Transit Commission passes smaller, but still significant, fare hike for seniors
Wall Street launches new ways to bet on bitcoinHalifax security forum begins amid questions about Canada's military spending HALIFAX — The Halifax International Security Forum opened Friday with Defence Minister Bill Blair defending Canada's military spending amid mounting pressure on NATO members to do more following Donald Trump's win in the U.S. presidential election. Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press Nov 22, 2024 11:52 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Uncertainty is a key theme this year at an annual, three-day gathering in Halifax of political leaders, defence officials and policy analysts who aim to promote democratic values around the globe. People arrive for the 2023 Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax on Nov. 18, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kelly Clark HALIFAX — The Halifax International Security Forum opened Friday with Defence Minister Bill Blair defending Canada's military spending amid mounting pressure on NATO members to do more following Donald Trump's win in the U.S. presidential election. About 300 policy analysts, politicians and defence officials from 60 countries are participating in the 16th annual gathering in the Nova Scotia capital. Former U.S. ambassador to Canada Kelly Craft said in the waning days of the U.S. presidential election campaign that Canada would be wise to accelerate its timeline for meeting its NATO spending commitments in the event of a Trump victory. Retired Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie — a former Liberal MP — told the House of Commons defence committee two days after the U.S. election that he detects "no sense of urgency" from the government to meet those commitments. Blair told reporters in Halifax his government knows it needs to increase defence spending, both to help Ukraine and to protect its own territory, but he has to ensure Canada gets "good value" for its investments. “When our allies say they want us to meet the commitment, I've told them the answer is ‘Yes,’ and I’ve told them you’re pushing on an open door," he said. "We are going to make those investments." Blair says some of the American and domestic criticisms are unfair, as the government committed during a July NATO summit to "a credible and realistic plan" of spending two per cent of GDP on its military by 2032, as it buys a fleet of up to 12 new submarines. He said there are examples where Canada can "accelerate" its spending by making purchases that mesh with its allies, citing Ottawa's announcement it would replace CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft with the Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The defence minister also announced that a surface-to-air defence system Canada bought two years ago has arrived in Ukraine to help protect the country against Russian missiles, though he would have liked the procurement to move faster. “There's a lot in some of our procurement processes that have really slowed us down," he said. NATO's 32 member nations agreed to each spend the equivalent of at least two per cent of their GDP on defence, but Canada is among the nine members that aren't going to do that this year. The alliance's figures project that Canada will spend the equivalent of 1.37 per cent of its GDP on defence, placing it at the back of the pack. The Defence Department projects the figure to tick upward over the coming years, rising to 1.76 per cent by 2030. Trump has a long history of criticizing NATO, and former administration officials have told The Associated Press he repeatedly threatened to pull out of the alliance that has been central to U.S. policy for decades. But allies and supporters argue that Trump's rhetoric is simply a negotiating tactic and point out that, despite his denunciations, he did not abandon NATO during his previous term. Nicolas Todd, who is attending the security forum as vice-president of government relations with the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, said in an interview Friday that if the Liberal government wants to advance more rapidly on military spending, it needs to clearly signal its spending plans. "What we've seen so far is an expectation to hit two per cent. That's not a plan. We need a detailed, year-over-year money plan on what it will take," he said. He contrasted the government's announcement Thursday that it will pause federal sales tax on a long list of items, at a cost of $6.3 billion, with a slow growth in military spending. Peter Van Praagh, president of the forum, said during the opening news conference that a path to world peace still depends on Ukraine defeating Russia, which will require continued support from the United States and its allies. “If Russia gets away with this naked aggression, we are entering a world where might makes right. That’s a world that is not safe for anybody,” he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024. — With files from The Associated Press. Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National News 'Immoral depravity': Two men convicted in case of frozen migrant family in Manitoba Nov 22, 2024 12:46 PM Canada Post quarterly loss tops $300M as strike hits second week — and rivals step in Nov 22, 2024 12:23 PM Canada ordered to address Jordan's Principle backlog, find new solutions Nov 22, 2024 11:35 AM Featured Flyer
Happy scores 18 as Princeton defeats Nazareth 99-63LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Allowing two kickoff return touchdowns and missing an extra point all in the final few minutes added up to the Washington Commanders losing a third consecutive game in excruciating fashion. The underlying reason for this slide continuing was a problem long before that. An offense led by dynamic rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels that was among the NFL's best for a long stretch of the season put up just nine points and 169 yards for the first three-plus quarters against Dallas before falling behind 20-9 and teeing off on the Cowboys' conservative defense. “We just couldn’t really get it going,” said receiver Terry McLaurin , whose lengthy touchdown with 21 seconds left masked that he had just three catches for 16 yards through three quarters. “We’ve got to find a way to start faster and sustain drives, and that’s everybody: the whole coaching staff and the offensive players just going out there and figuring out ways that we can stay on the field.” This is not a new problem for Washington, which had a season-low 242 yards in a Nov. 10 home loss to Pittsburgh and 264 yards four days later in a defeat at Philadelphia. Since returning from a rib injury that knocked him out of a game last month, Daniels has completed just under 61% of his passes, after 75.6% over his first seven professional starts. Daniels and coach Dan Quinn have insisted this isn't about injury. The coaching staff blamed a lack of adequate practice time, but a full week of it before facing the Cowboys did not solve the problem. It is now fair to wonder if opponents have seen enough film of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's system to figure it out. “I think teams and coordinators are going to see what other teams have success against us and try to figure out how they could incorporate that into their scheme," Daniels said after going 12 of 22 for 80 yards passing through three quarters in the Dallas game. "We’ve been in third and longer a lot these past couple games, so that’s kind of where you get into the exotic pressures and stuff like that. We’ve just got to be better on first and second downs and stay ahead of the chains.” Daniels has a point there, and it predates this losing streak. The Commanders have converted just 36% of third-down opportunities (27 for 75) over their past seven games after 52% (31 for 60) in their first five. That challenge doesn't get any easier with Tennessee coming to town Sunday. The Titans, despite being 3-8, have the second-best third-down defense in the league at 31.6%. The defense kept the Commanders in the game against Dallas, allowing just 10 points until the fourth quarter and 20 total before kickoff return touchdowns piled on to the other side of the scoreboard. Even Cooper Rush's 22-yard touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker with five minutes left came after a turnover that gave the Cowboys the ball at the Washington 44. The defense spending more than 35 minutes on the field certainly contributed to fatigue as play wore on. The running game that contributed to a 7-2 start has taken a hit, in part because of injuries to top back Brian Robinson Jr. The Commanders got 145 yards on the ground because Daniels had 74 on seven carries, but running backs combined for just 57. Daniels could not say how much the rushing attack stalling has contributed to the offense going stagnant. “You’ve got to be able to run the ball, keep the defense honest,” he said. "We got to execute the plays that are called in, and we didn’t do a good job of doing that.” Linebacker Frankie Luvu keeps making the case to be first-year general manager Adam Peters' best free agent signing. He and fellow offseason addition Bobby Wagner tied for a team-high eight tackles, and Luvu also knocked down three passes against Dallas. Kicker Austin Seibert going wide left on the point-after attempt that would have tied the score with 21 seconds left was his third miss of the game. He also was short on a 51-yard field goal attempt and wide left on an earlier extra point. Seibert, signed a week into the season after Cade York struggled in the opener, made 25 of 27 field goal tries and was 22 of 22 on extra points before injuring his right hip and missing the previous two games. He brushed off his health and the low snap from Tyler Ott while taking responsibility for not connecting. “I made the decision to play, and here we are,” Seibert said. “I just wasn’t striking it well. But it means a lot to me to be here with these guys, so I just want to put my best foot moving forward.” Robinson's sprained ankle and fellow running back Austin Ekeler's concussion from a late kickoff return that led to him being hospitalized for further evaluation are two major immediate concerns. Quinn said Monday that Ekeler and starting right tackle Andrew Wylie are in concussion protocol. It's unclear if Robinson will be available against Tennessee, which could mean Chris Rodriguez Jr. getting elevated from the practice squad to split carries with Jeremy McNichols. The Commanders still have not gotten cornerback Marshon Lattimore into a game since acquiring him at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Lattimore is trying to return from a hamstring injury, and the secondary could use him against Calvin Ridley, who's coming off a 93-yard performance at Houston. 17 — Handoffs to a running back against Dallas, a significant decrease from much of the season before this losing streak. Don't overlook the Titans with the late bye week coming immediately afterward. The Commanders opened as more than a touchdown favorite, but after the results over the weekend, BetMGM Sportsbook had it as 5 1/2 points Monday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflThis is CNBC's live blog covering European markets. European markets are expected to open higher Thursday, rallying after being in the doldrums yesterday. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 16 points higher at 8,291, Germany's DAX up 72 points at 19,334, France's CAC up 30 points at 7,173 and Italy's FTSE MIB up 98 points at 33,310, according to data from IG. There are no major earnings Thursday, but data releases include Spanish and German inflation and European economic sentiment figures. Italian and Spanish business confidence data is also due. It'll be a quieter day globally with U.S. markets closed for the Thanksgiving holiday; U.S. stocks fell in light trading on Wednesday ahead of the holiday. Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed overnight as investors assessed a surprise interest rate cut by South Korea. CNBC Pro: 5 tech stocks in supply chain management could benefit from Trump's tariffs, Redburn Atlantic says President-elect Donald Trump's proposed steep tariffs on imports could create winners in the stock market — particularly among companies that help businesses manage their supply chains, according to Redburn Atlantic. These tech stocks have outperformed during "periods of supply chain uncertainty," the Redburn analyst said citing 2018-2019 trade tensions between the U.S. and China. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Ganesh Rao CNBC Pro: U.S. stocks too expensive? Morningstar's top exec reveals where he's investing instead Attractive returns and a breadth of opportunities are among the reasons the U.S. market historically reigned supreme among investors. However, one market watcher considers U.S. stocks expensive and is now seeking opportunities in other markets that are cheaper. "We believe markets outside the U.S. are more attractive than the U.S. largely from a valuation perspective," Kunal Kapoor, chief executive officer at Morningstar said, revealing markets with "attractive pockets" of opportunity. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Amala Balakrishner European markets: Here are the opening calls European markets are expected to open higher Thursday. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 16 points higher at 8,291, Germany's DAX up 72 points at 19,334, France's CAC up 30 points at 7,173 and Italy's FTSE MIB up 98 points at 33,310, according to data from IG. There are no major earnings Thursday, but data releases include Spanish and German inflation and European economic sentiment figures. Italian and Spanish business confidence data is also due. — Holly Ellyatt
County officials praised CareerSource for its move. But the fate of a second Glen Gilzean gift — $2.1 million to Valencia College — remains unclear.Representative image NEW DELHI: Delay on government's part in deciding a mercy plea or in execution of a death sentence is violative of a convict's right and valid grounds to commute the sentence, SC ruled Monday and directed Centre and states to set up dedicated cells for dealing with mercy petitions. It said this while upholding a Bombay HC order that commuted death penalty of two convicts in 2007 Pune BPO employee gang-rape and murder case to "life term for a period of 35 years" on grounds of an inordinate delay in deciding their mercy petitions and executing their sentences. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Augustine George Masih said the Executive must promptly deal with mercy petitions filed by convicts on death row. When delay from date of filing of mercy petitions till the date of issue of warrant of execution is inordinate and unexplained, right of a convict guaranteed is violated, SC said, while noting that there was a delay of four years in deciding the mercy petitions before Maharashtra govt and the President, and in issuing warrants for executing the sentences. "This right must be upheld, and it is duty of courts to do so," SC said and added, "Keeping a convict in suspense while considering his mercy petitions by governor or President for an inordinately long time will cause agony to him/her. It creates psychological stress on convict." Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .
COMMERCE, Texas (AP) — Jalen Jackson's 16 points helped Purdue Fort Wayne defeat Texas A&M-Commerce 77-57 on Saturday. Jackson also had six rebounds for the Mastodons (5-3). Corey Hadnot II shot 6 for 9, including 3 for 5 from beyond the arc to add 15 points. Eric Mulder shot 6 of 7 from the field and 2 for 4 from the line to finish with 14 points, while adding six rebounds. Maximus Nelson hit four 3s and scored 14 points. Scooter Williams Jr. led the Lions (1-7) in scoring, finishing with 19 points and six rebounds. Khaliq Abdul-Mateen added 15 points for Texas A&M-Commerce. Josh Taylor also had seven points and nine rebounds. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Chinese ESG models take the lead in building a sustainable future
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Legacy of S M Krishna: A Tribute to a StatesmanThings to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference: No. 14 BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 14 CFP) at No. 21 Arizona State (8-2, 5-2, No. 21), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) League newcomer Arizona State has a three-game winning streak and BYU is coming off its first loss. The Cougars, after losing at home to Kansas, still control their own destiny in making the Big 12 championship game. They can clinch a spot in that Dec. 7 game as early as Saturday, if they win and instate rival Utah wins at home against No. 22 Iowa State. Arizona State was picked at the bottom of the 16-team league in the preseason media poll, but already has a five-win improvement in coach Kenny Dillingham's second season. No. 16 Colorado (8-2, 6-1, No. 16 CFP) at Kansas (4-6, 3-4), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Fox) Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are in prime position to make the Big 12 title game in their return to the league after 13 seasons in the Pac-12. If BYU and Utah win, Colorado would be able to claim the other title game spot with a win over Kansas. The Buffs have a four-game winning streak. The Jayhawks need another November win over a ranked Big 12 contender while trying to get bowl eligible for the third season in a row. Kansas has won consecutive games over Top 25 teams for the first time in school history, knocking off Iowa State before BYU. Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has thrown a touchdown in a school-record 14 consecutive games, while receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel both have more than 800 yards receiving. San Jose State is the only other FBS team with a pair of 800-yard receivers. Becht has 2,628 yards and 17 touchdowns passing for the Cyclones (8-2, 5-2), who are still in Big 12 contention. Oklahoma State goes into its home finale against Texas Tech with a seven-game losing streak, its longest since a nine-game skid from 1977-78. The only longer winless streak since was an 0-10-1 season in 1991. This is Mike Gundy's 20th season as head coach, and his longest losing streak before now was five in a row in 2005, his first season and the last time the Cowboys didn't make a bowl game. ... Baylor plays at Houston for the first time since 1995, the final Southwest Conference season. The Cougars won last year in the only meeting since to even the series 14-14-1. ... Eight Big 12 teams are bowl eligible. As many as six more teams could reach six wins. The Big 12 already has four 1,000-yard rushers, including three who did it last season. UCF's RJ Harvey is the league's top rusher (1,328 yards) and top scorer with 21 touchdowns (19 rushing/two receiving). The others with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons are Texas Tech career rushing leader Tahj Brooks (1,184 yards) and Kansas State's DJ Giddens (1,128 yards). Cam Skattebo with league newcomer Arizona State has 1,074 yards. Devin Neal, the career rushing leader at his hometown university, is 74 yards shy of being the first Kansas player with three 1,000-yard seasons. Cincinnati's Corey Kiner needs 97 yards to reach 1,000 again. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Election spending changes scrapped after deal scuppered
WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. It passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because "we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint." He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. "It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity," said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. "They don't get paid very much, so they're going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level." Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats voted for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against it. "It's disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission," Johnson, R-La., said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January.Nexo Launches Personal USD Accounts Across 150 Countries
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The City of Ottawa's Transit Commission has approved the 2025 draft transit budget and has voted in favour of a smaller, but still significant, fare hike for seniors. The 2025 draft transit budget includes a five per cent overall are increase and an eight per cent hike to the citywide transit levy. Notably, the budget included a planned 120 per cent increase to the monthly pass for seniors, which was met with public backlash. Councillors presented two motions to reduce the fare hike for seniors, one to increase fares by 60 per cent instead of 120 per cent, and another to set the seniors' pass at the same price as the EquiPass, $58.25 per month, effectively an 18 per cent fare increase. The motion by Coun. Tim Tierney to increase the seniors' pass to $78.50 per month from $49 (a 60 per cent increase), as opposed to $108 per month as first included in the draft budget, passed by a vote of 8-1, with Tierney and councillors David Hill, Jeff Leiper, Riley Brockington, Marty Carr, Wilson Lo, Cathy Curry and Glen Gower voting in favour. Coun. Shawn Menard was the lone "no" vote. Tierney's motion also maintains free transit for seniors on Wednesdays and directs staff to encourage low-income seniors to apply for the EquiPass. This would be paid for through an $820,000 reduction to the draft 2025 contribution to the Transit Capital reserve. This means a motion put forward by Coun. Brockington on behalf of Coun. Jessica Bradley to make the price of the seniors' pass the same as the EquiPass was referred to City Council, where councillors could move, debate, and possibly adopt it. Similarly, a motion by Coun. Devine to leave youth discounts in place was also referred to the Dec. 11 council meeting. These two motions will be discussed at council because they involve further increases to the transit levy of 0.11 per cent in Bradley's case and 1.41 per cent in Devine's case. The overall budget roadmap passed by a vote of 6-3, with councillors Hill, Tierney, Leiper, Carr, Curry and Gower voting in favour, and councillors Brockington, Menard and Lo voting against. Dozens of people signed up to speak at the meeting Monday, mostly in opposition to increasing fares for seniors and the U-Pass for post-secondary students. "We are in a delicate situation with OC Transpo. We're trying to recover our ridership since the pandemic, and raising fares just puts an enormous barrier in place," said Alex Cullen, former city councillor and transit commission chair. "The best route to bring riders back? Keep the fares down and improve service. That was my pitch to council today. If you raise the transit levy, you don't lose riders, but you make sure there's a good service and you encourage people to come back on to the system." Several seniors also voiced their concerns, not only about a potential fare hike, but also the possibility of doing away with free transit days for seniors on Wednesdays and Sundays. "For my doctor's appointments, I take those on Wednesdays," said Wendy Laatunen. "Same thing with my banking. I'm still not too good online, so I'll go down on the free days. I'll go down on Wednesdays." Under the 2025 draft budget the price of the U-Pass would also increase by five per cent, double the allowable 2.5 per cent increase the University of Ottawa Student Union (UOSU) says the city had agreed to. A hike of more than 2.5 per cent would have to be approved by the participating universities, and that has some students speaking out. "They are wasting city resources to move a motion to even go officially find an answer [from students]. That takes resources from city council, that takes resources for councillors going out to have official meetings with the student union," said Oscar Lavitt, a student at the University of Ottawa. "We have an answer and the answer is no." A motion by Coun. Menard to direct staff to enter into negotiations and consultations with the four affected post-secondary institutions' administration and students was approved unanimously by Transit Commission. Staff are directed to report back with results by the end of June 2025. Lavitt argues the city should consider other sources of funding that wouldn't force post-secondary students to pay more. "Nobody is really into the idea of paying more tuition because of that. Students are some of the most vulnerable people financially," he said. "There are all sorts of other routes where this money could be found. Look at the people who are going to have their houses by Line 2 or Line 4, their property values is going to go up so why are they not being taxed more?" The transit system is facing a projected $120 million deficit in 2025. In addition to increases to fares and the transit levy, the budget includes $36 million in "expected funding from senior levels of government," which has not been confirmed. OC Transpo focused on improving service: Amilcar Transit Services general manager Renée Amilcar says she is focused on improving transit service, which she called the key to bringing riders back to the flagging system. But OC Transpo is well below its punctuality targets for less frequent bus routes, data presented to the city's Transit Commission show. A presentation Monday showed that an average of one in every four buses that runs at a frequency of every 16 minutes or greater was not on time in the last year. OC Transpo has a target of having 85 per cent of bus trips arriving on time. Frequent routes, which arrive every 15 minutes or less, are more likely to be on time, but the 12-month average from October 2023 to October 2024 was 83 per cent, still below target. In October 2024, one out of every five frequent buses and three out of every 10 less frequent buses was late. The on-time performance for bus routes operating every 16+ minutes has typically been below the 85 per cent target for years. According to public data on OC Transpo's website, the 12-month average was 75.5 per cent in 2020, 76.1 per cent in 2021, and 72 per cent in 2022. When asked whether raising fares would drive people away, Amilcar said reasonable fare increases are not shown to reduce ridership. "We know for fact that increasing fares reasonably will not impact the ridership at all, so that's why we need to continue to focus on service reliability, better service, how we can increase the customer's experience, et cetera," she said. The full city budget will be voted on at the Dec. 11 meeting of city council. Ottawa Top Stories FREEZING RAIN WARNING | 1 to 3 mm of freezing rain possible in Ottawa-Gatineau tonight Transit Commission passes smaller, but still significant, fare hike for seniors Cargo ship runs aground in St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg, Ont. OC Transpo hands out 1,900 fines to riders not paying fares in 2 months Katy Perry coming to Ottawa next summer Renovated pool in Pembroke, Ont. could reopen in early 2025 $10k worth of cannabis stolen from Renfrew, Ont. store MISSING | Ottawa police seek help locating missing 31-year-old man CTVNews.ca Top Stories 'It's just not fair': Retirees speak out on being excluded from federal rebate cheques Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit. NDP support for part of Liberal relief package in question, as House stalemate persists After telling Canadians that New Democrats would back Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's holiday affordability package and help pass it quickly, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh now wants it split up, as he's only ready to support part of it. Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the Liberals are 'certainly open to working with the opposition parties,' to find a path forward. BREAKING | Judge tosses Trump 2020 election case after prosecutors' request A U.S. judge on Monday dismissed the federal criminal case accusing Donald Trump of attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat after prosecutors moved to drop that prosecution and a second case against the president-elect, citing Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting U.S. president. Premiers seek 'urgent' meeting with Trudeau before Trump returns to White House Canada's premiers are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold an urgent first ministers' meeting ahead of the return to office of president-elect Donald Trump. Warren Buffett gives away another US$1.1B, announces plans for distributing $147B fortune after death Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by announcing plans Monday to hand more than US$1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Deer spotted wearing high-visibility safety jacket in Northern B.C. Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo. Canada Post says progress 'limited' at negotiating table as strike continues Canada Post says they have made 'limited progress' with the union at the negotiating table 11 days after the strike began. Los Angeles judge postpones hearing on release of Menendez brothers A Los Angeles County judge on Monday postponed a hearing over the possible release of Lyle and Erik Menendez after 35 years in prison for the shotgun murder of their parents, saying he wanted to hear from a new district attorney due to take office on Dec. 3. Canadian Army corporal fined for stolen valour at Remembrance Day ceremony A corporal in the Canadian Army has been fined $2,000 and given a severe reprimand for wearing service medals he didn't earn during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Alberta two years ago. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Editor's Picks 27 Of The Absolute Best Stocking Stuffers For Men 24 Of The Best Host And Hostess Gifts You Can Find Online Right Now 21 Of The Absolute Best Stocking Stuffers For Kids (And They're All From Amazon Canada) Home Our Guide To The Best Stand Mixers In Canada In 2024 (And Where To Get Them) Our Guide To The Best Nespresso Machines in Canada in 2024 (And Where to Get Them) Our Guide to the Best Jewellery Boxes You Can Find Online Right Now Gifts 19 Of The Best Tech Gifts Under $100 17 Gifts Your Husband Actually Wants 23 Gifts, Add-Ons, And Stocking Stuffers For Anyone Who Spends A Lot Of Time In Their Car Beauty 20 Anti-Aging Skincare Products That Reviewers Can’t Stop Talking About 12 Budget-Friendly Makeup Brushes And Tools Worth Adding To Your Kit If You Suffer From Dry Skin, You'll Want To Add At Least One Of These Hydrating Moisturizers To Your Cart Deals From Anthropologie To Adidas: Here Are The Best Early Black Friday Deals On Clothing And Accessories These Apple Products Are Majorly On Sale On Amazon Canada Right Now, So It Might Be Time To Upgrade Your Tech Black Friday Has Begun On Amazon Canada: Here Are The Best Deals Atlantic 'It's just not fair': Retirees speak out on being excluded from federal rebate cheques Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit. Man charged with unsafe storage of a firearm in Tyson MacDonald homicide: RCMP A 61-year-old man is facing unsafe storage charges in connection with the homicide of 17-year-old Tyson MacDonald on P.E.I., last December. RCMP investigating after shots fired at residence in Mavillette, N.S. RCMP in Nova Scotia are seeking information in relation to shots that were fired in Mavillette over the weekend. Toronto Ontario government passes bill to limit bike lanes Ontario's Progressive Conservative government has passed a controversial law that will force municipalities to seek approval for installing new bike lanes on arterial roads and could see some existing bike lanes torn up. Toronto mother now facing murder charge in death of four-month old baby Toronto police say they have charged a mother with second-degree murder following the death of her infant, who was found with critical injuries in midtown Toronto last week. 'Embarrassing:' NHL team ditches bus and walks to Scotiabank Arena amid gridlock The Utah Hockey Club got the full Toronto experience Sunday night ahead of their first-ever matchup against the Maple Leafs—bumper-to-bumper traffic that forced the team to walk to the game. Montreal Cases at Quebec's housing tribunal are dragging on, can take 'years' to solve Quebec's housing tribunal (TAL) is frequently a last resort for tenants and landlords trying to resolve an issue. These days, getting in front of a judge can be a difficult task and lawyers say a case can take years to sort out. More people hurt in Quebec road accidents after fall time change, data shows New data from Quebec's auto insurance board shows that evening road accidents -- including those involving pedestrians -- rise sharply in the 30 days following the fall time change, when the sun sets earlier. Montreal mayor says Friday pro-Palestinian protests were taken over by 'professional vandals' Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante told journalists 'professional vandals' took over protests and smashed windows at the Palais des Congres. Northern Ontario 'It's just not fair': Retirees speak out on being excluded from federal rebate cheques Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit. Sudbury, Ont., magic mushroom store sells illegal product as a form of protest There's a new store at the corner of Elm and Durham streets called Shroomyz, selling an illegal product: magic mushrooms. Elliot Lake, Ont., woman charged with choking neighbour's dog An intoxicated woman in Elliot Lake has been charged with breaking into her neighbour's apartment and choking their dog. Windsor City of Windsor to look into curbing prolonged apartment vacancies City councillor Renaldo Agostino is looking to add another tool the city can use to help discourage property owners from leaving apartment buildings vacant. 'Active investigation' underway in Windsor Windsor police are on the scene of what's being called an, "active investigation." "Expect a sustained police presence in the area," read a post on social media. Memorial placed on site of crash that killed Windsor couple The memorial, near the intersection of Walker Road and Niagara Street has flowers, wreaths, pictures of the victims and messages from loved ones, family and friends. London 'It’s getting dangerous downtown': Rear entrance of London business sprayed with gunfire London police said that no-one was injured when the back entrance of a downtown cannabis shop was sprayed with gunfire early on Monday morning. 'I just knew something was up': London family recounts rushing to their burning home where pet perished A weekend house fire has left a family displaced and taken the life of a beloved pet. The blaze at 454 Alston Road broke out shortly after 12:30 p.m. Christmas tax break will be 'challenging' for small businesses, says gift shop owner Tom Fincher is all for a tax break for consumers but implementing the GST tax break announced by the federal government last week at his till will be easier said than done. Kitchener Waterloo reviews most collision-prone areas to improve safety The City of Waterloo is trying to make its roads safer by putting together a report on some of the locations with the most crashes in the past five years. Driver warned after police receive complaints about car decked out in Christmas lights in Waterloo Drivers are being reminded not to take the holiday spirit too far after police received complaints about a distracting vehicle in Waterloo. Kitchener, Ont. doctor officially claims second Guinness World Record A Kitchener, Ont. emergency room doctor has officially earned his second Guinness World Records title. Barrie 'James deceived us,' Slain Collingwood, Ont. woman's family speak ahead of husband's sentencing James Schwalm sat in the prisoner’s box Monday morning weeping as friends and family members told the court about the devastation he caused when he murdered his wife, Ashley Milne, two years ago inside their Collingwood, Ont. home. Novice driver charged with speeding 95km/h over limit on Hwy 11 accused of being impaired A Thornhill resident accused of driving at a high rate of speed along Highway 11 in Muskoka while impaired faces charges. Fire causes significant damage at Tiny Township cottage Fire crews battled flames and thick smoke shooting from a seasonal home in Tiny Township on Monday. Winnipeg Winnipeg police shoot, kill suspect after officer stabbed in the throat Manitoba’s police watchdog is investigating a deadly police shooting at Winnipeg's Unicity Shopping Centre Sunday evening. Mounties looking for missing car in connection with suspicious death Manitoba RCMP are looking for a missing car connected to an investigation into human remains discovered north of Winnipeg. $4.2M from feds to create Indigenous-led family care centre in Winnipeg A new Indigenous-led family care centre will be coming to Winnipeg, with more than $4.2 million for the project coming from the federal government. Calgary Calgary's Green Line discussions focus on alignment Premier Danielle Smith says she is continuing to meet with Mayor Jyoti Gondek about Calgary's Green Line project and her government remains committed to bringing the line all the way to Seton. $3.69M Calgary mansion with basketball court for sale in Aspen Woods If you've ever dreamed of having a home with a basketball court, now's your chance. Alberta seeks to 'de-risk' oil, gas pipeline investments in wake of Trump victory Alberta's government is looking for ways to encourage pipeline companies to boost capacity and increase the province's oil and gas export volumes to the United States. Edmonton 'Be vigilant': 24 arsons in south Edmonton under police investigation The Edmonton Police Service now says it is investigating 24 suspicious fires in south Edmonton. Death of worker in Edmonton smokehouse leads to 26 charges against food processing company An Ontario-based food processing company is facing 26 charges under Alberta Occupational Health and Safety legislation in connection with the death of a worker at an Edmonton facility in 2023. The story of Alberta's rural long COVID program that never was As better diagnosis and symptom management emerged for people with long COVID, researchers in Alberta set to work creating a program that could remotely connect urban specialists and rural patients. Between development and clinical implementation, the project was shelved. Regina Sask. Party prioritizes affordability, civility with opposition in Throne Speech The Saskatchewan Party government said it will prioritize affordability in the coming months during its Throne Speech on Monday, that officially kicked off a short two-week sitting inside the legislature. Regina commits to clearing all 'high priority roads' of snow by Tuesday morning Following a second significant dump of snow in less than a week, the City of Regina says it plans to have all high priority roadways cleared by 7:00 a.m. Tuesday. Sask. NDP takes aim at premier over Shercom deal Saskatchewan’s NDP opposition is again taking aim at the province for its dealings with a Saskatoon-based tire recycling plant, Shercom. Saskatoon Sask. NDP takes aim at premier over Shercom deal Saskatchewan’s NDP opposition is again taking aim at the province for its dealings with a Saskatoon-based tire recycling plant, Shercom. Saskatoon's second big snowfall in a week won't trigger emergency response: City City crews and contractors are at it again — clearing roadways after another major snowfall. Two dead after crash on Saskatchewan Highway 4 Two people are dead following a two-vehicle crash on Highway 4 Friday evening. Vancouver B.C. opens disaster aid to atmospheric river flood victims Deer spotted wearing high-visibility safety jacket in Northern B.C. Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo. Wild weather behind 11-cent surge in Vancouver gas prices, analyst says The intense storms that battered parts of B.C. and the United States last week are partly to blame for a significant surge in Vancouver gas prices, according to a petroleum analyst. Vancouver Island Canadian Army corporal fined for stolen valour at Remembrance Day ceremony A corporal in the Canadian Army has been fined $2,000 and given a severe reprimand for wearing service medals he didn't earn during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Alberta two years ago. Deer spotted wearing high-visibility safety jacket in Northern B.C. Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo. Vancouver Whitecaps drop head coach Vanni Sartini Two weeks after the Vancouver Whitecaps’ playoff run ended in the first round, the team has fired head coach Vanni Sartini. Kelowna Man in hospital following targeted shooting in Kamloops Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops. Police cleared of fault in fatal 2023 crash in B.C.'s Interior British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year. B.C. woman sentenced for stealing $14K in funds raised for schoolkids A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail. Stay ConnectedLAS VEGAS — Players Era Festival organizers have done what so many other have tried — bet their fortunes in this city that a big payoff is coming. Such bet are usually bad ones, which is why so many massive casino-resorts have been built on Las Vegas Boulevard. But it doesn't mean the organizers are wrong. They're counting on the minimum of $1 million in guaranteed name, image and likeness money that will go to each of the eight teams competing in the neutral-site tournament that begins Tuesday will create a precedent for other such events. EverWonder Studios CEO Ian Orefice, who co-founded Players with former AND1 CEO Seth Berger, compared this event to last year's inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament that played its semifinals and final in Las Vegas by saying it "did really well to reinvigorate the fan base at the beginning of the year." "We're excited that we're able to really change the paradigm in college basketball on the economics," Orefice said. "But for us, it's about the long term. How do we use the momentum that is launching with the 2024 Players Era Festival and be the catalyst not to change one event, but to change college basketball for the future." Orefice and Berger didn't disclose financial details, but said the event will come close to breaking even this year and that revenue is in eight figures. Orefice said the bulk of the revenue will come from relationships with MGM, TNT Sports and Publicis Sport & Entertainment as well as sponsors that will be announced later. Both organizers said they are so bullish on the tournament's prospects that they already are planning ahead. Money made from this year's event, Orefice said, goes right back into the company. "We're really in this for the long haul," Orefice said. "So we're not looking at it on a one-year basis." Rick Giles is president of the Gazelle Group, which also operates several similar events, including the College Basketball Invitational. He was skeptical the financial numbers would work. Giles said in addition to more than $8 million going to the players, there were other expenses such as the guarantees to the teams. He said he didn't know if the tournament would make up the difference with ticket sales, broadcast rights and sponsorship money. The top bowl of the MGM Grand Garden Arena will be curtained off. "The math is highly challenging," Giles said. "Attendance and ticket revenues are not going to come anywhere close to covering that. They haven't announced any sponsors that I'm aware of. So it all sort of rests with their media deal with Turner and how much capital they want to commit to it to get these players paid." David Carter, a University of Southern California adjunct professor who also runs the Sports Business Group consultancy, said even if the Players isn't a financial success this year, the question is whether there will be enough interest to move forward. "If there is bandwidth for another tournament and if the TV or the streaming ratings are going to be there and people are going to want to attend and companies are going to want to sponsor, then, yeah, it's probably going to work," Carter said. "But it may take them time to gain that traction." Both founders said they initially were met with skepticism about putting together such an event, especially from teams they were interested in inviting. Houston was the first school to commit, first offering an oral pledge early in the year and then signing a contract in April. That created momentum for others to join, and including the No. 6 Cougars, half the field is ranked. "We have the relationships to operate a great event," Berger said. "We had to get coaches over those hurdles, and once they knew that we were real, schools got on board really quickly." The founders worked with the NCAA to make sure the tournament abided by that organization's rules, so players must appear at ancillary events in order to receive NIL money. Strict pay for play is not allowed, though there are incentives for performance. The champion, for example, will receive $1.5 million in NIL money. Now the pressure is on to pull off the event and not create the kind of headlines that can dog it for years to come. "I think everybody in the marketplace is watching what's going to happen (this) week and, more importantly, what happens afterwards," Giles said. "Do the players get paid on a timely basis? And if they do, that means that Turner or somebody has paid way more than the market dictates? And the question will be: Can that continue?" CREIGHTON: P oint guard Steven Ashworth likely won’t play in the No. 21 Bluejays’ game against San Diego State in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas. Ashworth sprained his right ankle late in a loss to Nebraska on Friday and coach Greg McDermott said afterward he didn’t know how long he would be out. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Happy scores 18 as Princeton defeats Nazareth 99-63