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A Conservative MP's call for the Liberal government to remove a so-called "values test" for summer-jobs grants spurred Labour Minister Patty Hajdu to question if her colleague opposes reproductive freedom.The first question period since Parliament resumed from a six-week winter break turned heated Monday after Tory MP Karen Vecchio flagged an issue that has concerned faith-based groups and outraged social conservatives. Under new rules for the Canada Summer Jobs program, which provides grants to

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Islamophobia and racism are to blame for the murders of six men in a Quebec mosque last year and can never have a place in this country.Trudeau made the assertion Monday just hours before he was to attend a vigil in Quebec City to mark one year since a gunman killed six and injured 19 others when he fired into the Islamic cultural centre during evening prayers. Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, along with opposition leaders, will also be there t

Canada's media industry is lining up behind an effort to institute mandatory blocking of websites accused of piracy.More than two dozen of Canada's largest media organizations, including the CBC and most of the country's major telecoms, have joined a coalition that on Monday asked the CRTC, Canada's telecom regulator, to start blocking websites believed to be engaged in piracy.Besides the CBC, the FairPlay Canada coalition includes Bell, Rogers Media, Corus Entertainment and Cogeco. It also incl

Canadians who are sick and suicidal can now be put to death under various medicalized and government-approved protocols, following court and legislative victories by euthanasia activists. These activists are now turning their considerable talents to a coercive makeover of the palliative hospice movement by demanding that hospices founded on a promise to never deliberately hasten death should provide a death-hastening service.Before they got their way in the Canadian Supreme Court, the public pos

OTTAWA — There is nothing new about sexual harassment on Parliament Hill, says Employment Minister Patty Hajdu, but it is time to get serious about supporting its victims and stopping it from happening in the first place."We talk a lot about getting women into politics and if we can't actually protect the women staffers in our own workplaces, we have a long ways to go,'' the Liberal minister said Monday after she opened the debate on proposed legislation to support safe federal workplaces.

Name and partner's name: Myra & Rick GarrettOccupation: Health and wellness coachAge: 32City: Oshawa, Ont.Years trying to have her second baby: ThreeWhen the "mom gene" kicked in: I never really thought about marriage or having a family until I found out I was pregnant with my son. I was only 20. I was young and didn't focus on my health at the time. After he was born my entire life changed and for that I am forever grateful. If I didn't become a mother who knows how my life would have ended

An animal welfare organization in Ontario says it is investigating reported "concerns" related to a dog sledding operation in the province.The Ontario SPCA launched the probe a day after videos were posted on social media showing chained dogs near Moonstone, Ont. sparked outrage online.Natasha Guerriero and her boyfriend Dylan Blake shared clips of their experience on a recent dog sledding trip organized by Toronto Adventures, a company that offers outdoor activities such as canoeing and snowsho

You know those women in feminine hygiene ads?The ones who look all fresh and chipper, often laughing while turning cartwheels in white pants? Kickboxing in grey spandex? Lounging happily in string bikinis? The ones who have clearly never had actual heavy periods and we hate them?Rejoice, crampy and cranky women of the world with purses so stuffed with pads and tampons that you look like you robbed a well-stocked pharmacy!A new study that looked at the causes of heavy menstrual bleeding may have

Communication isn't always easy. Technology can make it difficult to keep track of your offline vs. online personality. Offline, you might be guarded and shy, while online, behind the safety of your computer or smartphone, you are charismatic and charming — everything you wish you could be face-to-face.Through social media, you can be long-term friends with someone without ever meeting them face-to-face. Sometimes, your online dating profile doesn't quite match your personality in person,

A Kelowna, B.C. homeowner whose unconventional "for sale" sign drew a lot of attention online has taken it down, saying he was tired of the drama it created.Kane Blake declined an interview with HuffPost Canada but said he received death threats after posting the notice, which read "Home for Sale, by Owner, Because Neighbor is an Asshole."He said there was an influx of people driving by his house after Global News included his street name in one of their reports.Blake put the home up for sale be

With Canada's job market booming but paycheques remaining stagnant, an overwhelming majority of employees say they are fed up with their pay. More than half are considering asking for a raise this year, according to a new survey carried out for job site Indeed Canada.The survey found 83 per cent of Canadians are dissatisfied with the pay they're receiving, slightly higher than the 81 per cent of Americans who said the same in a poll carried out for Indeed U.S.It also found that more than half of

The Cleveland baseball team will stop using their Chief Wahoo logo on game jerseys and caps starting in 2019, according to The Associated Press.The decision has the support of the MLB, which has urged the team to decrease its use of the logo in recent years. Notably, the logo won't be going away entirely. The ban extends only to on-field displays, meaning Chief Wahoo will still be a fixture on merchandise that's available throughout northern Ohio."Major League Baseball is committed to building a

The 2018 Grammy Awards welcomed an eclectic range of artists on Sunday night, from Luis Fonsi, singer of Grammy-nominated "Despacito," to Rihanna. But one mini star shone extra bright as he walked across the red carpet with his father.Making his umpteenth award show appearance, one-year-old executive producer, Asahd Khaled, wore a matching wine velvet suit with his superstar dad, DJ Khaled. The budding artist, who was, in our opinion, one of cutest attendees of the night, posed with Khaled and h

MONTREAL — The NAFTA train remains on track.U.S. trade czar Robert Lighthizer says enough progress has been made over the past week to warrant moving forward with a fresh round of talks in Mexico, but he's also making it clear that more work needs to be done.But he's not happy with Canadian proposals to break a logjam on autos, and he accused Canada of mounting a "massive attack" on its trading regime with its wide-ranging complaint to the World Trade Organization.'Committed to moving forw

Former Toronto city councillor Doug Ford is running for the leadership of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives.He made the announcement at a press conference in the basement of his mother's home Monday."The party needs strong leadership," Ford said. "Someone who is ready to clean up the mess and lead us into the June election."'I can't watch the party I love fall into the hands of the elites'The older brother of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, he served on Toronto city council from 2010 until 20

It's cold outside, and winter doesn't look like it's going away any time soon. So, we're going to bundle up and meet it head on. We just might need a little help though.We've been drinking hot chocolate since we were kids, but it's always fun to put a little spin on this classic drink to keep things interesting. So, we've come up with new ways to enjoy your favourite beverage. Whether you like it sweet and salty, spicy or with an adult twist, we can promise you you'll find a new favourite in thi

For a country that prides itself on ranking highly on best-countries lists, this is embarrassing. And a bit of a wake-up call.A new survey from the World Economic Forum shows Canada's economy is leaving many people out in the cold.The country underperformed on the World Economic Forum's Inclusive Development Index (IDI), ranking 17th out of 29 developed nations."Canada's poverty rate is dropping but still disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as single-parent households, Indigenous p

Toronto police say a man they are calling an alleged serial killer is now facing five first-degree murder charges related to men who went missing in the city.Bruce McArthur was previously charged in the presumed deaths of Selim Esen and Andrew Kinsman, who went missing from Toronto's gay village.Det.-Sgt. Hank Idsinga says McArthur has now also been charged in the deaths of Majeed Kayhan, Soroush Marmudi and Dean Lisowick.Skeletal remains found on propertyIdsinga says police discovered dismember

Maternity leave was pretty awesome but — as all things do — it came to an end. And then it happened. I went back to work. Cue mommy guilt.The guilt was crushing for a while, and I wasn't sure how I was going to reconcile myself with this new life. But over time (and with some gaining of wisdom) I was able to come to a new perspective and realize that there are so many great things my kids and I have gained from me being a mom who works outside the home. Here are some of the perks:1.

If you own investments you should probably take a moment to read this. It could save you thousands of dollars.Last week, there was an article in The Globe and Mail that claimed Canadians are still in the dark about investment fees despite major changes to fee disclosure requirements by financial institutions. The major changes to disclosure relate to the implementation of Client Relationship Model II (CRM2).Last year I wrote a blog that highlighted some of the reasons I thought that CRM2 was a p

While many of you may have tuned into this year's Grammy Awards for the red carpet outfits, a chance to see a Canadian nab the coveted Best New Artist Award for the first time, or the Time's Up anti-sexual harassment initiative, we don't mind admitting we came for one thing, and one thing only:Babies.Look how fabulous my mom is!!!A post shared byP!NK (@pink) on Jan 28, 2018 at 3:20pm PSTAnd pop music superstar Pink's kids (and mom!) weren't the only celeb families to steal our hearts during Sund

Besides experimenting with her fringe, the Duchess of Cambridge has always kept her hairstyle fairly tame, rarely making any drastic changes. That's why we were surprised to hear that the soon-to-be mom-of-three reportedly donated seven inches of her long, brown locks to a children's cancer charity last year.According to the Sunday Express, Catherine decided to chop off her locks after her hairdresser, Joey Wheeler, paid her a visit at Kensington Palace."Four months ago Joey persuaded her it was

Besides experimenting with her fringe, the Duchess of Cambridge has always kept her hairstyle fairly tame, rarely making any drastic changes. That's why we were surprised to hear that the soon-to-be mom-of-three reportedly donated seven inches of her long, brown locks to a children's cancer charity last year.According to the Sunday Express, Catherine decided to chop off her locks after her hairdresser, Joey Wheeler, paid her a visit at Kensington Palace."Four months ago Joey persuaded her it was

OTTAWA — MPs on the cocktail circuit must be cautious about alcohol consumption as Parliament Hill looks to put an end to inappropriate behaviour and tackle sexual misconduct, says Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett.So, too, should political staff members, adds a woman who once worked for the federal New Democrats.Bennett, who has spent more than 20 years as a Liberal MP, said parliamentarians of all stripes are frequently engaging with other politicians and staff, adding

PLANO, Texas — Keurig will buy Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, creating a beverage giant with about $11 billion in annual sales.The companies, both the result of previous mergers, will bring under one tent global brands like Dr. Pepper, 7UP, Snapple, A&W, Mott's, Sunkist and Keurig's single-serve coffee makers.The company is still vastly outsized by PepsiCo Inc. and Coca-Cola Co., which had sales in 2016 of $63 billion and $41 billion, respectively.Keurig Green Mountain Inc., which is a priv

You're probably familiar with Canada's food guide, with its four food groups and colourful graphics explaining what we should try to eat each day.After all, the current guide has been around for about a decade now, so we've all had plenty of time to learn it — even if many of us in this country still aren't eating as much produce as we should, or are consuming more daily calories than we ought to.But a new guide is coming soon, with an update to the food guide expected to be announced by H

On January 31, Bell Let's talk Day encourages us to join the conversation on mental health. It has done a great job at challenging stigma and bringing light to much needed conversations.Let's talk about what we don't talk about in terms of mental health. The impact of racism, discrimination and trauma on individuals, and more importantly for me as an educator, on children. We often speak about mental health as if it is a "neutral," and in so doing, ignore the role of culture, the social determin

TORONTO — It's not just coffee chains and restaurants under pressure from Ontario's minimum wage hike — marijuana companies say the higher provincial pay rate is driving up the cost to produce and sell cannabis products as well.Aphria Inc. says if the new $14 per hour minimum wage had been in place during its latest quarter, this would have raised its all-in costs to sell dried cannabis by 12 cents, or nearly six per cent, from $2.13.The Leamington, Ont.-based cannabis producer adds

TORONTO — The former president of Ontario's Progressive Conservative party, who stepped down late Sunday night, is reportedly facing sexual misconduct allegations.Rick Dykstra announced his resignation late Sunday in a Twitter statement hours before Maclean's Magazine published allegations that Dykstra was accused of sexually assaulting a young Conservative staffer in 2014, when he was an MP.In Dykstra's statement, he wrote he would "step aside" to let someone else take the helm as the par

FRANKFURT — The chairman of Volkswagen says that diesel exhaust tests involving monkeys were "totally incomprehensible" and the matter must be "investigated fully and unconditionally."Monday's comments by Hans Dieter Poetsch, reported by the dpa news agency, come in the wake of a report by the New York Times that a research group funded by auto companies exposed monkeys to diesel exhaust from a late-model Volkswagen, while another group was exposed to fumes from an older Ford pickup.The ex

HALIFAX — A proposed name for a prospective CFL team in Halifax is touching off an explosive debate on social media.On Twitter, CFL in Halifax pitched the idea of calling the football team the Halifax Explosions — a reference to the devastating explosion in the Halifax harbour in 1917 that killed about 2,000 people.The group enthusiastically promoted the moniker, saying that 100 years ago "a force was unleashed that made this city stronger, bigger, and more united than ever before."W

Canadians were waiting with baited breath to see if our beloved Gord Downie would be honoured in the Grammys In Memoriam montage this Sunday.As the tribute played, musicians who were honoured included Tom Petty, Fats Domino and Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington, all of whom died in 2017.Where was Gord? Did he make it in?Then, a collective sigh of relief. There he was. Brief, and missed by some, but unforgettable.Gord Downie makes the In Memoriam at the #Grammyspic.twitter.com/JxQ3kEyoIZ

Rihanna may have skipped out on the Grammy Awards red carpet Sunday night, but we definitely got our wigs snatched later on during the show.The Barbados-born singer teamed up with DJ Khaled and Bryson Tiller for a performance of their hit "Wild Thoughts" that was a nod to the Harlem Renaissance and other eras. It was an intense affair soaked with pinks and reds, featuring vintage clothing in vibrant colours, berets and picked-out afros. Much of it looked inspired by the 1910s to 1930s, when Afri

The Grammys wouldn't be the Grammys without Blue Ivy Carter.On Sunday night, the daughter of Beyoncé and Jay Z attended the awards show in support of her father, who received eight nominations this year. Naturally, the sassy six-year-old stole the spotlight thanks to one viral moment.In a brief 10-second clip shared on Twitter, Blue proved she's the only person who can tell her parents to chill out. As Camila Cabello took to the stage and gave a heartfelt speech about being a "proud Cuban

Canada certainly has a lot of reasons to be proud of, thanks to Brampton Ont. native, Alessia Cara.Outspoken and an advocate with true lyricism, The 21-year-old shone at the 60th annual Grammy Awards Sunday. All we can say is, thank God she finally made it "Here."Nominated for Song of The Year ("1-800-273-8255"), Best Pop Duo/Group Performance ("Stay" featuring Zedd), and Best Music Video ("1-800-273-8255"), Cara took home the award for Best New Artist, making her the first Canadian-born artist

TORONTO — The turmoil continues at Ontario's Progressive Conservative party, with party president Rick Dykstra announcing his resignation.In a post on his verified Twitter account Sunday night, Dykstra announced he's stepping down after nearly two years in the position.He says it's been a "wonderful experience," and he hopes to watch the party "coalesce around a new leader in the coming months."Dykstra's resignation follows a major staff shakeup at the party earlier in the day, as well as

While the Grammys are all about recognizing the music industry's hottest stars, it would be a complete and utter lie if we told you we're only watching for the awards. After all, history has shown that the Grammys are where celebs show off some of their most unique, outstanding and sometimes surprising looks (we're looking at you, CeeLo Green!).On Sunday night, everyone from Cardi B to Donald Glover made an impression as they walked the 2018 Grammys red carpet, with some even donning white roses

We did a double take when we saw Cardi B on the Grammys red carpet Sunday. And not just because her look was showstopping and she was her usual, hilarious self.The "Bodak Yellow" rapper has had a whirlwind year so far, and her dramatic butterfly gown was another dazzling moment for this rising star.And now for the double-take: Cardi brought Hennessy Carolina Almanzar, her younger sister, whom you may recognize from "Love & Hip Hop: New York." TWICE THE STUNNING. TWICE THE JAW-DROPPING.Cardi