Top Stories – May 26 – Water Changes

A couple of water-related advisories have been changed. The Boil Water notice for residents and businesses on the Killiney Beach system has been downgraded to a Water Advisory. And the Water Advisory for WFN #9 has been lifted.

Privacy commissioners in Ottawa, BC, Alberta and Quebec are all investigating Open A-I. That’s the company behind the artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, Chat G-P-T. They want to see if the parent firm obtained valid consent from Canadians to collect, use and disclose their personal information in its chatbot.

Quebec Premier François Legault says the province will require the majority of economic immigrants to speak French before they arrive. He says that if that happens, they wouldn’t threaten the province’s culture and language. The government is also considering increasing the number of immigrants it accepts every year to 60,000 from 50,000.

The City of Kelowna, Kelowna International Airport, the RCMP and Child Advocacy Centre are partnering with #NotInMyCity to raise awareness about human trafficking and sexual exploitation of youth in the Okanagan. To date, more than 600 employees at YLW have completed the training. As part of a public awareness campaign, the airport has posted signs to help victims receive assistance as they pass through.

Premier David Eby is leading a trade mission to Asia to grow BC businesses. The trip includes stops in Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam. They’ll be discussing a number of key sectors including clean technology, renewable energy, natural resources, communications technology, and agrifood.

Firefighting foams, cosmetics and food packaging that contain cancer-causing “forever chemicals” could be limited or outright banned in Canada. This follows a federal risk assessment of the products that inches closer to declaring them ‘toxic.’ Because they don’t break down easily, they have been dubbed ‘forever chemicals’, and they’re accumulating in concentration as more and more continue to be used.

The provincial government has given the go-ahead to a long-awaited cancer care centre in Kamloops. Health Minister Adrian Dix says the concept plan has been approved by the province and a business plan is now being developed. The centre will offer radiation and other treatments cancer patients require. Currently, they must travel to Kelowna for those services.

In time for GoByBike Week, which starts Monday, the Province is offering rebates on the purchase of eligible new e-bikes for adults who want to start commuting by bike. Starting June 1, rebates will range from $350 to a maximum of $1,400. Unlike previous programs, there is no need to scrap a car to get the rebate although there are some conditions at BC E Bike Rebates-dot-ca .

Opposition M-Ps are keeping the heat on the Trudeau government to force it to call a public inquiry into allegations of foreign meddling in Canadian elections. They want to grill former governor general David Johnston in the wake of his first report looking into interference. He decided against recommending a public inquiry in favour of holding public hearings.

Sports

A power play goal in overtime gave the Dallas Stars their first win in the NHL West final against the Golden Knights last night by score of 3 to 2. Game five will be back in Vegas tomorrow.

Spring Camp for the Canadian Junior Football Champion Okanagan Sun is this weekend. It’s free to watch today at 6pm, tomorrow at 10 and 1 and Sunday at 10 at the Apple Bowl. There’s a scrimmage Sunday at 1 at Parkinson Fields.

The Blue Jays held a players-only meeting following their 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay yesterday. Manager John Schneider said postgame that the players’ decision to call the meeting beat him to it.