Weekly News Recap: April 3, 2026

Weekly News Recap: April 3, 2026

PWHL Takeover art. PWHL image.

'Playing like a girl' was used as a demeaning term instead of an empowering one. I am proud to be a girl and rocking the ice. -- Hilary Knight, Captain, Seattle Torrent

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • The WNBA Players Got What They Wanted (The Atlantic) #MorePlease "[Following] a week’s worth of marathon negotiations, the two sides verbally agreed on a deal [...] WNBA players announced that they had ratified the terms of a seven-year agreement, with more than 90 percent of players participating. Under the terms of the deal, WNBA players are in line for a significant salary boost and will receive a share of the league’s revenue that is nearly double the previous amount."

  • Woman Matches into Residency at Same Hospital Where She Worked as a Janitor for 10 Years (Exclusive) (People) Love this. "Shay Taylor-Allen was 18 years old when she got her first job at a hospital. For a decade, she worked as a janitor at Yale Hospital in Connecticut — the same institution where she'll start her anesthesiology residency in a few months. The final-year medical school student, now 32, took the cleaning job fresh out of high school, simply as a way to pay her bills."

  • VIDEO: 70-year-old Saskatoon woman breaks Canadian record for running fastest indoor mile at track event (CBC) SASKATOON STORY #Inspiring "Most people are slowing down when they're 70. Lynne Wawryk-Epp is speeding up. She’s so fast, in fact, that she recently crushed a 20-year-old Canadian record to become the fastest woman in Canada to run an indoor mile in her age category during the University of Saskatchewan Sanderson Classic in January."

  • VIDEO: 'It’s the stories behind these bears': Vancouver 'teddy bear doctor' restores old stuffies (CBC) VANCOUVER STORY We all love our stuffies. "From pet attacks, to missing parts, to just too much loving, there’s almost no teddy bear Ruth Hasman can’t fix. She is a seamstress who has dedicated her retirement to repairing old and broken stuffed animals. Over almost two decades, she imagines she has repaired thousands of stuffed toys from across North America."

  • VIDEO: Hershey says it will go back to classic recipe for all Reese's products after criticism (CBC) #Victory "Hershey said Wednesday it will return all Reese's products to their classic recipes starting next year, after the grandson of the brand's founder criticized the company for switching to cheaper ingredients. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups have always been made with real milk or dark chocolate and peanut butter. But a small portion of Hershey's and Reese's products, like mini Easter eggs, are now made with a coating that contains less chocolate. Hershey said it will switch those products back to their 'classic milk chocolate and dark chocolate recipes' in 2027."

  • VIDEO: TheMoment a bear cub was saved by B.C. volunteers (CBC) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY This cub is SO cute. "Angelika Langen, co-founder of the Northern Lights Wildlife Society, tells The National about the moment her shelter rescued an abandoned bear cub near Kamloops, B.C."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Passing of Dianne Young, First President of the Stollery Children's Hospital (Facebook) EDMONTON STORY I knew and, for a short time, worked alongside Diana in her vision to see this hospital come to life. RIP Diane, we will not see your like again. In a statement from the Stollery Children's Hospital: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dianne Young, the first President and CEO of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation (1999-2007). Dianne’s leadership, vision and unwavering commitment helped shape the early foundation of the Stollery and the impact it continues to have on children and families across Alberta and beyond. Her passion for building something truly special will be felt for generations."

  2. VIDEO: Scientists Filmed a Whale Birth. The Surprise: Mom Had Many Helpers. (New York Times) This is truly beautiful and telling. We are not the only sentient species on this planet. "The episode, involving a group of sperm whales, adds to evidence that humans aren’t the only species that gets some form of assistance during and after delivery."

  3. VIDEO: 'Tell my parents that I love them so much': Tumbler Ridge shooting victim's final words shared on gravestone (CBC) TUMBLER RIDGE STORY Heartbreaking. "The final words of one of the victims of the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., have been shared by his family: 'Tell my parents that I love them so much.' That text is engraved on the gravestone of 12-year-old Abel Mwansa Jr. in his home country of Zambia. Images of the grave were shared by his father, Abel Mwansa Sr., a former pastor in the Zambian town of Solwezi, who moved his family to Tumbler Ridge in 2023 to work in the mining sector."

  4. VIDEO: Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau to retire later this year following language controversy (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "Air ‌Canada president and CEO Michael Rousseau will retire sometime in the fall after nearly ⁠two ⁠decades ‌with the airline [...] a week after he made headlines by issuing an English-only message of condolence following the deadly crash of Flight 8646 in New York."

  5. VIDEO: Canada Post is planning to end home delivery. Here's how community mailboxes will work (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "Canada Post [has] said [...] that it's moving ahead with a transformation plan that includes a transition to community mailboxes, eventually ending home delivery. It's something Public Services and Procurement Canada directed last year — as it faces what's been called an 'existential' crisis and faltering finances."

  6. VIDEO: As Calgary hosts PWHL game, some wonder about city getting its own team (CBC) CALGARY STORY We were there and so was our recap editor, Hillary and her family, including her daughter - a hockey player for 13 years and her young nieces, also hockey players. It is wonderful to see such support for professional women's sport. "Ahead of the Professional Women's Hockey League's (PWHL) Takeover Tour stop in Calgary [...] between the Ottawa Charge and Toronto Sceptres, the league is noticing the city's passion and support for the women's game. PWHL senior vice-president Amy Scheer has attended various events in the city, which included two open practices and autograph sessions with the teams. She said the league is 'thrilled' with the expected attendance of over 15,000."

  7. VIDEO: Artemis II astronauts lift off for NASA's 10-day mission around the moon in Canadian first (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT Godspeed Artemis. And huge congrats to all but especially Jeremy. "Four astronauts shot into space [...] on NASA's Artemis II mission, as they aim to become the first humans in decades to make a trip around the moon and back. Mission commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Jeremy Hansen and Christina Koch launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida [...] Hansen became the first Canadian to reach deep space. 'We are going for all humanity,' he said shortly before liftoff."

  8. Bodies of pilots who died in collision at LaGuardia Airport repatriated to Canada (CBC) CANADIAN STORY #Tragedy "The bodies of the two Air Canada pilots who died in a collision on a runway at LaGuardia Airport [...] have returned to Canada. Pilots carried the casket of Jazz Aviation first officer Mackenzie Gunther off a plane at the Ottawa International Airport [...] Capt. Antoine Forest's body was then flown from Ottawa to Montreal Trudeau International Airport. Forest's death has sparked an outpouring of sympathy in his hometown of Coteau-du-Lac, Que., southwest of Montreal. The Air Line Pilots Association says the deaths of the two young aviators have also shaken up the industry."

  9. Wired headphone sales are exploding. What's with the Bluetooth backlash? (BBC) I love my wired headphones. "Wired headphones were supposed to die with the headphone jack. Instead, they're making a comeback as consumers seek out better sound quality and technology from a simpler time. When Apple ditched the headphone jacks on iPhones in 2016, [many] went into exile [...] Recently, a quiet movement has grown in the shadows based on a controversial truth: wired headphones are better than Bluetooth. Sales are through the roof in recent months. You can often get better sound for the money with a wired pair, but it's not just audio snobs either. Wired headphones are a full-blown cultural trend – a resurgence some tie to a broader anti-tech backlash. Whether it's practical, political or aesthetic, one thing is clear. Wired headphones are back."

  10. VIDEO: Stephen Lewis, Canadian politician, diplomat and journalist, dead at 88 (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Millions of HIV/AIDs sufferers owe their lives to his advocacy. I watched him speak with passion and dignity in Edmonton. RIP Dr. Lewis, we will not see your like again. "Former politician, diplomat and activist Stephen Lewis has died at age 88. Lewis was a former leader of the Ontario NDP, Canadian ambassador to the United Nations and a longtime journalist and environmental activist."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. 5 Simple Exercises To Improve Your Balance at Home (David Lillia) My biggest issue with aging...balance.

  2. Link Bouquet (LinkBouquet.com) A fun way to share a group of URLs.

  3. Why Putting Things Directly on Your Lists Is Destroying Your Productivity (Facile Things) I used to put things directly on a list (it seemed faster) but I now I separate capture (fast) from clarification (efficiency and focus).

  4. 6 Common Reasons Capital Campaigns Fail (and How to Avoid Them) (Capital Campaigns) We have a similar list at ViTreo. Worth reading.

  5. A Brief and Essential History of the Most Important Food Ever Invented: The Pickle (Literary Hub) Mmm...pickles.

  6. Gaslighting Stops The Moment You Respond Like This (Publishous) These are brilliant and easy to use.

  7. Dr. Seuss! The Wonder, The Whimsy, The Wide, Wide World (Life) A genius.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Norris Walker’s $3-million legacy gift supports NC’s Health Education Building (Niagara College) NIAGARA REGION STORY "Niagara College announced a transformational $3 million legacy gift from the Norris Walker family in support of its new Health Education building at its sold-out 34th Annual Gala [...] The $3 million gift builds on a $4 million donation from the Norris Walker estate announced in June 2025, bringing the total bequest to $7 million – the largest legacy gift in Niagara College history."

  2. 407 ETR invests $7.5 million to drive health care forward in Brampton with landmark gift to Toronto Metropolitan University (407ETR) TORONTO STORY "407 ETR announced a transformative $7.5 million investment in the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) School of Medicine."

  3. UCalgary receives $2M from Cenovus Energy (Academica Group) CALGARY STORY "The University of Calgary has received a new $2M investment from Cenovus Energy in support of experiential education and industry-ready learning."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo President & CEO Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca.

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