Here’s a breaking / emerging update for Saint John, NB:
There was an encampment fire last night on City Road near The Dome across from the Irving (Saint John). Fortunately, reports suggest no injuries. Facebook
The city is also preparing an emergency plan as watershed levels continue to fall. X (formerly Twitter)
Here’s what recent official reports reveal:
2024 Annual Loss: Canada Post reported a loss before tax of $841 million, up 12.4% from the $748 million loss in 2023 Canada Post.
Q1 2025: The corporation posted a $41 million loss before tax, though this was an improvement from the $76 million loss in Q1 of the previous year
Q2 2025: The second quarter saw a further downturn, with records indicating a $407 million loss before tax, Canada Post’s worst quarterly result to date
Labour Disruptions: The 32-day strike in late 2024 significantly hit parcel volumes and earnings. The fallout from that labour unrest continues to drag on the business
Market Share Decline: Since 2019, Canada Post’s market share in the parcel delivery sector dropped dramatically—from around 62% down to 26.7% in 2024—as private couriers like UPS and FedEx gain ground
Systemic Pressures: Declining letter mail, intense parcel competition, rigid work rules, and regulatory constraints (including moratoriums on rural closures) continue to hinder adaptation and recovery Summary Table
| Period | Loss Before Tax |
|---|---|
| Full Year 2024 | $841 million |
| Q1 2025 | $41 million |
| Q2 2025 | $407 million |
In a dramatic turn of events, the Canadian government intervened less than 12 hours into the strike by 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants on August 16, 2025, ordering them back to work and imposing binding arbitration to resolve the dispute
The sudden escalation followed a strike that grounded nearly 700 flights and affected over 100,000 travelers, in the middle of peak summer travel season
Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu justified the move by citing economic risk, trade pressures, and the need for stability s. However, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) promptly condemned the intervention, calling it an overreach that undermines workers’ bargaining power. Union leaders accused the government of “rewarding Air Canada’s refusal to negotiate fairly” and violating the constitutional right to strike
Canada’s Supreme Court affirmed in Saskatchewan Federation of Labour v Saskatchewan (2015) that the right to strike is constitutionally protected, integral to collective bargaining Yet, Canadian governments—both federal and provincial—have long held authority to enact back-to-work legislation or force binding arbitration in certain federally regulated sectors, including air travel
Historically, such measures have been used repeatedly. For instance, during the 2018 Canada Post strikes, rotating strikes were ended by back-to-work legislation Courts have sometimes challenged these interventions—in 2016, a judge ruled that the federal back-to-work legislation in a 2011 Canada Post dispute violated the Supreme Court’s 2015 recognition of the constitutional right to strike
This latest move continues a pattern where economic urgency trumps bargaining autonomy, especially in critical services like transportation. Despite the constitutional affirmation of the right to strike, legislation still permits the government to short-circuit industrial action:
Pro: The intervention may be seen as necessary to prevent widespread economic disruption and protect travelers and supply chains.
Con: It risks weakening workers’ leverage, particularly among a female-majority workforce (flight attendants), while similar pay increases were recently awarded to a mostly male pilot group—raising concerns about equity and representation
Government Forces Air Canada Flight Attendants Back to Work — But at What Cost to Workers’ Rights?
Just hours into a disruptive strike over pay and unpaid duties, the federal government stepped in to force 10,000 flight attendants back to work and dictated binding arbitration. Is this protecting the economy—or undermining the constitutional right to strike?
While economic stability is crucial, especially during peak travel, this pattern of intervention raises troubling questions about whose interests are prioritized. Does this serve Canadians—or silence workers demanding fair treatment?
The right to strike in Canada is constitutionally protected, but back-to-work measures remain lawful, especially in essential sectors like aviation.
The government’s swift action in the Air Canada dispute follows historical precedent and legal authority—but not without controversy.
The tension between workers’ rights and national interests continues to raise critical debates about fairness, equity, and the future of labor relations in Canada.
Canada Is Making a Big Mistake by Recognizing a Terrorist Entity as Palestine
It’s deeply troubling to see Canada moving towards recognizing “Palestine” as a legitimate state, especially when it’s under the control of terrorist organizations like Hamas — a group that openly calls for the destruction of Israel and commits horrific acts of violence against innocent civilians.
Recognition isn’t just symbolic. It gives legitimacy, funding, and international standing to people whose leadership uses human shields, fires rockets at schools and hospitals, and rejects every good-faith attempt at peace.
Canada has long prided itself on standing for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. This decision undermines all of that. It betrays our allies, especially Israel — the only true democracy in the Middle East — and empowers extremist groups whose only goal is to spread terror and hatred.
Supporting the Palestinian people should mean supporting peace, accountability, and the end of terrorist rule — not rewarding it. If Canada wants to help, it should push for real reforms, demilitarization, and a leadership that genuinely wants coexistence instead of endless war.
This is not a time to cave to political pressures or misguided virtue signaling. This is a time to stand firm for what is right. Canada must not turn its back on Israel or on its own principles.
A tragic incident occurred in Northeast Philadelphia on the evening of January 31, 2025, when a small medical jet carrying six individuals, including a young girl, crashed near the intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue, close to the Roosevelt Mall. The crash resulted in a massive explosion, igniting multiple homes in the vicinity.
The aircraft went down around 6:30 p.m., approximately 30 seconds after takeoff. Eyewitnesses captured videos showing the plane descending rapidly before impacting the ground, followed by a significant explosion. Emergency responders, including hundreds of firefighters and first responders, swiftly arrived at the scene to manage the ensuing fires and provide assistance.
As of now, authorities have not released detailed information regarding the identities of those on board or the cause of the crash. The incident is under active investigation, and updates are expected as more information becomes available.
For a visual overview of the scene, you can watch live coverage of the incident:
