Maple Express | October 5, 2026 — Quebec Votes as Sovereignty Referendum Looms

1. Quebec Voters Head to the Polls for Provincial Election

Source: CP24

Voters in Quebec's 127 ridings are heading to the polls today to choose a new provincial government, with polls closing at 8 p.m. local time. The election comes at the end of two straight Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) majority governments, and the Parti Québécois (PQ) appears to be in the driver's seat.

PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon faces a large field that includes CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette, Liberal Leader Charles Milliard, Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal, and Quebec Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime. St-Pierre Plamondon has pledged to launch a referendum on sovereignty if his party forms a government, but not before U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the White House in 2029.

The 40-day campaign has been dominated by questions of economic uncertainty, cost of living and the prospect of a third sovereignty referendum. The Quebec Conservatives have never won a seat under Duhaime's leadership, but they are expected to make a breakthrough that could give them the balance of power if no party wins a majority. Élections Québec says nearly a quarter of voters already cast ballots in advance polls.

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2. Trial Opens in Massive Gold Heist at Toronto's Pearson Airport

Source: CP24

A trial is set to begin today in Brampton, Ont., for a man accused in what investigators have called one of the largest gold heists in Canadian history. Parmpal Sidhu is charged with theft over $5,000 and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence in the 2023 heist at Toronto's Pearson airport.

The trial comes soon after prosecutors dropped charges against two other men accused in the case. Last month, the Crown withdrew charges against Ali Raza, a jeweller accused of knowingly receiving some of the stolen gold, and Amit Jalota. A man who admitted his role was sentenced this spring to four years in prison: Arsalan Chaudhary, arrested earlier this year as he flew back from Dubai, pleaded guilty to theft over $5,000 and was given 40 years to pay back $22 million in restitution.

Peel regional police have said 6,600 gold bars weighing more than 400 kilograms were stolen from Pearson on April 17, 2023, valued at more than $20 million. The gold and foreign currency were ordered from a refinery in Zurich, Switzerland, and transported in the hull of an Air Canada flight to Toronto, in an investigation dubbed Project 24K, then offloaded to an Air Canada cargo facility; later that day, a suspect presented a fraudulent airway bill to warehouse employees, who loaded the shipment onto his five-tonne truck. Another accused, Archit Grover, is expected to face trial later this fall.

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3. U.S. Coast Guard Suspends Search for Ontario Air Ambulance; Six Presumed Dead

Source: CP24

The U.S. Coast Guard announced on Sunday, Oct. 4, that it has suspended its search for a medical transport aircraft from Ontario that went missing over the Atlantic Ocean this weekend. "Suspending a search is not an easy decision," said Rear Adm. Matthew Lake, Commander of the Northeast District. "We express our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected by the tragedy and our gratitude for our partner agencies who helped support search efforts."

Latitude Air Ambulance, based in Hamilton, Ont., later said the four members of its team, its patient and the patient's family escort aboard its aircraft "Heartbeat 104 Medevac" are presumed to have died. "This is an unimaginable loss for our Latitude family and for everyone who loved the six people aboard Heartbeat 104," said company president Peter Byl. The company said it would continue to cooperate fully with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and other relevant authorities.

The Gulfstream G100 (tail number C-GRJP) disappeared early Saturday morning while flying from Bermuda to Boston, carrying four Canadians and two Bermuda nationals. The U.S. Coast Guard said it was first notified by the Federal Aviation Administration at about 2 a.m. that day that contact had been lost with the aircraft. The jet departed Bermuda's L.F. Wade International Airport at 12:41 a.m. Saturday headed for Boston Logan International Airport, with its last known whereabouts off the coast of Nantucket, Mass. According to air traffic control audio posted by LiveATC.net, the pilot reported electrical problems and declared an emergency. The Coast Guard and partner agencies searched 4,445 miles (7,154 kilometres) over about 66 hours. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said Transport Canada was closely monitoring the effort.

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4. Defamation Trial of Former UBC Professor Set to Open

Source: CP24

A trial is expected to start today in B.C. Supreme Court, where author and former professor Steven Galloway says he was defamed by false accusations of sexual assault. Galloway was a tenured professor and chair of the creative writing program at the University of British Columbia when rumours spread online that he had assaulted one of his students.

He was never charged but was fired, though a report later produced for the university by former judge Mary Ellen Boyd concluded the accusations against him were unsubstantiated. The defendants, including his accuser known only as A.B. and those who repeated the allegations online, took the case to the Supreme Court of Canada, claiming their accusations were protected speech.

The High Court refused to hear the case, after a lower court said that if the defendants' arguments held, "there would be no legal consequences of any kind" to publicly calling someone a rapist. Chelsea Rooney, one of the defendants, issued a lengthy apology to Galloway over the weekend.

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5. Sinkhole Closes Midland Avenue in Scarborough

Source: CP24

Toronto Fire is on the scene of a sinkhole in the city's east end. The sinkhole has closed Midland Avenue in both directions at Kingston Road. Toronto Fire told CP24 in an email that it was initially reported as a water main break, but that it turned into a sinkhole as crews were on scene investigating.

Toronto Water has also responded to the area. It is unclear when lanes will reopen.

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6. Toronto Man Charged in Peel Street Racing Probe, Vehicle Seized

Source: CP24

A Toronto man is facing several charges for his alleged involvement in organized street racing in Peel Region. The arrest came after Peel Regional Police identified a suspect operating a blue BMW 340i at several illegal street races earlier this year.

On Oct. 1, members of the Safer Roads Team executed a Criminal Code search warrant at a residence in Toronto and arrested 25-year-old Ethan Tolander. They also seized a blue BMW 340i and other items as evidence. Tolander faces one count each of disguise with intent and flight from a peace officer, three counts of failing to comply with a release order, five counts of possession of property obtained by crime, and seven counts each of dangerous operation and racing a motor vehicle. The charges have not been tested in court, and additional charges may be laid. The accused was held for a bail hearing.

The ongoing investigation is part of Project ERASE, a province-wide initiative targeting street racing, stunt driving and illegal car rallies, delivered in partnership with GTA police services, with an annual joint-forces enforcement effort between May and June. Peel Regional Police say they conduct enforcement year-round.

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7. Toronto Art Installation Shines Light on Growing Canada-EU Ties

Source: CP24

Abandoned grain silos may not seem an obvious place for a diplomatic mission, but for the Delegation of the European Union to Canada, they served as a perfect blank canvas on which to showcase shared priorities. "We want to reinforce the connection between the Canadian and European," said Geneviève Tuts, the EU's Ambassador to Canada. "In my view, culture and art should be part of this conversation."

The Canada Malting Silos are former malting towers that sit unused at the base of Toronto's Bathurst Street along Lake Ontario. On Saturday, two art installations were projected onto the structures for Toronto's Nuit Blanche Festival, an annual art celebration. Presented by OCAD University and the EU Delegation, the two works featured images that explore nature and the impacts of climate change.

Last month, the European Commission president invited Canada to explore becoming the first associate member of the EU. It is not clear what associate membership would look like, since it is not an established status within the bloc. Prime Minister Mark Carney accepted the invitation, open to deepening economic and security ties with the European Union but stating he is not seeking membership, and looking instead for a unique alliance.

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8. B.C.'s Eby Promises New Tax on Millionaires to Help Pay for Health Care

Source: CP24

British Columbia NDP Leader David Eby said his party would introduce a new tax bracket for those who earn $1 million or more to help pay for health care, if re-elected. He made the promise Sunday while campaigning in Comox on Vancouver Island, after touring ridings in southern British Columbia ahead of the Oct. 24 election day.

"We are glad when people are successful, it's fantastic," he said. "We cheer for them, we want them to be successful, and it's also right to ask people, who earn a little bit more to pitch-in in a moment like this, when people across the province need those strong public services." Eby did not offer specifics about the proposed new tax bracket, but promised more details at a scheduled campaign stop in Victoria later Sunday.

The announcement came after Eby said his government would introduce price guards for certain groceries, as well as gasoline and diesel, while temporarily lowering the provincial motor fuel tax by 10 cents per litre. Earlier in the campaign, he said his party would introduce a new tax on empty condominiums and lift the speculation and vacancy tax. Asked whether new taxes and regulations would make businesses feel unwelcome, he said his party is not fighting against them, but standing up for British Columbians.

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9. Western Provinces Move to Permanent Daylight Time as Analysis Backs Standard Time

Source: CP24

Neuroscientist Ralph Mistlberger, who has studied sleep and the body's circadian rhythms for more than 40 years, is preparing for Nov. 1. That is when clocks would normally turn back an hour for most of Western Canada, but they are staying where they are, putting residents on permanent daylight time. He said it is a mistake, and he and other British Columbia researchers have released an analysis warning of potential risks to health, the economy and students' well-being with the darker mornings on the way.

The analysis by economic, mental health and sleep experts was published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. It examined multiple studies and concluded that health evidence favours moving to permanent standard time, in part because it better aligns with the body's rhythm. Mistlberger, a psychology professor at Simon Fraser University, said people may think they want more sun in the evening, but starting your winter day in the dark has far-reaching effects and can lead to what scientists call "social jet lag." He said chronic sleep issues can lead to metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease, and that epidemiological studies of large populations have found increases in cancer and some mood disorders.

B.C., Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Manitoba all announced this year that they would adopt permanent year-round daylight time. The B.C. government pitched that the move would improve health, reduce disruptions for families and provide an extra hour of evening light in winter, noting a 2019 online survey in which more than 223,000 people took part and 93 per cent preferred a change to year-round daylight time. The researchers noted the survey did not offer permanent standard time as an option. The analysis also cited Russia, which switched in 2011 and reversed three years later, Chile in 2015, and the United States in 1974, when permanent daylight saving was abandoned within the year.

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10. Supreme Court Opens Judicial Year in Temporary New Building

Source: CP24

The Supreme Court of Canada is marking the opening of the judicial year with a ceremony in its temporary new building today. The top court's nine justices are settling in at the West Memorial Building in Ottawa while the court's permanent home across the street undergoes extensive renovations, which are expected to take at least 10 years.

Chief Justice Richard Wagner plans to make remarks at the ceremony, which will include current and former members of the court. Justice Minister Sean Fraser and Kristen Boon, president of the Council of Canadian Law Deans, are among the other scheduled speakers. A formal welcome for the court's newest member, Glenn Joyal, is expected to take place later this month.

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