Statistics Canada is set to release its latest job market report for April, which is expected to provide insights into the country's employment situation. According to a poll conducted by LSEG Data & Analytics, economists predict a modest gain of 2,500 jobs for the month. However, they also forecast an increase in the unemployment rate by a tenth of a percentage point to 6.8 percent, compared to March's reported rate of 6.7 percent, which was attributed to a significant loss of 33,000 jobs—marking the largest employment decline since January 2022, largely influenced by economic uncertainty stemming from U.S. tariffs.
In other significant news, Robert Prevost has made history by becoming the first U.S. pope in the Catholic Church's history, taking the name Leo XIV. The election took place on Thursday, where Catholic cardinals turned tradition on its head by selecting the Chicago-born missionary who has devoted much of his life to work in Peru. In his inaugural address, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of a missionary church that fosters dialogue and charity, inviting a sense of openness and inclusivity within the global faith community. His choice of the name Leo is notable, as it references the 13th-century friar Leo, who was a close companion to St. Francis of Assisi—the namesake of the previous pope, Francis.
The trial involving five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team continues to draw attention as a woman alleges that she was sexually assaulted by the players. The complainant, who has been granted anonymity under a publication ban, has been testifying in court since last Friday. The involved players, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube, and Callan Foote, have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. The woman has recounted her experiences during the incident that took place in June 2018, when she claims that she was in a vulnerable state when several men entered the hotel room where she was present.
Meanwhile, a documentary titled “The Sexiest Man in Winnipeg” is set to be released on Amazon Prime Video, spotlighting the dramatic fall of former sportscaster Steve Vogelsang. Once celebrated in the 1990s as a charismatic figure in Winnipeg, Vogelsang's life took a turn when he was arrested in 2017 for a series of bank robberies in Saskatchewan and Alberta, leading him to serve a six-and-a-half-year prison sentence after pleading guilty. The film aims to explore the complexities of his life transition from a beloved public persona to a convicted criminal.
Lastly, a grey whale named Little Patch is currently captivating residents in Metro Vancouver. Observers have been drawn to the shoreline, particularly the seawall along West Vancouver, where they can witness the whale’s close encounters as it stops to feed before its journey northward. Local residents, including Cari Siebrits, have expressed their excitement upon seeing the whale so near to shore, describing it as a thrilling experience akin to the joy of discovering something special. The presence of Little Patch in the area is noteworthy, as it is not common for grey whales to linger in Vancouver’s harbor for such an extended period, attracting crowds and a sense of communal awe among whale watchers.
