OttawaNewsAir Canada to offer non-stop flights from Ottawa to 2 Caribbean destinations this winter By Josh PringlePublished: May 05, 2025 at 8:12AM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved EdmontonNewsAlberta premier promises separation referendum in 2026 if petition signatures warrant By The Canadian PressUpdated: May 05, 2025 at 7:00PM EDT Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announces proposed changes to several pieces of democratic process legislation in Edmonton on April 29.JASON FRANSON/The Canadian Press She will discuss the “province’s path forward with the federal government” and “announce the bold steps our government is taking to chart a new course for a strong and free Alberta,” the Premier said on social media Saturday Smith’s live address will be broadcast online at 3:00 P.M She will not take questions from reporters until noon on Tuesday the government said in a statement Saturday clearing the way for a vote on independence The Premier held a “special caucus meeting” on Friday to discuss the results of the election The Conservative Party of Canada won all but three of Alberta’s 37 ridings and 13 of 14 seats in Saskatchewan Western discontent is a growing problem after Liberal election victory Despite the talk of separation in the West polling conducted in Alberta by Nanos for The Globe and Mail after the election shows that the desire by some to leave Canada remains a minority opinion Far more of those polled – 64 per cent – said Alberta would be better off as a part of Canada more than double the number who said they believe the province would be stronger alone or as part of the U.S which surveyed 432 Albertans using a hybrid telephone and online random survey is considered accurate to 4.8 percentage points Carney on Friday exchanged messages on social media indicating a thaw in the relationship between Alberta and Ottawa “We’re both focused on bringing down the cost of living and increasing opportunities in the energy sector for hard working Albertans,” Mr “I look forward to working together — to break down interprovincial trade barriers and to build one strong Canadian economy." Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says her government won’t push for vote on separation Smith declared the meeting “positive” and said they discussed “specific proposals for projects and legislative reforms that will significantly increase market access for Alberta oil and gas She added: “The Prime Minister made it clear he intended to rapidly advance these kinds of nation building projects in the coming weeks and months.” in separate interviews told The Globe and Mail they expect Mr Carney to respond to Alberta’s concerns by reducing the regulatory burden facing major infrastructure efforts “Albertans are very concerned about energy projects and Mark Carney is committed to reducing red tape and reducing project review time,” Ms “We need to get things done for Alberta and for the West.” Carney to streamline approvals for projects although he concedes executives asking for a six-month process might be disappointed noting the courts will still demand due process and meaningful consultation with relevant groups like First Nations One in four people in Alberta identify as Albertans first, Canadians second, Nanos poll finds Conflicts over policy might remain tense around issues such as the federal emissions cap But he thinks there’s renewed opportunity to propose adjustments that ease industry concern while still achieving the intended result could help solve concerns over competitiveness to get to a cleaner future with less carbon,” he said But talk to us about how we might be able to still get to that goal in a different way Smith blames the Liberals - specifically former prime minister Justin Trudeau and Steven Guilbeault who served as Minister of Environment and Climate Change until Mr Carney executed a cabinet shuffle after winning the Liberal leadership race in March - for damaging Alberta’s prosperity over the last decade She has railed against Ottawa’s clean electricity regulations and frames the federal oil and gas greenhouse gas emissions cap as a cap on oil and gas production The western premier broke from her counterparts across the country and in Ottawa when U.S. President Donald Trump was musing about imposing tariffs on Canadian goods arguing they would make affordability more difficult for everyone and said she would not tolerate the federal government using Alberta’s oil exports as a pawn in the trade war Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Thanks for the call, Premier. We’re both focused on bringing down the cost of living and increasing opportunities in the energy sector for hard working Albertans. I look forward to working together — to break down interprovincial trade barriers and to build one strong Canadian… https://t.co/852ZulaRiT Carrie Tait is a reporter in The Globe and Mail’s Calgary Bureau Her coverage ranges from race relations in her home province of Saskatchewan to the lighthearted topic of skiing cats in Alberta Carrie has reported on the wildfires and floods in Alberta and British Columbia; how Cargill’s meat-processing plant in High River became the site of Canada’s largest single outbreak of COVID-19; and naming trends among Calgary Stampede participants she covered energy for the Globe’s Report on Business and has also reported for the National Post She joined the National Post’s Calgary bureau in 2008 Temur Durrani is a national reporter for The Globe and Mail a Globe business podcast about how our failures shape us he was a technology reporter for The Globe’s Report on Business he broke news and wrote extensively about Canadian firms like Shopify turbulence in global cryptocurrency markets A globe-trotting newshound hailing from British Columbia and even the Raptors’ historic run to the NBA final Before joining The Globe in February of 2022 where he reported investigative stories and business features for broadcast and digital audiences he was a staffer at the Winnipeg Free Press A juror since 2021 for the annual Dalton Camp Award which grants young writers with a $10,000 prize for the best essay on the link between media and democracy TV and radio panels to provide news analysis He speaks in six languages fluently or conversationally (guess which ones!) takes his caffeinated beverages very seriously Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. 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Or sign-in if you have an account The Ottawa Charge should have some added motivation when entering the PWHL playoffs for the first time this week Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Article contentIn the determination of first-round opponents on Sunday evening the standings show the Charge was dealt at least a small amount of disrespect 1 seed Montreal Victoire in a best-of-five series that begins Thursday at Place Bell in Laval The Victoire earned the right to select its opening-round opponent by winning the regular season crown and opted against facing the fourth-place-finishing Minnesota Frost Get the latest sport headlines and breaking news By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Sports will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. While both Ottawa and Minnesota wound up with 44 points, the Charge had 12 regulation-time victories, the same as Montreal and the second-place Toronto Sceptres. The Frost won just 10 games in regulation. The Toronto-Minnesota series starts Wednesday. Montreal won four of six meetings with Ottawa this season, including a 4-3 shootout victory on opening night in November at Place Bell. But the Charge won the last two clashes — by scores of 3-1 on Feb. 22 and 3-2 on April 30 — both of which were at TD Place. The Victoire won four of six games against the Frost. Montreal did have some sound logic on its side when choosing its first-round opponent. Last season, Toronto finished atop the regular-season standings and picked Minnesota, which snuck into the playoffs as the fourth-place finisher. Not only did Minnesota eliminate Toronto, but it also went on to capture the Walter Cup. By choosing Ottawa, Montreal is also electing a two-hour drive over a two-hour flight for its road playoff games. transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account OttawaNewsHere’s what you need to know about the Ottawa Charge-Montreal Victoire playoff series By Josh PringlePublished: May 05, 2025 at 7:14AM EDT 0);width:1px;height:1px;margin:-1px;padding:0px;overflow:hidden;white-space:nowrap;position:absolute;}Loading....css-1kym0z8{padding-top:var(--chakra-space-4);border-top-style:solid;border-top-width:1px;border-top-color:var(--components-article-header-hero-divider-border-color 0.15));}@media screen and (min-width: 80em){.css-1kym0z8{padding-top:var(--chakra-space-6);}}.css-1kym0z8 time{color:var(--semantics-text-paragraph-primary-color #494a4e);font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-xs);font-weight:700;}@media screen and (min-width: 80em){.css-1kym0z8 time{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-lg);}}May 4 [href^="www"]):not(.jrte-img)::after,.css-7mka76 a[data-hover]:is([target="_blank"] [href^="www"]):not(.jrte-img)::after,.css-7mka76 a[data-active]:is([target="_blank"] 0);border:0;}.css-7mka76 tr{margin:0 0 1rem 0;border-bottom:1px solid rgb(0 2025) – The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) has announced that the 2025 PWHL Playoffs will feature best-of-five semifinals between the Montréal Victoire and the Ottawa Charge and the Toronto Sceptres against the Minnesota Frost Montréal finished as the league’s first-place team in the regular-season standings, earning the opportunity to select their opponent between third-place Ottawa and fourth-place Minnesota. The Victoire announced their selection, the Charge, Sunday evening during a special livestream edition of the Jocks in Jills podcast which made both semifinal matchups official Toronto earned home ice advantage by finishing second in the standings The winners of each series will advance to the PWHL Finals to compete in a best-of-five series for the Walter Cup.  2025Game 1: Ottawa at Montréal (Place Bell) at 7 p.m 2025Game 2: Ottawa at Montréal (Place Bell) at 2 p.m 2025Game 3: Montréal at Ottawa (TD Place) at 7 p.m 2025Game 4: Montréal at Ottawa (TD Place) at 7 p.m 2025Game 5: Ottawa at Montréal (Place Bell) at 7 p.m 2025Game 1: Minnesota at Toronto (Coca-Cola Coliseum) at 7 p.m 2025Game 2: Minnesota at Toronto (Coca-Cola Coliseum) at 7 p.m 2025Game 3: Toronto at Minnesota (Xcel Energy Center) at 6 p.m 2025Game 4: Toronto at Minnesota (Xcel Energy Center) at 7 p.m 2025Game 5: Minnesota at Toronto (Coca-Cola Coliseum) at TBD* Canadian coverage of the semifinal round of the PWHL Playoffs will be split exclusively between TSN/RDS and Prime Video The series between Montréal and Ottawa will be on TSN and RDS with Kenzie Lalonde calling play-by-play analyst Cheryl Pounder and reporter Kelly Greig providing live coverage in English Andrée-Anne Barbeau (Studio Host) and Karell Émard (Studio Analyst) will be the team providing live coverage in French The series between Toronto and Minnesota on Prime Video will feature Daniella Ponticelli with the play-by-play call analyst Becky Kellar and reporter Rob Pizzo TSN and RDS are the exclusive home of the PWHL Finals Live coverage of the PWHL Playoffs and PWHL Finals will be available to fans in the United States through the league’s local and regional broadcast partners including FanDuel Sports Network North for Minnesota games Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk said Saturday that he had been playing through a hip injury he sustained while representing the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February The Sens captain said the injury happened against Sweden in the Americans' round-robin finale on Feb Brady Tkachuk said he was still dealing with the hip injury he sustained at the 4Nations vs Sweden during the playoffs: "The hip happened that Sweden game took some time coming back to try to get it as good as possible…now it’s just take the time to get that all healed up...it could heal up in the next couple of weeks," he said The injury appeared to happen in the first period of that game when he lost an edge and hard into Sweden goalie Samuel Ersson's left leg and skate He briefly returned to the game but did not come back out for the second period and was later officially ruled out for the night He returned for the final against Canada three days later but missed Ottawa's first two games following the tournament.  Tkachuk also discussed a different injury he incurred later in the season that kept him out from late March until just before the playoffs The 25-year-old missed eight games with an upper-body injury before returning on April 17 “I don't want to diagnose and put it out there lets just say it’s something you can’t really play through," he said Saturday Tkachuk also discussed his team's first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday and told reporters how much he enjoyed playing postseason hockey it’s almost addicting to be able to play in front of that atmosphere It was truly the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in.” The Sens fell down 0-3 in the series but won Game 4 in overtime and then forced a Game 6 after winning Game 5 back in Toronto. But Ottawa's run came to an end Thursday night when the Leafs won 4-2 to advance to the second round, where they will play the Florida Panthers “It’s devastating,” said Tkachuk after the Sens' elimination. “I really believed. It’s a tough pill to swallow right now.” "And, I mean, I don’t know, it’s tough to swallow but at the end of the day to see this city, see this fan base and I really wanted to do it for them. And, I mean, they came out and did their job. It’s gonna be a long couple months here but myself and the rest of the group here we’re gonna come with a lot of fire next year.” There has been no place like home for Claude Giroux As the Ottawa Senators packed their bags for the off-season the veteran winger isn’t sure what the future holds as an unrestricted free agent but there is no reason to believe he won’t be back next season The 37-year-old Giroux has no plans to hang up his skates then it will likely be somewhere else because everybody knows he can still contribute the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager agreed to shelve contract talks until the end of the season but it’s still early,” Giroux said on Saturday at the Canadian Tire Centre But he doesn’t sound like someone who wants to land elsewhere “This year was the most fun I’ve had in a few years Giroux signed with the Senators to help this club take the next step and it has taken a little longer than he would like but they finally achieved the goal of making the playoffs this spring He is the best free agent signing this franchise has ever made not only because he’s scored 71 goals and 193 points in 245 games over three seasons but it’s about his leadership and intangibles but I feel like I’ve got a lot left in the tank,” said Giroux We have a little taste of how playoffs feel and how fun it is Giroux had 15 goals and 35 assists for 50 points in 81 games this season The only game he missed was a result of being rested for the playoffs Giroux is in a similar situation to the one veteran Leafs’ centre John Tavares is facing in Toronto Giroux doesn’t want to play anywhere else because he makes his home in Ottawa year-round now and the couple’s three children are comfortable here A league executive said on Saturday that a one-year deal in the $3-million range should get it done “Everybody knows how much he means to me,” captain Brady Tkachuk said “I know we’ve only played three years together but I feel like I’ve played with him my whole career “I really hope — and expect — that it’s all going to work out because he’s such a big part of our team I know everybody expects everything to work out for him to be back so we can chase this dream together.” That doesn’t mean Staios won’t make changes and there are eight free agents on the roster that the organization will have to make determinations on Adam Gaudette and Matthew Highmore will be presented with the option to return The expectation is that backup goaltender Anton Forsberg and Travis Hamonic won’t be back The belief is that the Senators will bring in Leevi Merilainen as the backup next season to replace Forsberg who has played 900 games in his NHL career said he didn’t discuss his future with Staios on Saturday it’s a long grind for the guys,” said Hamonic who was headed to his seven-year-old daughter’s birthday party on Saturday afternoon I’ve always done that because it’s a lesson for me to try to stay in the moment There is a lot to unpack when you’ve just been through a season bgarrioch@postmedia.com It will be business as usual when the Ottawa Senators gather for their annual scouting meetings in two weeks The Senators had no vested interest in the National Hockey League draft lottery held on Monday night at the league’s network studios in New Jersey 21 overall pick in the annual crapshoot to make a selection The draft will be held virtually on June 27-28 The NHL penalized the Senators a first-round draft choice in either 2024 2025 or 2026 because of a botched deal with the Vegas Golden Knights for winger Evgenii Dadonov Former general manager Pierre Dorion didn’t supply the Knights with Dadonov’s no-trade list The Senators opted not to forfeit the pick last year and Steve Staios is studying his options for this spring because commissioner Gary Bettman has told the club it has to pay up at some point I don’t know if I want to reveal it to you guys right now,” Staios said with a smile “But it’s highly likely that we’ll keep our pick.” “They’ve proven along the way that they can find talent What’s happening here is Staios and the Senators owner are trying to slow-play this decision in hopes that Bettman will change his mind to either forgive the penalty completely or lighten it a bit The New Jersey Devils were supposed to forfeit a first-round pick between 2012 and 2014 after a deal they signed with Ilya Kovalchuk circumvented the cap The club pushed the decision back to 2014 and That’s why Andlauer and Staios are in no hurry to make this happen Andlauer told us in an interview before the playoffs that he hasn’t given up hope that Bettman will give the Senators a break This incident happened when the franchise was owned by the estate of the late Eugene Melnyk “Steve asked me this question and I’m still hoping to get some forgiveness from the commissioner,” Andlauer said So we’ll cross that bridge when we get there sitting down with amateur scouts and seeing what’s coming up (in) next year’s draft class But I would probably lean towards the fact that we’re going to keep our first-round pick this year You’ve got to feel that we’re only going to get better and therefore the first pick can become less valuable.” Ottawa police officers are investigating after a body was located in the Rideau River on Sunday afternoon Police said they were trying to recover the body Police said they would communicate with the family first before identifying the person “We will provide an update when we are able to release details to the public,” the social media post read The next issue of The Evening Citizen will soon be in your inbox This is the second body to be found in the water in two days police said in a post on X that a body had been found in the Ottawa River near Bate Island after responding to a 911 call earlier in the day Paramedics confirmed that paramedics did attend the scene but said they were called to Rio Pelle Island If additional information becomes available that can be shared we will provide an update,” the Ottawa Police Service’s post on Saturday read OttawaNews‘Losing a loved one is devastating’: Ottawa police issue statement on missing student found deadBy Toula MazloumPublished: May 04, 2025 at 10:32AM EDT A look ahead at the week in federal politics. A week and a day after leading the Liberal Party to a fourth consecutive term in government, albeit just shy of the 172-seat threshold required for a working majority in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Mark Carney will make his way to the White House for what may be one of the most high-stakes meetings of his professional career: namely, his first-ever tête-à-tête with U.S. President Donald Trump. (Tuesday) “When asked by iPolitics why he expects Trump to engage in good faith negotiations, considering the White House’s public position that Canada should be annexed, Carney said the meeting’s prompt organization suggests both countries are equally willing to engage. “’I’ve had the direct conversation with [Trump]… and we agreed to have those negotiations,’ said Carney. ‘The time allocated to our meeting and the seniority…, I mean, he’s the president so that’s as senior as you get, but the other members of his administration who will be assisting at those meetings suggests the seriousness of the discussion.’” In a separate exchange, he noted that he’s “not pretending those discussions will be easy,” adding: “They won’t proceed in a straight line. There will be zigs and zags, ups and downs, but I will fight for the best deal for Canada and only accept the best deal for Canada and take as much time as necessary.” Conservative MPs, senators hold first post-election meet-up Back in the (Canadian) capital, Conservative MPs and senators are set to assemble for the first time since the party fell short in its third-and-counting bid to oust the Liberals from office, but nevertheless managed to secure its highest share of the cross-country vote in decades and boost its seat count from 120 to 143 even as their leader, Pierre Poilievre, went down to defeat in his erstwhile home riding of Carleton, Ont. As of Sunday morning, multiple media outlets were reporting that the extended closed door session will take place on Tuesday, although as per longstanding Conservative tradition, no formal notice had been provided to the media. (Tuesday a.m.) At the top of the to-do list: A series of potentially critical votes on whether to opt in to some— or all — of the  provisions outlined in the Reform Act, a backbench bill initiated by Conservative MP Michael Chong during the final months of then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government aimed at rebalancing the power dynamics between party and caucus leadership and rank-and-file MPs. “The vote on a leadership review is held by secret ballot, the same process that led to the ouster of former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole after he lost the 2021 election to Justin Trudeau’s Liberals.” “Some names that have been floated by Conservative sources are deputy leader Melissa Lantsman, House leader and former party leader Andrew Scheer and Michael Barrett, the party’s ethics critic. Those three have been trusted Poilievre lieutenants throughout his tenure. They have been given leeway to speak for the party publicly, including during the election — a work assignment given to few other MPs or candidates.” Perhaps most crucially, they “all endorsed Poilievre’s continued leadership in social media posts in the hours after the election loss,” CBC notes. As yet, there’s no word on whether the caucus will anoint an acting leader this week or hold off until the new session gets underway on May 26, 2025. Canadian politics, news, opinion and analysis iPolitics © 2025. All rights reserved. The election sent a very clear message to the federal Conservative party Voters appreciate the recent focus on affordability housing and crime and have shown this in their election of more Conservative members attacking and insulting approaches and they have shown this in their rejection of Pierre Polievre they chose a man who could show strength without insulting anyone Quebec voters forgave his less than perfect French for a leader who showed civility Can anyone imagine a Carney ad calling the opposition “those clowns?” This is Let us return to the conservatism of the style of Joe Clark and others with his positive patriotism and respect for the Canadian people and the institution of Parliament We need only to look south of the border to see the havoc that is the result of negative We need two parties that seek our support with different philosophical foundations but common Canadian values of good manners The appetite for change from a Liberal government in this election was pervasive The Conservatives did better than they had in years especially in the Toronto city core ridings They did this not because of Pierre Poilievre as conservative pundits would have you believe This country was anxious to be rid of Liberals so all it would have taken was a viable alternative to Mark Carney Poilievre significantly trailed Carney throughout the campaign as Canada’s preferred leader then lost his own seat by a substantial amount What more does the Conservative Party of Canada need to cause it to rethink what it is doing with respect to leaders I believe that the kind of caustic politics that Poilievre traffics in will never sit well with Canadians He will never be the prime minister of this amazing country but we do need a strong Conservative party Pierre Poilievre won’t have to face any further pressure to obtain a security clearance The reason Pierre Poilievre lost Carleton riding is because he just isn’t as popular there anymore People were tired of the same old catch phrases and plans without substance He wanted change and that’s what Carleton gave him The recent media narrative questioning whether Pierre Poilievre should resign as Conservative leader because he narrowly lost his seat in Carleton is troubling More than eight million Canadians voted for Poilievre and the Conservatives one of the largest totals ever received by a federal party leader These numbers represent real people from every region who believe in Poilievre’s message of affordability accountability and common-sense government Mark Carney has promised Canadians that he wants to unite the country after this election then he should agree to any request made by Poilievre for a swift byelection who garnered nearly as many national votes as Carney has a clear democratic mandate and deserves the opportunity to return to the House of Commons where nearly half the country wants him to be let’s call for respect: for the millions of Canadians who cast their votes for Poilievre and the democratic principles this country was built on He should remain as leader and continue to speak for the people who put their trust in him In the wake of the crushing Liberal electoral victory Tasha Kheiriddin claims we now face a “national unity crisis.” it looks like a whole lot of elements banded together to ensure that Canada does not cave in to pressure from the Divided States of America that meant barring Pierre Poilievre from the Prime Minister’s Office and stripping him of any political power (oops Bloc Québécois  and Green Party incumbents) to ensure a victory for the only party capable of blocking the Conservatives from taking control over our lives That sure doesn’t look like “disunity” to me Let Kheiriddin have her sour grapes because her hero got trounced really: people haven’t forgotten Poilievre’s championing of the Great Truckers Insurrection a few years back Maybe she and the Tories should give Poilievre the boot I implore Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre to disprove my theory that all politicians are self-serving weasels These two must work together to ensure the Canadian economy strengthens and diversifies away from our dependency on the United States For example: They both claim to want to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers so put your egos and petty bickering aside and make that happen I strongly believe that many Canadians have a centrist view similar to mine:  socially liberal don’t get suckered into pandering to your vocal extremists Pragmatism above all for a strong and free Canada A simple solution to the lack of input for Saskatchewan and Alberta priorities in this election would be to elect more members to the winning party I am sure if a Liberal were elected in Saskatchewan We do this to insure regional representation The NDP should demand proportional representation for the next federal election before agreeing to back the minority Liberal government on the challenging road ahead It’s time to retire the first-past-the-post voting system for a fairer poll reflecting a more honest democracy that listens better to the people Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke in his first victory address about a new age for Canada to reimagine and rebuild as it is time to think big and act even bigger Carney emphasized building an economy that works for everyone: creating new trades; building clean and conventional energy corridors to benefit the country; working closely with indigenous people; sharing the opportunities; establishing twice as much accessible housing; and leveraging skilled trades and career opportunities He also stressed the urgency to take a step towards unity by ending trade barriers Our hopes for a change are high: systematic implementation inclusive development for every sector and community Canada free and Canada forever,” he concluded But how long will it take for the policies to turn into action although it is a starting point to achieve a goal through development There are usually three sides to every story and they are not: your way It would truly be a blessing for Canada if all MPs realized that working together is the key to better governance Please keep in mind that all of Canada matters No one single vision can fit or fix all the issues facing Canada Donald Trump’s domestic and foreign policies are failing He does not understand the economics of tariffs or trade deficits nor He claimed 200 countries are knocking at his door to negotiate trade agreements (there are only 193 countries and some of those barely exist.) To try to capture lost ground has a record of stripping countries of their resources and leaving them poorer Canada must stand strong against his ridiculous statements No negotiations on trade until Trump publicly retracts his statements on Canada and the 51st state I am pleased somewhat by the result on Monday What I am not pleased with is the party’s selective blindness when it comes to bridge-building on Kettle Island No one who has kayaked and sailed among the chain of Kettle Upper and Lower Duck Islands in the Ottawa River and witnessed the incredible diversity of fragile flora and fauna would consider corrupting this paradise with an interprovincial bridge I suggest Gatineau MP Steven MacKinnon and Prime Minister Mark Carney try it this summer I will be happy to be a guide for either or both of you The other thing they seem selectively blind to is that these are not islands so much as sandbars not the solid geological foundation for a bridge they imagine In fact the centre board of my sailboat regularly scrapes the bottom between Kettle and Upper Duck Island There are better locations: Consider how more practical it would be to have the bridge closer to the Rockliffe Airport The river is more of an ecological dead zone in that section The bridge would link with Highway 417 more easily with fewer neighbourhoods to disrupt The mayor’s repeated pleas for help from the federal government go unanswered — and that is a good thing I live in Beaverbrook and am able to watch dozens of articulated buses driving by our residential street This is another ridiculous plan of the mismanaged OC Transpo which was approved by the mayor and council as a magic solution to bringing back ridership to pre-pandemic levels It’s not going to happen; everybody knows it except the managers at OC Transpo the city spend millions building an unfinished sidewalk that the majority of residents did not want and for which there was no need The city pours millions into redesigning TD place I can only applaud the silence from the feds when it comes to helping Ottawa I would like to extend to OC Transpo my heartiest appreciation for the bus route changes made on April 27. I have already experienced great improvement for inner area residents regarding access to the General and Ottawa Civic campuses of The Ottawa Hospital. For seniors who prefer not to, or are unable to, use cars, the frequent service now provided by the #5 and #56 routes is and will be a great boon. Special congratulations for the amazingly prompt changes made to the stop  signage, so as to avoid confusing riders. It seems that some careful thought and attention have been paid to how best to serve transit ridership. Long may that continue! OttawaNewsCarney to live at Rideau Cottage after 24 Sussex Drive decommissioned by the NCCBy Josh PringlePublished: May 05, 2025 at 8:39AM EDT Steve Staios wants to step back before determining the next step with the Ottawa Senators roster The Senators president of hockey operations and general manager was pleased to see the club’s core make the playoffs for the first time since 2017 speaking at a season-ending press conference with coach Travis Green on Monday morning at the Canadian Tire Centre knows there will be bigger expectations next season “I believe our team made a good step forward this season,” Staios said We earned the right to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs Led by captain Brady Tkachuk along with Thomas Chabot the core of this club made the post-season Green stated that from the day he was hired nearly a year ago this club’s key players were hungry for more I think we’ve taken a step internally,” Green said “It’s not status quo as coaches or as an organization We will continue to push our players to have a growth mindset of getting better How you left today isn’t going to be acceptable if you come back at the same level A lot of our players are in that age group where they still have room to grow.” An area that needs improvement is scoring depth 30 in the National Hockey League in 5-on-5 scoring Green and the rest of the staff have to make is whether those answers can come from within or whether they need to make a trade or sign someone in free agency “That’s something that can be internal as well,” Staios said “There can be some growth in that area with the group we have returning that the market will dictate whether you can add those types of players or improve in that area “So the off-season again will be another opportunity for me to see if I can add to this group League executives tell Postmedia that once the dust settles the Senators will likely begin a search to shore up the right side with a top-six forward and may also study the option of another right-shot defenceman had a difficult playoff series against the Leafs Batherson finished with 26 goals and 68 points in 82 games this season but had one goal and an assist in six playoff games but the club opted to deal centre Josh Norris to the Sabres instead for Cozens Several teams wonder if Staios might listen to teams interested in Batherson around the draft Batherson would draw significant interest because he has two years left with a cap hit of $4.975 million US so Staios has to tread carefully because the club used several options on the right side of Tkachuk and Stutzle “Everybody is looking for a top-six scorer,” Staios said the group continues to improve and the individuals are improving as well.” Will the club seek scoring help outside the organization I think there is so much room for growth internally (an outside) move would have to make total sense.” Staios confirmed that defenceman Nick Jensen played through an injury for most of the second half of the season Staios didn’t want to disclose the ailment but didn’t rule out surgery and had no timeline for recovery Jensen said on Saturday that he was hopeful he’d be ready for camp but the Senators already lack depth on the right side of the defence Staios said that Jensen will get “re-evaluated,” and if “It’s something significant Staios confirmed that defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo (Finland) and centre Shane Pinto (USA) will suit up for their countries at the IIHF world championship in Stockholm Stutzle hasn’t been confirmed to play for Germany yet Staios and Green understand there are a lot of decisions left to be made and they were non-committal on what path this club will take on Monday Green came in with a goal of changing the mindset of this group to play well at both ends of the ice by being difficult to play against “We’ve taken a step in that direction,” Green said “Teams that ultimately win Stanley Cups are hard to play against in their own way I think we talked about that probably the first day I got the job It’s the province’s responsibility to know their place in the political constitutional pecking order Ottawa has the authority to administer over provinces and territories Its Moe’s responsibility to respectfully inform Ottawa through elected federal MPs from Saskatchewan the difficulty is almost insurmountable for Alberta and Saskatchewan citizens when they refuse to vote strategically They could take a page out of Quebec’s voting Quebeckers don’t leave themselves electorally stranded They go with the federal winner more often than not I am saddened to hear Prime Minister Mark Carney’s statement that “Our old relationship with the U.S. a relationship based on steadily increasing integration We are over the shock of the American betrayal citizens who are appalled by so many of U.S from his climate denial and serial dishonesty to his cruelty in the treatment of individuals and of nations My teaching degree is from the University of Toronto and as a young man I took several fishing trips to Manitoba I still have a beautiful photo of a sunset on Clearwater Lake The next issue of Headline News will soon be in your inbox But whatever were his particular statements about groups “make America simple again” — a message he made through a mix of statements he made during his campaign The problem is in times of rapid social change It requires complex information processing that puts a strain on our brains in times of rapid social change as are these times in which we are living Right now in America what is motivating the need for social simplicity is rapid social change Some have been looking for a way to slow it all down Some have wanted to find a way to make America simple again: “America First.” The Leader-Post welcomes letters to the editor • Letters should be limited to no more than 250 words phone number and home community so we can verify your identity Only your name and community will be published This website uses cookies to personalize your 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Premier Danielle Smith says her government has no intention of holding a referendum on Alberta separation but did not rule out the possibility of a citizen-led petition ending up as a ballot question in 2026 Smith addressed Albertans via livestream on Monday afternoon where she discussed a “path forward with the federal government” following Mark Carney and the Liberals win in last week’s federal election Today, I will be addressing Albertans on our province’s path forward with the federal government following a meeting with the Alberta government caucus. https://t.co/FHMIR7bLMK She says the province would only hold a referendum on separation if Albertans gathered enough signatures on a petition The premier says she wants a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada but added the frustrated voices in the province following last week’s election are not fringe extremists and must be listened to these attacks on our province from our own federal government have become unbearable,” she says Smith claims Ottawa’s policies over the last decade have cost the province $500 billion in investments “Canada has fallen to dead last in economic growth among industrialized nations,” she says “The world looks to us like we’ve lost our minds.” “We have the most abundant and accessible natural resources of any country on earth sell what we do produce to a single customer to the south of us well enabling polluting dictatorships to east our lunch.” In the lead-up to the federal election, nearly one-third of Albertans (30 per cent) told a pollster they would want to separate from Canada if the Liberals were elected again an online petition in support of Alberta separation that started in 2019 has over 223,000 signatures as of Sunday Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi responded to Smith’s address Monday saying the premier is insistent on picking fights with Ottaea instead of fixing the real problems Albertans face “She didn’t say I denounce separatism,” said Nenshi “What she said was ‘I’m going to pick another fight I’m going to have another endless panel with my endless cronies on an endless fight that I will never win.” Journalists were not able to ask questions during Monday’s address but a news conference is scheduled at noon on Tuesday Smith said last week she had a positive first meeting with Carney on Friday and she reiterated that during her Monday address and I will say that in my first conversation with him since the election he had promising things to say,” she said The premier says she will work with Carney in “good faith,” but until she sees evidence of any change her government will work to ensure Alberta is protected from Ottawa Smith says she will appoint a negotiating team to represent Alberta in discussions with the federal government moving forward and also made another list of demands she says her government needs to see from Ottawa Smith called for a guaranteed corridor to Canada’s three oceans for pipelines and said Ottawa must repeal Bill C-69 and any other regulations impacting the country’s energy sector The premier also said the federal government must refrain from imposing export taxes on Alberta resources and provide the same per capita equalization and transfer payments for Quebec thanking her while saying they are both focused on lowering the cost of living increasing energy sector opportunities for Albertans and breaking down interprovincial trade barriers to build a strong Canadian economy Nenshi acknowledge Monday that Alberta needs a better deal on equalization and corridors for energy but added “we will never achieve those things at the expense of this nation.” The day after the federal election, Smith introduced Bill 54 which would cut the threshold for a citizen-led referendum by half to 10 per cent of people who voted in the last election and give citizens 30 extra days for a total of 120 to gather signatures Smith insists the bill was already in the works and would have been introduced even if the Conservatives won The bill has sparked new relevance to the conversation of Alberta’s separation, as rallies have been held at the legislature since the federal election, including on Saturday It was met with counter-protestors from Indigenous communities saying Alberta functions on Treaty land But it hasn’t been without controversy, as First Nations chiefs also issued statements opposing separation talks saying the premier is attempting to manufacture a national unity crisis there has not yet been any confirmation from Smith on whether a referendum would happen The Alberta NDP has also accused Smith of being a separatist and a political scientist says her words have only stoked the flames of separation rather than calm them However, Smith rejected that assertion and insists she wants to see a sovereign Alberta within a united Canada. On her radio show, Your Province, Your Premier, Saturday, she said she respects Treaty rights, saying the bill wouldn’t violate that or the First Nations’ relationship with the Crown. With files from Sean Amato and Lauryn Heintz Calgary police have laid charges in the stabbing death of a young man outside a downtown bar last month. As cases of measles in Alberta rise to numbers not seen in decades, the province is out with a new advertising campaign and increasing vaccine-positive messaging, and availability. Calgary fire crews are battling a grass fire in the city's southwest Monday afternoon that has forced the closure of some area pathways. Construction has begun on a new recreational park in Calgary's northwest. On the same day as the Alberta Rally for Independence, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith appeared on her radio show, addressing many topics. A 23-year-old man, Chase Jordan, is facing numerous charges after fleeing a traffic stop and crashing into a house in Calgary’s Radisson area late Friday night. The annual Calgary Bike Swap filled downtown Calgary with bike buzz on Saturday. Carlene Sorensen reports on the event. A fire in Calgary’s Ramsay area significantly damaged one home and spread to a neighboring house. Fruit and vegetable prices may be leveling off as Mark Carney's govt comes into power and supply picks up, an economist says. A stronger dollar and paused tariffs are helping ease pressure, Henna Saeed reports. Now News and Improved! Watch CityNews, listen to NewsRadio Calgary live anytime and get up-to-the-minute breaking-news alerts, traffic, weather and video from CityNews Calgary anywhere you are – across all Android and iOS devices. conservation and management of sites and facilities … for the generation and production of electrical energy” was exclusively the job of provincial legislatures This newsletter tackles hot topics with boldness The next issue of Platformed will soon be in your inbox the Clean Electricity Regulations should have set off alarm bells in premiers’ offices across the country Premier Danielle Smith saw that plain and clear “Section 92 of the Constitution … enumerates our exclusive jurisdiction,” she said Thursday “That’s the word (used) in the Constitution: ‘exclusive’ jurisdiction over resource development and the development of electricity — and there’s a reason for that It’s because every province has different endowments and different abilities to generate electricity That is why it has been assigned to the provinces to make these decisions.” final version of the Clean Electricity Regulations rely more on unabated emitting generation than the national average these provinces are expected to experience the biggest shift in generation sources as a result of the Regulations.” In other words “You guys better get ready to lay out a whole lot of solar panels.” take a wild guess: “Ontario and Alberta are modelled to take on nearly 70 per cent of the total costs net of cost-savings accounted for in the (cost benefit analysis) largely driven by incremental capital costs for new electricity system capacity.” it means Ottawa is still strangling the provinces’ ability to manage their grids at peak times look at how the regulations treat emergency management The first draft actually required the federal government to sign off on allowing exemptions to the rules in cases of local emergency — which exposed anyone who needed to break the rules to the risk of jail and now the final rules allow emissions in emergency circumstances (which must meet federal criteria) to be exempt from the overall emissions cap for 30 days (extensions would be allowed but only with federal approval) — with an added requirement that any use of this provision must come with a detailed justification “We have zero large-scale natural gas plants being proposed,” Smith told the news conference “That tells me something about the level of uncertainty that natural gas plants have this is written as (a) criminal violation if you do not meet the target by 2035.” be able to guarantee a 95 per cent abatement on their CO2 within 10 years I’m going to tell you there are zero,” she added In reality, climate change turned out to be not as cataclysmic as originally thought, because the Liberals set the carbon tax to zero in March. Meanwhile, it’s also been demonstrated that playing the environment card doesn’t always work. Major provisions in the federal government’s overzealous Impact Assessment Act were declared unconstitutional after a different court challenge by Alberta; the law cast its net so wide that it unlawfully pulled provincial projects into the onerous federal review process. (This law has since been revised, but unsatisfactorily, so it’s off to the courts again). Smith is doing the right thing by fighting out these incursions in court. Just like how lawns need to be edged, the naturally expanding bureaucratic hulk of federal jurisdiction needs to be checked. If Alberta ends up winning — and it’s very possible it does — it would be a victory for not just the province’s grid, but for every province that believes in preserving the Constitution’s division of powers. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy The Ottawa Senators are leaning on keeping their first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft general manager Steve Staios said on Monday "It's highly likely we'll keep our pick," Staios told reporters at the Senators' end-of-season availability Steve Staios says "it's highly likely we'll keep our pick" when asked about their 1st round selection in 2025. The #Sens have to forfeit their first round selection in either 2025 or 2026 The league voided Vegas' deal with the Ducks and the Sens were deemed to be at fault leading to the dismissal of then-general manager Pierre Dorion “The penalty that was imposed on the franchise was not something I took lightly, not something I was happy to do, but I felt I had to do it,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in November of 2023 The Senators were eliminated in six games by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the NHL Playoffs on Saturday It was their first trip to the playoffs since falling in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017 Staios' decision will mean that the Senators will not have a first-round selection in next year's draft The NHL Draft is scheduled to begin on Friday with the draft lottery set to determine the selection order later on Monday the Senators are not eligible to win the draft lottery Among the top prospects expected to be taken are forward Michael Misa and defenceman Matthew Schaefer. Learn more about the next generation of talent entering this year's draft with TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie's Draft Ranking Ottawa Senators' Head Coach Travis Green and President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Steve Staios met with the media on Monday May 5 at the conclusion of the 2024-25 NHL Season follow the Ottawa Senators' socials and on the web Keep up to date with Sens360: https://www.nhl.com/senators/sens360/content/ Follow the Senators on Instagram: senators Engage with the Senators on X: @Senators Like the Senators on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottawasenators You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Montreal Victoire’s Laura Stacey centre (7) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning goal in overtime during PWHL hockey action in Laval TORONTO - The Montreal Victoire will face the Ottawa Charge in the opening round of the Professional Women’s Hockey League playoffs Montreal general manager Danièle Sauvageau announced the selection of Ottawa as its first opponent on Sunday on the league’s “Jocks in Jills” podcast The regular-season PWHL champion has the option of selecting either the third seed or the fourth seed to face in a best-of-five first-round series “We’ve been preparing for this all year should we be in this position,” Victoire head coach Kori Cheverie said on a conference call Sunday without giving away too much of what went into the process of selecting the third-seeded Charge Ottawa finished ahead of fourth-place Minnesota through a tiebreaker after the Charge Frost and Boston Fleet finished the season tied at 44 points Game 1 of the Charge-Victoire series goes Thursday at Place Bell Cheverie said the team made the decision on its opponent Sunday “We took all the time we could as an organization to make sure we had all the information that we wanted to have,” she said The Victoire’s decision means the second-seeded Toronto Sceptres will face the Frost in the first round for the second straight year with Game 1 Wednesday at Coca-Cola Coliseum who are in the playoffs for the first time won their last two regular-season games against the Victoire after losing the first four the regular-season-champion Sceptres elected to face the fourth-seeded Frost in the first round Minnesota went on to upset Toronto before defeating the Fleet in the final to claim the first Walter Cup Boston swept the second-seeded Victoire in the first round in 2024 Cheverie said the three games were among the best her team played despite the result “We can talk about last year all we want it was a lesson for all of us,” Victoire captain Marie-Philip Poulin said so it’s up to us to be ready.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account More than 300,000 tulips are blooming at the Canadian Tulip Festival The 2025 Tulip Festival in Ottawa is on in May Festival features more than 300,000 blooming tulips in 26 gardens honours Canada’s role in freeing the Netherlands during the Second World War will feature more than 300,000 blooming tulips in 26 gardens The annual festival is not only considered to be the largest tulip festival in Canada it’s also considered the largest in the world This year’s festival marks “80 Years of Liberation” and honours the enduring bond that bloomed from Canada’s heroic role in freeing the Netherlands during the Second World War The festival will welcome Canadian Second World War veterans Pte The Canadian Tulip Festival runs May 9 to May 19 You can check out the free 45-minute self-guided QR code-activated tour that will lead you through seven stops and provides descriptions of the history and diverse tulip varieties seen in bloom You can also take The Tulip Legacy Walking Tour – a paid experience led by a storyteller Cosy up twice daily for free outdoor screenings in Commissioners Park Movies include “Finding Nemo,” “Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Twisters” and more Get moving with a scenic stretch at the main stage, led by Club Pilates Westboro in the mornings Club Pilates Westboro is also offering pilates mat classes during the festival Enjoy a run on Sunday, May 11. This lighthearted activity is a fun way to run into spring. Register now The new adventure along Dow’s Lake highlights pollinators who make tulip season possible The festival with finish off with a Vintage Victory Party on Sunday re-enactors and military vehicles along Queen Elizabeth Driveway The debut of Canada’s first hybrid drone and fireworks show will kick off at 9:20 p.m and will commemorate the liberation with lights and sound View the festival’s full schedule for details OTTAWA — Locker cleanout day for the Ottawa Senators this year wasn't the same as those of years past But after taking massive steps forward throughout the 2024-25 season and returning to the Stanley Cup Playoffs following an eight-year hiatus there was finally something to feel sweet about as well “Still not over it,” said captain Brady Tkachuk on Saturday “To be honest with you,  still wish we were playing game seven tonight.” After finally experiencing what a playoff environment has to offer, the Senators' young core of Tim Stutzle Jake Sanderson and Tkachuk has made it clear that they'd like to keep indulging “It’s almost addicting to be able to play in front of that atmosphere,” said Tkachuk Stutzle added that "it's probably the most fun I've ever had playing hockey.” the Senators will have the kind of playoff experience they lacked before pushing the Toronto Maple Leafs to six games in the first round “It was a good learning experience for all of us to live it for the first time," said Thomas Chabot Ottawa's next step will be making a habit of trips to the post-season “Big step forward for a team in the organization this year and trying to get to the mentality as soon as possible to not be satisfied and keep moving forward,” said David Perron “Because the next (step) is probably going to be a little bit harder The Atlantic Division will be loaded next season with all eight teams believing they each have a somewhat realistic chance of making the playoffs And while there are no certainties in the NHL this year's odyssey for the Senators inspired confidence in the organization What it also did was quiet down rumours of their captain leaving it’s just not true,” Tkachuk said about  trade speculation surrounding him and I really believe in everybody in this organization that everybody wants to win here.” Exiting 2024-25 and looking forward to the 2025-26 season there likely won't be as many rumours swirling or a general sense of dread that followed the end of the Senators' campaigns in the past There will, however, still be some question marks. First comes the uncertainty surrounding the future of Claude Giroux Ottawa's "big brother," as Shane Pinto describes is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer The 37-year-old doesn't seem to have any interest in retiring either "I feel like I have a lot left in the tank The veteran leader and Senators general manager Steve Staios haven’t discussed a new contract as of yet I haven’t given it any thoughts,” Giroux explained This year is the most fun I’ve had in a few years.” Giroux's teammates would like to see him return as well “Obviously I want him to stick around,” Stutzle said when asked about his linemate "I think I can speak for everyone on the team Even new Senator Dylan Cozens has enjoyed building a relationship with Giroux in his short time in Ottawa It'll likely come down to whether Giroux takes a hometown discount or tests free agency Giroux has proven to be a capable player still finishing fifth on the Senators in scoring while nabbing five points in six playoff games But it’s not just Giroux’s future that is unresolved to decide on with their $18 million in cap space Let’s go through what some of those Senators said about their futures in Ottawa, starting with post-season standout Tyler Kleven physicality and general hockey IQ were all on display against Toronto Kleven said he hadn’t spoken to Staios about a contract but does want to stay in the nation's capital They've been so good to me for the last couple of years." As a restricted free agent with no arbitration rights the Senators could bridge Kleven or try to extend him long-term on what could be a team-friendly contract if he continues to flourish had a simple answer about his future in Ottawa as a restricted free agent he’d “love” to stay in Ottawa shortly after 32 Thoughts: The PodcastHockey fans already know the name 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world How Staios handles both players this summer will be an interesting case study into who the GM believes should be part of the core moving forward Adam Gaudette believes he's "in a good spot to earn a decent contract" after his year with the Sens which could put him out of Ottawa's price range We also learned about the various injuries that the Senators played through during the playoffs Tkachuk revealed he wasn’t playing at 100 per cent due to a hip issue and an upper-body injury “Now it’s just (taking) the time to get that all healed up,” said the captain “It could heal up in the next couple of weeks." The most worrisome news came regarding Nick Jensen “All the (expletive) he went through,” said Chabot as he commended Jensen for playing through injuries during the season Jensen himself wouldn’t disclose his injury but didn’t rule out surgery being a possibility for whatever he's been dealing with explaining that he'll have to "talk to the doctors first." The hope is that Jensen will be back for training camp but his injury status looms large in what Staios might do this off-season to address the right side of the defence that • World Championships: One of the more notable insights on Saturday was that Linus Ullmark wanted to play in net for Team Sweden at the World Championships in Stockholm, but he ultimately wasn't chosen to represent the Tre Kronor as they host the international event. “I have the interest, but they’ve decided not to go with me.” A fascinating development for Ullmark as the Milano Cortina Olympics are now less than a year away. Meanwhile, Stutzle said he’d “love” to play for Team Germany but wants to assess his body and talk with Senators management before making a final decision. Lastly, Tkachuk, Sanderson and Kleven all opted out of playing for Team USA. • Where the stars want to improve: As lockers were emptied on Saturday, it was clear that many of the Seantors youngsters were clamouring for ways to improve ahead of next season. Stutzle, for instance, already identified where his biggest area of improvement needs to be. “I think in the offensive zone, knowing when to shoot, when to pass. I think I've struggled a little bit with that this year," he explained. “I was always a pass-first guy my whole career, I love other guys scoring more than me. “I just got to get better at that and picking my spots. When to pass, when to shoot, and sometimes (being) a little more selfish.” Meanwhile, Cozens also keyed in on a specific area he'd like to improve upon. “I think a big thing for me is just getting to my top speed quicker," the centre explained. "I think my skating is a weapon that I don't use enough." Lastly, Sanderson's answer was a bit more unorthodox. “I think you don't want to get too consumed in your routines. I think comfort kills growth," said the 22-year-old while describing himself as a hockey "nerd." For Sanderson, after a year of tremendous growth, the little things, such as working on more technically difficult backhand passes versus relying on easier forehand passes, were an example of him learning to push himself this season. Sanderson's teammates revelled in that work ethic and professionalism that was often on display. Lastly, Drake Batherson declined the opportunity to speak to the media. ‘I want to play here’: Brady Tkachuk doubles down on commitment to SenatorsFans boost ‘devastated’ Senators with send-off to remember despite lossCOMMENTS When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines Should you violate our submissions guidelines we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time TORONTO -- Katerina Mrazova scored 2:52 into overtime to lift the Ottawa Charge to a 2-1 regular-season finale win over the Toronto Sceptres and a playoff berth on Saturday Brianne Jenner also scored for Ottawa (12-2-4-12) The Charge came in needing a win of any kind or a Minnesota loss against Boston later Saturday to secure their first postseason appearance in the PWHL Ottawa lost 5-2 to Toronto in the regular-season finale last season needing a regulation win to secure a playoff spot Ottawa lost 3-0 to Minnesota on Wednesday with a chance to move six or seven points ahead of the Frost -- with either an overtime/shootout win or a regulation win -- and clinch a playoff spot Kristen Campbell made 22 saves while becoming the fourth PWHL goaltender to reach 1,000 career regular-season saves The Sceptres entered the day with a chance to steal first place from Montreal with a win and a New York regulation win over Montreal later Saturday The top-seeded team entering the postseason gets its choice of opponent for the best-of-five semifinal series Both teams' playoff opponents will be determined Sunday This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will deliver a livestreamed address this afternoon to outline the province’s path forward with Prime Minister Mark Carney's government Smith has said she will be looking to strike a "What's Next" panel to poll Albertans on issues they want to see addressed after last week's federal election Carney's Liberals won their fourth consecutive term and Smith has previously warned the prime minister against any "hostile acts" his new government might take against her province Smith has long accused the federal Liberals of introducing laws and policies she says take unfair advantage of Alberta's booming economy while also undermining the oil and gas business that drives it Smith's government tabled legislation last week to make it easier for citizens to trigger referendum votes including on the province separating from Canada The premier won't speak to the media after the speech but is expected to hold a press conference with reporters Tuesday This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5 Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnès Callamard is calling on Ottawa to br… Fans of the Winnipeg Jets celebrated a dramatic double-overtime victory over the S… The Canadian Press is a member of the International Fact-Checking Network OttawaNewsA look inside a former CHEO Dream Home for sale in OttawaBy Josh PringlePublished: May 05, 2025 at 10:44AM EDT OttawaNewsOttawa commemorates Red Dress Day with ceremony at Ottawa City HallBy Camille WilsonPublished: May 05, 2025 at 9:56AM EDT Ottawa WatchGroup seeking to improve Ottawa pedestrian safetyA local traffic safety group met to analyze a crash to push the city to do more to protect pedestrians from cars. CTV’s Natalie van Rooy reports. Ottawa WatchOttawa celebrates Cinco de MayoA day ahead of Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican community celebrated with an annual festival taking over the ByWard Market. CTV’s Camille Wilson reports. One of the quirks of the Professional Women’s Hockey League is that the team that finishes in first place gets to choose whether they want to face the third or fourth-placed team in the first round of the playoffs the Montreal Victoire had that choice and chose to play the Ottawa Charge “We have the privilege to choose an opponent,” said Montreal head coach Kori Cheverie after Saturday’s game All the teams are hard to play against and then you pick an opponent and they probably feel extra ammo coming at us We know we have to go through everybody anyway We’ve got to be confident that we’re going to pick an opponent and we’re going to stick to that and we have to come out on top.” Ottawa is making their first postseason appearance securing their berth with a dramatic overtime win against Toronto on Saturday Last year Montreal finished second in the standings and after the Toronto Sceptres picked to play Minnesota and were swept in the best-of-five with three overtime losses Montreal was 3-1-0-2 against both Ottawa and Minnesota this season one in a shootout and losing twice in regulation Season Series vs OttawaNovember 30: Ottawa @ Montreal – W 4-3 (SO)December 6: Montreal @ Ottawa – W 2-1 [Scotiabank Place Ottawa]January 19: Ottawa @ Montreal – W 2-1 [Quebec City]January 29: Ottawa @ Montreal – W 4-1February 22: Montreal @ Ottawa – L 3-1April 26: Montreal @ Ottawa – L 3-2 Game 1 of the series will take place on Thursday night at Place Bell OttawaNewsRecord-tying number of candidates running in Ottawa riding of CarletonBy Josh PringleUpdated: April 09, 2025 at 10:46AM EDT OttawaNewsConservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre loses Ottawa-area seatBy William EltheringtonUpdated: April 29 Ottawa 'went resoundingly red': Conservative strategist reacts to Poilievre losing Ottawa-area seat ADVERTISEMENT Bruce Fanjoy’s election party ended Tuesday at 2 a.m when supporters were kicked out of the Manotick Legion It’s a stunning upset for the first-time Liberal candidate who won the Carleton riding over the current Conservative Party leader and seven-time MP the prime minister said he was looking forward to working with his fellow Liberal MPs I’m really looking forward to working with Bruce Fanjoy,” Carney smirked At the Manotick Legion (next to Poilievre’s campaign office) Fanjoy’s volunteers and supporters started to gather before polls closed When the early numbers suggested Fanjoy was in the lead The Liberal candidate appeared shortly before midnight “My heart is filled with gratitude,” he said gained momentum after reports emerged of a tightening race in the riding between the Conservative and Liberal parties He went door-to-door promising to be more available in the riding to constituents He said he’d help farmers and businesses cut energy costs by deploying some of the same technology he used to build his eco-friendly Manotick home that consumes up to 90 per cent less heating and cooling energy than conventional buildings He spoke to locals who feared Conservatives would trim the size of public service He also ran on defeating Poilievre and protecting Canadian sovereignty amidst the tariff war with U.S With all reporting as of Tuesday afternoon, Fanjoy had 43,900 votes, 4,315 more than Poilievre. Poilievre had held the Carleton seat since 2004, making the riding a Conservative stronghold for 21 years. He is the first Conservative leader to fail to win his seat since Kim Campbell in 1993. June and Bob Neske, two dedicated volunteers with Fanjoy’s campaign and former Conservative voters, said they began knocking on doors for Fanjoy after Carney won the Liberal leadership and focused on economic policy as one of his main concerns. “If Bruce wins, I’m going to cry,” Bob said. “We were more or less resigned to Pierre Poilievre. “It really swung to the point where we realized that we can win this riding.” When the sun was still up on Monday, on a bizarrely warm April day, Conservative volunteers were out around the riding holding up signs to “vote for change.” But Bob said many residents in the Carleton riding were looking for a change in representation, an ironic contradiction to Poilievre’s campaign on change. “There’s so many people like me who have always been Conservatives and they’ve told us at the door they won’t vote for Pierre this time,” Bob said. June said volunteers have placed hundreds of hours into canvassing for Fanjoy, especially in the final days leading to election day. “Every blister, every sore, everything, it’ll be worth it,” she said. Fanjoy said he was grateful for the “remarkable efforts” of the hundreds of volunteers who have shown up for him, which has lifted his spirits since he started campaigning in 2023. At 4:04 a.m., when his victory seemed — finally — all but assured, Fanjoy was unavailable for comment, said a campaign spokesperson. “Because it’s 4 a.m.” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre greets supporters during a campaign stop speaking to the International Longshoremen’s Association in Halifax on Wednesday Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is at risk of losing his Ottawa-area riding as the party scrambles to send in volunteers to save the seat he has held since 2004 two federal and two provincial Conservative sources say With several polls showing the Liberals poised to win the election, the loss of Mr. Poilievre’s Carleton riding would make it difficult for him to hang on to his federal party leadership post Federal election 2025 platform guide: Compare where the parties stand on major issues from Trump to housing Party headquarters has for the past two weeks been sending workers into Mr including experienced campaigners who would normally be assigned to tight races across the country The Globe is not identifying the Conservative sources two of whom are from the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party because they were not authorized to discuss the Conservative campaign or internal polling They say the Poilievre Conservatives are also deploying troops from the party’s Ottawa war room to Conservative-held ridings, a sign in the final days of the campaign that the party may be poised to lose seats to the Mark Carney-led Liberals It is standard practice in the final week of a campaign for war-room staff to be sent to ridings that are either vulnerable or have the chance of an upset victory Poilievre is in a dead heat with Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy in Carleton a riding the Conservative Leader won with 52 per cent of the vote in 2021 and 46 per cent in 2019 The Globe is not identifying the Liberal source who was not authorized to discuss internal polling numbers Liberal Party of Canada candidate for Ottawa-Carleton outside of his campaign office in the Ottawa community of Stittsville on April 10.Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press The two sources in the Ontario PC Party say an internal poll completed Tuesday shows the Liberals hold a 53-per-cent advantage in Ottawa-area ridings with the Conservatives at 31 per cent and the NDP at 10 per cent The Doug Ford-led party did not poll in Carleton the senior federal Liberal insider said the Liberals have polled in the riding and Mr The Liberals polled 381 people and the results have a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points Poilievre’s riding is one of 290 districts with boundaries that have changed since the past election But a Globe analysis of the new boundaries shows that they would not have had an impact on the results had they been in place in 2021 Former Conservative Senate leader Marjory LeBreton who served in Stephen Harper’s cabinet and had worked for every party leader since John Diefenbaker Poilievre can’t survive as leader if he loses the federal election “If Pierre has the same results as we had under Erin O’Toole and Andrew Scheer and he loses his riding as well Poilievre’s support of the trucker convoy on Parliament Hill “It’s a sad day for the party that this has happened,” Ms Ontario PC polling numbers have the federal Liberals at 50 per cent compared with 36 per cent for the Conservatives and 9 per cent for the NDP Federal Conservative Party spokesman Simon Jefferies played down concerns that Mr Poilievre is in danger of losing the riding No riding is ever taken for granted but we are confident Pierre Poilievre will be returned to Parliament to represent Carleton,” he said “There are many politically engaged volunteers and staff across the capital region They are being distributed to all Ottawa ridings.” Poilievre cannot stay on as leader if he loses the election there are going to be a lot of Conservatives who will not forget that he had a 27-per-cent advantage and people point to his personal lack of popularity,” Mr “His message for change is popular but they are not enthusiastic about him.” the PCs barely held the provincial riding that overlaps with Mr In the waning days of the federal campaign He is scheduled to hold a rally in Saskatoon on Thursday a week after the Liberal Leader campaigned in the city Saskatoon last elected a Liberal MP in 1993 but a recent provincial poll suggested a resurgence and the possibility of breaking the Conservative Party’s dominance of the city’s three seats The Liberals last won a seat in Saskatchewan in 2015 Canadians will elect a new government on April 28 shows that nationally the Liberals are in front at 44.1 per cent followed by the Conservatives at 38.5 per cent and the NDP at 8 per cent The national survey of 1,200 adults is based on a three-day rolling sample of 400 individuals, ending Tuesday. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Respondents were asked: “For those parties you would consider voting for federally, could you please rank your top two current local preferences?” The full methodology for all surveys can be found at: tgam.ca/polls OttawaNewsPoilievre’s Carleton riding sees highest voter turnout in Canada during advance pollsBy Josh PringleUpdated: April 25, 2025 at 10:40AM EDT The Canadian military has issued a warning to staff about geese at its Carling Avenue headquarters advising those who encounter the sometimes aggressive birds to remain calm and don’t panic The situation has developed over the years where geese have taken over the grounds of the defence campus in Ottawa’s west end That happens during breeding season as Canada geese can become extremely aggressive after laying eggs Department of National Defence spokesperson Nick Drescher Brown said a directive has been issued to staff by the Canadian Forces Support Group outlining how to behave if they encounter the birds The directive warns both military and civilian staff not to attempt to feed or touch the geese as that could provoke them If employees encounter one of the birds that is displaying aggressive behaviour they are advised to “remain calm and do not panic Try to move away slowly and quietly without turning your back to the goose Maintain eye contact while you back away.” raise your arms to appear larger and back away slowly,” the directive advised “Canadian Forces Support Group (Ottawa-Gatineau) Operations does not track the number of geese at NDHQ Carling,” Drescher Brown noted in an email According to a previous DND directive about the Canada geese the species is protected and cannot be relocated once they have nested That directive pointed out that the greenbelt Ottawa Fire Services made quick work of a smoky residential fire in the city’s west end Saturday Firefighters received a 911 call just after 10:30 a.m Initial reports indicated alarms were sounding near a single-family home in the 600 block of Richmond Road Heavy smoke was visible around the front and side windows Additional resources were dispatched as a “working fire” was declared at 10:37 a.m Firefighters initiated a fast attack and advanced a hose line inside the structure The fire was declared under control at: 10:58 a.m An Ottawa Fire Services Investigator was dispatched to determine the cause and origin of the fire Firefighters protected the nearby structures that were at risk of catching fire OttawaNewsThis is why there is a new floating dock at Dows Lake By Josh PringlePublished: May 05, 2025 at 1:00PM EDT The following question has been edited for clarity and length Thank you for this opportunity to vent because this is eating away at my mental health and I’m losing hope I’m a voluntary employee representative for persons with disabilities in my department I’ve been advocating for more than 10 years I am trying to work but all I can do is cry today because another employee with disabilities will be pushed out of my department Why is it so hard for HR to treat people with disabilities with dignity It is the first thing that goes out the window Why is it acceptable to abuse our vulnerability because of the deeply engrained ableist mindset that we might be trying to cheat the system when we are simply trying to access equal opportunity to participate Why is it acceptable for someone who is not a medical professional to disregard advice from a medical professional and actually go against it HR in my department has been broken for YEARS and it is THE biggest barrier to disability inclusion but I also know very well that it also must include intentional actions People with disabilities deserve so much better and it breaks my heart and boils my blood Thank you for your powerful and courageous message You have given voice to a reality that far too many public servants with disabilities experience — a reality marked not by isolated missteps but by persistent systemic failures that compromise dignity Your 10 years of voluntary service as an advocate for employees with disabilities is nothing short of extraordinary resilience and unshakable belief in the promise of a more inclusive public service such advocacy often comes at a steep emotional cost I want to acknowledge the profound frustration fatigue and heartbreak that can accompany this work — especially when you are forced to witness avoidable harm being done to your colleagues I am truly sorry for what you have experienced and continue to witness The questions you raise are difficult — not because they lack answers but because those answers demand that we confront uncomfortable truths Why is it acceptable for non-medical professionals to dismiss medical advice Why are deeply held biases allowed to shape decisions under the guise of “business needs” or “fitness for duty” These are not rhetorical questions — they are calls to action and they deserve to be addressed with transparency and urgency rather than supporting accommodation and equity have too often become vehicles of exclusion When the very structures that are meant to uphold fairness become the source of harm trust erodes and employees — particularly those with disabilities — are left to navigate an already unequal terrain with fewer and fewer supports Ableism — whether unconscious or overt — is still deeply embedded in many workplace cultures It shows up in assumptions about productivity in resistance to flexible work arrangements and in the way accommodations are treated as burdens rather than rights disbelieved or delayed to the point of despair Policies without accountability are just words on paper the duty to accommodate requires that adjustments be made up to the point of undue hardship It is not enough to state a policy exists or corporate liability is too high — departments must live up to the spirit and intent of that policy through transparent Employees with disabilities must not be expected to carry the burden of culture change alone While your leadership has undoubtedly created ripples of hope and justice systemic transformation cannot rest on the shoulders of volunteers Departments must invest in structural change It is also essential that federal leaders — from senior executives to front-line managers — actively listen to voices like yours but with humility and a willingness to be accountable That includes following through on reports of systemic failure taking allegations of discrimination seriously and creating mechanisms for redress that do not re-traumatize those who come forward I want to say this: you are right to feel the way you do You are not “too sensitive.” You are not overreacting You are responding with the moral clarity of someone who sees injustice and refuses to look away Your anger is not only valid — it is necessary It is the fire that calls others to awaken Please continue to take care of your mental health as fiercely as you care for others The work of advocating for change is exhausting I encourage you to seek out a trusted circle — whether through employee networks peer support groups or allies within your department — where your emotional labour is understood and honoured de la Ronde worked in the federal public service for 25 years in a variety of roles and departments She has been a mentor and role model for dozens of employees and associates has completed two law degrees and is a motivational speaker She has done all of this while dealing with vision loss since her teenage years Public Service Confidential is an advice column, written for the Ottawa Citizen by guest contributors Scott Taymun, Yazmine Laroche, Daniel Quan-Watson, V. C. de la Ronde and Chris Aylward. The information provided in this series is not legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice. Alberta’s New Democratic Party has voted overwhelmingly to cut traditional membership ties with its federal counterpart Delegates in Edmonton voted Saturday to allow provincial members to opt out of joining the federal NDP a move Leader Naheed Nenshi campaigned on last year the party is shedding what many considered a political albatross Nenshi told reporters the party’s longtime practice of automatically signing up members to the federal party was a sticking point that scared some potential voters and members away Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox very many thousands and thousands of Albertans who really like what the Alberta NDP have to say but don’t necessarily agree with the federal party — and this now gives them that choice,” he said “We will welcome those people into our movement While you’ll still have the option of joining the federal New Democrats Nenshi said his NDP is financially independent and dictates its own policy saying they needed a better answer when voters at the door tied them to the federal party’s positions during the 2023 provincial election The membership practice has long been a target for the governing United Conservatives who say Nenshi’s party answers to political masters in Ottawa that don’t support Alberta’s oil and gas industry said the weekend vote suggested Nenshi’s party wants to distance itself from a “damaged brand” after the federal NDP lost 17 seats and its official party status in Monday’s election remains skeptical the policy change will shield the Alberta NDP from what they called disingenuous attacks “The premier treats Albertans with contempt She thinks that we’ll fall for the most obvious lies and I believe that Albertans are so much smarter than that,” he said Saturday’s vote required more than two-thirds approval from delegates some two or three dozen delegates in a crowd of more than 1,000 stood firmly against the move Some warned that allowing those who don’t share New Democrat values into the fold spells trouble and that it could divide the political movement across the country saying the decision is ultimately unifying a bump up from the 86 per cent he secured in the first ballot of the party’s leadership contest to replace Rachel Notley last June Saturday’s policy shift also represents a rejection of Notley’s allegiance to the federal brand Notley called it dissociating short-sighted and superficial But some of the loudest applause Saturday came when Nenshi got patriotic he asked the crowd of supporters whether Smith is a separatist with some saying the fire was lit when the Liberals won a fourth consecutive federal term earlier this week It comes after Smith’s government introduced legislation early this week that would lower the threshold for citizens to call for a referendum on Alberta’s place in Canada sparking a vocal tide of organizers pushing for a petition Premier Smith has said she supports a sovereign Alberta within a United Canada and Albertans can petition for any ballot question they please A growing group of Indigenous leaders have warned talk of separatism risks violating treaties and some have accused Smith of attempting to manufacture a national unity crisis by enabling a referendum Nenshi said Smith is dragging Alberta away from the rest of the country to feed their “extremist fringe agenda,” and addressed her directly “Stop pretending that it’s just a citizen-initiated process and you’re just standing around watching,” he said in a mocking tone during his convention speech ever let Danielle Smith tear (this) country down,” he said to a wave of cheers — With files from Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton OttawaNewsBody discovered in Rideau River: Ottawa policeBy William EltheringtonPublished: May 04, 2025 at 4:08PM EDT OttawaNewsOttawa Hospital urging patients to arrive at General Campus 45 minutes before appointment due to parking challenges By Josh PringlePublished: May 05, 2025 at 8:02AM EDT Linus Ulmark offered to suit up for his country on home soil at the 2025 IIHF world hockey championships Article contentThough Team Sweden officials appreciated the offer they didn’t allow the Ottawa Senators’ top goaltender to wear the Tre Kronor at the tourney which will begin on May 9 in Stockholm and Herning Ullmark confirmed on locker cleanout day at the Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday that his agent reached out to Swedish officials on Friday after the Senators were eliminated from Round 1 of the National Hockey League playoffs and was told the club already had its goalies but they’ve decided not to go with me,” Ulllmark said Ullmark suited up for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February in Montreal and Boston but would have been excited to have the opportunity to play for Sweden in Stockholm “It would have been a great opportunity to play for Team Sweden back home in Stockholm,” Ullmark said I really wish that I had the opportunity to do that and put the national team jersey on especially when we didn’t make it to the second round “You don’t want to play at the world championship in any way because you don’t want to be available I’m playing second or third round.’ It just meant a bit more this year being home in Sweden and having friends and family come watch you It’s just something that they have to own up to.” If the 31-year-old Ullmark isn’t an option then the Swedes must be looking at either Jacob Markstrom of the New Jersey Devils or Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild Well-respected New York-based writer Per Bjurman who is a columnist for Swedish-based newspaper Aftonbladet told me he thinks management must want Markstrom to be the starter He wasn’t available for the 4 Nations Face-Off because he was out with an injury at the time and that vaulted Gustavsson into a starting role What this means for Ullmark’s status for the 2026 Winter Olympics next February in Milan along with defencemen Jake Sanderson and Tyler Kleven Tkachuk has injury issues that need to heal Sanderson decided not to go and Kleven is a restricted free agent and can’t afford the risk of getting injured That doesn’t mean there won’t be any Senators at the tourney who finished with 24 goals and 79 points in 82 games this season is ready to extend his year with Team Germany “I want to give my body a couple of days to reset and go from there I’ve got to talk to the management and the coaches to see what they think and then go from there.” Defenceman Nikolas Matinpalo was strong for Team Finland at the 4 Nations and there is no reason to believe he won’t get an invitation Montreal’s Nick Suzuki turned down an invite to Team Canada so the country may reach out to Dylan Cozens One player who won’t be suiting up for Team USA is defenceman Nick Jensen He could go under the knife for an undisclosed ailment that he played through from January Jensen rarely participated in the club’s practices or game-day skates during the second half of the season “I’ve been grinding a little bit to get through a lot of these games I’ve been able to get all the way through playoffs with it and I could have continued to play with it,” Jensen said Saturday He added he is “hopeful” he will be ready for training camp in September Jensen was limping when he showed up to speak to the media noted that people didn’t know what Jensen was playing through but that was a hell of a half of a season for him every day,” Chabot said he still dressed and played as hard as he could There aren’t many guys out there who are willing to go through that much during a season.” A 25-year-old man was airlifted to hospital Friday after a single-vehicle crash in South Dundas township south of Ottawa Dundas & Glengarry OPP responded to the collision on Brinston Road shortly before 3 p.m was transported to hospital by air ORNGE with ‘life altering injuries,’ said police The OPP continues to investigate with the assistance of OPP technical collision investigators and a collision reconstructionist Anyone with information is asked to call SD&G OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Seaway Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or you can submit a tip online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca OttawaNewsCinco De Mayo Fiesta celebrates Mexican heritage in the ByWard Market By Camille WilsonPublished: May 04, 2025 at 11:52AM EDT The Ottawa Senators met with the media on Saturday May 3 at the conclusion of the 2024-25 NHL Season The franchise won 45 games and finished the season with 97 points earning a playoff berth for the first time in eight seasons Senators' captain Brady Tkachuk opened the day as the first player to speak His message set the tone with a sentiment that was echoed by every one of his teammates to speak afterwards: this year was a great accomplishment but there's more to come Andlauer down that everybody has the same vision that we really want to accomplish and share this whole experience and these memories with this community as well.” this whole experience of playing in front of this fanbase in playoffs the atmosphere was — the only way I can describe it To be able to play in front of that atmosphere it was truly the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in I couldn’t tell you how excited I was just to step out on the ice They’ve been waiting for a long eight years to be able to share that with them it was so special.” Linus Ullmark echoed Tkachuk's sentiment about how enjoyable playing in Ottawa has been “I’m happy and excited about what’s to come being a number one goaltender for the first real time for the whole season Ullmark also noted his pride in what the team achieved this season defying outside expectations while meeting their own and learning from their experiences “Playing with these guys and seeing how they adapted from game one to game six was a lot of fun I’m very proud and I’m very happy and motivated seeing that It wasn’t that we got ran out of the building four straight like people might’ve thought when we lost the first one we won one of them and we got one on the road.” Thomas Chabot shared the feeling of pride amongst the team in what they accomplished this year but also acknowledged that the work doesn't stop with making the playoffs “We’re going to go into next season and it’s not going to be any easier to get into the playoffs We saw how tight it was this year; it’s going to be the same thing if not even harder next year and you’ve got to focus on that this summer Everybody’s got to go home and do what they need to do to come back as healthy as they can be and as ready as they can be for next season.” This season's taste of the playoffs has created a motivated and hungry team that fans can expect to return at a new level next season Senators' Head Coach Travis Green and President of Hockey Operations & General Manager Steve Staios will conduct their end of season media availabilities on Monday The ‘C’ emblazoned on Brady Tkachuk’s stands for commitment Article contentThe Senators’ captain called any talk that he doesn’t want to be in Ottawa unfounded and he’s determined to help this group make the next step After making the playoffs for the first time since the Senators drafted Tkachuk at No he still isn’t over the club’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1 obviously it’s a lie,” Tkachuk said on Saturday as the Senators cleaned out their lockers at the Canadian Tire Centre But I think it’s on me if I let that bother me or take me off what I’m trying to do “Everybody knows that you do whatever it takes to win and how much they rallied around us … everybody is waiting for it and everybody wants us to accomplish winning the Stanley Cup and I know we’re going to get that much better “There are going to be some amazing memories down the road and I really believe that everybody in this organization wants to win here That’s what makes it fun because everybody has the same goal and wants to accomplish the same thing.” Tkachuk confirmed that he was dealing with recovery from two injuries down the stretch He suffered a hip injury against Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off with Team USA and played through that the rest of the season after missing a couple of games took some time coming back to try to get it as good as possible,” he said Tkachuk won’t be suiting up for the Americans at the IIHF world championship that will get underway later this month in Sweden and Denmark He needs some to rest and get healthy after playing hurt down the stretch to help this club make the playoffs He also suffered an upper-body injury when he was hit by Ryan Graves of the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 30 and didn’t return until the final game of the regular season “I don’t want to diagnose and put it out there let’s just say it’s something you can’t really play through,” Tkachuk said it’s just take the time to get it all healed.” we won’t be seeing Tkachuk at National Hockey League playoff games this spring to watch his brother and the Florida Panthers chase a Cup for the second consecutive spring Making the playoffs lived up to the expectations that Tkachuk had but now he needs to take the opportunity to step away He’d rather still be playing than packing his bags to head back to his off-season home The disappointing 4-2 loss to the Leafs in Game 6 is still too fresh and Tkachuk needs some time to reflect on the season before ramping up to get ready for training camp in September “I’m a little bit sad and disappointed that we’re not playing,” Tkachuk said “We played well enough to get where we were at and it’s disappointing that’s not continuing it’s just taking care of everything I need to take care of for the next couple of weeks individually and decompress and regroup He knows that I’ve always been there every step of the way for him It’s just different this year because we consider ourselves that we should still be playing but it’s definitely time to reflect on everything that’s happened this year.” it’s easy to say he has a special relationship with this city and the fans That’s why he wanted to win so badly to force a Game 7 against the Leafs to try to move on to Round 2 The atmosphere in the building was spectacular and that’s why Tkachuk promised after a Game 4 win that the Senators would bring the series back here for Game 6 but it truly was such an unbelievable atmosphere and experience that I think they deserved it It says a lot because they had such a long eight years you just wish they had more home games played in front of them we absolutely thrive off them and their energy and excitement I think that’s just gonna stick with me all this summer and it’s going to make that next year that much more exciting.”