By Canadian Press

In the news today: Canada melts under heat wave, 10 years since Lac-Mégantic disaster

Jul 6, 2023 | 2:18 AM

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Extreme heat warnings remain across Canada…

Southern parts of Ontario and Quebec are entering the third day of a multi-day heat event that Environment Canada has warned could see temperatures reach highs near 40 degrees Celsius when humidity is factored in.

A heat warning is also in effect in British Columbia, from the north to central coast and in the Fraser Canyon area east of Vancouver, where daytime highs between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius are expected through Sunday.

A similar warning is in place for the Fort Liard and Fort Providence regions of the Northwest Territories, where temperatures are expected to rise to low 30s by Friday or Saturday and into next week.

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On the East Coast, Environment Canada says a period of similarly hot temperatures is expected to start today and stretch into the weekend in New Brunswick, as well as the Churchill Falls region of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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Here’s what else we’re watching …

Lac-Mégantic marks 10 years since rail disaster

Residents of Lac-Mégantic are marking the 10-year anniversary of the deadliest rail disaster in modern Canadian history.

A silent march began slightly before 1:14 a.m., marking the moment an unattended train carrying crude oil derailed and exploded in the heart of town, killing 47 people.

More than 100 people donned star-shaped lights in memory of the victims.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec Premier François Legault will both be in Lac-Mégantic today to join in the events paying tribute to the people who lost their lives on July 6, 2013.

North America’s trade partners gather in Cancun

North America’s trading partners are in Cancun for two days of meetings to take stock of the last three years under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

International Trade Minister Mary Ng is sitting down with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Raquel Buenrostro, Mexico’s economy secretary — the “three amigas,” as Ng calls them.

All three sides will likely be thinking about the agreement’s six-year review clause, which requires a comprehensive assessment of the deal by June 2026.

Add LGBTQ identities to medical records: report

A new report from Vancouver-based Community-Based Research Centre calls for the addition of more fields on medical forms in all jurisdictions to capture the full diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Executive Director Michael Kwag says information is either misrepresented or not properly collected in Canada’s health-care system, but including it would make it easier to plan for services the L-G-B-T-Q community needs.

He notes lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer people have unique health needs, and can also experience higher rates of physical and mental health issues.

N.B. sitting on $41 million from tenant deposits

The New Brunswick government has amassed about 41-million-dollars in security deposits from tenants.

The latest annual report from Service New Brunswick showed security deposits sitting at 40.9-million-dollars for 2021-22, up from 36.4-million-dollars a year earlier.

It is unclear from the numbers in the annual report how much of the 41-million-dollars was from those who moved out.

Trudeau wades into Taylor Swift tour snub

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears to be a secret Swiftie, after tweeting an invitation to superstar Taylor Swift asking her to bring her Eras tour to Canada

Swift announced Wednesday that she is adding another 14 European and U.K. stops to her career-spanning concert series, with special guest Paramore.

As of yet, there are no Canadian dates for her international tour that takes Swift through Mexico, Europe, Asia and Australia over the next year.

Trudeau responded to Swift’s tweet with paraphrased lyrics from her own songs, posting “It’s me, hi. I know places in Canada would love to have you. So, don’t make it another cruel summer. We hope to see you soon.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2023

The Canadian Press