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Opinion: The Canadian government should make the grocery rebate permanent to combat the affordability crisis

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

By: Wayne Simpson, University of ManitobaOne of the most anticipated measures of the 2023 Canadian federal budget is the grocery rebate. The rebate is designed to provide relief to millions of Canadians who are struggling with rising grocery prices and food insecurity.It is a temporary cash transfer of up to $467 for eligible couples with two children, $234 for single Canadians without children and $225 for seniors.The rebate will cover 11 million low- and modest-income Canadians and families who currently receive the quarterly Goods and Services/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) Credit, which is based on recipients’ net income from their previous tax filing.As I argued in an earlier The Conversation Canada article, the GST/HST credit is the only program that provides targeted assistance to Canada’s low-income population. It provides a maximum annual benefit of $306 per adult and eligible dependant, plus $161 per child under 19 or for single individuals, and is paid quarterly.Deputy Pr...

Best time to play Tim Hortons’ Roll up to Win? The middle of the night dramatically increases your odds

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

By: Michael Wallace, University of Waterloo Listen Tim Hortons’ iconic Roll up the Rim contest began in 1985 and went largely unaltered for 25 years. The format was simple: buy a coffee, roll up the rim of the paper cup and see if you’ve won a prize. But this all changed in 2020.Amid the emergence of a global pandemic, the game went digital. Buying Tim Hortons products still earned you entries to the contest, but these were now stored on the company’s loyalty app. It was then up to you when to play these so-called “digital rolls.” Because players no longer roll up an actual coffee cup rim, the contest is now called Roll up to Win.Last week I made national news as “the stats prof who cracked Roll up to Win”. I boosted my odds in Tim Hortons’ annual coffee contest to 80 per cent and then shared my strategy with the nation.My approach sounds simple — play when other people aren’t — but it took data, determination and drinking a lot of coffee to find the optimal approach.Here’s the stor...

Easter weather extremes in Denver

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Spring in Colorado can bring just about any type of weather. This has been on full display on Easter Sundays for the last few years. Normally this time of year in Denver, low temperatures start around freezing, then climb to a high in the lower 60s. Within the last five years in Denver, Easter Sunday has ranged from 80 degrees and sunny in 2021 to 34 degrees with light snow showers in 2020. And these are far from the most extreme conditions that have been recorded on Easter Sunday. Official record-keeping for Easter in Denver dates back to 1872, with more accurate snowfall data starting in 1921. Denver weather: Highs hit 80 degrees next week Denver's warmest Easter on record was April 14, 1963. The high temperature that day climbed to 83 degrees, which is still the daily record for April 14. The coldest Easter temperature recorded in Denver was on April 4, 1920. The early morning low fell to only 6 degrees, which is still the daily record. High temperatures th...

Boulder's emergency dispatchers will be able to see what caller is seeing

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) -- The voice on the other side of the line in an emergency now has a face if you happen to be calling 911 in Boulder."We'll be able to livestream with callers, so we can actually see what you're seeing," Sara Humble said.Humble, an emergency operator in Boulder, said a new livestream service is being provided by police and fire."If you're having a medical emergency," Humble said, "I can see what's going on and we can give you better instructions on how to give emergency care until the responders get there or get yourself to a safe place." 911 callers can now stream video to Boulder dispatchers Here's how it works: You call 911, and an operator can offer to text you a link. Upon clicking the link, a 911 dispatcher has access to the cameras on your phone, both front and back.You have control of your phone, but an operator may take screenshots from your camera."So we can send those photos out to people who are out there looking a dangerous person or looking for ...

2 teenage twin brothers drown in Northwest Miami-Dade lake

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

Two teenage brothers have died after rescue divers pulled them from a lake in Northwest Miami-Dade, police said. Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the drowning at Arthur Woodard Park, located along the 1100 block of Northwest 99th Street, Friday afternoon. 7Skyforce hovered over the scene where rescue crews surrounded the area to rescue the juveniles. According to MDFR, three divers were in the water searching for the children. “According to investigators, a group of children were playing near the embankment of the lake of this park behind me, when a teenage child fell in the water,” MDPD detective Luis Sierra said.Investigators said the victim’s twin brother jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue him.“Another child that was with the group called 911, had the foresight to call 911 for help, where police and fire rescue responded and were giving the two children CPR when they took him out of the lake,” said Sierra....

Search underway for missing 18-month-old boy last seen with father in NW Miami-Dade

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

Police seek the public’s help in their search for an 18-month-old boy who was reported missing in Northwest Miami-Dade.According to Miami-Dade Police, Tru Augustin was last seen with his father, 32-year-old Wilson Augustin, along the 1300 block of Northwest 132nd Street, Wednesday.Tru stands 2 feet tall, weighs around 26 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes.Detectives did not provide a physical description for Wilson but released a picture of him.Police said the toddler may be in need of services.Officials urge anyone with information on the pair’s whereabouts to call MDPD’s Special Victims Unit/Missing Persons Squad at 305-715-3300, Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS (8477), or 911.

Why China wants Macron to drive a wedge between Europe and America

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

Chinese leader Xi Jinping had one overriding message for his visiting French counterpart Emmanuel Macron this week: Don’t let Europe get sucked into playing America’s game.Beijing is eager to avoid the EU falling further under U.S. influence, at a time when the White House is pursuing a more assertive policy to counter China’s geopolitical and military strength. Russia’s yearlong war against Ukraine has strengthened the alliance between Europe and the U.S., shaken up global trade, reinvigorated NATO and forced governments to look at what else could suddenly go wrong in world affairs. That’s not welcome in Beijing, which still views Washington as its strategic nemesis. This week, China’s counter-offensive stepped up a gear, turning on the charm. Xi welcomed Macron into the grandest of settings at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, along with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. This was in sharp contrast to China’s current e...

Watch out! Top 5 political luxury timepiece scandals

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

When a politician’s wristwatch becomes the center of public attention, chances are it is either hideous or hideously expensive. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner came in for scrutiny after being spotted hiding his Rolex during a talk show last week, sparking criticism that he was trying to disguise his true wealth. But Lindner certainly wasn’t the first politician or top official to face blowback over a luxury watch. And he probably won’t be the last. We took a look at five of the most memorable instances:Magic MacronFrench President Emmanuel Macron performed a conjurer’s trick last month during a TV interview about his controversial pension reform, making his watch disappear!Initially, Macron appeared on the show wearing a watch. Then after some time had passed, his hand disappeared under the table and, voilà, the watch was gone. Critics said Macron had covertly removed the wristwatch, as it was an expensive timepiece worth up to €80,000. But F...

Waltham police seek public’s help after break-in at smoke shop

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

Waltham police asked for the public’s help Friday in efforts to identify a man shown in videos connected to a break-in at a smoke shop on Moody Street. Police said the break in happened just after midnight on Friday morning at the Blue Moon Smoke Shop. A suspect, police said, entered the store after smashing a large glass window. The person then took over $300 worth of merchandise, according to police. Police shared video of the incident, showing a person initially kicking the window and breaking it. Police asked anyone with information to call them at 781-314-3600 or using their anonymous tip line.

Hauser scores career-high 26, Celtics beat Raptors 121-102

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:00:19 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — Sam Hauser scored a career-high 26 points and the Boston Celtics cruised past the Toronto Raptors 121-102 on Friday night.Jayson Tatum finished with 21 points and sat out the entire second half as the Celtics posted a 4-0 sweep in the season series. It is Boston’s first sweep over Toronto since 2009-10.The Celtics, who secured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs in Wednesday’s win over Toronto, played without All-Star Jaylen Brown after he accidentally cut a finger on his shooting hand on Thursday. He also will miss Sunday’s regular-season finale against Atlanta but expects to be ready to go in time for the start of the postseason.Pascal Siakim led Toronto with 19 points, and Precious Achiuwa added 16 points and seven rebounds.The Raptors entered Friday with a chance to improve their seeding for the play-in tournament. But the loss locks them into ninth. They will host 10th-seeded Chicago on Wednesday.Toronto missed nine of its first 11 shots as Boston bu...