AI Laws, Trade Freeze, Strike Ends, Bus Inferno and more....

Hello friend,

It’s been a steady week with a mix of calm skies and busy headlines. Trump froze trade talks with Canada after Doug Ford’s TV ad mocked U.S. tariffs, sparking a political storm. Ottawa is making new AI laws to protect kids from deepfakes, and a Manitoba-made farm tool just scored a global spotlight in TIME’s Top 100 Innovations.

Closer to home, Alberta’s teachers are being forced back to class by new legislation, Edmonton’s election count faces an audit call, and a local petition demands safer streets.

Overseas, tragedy struck when a bus in India burst into flames, forcing passengers to smash their way out, and regulators clamped down on risky pre-IPO fund bets.

This week we’re covering:

• 🇨🇦 Trump halts Canada-U.S. trade talks over TV ad spat

• 🤖 Ottawa’s new AI law to block deepfakes & protect kids

• 📚 Alberta ends teacher strike with back-to-work bill

• 🗳️ Call for Edmonton election audit after missing ballots

• 💰 SEBI bans mutual funds from pre-IPO investments

☁️ Alberta’s Week Ahead: From sunny smiles to sweater weather!

This week starts off calm and bright, with gentle sunshine and comfy temperatures around 15 degrees. By Sunday and Monday, clouds move in and light rain may show up here and there. Midweek feels cooler and a bit gloomy, with chilly mornings and breezy afternoons. Things start to lift by Friday with a little more sun sneaking back.

🌬️ From sunny mornings to jacket days — Alberta’s weather is taking it slow, swapping warmth for that cozy fall feel.

• 🇨🇦💥 Trump froze trade talks with Canada after a Doug Ford ad mocking U.S. tariffs aired on TV. He blasted it as “fake” and “disrespectful,” sparking fresh tension between Washington and Ottawa.

• 🚨 Canada’s AI minister Evan Solomon says the incoming privacy-bill will likely include age limits on chatbot use and the right to erase deepfakes, aiming to protect children from harm. (Read more)

• 🌾 A Manitoba-based agricultural invention, the “Razor’s Edge” concave by Thunderstruck Ag Equipment, has been named one of the world’s top 100 innovations by TIME magazine—thanks to its design that boosts combine efficiency, cuts fuel use and handles different crops without switching parts.(Read more)

• 📚 Alberta’s government is ending the teachers’ strike with back-to-work legislation, forcing classes to resume next week. The province says it’s to protect students, but teachers call it an attack on their right to bargain.(Read more)

• 🗳️ Edmonton mayoral candidate Tim Cartmell wants an audit of election results after big vote swings and missing ballot boxes showed up in several wards. He says the system needs a full check for fairness. (Read more)

• 🔴 A petition is gathering in southwest Edmonton calling for major safety upgrades at a well-known dangerous intersection—residents say long waits, blind turns and frequent near-misses make daily commutes a risk. (Read more)

• A bus travelling from Hyderabad to Bengaluru exploded in flames after passengers slept off the festive weekend. Trapped inside, people used phones, elbows and even laptops to smash windows and escape the inferno. The tragic incident has sparked fresh calls for stricter bus-safety rules. (Read more)

• 🔍 India’s Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has told mutual funds they can’t invest in pre-IPO placements—only formal IPOs count. The move aims to stop funds holding unlisted shares if a company fails to list. This shift hits the ₹75 trillion ($860 billion) mutual-fund sector. (Read more)

What to watch this weekend

🎬 Thamma — it’s spooky, stylish, and surprisingly sweet 🧛‍♂️🔥

Ayushmann Khurrana plays a reporter who falls for a mysterious woman, played by Rashmika Mandanna. What starts as a love story soon turns into a wild mix of secrets, laughter, and supernatural twists.

Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, Thamma brings horror and humour together in a fun, light-hearted way that’s perfect for the festive season.

Now playing in cinemas near you!🎬🍿

That’s a wrap for this week’s dispatch! From trade fights and tech reforms to school strikes and street safety, it’s been a week of big moves and bold headlines.

As Alberta cools and fall settles in, take a deep breath, grab a warm drink, and let your weekend slow down a little. If you’re in the mood for something fun — Thamma brings just the right mix of laughs, chills, and Diwali glow to end the week right.

Here’s to calmer days, warmer hearts, and stories that keep you thinking. 🌬️ See you next week with more news, spice, and small wins that matter. 🌤️

— Keyur
Desi Dispatch

Thanks for reading!