Heartwarming

Bob Rae's term as Canada's ambassador to the United Nations has ended, leaving him without an 'important job' for the first time since he was first elected in 1978. The column by Steve Paikin notes Rae's long public career and raises questions about whether the United States remains part of the world's club of democracies.

A Toronto six‑unit apartment designed with a single shared stair was granted special approval, joining recent moves in Vancouver and other cities to revisit rules on single exit stairway buildings. The article reports that proponents point to modern sprinklers, fire‑resistant materials and research showing strong safety records for four‑ to six‑storey designs equipped with sprinklers.

The 1 Edmund Gate estate in Toronto, built 1928–29 and designed by Donald Mackenzie Waters, is listed at $13 million and sits on 1.12 acres near Casa Loma.

Carly Walters, a master's student at the University of Northern British Columbia, will join a post‑secondary leadership panel at the BC Natural Resources Forum on Jan. 22 to discuss building future talent in natural resources industries.

The Manitoba government announced a formal reopening for the Dauphin courthouse on Thursday, though court proceedings have been held in the new facility since July. Renovations expanded space, improved accessibility and security, and cost about $15 million.

The U.S. Coast Guard will use Seaspan's Canadian Multi-Purpose Icebreaker design for up to six Arctic Security Cutters, with two hulls to be built in Finland (deliveries expected in 2028) and up to four in the U.S., and the first U.S.-built vessel expected in 2029.

The University of Lethbridge's Hess Gallery is presenting Abundant Memory: Relational Intelligence, featuring work by nine Indigenous artists from the Niitsitapi Pod of the Indigenous-led Abundant Intelligences research program; the exhibit is on display through next Friday and is free to attend.

Grade 7/8 students at Glengarry District High School built and tested model wind turbines during a classroom challenge; the top four teams will advance to the Regional Skills Ontario Competition in Kemptville in April 2026.

A Saskatchewan Rivers School Division parent survey presented by director Neil Finch found generally positive ratings across areas such as feeling welcome, being informed and school safety, with category averages around 8–9 out of 10; 536 responses were recorded in the most recent collection.

The Trach Sports Academy at Carlton Comprehensive has increased enrollment to 105 students after the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division partnered this year with Jordan Trach, up from 90 last year; the program now runs high school hockey, Grade 7–8 hockey and a high school multi-sport stream.