Maple Express | November 11, 2026: Canada marks Remembrance Day as Afghanistan war turns 25

1. Canadians gather for Remembrance Day ceremonies as Afghanistan war marks 25 years

Source: CP24

Canadians across the country are gathering today to reflect on the legacy of war and remember the men and women who served and died defending the country. This year marks 25 years since the start of the Afghanistan war, a conflict in which 40,000 Canadian Armed Forces members served and 159 lost their lives. Lasting more than 12 years, it was the longest conflict in Canadian history and the largest deployment of Canadian troops since the Second World War.

At the National War Memorial in Ottawa, three Second World War veterans are expected to attend, and Prime Minister Mark Carney, Gov. Gen. Louise Arbour and other dignitaries will lay wreaths. CF-18 fighter jets and a Black Hawk helicopter will perform flypasts over the national ceremony, while Griffon, Chinook and Cormorant helicopters and other RCAF aircraft conduct flyovers at local ceremonies.

This year is also the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion, founded in 1926 to create one main advocacy group for veterans' benefits, and the 150th anniversary of the Royal Military College. About 300 cadets are expected to join the parade, roughly 200 more than usual. The ceremonies come just weeks after a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright killed four soldiers and injured dozens during a training exercise, with three separate investigations underway, one by military police. A separate ceremony is planned today at CFB Wainwright, where Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is set to attend.

Source

2. Federal government was deeply involved in talks leading to Stellantis plant sale: sources

Source: CP24

The federal government was actively and intensively part of the discussions that ended in the agreement to sell a Stellantis car assembly plant to Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturer Roshel, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the talks. The sources said Ottawa also did not stand in the way of the deal in those private discussions. Stellantis announced the sale of the Brampton, Ont., plant on Monday; it has been idle since 2023, with more than 2,200 workers on lay-off pay.

Roshel has said it will re-tool the plant for both auto and defence manufacturing and will prioritize re-hiring Stellantis workers, but it has not said how many people it will hire. On Tuesday, Industry Minister Melanie Joly expressed disappointment in Stellantis, and Prime Minister Mark Carney called the sale a "betrayal" that violates the company's obligations under several agreements.

Two sources said there were more than a dozen meetings between the government and the companies in recent months, and one said Ottawa was initially opposed to the sale. A senior government official said Stellantis presented multiple proposals, none of which Ottawa endorsed, and that the government conveyed concerns at multiple levels. Joly's spokesperson Mathis Denis said Canada "never advocated for a deal between Roshel and Stellantis" but would not discuss what was exchanged in confidence.

Source

3. From Pearson to prison: Toronto man faces 15 years in Albania after luggage tag switch

Source: CP24

Part one of W5's five-part investigation follows a young Toronto couple whose family trip turned into a nightmare in Albania. Kristian and Adriana Gjoni flew this summer on one of Air Transat's first direct flights from Toronto to Tirana to share news of their first pregnancy with family. Shortly after landing, an Albanian customs officer asked why one of their four bags was missing a tag, and the couple was detained for two and a half hours.

An officer then led Kristian to the baggage carousel and ordered him to pick up a lone bag still circling the belt. He insisted it was not his, but the bag was opened and found to contain 23.15 kilograms of cannabis. He spent four days in solitary confinement in an eight-by-nine-foot cell with no window and a fluorescent light that was never turned off. Albanian police dubbed the operation "Operation Suitcases."

Adriana was taken to a hospital with severe cramping; doctors performed an ultrasound but not a blood test, and told police she was not pregnant, a claim that was repeated in local media. A blood test at another hospital later proved she was pregnant, but it was too late — she had a miscarriage. Kristian was eventually released on bail but must return to Tirana regularly to sign in with police, initially monthly and now once every four months. His trial is expected to begin in early 2027, and he faces up to 15 years behind bars.

Source

4. Two men arrested after coffee machines worth more than $85,000 stolen from Mississauga business

Source: CP24

Two men have been arrested in connection with the alleged theft of more than $85,000 worth of high-end coffee machines from a Mississauga business earlier this year. Peel Regional Police said officers responded to reports of a break and enter at a commercial building on the morning of July 11. Investigators determined nine high-end commercial coffee makers, worth an estimated $85,955, had been stolen and later listed for sale on an online marketplace.

Police arrested two suspects on Nov. 1 after executing a search warrant at a Mississauga residence near Bloor Street and Fieldgate Drive, and recovered six of the nine stolen machines. Investigators believe the remaining three had already been sold online. Cezary Szuc, 45, and Leslie Ayotte, 57, both of Mississauga, have been charged with possession of property obtained by crime. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Both accused were released on undertakings and are scheduled to appear in court at a later date.

Source

5. One person killed after three-vehicle collision on Hwy. 410 in Brampton

Source: CP24

A male is dead following a three-vehicle collision on Hwy. 410 in Brampton on Tuesday, Ontario Provincial Police say. The crash happened just before 2 p.m. in the northbound lanes.

No other injuries were reported.

The circumstances behind the collision are currently unclear. Roads in the area have since reopened after being closed for several hours.

Source

6. Man seriously injured after being struck while riding mobility scooter in North York

Source: CP24

A male was taken to hospital with serious, non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle in North York on Tuesday afternoon. The collision happened at about 4:37 p.m. near Parkway Forest Drive and Sheppard Avenue East, police said.

The victim was riding a mobility scooter when he was struck, according to police. Paramedics told CTV News the victim was taken to a local trauma centre.

Roads in the area have since reopened after previously being closed.

Source

7. 'Deeply disappointing': Jays GM weighs in on Santander's anti-Muslim posts

Source: CP24

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins says it's "concerning" and "deeply disappointing" that outfielder Anthony Santander posted anti-Muslim videos on his social media feed. Speaking to reporters Tuesday at the Major League Baseball GM meetings in Las Vegas, Atkins said "there really aren't words to express my level of disappointment." He said he has spoken with Santander and told the outfielder he should address the posts.

Santander posted the videos in the aftermath of the U.S. midterm elections last Tuesday. He deleted them two days later but so far has not apologized or otherwise commented. Santander, a 32-year-old from Venezuela, didn't play at the big-league level last season due to injuries. He signed a five-year, US$92.5-million deal with the Blue Jays in January 2025.

Source

8. Hamilton's PWHL team gets a name: the Hamilton Havoc

Source: CP24

Hamilton's Professional Women's Hockey League team has officially unveiled its name as it prepares for its inaugural season: the Hamilton Havoc. "Havoc is inspired by the unique balance between the forces of industry and nature in Hamilton, as steel mills rise alongside the natural beauty of the Niagara Escarpment," a team news release said. The team will wear rusty red, burnt orange and beige.

A peregrine falcon will be the mascot, which is also the official bird for the City of Hamilton. "The species came back from the brink, and today it thrives right here in Hamilton," said Meghan Duggan, the team's general manager. "That connection to the city, and to the idea of rising and persevering, is something our players will carry with them every time they step on the ice." Hamilton metalwork artist Carol Nsvytis designed the logo.

The team faces the Toronto Sceptres at the Morgan Firestone Arena in Ancaster on Nov. 23 for a preseason game, followed by a game against PWHL Detroit the next day. Its first regular season game is set for Dec. 5 at Place Bell in Laval, Que., against the Montreal Victoire, who won the Walter Cup last season.

Source

9. A generation apart, these Palestinian Canadians found purpose through the military

Source: CP24

The most recent data from the Department of National Defence show that 28 per cent of new recruits are visible minorities, and many joined the Canadian Armed Forces because of a fierce sense of patriotism instilled by their immigrant parents. That's the case for Palestinian Canadians Yousef Shaath, 66, and George Al-Koura, 39 — veterans a generation apart who found a shared purpose through military service.

Ten years after immigrating to Canada, Shaath gave up his job as an accountant to enlist at 45, going through basic training with recruits who had just entered adulthood. He was inspired by his cousin Wafa Dabbagh, the first Muslim woman wearing a hijab in the CAF. Over a 14-year career as a logistics officer, he was deployed in Kuwait and Lebanon, and helped move weapons and equipment out of Afghanistan after Canada wound down its combat operation in Kandahar. In 2015 he was sent to Lebanon to help conduct security checks on Syrian refugees. His parents fled from Palestine to Egypt in 1936.

Al-Koura joined the military in 2005, just a few weeks before turning 18, born in Montreal and raised Catholic, following in his sister's footsteps. He became a signals intelligence officer and was involved in Operation Impact, using his fluency in Arabic to analyze ISIS military manoeuvres. He retired last year after a 20-year career and moved into the private sector. His most painful loss came in connection with the Afghanistan war: a childhood friend took his own life after returning to Kingston when Canada's mission ended in 2014.

Source

10. Ovechkin on Ottawa protest: 'lots of protests going on'

Source: CP24

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin did not directly address a planned protest outside the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa over his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, but says Russian players "just want to play" for their country. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress organized a 5:30 p.m. rally called "Rally: No War Crimes in Ottawa" ahead of the Capitals' game against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night, and protesters were seen holding signs reading "Putin War Criminal."

"I just heard about this morning and I don't know what to say," Ovechkin told reporters before the game. "You know, lots of protests going on around the world." Orest Zakydalsky of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress said the community planned to express its disgust with Ovechkin's support for Putin and its hope that the government will stop letting him enter Canada. Ovechkin appeared in a September commercial for a party aligned with Putin, standing behind Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and in 2017 launched a movement called "Putin Team."

The federal government said last week it would use its immigration powers to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering Canada to compete under their national symbols, while IRCC says it assesses visa applications case by case. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Russian players won't be allowed to represent their country at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta in December and January. "As an athlete, we just want to play," Ovechkin said, denying that Russia uses anyone as a propaganda tool.

Source