Alligator gives Sens captain Erik Karlsson quite the fright in online video

In a video with more than 190,000 views, Erik Karlsson poses in his golfing gear but jumps and yelps when an alligator moves in the bushes — much to the amusement of his cohorts.

Feature Raising Elaan: Profoundly disabled boy's 'co-mommas' make legal history

by Julie Ireton, photos by Simon Gardner

In case you missed this feature from earlier in the week, the story of two parents. They’re best friends, colleagues and neighbours. But Natasha Bakht and Lynda Collins aren’t lovers, so according to law, they couldn’t both be mothers to the same profoundly disabled boy.

Federal union president faces impeachment vote

Emmanuelle Tremblay, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, is facing a recall vote. CAPE is the third largest federal union and represents 13,000 economists, statisticians, translators and policy analysts.

Sunrise Records takes over 70 HMV locations in malls

by Renee Filippone

Seventy HMV locations set to close will operate as Sunrise Records, as the Toronto company takes on the music store leases.

CBC Ottawa's news quiz for the week of Feb. 19

From hockey history to opioid antidotes, from problems at the Mint to pricey phone calls, it's the weekly CBC Ottawa news quiz.

Finance Canada turning to dial-testing focus group for gut reactions to 2017 budget

by Dean Beeby

When Finance Minister Bill Morneau delivers his next televised budget speech, carefully selected people from across the country will be registering their approval or disapproval of each measure he announces in real time.

Ottawa-Vanier byelection: History will be made no matter who wins

by Andrew Foote

Voters in Ottawa-Vanier will elect their first female MP, their first non-Liberal MP, or both on April 3. Here's a look at who's running and what they have to say as the byelection campaign gets underway.

8-year-old boy dead after medical emergency at Orleans Wood Elementary School

An eight-year-old boy is dead after a medical emergency at Orleans Wood Elementary School, according to the school board.

Beware bogus concert and sports tickets: police

by Jessie Park

Police say concertgoers and sports fans are falling for phoney tickets as they search for hard-to-find tickets — and bargains — online.

Boulevard Maisonneuve in Gatineau reopens after sinkhole

Things have returned to normal on Boulevard Maisonneuve in downtown Gatineau after a sinkhole closed a northbound stretch of the road this weekend.

No injuries after Manotick home struck by lightning

No one was hurt after lightning struck a property near Manotick during a rare February thunderstorm, Ottawa Fire Services say.

Ottawa police warn of thin ice after warm weather

Police in Ottawa are warning people to be careful on the ice this weekend after unusual, spring-like temperatures.

Rural residents, business owners near Ottawa demand faster internet

by Julie Ireton

People in Mississippi Mills ramp up a campaign to bring better broadband access to their rural area. Residents and business owners have started a new working group to put together a formal application by April 20 to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's "Connect to Innovate" program

Paul Henderson's sweater to go on display at Canadian Museum of History

by Trevor Pritchard

The jersey Paul Henderson was wearing when he scored his historic goal to win the 1972 Summit Series will be part of a new hockey-themed exhibition at the Canadian Museum of History in 2017.

Complaint forces charity fundraiser to drop 'beauty contest' wording from poster

Organizers of an upcoming Italian-Canadian celebration to mark Canada's 150th birthday say they'll be removing the words "beauty contest" from their posters after receiving criticism — but won't be dropping the competition in question.

Royal Canadian Mint struggles to make money: documents

by Dean Beeby

Once a cash cow, the Royal Canadian Mint is struggling to make money. Internal documents and other reports show the mint is facing strong headwinds as sales of collector coins tank, revenues diminish and profits fall.

'I didn't sleep at all,' says foreign student battling with Ontario immigration computer glitch

by Lorenda Reddekopp

Some foreign graduate students say Government of Ontario computer problems are keeping them from finishing their immigration applications for permanent residency and could ruin their chances for a life in Canada.

Free activities to enjoy with kids this weekend

by Jessie Park

Whether your kids love science, animals or nature, there's something for every family to enjoy this weekend.

Naloxone kits fly off pharmacy's shelves after reports of Kanata overdoses

by Steve Fischer

An Ottawa pharmacy is reporting a big run on naloxone kits following reports this week of drug overdoses among teenagers in Kanata.

Recap Hurricanes blow past Senators to halt 5-game losing streak

Eddie Lack stopped 34 shots for his ninth career shutout to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 3-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators on Friday night.

Airport CEO asks city for more seamless LRT ride to downtown

by Kate Porter

Ottawa's finance committee approves a massive report that details $3.6 billion in procurement for building the second stage of its light rail system between 2018 and 2023.

Ottawa Public Health releases list of pharmacies carrying naloxone

Ottawa Public Health has posted a list showing which pharmacies across the city carry the lifesaving opioid antidote naloxone after facing criticism that information wasn't easily available.

Thunder Bay police continue search for missing Ottawa man

An Ottawa man is still missing after last being seen in Thunder Bay, Ont. in November 2016, according to police in the northwestern Ontario city.

Phoenix Falling 1 year later and Phoenix problems persist

by Jen Beard

The government of Canada launched the IBM Phoenix pay system on Feb. 24, 2016 and since then thousands of public servants have been overpaid, underpaid or not paid at all. And one year later the problems persist.

Province gets 'kickback' from inmates' collect calls, lawyer says

by Judy Trinh

Ottawa criminal lawyer Michael Spratt says the province is getting a "kickback" from commissions it receives on collect calls made from provincial jails. Inmates can only make collect calls, and nearly 300,000 phone calls are made each month.

'His lips were turning blue': mother wants investigation into long wait for ambulance

by Ashley Burke

An Embrun mother wants the province to investigate after she waited 30 minutes for an ambulance to arrive while her baby boy's lips turned blue as he suffered a seizure earlier this month.

City councillors to hold forum on youth drug overdoses

A group of Ottawa city councillors hopes residents will attend a public information session being held after a recent spike in drug overdoses among youth in the city.

Flying tractor-trailer wheel damages 5 vehicles on Highway 401

Five vehicles received "significant damage" when a tractor-trailer's dual wheel fell off on Highway 401 near Prescott, Ont., on Friday morning.

3 for the weekend: theatre, film and music, music, music

by Sandra Abma

The GCTC hosts a new play presented in french with English surtitles. Cecil B. Demille's silent epic The Ten Commandments — gets a dramatic musical treatment. And a cosy home concert offers comfort food to the comforting music.

Tory leadership debate format frees up candidates for spirited fights on key issues

by Peter Zimonjic

The 14 contenders for the Conservative Party leadership held a debate on the big stage at the Manning Centre Conference in Ottawa today, using a fresh format that pitted contenders against one another in small groups instead of letting all the candidates fight it out at once

Parliamentary press gallery pushes back against plan to fingerprint, screen reporters

by Kathleen Harris

The parliamentary press gallery is challenging a proposal to impose RCMP security screening measures on new members, including fingerprinting for criminal record checks.

Banned motorist charged with drunk driving on a gas-powered bicycle

A man police say is banned from driving for life due to impaired driving convictions is facing charges after he was allegedly found riding a gas-powered bicycle while impaired in Brockville, Ont., on Thursday evening.

Ex-Ottawa 67 Bryan Bickell nears NHL return after MS diagnosis

​Carolina Hurricanes forward Bryan Bickell is expected to skate in his first hockey game since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, with the American Hockey League's Charlotte Checkers on Saturday night.

Trains halted due to power outage in southern Ontario getting back on track

by Muriel Draaisma

Some GO trains and all Via Rail trains in Ontario are moving again after a power outage at the CN Rail traffic control centre in Toronto.

Rideau High School classroom an oasis of Inuit culture

by Marc-André Cossette

Every Wednesday, Inuit students at Rideau High School gather to learn about or re-connect with their culture. But the school's scheduled closure may mean the end of this unique program.

Ottawa café touts 'magic' gelato flavour that sends expectant mothers into labour

If rumours are to be believed, Old Ottawa South's own Stella Luna Gelato has created a flavour like no other: one credited with sending "hundreds" of pregnant women into labour.

Freezing rain warning brings wet, slippery conditions to Ottawa

Get ready for a wet and slippery day in the capital region with freezing rain late in the morning mixed with rain through the afternoon and evening.

Kanata parents with drug-addicted children go to meeting hoping for answers

by Steve Fischer

About 200 parents attended a meeting in Kanata Thursday night looking not just for support, but for ways to keep their drug-addicted teens alive.

Ottawa's Anglican clergy gets crash course in using opioid antidote

by Stu Mills

About 20 clergy from the Anglican church were given naloxone kits and shown how to administer the opioid antidote at a workshop in Ottawa on Thursday.

Man, 19, seriously hurt in Rideau Street stabbing

Ottawa police are investigating after a 19-year-old man was stabbed near the Rideau Centre Thursday evening.

Federal public service unions want $75M Phoenix fund in federal budget

Several unions representing federal public servants want a $75-million fund in the upcoming federal budget as they mark the one-year anniversary of the rollout of the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system.

Police, school boards, social agencies must address anti-black racism: report

Police, school boards and other key Ottawa institutions are eroding trust within the city's black community because they aren't properly acknowledging the existence of anti-black racism, according to a new report.

Ontario high school teachers reach tentative deal to extend contracts

Ontario's high school teachers have reached a tentative contract extension with the Liberal government, the last education union to do so.

Phoenix Falling 'Pure, utter devastation,' says public servant with $65K tax slip error

by Ashley Burke

A Canadian public servant on maternity leave says her tax slip is incorrect by $65,000 because of the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system, and she doesn't understand how the government could "mess up so significantly."

Former stripper testifies about accused killer's threats, stolen wages

A former stripper and friend of homicide victim Michael Wassill told an Ottawa courtroom Thursday that his alleged killer became increasingly threatening in the days leading up to his death.

Ontario legislature unanimously passes anti-Islamophobia motion

The Ontario legislature unanimously passed an anti-Islamophobia motion Thursday afternoon, a marked difference from the heated debate happening among Conservatives over a similar motion at the federal level.

Judge rules against staying charges in Gatineau triple killing over trial delay

A Superior Court judge in Gatineau has ruled against staying three charges of first-degree murder against Shakti Ramsurrun, rejecting a defence lawyer's argument that the near five-year delay getting to trial has been unreasonable.

Timeline From Cornwall to the Oscars: How Ryan Gosling made it to the top of Hollywood

by Deana Sumanac-Johnson

Ryan Gosling seems to be at the top of his game following his Oscar nod for his role in critic and fan favourite, La La Land. A sequel to Blade Runner is also in the works. But the London, Ont.-born actor got to the top in his own, winding way.

Bernie Custis, pro football's 1st black QB and former Ottawa Rough Rider, dies at 88

by Dan Ralph

Bernie Custis, pro football's first black quarterback who blazed the trail for future stars like Warren Moon, Chuck Ealey and Damon Allen, has died. He was 88.

Rachel Homan's Ottawa rink still undefeated at Scotties

The Manitobans claimed the top playoff seed beating Ontario's Rachel Homan 9-5 on Thursday night. Both 10-1 to conclude their preliminary rounds, Englot and Homan meet again Friday night in a playoff game.