OCTOBER 2, 2026
King and Country?
With his Parti Québécois comfortably leading at the polls and on track to form a majority government ahead of Monday’s provincial election, leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is obviously feeling secure enough to bring up the ever-simmering sovereignty issue. Speaking to reporters yesterday, St-Pierre Plamondon delivered an unexpected constitutional zinger: if elected, his government will “abolish whatever monarchy exists in Quebec.” Under the current political structure, King Charles is represented in the province by Lt.-Gov. Manon Jeannotte, whose role is to grant royal assent to bills passed by the province’s legislature, the National Assembly. But St-Pierre Plamondon, who famously refused to swear allegiance to the King when he was elected to the National Assembly in 2022, called the lieutenant-governor’s office a “charade, which wastes money that could be put to better use.” Responding to this bombshell yesterday, constitutional experts agreed that if Quebec tries to unilaterally abolish the office through law, it would trigger a constitutional challenge, which the province would likely lose – and that the only way to achieve this goal is through separation. Liberal Leader Charles Milliard, hoping for a last-minute boost at the polls, called St-Pierre Plamondon “quarrelsome” and “belligerent” and suggested his opponent should stop “worrying about the lieutenant-governor’s salary” and focus on real issues like health care and the economy. | Getty Images
OCTOBER 1, 2026
Busy as a Beaver
Toronto’s waterfront has been invaded by a gang of four-foot-tall beavers who are living it up in their own condo along the city’s new Lassonde Art Trail. Marking Truth and Reconciliation Day on Sept. 30, Kent Monkman – the world-renowned multidisciplinary two-spirit Cree artist from Fisher River Cree Nation in Treaty 5 Territory in Manitoba – unveiled his anthropomorphic beaver sculpture, The Colony, which is his first-ever large-scale sculpture and his first work of public art. Known primarily as a painter (his works hang at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and in galleries across the country) who works Indigenous perspectives into traditional European settler scenes, Monkman now turns his gaze to one of Canada’s most historic symbols. “I invite people to consider Indigenous storytelling and how animals are part of a shared ecosystem,” he told The Art Newspaper. “Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous presence are deeply embedded in this land.” His piece was also inspired by the city’s redesign of the site where the sculpture now lives permanently. “The goal was to remediate Biidaasige Park and the Don River, redirecting the river to its natural flow,” he says of the spot where the river meets Lake Ontario. “That’s essentially what beavers do. They redirect water, create ecosystems for their habitats and impact the ecosystems of other animals.” Monkman’s cheery rodents, though, do a lot more than that – they dance, read books, stargaze, play drums and one is lounging in the pose of The Birth of Venus – all with exaggerated and amusing facial expressions. “Humour makes us Cree, makes us human,” he said, “and can help open people’s spirits to receive challenging messages and have difficult conversations.” | The Canadian Press/Michael Seleski
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
The Good Ol’ Hockey Game
It’s fitting that this year’s NHL season gets underway on the anniversary of Paul Henderson’s iconic goal that sparked Team Canada’s dramatic victory over the Soviet Union in the 1972 Summit Series. While the fans here won’t be gripped in the same state of feverish excitement as they were 54 years ago, the new season presents its own intrigues. The Toronto Maple Leafs, with a flurry of off-season moves – including hiring new coach, Jim Hiller, and landing super-prospect Gavin Mckenna – have injected new life into the team and rekindled LeafNation’s perennial hopes of ending a Stanley Cup drought, which dates back to 1967. Tonight, the Leafs renew their 108-year-old rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens, a squad filled with promising young stars who are coming off a surprising post-season run, on their way to becoming a serious contender. Plus, there’s the always-entertaining Connor McDavid show in Edmonton where his Oilers must wrap their heads around new coach Mike Babcock’s old-school psychological tactics and put their best skate forward against the rebuilding Vancouver Canucks. And while the Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets and Ottawa Senators face long odds, that’s beside the point today. Because it’s opening night and for one glorious moment, every Canadian hockey fan believes this is the year their team will bring the Stanley Cup home, ending its 33-year sojourn on U.S. soil. | The Canadian Press/AP Photo/EET
SEPTEMBER 28, 2026
The Last Hurrah
The Toronto Blue Jays’ long and frustrating season ended on a high note as fans bid a fond farewell to two old warriors: Max Scherzer and George Springer. Scherzer, 42, threw seven innings against the Cincinnati Reds, struck out seven and upped his career win total to 225. When manager John Schneider walked to the mound to pull the man they call “Mad Max”, he hugged and thanked his famously intense pitcher, joking: “I wouldn’t want any other 42-year-old psychopath on my team other than you.” As Scherzer walked off the mound to a huge ovation, he tipped his cap to the fans before jumping into the stands to share the moment with his wife and four children. “To see him actually smile on the day he pitched was awesome,” said teammate George Springer, who was also feted by the sold-out Rogers Centre crowd. The 37-year-old’s high-octane style of play made him a fan favourite, but he will forever be remembered for his “Springer Dinger” – the dramatic home run he hit against the Seattle Mariners last year that helped propel the Jays to the World Series. While there will be no post-season baseball in Toronto this year, at least the fans were able to give one last salute to two players who gave them plenty to cheer about. | The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn
