The Big Story

Quick coverage of cooler-than-expected Canadian inflation and what drove the slowdown. Reports on a school closure and community response after a shooting in Tumbler Ridge. Updates on more Canadian gold medals and Olympic highlights in Milano-Cortina. Reflections on the deaths of Jesse Jackson and Robert Duvall. Notes on cultural celebrations happening today.

Brianne Cail, a writer who chronicled her experience with weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro, shares her journey. She describes how the drugs silenced cravings and altered focus. She talks about being treated differently after shrinking, the grief and guilt about her past body, and debates over access, generics and safety. She argues for dietitian guidance and transparency.

Kelly Higginson, President and CEO of Restaurants Canada, speaks about the state of the food service industry and its role in the economy. She discusses falling profitability, rising costs, pandemic debt and trade-related supply shocks. She outlines policy responses like the GST holiday limits and proposals to remove GST on prepared food. She finishes on why Canadians still love dining out.

A national leader travels to Tumbler Ridge after a mass shooting and communities mourn those lost. A one-time GST credit top-up and a new five-year support boost for low-income Canadians are explained. A report warns Canada is off track on climate targets. Updates cover Winter Games medal races and a SpaceX launch bound for the ISS.

Mark Entwistle, former Canadian ambassador to Cuba and Munk School fellow, brings decades of Cuban diplomacy experience. He breaks down the causes of the current fuel and supply crisis. He analyzes U.S. policy motives and the legal mechanics of oil cutoffs. He considers Cuba’s resilience, collapse scenarios, and Canada’s tight diplomatic choices and humanitarian options.

A community in B.C. mourns after one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings, with reports on the shooter and local grief. Investigation details explore the suspect’s background and past mental-health contacts. Travel warnings and airline suspensions affect Cuba. Updates cover Canadian Winter Games medals and a controversy over an athlete’s helmet tribute. Hollywood pays tribute after James Van Der Beek’s death.

Bruce Pitt-Payne, former RCMP major crimes investigator with deep policing experience, breaks down the Tumbler Ridge shooting aftermath. He describes police response, how major investigations proceed, oversight timelines and the emotional toll on small-town officers. He also urges against blaming whole groups and highlights limits in determining motive when the shooter is deceased.

A tragic mass shooting at a school and nearby home in British Columbia and the unfolding investigation draw focus. An arrest tied to a high-profile drug probe is discussed. Search developments in a missing person case in Arizona are examined. Coverage also touches on national reactions, Day 5 highlights from the Winter Games, and new findings from a fraud poll.

Jan Mahrt-Smith, associate professor of finance at the University of Toronto, offers a concise finance-focused perspective. He discusses why a debt loan to xAI made sense for a pension fund. He explains how institutional risk, reputational concerns and political backlash factor into big investment decisions. He weighs sector-wide AI bets against legal mandates and public trust.

Quick sports updates on Canada’s short track silver and moguls athletes advancing, plus a key player sidelined by injury. Coverage of three Canadian airlines pausing flights to Cuba and the reasons behind Cuba’s fuel and rationing crisis. A political flare-up over the Gordie Howe Bridge draws scrutiny. Cultural notes include the revealed cause of death for a comedy legend and hidden references in a major halftime show.