Conservative fundraiser casts doubt on whether all votes were 'accurate and counted' in leaked call

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his wife, Anaida Poilievre, are shown on election night. A spokesperson for the Conservatives said the party isn't questioning the results of two recounts, but wanted to ensure they are 'accurate and fair.' (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Why it matters: It's not the first time the party has tried to raise money by suggesting the Liberals are looking to change a vote. Just after the election, the Conservatives sent an email suggesting their rivals were trying to "tip the scales" in the recounts. Though common, the technique is employed in part to conjure strong emotions in people and make them more likely to donate. "Big picture, I think this strategy of political advertising is corrosive," said Chris Tenove, of the University of British Columbia.

RCMP's 911 dispatcher shortage is putting Mounties and public at risk: audit

An RCMP officer examines the scene of the crash involving a police car and pickup truck in Langford, B.C., in 2016. The union that represents the RCMP's emergency dispatchers and 911 operators says staff shortages are dire and dangerous. (Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press)

Is your favourite show CanCon enough?

A cropped scene from the television show Schitt's Creek, starring (from left to right) Canadian actors Catherine O' Hara, Eugene Levy and Dan Levy. (Schitt's Creek/CBC)

You may already know that Canadian broadcasters are obligated to ensure a minimum percentage of their content meets government requirements for Canadian content. Online streamers, which changed the entertainment game, haven't been held to the same standards as traditional broadcasters — and they say it's not realistic to expect them to do so.

Why it matters: Under 2023's Online Streaming Act, streamers also have to promote or recommend Canadian content, as well as put five per cent of their domestic revenue toward producing Canadian media content (so long as they earn at least $25 million here). But now, the CRTC, which regulates broadcasting in this country, is looking to update what's considered Canadian content. And it also wants to determine whether foreign streamers should be held to the same standards.

The tension: Canadian broadcasters want foreign streamers — particularly American ones — to be mandated to meet CanCon requirements to maintain licences and qualify for subsidies. The streamers don't see it that way; they say they're already an integral part of our film sector, and that the regulator should be flexible, instead of imposing content requirements. They're also set to battle the CRTC to court over the implementation of the Online Streaming Act — so watch this space. 

In case you missed it

• Several communities in northern Saskatchewan have been ordered to evacuate as devastating wildfires continue. 
   
• King of the Hill actor Jonathan Joss was fatally shot near his Texas home. Sigfredo Alvarez Ceja, 56, has been charged with murder. Joss's husband said the shooting was motivated by homophobia; San Antonio police said they didn't find evidence of this.
   
• Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been charged with a federal hate crime for his alleged role in a gasoline-bomb attack at a pro Israel rally that injured eight people in Boulder, Colo. He already faces several state charges, including attempted murder.
   
• It's been 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report of 94 calls to action, aimed at advancing reconciliation in Canada. While Canadian school boards have made progress incorporating Indigenous issues and history into curriculum, many advocates say there’s still more needed.

And, in today's good news...

Man visiting all Old Spaghetti Factory locations finally ends the Canadian leg of his tour in Saskatoon

Andrew Mancini poses in the shirt he received from the manager of the Old Spaghetti Factory in Saskatoon. (Submitted by Andrew Mancini)

Meet Andrew Mancini, whose lifelong goal is to visit all 62 locations of the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant chain. The ambitious, if odd, dream has taken him across the U.S. and even to Japan. He's almost done now, having visited 59 spots so far, and just wrapped up the Canadian leg of his tour, closing it out in Saskatoon. 

Every time, he gets the same meal: spaghetti with marinara sauce. It's surprisingly consistent across locations, says the soon-to-be alum of Stanford University.

The difference in Canada? "They serve basil leaves on top of the pasta's marinara sauce, which they don't in Japan or the U.S." 

He says his friends joke that he'll be purposeless once he completes his goal, as he is close to doing. But, he points out, the chain expands every year. 

"Even if I make it to 62 by year's end, hopefully next year or the year after, there'll be a new Canadian or American city to explore."