely yes!

    SafeCard Shield’s innovative RFID and NFC blocking technology keeps data thieves at bay by erecting an imperceptible barrier around your RFID-enabled cards. Even with sophisticated scanning tools, SafeCard Shield ensures hackers cannot access your information, including your credit card, passport, or work ID. SafeCard Shield provides universal protection and is remarkably thin and light, unlike conventional RFID-blocking wallets that are large and costly.

    SafeCard Shield’s passive, battery-free operation is one of the things that makes it stand out as a genuine security tool. SafeCard Shield operates automatically around the clock, unlike other RFID blockers that need to be charged or powered by external sources. It offers immediate, continuous security without requiring setup, activation, or upkeep; just put it in your wallet next to your RFID-enabled cards.

    Thousands of excellent reviews from happy clients around the world are another indication of SafeCard Shield’s genuineness. Many users have reported feeling more at ease while traveling, shopping, or commuting in crowded areas. Additionally, tech reviewers and security experts have acknowledged SafeCard Shield as a straightforward and effective method of preventing unwanted RFID reading.

    Additionally, SafeCard Shield is composed of premium, long-lasting materials that guarantee protection for an extended period. Even after regular usage, its scratch-proof and water-resistant design ensures dependability. You can rely on SafeCard Shield to safeguard your private information for many years. SafeCard Shield is entirely legit!

    CLICK HERE NOW TO GET SAFECARD DIRECTLY FROM THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE AT A MASSIVE DISCOUNT

    Best Places To Use SafeCard (SafeCard Review)

    SafeCard is a flexible addition to your daily security routine because it is made to offer strong protection wherever you go. Your credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices will always be protected thanks to its sophisticated passive RFID and NFC blocking technology.

    Airports are one of the best places for frequent travelers to take advantage of SafeCard. SafeCard provides a covert layer of security in crowded terminals where digital skimming is common. As you move through congested security lines, lounges, and boarding gates, it guards against illegal scanning.

    Another situation where SafeCard excels is on public transit. Because of the close quarters and quick person turnover, buses, trains, and subways are frequently hotspots for digital pickpocketing. A proactive step that protects your personal information while you commute every day is keeping your SafeCard in your wallet.

    SafeCard is also used in restaurants and retail establishments. The possibility of illegal data collection rises as more companies use contactless payment methods. SafeCard helps guarantee that your digital payment information remains safe as you take advantage of the convenience of tap-to-pay transactions, whether you’re at a busy restaurant, a small boutique, or a retail mall.

    The device is equally useful in professional environments such as co-working spaces and offices. Credit, debit, and access cards are among the several cards that business workers frequently carry. By using SafeCard in these settings, possible data breaches that can happen in open-plan workplaces or while traveling for work are avoided. It adds an additional degree of protection without disrupting your productivity.

    Furthermore, SafeCard can be used most effectively at educational institutions and public gatherings like conferences, concerts, and festivals. SafeCard makes sure that your financial and personal information is safe from any cyber threats in these busy places where there are many distractions and personal security can occasionally take a backseat. The SafeCard blends in well with your lifestyle wherever you are because of its thin, light design.

    Pros of SafeCard (SafeCard Reviews)

    Below are a few benefits of having the SafeCard with you all the time:

    • Advanced RFID and NFC blocking technology.
    • Incredibly thin design blends in perfectly with any wallet without adding bulk.
    • No need for batteries
    • Offers round-the-clock protection.
    • Several RFID-enabled cards are protected at once
    • Sturdy, water-resistant, and scratch-resistant.
    • Thin and lightweight
    • User-friendly for people
    • No-setup installation needed.
    • 30-day money back guarantee

    Cons (SafeCard Reviews)

    Below are a few drawbacks of the SafeCard:

    • Only RFID-enabled devices are protected; physical theft is not covered.
    • Only works when kept in the same wallet as your cards.
    • Retail availability is limited because purchases can only be made on the official website.
    • Limited in stock so hurry while supplies last.

    DON’T MISS OUT: SafeCard is Available At A Special Price – Click Here To Order From The Official Website

    SafeCard Reviews Consumer Reports USA, Canada, Australia, UK

    Below are reviews from verified users of the SafeCard:

    • Melissa H. | Verified Buyer -“I love going to holiday markets, but after watching my friend lose hundreds to a scammer, I knew I needed protection. SafeCard blocks thieves silently, and I haven’t had an issue since. It’s the best purchase I’ve made for my security!”
    • Rachel T . | Verified Buyer – “While traveling through Rio, I discovered my bank account had been drained by scammers. I was devastated. A fellow traveler recommended SafeCard, and it’s been a lifesaver ever since. No more stolen data, no more stress. Now I can travel with confidence knowing my wallet is secure.”
    • James K. | Verified Buyer -“I bought a 3-pack of SafeCards so my wife and kids could have one too. Now, wherever we go, we know our data is secure. It’s such a relief!”

    How Much Does A SafeCard Cost?

    Right now, the SafeCard is currently being offered at a discounted price, especially if you purchase straight from the manufacturer. The SafeCard at its current price is unquestionably a fantastic deal for a product with such high-end features. The following costs are associated with obtaining your own SafeCard:

    Where Can I Order SafeCard in the USA, Canada, and Australia?

    To ensure that you receive the genuine product with full warranty coverage, it is recommended that you purchase SafeCard directly from the manufacturer’s official website.

    Buying from the official website not only guarantees authenticity but also gives you access to any special offers, discounts, or package discounts that might not be available from third-party sellers. Additionally, the official website ensures that your private card information is secure. On the manufacturer’s website, you can easily place your order with hassle-free shipping guaranteed.

    CLICK HERE NOW TO BUY SAFECARD DIRECTLY FROM THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE AT A MASSIVE DISCOUNT

    SafeCard Reviews: Frequently Asked Questions

    We will be providing answers to some frequently asked questions on the SafeCard RFID blocking device. Please go through it as you will gain extra information about the use and functioning of the device:

    Do Safe Shield Cards Really Work?

    SafeCard has been shown to be successful in preventing unwanted RFID scanning, according to several user reports and independent evaluations. It greatly lowers the risk of data skimming, a typical tactic used by fraudsters, by erecting an imperceptible barrier around your RFID-enabled cards. SafeCard’s innovative design and technologies provide a strong line of defense that improves your overall digital security.

    What is the difference between SafeCard and conventional RFID-blocking wallets?

    Conventional RFID-blocking wallets are designed to use integrated panels or several large sleeves, which can be inconvenient and add extra weight. Conversely, SafeCard provides an even higher degree of security but is made to be thin and undetectable. Multiple cards are protected simultaneously by its single-card design, which eliminates the need for separate compartments.

    Is it simple to use SafeCard?

    Definitely, SafeCard’s ease of use is one of its main benefits. No buttons need to be pressed, no complex setup, and no technical knowledge is required. SafeCard starts working as soon as you put it in your wallet with your RFID-enabled cards. It is the perfect answer for people from all walks of life because of its passive functioning, which guarantees users can enjoy continuous protection without worrying about configuration or recharging.

    Can other RFID-enabled devices be used with SafeCard?

    SafeCard is designed to provide all-around safety for many RFID-enabled devices all at once. SafeCard’s innovative technology builds a complete barrier that prevents unwanted scanning attempts on a variety of devices, including credit cards, debit cards, passports, access cards, and even identification badges. It is a practical option for anyone wishing to secure several RFID devices without having to deal with buying separate protective gear or tools.

    Who needs the SafeCard?

    Anyone who wants to improve their digital security and uses RFID-enabled devices should consider getting the SafeCard. This includes professionals with hectic schedules, frequent travelers, students, and even casual users who are worried about RFID skimming threats. It is a useful addition for people who appreciate convenience and security because of its simplicity of use, small size, and dependable protection. SafeCard can be easily incorporated into your lifestyle, regardless of whether you’re a tech expert or someone searching for a simple security solution.

    What are the opinions of actual users regarding SafeCard?

    The majority of actual user reviews have been favorable, with numerous clients complimenting SafeCard on its efficiency, ease of use, and stylish appearance. When traveling or shopping in congested areas, users report feeling more at ease. For those who are worried about the security issues associated with RFID, the high customer satisfaction percentage indicates that it is a smart investment.

    Conclusion on SafeCard RFID Blocking Card Reviews

    Modern RFID and NFC blocking technology employed by SafeCard prevents unwanted scanning and safeguards private data on credit cards, passports, and other RFID-enabled devices. It’s incredibly thin profile guarantees protection without the hassle of bulk or complicated setups, while also preserving the elegant appearance of contemporary wallets.

    During our review, we found that SafeCard’s smooth, passive protection sets it apart from other conventional RFID-blocking devices. The SafeCard starts protecting your digital data as soon as it is in your wallet and doesn’t require any further upkeep or power sources. Customers have praised the device’s longevity, highlighting its scratch- and water-resistant design as two significant daily-use benefits.

    SafeCard provides a practical and dependable defense against typical travel risks including digital theft and unauthorised data skimming. Its strong performance and simple design make it a desirable option for frequent travelers, busy professionals, and anybody else worried about the security of their personal information.

    Many USA consumer reports support the manufacturer’s claims with many real users stating that it exceeded their expectations. The SafeCard is a wise and proactive way to stay safe in these dangerous times of sophisticated data theft. Why travel scared when you can do your trips confidently with SafeCard? You can stay safe all through your trips by getting your own SafeCard!

    DON’T MISS OUT: SafeCard is Available At A Special Price – Click Here To Order From The Official Website

    Contact: SafeCard
    Email: support@safecardshield.com

    Disclaimer:
    This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute professional, legal, or cybersecurity advice. While SafeCard may help reduce the risk of RFID-based digital theft, no security product can guarantee 100% protection in all scenarios. Individual results may vary based on usage and other factors. Always exercise general caution and follow best practices when safeguarding your financial and personal data. The publisher and all parties involved in the creation and distribution of this content are not liable for any misuse, loss, or damages arising from the use or reliance on the information provided herein. Always consult the official product website or customer support for the most accurate and updated details.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5b2f8b2b-7614-471e-bc04-df63db036bea

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b1e8d76f-8ecf-4176-a754-f9f916e782ff

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e1131b2-5041-4305-8773-cc7188774ecf

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4ad570a4-17b3-4a6f-aaa3-17fc4a2788e1

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Signal-gate security blunder overshadows Black Sea ceasefire

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

    Depending on what you think of Donald Trump, his administration could fit either of the following two descriptions. Chaotic, vindictive and accident-prone, marked by mendacity, driven by impulse and bent on securing the will of the leader, rather than – as in the US constitution – the will of the people. Or it could be a government masterminded by a man playing 4D chess while all around him are playing chequers. A president whose deal-making skills and focus on outcomes ensure the security and prosperity of America and its allies.

    If you base your assessment on the people Trump has chosen as his key national security advisers then, after the recent Signal chat group intelligence debacle, you’d almost certainly opt for chaotic and accident-prone, at the very least.

    Looking around the Signal chatroom, who do we have? National security advisor Mike Waltz, Vice-President J.D. Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, defense secretary Pete Hegseth, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA director John Ratcliffe and a supporting cast of other senior Trump staffers. And, unwittingly, the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg.

    Heads must roll, say Trump’s critics. But who from this hydra-headed beast should take the fall? Should it be Waltz, who invited Goldberg to the chat group? Or Hegseth, who posted operational details of a US attack, including the when, where and how, hours before it was due to take place? Should it be Vance, whose swipe at America’s freeloading European allies has caused considerable angst across the Atlantic?

    Or perhaps one or another of Gabbard and Ratcliffe, who sat in front of the Senate select committee on intelligence on Tuesday and maintained that no classified material or “war plans” had been revealed to the group – sworn evidence now revealed to be unreliable at best?

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    At present it seems as if none of them are going to pay for their dangerous incompetence. Instead their ire is turned on Goldberg, who has variously been called a “sleazebag” by Trump himself, “loser” and the “bottom scum of journalists” by Waltz and a “deceitful and highly discredited, so-called journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again” by Hegseth.

    Robert Dover of the University of Hull, whose research centres on intelligence and national security, believes this is a “national security blunder almost without parallel”. He points to the hypocrisy of people like Hegseth who savaged Hillary Clinton for using a private email server to conduct official business when she was secretary of state under Barack Obama.

    Dover also notes the damage the episode will have done to America’s already shaky relations with its allies in Europe. Being disparaged by the vice-president as freeloaders and dismissed by the defense secretary as “pathetic”, he believes, will be “difficult to unsee”.



    Read more:
    Signal chat group affair: unprecedented security breach will seriously damage US international relations

    But credit where it’s due, it appears that US diplomacy may at least be bearing some – limited – fruit. At least, that is, if the two partial ceasefires recently negotiated between Russia and Ukraine actually materialise. That’s a fairly big if, of course. Despite a pledge by both sides that they could support a deal to avoid targeting each other’s energy infrastructure, there’s no sign yet of a cessation of attacks.

    And there has been a degree of scepticism over the recently announced plan for a maritime ceasefire to allow the free passage of shipping on the Black Sea. Critics say this favours Russia far more than Ukraine. Over the course of the war, Ukraine has successfully driven Russia’s Black Sea fleet away from its base in Crimea, giving it the upper hand in the maritime war. But maritime strategy expert, Basil Germond, says the situation is more nuanced, and the deal represents considerable upside for Ukraine as well.



    Read more:
    Russia has most to gain from Black Sea ceasefire – but it’s marginal, and Ukraine benefits too

    Setting aside America’s eventful recent forays into foreign relations, there’s a major domestic fix brewing which many US legal scholars believe could plunge the country into a constitutional crisis.

    Anne Richardson Oakes, an expert in US constitutional law at Birmingham City University, anticipates a potential clash between between the executive and the judiciary which could threaten the separation of powers that lies at the heart of American democracy.

    Oakes observes there are more than 130 legal challenges to Trump administration policies presently before the courts, some of which will end up in front of America’s highest legal authority, the Supreme Court, which is tasked with assessing the constitutionality of those policies. She warns that we’ve already seen evidence that Trump and his senior officials resent what they consider to be interference from the judiciary into the legitimate executive power of the elected president.

    Will there be a stand-off where the Trump administration simply ignores the Supreme Court’s ruling? It’s happened before, says Oakes. In the mid-20th century, in Little Rock, Arkansas, when the governor used the state’s national guard to prevent the court-ordered desegregation of public schools. On that occasion the then president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, sent in federal troops to enforce the court’s ruling and a constitutional crisis was averted.



    Read more:
    US stands on the brink of a constitutional crisis as Donald Trump takes on America’s legal system

    But what if it’s the serving president who chooses to ignore a Supreme Court ruling? This was the case in the 1830s when greedy cotton farmers in Georgia were bent on forcing the Native American peoples off their lands. The Cherokee actually took the state of Georgia to the Supreme Court, which ruled that as a “dependent nation” within the United States they were entitled to the protection of the federal government and that the state of Georgia had no right to order their removal.

    As historian Sean Lang of Anglia Ruskin University recounts, Georgia ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling and sent in troops to expel the Cherokee who were then forced to move to new lands in a journey known as the “Train of Tears”. Lang writes that then US president, Andrew Jackson, a populist advocate of states’ rights and former “Indian fighter”, ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling, “sneering that [Chief Justice John] Marshall had no means of enforcing it”.

    Lang concludes: “It’s a history lesson Greenlanders, Mexicans and Canadians – and indeed many Americans who may fall foul of this administration and seek recourse to the law – would do well to study.”



    Read more:
    Trump’s America is facing an Andrew Jackson moment – and it’s bad news for the constitution

    Trump’s chilling effect

    The Trump administration’s antipathy towards judges who have opposed its policies have extended towards those law firms who have in some way crossed the US president. But the legal system is not the only sector to feel the chilling effect of Trump’s displeasure, writes Dafydd Townley.

    The world of higher education in the US is also apprehensive after the administration went after Columbia University, home to some of the most outspoken protest over US policies towards Israel and Gaza. Columbia has recently had to agree to allow the administration to “review” some of its academic programmes, starting with its Middle Eastern studies, after the administration threatened to cancel US$400 million (£310 million) of government contracts with the university.

    The news media is also under heavy pressure. The administration has taken control of the White House press pool from the non-partisan White House Correspondents’ Association and has blackballed Associated Press for refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. We’ve also seen Trump himself bring lawsuits against media organisations he judges to have crossed him. And now the president has called for the defunding of America’s two biggest public broadcasters, NPR and PBL, for what he perceives as their liberal bias.

    Townley, an expert in US politics at the University of Portsmouth is concerned that this all adds up to a deliberate attempt to cripple institutions which underwrite American democracy.



    Read more:
    Donald Trump’s ‘chilling effect’ on free speech and dissent is threatening US democracy

    Popularity falls as prices rise

    Trump’s leadership continues to be very polarising, writes Paul Whiteley, a political scientist and polling specialist at the University of Essex, who has spent years studying political trends in the US. Looking at the most recent numbers, Whiteley finds that while Trump’s approval ratings are fairly steady at 48% approval and 49% disapproval, when you dig down you find that only 6% of registered Democrats approve of his performance, while 93% disapprove. For registered Republicans it’s almost exactly the opposite.

    Whiteley takes his analysis further, looking at measures such as consumer sentiment, which has fallen sharply since January, with talk of tariffs and the return of inflation affecting people’s confidence in the economy. He points out there tends to be a fairly strong historical correlation between confidence in the economy and popular approval of a president’s performance.



    Read more:
    Three graphs that show what’s happening with Donald Trump’s popularity

    Another factor which will surely affect people’s confidence in the government are the job losses flowing from Elon Musk’s work as “efficiency tsar”. Thomas Gift, the director of the Centre on US Politics at University College London, believes that federal job losses as a result of Musk’s cuts are spread indiscriminately among Democrat and Republican states. As a result there may be some Republican voters who are experiencing what he calls “buyer’s remorse”.

    At the same time, rising inflation is flowing into the cost of living, something many people voted for Trump to punish the Democrats for. As Gift points out, both parties are experiencing a dip in support at present as people reject politics for having a generally negative effect on their lives. But from now, it’ll be the Republicans who will feel the sting of popular disapproval more keenly.



    Read more:
    Trump’s job cuts are causing Republican angst as all parties face backlash

    World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get updates directly in your inbox.

    – ref. Signal-gate security blunder overshadows Black Sea ceasefire – https://theconversation.com/signal-gate-security-blunder-overshadows-black-sea-ceasefire-253245

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Shakespeare can help us put meaning back in money

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Paul Yachnin, Tomlinson Professor of Shakespeare Studies, McGill University

    From greed for resources and money to technology run amok and a politics of domination, hatred and fear of others, our world sometimes seems to be on a course of assured destruction.

    How can our society not only avert disaster, but move toward a better path forward, driven not only by money-making (the accumulation of wealth, power and status), but also by meaning-making (the search for deeper purpose for ourselves in community with others and with the natural world)?

    As scholars who have respectively studied Shakespeare and health and economics — along with a team of thinkers in economics, health policy, artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and a number of theatre and literary artists and humanities scholars — we’re building a project called Reimagining Shakespeare, Remaking Modern World Systems.

    Shakespeare and the arts can help researchers see the way toward new ways of thinking through our period of massive disruption, especially since the world in Shakespeare’s time, like our world now, was riven by social, political, ecological and epidemic crises.



    Read more:
    After the plague, Shakespeare imagined a world saved from poison, slander and the evil eye

    Making meaning with audiences

    Why Shakespeare? In some ways, Shakespeare was the Jeff Bezos of his time.

    Unlike the billionaire entrepreneur Bezos, who founded Amazon and is now its executive chair, Shakespeare didn’t sell everything under the sun. However, like Bezos, who innovated new ways of packaging stories for people via books and movies, for example, Shakespeare repackaged existing stories and authored plays as a leader of the creation of a new money-making industry.

    Shakespeare’s new industry was different from TV streaming in important ways. Theatre, which fosters real-time, embodied and collective experiences, never operates on a one-way supplier-to-buyer axis.

    Shakespeare’s theatre made money — he became a wealthy man — but his theatre always also made meaning in collaboration with its audiences, educating playgoers and stimulating conversations about about state politics, money and power and about the care of other people and of the natural world.

    Shakespeare as social entrepreneur

    Shakespeare was a social entrepreneur whose work strengthened the convergence of money-making and meaning-making. Shakespeare showed all kinds of people how they might play creatively with the systems that ruled their world.

    Shakespeare didn’t dismantle the systems, but what the characters in the plays say and do opens up fissures in those systems that invite characters like Rosalind in As You Like It or Imogen in Cymbeline to wriggle through, toward the possible restoration of freedom that allows them to do things differently.

    The divine right of kings was the foundation of the political system in Shakespeare’s time.

    In Richard II, John of Gaunt says to the Duchess of Gloucester that there is nothing he can do to avenge the murder of her husband (King Richard’s uncle) because while the king orchestrated the murder, he is above the law.

    Shakespeare’s play, which dramatizes the history of the deposition and assassination of King Richard, does not dismantle the system of monarchy as it stood in Shakespeare’s time — the divine right of kings remains in place. But it dramatizes how the characters are able to do what they need to do for the good of the state by finding their way through the cracks in the political system.

    Recognition of mortality

    Theatrical art like Shakespeare’s also leads us away from the fatuous life goal of the endless accumulation of wealth.

    In King Lear, Shakespeare shows us how money-making can become divorced utterly from meaning-making and how money and meaning have to be brought back into convergence. At the start, Lear is wedded to wealth, power and prestige.

    Even his daughters are required to declare publicly their worshipful love and loyalty to him. By virtue of his uncrowning, the suffering that follows for him, and his recognition of his own mortality, he learns to see other people as people, including his truly loving daughter Cordelia. He also learns how his meaningfulness as a man can come back to him only once he embraces the equitable distribution of resources among all the people of Britain.

    Not that Shakespeare is the only one offering insights into how to address the multiple crises that the world is facing. Many others have brought forward new ideas about how to “green” the world of finance or how to restore human values to a sense of value calculated exclusively in monetary terms.

    But something more is needed now to move us toward a healthier and more just future, and the makers of art are the ones who can provide it.

    Money poisonous when ill-used

    Consider one moment from Shakespeare’s play, Timon of Athens. The once fabulously wealthy Timon has squandered money on scores of men whom he thought were friends. Here the character Flavius distributes the money he has saved from his employment as Timon’s steward to the other household servants, all of them now unemployed.

    He insists that they take their share, and he reflects on the poisonous power of money when it is not used to support meaningful community:

    Good fellows all,

    The latest of my wealth I’ll share amongst you.

    Let each take some;

    Nay, put out all your hands—not one word more:

    (The servants embrace, and part several ways)

    O, the fierce wretchedness that glory brings us!

    Who would not wish to be from wealth exempt,

    Since riches point to misery and contempt?

    Who would be so mock’d with glory? or to live

    But in a dream of friendship?

    In Timon, Shakespeare shows us that money must not be stripped of a search for a meaningful life in community with others. Money without meaning conjures a mere dream of friendship, a fantasy world that must finally give way to a reality of misery and contempt.

    If that is what we want, bring on the dollars — so much money, we won’t know where to spend it all — and away with art!

    By bringing Shakespeare into conversations about finance, health, climate and AI, our research collaboration aims to help change the prevailing rationale of western modernity that positions money-making as the core driver of individual and collective progress.

    Paul Yachnin receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada.

    Laurette Dube does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How Shakespeare can help us put meaning back in money – https://theconversation.com/how-shakespeare-can-help-us-put-meaning-back-in-money-250903

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why it’s a critical time for Canada to renew its commitment to global health co-operation

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kelley Lee, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Health Governance; Scientific Director, Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society, Simon Fraser University

    As the United States moves to end longstanding commitments to global health co-operation — punctuated by its withdrawal from World Health Organization (WHO) — a new report by the joint Expert Panel of the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, which we co-chaired, offers guidance on how Canada can strategically position itself in this fast-changing context.

    Traditionally, Canada has taken pride in being a good global health citizen through distinct contributions as a middle power. Active participation in multilateral institutions such as the WHO, close co-operation with like-minded states and research partnerships led by low- and middle-income countries have defined Canada’s global health brand.

    Since the early 2000s, Canada has also initiated and funded major initiatives on reproductive, maternal and child health, nutrition and the control of infectious diseases. The International Development Research Centre and Grand Challenges Canada, alongside researchers and civil society organizations, have generated further tangible benefits for the health and well-being of populations worldwide, while also elevating Canada’s standing on the world stage.

    Pandemic stress test

    However, the COVID-19 pandemic has since triggered seismic changes in the global health landscape. The pandemic itself stress-tested Canada’s global health role, earning the country mixed reviews.

    While the federal government provided billions of dollars to collectively fight SARS-CoV-2, through initiatives such as the COVAX Facility and ACT-Accelerator (Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator), these important contributions were overshadowed by Canada’s failure to champion global vaccine equity. Rather than bringing countries together, the pandemic prompted many to prioritize national interests.

    Since the end of the emergency phase, governments have struggled to agree to a pandemic treaty and there has been a shift in attention to other pressing needs. Calls to decolonize global health have instead been met with a decline in financial commitments by the U.S. and other donor countries.

    This concerning shift in the global health landscape signals an important need for Canada to reflect on its role in global health. Key findings of our panel’s report directly challenge the outdated notion that global health is simply about development assistance.

    Instead, we identify where domestic and global health needs intersect in an interconnected world of shared risks and opportunities. We conclude that domestic health and well-being cannot be advanced without a robust commitment to global health co-operation. The key is to urgently identify these win-wins as points of navigation in an era of what’s known as polycrisis.

    Priority issues

    To renew Canada’s global health role, the panel identifies four priority issue areas that bring together domestic and global health needs:

    • Champion an accelerated and equity-focused universal health coverage strategy with particular emphasis on primary care and the rights of women and girls;

    • Advance a One Health security approach to pandemic readiness that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all life, need for primary prevention and central importance of sustainability and equity; spans upstream risks as well as downstream preparedness and response measures; and builds core capacities such as a standing emergency workforce;

    • Renew Canadian leadership in health promotion and protection by advancing a well-being economy focused on serving people and the planet, rather than the generation of wealth as an end goal; and prevents the harms and promotes the benefits from for-profit businesses, their activities and the economic systems that sustain them, known as the commercial determinants of health;

    • Initiate a Canadian Emergency Workforce for Health Innovation Program to urgently tackle the domestic and global health workforce crisis including a commitment to zero poaching of international health-care workers by 2035.

    Taking action

    Microscopic view of H5N1 avian influenza particles. The growing threat from highly pathogenic avian flu offers a clear example of how a retreat from global health co-operation directly weakens the capacity of all countries to protect domestic populations.
    (CDC and NIAID), CC BY

    The panel recommends that three strategic actions are needed to take forward these priority issue areas:

    • A Canadian Global Health Strategy that sets out a renewed rationale for global health engagement, key priorities for federal, provincial/territorial and local levels of government, targeted investments and clear metrics to monitor progress;

    • A coherent and targeted plan to bolster public and private investments in science and innovation for critical priorities such as the health workforce, One Health Security, along with research capacity in Indigenous communities and the developing world; and

    • A commitment to ensuring Canadian capacity to engage in global health decision-making, diplomacy and partnerships through the appointment of a Global Health Ambassador; establishment of a Canadian Global Health Hub (CG2H) that brings together available expertise, talent and resources; and a training program for our next-generation of leaders.

    The growing threat from highly pathogenic avian influenza and the health impacts of climate change are looming examples of how a retreat from global health co-operation at this time would directly weaken Canada’s capacity to protect health and well-being at home.

    From the World Health Organization’s tracking of the ever-changing influenza virus to the rapid development and deployment of medical countermeasures and the joint tackling of the causes of global warming, a retreat behind national borders makes little sense. Building on a storied history of engagement that supersedes partisan politics, there is no time to lose for Canada to strategically renew its role in global health.

    Kelley Lee receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, New Frontiers in Research Fund, Canadian Biomedical Research Fund, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

    Tim Evans is a Board member of the not-for-profit group CanWaCH.

    – ref. Why it’s a critical time for Canada to renew its commitment to global health co-operation – https://theconversation.com/why-its-a-critical-time-for-canada-to-renew-its-commitment-to-global-health-co-operation-251894

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investment in adult education paves pathways to high-priority careers

    Adults looking to upgrade their academic skills to access high-priority post-secondary career programs will continue to benefit from tuition-free Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English Language Learning (ELL) pathway programs across B.C.

    The Province is investing nearly $4 million to support delivery of 23 pathways at 11 public post-secondary institutions and Native Education College (NEC) between April 1, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026. The pathway programs are offered in addition to existing ABE and ELL programming available throughout the province, which became tuition-free in 2017.

    The ABE and ELL pathway programs were launched in 2022 and provide opportunities for domestic students to upgrade English, math, and science skills to meet prerequisites for entry into high-priority post-secondary career programs, in areas such as health care, early childhood education, skilled trades and technology.

    The programs help students transition into post-secondary education and skills training and set them up for success by helping them integrate into post-secondary life, tailoring programs to students’ target careers or disciplines, and offering career guidance and additional academic support.

    The 11 public post-secondary institutions and NEC each offer unique approaches that reflect their region, student population and programming. For example, institutions may customize their pathways to meet the needs of Indigenous students, students living in rural areas, or newcomer students.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about ABE and ELL programs, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/adult-education/adult-upgrading

    To read B.C.’s 2024 Labour Market Outlook, visit: https://www.workbc.ca/sites/default/files/2025-02/BC%20LMO%20Report%202024.pdf

    Two backgrounders follow.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Clarenville — Clarenville RCMP investigates theft at Shoppers Drug Mart, seeks assistance identifying woman

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Clarenville RCMP is investigating a theft at Shoppers Drug Mart in Clarenville that occurred on March 25, 2025. A significant quantity of cosmetic products was stolen.

    On Tuesday, Clarenville RCMP received the report of the theft. An unknown woman entered the store and departed without paying for various cosmetic items. The items are valued between $2000.00-$3000.00.

    Clarenville RCMP is seeking assistance from the public in identifying the woman, who was captured on the store’s surveillance. An image is attached.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone who can identify the woman or who has information about this crime or the current location of the stolen property is asked to contact Clarenville RCMP at 709-466-3211. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Alberta is ending the photo radar cash cow

    For years, Alberta has had the most ATE sites of any jurisdiction in Canada with many serving as a “cash cow,” generating millions of dollars in revenue with no clear evidence they were improving traffic safety. Now, following thorough consultation and review of existing ATE sites, Alberta’s government is making significant changes to restore public trust in the use of photo radar.

    Effective April 1, the updated ATE Technology Guideline will prohibit photo radar on numbered provincial highways and connectors, restricting it only to school, playground and construction zones. Intersection safety devices in Alberta will also be limited to red light enforcement only, ending the “speed-on-green” ticketing function.

    “We have officially killed the photo radar cash cow and the revenue-generating “fishing holes” that made Alberta the biggest user of photo radar in Canada. The updated guideline will ensure that photo radar is used for safety only. The new provincial traffic safety fund will support municipalities in physical improvements at key intersections, helping to reduce traffic risks and enhance safe roads.”

    Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

    Alberta’s government has also created a new $13-million Traffic Safety Fund for municipalities to upgrade local roads and intersections that pose demonstrated safety risks. Details will be made available on how to apply for the Traffic Safety Fund, once the application process has been finalized.

    “This shift ensures that photo radar is used where it matters most – near schools, playgrounds and construction zones. Traffic enforcement should be about protecting people, not generating revenue. The new Traffic Safety Fund gives municipalities the tools to make targeted improvements to roads and intersections with real safety concerns. Keeping Edmontonians safe on our streets must always remain the priority.”

    Tim Cartmell, Pihêsiwin councillor, City of Edmonton

    “Shifting photo radar to playgrounds and construction zones enhances safety where it matters most – protecting our children and workers on Calgary’s roads. I’m proud to back this important step toward safer communities.”

    Dan McLean, Ward 13 councillor, City of Calgary

    “The Traffic Safety Fund is a welcome addition to the overall funding available to municipalities. The Rural Municipalities of Alberta support a dynamic approach to managing traffic safety.”

    Kara Westerlund, president, Rural Municipalities of Alberta

    Municipalities are encouraged to use traffic calming measures instead of photo radar but may request provincial approval for an exemption to the photo radar ban in high-collision locations. To do so, municipalities must submit a business case detailing high-collision frequency and severity at the site, relative to similar locations, and demonstrate how other safety measures are not possible or will be ineffective. To be approved for an exemption, they must also commit to audit the exempted site every two years to assess the effectiveness of photo radar in reducing collisions at that location.

    The updated ATE Technology Guideline also includes parameters around equipment testing and maintenance, data collection and reporting requirements, traffic safety plans, signage and public communication of photo radar locations.

    Quick facts

    • On April 1, the new ATE 2025 Technology Guideline comes into force.
    • The newly created Traffic Safety Fund will provide $13 million over three years to help municipalities re-engineer intersections to reduce collisions:
      • $1 million in 2025-26
      • $2 million in 2026-27
      • $10 million in 2027-28
    • Alberta first introduced photo radar in 1987.

    Related information

    • Photo radar in Alberta | Alberta.ca

    Related news

    • Putting an end to the photo radar cash cow (Dec. 2, 2024)
    • Protecting drivers from photo radar fishing holes  (Nov. 23, 2023)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Building the future of skilled trades in Alberta

    [. Alberta’s government is addressing the labour market demands of today and tomorrow through strategic investments to increase training capacity in high-demand areas, helping students get the skills and knowledge they need to enter Alberta’s workforce.

    Through Budget 2025, if passed, Alberta’s government is investing $20 million in continuing funding for the Advanced Skills Centre at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), as part of a three-year total investment of $43 million for pre-construction planning and design. Once operational, the centre is expected to train an additional 4,200 apprentices per year, helping to meet Alberta’s growing demand for skilled workers.

    “By investing in skilled trades and apprenticeship education, Alberta is responding to the needs of industry and targeting our investments in ways that support the economy. Projects like the Advanced Skills Centre exemplify our commitment to helping ensure students are able to make the most of opportunities in high-demand fields and get the skills they need to be successful in Alberta’s workforce.”

    Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education

    The new facility will add 640,000 square feet of state-of-the-art learning space to NAIT’s main campus. The Advanced Skills Centre will deliver comprehensive, leading-edge apprenticeship and technology-based education to help meet the needs of industry by targeting four key sectors: construction, transportation, manufacturing and energy. 

    “Alberta’s economy is built by skilled tradespeople, and this investment ensures more Albertans can access the training they need to secure stable, high-paying jobs. The Advanced Skills Centre will help meet workforce demands in key industries, keeping our province competitive and prosperous for many years to come.”

    Matt Jones, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade

    The Advanced Skills Centre is now in the planning and design phase and is anticipated to be fully operational by 2029. As part of the centre, NAIT has proposed a 10,000-square-foot space for trades and technology skills exploration, which will serve as a hub for K-12 partners, community groups and industry to receive hands-on training opportunities.

    “The Advanced Skills Centre will build the skilled workforce needed to build Alberta’s future. The Government of Alberta’s latest investment will accelerate getting this all-important project shovel-ready. NAIT would like to thank the Government of Alberta for its continued trust and partnership. Together, we will confidently create new economic opportunities for the next generation.” 

    Laura Jo Gunter, president and CEO, NAIT

    “Growth in Edmonton’s construction industry, and our regional economy, depend on ECA members’ ability to hire and retain skilled trades workers. The ECA welcomes the Government of Alberta’s investment in the Advanced Skilled Centre, and pledges continued support to grow NAIT’s ability to attract, train and educate tomorrow’s construction workforce.” 

    Matt Schellenberger, director of corporate development, Edmonton Construction Association

    Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta communities with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

    Quick facts

    • The investment of $20 million for pre-construction planning and design of the Advanced Skills Centre is part of a three-year total investment of $43 million, first announced in 2024.
    • The yearly funding breakdown from Alberta’s government is as follows:
      • $2 million in 2024-25
      • $20 million in 2025-26
      • $21 million in 2026-27
    • Through Budget 2025, if passed, Alberta is also investing an additional $78 million per year over three years for seats in apprenticeship programs at 11 post-secondary institutions across the province.
    • Each year, 30,000 to 40,000 students are enrolled in programs across NAIT’s campuses.
      • Of those students studying in full-time programs, more than 30 per cent are enrolled in apprenticeship and skilled trades programs.
    • Demand for seats and apprenticeship registration has increased over the last three years and is expected to continue rising due to Alberta’s growing economy and vacancies created by retirees.
    • As of February 2025, there were more than 73,000 registered apprentices in Alberta, representing an increase of 19 per cent compared to last year.

    Related information

    • Information about apprenticeship and the skilled trades is available at tradesecrets.alberta.ca.

    Related news

    • Investing in the future of apprenticeships at NAIT (May 28, 2024)

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government Announces End to Temporary SINP Pause

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 27, 2025

    And Announces Program Changes Due to Federal Government’s Allocation Cut 

    Today, the Government of Saskatchewan announced changes to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) in response to the federal government’s reduction to the program. The Government of Canada cut nomination allocations to all provincial nominee programs by 50 per cent earlier this year, leaving Saskatchewan with 3,625 nominations, the lowest since 2009 and added a requirement that 75 per cent of all nominees must already be living in Canada as temporary residents. 

    “We are disappointed with the federal government’s decision to cut provincial nominee program allocations,” Deputy Premier and Immigration and Career Training Minister Jim Reiter said. “The SINP has been essential for Saskatchewan employers seeking to hire international workers when qualified Canadians are unavailable. The changes announced today will ensure that our reduced number of nominations is used effectively and in a way that prioritizes building our economy.” 

    The previously announced pause to the intake of Job Approval Forms (JAFs) will end immediately.

    To manage the constraints imposed by the federal government, the Government of Saskatchewan is implementing program changes to the SINP effective immediately. These changes will ensure fair access across sectors while maintaining program integrity and aligning with Saskatchewan’s long-term labour market needs. Changes to the SINP will focus on prioritizing growing the work force in health care, agriculture and the skilled trades.

    The changes to the SINP include:

    • Approvals for candidates overseas will be prioritized for Health, Agriculture and the skilled trades. Recruitment for all other sectors and occupations will only be supported for candidates who are already temporary residents in Canada on a valid temporary visa;
    • Nominations for the accommodation, food services, retail trade and trucking sectors will be capped at 25 per cent of total annual nominations;
    • Spas, salons and pet care services (excluding veterinarians) are no longer eligible to recruit through SINP; and
    • The Entrepreneur, International Graduate Entrepreneur and Farm Owner/Operator categories will be permanently closed. 

    A full list of the changes can be found on https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/moving-to-saskatchewan/live-in-saskatchewan/by-immigrating/saskatchewan-immigrant-nominee-program/immigration-faqs.

    Due to the program changes, applications under the Saskatchewan Express Entry and Occupations In-Demand sub-categories that do not have a Saskatchewan-based job offer will be returned. Candidates whose applications are returned will be required to contact the SINP to request a refund of their application fee. Applicants with questions about their application status and requirements can contact the SINP at immigration@gov.sk.ca or 1-833-613-0485.

    The SINP is Saskatchewan’s immigration program that allows the province to nominate qualified candidates for permanent residence in Canada. Over 90 percent of Saskatchewan’s economic immigration is facilitated through the SINP with it playing a key role in supporting Saskatchewan’s growing economy and labour needs. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: More money for reading, writing and math skills | Plus d’argent pour les habiletés en lecture, en écriture et en mathématiques

    Reading, writing and math skills are important for lifelong success in and out of the classroom. This year, schools started screening students in kindergarten to Grade 3 more often to ensure no student falls behind in reading, writing and math. To help young students that need extra support, Alberta’s government is providing a one-time grant of $7.5 million to ensure schools have the resources and staff needed to support students in developing these important skills. 

    “Basic skills like reading, writing and math are key to student success. This funding will help schools identify students that need help the most and get them the extra help they need.”

    Demetrios Nicolaides, Minister of Education

    The additional $7.5 million in grant funding builds on the $10 million that is being provided for reading, writing and math support for this school year. Budget 2025, if passed, also invests more than $40 million into school boards for reading, writing and math support over the next three years.

    “Today’s announcement solidifies Minister Nicolaides’ ongoing commitment to address learning difficulties in our province. This is a strong statement of support to school divisions, teachers and researchers as they work collaboratively to ensure that our students have the resources they need to succeed.”

    George Georgiou, professor, Faculty of Education, University of Alberta

    “Alberta School Boards Association welcomes the government’s additional investment in supports and interventions for literacy and numeracy. This grant will help Alberta’s locally elected school boards provide essential early learning resources to support the unique needs of our youngest learners.”

    Marilyn Dennis, president, Alberta School Boards Association

    Quick facts

    • Since 2021, Alberta’s government has provided $85 million in Learning Disruption Funding to support students who need additional support in literacy and numeracy.   
    • In 2024, Learning Disruption Funding was renamed Literacy and Numeracy Support Funding, to help support the development of crucial early literacy and numeracy skills in Alberta’s youngest learners.  
    • Funding will be distributed to school authorities that previously received funding in the 2024/25 school year.
    • The $7.5 million may continue to be used in the 2025/26 school year to provide interventions to kindergarten to Grade 3 children and students who require additional support.

    About literacy and numeracy screenings:

    • All kindergarten students are screened in January.
    • All students in grades 1 to 3 are screened twice a year, in September and January.
    • Students in grades 1 to 3 who are identified as needing additional support in January will be screened a third time at the end of the school year to monitor their progress. 
    • New screening requirements will be introduced for students in grades 4 and 5 in September 2026. 

    Related information

    • Early Years Assessments  

    Related news

    • Timely, impactful support for young learners (Dec. 4, 2024)
    • Supporting Alberta’s youngest students (July 11, 2024) 

    Le gouvernement de l’Alberta fournit 7,5 millions de dollars aux autorités scolaires pour aider les élèves à acquérir des habiletés en lecture, en écriture et en mathématiques

    Les habiletés en lecture, en écriture et en mathématiques sont importantes pour réussir tout au long de la vie, en classe et ailleurs. Cette année, les écoles ont commencé à administrer plus souvent des tests de dépistage à leurs élèves de la maternelle à la 3e année afin de s’assurer qu’aucun élève ne prend de retard en lecture, en écriture et en mathématiques. Afin d’aider les jeunes élèves qui ont besoin de soutien supplémentaire, le gouvernement de l’Alberta accorde un financement de 7,5 millions de dollars sous forme de subvention ponctuelle. Cela permettra au gouvernement de s’assurer que les écoles aient les ressources et le personnel nécessaires pour aider les élèves à acquérir ces habiletés importantes.

    « Les habiletés de base comme la lecture, l’écriture et les mathématiques sont essentielles à la réussite des élèves. Avec ce financement, les écoles pourront identifier les élèves qui ont le plus besoin d’aide et leur apporter le soutien supplémentaire dont ils ont besoin. »

    Demetrios Nicolaides, ministre de l’Éducation

    Ce financement supplémentaire de 7,5 millions de dollars s’ajoute aux 10 millions de dollars qui ont été versés, au cours de la présente année scolaire, pour appuyer le renforcement des habiletés en lecture, en écriture et en mathématiques. Le budget 2025, s’il est adopté, octroiera aussi plus de 40 millions de dollars sur trois ans aux autorités scolaires pour le soutien à la lecture, à l’écriture et aux mathématiques.

    « L’annonce d’aujourd’hui consolide l’engagement continu du ministre Nicolaides à s’attaquer aux difficultés d’apprentissage dans notre province. Il s’agit d’un puissant message de soutien aux autorités scolaires, aux enseignants et aux chercheurs, qui travaillent ensemble pour s’assurer que nos élèves disposent des ressources nécessaires à leur réussite. »

    George Georgiou, professeur, Faculté d’éducation, Université de l’Alberta

    « Alberta School Boards Association se réjouit de cet investissement supplémentaire du gouvernement dans les soutiens et interventions en matière de littératie et de numératie. Cette subvention aidera les conseils scolaires élus localement de l’Alberta à fournir des ressources d’apprentissage indispensables pour répondre aux besoins uniques de nos plus jeunes apprenants. »

    Marilyn Dennis, présidente, Alberta School Boards Association

    En bref

    • Depuis 2021, le gouvernement de l’Alberta a alloué 85 millions de dollars en financement visant les perturbations de l’apprentissage (Learning Disruption Funding)  afin d’aider les élèves qui ont besoin d’un soutien supplémentaire en littératie et en numératie.
    • En 2024, le financement visant les perturbations de l’apprentissage est devenu le fonds de soutien à la littératie et à la numératie (Literacy and Numeracy Support Funding) afin d’appuyer le développement des compétences essentielles en littératie et en numératie chez les plus jeunes apprenants de l’Alberta.  
    • Le financement sera distribué aux autorités scolaires qui ont déjà reçu un financement au cours de l’année scolaire 2024-2025.
    • Le financement de 7,5 millions de dollars pourra être utilisé au cours de l’année scolaire 2025-2026 pour continuer à intervenir auprès des élèves de la maternelle à la 3e année qui ont besoin d’un soutien supplémentaire.

    À propos du dépistage en littératie et en numératie

    • Tous les élèves de la maternelle passent un test de dépistage en janvier.
    • Tous les élèves de la 1re à la 3e année font l’objet d’un dépistage deux fois par année, en septembre et en janvier.
    • Les élèves de la 1re à la 3e année qui ont été identifiés, en janvier, comme ayant besoin de soutien supplémentaire, passeront un troisième test de dépistage à la fin de l’année scolaire afin que l’on puisse suivre leurs progrès.
    • De nouvelles exigences relatives à l’administration de tests de dépistage en 4e et 5e année seront mises en œuvre dès septembre 2026. 

    Renseignements connexes

    • Évaluations lors des premières années du parcours scolaire  

    Nouvelles connexes

    • Un soutien rapide et efficace pour les jeunes apprenants (4 décembre 2024)
    • Soutenir les plus jeunes apprenants de l’Alberta (11 juillet 2024) 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Grants for cycling, walking paths support sustainability

    Cyclists and walkers will enjoy more multi-use pathways, protected bike lanes, pedestrian bridges, and safety improvements as the Province helps local governments expand their active transportation infrastructure.

    “With this funding, we’re helping communities across B.C. build a more sustainable future,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit. “By connecting communities with dedicated active transportation infrastructure, we’re encouraging people to cycle, walk or roll, which is good for our health and lessens our reliance on passenger vehicles.” 

    A new round of provincial funding is supporting 53 active transportation infrastructure projects in B.C. communities. Additionally, nine communities are receiving funding to create network plans for future active transportation. These communities are benefiting from $24 million in provincial funding.

    The grants will improve connections to employment, school, transit and recreational centres throughout the province.

    The Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program funds Indigenous, local and regional governments with cost-sharing investments of up to $500,000 for infrastructure projects and as much as $50,000 in funding to develop active transportation network plans. These projects make it safer and more efficient for people to use active transportation in their communities.

    Since 2020, the Province has funded 327 projects across 187 communities through the Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants program, supporting the Province’s CleanBC commitment to increase shares of trips by walking, cycling and transit.

    Learn More:

    To learn about the B.C. Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants Program, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/funding-engagement-permits/funding-grants/active-transportation-infrastructure-grants

    A backgrounder follows.

    In 2024-25, the Province is providing $24 million for 53 active transportation projects.

    Northern B.C.

    • Burns Lake – 2025 Government Street multi-use pathway
      Active transportation between the high school, the Ts’il Kaz Koh First Nation Office, a daycare and Head Start program, college, senior housing and downtown commercial areas will be provided by a multi-use path, sidewalk, two street crossings, one pedestrian-activated crosswalk, a bench and a rest area.
    • Chetwynd – Chetwynd 46 Street Northeast sidewalk extension
      Installation of sidewalk connecting an elementary school to a residential subdivision.
    • Dawson Creek (1) – Kin Park trail lighting
      Installation of lighting along approximately 2.5 kilometres of existing pathway to improve safety.
    • Dawson Creek (2) – Rotary trail/MUP 17th Street bypass
      New multi-use trail connecting existing trail networks.
    • Fort St. John (1) – 2025 trail lighting
      Improving safety by adding lighting to approximately 1.6 km of existing trail.
    • Fort St. John (2) – 2025 Kin Park trail connections
      New multi-use path through Kin Park, complete with a pedestrian boardwalk, lighting, and wayfinding.
    • Smithers – Main Street active transportation improvements
      New multi-use pathway connecting downtown Smithers to the Fulton Avenue multi-use pathway, as well as a multi-use pathway connecting to existing multi-use pathways on HWY 16 and Fulton Ave.
    • Telkwa – Hankin Avenue paved path adjacent to school
      New multi-use path adjacent to an elementary school.
    • Terrace – North Thomas Street reconstruction
      Full reconstruction of North Thomas Street, including upgraded sidewalk, improved accessibility, and new and upgraded multi-use pathways.
    • Tumbler Ridge – Downtown core sidewalk replacement
      Sidewalk replacement in the downtown core, improving public safety and encouraging active transportation.

    Kootenays

    • Cranbrook – McPhee Road corridor improvements
      Construction of multi-use pathway along McPhee Road from Theatre Road to Industrial Road F.
    • Invermere (1) – 10th Street end-of-trip facility
      End-of-trip facility located at 10th Street and 8th Avenue in downtown Invermere consisting of a washroom building, e-bike charging station, walking trail network signage, and an end-of-trip bike service facility (including repair station, pump, wash station, installation kit).
    • Invermere (2) – Tarte Street trail
      Approximately 325 metres of multi-use path connecting existing active-transportation facilities.
    • Kimberley – Marsden Street active-transportation project
      Approximately 191 metres of sidewalk connecting to the city’s skate and bike park, as well as other recreation amenities.
    • Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (Electoral Area ‘C’/Christina Lake) – Christina Creek active transportation bridge
      New bridge across Christina Creek, providing a safer and more direct route for pedestrians and cyclists, and diverting users away from the highway.
    • Rossland – Centennial Trail improvements
      Safety and accessibility improvements on the Centennial Trail multi-use pathway that serves as an inter-community link from Red Mountain Resort, through Rossland and Warfield, to Trail.

    Thompson Okanagan

    • Kelowna (1) – Rutland neighbourhood bikeway (Phase 1: Houghton to Rutland Recreation Park)
      1.2 km of AAA neighbourhood bikeway increasing connectivity between a residential neighbourhood, local park, the YMCA and a secondary school.
    • Kelowna (2) – KLO Road bridge replacement
      The project consists of the replacement of the KLO Bridge and newly constructed AT facilities that connect adjacent neighbourhoods to the Mission Creek Greenway.
    • Lake Country – Construction on Lodge Road-Sherman Drive to Woodsdale Road
      Improvements to the Lodge Road corridor and Rail Trail, including paving, curb, gutter and sidewalk, transit stop access, transit stop improvements and intersection reconfiguration to improve pedestrian visibility and activated beacons at crossings.
    • Oliver – Raised crosswalks with multi-mode accessibility considerations
      The installation of two raised crosswalks that will improve Oliver’s existing active-transportation network. First at McKinney Road at Coyote Street, and a second at Fairview Road at Dividend Street.
    • Peachland – Peachland to West Kelowna multi-use pathway Phase II
      Multi-use path connecting Peachland to West Kelowna
    • Revelstoke – Pearkes Drive multi-use pathway
      New multi-use pathway along Pearkes Drive connecting the existing greenbelt pathway to Colbeck Road.
    • West Kelowna – Horizon Drive active transportation corridor
      Providing an active-transportation corridor, including sidewalks, neighborhood bikeways and painted bike lanes, linking Highway 97 to Westlake Road, as well as the Westbank First Nation and nearby neighborhoods.

    South Coast

    • Bowen Island – Multi-use path, Charlies Lane to Forster Lane
      Multi-use pathway along Grafton Road from Charlies Lane to Forester Lane.
    • Chilliwack (1) – McIntosh active transportation improvement project
      Approximately 450 metres of multi-use pathway (MUP) connecting a middle school and pedestrian rail tunnel.
    • Chilliwack (2) – Edward to Mary active transportation improvement project
      Multi-use pathway starting at the Edward St. frontage of 45489 Bernard Ave, travelling along Menholm Road, and ending at the corner of Hodgins Ave and Mary Street.
    • Coquitlam – Pipeline Road active transportation improvements
      New sidewalks and new separated cycle tracks, pathway lighting, and protected only phasing for vulnerable road users between Guildford Way and David Avenue. Additionally, new bidirectional micromobility facilities will be constructed between Lincoln Avenue and Guildford Way.
    • Delta (1) – 56 Street multi-use pathway (6 Avenue to 8A Avenue)
      New multi-use pathway connecting to an existing multi-use pathway and local park.
    • Delta (2) – River Road protected cycle lanes (68 Street to Deas Island Road)
      New protected bike lanes connecting to recently installed bike lanes from 68 Street to Deas Island Road.
    • Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District (Metro Vancouver) – Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades – causeway improvements
      New bike lanes and multi-use pathways connecting Sea Island and the Iona Beach Regional Park.
    • Langley (Township) (1) – Fraser Highway widening: 24300-24600 block, north side
      Approximately 800 metres of multi-use pathways for pedestrians and cyclists, including street lighting, landscaping and intersection upgrades.
    • Langley (Township) (2) – Fraser Highway Widening: 24300 – 24600 block, south side
      Approximately 800 metres of multi-use pathways for pedestrians and cyclists, including street lighting, landscaping and intersection upgrades.
    • North Vancouver – Spirit Trail eastern extension: Seymour to Windridge/Berkley
      New on-street cycling facilities, and off-street multi-use pathways, as well as pedestrian improvements and crossing improvements that will connect to the North Shore Spirit Trail linking Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove.
    • Squamish (1) – Victoria Street interim active transportation improvements
      New protected bike lanes on Victoria Street with pedestrian crossing improvements at intersections.
    • Squamish (2) – Depot Road active transportation upgrades
      New multi-use pathway on the north side of Depot Road with pedestrian crossing improvements at cross streets.
    • Tzeachten – Chilliwack River Road sidewalks (Phase 3)
      Increase connectivity with the installation of approximately 400 metres of sidewalk on the west side of Chilliwack River Road.
    • White Rock – Buena Vista bike path
      Approximately 400 metres of bi-directional bikeway and multi-use paths on Buena Vista Avenue between Johnston Road and Best Avenue.

    Vancouver and Gulf Islands

    • Alert Bay – Willow Road stairway replacement
      Replacement of approximately 65 metres of damaged stairs with new concrete.
    • Capital Regional District – Pender Island – Schooner Way school trail
      New multi-use transportation trail connecting Pender Island School, Health Centre, and commercial areas.
    • Comox – Aspen Road/Bolt Avenue sidewalk improvement and cycle lanes project
      Installation of new sidewalk and bike lanes that will provide direct access to a park and elementary school.
    • Esquimalt – Esquimalt Road active transportation and underground improvements – Phase 1
      Protected bike lanes connecting bike facilities on Lampson Street to the City of Victoria bike lanes at Dominion Road. This project includes two new rectangular rapid-flashing beacons and one upgraded beacon pedestrian crossing.
    • Langford (1) – Latoria active transit Improvements: Phase 1B – school safety improvements and eastern connectivity
      Improvements to Latoria Road including additional sidewalks, as well as buffered and protected bike lanes that will provide active transportation routes to a new elementary school.
    • Langford (2) – Latoria active transit improvements: Phase 1A – western connectivity
      Improvements to Latoria Road, including additional sidewalks, as well as buffered and protected bike lanes that will provide active transportation routes to a new elementary school.
    • Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation – MMFN Woss Lake Grease Trail and Malaspina Trail renewal
      Trail clearing and pre/post trip amenities for the Grease Trail and Malaspina Trail, including signs, benches, picnic tables and washroom facilities.
    • Nanaimo (1) – Crosswalk upgrades that improve active transportation routes
      Crosswalk upgrades to improve active transportation at seven locations.
    • Nanaimo (2) – Third Street active transportation improvements
      Widening of Third Street to allow for active-transportation improvements, including bike lanes and a sidewalk.
    • Saanich (1) – Shelbourne Street improvement project, Phase 3
      AAA bike lanes, new multi-use pathways and additional pedestrian improvements on Pear Street.
    • Saanich (2) – Albina, Maddock, Orillia improvements project
      Improvements to Albina, Maddock and Orillia Road with approximately 750 metres of new sidewalks, improved pedestrian crossings, traffic calming and widened boulevards, adjacent to Tillicum elementary school.
    • Sidney – Bowerbank neighbourhood bikeway
      AAA neighbourhood bikeway connecting a local park and elementary school, which will improve connection to the Lochside Trail, and will be a bicycle corridor for commuters.
    • Sooke (2) – Active transportation Throup Road corridor improvements
      Construction of new sidewalk, multi-use paths, crosswalks and boulevards through Throup Road Corridor connecting schools, recreation centres and bus routes.
    • Victoria (1) – Cook Street North multi-modal corridor improvements
      Approximately 1.8 km of complete streets that expands the AAA cycling network and provides accessibility and pedestrian improvements. This project connects with Saanich’s AAA bike lanes on Cook Street.
    • Victoria (2) – Blanshard Street North – multi-modal corridor improvements
      Approximately 608 metres of complete street that expands Victoria’s AAA cycling network by upgrading bike lanes to wider protected lanes and a fully protected intersection at Bay Street.
    • View Royal (1) – Atkins Road sidewalk project
      New sidewalk connecting Atkins Road to the Galloping Goose Regional Trail.

    Provincewide Active Transportation Network Plan (ATNP) grant recipients:

    • Castlegar ATNP
      The integration of an ATNP into a transportation master plan. Update of an existing plan.
    • Granisle ATNP
      Granisle ATNP. New plan.
    • Gold River usage counter
      The purchase of a mobile multi-pedestrian/cyclist counter that will be used in multiple places to support upcoming project proposals to support project development. 
    • Lantzville ATNP
      A comprehensive update of the Lantzville Trails and Journey ways Strategy (2010) to develop and expand an AAA active transportation network: New plan.
    • Regional District of Nanaimo (Cedar Village) ATNP
      The development of a plan to identify and develop safer and more contemporary active transportation methods and infrastructure that addresses conflict areas and prioritizes safety and comfort for all users: Update of an existing plan.
    • Snuneymuxw First Nation ATNP
      A plan to develop safe, efficient and sustainable active transportation infrastructure, as well as end-of-route culturally reflective benches, shelters and water fountain locations. New plan.
    • Strathcona Regional District – Cortes Island ATNP
      The development of an ATNP and implementation strategy to establish priorities for future investment: New plan.
    • Strathcona Regional District – Oyster Bay-Buttle Lake ATNP
      The development of an ATNP and implementation strategy to establish priorities for future investment. New plan.
    • Whistler ATNP
      A plan for improvement to achieve Whistler’s active-transportation vision, as outlined by the Whistler Active Transportation Strategy (2024). The plan will align with CleanBC, the ATDG, and Universal Design and GBA+ principles. Implementation plan for recent active-transportation strategy.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Spring Weather Brings Thinning Ice to Saskatchewan

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 27, 2025

    Today, the Water Security Agency (WSA) is advising the public about thin ice conditions across Saskatchewan. 

    As the warmer temperatures for spring runoff start to materialize, WSA is asking the public to use caution around Saskatchewan rivers, lakes and other water bodies due to thinning ice. 

    While temperatures vary across the province, warmer spring conditions are causing increased melting, runoff and thinning of the ice. Ice does not melt at a uniform pace and its strength can vary from one area to another. 

    Be aware that any activity on ice has risks and thickness is just one consideration when evaluating ice safety.  Also avoid ice that looks slushy, has thawed and then refrozen, or is near moving water. 

    Residents are encouraged to monitor local ice and water conditions and take precautions as they can change rapidly during the spring melt, leading to weakening ice and rapidly moving water.  WSA will continue to monitor conditions and report on them as they develop. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Small and Medium Business Tax Credit Arrives in Saskatchewan

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 27, 2025

    Pilot Project Supports Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in the Food, Beverage, Machinery and Transportation Sectors

    Today, the Government of Saskatchewan introduced legislation that will see the creation of a new Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Tax Credit. 

    “Small and medium-sized businesses are foundational for the strength of our Provincial economy, during a time when increasing local investment is more important than ever,” Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said. “With this new incentive, more small and medium-size businesses will be able to build equity, allowing them to grow, which leads to more jobs for our growing workforce. This is just one of the many ways that our budget delivers to the people of the province.”

    The program is a three-year pilot, which will function similar to the province’s successful Saskatchewan Technology Startup Incentive (STSI). The pilot targets enterprises in the food and beverage manufacturing, and the machinery and transportation equipment sectors.

    The program will include a 45 per cent non-refundable tax credit for individuals or corporations who invest in the equity of an eligible Saskatchewan SME. It will have an annual cap of $7 million on the total non-refundable tax credits awarded, processed on a first-come first-served basis. An eligible SME is defined as a Saskatchewan-based business with between five and 49 employees, with a minimum of 50 per cent of those employees residing in Saskatchewan. 

    Since 2014, the number of small businesses has risen 4.9 per cent in the province. 

    Private capital investment in Saskatchewan increased last year by 17.3 per cent to $14.7 billion, ranking first among provinces for growth. Private capital investment is projected to reach $16.2 billion in 2025, an increase of 10.1 per cent over 2024. This is the second highest anticipated percentage increase among the provinces.

    The SME Tax Credit pilot program will be in effect from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028. The program will begin accepting applications in late 2025. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wetaskiwin — Three arrested in connection with armed robbery

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Wetaskiwin RCMP have arrested three individuals in connection with an armed robbery that occurred On Feb. 6, 2025.

    RCMP were made aware of an armed robbery at a residence in Wetaskiwin. The victim said three suspects entered his home, pointed guns at his head and stole a television, bank cards, identification card, money and a cell phone. Three suspects then left on foot.

    On Feb. 7, 2025, the investigation led Wetaskiwin RCMP General Investigations Section to a near by residence. With the assistance of the RCMP Emergency Response Team, a search warrant was executed where two individuals were located and arrested.

    A 39-year-old individual, a resident of Maskwacis, Alta., was arrested and charged with the following:

    • Robbery with a firearm
    • Pointing a Firearm
    • Assault with a weapons x2
    • Uttering Threats.

    A 35-year-old individual, a resident of Maskwacis was arrested and charged with the following:

    • Robbery with a firearm
    • Pointing a firearm
    • Assault with a weapon x2
    • Uttering Threats.

    On Feb. 12, 2025, further investigation led to a second search warrant being executed. With the assistance of the RCMP Emergency Response Team, the Wetaskiwin RCMP’s General Investigations Section and Crime Reduction Unit located the third suspect that was taken into custody without incident. As a result of the search, RCMP located two imitation firearms that were used in the robbery.

    A 35-year-old individual, a resident of Wetaskiwin, was arrested and charged with the following:

    • Robbery with firearm
    • Assault with a weapon x2
    • Uttering Threats

    All accused are being held in custody, and scheduled to appear in Wetaskiwin Provincial Court on February 20, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Olds — Old’s Crime Reduction Unit locate a stolen vehicle

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Feb. 27, 2025, Old’s RCMP Crime Reduction Unit located a stolen vehicle at the 7-Eleven in Olds. Checks revealed the vehicle had been stolen out of Calgary. The driver was with the vehicle when stopped by officers. The vehicle was towed, and the registered owner was notified.

    A 58-year-old individual, a resident of Calgary, was arrested and charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5000. He also had warrants from Airdrie, Alta. and Lethbridge, Alta. which were executed.

    After a judicial interim release hearing, the individual was released and will be appearing in Alberta Court of Justice in Didsbury, Alta. on March 24, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Red Deer — Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team arrest individual for stolen vehicles

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On March 4, 2025, the Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team (CRT) responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival, police observed that there were three vehicles travelling together with one of the vehicles matching the description of a stolen vehicle. Covert surveillance was initiated, and the suspect vehicle later drove down a dead-end road, where it became stuck in the snow. The driver was subsequently arrested.

    A 24-year-old individual, a resident of Red Deer, has been charged with the following offences:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000 x2
    • Impaired operation of a motor vehicle
    • Flight from police
    • Drive while prohibited
    • Fraudulent concealment
    • Possession of a controlled substance
    • Drive without insurance

    The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was released on a release order.

    On March 11, 2025, officers were conducting proactive patrols within Red Deer when they observed a vehicle matching the description of a known stolen vehicle. Officers initiated covert surveillance and followed the vehicle to the area of Gaetz Avenue and 63 Street, where the driver of the vehicle was arrested.

    The 24-year-old individual has been charged with the following offences:

    • Possession of property obtained by crime over $5000
    • Drive while prohibited
    • Fraudulent concealment
    • Breach of release order x2
    • Drive without insuranceDrive without registration

    The individual was taken before a justice of the peace and was remanded into custody and is schedule to appear in court on March 13, 2025, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 23 Members of Congress Call on Teleperformance to Respect Labor Rights

    Source: Communications Workers of America

    OPEIU and CWA Applaud Call for FCC to Hold Teleperformance Accountable

    Washington, D.C. — Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and 21 other members of Congress called on the Federal Communications Commission to closely scrutinize Teleperformance/ZP Better Together’s application for certification to provide Video Relay Service, an essential program that ensures Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard-of-Hearing people have equal access to telecommunications services. VRS is funded through the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund, which all Americans pay into through their phone bills.

    “We’ve spent the last year organizing with our fellow interpreters to ensure VRS is the service that it needs to be, not a vehicle for corporate profits,” said Felix Reyes, a Teleperformance VRS interpreter from New York City. “The Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard-of-Hearing communities deserve interpreters who are adequately trained, have reasonable breaks and meaningful professional development opportunities, including from working with Deaf interpreters. We applaud Rep. Schakowsky and her colleagues for calling on the FCC to hold them accountable.”

    In the letter, members of Congress pointed out Teleperformance could work to allay their concerns about the deterioration of service quality in VRS by implementing the labor rights accord that Teleperformance signed with UNI, a global federation of labor unions, in the United States. The labor rights accord has already been implemented in Poland, Colombia, Jamaica, El Salvador, and Romania.

    “We are organizing VRS interpreters at Teleperformance and Sorenson because workers need a voice on the job now more than ever—for themselves and for the people they serve,” said Tyler Turner, president of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO. “For too long, a profit over people model has wreaked havoc on VRS interpreters’ working conditions and the vital service they provide to millions of Deaf Americans every day. OPEIU will not stop fighting until these workers get the justice they deserve. The 90,000 members of our union thank these members of Congress for taking a courageous stand on behalf of our members and the Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard-of-Hearing communities.”

    “Members of Congress have reason to be concerned about the impact of poor working conditions and low wages on the quality of Video Relay Service, especially in light of Teleperformance’s recent acquisition of ZP Better Together,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “VRS interpreters provide critical services to the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community, and public funds should be used to invest in the workers who provide the service, not to boost corporate profits. By implementing the UNI workers’ rights framework, Teleperformance will gain valuable insight from front-line workers into how to retain workers and improve service.”

    Last month, a separate letter by Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) spurred FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez to agree to participate in upcoming town halls to hear from ASL interpreters and the people they serve — the first time an FCC commissioner has agreed to host public meetings on the subject. OPEIU’s ASL Interpreters United includes VRS interpreters working at both Sorenson and ZP Better Together. Sorenson is owned by private equity firms Ariel Investments and The Blackstone Group, and ZP Better Together is owned by French telecommunications company Teleperformance.

    ###

    ABOUT OPEIU
    The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), AFL-CIO, represents approximately 90,000 working people throughout the United States and Canada. Representing employees in nonprofit organizations, technology, hospitals, hotels, credit unions, insurance agencies, colleges and universities, administrative offices, and more, OPEIU is committed to advancing economic justice for working people no matter their occupation. Professional organizations and guilds affiliated with OPEIU are a diverse group that includes podiatrists, teachers, registered nurses and helicopter pilots. OPEIU is an affiliate of the 15 million-member-strong AFL-CIO.

    ABOUT CWA
    The Communications Workers of America represents working people in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooks — Brooks RCMP execute search warrants after drug trafficking investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On Jan. 30, 2025, Brooks RCMP along with the Southern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit, conducted a vehicle stop and executed two search warrants as a result of a drug investigation.

    Officers conducted the vehicle stop in the area of Sunny Lea while two residences were searched on Maple Drive and Greenbrook Road. A significant quantity of illicit drugs was located in all three locations.

    As a result of the searches Brooks RCMP seized approximately:

    • 183 grams of cocaine – est. Street Value $18,350
    • 55 grams of methamphetamine – est. Street Value $3,300
    • 700 tablets of dilaudid – est. Street Value $14,000

    Brooks RCMP have charged a 58-year-old individual a 37-year-old individual with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

    Names can be released once charges are sworn.

    Background:

    Jan. 30, 2025

    Brooks RCMP advise of heavy police presence – update

    Brooks RCMP advise that the heavy police presence and corresponding police operations on Maple Road and Greenbrook Drive have now ended. Brooks RCMP thank the public for their cooperation in this matter.

    There is no further information available at this time.

    Background:

    Jan. 30, 2025

    Brooks RCMP advise of heavy police presence

    Brooks RCMP are currently on scene conducting police operations at two locations in Brooks. Police are currently at locations on Maple Road and Greenbrook Drive. Although there is no ongoing risk to the public, police are asking residents to avoid the area until the operation is over.

    An update will be provided.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The world is in crisis – what role should our universities play?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Vinita Srivastava, Host + Exec. Producer, Don’t Call Me Resilient | Senior Editor, Culture + Society

    It’s hard not to categorize our present global moment as a crisis. And just when we think things can’t get worse — they do.

    Across the globe, we’re witnessing a rise in far-right movements and governments.

    Just a few weeks ago, the AfD party in Germany secured second place. This marks the first time a far-right party has gained this level of power in the country since the Second World War. Germany is not alone in this trend: Italy, Hungary, Finland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Croatia are now led by far-right governments.

    And it may come as no surprise that many of these new leaders are increasingly hostile towards universities.

    In India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, universities have the lowest academic freedom since the 1940s. In Brazil, former president Jair Bolsonaro claimed that public universities transform students into leftists, gays, drug addicts and perverts.

    Meanwhile in the United States, Vice President JD Vance has called universities the enemy for allegedly teaching that America is “an evil, racist nation.” (Vance was echoing President Richard Nixon who called professors and the press the enemy. President Donald Trump even signed an executive order demanding higher education institutions dismantle their DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) programs. He’s also pulled federal funding from universities that allow “illegal protests”, and he’s demanded that Columbia University’s Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies Departments be independently reviewed.

    But, despite this hostility, universities — and students — have historically been springboards for progressive change. It was student protests 25 years ago that helped lead to the downfall of apartheid in South Africa. More recently, in Bangladesh, student protests helped topple the country’s authoritarian leader. This past year, students across the world have worked to raise public awareness of acts of genocide in Gaza.

    Meanwhile, here in Canada, universities are facing financial pressure because of reductions in international student permits. This drop in revenue has caused alarming budget constraints at universities, revealing a deep reliance on international students as a revenue source.

    This has led to existential questions about our universities. With today’s world in crisis, what should the role of the university be? And why are our public universities so underfunded? And how can they continue to serve their communities?

    Theses are big questions, ones that seemed fitting to tackle on our final episode of Don’t Call Me Resilient recorded live in front of an audience at the University of British Columbia. Joining us to tackle them was Annette Henry, a professor in the Department of Language and Literacy Education at UBC who is cross-appointed to the Institute for Race, Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice. Her work examines race, class, language, gender and culture in education for Black students and educators in Canada.

    We also spoke with Michelle Stack, an associate professor in UBC’s Department of Educational Studies whose work looks at educational policy, university rankings and equity and education.

    At a time when critical conversations in higher education are under attack worldwide, can Canadian universities rise to the challenge and be a force for good?

    Read more:

    Universities should stand up for integrity and public trust in university teaching

    How Commonwealth universities profited from Indigenous dispossession through land grants

    Universities should respond to cuts and corporate influence with co-operative governance

    Cops on campus: Why police crackdowns on student protesters are so dangerous

    Student protests: How the university perpetuates colonial violence on campus

    This episode was coproduced by Ateqah Khaki (associate producer), Marisa Sittheeamorn (student journalist) and Jennifer Moroz (consulting producer). Our sound engineer was Alain Derbez, with onsite assistance from Josh Mattson. Thank you to UBC’s Global Journalism Innovation Lab and its crew, The UBC School of Journalism and the Social Science Research Council of Canada for their generous support.

    – ref. The world is in crisis – what role should our universities play? – https://theconversation.com/the-world-is-in-crisis-what-role-should-our-universities-play-250235

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Legible Announces $4M Financing Round with Strategic Lead Investment and Capital Structure Enhancements

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (OTCQB: LEBGF) (FSE: D0T) (“Legible” or the “Company”), a consumer brand with an entertainment and education platform that uses AI and technology as a tool, today announced a non-brokered private placement offering of Units of the Company at $0.03 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to approximately $4,000,000 (the “Offering”), pursuant to exemptions under applicable Canadian securities laws.

    Each Unit will consist of one common share (“Common Share”) and one common share purchase warrant (“Warrant”). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to acquire one additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.05, exercisable at any time prior to 5:00 p.m. (Pacific time) on the date that is two (2) years from the closing date. The Warrants are subject to acceleration: should the volume-weighted average trading price of the Common Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (“CSE”) equal or exceed $0.25 for 15 consecutive trading days, the Company may accelerate the expiry date upon issuing a press release, giving Warrant holders no less than 15 trading days’ notice.

    The Offering is expected to have a first close on or about April 3, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, and may be completed in tranches. The Company reserves the right to increase or decrease the total gross proceeds. A finder’s fee of up to 8% in cash may be paid on all or a portion of the Offering. In addition, the Company may issue finders’ warrants equal to up to 8% of the number of units sold, with each finder’s warrant exercisable at $0.05 for two years, subject to the same acceleration terms noted above.

    In accordance with CSE requirements, the Company has received written consent to the Offering from 24 shareholders, representing approximately 53.3% of the Company’s outstanding Common Shares, totaling 75,215,608 out of 141,101,803 shares.

    “This Offering is more than capital, it’s a catalyst for scale. With global distribution partnerships, a suite of innovative products including celebrity-led Living Books and AI-powered infotainment apps, and increasing traction across automotive and publishing verticals, these funds will accelerate our growth trajectory,” said Kaleeg Hainsworth, Founder and CEO of Legible. “We’ve received an expression of interest for a $1.2 million lead investment, subject to a minimum $2 million close, which is expected to include a portion of debt conversions into equity, an important step in optimizing our balance sheet and positioning the Company for growth. This Offering will fortify our capital structure and allow us to execute on a range of high-impact initiatives designed to drive recurring revenue and expand market share.”

    Use of Proceeds
    The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to support Legible’s ongoing growth and operational initiatives. This includes investment in technology development, product and feature enhancements, targeted marketing and user acquisition campaigns, and general working capital.

    In addition, the Company intends to complete select debt-to-equity conversions, which will strengthen Legible’s capital structure by reducing liabilities and optimizing the balance sheet. These conversions position the Company for future financing opportunities, enhances financial flexibility, and supports long-term value creation for shareholders.

    In alignment with this new phase of growth, the Company anticipates thoughtful enhancements to its board and leadership structure to further strengthen execution, governance, and strategic reach.

    About Legible Inc.

    Legible is a consumer brand with an entertainment and education platform that uses AI and technology as a tool to redefine how people discover, access, and engage with digital books. At the core of its emerging platform is LegibleOS™, the Company’s proprietary operating system that powers intelligent AI content management, delivery, and personalized user experiences, with seamless engagement across mobile, web, and in-vehicle environments. LegibleOS offers authors and publishers the turn-key opportunity to embed AI interactive content, video and audio, directly into digital books, available exclusively on Legible’s platform. Legible is also a groundbreaking publisher delivering world-first AI-interactive rich media-enhanced Living Books and audiobooks that integrate ecommerce and social media opportunities and have been featured on major US media, including the Drew Barrymore Show, one of the highest rated US talk shows with millions of viewers.

    The Company holds strong partnerships with major publishers and global distributors, offering a catalog of millions of titles across direct-to-consumer and B2B channels. Legible is also a first mover in automotive infotainment, enabling immersive in-car reading through partnerships with leading in-vehicle technology platforms.

    Named the 2024 EdTech Breakthrough Award for eLearning Innovation of the Year, Legible is redefining the future of interactive learning and entertainment by combining content innovation, platform intelligence, and strategic distribution.

    Visit Legible.com, where books meet technology.

    Press Contact:
    Ms. Deborah Harford
    EVP, Global Strategic Partnerships
    invest@legible.com
    Website: https://invest.legible.com
    Tel: (604) 283-2028

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information
    This Press Release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information (“forward-looking statements”), including statements regarding Legible’s business. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Legible’s control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, currency fluctuations, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility and the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Although Legible believes that the expectations in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward- looking information. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking information, as no assurance can be provided as to future results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date of this document and, except as required by applicable law, Legible does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE US

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Changes to reservist leave: Joint statement

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan is the First Province in Canada to be Carbon Tax Free

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 27, 2025

    Effective April 1, Saskatchewan will be the first province in Canada to be carbon tax free. 

    The Government of Saskatchewan will pause the industrial carbon tax rate under its Output-Based Performance Standards (OBPS) Program, a decision that will provide immediate financial relief to families, farms, businesses and industry. The carbon tax rate rider will be removed from all SaskPower bills. This will save hundreds of dollars a year for Saskatchewan families and businesses. 

    “Today, we are making Saskatchewan the first carbon tax free province in Canada,” Premier Scott Moe said. “In taking the lead on the removal of this harmful tax, we hope all federal leaders will support our position and allow the provinces to regulate in this area without imposing the federal backstop.” 

    “Saskatchewan led on the removal of the carbon tax on home heating last year, saving families in our province over $400 on their household SaskEnergy bills,” Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison said. “Now we are leading again as the first province in Canada to remove the industrial carbon tax on electricity generation, delivering further savings for Saskatchewan families, businesses and industries on their SaskPower bills.”

    In the face of the ongoing tariff threats and the rising cost of living, Saskatchewan is taking decisive steps to protect Saskatchewan businesses and residents from economic uncertainty and unnecessary taxation. 

    “Now more than ever, the world needs our clean and sustainable, food, fuel and fertilizer” Environment Minister Travis Keisig said. “This is not the time to risk undermining our economic growth and prosperity. Pausing the industrial carbon tax will allow industries to grow and operate sustainably while maintaining our economic competitiveness during these uncertain times.”

    Saskatchewan is home to some of the most sustainable products on the planet and has the food, fuel, fertilizer and critical minerals the world needs. By eliminating industrial carbon costs which are often passed directly on to consumers – the province is acting to protect affordability and economic competitiveness. 

    This decision will foster an economic environment where industries can feel confident to make investments, increase production, and protect the jobs and families they support.  

    While the industrial carbon tax rate is paused, the Government of Saskatchewan will continue to engage with industry on the future of Saskatchewan’s OBPS system. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Skilled Trades and Technology Building for the New Saskatchewan Polytechnic Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus Proceeding to Request for Proposals

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 27, 2025

    Three (3) teams are advancing to the next stage of procurement for the new Skilled Trades and Technology (Trades) building for the Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus. Upon procurement completion, the successful proponent will be awarded the design and construction of the new Trades building under a Design-Build agreement. 

    “This project is an investment in Saskatchewan’s future, creating a modern, efficient campus to support skilled trades training,” SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister David Marit said. “Advancing to the next stage brings us one step closer to breaking ground and delivering a high-quality facility that will serve Saskatchewan Polytechnic students and industry for years to come.”

    The Request for Qualifications closed on February 13, 2025. Five (5) submissions were received and evaluated. After a thorough evaluation process, three (3) teams have been shortlisted to move forward to the Request for Proposals (RFP) stage. The shortlisted teams invited to the RFP stage are:

    • Bird Design Build Construction Inc. with Number TEN Architectural Group and 1080 Architecture Planning and Interiors.
    • Graham Construction and Engineering LP with Zeidler Architecture Inc. and Kindrachuk Agrey Architects Ltd.
    • Ledcor Construction Investments Limited with Wright Construction Western Inc. and Group2 Architecture and Diamond Schmitt Architecture.

    Bird Design Build Construction Inc., a builder with deep Canadian roots with more than 100 years of experience across the country, partnered with Number Ten Architectural Group, a Winnipeg-based firm with an ability to create exceptional spaces, and with 1080 Architecture, a Regina-based firm specializing in client-driven architectural and design solutions.

    Graham Construction and Engineering LP, known for its roots in Moose Jaw with nearly 100 years of experience delivering commercial and infrastructure projects, partnered with Zeidler Architecture Inc. and Kindrachuk Agrey Architects Ltd., two Canadian architectural firms that are known for creating innovative environments and delivering iconic Canadian landmarks.

    Ledcor Construction Investments Limited and Wright Construction Western Inc. partner their Saskatchewan offices through a joint-venture to form a versatile construction company specializing in community infrastructure and cultural projects, with Group 2 Architecture, a firm with expertise in delivering flexible and adaptable education spaces, and Diamond Schmitt Architecture, a firm specializing in sustainable and transformative designs.

    “The Skilled Trades and Technology building will play a vital role in training the next generation of professionals to meet Saskatchewan’s labour market needs and fostering innovation across our province,” Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said. “This is an exciting time for the project and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. I look forward to seeing the building come to life and witnessing the impact it will have on post-secondary education in Saskatchewan.” 

    The new Trades building will begin to transform Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s existing network of decentralized, outdated buildings into a revitalized, modern, technology-rich learning environment. This first development of the new Saskatoon campus will enable students to pursue greater opportunities for applied learning and research. 

    “Investing in our future innovation leaders is essential to elevating Saskatchewan’s global leadership and impact,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Warren Kaeding said. “This new building is another step forward to expanding our one-of-a-kind innovation ecosystem, helping the province attract and train top talent and drive economic and employment growth.”

    Since 2022-23, the Government of Saskatchewan has provided $18 million for the project. The 2025-26 Provincial Budget included $2 million for continued site preparation work and procurement. 

    “We are thrilled to move forward with the procurement process for the Skilled Trades and Technology building, in collaboration with the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement,” Saskatchewan Polytechnic President and CEO, Dr. Larry Rosia said. “This building marks the first phase of one of the most significant construction projects at Saskatchewan Polytechnic in the next decade. Construction of the new Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus will not only generate new job opportunities but willalso have a lasting impact on the post-secondary landscape in acrossour province.”

    The Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement and Saskatchewan Polytechnic are leading this procurement with partnership and collaboration from the Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan. 

    The RFP is anticipated to close in November 2025. One successful team will be selected after evaluation. As we move out of the planning phase, site preparation is anticipated to be completed by spring 2025 as construction is expected to begin in early 2026.                                                                               

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: 2025 BC Cleantech Awards Winners: Meet the Leaders Driving the Future Economy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Foresight Canada revealed the winners of the fifth annual British Columbia Cleantech Awards at last night’s sold-out ceremony in Vancouver. The awards recognize the innovators, funders, adopters, and supporters working together to catalyze clean technology adoption and net zero progress across the province.

    As global environmental and economic challenges grow, BC’s leadership in cleantech demonstrates how innovation delivers real solutions—advancing a sustainable global economy while simultaneously supporting and growing businesses and industries at home. Recognizing these leaders strengthens BC’s cleantech ecosystem, inspiring innovation and driving meaningful change toward a more resilient and sustainable future economy.

    Meet the winners:

    Adopter of the Year: City of Vancouver

    The City of Vancouver recently expanded its Neighbourhood Energy Utility, tripling sewage heat recovery capacity to supply low-carbon thermal energy to key communities. This project demonstrates cutting-edge filtration and heat pump technologies while serving as a model for urban decarbonization.

    Funder of the Year: Active Impact Investments

    As Canada’s largest climate tech seed fund, Active Impact Investments has fueled early-stage cleantech innovation, catalyzing sustainable growth. In 2024, they launched their third fund and supported startups that collectively mitigated over 1M tonnes of CO2e.

    Cleantech Supporter of the Year: Zero Emissions Innovation Centre

    Led by Melina Scholefield, ZEIC accelerates climate solutions through programs like Building to Electrification, ZEBx, and BC Retrofit Accelerator. ZEIC is driving market transformation, advancing sustainable building practices, and supporting BC’s net zero economy.

    Startup Venture of the Year: Green Manganese Technologies

    Green Manganese Ltd. has developed a revolutionary, eco-friendly method for extracting battery-grade manganese. Their closed-loop process eliminates harmful by-products, remediates mine waste, and sets new sustainability standards for EV battery production.

    Scaleup Venture of the Year: pH7 Technologies Inc.

    pH7 Technologies is transforming metal extraction with a sustainable, near-zero-emissions process. Partnering with industry leaders, pH7 has scaled its operations to recover critical metals from mining waste and recycled materials, supporting the global energy transition.

    Learn more about all our 2025 Canada Cleantech Awards finalists and winners.

    Quotes

    “It’s truly an honour to receive this recognition, and we’re very grateful for the support. This award is a big milestone for our company, which is still young but deeply committed to making a real impact in cleantech. Our journey has been full of learning and growth. As we continue to develop and scale, this recognition reinforces our mission and motivates us to push forward.” — Alexey Demykin, Co-Founder, Green Manganese

    “The 2025 BC Cleantech Award winners are a testament to BC’s unwavering leadership in the cleantech sector, and it fills me with immense pride to recognize their achievements. The winners’ efforts prove that we are not just talking about a sustainable future—we are building it, while also supporting a resilient provincial economy, setting an example for Canada and the world to follow.” — Jeanette Jackson, CEO, Foresight Canada

    About Foresight Canada

    ​​Foresight Canada helps the world do more with less, sustainably. As Canada’s largest cleantech innovation and adoption accelerator, they connect public and private sectors to the world’s best clean technologies, de-risking and simplifying the adoption of innovative solutions that improve productivity, profitability, and economic competitiveness, all while addressing today’s most urgent climate challenges.

    Contact:
    Heather Kingdon
    Manager, Communications
    hkingdon@foresightcac.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d437486b-001c-4506-924a-5a3b5c488443

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Protecting homes and businesses from drought and floods

    In recent years, drought and flooding have been felt across the province, and building the critical infrastructure needed to protect Albertans can be costly for many municipalities. That’s why Alberta’s government is investing more than $19 million in 10 different projects through the Drought and Flood Protection Program to protect homes, safeguard businesses and, ultimately, save lives.

    These 10 projects will help protect critical infrastructure from floods, while increasing water storage to reduce the impacts of drought and build other necessary projects across the province.

    “Albertans have seen first-hand the impacts that floods and drought can have on our communities and livelihoods. This funding is helping communities build the next generation of drought and flood mitigation projects. While we can’t change the weather, we can help protect families, businesses and communities for years to come.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    This funding will help eight municipalities and two First Nations build projects designed to keep homes and businesses dry, ensure critical infrastructure remains operational during emergencies and maintain reliable access to water. This includes community upgrades such as:

    • Building a retaining wall to protect the Slave Lake Airport and Helitack Base during floods.
    • Constructing a berm to safeguard Siksika Nation’s newly constructed Washington Sewage Lagoon and other local infrastructure.
    • Building 300 metres of shoreline protection along the South Saskatchewan River to protect the Medicine Hat Wastewater Treatment Plant.
    • Stopping erosion along Carrot Creek to help protect infrastructure in St. Albert.
    • Creating a naturalized stormwater management pond in St. Paul to reduce drought risks and improve water quality.
    • Improving flood protections in the Calgary area by replacing the Landon Ditch with a system to manage stormwater and guard infrastructure.

    “By investing in preventative erosion measures now, we will be minimizing the impacts of large storm events for St. Albertans and our municipal neighbors in the future. It is through partnerships with the Government of Alberta such as these that we can efficiently build resilient communities across the province.”

    Cathy Heron, mayor, St. Albert

    “Lake Elizabeth and its surrounding natural space are a treasured part of our city. Rising water levels over the past decade have eroded the shoreline, flooded natural areas, and threatened both private property and city infrastructure. The Drought and Flood Protection grant is critical to stabilizing the water levels and restoring these valuable natural spaces, ensuring that Lake Elizabeth remains a community asset for generations to come.”

    Grant Creasey, mayor, City of Lacombe

    “This is good news for the county, as we work to manage surface storm water issues for the benefit of all residents.”

    Bart Guyon, reeve, Brazeau County

    “The investment confirmed by the Government of Alberta will help the City of Medicine Hat’s plans to reduce the risk of flood damage to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Combining this funding, along with the city’s contributions, will aid in providing shoreline protection, flood risk management, environmental protection, operational safety and sustainability.”

    Pat Bohan, managing director of development and infrastructure, City of Medicine Hat

    Alberta’s government is investing $125 million over five years into the Drought and Flood Protection Program, which is already showing results. Last year, the government delivered millions to counties, towns, cities and Indigenous partners for infrastructure projects, which are now underway. In total, more than $50 million has now been invested in 28 projects through the program.

    The next round of funding applications will open in October, with another $25 million available to protect businesses, families and communities.

    Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, environmental protection, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

    Quick facts

    • Funding for all projects approved in this round will be paid out in 2025-26.
    • Of the 10 projects receiving funding, seven are focused on primarily responding to floods, one focused on responding to the impacts of drought and two are focused on mitigating impacts from both drought and floods.
    • Of the 18 projects receiving funding in round one, 10 were focused on responding to the impacts of drought.
    • In round one of funding, $5,727,119 was deferred to 2025-26, with $5 million going to the Fort Mckay Water Supply Infrastructure Rehabilitation and $727,119 going to the Glenmore Trail Stormwater Diversion Project.

    Related information

    • Drought and Flood Protection Program
    • Approved projects

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: With 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, what happens to consumers’ genetic data?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Julia Creet, Professor of English, York University, Canada

    23andMe has filed for bankruptcy, raising questions about future ownership of the genetic data of its 15 million customers. (Shutterstock)

    The announcement that 23andMe is filing for bankruptcy and has put its genetic genealogy database up for sale has sent its customers into a bit of a privacy tizzy. On March 21, California Attorney General Bob Bonta issued a consumer alert with detailed instructions about how to delete one’s data.

    23andMe and its databases are located in California; regardless of where customers live, privacy is then governed by California law and some weak U.S. federal laws. Canadian privacy laws have no sway in this case.

    CBC’s The National provides information to customers looking to delete their genetic data from the 23andMe databases.

    Rise of consumer genetic testing

    It’s worth backing up a bit to see how 23andMe built its brand, what makes the database valuable and who might be in the market to buy the database if Anne Wojcicki, its founder, is unsuccessful in her bid to buy back the company herself.

    I have been studying the development of the industry of family history for the last 20 years. Genetic genealogy rose to prominence in the early 2000s, with the development of the science and early databases by committed genealogists and the market demand for locating ancestors.



    Read more:
    The mythical quest for our ancestors is big business

    23andMe’s innovation was to use this burgeoning lust for ancestors as a way to build a new kind of direct-to-consumer database, one that looked at inherited markers for diseases afforded by the potent combination of genetic and genealogical information.

    They weren’t the first to hit on this idea. deCODE Genetics in Iceland had already built a national database of braided genealogical and genetic information for the same purpose. Within 10 years, it too went bankrupt and sold its database.

    Ahead of government

    23andMe was the first to market the idea in North America when Wojcicki founded the company in 2006.

    Wojcicki claimed a high mission: to liberate health information from the hands of the medical industry and put it directly into the hands of consumers. Her business model made it clear that the direct-to-consumer genetics industry was always in the business of doing an end run around government and university databases that were governed by much stricter privacy laws.

    23andMe ran into trouble with the FDA in 2013 for providing medical information without any medical supervision, a wrinkle that took two years for the company to iron out. But the more lucrative end of the business was always the sale of the accumulated data to the pharmaceutical industry.

    23andMe pitched its research arm as the greater good, and 80 per cent of its consumers opted in to share their information for research purposes. The database has always been monetized for secondary uses. In its profile of 23andMe in 2017, Nature quoted cardiologist Euan Ashley at Stanford University, California: “They have quietly become the largest genetic study the world has ever known.”

    A rapid unravelling

    Five years ago, the company and the genetic genealogy industry as a whole started to unravel almost as quickly and precipitously as it had risen. Sales of direct-to-consumer genetic genealogy kits plummeted, given a combination of privacy concerns and market saturation.

    The advent of law enforcement incursions into genetic genealogy databases gave consumers a fright, and woke them up to the possible unanticipated third-party uses of commercial databases.

    Almost a decade later, governments are still trying to figure out how to set up guardrails on the use of genealogy databases for law enforcement, a practice that has become widespread across the U.S. and Canada.

    Currently, the Information and Privacy Office of Ontario is actively working to develop regulations that are acceptable to all stakeholders since, once again, the greater good argument of catching cold-case killers holds considerable sway over the right to privacy of consumers.

    Nonetheless, the issue of third-party uses has had a marked effect on the popularity of what seemed like a benign pastime, the search for ever-more-distant relations.

    Industry expansion

    Over the years, 23andMe expanded by buying health services and pharmaceutical holding companies. But in 2023, a massive data breach exposed the vulnerabilities of the company, particularly its genealogical information.



    Read more:
    23andMe’s struggles are a sign that direct-to-consumer DNA testing needs stronger oversight

    In addition to the 1.5 million users whose profiles were breached, hackers accessed the personal information of about 5.5 million people who opted in to 23andMe’s DNA Relatives feature.

    Stolen data included customers’ names, birth years, relationship labels, percentage of DNA shared with relatives, ancestry reports and self-reported locations.

    Fully a third of 23andMe’s users’ genealogical information had been scraped by the hackers. And here we see the real vulnerability in the entire industry: Anyone who has submitted a DNA sample and built family connections has exposed everyone in their family line.

    This seems to be a classic case of closing the barn door after the horses have already bolted.

    Like 23andMe, deCODE was a high flier in the genetics space having built a genealogical database that included almost all Icelanders, who invested heavily in the company. The company went bankrupt during the financial crisis of 2008, and it sold its database to American pharmaceutical company Amgen. Amgen in turn sold part of it to a Chinese company.

    Corporate dealings

    So who are the likely buyers for 23andMe?

    Wojcicki herself, if she can somehow raise the capital, which seems unlikely. Any big pharmaceutical company, including international buyers (in 2018, 23andMe signed a US$300 million deal with GlaxoSmithKline). Chinese biotechnology company BGI might well bid on the company, as China is seemingly on a mission to collect DNA from around the globe.

    Other potential buyers include: Google, who were early investors and thus already part owners; Ancestry.com, which, with its own genetic genealogy testing arm, would make it one of the of the largest privately held genetic genealogy databases in the world; and an outlier, Dutch life sciences firm Qiagen.

    Qiagen acquired California-based forensic genomics company Verogen in 2023. Verogen had previously acquired the geneaology database GEDmatch (one of the earliest grassroots ancestor DNA matching sites) for the purposes of creating a one-stop forensics genealogy shop for law enforcement.

    Changing privacy

    Each time a database is sold, privacy provisions are subject to change. Even though Wojcicki is promising to protect the privacy of costumers currently in the database, she might not have much control in the long run.

    So what should 23andMe’s customers do? Should they delete what data they can? Absolutely. Will it make much difference in the end? Probably not.

    What is now manifestly apparent is that the industry of direct-to-consumer genetics has far outpaced the ability of governments to regulate the information, so consumers are suddenly nervous.

    We should have paid attention at the very beginning of this dubious exercise in the privatization of personal data. Now we have to live with all that relatedness as a valuable commodity over which we have little say.

    Julia Creet receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada and previously from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

    – ref. With 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, what happens to consumers’ genetic data? – https://theconversation.com/with-23andme-filing-for-bankruptcy-what-happens-to-consumers-genetic-data-253071

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: UPDATE – CalAmp Announces Headquarters Relocation to Carlsbad, CA to Streamline Operations and Strengthen Technical Hub

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CARLSBAD, Calif., March 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CalAmp, a global technology solutions innovator, today announced the relocation of its corporate headquarters from Irvine, CA, to Carlsbad, CA. This strategic move is designed to streamline operations and further align the company’s focus on its core technical hub, where much of its engineering, product development, and hardware expertise reside.

    “Our move to Carlsbad is a natural evolution in our journey to optimize efficiency and reinforce our commitment to innovation,” said Chris Adams, President and CEO of CalAmp. “Carlsbad has long been home to our talented engineering and product teams, making it the ideal location to centralize our operations and drive technological advancements that improve our customers’ lives.”

    CalAmp’s new headquarters will be housed in its existing Carlsbad office, a well-established center for the company’s research and development initiatives. The relocation underscores CalAmp’s commitment to fostering innovation and enhancing collaboration among its technical teams.

    While the headquarters moves to Carlsbad, CalAmp will maintain its additional offices worldwide, including locations in Eden Prairie, MN; Brooklyn, NY; London, UK; Milan, Italy; Paris, France; Madrid, Spain; and Mexico City, Mexico. These offices will continue to support CalAmp’s global customers and partners with the high-quality service and solutions they expect.

    “This transition allows us to better leverage our strengths and position ourselves for future growth,” Adams added. “By consolidating our leadership and technical expertise in Carlsbad, we are creating an environment where innovation thrives and where we can better serve our customers.”

    For more information about CalAmp and its technology-driven solutions, visit www.calamp.com.

    About CalAmp

    CalAmp provides flexible solutions to help organizations worldwide monitor, track, and protect their vital assets. Our unique device-enabled software and cloud platform enables commercial and government organizations worldwide to improve efficiency, safety, visibility, and compliance while accommodating the unique ways they do business. With over 10 million active edge devices and 220+ approved or pending patents, CalAmp is the telematics leader organizations turn to for innovation and dependability. For more information, visit calamp.com, or LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube or CalAmp Blog.

    CalAmp, LoJack, TRACKER, Here Comes The Bus, Bus Guardian, CalAmp Vision, CrashBoxx and associated logos are among the trademarks of CalAmp and/or its affiliates in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. Spireon acquired the LoJack® U.S. Stolen Vehicle Recovery (SVR) business from CalAmp and holds an exclusive license to the LoJack mark in the United States and Canada. Any other trademarks or trade names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

    CalAmp Investor  Contact: CalAmp Media Contact:
    Jikun Kim Mark Gaydos
    SVP & CFO Chief Marketing Officer
    ir@calamp.com Mgaydos@calamp.com

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