In the news today: Canada beats South Africa, NWT wildfire evacuation, AI at the UN

Canadian coach Jesse Marsch gathered his players in a huddle after the final whistle and gave a spirited speech in which he called them “Canadian heroes.”

Canada’s next game will be in Houston on July 4, when the team will play the winner of tonight’s round-of-32 matchup between the Netherlands and Morocco.

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Wildfire forces evacuation of remote village in Northwest Territories

A remote community of the Northwest Territories was ordered late Sunday to evacuate as an out-of-control wildfire continues to burn nearby.

The territorial government’s website says the Dehcho fire is roughly seven kilometres west of the Fort Simpson Airport, and wildfire officials estimate the fire is 4.2 square kilometres in size.

Village officials said in a notice that the community’s roughly 1,300 residents should flee to the Multiplex Arena in Yellowknife, about 630 kilometres east of the village.

A social media post from the territory’s wildfire authority says the fire hasn’t made significant growth towards the village, but hot and dry conditions have been challenging for suppression efforts.

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UN ambassador Lametti: Canada pushing for safety, equity in artificial intelligence

Canada is pushing for safe, equitable adoption of artificial intelligence at the United Nations, where Ottawa’s ambassador says AI is a significant priority for his team.

David Lametti, the former federal justice minister who has represented Canada at U-N headquarters since November, says he spends 10 to 15 per cent of his time working on AI governance.

Lametti says countries generally agree on the need for safety in AI, but he says emerging countries are particularly concerned that they might be left behind if they’re not part of crafting how it is used.

Canada has helped host events at the UN looking at the risks of AI as well as how inclusive adoption could empower people with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples and women.

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Some Indigenous people wary of Order of Canada’s “colonial symbolism”: federal study

An internal government presentation says Indigenous community members have encouraged federal officials to reflect on how the Order of Canada can overcome its colonial associations.

The April presentation says recent feedback suggests that accepting the honour “could bring feelings of discomfort or shame” to some Indigenous people due to its colonial links.

Others said the Order of Canada offers an opportunity to advance reconciliation efforts by recognizing Indigenous strength and resilience.

The presentation, prepared for the Order of Canada Advisory Council, says participants framed achievement in terms of service, shared outcomes and community benefit — things which don’t always align with an honours system designed to recognize individual merit.

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Plenty of food and conservation have turned B.C. waters into whale-sighting hot spot

A marine biologist says a rich food supply and past conservation efforts have turned British Columbia’s Salish Sea into a festival ground for whale-spotting.

Julia Adelsheim with Wild Whales Vancouver says the recent sightings of orcas, humpback whales and other large marine mammals indicate their populations have increased in the area.

Adelsheim says humpback whales travelling from Hawaii have also rediscovered the area as a feeding ground, but the recent presence of a grey whale seen from the shores of Vancouver suggests those whales are not getting enough to eat off the Alaska coast.

At least 10 grey whales have washed up dead on B-C beaches in what the Fisheries Department says is likely because of starvation.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

In the news today: Canada beats South Africa, NWT wildfire evacuation, AI at the UN

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