Canada

Being attacked is horrifying enough, but imagine that your assailant was wearing an Angry Birds costume.

A man in Toronto suffered serious injuries a few months ago after he was kicked and punched by someone dressed up as one of the cartoon birds.

He was walking downtown around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 30, 2016 with friends when the Angry Bird approached them, according to Toronto police.

angry birds

A man dressed up like an Angry Bird assaulted another man in Toronto in October 2016. Actor Jason Sudeikis, pictured here, was not involved. (Photo: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

The 24-year-old victim commented on the man’s costume and was then assaulted.

The costumed man, who was described as being between 5’10" and six feet tall, knocked him to the ground, then kept kicking and punching him.

The victim, who was from the U.S., was knocked unconscious, Const. Jennifferjit Sidhu told CBC News. He suffered injuries including a concussion, deviated septum and a broken nose and jaw.

"He's not able to carry on daily functions ... it's quite severe," she said.

The area near Queen and Peter Streets was busy at the time of the attack. Police want to speak to anyone with video or information and encourage them to call Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477.

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It's 2017 and going meatless couldn't be easier.

You're not just stuffing your face with bland vegetables or trying to get full off bread (seriously, don't do this). With so many protein alternatives out there, cutting out things like chicken and seafood is a lot easier to manage.

"If you want to go meatless for animal welfare reasons, your motivation might be a little higher, but you want to do your research to ensure that you are getting the nutrition you need," says registered dietitian Desiree Nielsen, who is based in Vancouver. "Meatless diets can be insanely healthy… but being a junk food vegetarian will have you feeling sick."

Many studies have found health benefits to going meat-free. Research from Harvard University indicates vegetarianism can protect you against ailments like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

Nielsen adds if you don't think a month is feasible or you want something more structured for the year, try going meatless once a week.

Below, Nielsen gives us seven tips on how to go meatless for a month (and again, you can start any month) and actually stick to it.

And above, we round up a list of tasty meat-free substitutes that won't even make you miss meat.

Set yourself actual goals:
vegetarian meals

Setting goals for yourself and figuring out why you want to go meatless will actually change the way you do it. "If you want to go meatless for health or the planet, I recommend taking it meal by meal," she says.

And more importantly, take time to plan things out.

"If you want to take three to six months to transition to a meatless life, you are more likely to make it stick. Forcing yourself to eat food you don’t like just because it’s meatless will probably send you heading back to baconville."

Know your substitutes:
tofu dishes

Like we said before, don't just fill up on things like carbs. "I am a big fan of whole foods, so I love organic tofu and legumes. They can freak people out a bit, but once you figure out how to cook them, you realize how insanely versatile they are," Nielsen continues.

And these days, you can find just about anything from vegetarian sausages to ground "meat" to bacon to burgers. Just make sure you read the ingredient list to avoid overly-processed and flavour-enhanced products.

Getting used to it will be tough (in the beginning):
cooking class

"Just like any dietary change, getting used to a new way of eating can be tough. Our eating habits are often very deeply ingrained so making this kind of change can feel uncomfortable," she says. Instead of panicking, take this time to embrace change.

Join a cooking class, try out a new cookbook or have a vegetarian cooking night with friends.

Don't just remove meat from your plate:
empty plate

Nielsen says another challenge with going meat-free is figuring out how to eat a fulfilling meal.

"If all you do is remove the meat, it will feel like something is truly missing in your meals and they will be less satisfying. Always replace meat with a vegetarian protein source."

Don't feel undefeated if you have cravings:
chicken wings

If you have cravings or you just want to have a piece of meat, go for it.

"If you have cravings and you aren’t committed for ethical reasons, it might be better to indulge them in order to not give them power," she says. "Add a tiny bit of meat to an otherwise meatless meal. It won’t be the end of the world."

Sometimes cravings can be fulfilled with vegetarian proteins, too.

If you're obsessed with bacon for example — the taste, the texture, the smokiness — try an alternative like coconut bacon or fried tempeh.

Think about the benefits for the environment:

"Eating less meat is better for the planet, our bodies and our pockets. Everyone will have different motivations based on their values," she says.

One report from the Environmental Working Group found that if U.S. citizens went meat and cheese-free one day a week, it would have the same impact as taking 7.6 million cars off the road.

Don't forget about your missing nutrients:
chia seeds

Giving up meat means giving up the nutrients that come with it. If you're going vegetarian (still eating dairy), add more omega-3 rich seeds like chia, hemp and pumpkin to your diet.

"Vitamin B12 must be supplemented as it is only found in animal foods. If you consume beans and seeds regularly, you are probably fine for iron and zinc," she says.

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Fiat Chrysler put 20 years of research into designing the perfect car for millennials — a minivan.

The company unveiled its Chrysler Portal Concept last week, boasting it as a vehicle that is “designed by millennials, for millennials.”

fiat chrysler minivan

The minivan may bear a resemblance to the Dodge Caravans in which millennials were dropped off at soccer practice, but it's not all that bad.

The concept car seats six, is electric-powered and has a self-driving option, according to a press release. It also features Wi-Fi, facial recognition, and personal audio zones that allow passengers to listen to different music without headphones. (Watch the video above for more on its specs.)

Pretty cool, right?

While it may not seem like millennials would opt for a minivan, the car is designed to "grow with them as they experience life changes," Fiat Chrysler exec Tim Kuniskis said. He added that once millennials start having children, they'll want a family vehicle that doesn't compromise on "personal style."

fiat chrysler minivan

OK, so maybe owning a minivan isn't that bad. Unfortunately, this concept car won't be up for commercial sale — at least not in the foreseeable future.

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Last week, Susan Sarandon’s daughter, Eva Amurri Martino, shared on her website Happily Eva After that her 10-week-old son suffered a head fracture. He hit his head on the hardwood floor after falling from the arms of his night nurse who had accidentally fallen asleep. Can you imagine how awful both mom and nurse must feel? Oh, the guilt!

A photo posted by HAPPILY EVA AFTER (@thehappilyeva) on Dec 26, 2016 at 6:40pm PST

Of course we all feel badly when something goes wrong with our kids. We all need to feel empathy, compassion and regret to be fully alive humans. But we also need to feel forgiveness.

To forgive ourselves (and others) and to move on is a challenge for many moms. We hold on to the pain and beat ourselves up for the mistakes and missteps we make in our parenting.

The famous quote by writer Haruki Murakami pertains well here. He said, “Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” Think on that for a moment.

“To stay upset is a choice we make. We often choose to perpetuate our suffering.”

Yes, life will present situations that are painful to us. A dropped baby this week, to name but one. And yes, the response to that incident is to feel that psychological pain of guilt and remorse. However, to stay upset is a choice we make. We often choose to perpetuate our suffering. Why do we make this choice when it just makes us so damn miserable? Don’t we want to be relieved of our pain?

In a word, NO. Let’s look at why.

Here’s a comparison that might help explain the usefulness of our long suffering mommy guilt. Think of an old Italian funeral and their cultural mourning traditions. Did you know that Italian families used to pay professional mourners to cry and moan loudly at funerals? Why? Because the more upset the survivors are, the more one would conclude the deceased must have been so loved and important.

Widows would show their deep sadness by dressing only in black for a full year. After all, the longer it takes for you to resume regular activities, the deeper your sense of loss must have been and the stronger the respect for the person who died. Can you see how the mind connects these ideas of suffering and reverie?

So, if an accident happens with your child and you can’t get over it, and you continue to beat yourself up, then the conclusion must be that you are a very deeply caring, dedicated mommy. This suffering provides the proof of goodness. How high you hold the bar for yourself is reflected in just how badly you feel when you screw up.

It’s a bit messed up, isn’t it?

“We have to challenge our thinking habits that have defaulted to choosing guilt and suffering and instead, open our eyes to other possibilities.”

Now understand that this is all happening at a subconscious level. Perhaps now that I have spelled it out for you, you’ll see lingering guilt for what it really is: a form of self-aggrandizing. Ewww! No one wants to be THAT mom.

We need a cultural norm like the Italians. Some scale that says it’s societally appropriate to feel bad about accidentally hitting your kid’s head for exactly one week, then get on with life. A forgotten lunch box is a lesser misdemeanour, so how about letting yourself feel shitty for just five minutes. Wouldn’t it be great to do our time and move on without anyone comparing us or making mental notes of how hard or easily we breezed through?

All kidding aside, the reality is that we all have a choice to make. With fresh eyes, we have to challenge our thinking habits that have defaulted to choosing guilt and suffering and instead, open our eyes to other possibilities. We can make alternate choices. We can choose feelings that lead to less misery in our life – forgiveness. We can trust ourselves to learn from our past mistakes and accidents without paying the price with our happiness.

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Modelling may look glamorous, but the road towards the runway can be anything but that. Just ask Stacey McKenzie.

The Canadian top model says what most aspiring models often get wrong is their attitude towards the industry. Anyone who believes modelling is simply a game for fame may find themselves damaging their own self-esteem in the process.

"There's thousands and thousands of models that want so badly to be in this industry that they will do whatever it takes and compromise themselves in order to be the few that are chosen."

Instead, McKenzie suggests anyone wanting to break into the modelling world ought to treat it like any other legitimate business.

And as your profile grows, so will your confidence says McKenzie in the video above.

"2 Minutes To Transform" is your guide to small but meaningful changes for a better you. Experts share their tips to transform your life at home, in the office or while you're on the go -- all in under two minutes.

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OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to give his year-old cabinet a facelift on Tuesday, shifting some weak ministers and promoting strong performers as his government braces for Donald Trump's imminent ascension to the U.S. presidency.

Sources tell The Canadian Press that the shuffle will involve at least six people.

Those expected to be moved include International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is believed likely to replace Stephane Dion at Foreign Affairs.

stephane dion justin trudeau
JPrime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Foreign Affairs Minister Stephaen Dion at the NATO summit in Warsaw on July 8, 2016. (Photo: Adrian Wyld/CP)

Freeland, a former economics journalist with extensive contacts in the United States, is credited with deftly navigating through some eleventh-hour obstacles that threatened last fall to scupper the Canada-European Union free trade agreement — potentially valuable experience for dealing with the incoming Trump administration.

Trump, whose inauguration takes place Jan. 20, has vowed to adopt an unapologetically protectionist, America-first policy on trade, including re-opening or even tearing up the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Dion's tenure at Foreign Affairs has been a rocky one, marred by controversy over his approval of a $15-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. His prickly demeanour could also be ill-suited to dealing with the unpredictable Trump, who has demonstrated a tendency to easily take offence.

Rumours have swirled for months that Dion was to be named ambassador to France but he has denied any interest in the plum post.

chrystia freeland justin trudeau Prime Minister Justin Trudeau applauds International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland in Toronto on Jan. 13, 2016. (Photo: Chris Young/CP)

News of the shuffle leaked out Monday, just as the Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Trudeau's two top aides, Katie Telford and Gerald Butts, have been meeting with some of Trump's senior advisers, building bridges to the incoming administration.

Also believed to be in the shuffle mix are Status of Women Minister Patty Hajdu, seen as a strong performer, and Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef — widely criticized for her handling of Trudeau's promise to reform Canada's voting system.

Employment Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk is also expected to be moved.

Fresh face joining inner circle

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details publicly, expect at least one new face in cabinet: Francois-Philippe Champagne, parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

In his first cabinet of 30 ministers, Trudeau famously appointed an equal number of men and women "because it's 2015." That parity was upset last fall when Hunter Tootoo resigned from cabinet and the Liberal caucus to seek treatment for alcohol addiction following what he later admitted was an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer.

The addition of Champagne would restore the gender balance, assuming Dion remains in cabinet in some capacity.

This week's modest shuffle may well be a prelude to a larger reset expected midway through Trudeau's first mandate. Insiders expect a major realignment this summer, with a cabinet shuffle followed by a throne speech to kick off the second half of the mandate.

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“Beauty and the Beast” fans, prepare yourselves! Disney released a new trailer for the live-action movie on Sunday night, and it does not disappoint.

The 30-second clip, which aired during the 2017 Golden Globes, features Emma Watson singing “Belle” from the animated feature. It also reveals a quick glimpse of her first encounter with Chip (played by Nathan Mack) and what appears to be a scene from Lumiere’s “Be Our Guest” (played by Ewan McGregor).

Watch the trailer above to see for yourself.

This isn’t the first time Disney has released a clip of Watson singing as her character, Belle. Just last month, the company shared a snippet of the 26-year-old actress singing “Something More.”

On social media, fans are going wild over the latest trailer.

I definitely just screamed during that Beauty and the Beast trailer!! Anyone else super excited for it to come out!!? #GoldenGlobes
— Shaelie Clark (@Shaelie14News) January 9, 2017

@beourguest @CharEmma5 I've died inside slightly with excitement! @EmmaWatson voice
— Gabrielle milEy (@GabbyHolland19) January 9, 2017

THEY JUST DROPPED A NEW BEAUTY AND THE BEAST TRAILER WITH EMMA SINGING AS BELLE DURING THE GOLDEN GLOBES AND WOAH
— Nipah ♥ home (@NipahDUBS) January 9, 2017

Fans won't have to wait too long to see the enchanting story unfold. “Beauty and the Beast” is scheduled for release March 17, 2017.

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EASTON, Pa. — A woman charged with killing and dismembering her adoptive daughter as part of a rape-murder fantasy she and her boyfriend shared had previously worked as an adoption supervisor for a children's welfare agency, authorities said Monday.

Sara Packer worked as a supervisor for the Northampton County Children, Youth and Families Division for adoptions from 2003 to 2010, the county said.

Packer was arraigned Sunday on charges including criminal homicide, rape and abuse of a corpse. Her boyfriend, Jacob Sullivan, was arraigned on similar charges.

Packer and Sullivan didn't enter pleas and were denied bail, and no attorney information was available for them. But Sullivan apologized as he was led into court, the Intelligencer newspaper reported.

Sara Packer, the adoptive mother of 14-year-old Grace Packer, faces charges including criminal homicide, rape and abuse of a corpse in the teen's death. (Photo: Reuters/Screenshot)

"I'm sorry for what I did,'' he said. "It was wrong.''

Officials say 14-year-old Grace Packer was beaten, was raped as her mother watched, was poisoned and hours later was strangled in a stifling attic in July.

Investigators say the couple packed Grace's body with cat litter to mask decomposition smells and stored it in the attic. Officials allege the couple dismembered the body in October after being scared by a police visit.

Jacob Sullivan allegedly raped his girlfriend's teenage daughter before killing her. (Photo: Reuters/Screenshot)

The girl's torso was found by hunters in a Luzerne County park on Oct. 31, and K-9 teams found her legs and arms nearby, a criminal complaint said.

Bucks County prosecutors said the days and hours leading up to Grace's killing "were probably the most horrible and traumatic that any person should ever have had to experience.''

14-year-old Grace Packer, who died in July 2016. (Photo: Reuters/Screenshot)

Northampton County Controller Stephen Barron Jr. told Allentown's The Morning Call newspaper on Monday that Sara Packer's employment status with the county was listed as "suspended'' in 2010. But Barron said he had no details on why she had been suspended.

According to court records, Packer's ex-husband, David Packer, was charged by Allentown police in two child sex abuse cases, in November 2010 and in January 2011. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months to five years in prison. Records show the couple divorced last June.

A phone call seeking comment from David Packer's lawyer wasn't immediately returned Monday.

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There's nothing quite like getting a hug from a furry friend.

Most of us opt for cats and dogs, but one lucky man regularly gets loving bear hugs from a bear itself.

Jim Kowalczik rescued a 23-year-old bear, named Jimbo, when he was an injured cub. Years later, the two share an unbreakable bond. The 10-foot-tall Kodiak bear serves up cuddles, while Kowalczik reciprocate with back rubs, The New York Times reports.

The duo shows off their friendship on Facebook and YouTube, and their connection has gone viral several times.

bear hug

Jimbo is one of 11 bears that live at the Orphaned Wildlife Center in New York.

The animals are released into the wild once they recover, but some of the bears are too accustomed to captivity, Kowalczik told The Associated Press in October.

While keeping wild animals in captivity draws controversy, the rescue worker insists the bears are content.

"They’re happy. If they weren’t, you would know it."

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Sebastien Toutant isn't about to let a few rules stand in the way of his snowboard.

The Montreal pro snowboarder — more commonly known as Seb Toots — is the star of a new video (watch above) where he can be seen riding and shredding down Montreal's Mount Royal, before taking to the streets of downtown.

The video, shot by director Mathieu Cowan for Sunset Films, begins with Toots dropping down the mountain's trails before spilling out into the cemetery and then taking over the sidewalks toward Sherbrooke Street.

"We're one of the only cities in the world with a mountain in the middle... and we wanted to put Montreal on the snowboarding map," Toots told Radio-Canada about the video, which was shot last year.

A video posted by Sunset Films (@sunsetfilms) on Dec 22, 2016 at 4:28am PST

And despite not having permits to ride the hill, Toutant said he and his team had the utmost respect for the places where filming took place.

"It's not like touching the graves or anything, we did not break anything. If there were people who were present on the site, we respected that, but I think it was important to have pictures in the descent."

It's the second video of its kind starring Toutant. Four years ago, he shared a similar video that captured him doing a top to bottom run of Montreal's namesake mountain.

Seb Toots Montreal snowboarding run from Seb Toots on Vimeo.

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Last week, The New York Times declared Canada as the top place to visit in 2017.

Naturally, Canadians were blushing as red as the maple leaf with the recognition.

But hold on, other than mentioning our national parks, a handful of natural attractions, and Ottawa and Montreal, Canada was reduced to being described as "cosmopolitan cities, barely explored natural wonders and everything in between."

Hey man, there's a LOT to see and do here.

Especially off the beaten path, in smaller nooks and crannies of our wonderful country — places like Florenceville, N.B. or Vulcan, Alta.

Check out our list of the most awesome obscure places in Canada, and add your favourite in the comments below.

Read more:

Places In Canada You Won't Believe Actually Exist

12 Things That Are Obviously Better In Canada

25 Reasons Why Canada Rocks

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TORONTO — Two indigenous communities in northern Ontario are suing TransCanada in a bid to expand the pipeline consultation process to include maintenance operations.

TransCanada wants to conduct what it calls integrity digs on a nearly 30-kilometre stretch of natural gas pipeline that runs through traditional territories of the Aroland First Nation and Ginoogaming First Nation.

The First Nations allege in their multimillion-dollar suit that TransCanada should hold consultations even when conducting maintenance operations like integrity digs on pre-existing lines.

They say the company violated their Aboriginal Treaty Rights by failing to do so in this case.

transcanada pipeline
TransCanada CEO Russ Girling attends a news conference in Calgary on Aug. 1, 2013.

They also name the National Energy Board and the federal government in the suit and allege that the NEB Act regime that governs pipeline operations is unconstitutional because it could potentially infringe on treaty rights.

The First Nations are also seeking an injunction on the integrity digs, which are scheduled to start on Jan. 25, the same day the injunction motion is to be heard in a Toronto court.

Lawyer Kate Kempton, who is representing the First Nations communities, said the lawsuit and injunction are matters of principle.

Government hasn't carried out its responsibilities: lawyer

"Neither the NEB nor Canada has required (TransCanada) to carry out their responsibilities, and neither has the NEB nor Canada carried out theirs, in respect of consulting and accommodating Aroland and Ginoogaming about the physical impacts ... of the integrity digs,'' Kempton said in a telephone interview. "That's part of making sure that aboriginal rights are not unjustly infringed, and that hasn't been done.''

The National Energy Board did not immediately comment on the suit, but TransCanada spokesman Shawn Howard said the company feels it should have the right to proceed with integrity digs as scheduled.

"TransCanada has been safely transporting natural gas through these pipelines to heat Canadians' homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and communities since they were approved decades ago,'' Howard said in a statement. "Carrying out regular maintenance on our pipeline infrastructure is in everyone's interest and part of being a responsible operator.''

Howard also refuted the First Nations' claim that the digs are meant to prepare the pipeline for TransCanada's controversial Energy East pipeline, which, if approved, could start carrying oil from Alberta to New Brunswick.

According to the statement of claim, TransCanada first announced its intention to perform the digs in late 2015, but met with resistance from the communities.

Both Aroland and Ginoogaming had questions as to whether the digs were meant to prepare the pipelines running through their territories for integration into the Energy East project.

Howard said the two lines in question are earmarked for natural gas only and are not part of the current Energy East proposal.

The suit alleges that TransCanada never answered the questions put to them and gave official notice just last month that the digs were to get underway in 2017.

"The plaintiffs continue to bear the burden of risks of spills, leaks and explosions."

The lawsuit focuses on historical issues as well as the present-day concerns around the integrity digs.

It claims the NEB and Canada failed by not consulting with the indigenous communities at the time the pipelines were built and is seeking damages accordingly.

A depot used to store pipes for TransCanada's planned Keystone XL oil pipeline is seen in Gascoyne, N.D. on Nov. 14, 2014.

"The plaintiffs continue to bear the burden of risks of spills, leaks and explosions from the (pipeline), and other impacts from the (pipeline), within their traditional territories,'' the statement reads. "Numerous impacts on their known and asserted Aboriginal and treaty rights have occurred from the (pipeline) over the years. The digs would add to the cumulative effects of those other impacts.''

The suit seeks $40 million in damages plus an additional $20 million if an injunction to stop the integrity digs is not granted.

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ARNOLD, Calif. — Joyce Brown was 12 when her parents first took her to visit the "drive-thru tree,'' a giant sequoia in California famous for a car-sized hole carved into the base of its trunk.

Brown thought she had entered a land of giants as she walked underneath and around the ancient 100-foot-tall tree, which was toppled by a massive storm on Sunday.

"It's kind of like someone in the family has died,'' said Brown, a 65-year-old retired middle school teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area who spends about a third of the year at her family's cabin in Arnold, about 4 miles from where the now-fallen tree lies dead in Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

Four generations of Brown's family have spent countless hours at the tree and often took out-of-town visitors there, some from as far away as Turkey.

drive thru tree

In this May 2015 photo provided by Michael Brown, John and Lesley Ripper pose in the Pioneer Cabin tunnel tree, a giant, centuries-old sequoia that had a tunnel carved into it in the 1880s, during a visit to Calaveras Big Trees State Park near Arnold, Calif. (Photo: AP via CP)

In May 2015, she and her husband showed off the tree to John and Lesley Ripper, a Michigan couple the Browns befriended on an African safari.

"I was blown away,'' said John Ripper, a 55-year-old printer in Northville, Michigan. "I've travelled to 70 countries. But that particular tree and being able to walk underneath it and touch it was quite a memorable moment and something I won't soon forget.''

Ripper said he can't believe that a storm felled such a massive, sturdy-looking tree.

"In the blink of an eye, it's gone,'' he said. "There's this giant tree everyone remembers, and it's going to be laying there in plain sight. The dead giant.''

"It was majestic. Now it's basically a pile of rubble.''

Sumner Crawford of Charleston, South Carolina, remembers every detail of his first visit to the tree as a kid in the early 1990s.

"I remember I was walking through the tree and thinking, 'I'm inside of the tree right now!''' he said. "It was madness.''

Crawford, 36, was stunned by the sequoia's size: When his family of four tried to join hands around the tree they discovered they couldn't even come close.

"It was so different and so odd,'' Crawford said, adding that he recently visited the tree again and relived those memories.

"I feel like it's part of my personal history. So it's a bummer to see it go,'' he said.

drive thru tree dead

Snow partially covers the fallen Pioneer Cabin Tree at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, in Arnold, Calif. (Photo: AP via CP)

The tunnel that made the tree famous and ultimately weakened it was carved into its trunk in the 1880s to allow tourists to pass through, first with horses and buggies and later with cars. The tunnel was limited to pedestrians in recent decades.

The largest tree species in the world, sequoias can reach diameters up to 27 feet and have shallow root systems that make them vulnerable to toppling.

The drive-thru tree had a diameter of 22 feet and was about 2,000 years old, said Tony Tealdi, a supervising ranger at California State Parks.

When the already mostly dead tree hit the ground on Sunday, it shattered and is now completely unrecognizable, said Jim Allday, a volunteer at Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

"It was majestic,'' he said. "Now it's basically a pile of rubble.''

___

Associated Press writer Alina Hartounian contributed to this report from Phoenix.

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OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to shake things up with his cabinet this afternoon — the first major shuffle since the Liberals came to power just over a year ago.

Sources tell The Canadian Press that up to a third of the cabinet could be moving down, moving up or moving right on out.

One of the biggest moves would involve International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is believed to be a likely choice to replace Stephane Dion at Foreign Affairs.

Stephane Dion and Chrystia Freeland speak to reports in Manila, Philippines on Nov. 17, 2015. (Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/CP)

Freeland, a former economics journalist with extensive contacts in the United States, is credited with deftly navigating through some eleventh-hour obstacles that threatened last fall to scupper the Canada-European Union free trade agreement — potentially valuable experience for dealing with the incoming administration of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.

News of the shuffle leaked out Monday, just as the Prime Minister's Office confirmed that Trudeau's two top aides, Katie Telford and Gerald Butts, have been meeting with some of Trump's senior advisers, building bridges to the incoming administration.

Trump, whose inauguration takes place Jan. 20, has vowed to adopt an unapologetically protectionist, America-first policy on trade, including re-opening or even tearing up the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Dion's tenure at Foreign Affairs has been a rocky one, marred by controversy over his approval of a $15-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. His prickly demeanour could also be ill-suited to dealing with the unpredictable Trump, who has demonstrated a tendency to easily take offence.

Monsef set for change

There have been rumours that Dion might become ambassador to France but sources suggest he may be named ambassador to the United Nations.

Immigration Minister John McCallum, a long-time Liberal MP who also served as defence minister to former prime minister Jean Chretien, is also expected to quit politics.

Sources suggest McCallum, who led efforts to implement the Liberal promise to resettle thousands of Syrian refugees, will be named ambassador to China.

The shuffle is also expected to reward some strong performers, while move those who have been struggling into other roles.

Status of Women Minister Patty Hajdu is expected to take over labour from MaryAnn Mihychuk, who could be dropped from cabinet altogether.

Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef, who has been widely criticized for handling Trudeau's promise to reform the way Canadians cast their ballots in federal elections, is expected to take over Status of Women.

Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef speaks with reporters in Ottawa on Dec. 1, 2016. (Photo: Fred Chartrand/CP)

Sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details publicly, expect several new faces in cabinet.

Among the potential newcomers are Francois-Philippe Champagne, who is parliamentary secretary to Finance Minister Bill Morneau, as well as Toronto MPs Adam Vaughan and Marco Mendocino and Burlington, Ont. MP Karina Gould.

It also assumed that Trudeau will want to restore the gender balance with this shuffle.

Trudeau famously appointed an equal number of men and women — excluding himself — to his first cabinet sworn in a few weeks after the election, answering a question about the reason behind it with: "because it's 2015."

Shuffle comes ahead of retreat

That parity was upset last spring when Hunter Tootoo resigned from cabinet and the Liberal caucus in order to seek treatment for alcohol addiction following what he later admitted was an inappropriate relationship with a female staffer.

This shuffle, which comes ahead of a cabinet retreat to be held in Calgary Jan. 23 to 24, may serve as a preview to another cabinet realignment expected this summer, followed by a speech from the throne to reset the government agenda.

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Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' death certificates, obtained by TMZ, have revealed the mother and daughter's official causes of death.

According to the entertainment site, Reynolds died from intracerebral hemorrhage, also known as a stroke. The certificate states that the "Singin' in the Rain" actress, who was 84 when she died on Dec. 28, died from a blood vessel that ruptured and caused bleeding in her brain. Hypertension is listed as an underlying cause of the stroke.

carrie fisher debbie reynolds

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher attend the 2011 Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 10, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

Fisher’s cause of death was listed as “cardiac arrest/deferred,” according to her death certificate.

According to TMZ, this means that the L.A. County Coroner's Office needs to do more tests to see what triggered the "Star Wars" actress' heart attack, which she suffered on a flight from London to L.A on Dec. 23.

"We're told toxicology tests will be performed to determine if there were any drugs in her system that could have contributed to Carrie's death," stated the site.

Fisher died on Dec. 27 at age 60. According to TMZ, she never regained consciousness after suffering the fatal attack.

Carrie Fisher's makeshift Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame during 'A Fan Tribute To Our Beloved Princess Leia' held in the Courtyard at TCL Chinese Theatre on December 31, 2016 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

Both mother and daughter were celebrated during a private memorial and funeral last week. On Jan. 7, some of Fisher's ashes were buried — in a Prozac pill-shaped urn — with her mother at Los Angeles’ Forest Lawn Memorial Park.

The actresses were recently honoured at the Golden Globes on Sunday with a video tribute, which showed select film moments from their respective careers.

carrie fisher star wars

Fisher's good friend Meryl Streep paid tribute to the Wishful Drinking author while accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award. "As my friend, the dear departed Princess Leia said to me, 'Take your broken heart and turn it into art.'"

On Saturday, HBO premiered the documentary about the twosome, "Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds," which looked at the close but sometimes turbulent relationship between the two.

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An organic alternative to road salt is helping Canadian municipalities keep their streets ice-free — and smelling kind of sweet.

Cowansville, Que. is just the latest municipality to turn to beet juice, reports CBC News.

The town says mixing the sticky juice with regular road salt reduces the salt's environmental impact and saves money.

"A portion of the beet is given to the animals. The rest is used to deglaze roads," Sylvain Perreault, Cowansville's infrastructure superintendent, told CBC.

Toronto's city crews fill tanks on salt trucks with an organic solution that contains beet juice on Jan. 6, 2015. (Photo: Randy Risling/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Other municipalities like Williams Lake in northern B.C. have been using Beet 55, a mixture of saline, sugar and beets.

Beet 55 is sprayed on roads before snow arrives. It lowers the temperature required for rock salt to melt ice, and can last for two to five days — meaning it can last through multiple snowstorms.

The city's municipal director told The Globe and Mail in 2014 that he's pleased with how the product has worked so far — and its odd, but pleasant, side effect.

“It does have a smell to it. It’s kind of like caramel. It smells like a Tootsie Roll,” said Kevin Goldfuss.

Washington, D.C., uses a mix of salt brine and beet juice to melt ice and snow. (Photo: Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Canadian municipalities including Halifax, Toronto, and Saint John, N.B. have also used the organic material in lieu of traditional road salt.

A similar product, Beet Heet, is seeing massive success in the U.S.

So far this year, the company has sold nearly 5.7 million litres, reported Time Magazine.

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MONTREAL — Gildan Activewear Inc. says it will pay US$88 million to buy the American Apparel brand as part of bankruptcy court proceedings for the California-based clothing company.

The deal announced Tuesday, which is US$22 million higher than Gildan's original offer in November, would see the Montreal-based company acquire American Apparel's intellectual property rights and certain manufacturing equipment. It doesn't include American Apparel's stores.

"We are excited to be moving forward with this acquisition,'' Gildan president and CEO Glenn Chamandy said in a news release.

An American Apparel store at the Lincoln Road Mall in Miami Beach, Florida March 17, 2016. Montreal-based Gildan Activewear has agreed to buy the brand for US$88 million. (Photo: Reuters/Carlo Allegri)

The acquisition is subject to court approval scheduled for Thursday.

Gildan said it plans to integrate the American Apparel brand into its printwear business. Further details are to be discussed in February when Gildan issues its next financial report.

The company makes and distributes T-shirts, underwear, socks and other clothing under various labels including Gildan.

American Apparel founder Dov Charney was fired in 2014 for allegedly violating secual harassment policy. (Photo: Getty Images)

American Apparel also has a Montreal connection. Founder Dov Charney started the business there and helped it become a publicly traded retailer and manufacturer known for its sexually provocative advertising.

American Apparel fired Charney in 2014 for allegedly violating its sexual harassment policy. Charney has denied the sexual harassment charges and claimed the company was taken from him in a ``coup.''

Charney's campaign to retake control of the company was rejected in January 2016 by a U.S. bankruptcy court judge.

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Actor Ryan Gosling made all of us swoon over the weekend when he dedicated his Golden Globe win to his "lady."

The lady, of course, is his partner of four years actress Eva Mendes and on Monday, the 42-year-old mom of two responded in the most subtle way.

Posting a photo of "Moonlight" actress Janelle Monae on Instagram, the "Hitch" star included a sly reference to Gosling's acceptance speech for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role in "La La Land."

"Obviously this wasn't my favorite moment of the night....But it was definitely my favorite style moment of the night. The stunning and talented @janellemonae is killing me with this look. So so so beautiful ❤ #goldenglobes," she wrote.

Obviously this wasn't my favorite moment of the night....But it was definitely my favorite style moment of the night. The stunning and talented @janellemonae is killing me with this look. So so so beautiful ❤ #goldenglobes

A photo posted by Eva Mendes (@evamendes) on Jan 9, 2017 at 12:32pm PST

During his speech, the 36-year-old Canadian actor thanked his costar Emma Stone and director Damien Chazelle, before getting super gushy about Mendes.

"My lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second, and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer. If she hadn't have taken all that on so I could have this experience, there would surely be somebody up here other than me... sweetheart, thank you," he said.

"The Notebook" actor also paid tribute to his wife's brother, Juan Carlos, who died of cancer in April 2016.

eva mendes ryan gosling

Actors Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling attend 'The Place Beyond The Pines' premiere during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival at Princess of Wales Theatre on September 7, 2012.

According to Vanity Fair, after the birth of his second daughter Amada Lee Gosling in April 2016, Gosling told reporters at the Toronto International Film Festival he was a "lucky man."

“They really make me better... We couldn’t be happier, [my daughters] are so sweet.”

Gosling and Mendes began dating in Sept. 2011 and starred in the film "The Place Beyond the Pines" together.

Ryan Gosling arrives at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards.

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OTTAWA — The federal budget watchdog says the Trudeau government may fall short of spending all the money it planned to devote to infrastructure in the first year of its mandate.

A new analysis by the parliamentary budget office says Ottawa's planned infrastructure investments did not materialize in the first half of the year and there's a growing risk the spending will have to be pushed into 2017-18.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Toronto Star's editorial board during a meeting on Dec. 5, 2016. (Photo: Rick Madonik/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

But the budget office says this type of delay is nothing new — and it would be consistent with the slower-than-expected government plans to spend on infrastructure in the past.

The report says last year's federal budget contained plans for Ottawa to transfer $3.5 billion in new money in 2016-17 to other levels of government for infrastructure.

Read more: Liberals' Stimulus Spending So Small It's A Drag On The Economy, BMO Says

The Liberals won the 2015 election on a platform that pledged to spend tens of billions over the next decade on infrastructure as a way to lift the country's slow-growth economy.

The budget office says the federal transfers made by the Transport and Infrastructure departments over the first half of 2016-17 dropped by $100 million compared with the year before.

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Switzerland has won the right to insist Muslim girls participate in co-ed swim lessons.

The ruling at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) was unanimous, with seven judges agreeing that the classes were vital for children’s “successful integration” into society, BBC reports.

The case dates back to 2008 when a Turkish-born couple refused to let their daughters participate in the compulsory mixed-gender swim lessons, which are part of the Swiss school curriculum.

The parents, who are from Basel, argued that “their [Muslim] beliefs prohibited them from allowing their children to take part.”

According to the Basel school system, all school-aged students are required to participate in the swim lessons, but exemptions can be made when students reach puberty. Unfortunately, the couple’s daughters did not qualify for exemption at the time, since they were only seven and nine years old.

“The children’s interest in attending swimming lessons was not just to learn to swim, but above all to take part in that activity with all the other pupils.”

At the court ruling on Tuesday, the ECHR noted that Swiss authorities tried to accommodate the girls by allowing them to wear a burkini – a type of swimsuit designed to cover the entire body. However, this suggestion was rejected by the girls’ mother who insisted that “the burkini didn't erase the contours” of their bodies and that the swimsuit would “stigmatize” them.

As a result, the couple was fined 1,400 Swiss francs (about $1,820 CDN) in 2010 for violating school rules repeatedly. Two years later, the parents took their case to the ECHR.

On Tuesday, the court ruled that Swiss authorities did not violate the parents’ freedom of religion.

In a statement, the ECHR said that the school played “a special role in the process of social integration, particularly where children of foreign origin were concerned.”

Thus, “the children’s interest in attending swimming lessons was not just to learn to swim, but above all to take part in that activity with all the other pupils, with no exception on account of the children’s origin or their parents’ religious or philosophical convictions.”

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