Air Transat is facing significant disruptions as it prepares to suspend all flights due to a looming strike deadline. Passengers have already experienced uncertainty for a second day, with the Air Line Pilots Association releasing a 72-hour strike notice over the weekend. The airline is recognized for its extensive operations, offering over 500 flights each week to various sun destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe. To alleviate potential travel woes, Air Transat scheduled four additional flights on Monday to assist passengers who were supposed to return Wednesday. However, many remain anxious about the possibility of being stranded.
In legislative news, Canadian Justice Minister Sean Fraser is set to introduce a new bill aiming to better protect children and address gender-based violence. This initiative is being promoted as "generational reforms" to revise the Criminal Code, emphasizing the need for stronger protections for victims of violence and threats. The Liberal government previously included multiple related promises in their spring election platform, including measures to classify hate-motivated violence as a first-degree offense, as well as increasing penalties for distributing intimate images without consent. The proposed legislation also seeks to criminalize the distribution of non-consensual sexual deepfakes and introduce safeguards against the online exploitation of children.
The G7 industry, digital, and technology ministers' meeting is concluding today in Montreal. This two-day assembly is part of a series of ministerial meetings held during Canada’s presidency of the G7 this year. On Monday, Minister of Artificial Intelligence Evan Solomon announced new digital agreements between Canada and Europe, notably a collaboration with Germany focusing on artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and digital infrastructure. These advancements arise amid ongoing tensions concerning AI regulation between the European Union and the United States.
Significant cultural news is unfolding with the unveiling of a selection of Inuit artifacts returned from the Vatican, which will be displayed at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec. Indigenous leaders, including those from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, have welcomed the return of dozens of items from the Vatican collection, an act positioned as part of the reconciliation process. Among the artifacts is a traditional Inuvialuit kayak, which is believed to be over 100 years old and one of only five constructed back then. Ultimately, the 62 artifacts will be sent back to their original communities.
In the realm of real estate, Royal LePage has projected a modest increase in home prices for the year 2026 as the Canadian housing market is anticipated to undergo a "reset." The firm forecasts that the national aggregate home price will rise by one percent year-over-year, reaching approximately $823,016 by the fourth quarter of 2026. Furthermore, single-family detached homes are estimated to appreciate by two percent, peaking at about $876,934, while condominium prices may dip by 2.5 percent to around $563,918. These expectations for the housing market come in light of significant economic and political uncertainties anticipated in 2025, including ongoing trade conflicts with the United States and shifts in federal leadership that could affect market dynamics.
