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Sask. jury finds Roderick Sutherland guilty of manslaughter in death of Megan Gallagher

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 21:48:57 +0000

Roderick Sutherland has been found guilty of manslaughter in connection with the 2020 murder of Megan Gallagher.

A 12-person jury at Court of King’s Bench in Saskatoon returned its verdict Friday. Jurors also found Sutherland guilty on charges of unlawful confinement and offering an indignity to human remains.

The decision ends a legal journey for her family that began five years ago when the 30-year-old disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

Police believed within months of her September 2020 disappearance that she had been killed. It wasn’t until two years later that her remains were found on the bank of the South Saskatchewan River, about 105 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon, near the village of St. Louis.

Nine people were eventually implicated in her disappearance and death.

Robert (Bobby) Thomas was the first person charged, on Sept. 20, 2022. He pleaded guilty in October 2024 to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 18 years.

Cheyann Peeteetuce and Summer-Sky Henry were both charged with first-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter in January 2025 and were sentenced to seven years each.

Ernest Vernon Whitehead, Jessica Badger (Sutherland) and John Wayne Sanderson pleaded guilty to offering an indignity to human remains.

Charges against Robin John (unlawful confinement and aggravated assault) and Thomas Sutherland (manslaughter) were stayed before coming to court.

Roderick Sutherland’s trial began Oct. 6. Sentencing will take place at a later date.

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Witnesses describe hearing vehicle the night before N.S. children reported missing

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 20:30:44 +0000

Two people who live near Jack and Lilly Sullivan’s home told police they heard a vehicle coming and going in the middle of the night, just hours before the Nova Scotia children were reported missing, court documents show.

The new details from witnesses are laid out in redacted records that were previously released in August at the request of CBC News and other news agencies. On Friday, new details of the case were released after CBC News fought to have some redactions lifted.

The documents contain court applications filed by investigators for permission to conduct searches for phone records, banking records and video related to the case. They include unproven statements made by police.

Lilly, 6, and Jack, 4, were reported missing on the morning of May 2, when police received a 911 call from their mother Malehya Brooks-Murray. She told police they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, a sparsely populated community about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax.

The siblings lived on the property with their mother, their stepfather, Daniel Martell, the couple’s one-year-old daughter and Martell’s mother.

On May 9, two constables had a conversation with Brad Wong, who lives near the home.

He told them he heard a “loud vehicle” coming and going from that area in the early morning hours of May 2.

“He said his residence is at an elevated position from Daniel’s residence and he could see vehicle lights over the treetops,” said RCMP Cpl. Charlene Curl in her written request to the court.

“He said the vehicle left three or four times after midnight and into the early hours of the morning. He said the vehicle would drive off in the distance and he could hear it stop and then return. He said it remained in earshot the entire time.”

On May 17, a constable took a statement from Justin Smith, who also lives in the area.

Smith said he was awake and on Facebook during the early hours of May 2. Around 1:30 a.m., he heard a car on Highway 289 turn around by the railroad tracks near the area of Gairloch Road and Lansdowne Station Road.

That intersection is near the home where the children went missing.

“It made noise then went quiet. The vehicle was quiet for about two minutes then drove towards Lairg Road,” the RCMP member wrote.

“[Justin Smith] later spoke with Brad Wong who informed him Daniel’s vehicle came and went five or six times that night. Wong said the car Smith heard was Daniel.”

The records detail Martell’s account of the evening before the children were reported missing.

He told police he went to bed “fairly early” and didn’t wake up until it was light the next morning.

The documents said Brooks-Murray told police she put Lilly and Jack to bed first, then their one-year-old daughter, and then went to bed herself around 9 p.m.

She said Martell stayed up and was going to clean the house for her, but it wasn’t clean when she got up so she “doesn’t know what he did.”

“Malehya said she was not woken up throughout the night, and does not know when Daniel came to bed,” the document said.

Family shows property where missing N.S. kids last seen

In a phone interview Friday, Martell said no one from the family left from the property that night and they did not have any visitors.

He said the RCMP never asked him about the vehicle coming and going.

“I know the investigators work hard,” said Martell. “They’re exploring every lead.”

Brooks-Murray has not responded to interview requests.

An investigator’s comment in the same document said that as of July 16, the children’s disappearance was not believed to be criminal in nature.

The RCMP declined a request for an interview Friday.

The records also show that police interviewed one of Brooks-Murray’s relatives, Darin Geddes.

Geddes is believed to have appeared on a YouTube true crime show under the pseudonym Derwood O’Grady, where he put forward a theory that Malehya put the children in a vehicle and sent them away before reporting them missing.

It said Geddes noted his comments “could be wrong, could be speculation.”

“Darin Geddes has suggested in social media posts that Malehya may have been involved in their disappearance, but this is his theory. He has also suggested he might know the location of the children,” an RCMP investigator wrote.

On May 30, two RCMP members met with Geddes, who told them he spoke with Martell a few weeks after the kids went missing and also spoke with Patti Pearson, Brooks-Murray’s grandmother, about the investigation.

“[The constable] said Geddes was confrontational and evasive to questions asked of him and wanted police to provide him with information about the investigation,” the document said.

“He became upset when his questions were not answered.”

On June 26, Brooks-Murray gave police a video recording of a phone conversation between Pearson and Geddes, who is Pearson’s first cousin.

The conversation was recorded on the evening of June 21 and it’s not clear if Geddes knew he was being recorded, but there appeared to be an expectation of privacy, the document said.

It’s not clear from the records exactly what Pearson and Geddes said during the conversation.

CBC News interviewed Geddes on July 4 and he shared similar theories. However, the information could not be verified.

The children’s disappearance in May sparked an extensive grid search that spanned 8.5 square kilometres of mostly dense woods and involved about 160 ground search and rescue volunteers, service dogs, drones and helicopters.

The mysterious nature of the case, fuelled by a lack of answers, has garnered international attention.

Last week, RCMP announced that cadaver dogs did not find human remains in searches conducted around the property and in areas of high probability in the community.

In an interview, Staff Sgt. Rob McCamon reiterated that the case is still being investigated under the Missing Persons Act and is not a criminal case.

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The Best Fitness Watches for Every Kind of Runner

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 20:30:00 +0000

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Runners were some of the first people to embrace smartwatches. I remember back when a “running watch” was a brick-like GPS device strapped to your wrist, and it was a game-changer when those bricks started tracking heart rate as well.

These days, every smartwatch can track your heart rate, not to mention your location and potentially a half-dozen other things. For a running watch to be special, it needs tons of extra fitness-centric features—and some critical small details, like physical buttons. Read on for my picks.

What to look for in a running watch

It’s easy to get lost in spec sheets and marketing claims, but at the end of the day, what matters in a watch is whether it can do what you want a watch to do. Think of it like hiring an employee: you don’t want the person who can do the most things, you want the person who can do the job that you need done.

So here are some things to think about when crafting the “job description” for your running watch. Some might be critical to you; some might be irrelevant.

Does it have physical buttons?

This is the first question that separates running watches (and other serious fitness watches) from general-purpose smartwatches like the Apple Watch.

For most everyday functions, it may not matter if you’re clicking a physical button or booping an icon on a screen. But when you’re running laps at the track, your shaky, sweaty fingers are going to have a hard time with a touchscreen. For that reason, runners often prefer a watch with real buttons. All of my picks below have physical buttons.

How good is the GPS?

All running smartwatches track your location with GPS—that’s the main reason they exist. (To be pedantic about it, GPS is just one type of global navigation satellite system, or GNSS, which is what we really mean when we talk about location tracking.)

But some location systems are more accurate than others. The least accurate watches are the ones that rely on your phone’s GPS rather than having their own built in. (Whoop and some Fitbits, for example.) The most accurate smartwatches use multiple bands per satellite, and work in more parts of the world by supporting multiple networks like GLONASS and Galileo.

Watches that feature “dual-band GPS” are the most accurate among city buildings or under heavy tree cover. Most watches allow you to switch between higher accuracy modes that use more battery and lower accuracy modes that save battery life.

All of my picks below use multiple satellite systems (with one obvious exception, as you’ll see). It’s worth noting that GNSS keeps getting better over the years, so newer models outperform older ones as a general rule.

What is the battery life?

While phone-based smartwatches like the Apple Watch usually need to be charged every day, running and fitness watches typically have a battery life that will last at least a few days between charges. Many will last a week or more, and some Garmins can make it a whole month.

But if you do very long runs—you’re training for a marathon, perhaps—you’ll also want to know how long you can run. Playing music and tracking your location use more power than just wearing a watch in its regular timekeeping mode, so check how many hours of active use the watch provides. I’ll note battery life for my picks below.

Does it help you navigate, or just track where you’ve been?

Some running watches contain a full navigation system, with pre-loaded maps and turn-by-turn directions. Others can lay a trail of digital breadcrumbs for you, letting you see the path you’ve taken and retrace your steps, but without any extra information or help about where exactly you are in the world. All running watches can track your route in a way that lets you see a map when you get home. I’ll note which watches include maps.

Does it tell you what to do, or just track what you’ve done?

Fancier running watches can track your fatigue and readiness, suggest workouts for you, and even guide you along a customized training plan. Meanwhile, the more basic watches will trust that you’re planning your own training; their job is just to be a tool to track what you’ve done.

Do you want a running watch, or a general purpose smartwatch?

Before we get into the specs of the best running watches, an important question to ask yourself is whether you want a running-specific watch with general features, or a general watch that you can bring on a run.

The models below are for running first, everyday life second. Check out my guide on trackers for general health and fitness if you want something that’s more of a “smartwatch I can run with.”

With those features in mind, I have picks for a variety of budgets and needs.

The best overall: Garmin Forerunner 970

Garmin Forerunner 970

$749.99
at Amazon

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Garmin watches for running, specifically the Forerunner line. Currently the newest and best watch in that line is the Forerunner 970. I reviewed its mid-range counterpart, the 570, in detail here. The 970 (like the 570) is a solid running watch with excellent location accuracy and heart rate accuracy. Both watches have tons of training metrics, like heat acclimation, and they feature a speaker and microphone, which earlier Forerunners did not have.

The 970 has a few advantages over the 570. The biggest one is that it can display full-color maps while you’re navigating, a feature that’s incredibly handy if you like to download route files to follow new trails or find your way around when traveling. The other nifty feature is an LED flashlight, which may have originally been meant for outdoor adventures, but which Garmin owners constantly praise for helping them to navigate their house at night without waking a sleeping child or partner.

The best budget pick: Suunto Run

The low end of the running watch market is having a really nice moment. Besides the 255, which I mentioned above, there are a bunch of great lower end watches that you can buy brand-new.

While the Forerunner 55 is probably the cheapest new watch out there, it’s missing a lot of features, like dual-band GPS and resting HRV status. The Forerunner 165 has most of what the 55 is missing, including a nice sharp AMOLED screen, but still no dual-band GPS. One of my favorites in this space at the moment is the Pace 3, by Garmin Competitor Coros.

Instead, take a look at the Suunto Run. I really enjoyed it while I was reviewing it. Besides performing well on everything that matters, it has a bright and clear display, it’s probably the lightest-weight watch I’ve reviewed, and it displays its navigation more clearly than most. It’s $249 normally but often goes on sale—it’s $199 as I’m writing this.

The oldie but goodie: Garmin Forerunner 255

Garmin Forerunner 255

The 2xx line of Forerunner has been the most popular for years. Strava’s end-of-year reports have consistently found four- and five-year-old Forerunners among the most popular devices for serious runners. I personally run with a Forerunner 265S, which since I bought it has been replaced with a newer model (the Forerunner 570).

But there’s a well-kept secret here: the model before the 265 is the 255, and it’s still available for sale. The 255 (and its fuller-featured sibling, the 955) have a reflective MIP screen, nearly all of the training features of the 265 and 570, and pretty much all of the tech that matters, like dual-band GPS. I’ve written more here about why the 255 is such a good buy, even though it’s been a few years since it first launched.

When you buy it, pay attention to whether you’re getting the 255 or 255S (larger or smaller size), and whether or not it’s the “music” version, which can download and play music files without your phone. I carry my phone in my pocket, so this doesn’t matter to me—but it might for you.

The best-kept secret: Coros Pace Pro

Coros Pace Pro

$349.00
at Amazon

Garmin has long been the unquestionable leader in the running watch biz, but I’m seeing more and more runners move to Coros watches. They may not be as common, but their owners love them, citing the lower price for similar features compared to a Garmin. The Pace 3 model is a lightweight MIP screen device that I found couldn’t quite beat out the Garmin on features, but put up a heck of a fight in my head-to-head comparison.

The watch I’d like to spotlight here, though, is the newer Coros Pace Pro. It has an AMOLED screen and features onboard maps, making it pretty comparable to a Forerunner 965 for hundreds of dollars less. When it comes to personal favorites, I still prefer the Garmin ecosystem and the smaller sizes that are available in Garmin watches (the Pace Pro is only available in a 46 millimeter size). But I can’t deny that, when it comes to features and price, the Coros Pace Pro outperforms the Garmin Forerunner 265. For more on the difference between the two brands, check out what happened when I swapped my Garmin for a Coros this summer.

The fancy watch for fancy runners: Garmin Fenix 8 Solar Sapphire

Garmin Fenix 8 Solar Sapphire

$1,099.99
at Amazon

If you’ve got a generous budget for a running watch and you want the best one out there, it’s hard to go wrong with the Fenix line. This one comes in three sizes and several different feature sets, but I’d like to highlight this one. It has a sapphire screen, meaning it’s literally made of sapphire mineral for scratch resistance. It also features solar charging, so you can extend your battery life outdoors without needing to stop to charge on long outings.

Garmin also introduced an AMOLED screen on the Fenix 8, but AMOLED and solar charging don’t go together, so you’ll have to choose one or the other.

Fenix watches, generally, have all of Garmin’s best bells and whistles, with an incredible battery life. In smartwatch mode you’re looking at a couple of weeks, not days (four weeks with solar charging is the official estimate), and the watch will last 13 hours of active use with all-systems GPS and music playing.

The barebones option that elite runners use: Timex Ironman

Yes, this is a “dumb” watch. No, I’m not including it as a joke. A lot of runners—including, and I might say, especially the pros—find the fancy features of smartwatches to be more of a distraction than a help.

The Timex Ironman is a watch with physical buttons, a stopwatch, and a backlight that you can turn on when needed, and it retails for $60. It can remember your split times for a whole workout, and your average and best splits for past workouts.

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Striking Alberta teachers refuse to engage in talks that exclude pupil-teacher ratio

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 19:52:55 +0000

The association representing 51,000 Alberta teachers who have been off the job since Oct. 6 says they have been asked to return to classrooms voluntarily and attend talks where class-size caps and pupil-teacher ratios were off the table.

As classes were cancelled for the ninth day for about 750,000 students, Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling said teachers turned down a request to attend “enhanced mediation” meetings that would prevent teachers from taking any job action for a month.

Schilling said the association wouldn’t participate in what he said was a process biased in favour of employers, adding that he found the proposal insulting.

“This is one of the driving factors that teachers have been pushing for,” Schilling said at a Friday news conference. “They’ve been talking about the fact that their classrooms are overcrowded, that they do not have the resources to meet the needs of their students.”

At a news conference in response on Friday afternoon, Premier Danielle Smith said Albertans should “fully expect” legislation forcing teachers back to week during the week of Oct. 27, should the parties fail to reach a deal by the time the legislative session starts.

“We don’t want to be impacting the ability of kids to start planning for where they’re going to go to university, and it starts impacting them as soon as Grade 11 because you can get early admission into university,” she said.

The ATA hasn’t yet said whether it would challenge any back-to-work legislation in court.

A letter from the finance minister’s office on Thursday, released by the ATA, suggested that the parties submit proposals to a mediator about teacher salaries and classroom complexity. The ATA removed any signatures from the letter before its release.

Complexity refers to educator concerns about a growing number of students who need individual attention and help for needs such as learning English, behavioural challenges, mental or physical health conditions, or disabilities.

“By committing to this process, we are directing the mediator to consider the diverse causes of these complexities and consider similarly diverse solutions that could be implemented with flexibility to respond to varying needs, that are actionable within reasonable investments and resourcing, and relying on a committed partnership of the teachers, their employers,” the letter says.

“In any event, the mediator’s recommendations cannot provide for hard caps on classroom sizes or student-teacher ratios.”

The letter says the government assumes the ATA would prefer mediation over back-to-work legislation or a prolonged strike.

“As strong and free Albertans, we will not be intimidated and ruled by threats that attempt to force us back to work and away from our principles,” Schilling said, alluding to a new provincial licence plate motto unveiled on Wednesday by the premier.

At the government news conference in Calgary on Friday, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides said he hears teachers’ concerns about class sizes and complexity, and is willing to hire more teachers and school support staff and build schools to improve conditions.

Smith said mechanisms such as class-size caps and pupil-teacher ratios deprive school boards of staffing flexibility to respond to local needs.

“Unfortunately, the ATA is fixated on a single solution, and that’s part of the problem,” she said.

Meanwhile, Alberta Education said Friday it will be optional for any student slated to write a diploma exam in November to sit for that exam.

A news release said the change was a result of the teachers’ contract dispute. January diploma exams are slated to proceed as usual, and make up 30 per cent of a student’s final grade in a diploma course required for graduation.

After voting down two contract offers in five months, teachers working in every public, Catholic, and francophone school in Alberta walked off the job on Oct. 6. Three days later, their employers locked them out.

Around 750,000 students are out of class.

Teachers are not being paid, or collecting strike pay during the lockout.

Educators say they want larger pay increases than employers have offered, to make up for a decade of relatively stagnant wages while costs rose substantially.

Employers had most recently offered a general wage increase of 12 per cent over four years, with grid adjustments in 2026 that would give some teachers additional increases.

Teachers also voted down an offer from the government to pay for 3,000 more teachers and 1,500 more educational assistants by 2028.

The ATA has said without student-teacher ratios or measures to address complexity, the problematic conditions in classrooms will persist. The association has said legal mechanisms keeping classroom makeup reasonable will protect students for perpetuity, and that time-limit promises to hire more staff will not.

Most Canadian provinces have a legal mechanism, in legislation or in the teachers’ contract, limiting class sizes and/or students with complex needs.

Class complexity is to be added to Sask. teachers’ contract. But how will that work?

This week, the premier has floated the idea of a “complexity cap” that would add more educational assistants to schools, or striking a commission to study schools, as the Progressive Conservative government did in 2002 in response to the last widespread teachers’ strike.

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Jane Siberry among musicians to be inducted into Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 18:02:00 +0000

When organizers at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame asked k.d. lang if she would induct Jane Siberry in recognition of her career penning lyrical gems, her response was a quick yes.

“There was no question, because Jane’s songwriting has meant so much to me,” lang explained in a recent interview.

“She’s 100 per cent an artist. She’s an intellect, a free spirit, unique and fearless. She falls into the grand lineage of Canadian songwriters quite easily,” she said.

“I’m not quite sure she’s of this planet, respectfully,” she added.

Explaining precisely what makes Siberry’s songs resonate is difficult.

Many of her best-known works, which include Mimi on the Beach and It Can’t Rain All the Time, thrive on their lyrical mystery, at once specific and intentionally imprecise.

Siberry tells stories that weave the individual, the collective and the spiritual together. They’re rich in complex themes and deep introspection of the intangible human experience.

“It’s similar to Leonard Cohen — her lyrics always provide some parallel to your own life,” lang said. “It doesn’t give you solutions, but it gives you a path to provoke your own compassion.”

The Grammy-winning performer intends to express those sentiments to Siberry during a Hall of Fame gala at Toronto’s Meridian Arts Centre on Friday.

Siberry is part of this year’s cohort in the Legends Induction Series, a spinoff of the main Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame event.

The night will honour Canadian songwriters who helped define Canadian culture and shaped the global soundscape, with Siberry joined by fellow inductees Andy Kim, Gino Vannelli, Ian Thomas and rock trio Triumph.

Siberry admits that learning about her honour led to some mixed emotions at first, as she was deep into the production of a three-part studio album project, her first release in a decade.

“It was uncomfortable at first, now I’m really into it,” she said of the induction. “I think I was just so focused on the new recording. I just didn’t want to tear myself away, and it seemed like a distraction.”

After some further consideration, Siberry said her ego might’ve gotten in the way for a brief period.

“I cleared that up in myself and realized this is an opportunity for lots of happiness,” Siberry added.

In a news release, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame’s executive director Nick Fedor said this year’s honourees “embody the values that define Canadian songwriting: artistic courage, cultural contribution and storytelling that transcends genre and language.”

“The Legends Series is more than an awards show,” he said. “It’s a national stage for celebrating legacy, inspiring the next generation and elevating the role of the songwriter in our cultural identity.”

Next month, songwriting legends François Cousineau, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Michel Pagliaro and Florent Vollant will be honoured in Montreal.

Following the ceremonies in Toronto and Montreal, this year’s inductees will be added to the CSHF’s permanent location at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre, in Calgary.

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Aiming high for 2028 Olympics, Ben Flanagan eyes Canadian title over record time in marathon debut

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:41:10 +0000

Ben Flanagan watched the Chicago Marathon last weekend with greater focus and attention to detail than previous years, primarily for research purposes long-term, but also in preparation for his Toronto Waterfront debut on Sunday morning.

“A lot of guys I’ve competed against ran well, which is intimidating and exciting,” said the native of Kitchener, Ont. “I feel they are a few steps ahead of me because I’m so new to this.

“Guys with similar resumés to me are enjoying a lot of [marathon] success, so it is encouraging.”

One of them, Alex Masai of Kenya, trains with HOKA Northern Arizona Elite. He posted a personal-best time of two hours four minutes 37 seconds for third place in Chicago. Back in March, Masai finished sixth at the New York City Half Marathon, one spot and 14 seconds ahead of Flanagan.

The Canadian, who ran on the track in the 5,000 metres in his 2024 Olympic debut, came out of New York thinking 2:08 or 2:09 for his first marathon, but Flanagan’s priorities for this weekend shifted after a shorter and less-than-perfect build while recovering from a partially torn labrum in his left hip joint.

“I had a slice of humble pie through the spring and summer,” Flanagan told CBC Sports this week from his home in Cape Cod, Mass. “2:08 is already hard but it’s a lot harder when your [marathon] build gets interrupted [by injury], or it’s not long enough.

“The time [on Sunday] means a lot less to me than it did months ago. I’m not in an Olympic or world championship year having to hit [a qualifying standard]. The goal for this marathon is for it to be the worst one [of my career]. I would consider it a success by winning the Canadian championship.”

Justin Kent, Thomas Broatch and Trevor Hofbauer are the Canadian elite men’s champions of the past three years at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon and finished in the 2:11-2:16 range.

Watch live coverage of the Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.

For Jon Green, Flanagan’s coach the past 10 months, it’s about the athlete enjoying the marathon experience in their debut.

“It can be a daunting task since the next major distance below is half the marathon distance [of 42.2 kilometres],” said Green, who watched another of his Canadian athletes, Rory Linkletter, run a PB in Chicago and finish 73 seconds shy of Cam Levins’s 2:05:36 national mark.

“I want Ben to enjoy it and be competing with athletes around him in that final 10 km. Based off what I’ve seen [in his recent workouts] I think he’s ready to be competing for the Canadian championship.”

There was a time when Flanagan wondered if he would take the start line in Toronto. He wasn’t running 60 km in training until the end of July and wasn’t in good form until August, but workouts improved in a hurry.

“I ran 150 to 160 kilometres in six days and got use to race pace getting through 35 km and 38 km runs,” said Flanagan, a three-time Canadian 10K champion and former Canadian half marathon record holder. Learning more about the marathon was paramount during this build.

“The pace is faster than I thought. Even at a slower pace, when you’re going that long, it’s harder than I expected,” he said. “Fuelling was a huge learning curve, how to digest [sports drinks] fast. I got to a point where every 5K [in training runs] I would get a bottle, take three sips and toss it.”

Staying patient, getting the proper fuel during the race and challenging himself when it gets tough will be key, noted Flanagan, whose wife and seven-month-old daughter will be among a support group of 20 to 50 family and friends in Toronto.

“I’ve learned a lot and found a lot of areas for improvement. I’m ready for things to be harder than I want,” said Flanagan, who was sick the final two weeks of his build. “I’m not in the best shape of my life, but I feel like I’m ready to have a good race.”

Levins ran 2:09:25 in his marathon debut in Toronto on Oct. 21, 2018 to shatter Jerome Drayton’s 43-year-old Canadian men’s record.

“In my experience, the last 10K [in Toronto] is the hardest part of the race. It feels like the wind is usually against you,” Levins told CBC Sports. “Even though it’ll feel easy to run fast and cook in the first 30K, you gotta have something in the tank for the last 10 or 12K. Or, at least be grouped with someone so you’re able to share the work.”

Broatch, who ran 2:10:35 this past January in Houston, is recovering from appendicitis and won’t compete Sunday. Longtime steeplechase racer John Gay of Kelowna, B.C., also coached by Green, was set to make his marathon debut, but is out with an undisclosed injury.

In their absence, Toronto’s Andrew Alexander and Phil Parrot-Migas of London, Ont., could shine and pose a challenge to Flanagan’s Canadian title pursuit that begins at 8 a.m. ET.

Alexander, 26, has had a breakthrough season on the road with a 2:12:55 PB in Houston in January and was third at the Canadian 10K road running championships.

The 32-year-old Parrot-Migas recorded a 2:13:24 PB in Houston, over two minutes faster than his previous best, and less than three months later successfully defended his Around the Bay 30K title in Hamilton.

“The Canadian marathon scene has steadily improved the last few years. Seeing Ben Preisner in the 2:08s and another group enter the conversation that [soon] could be under 2:10, I think it’s going to make us all better,” Flanagan said. “But I’m paying attention to 2:06 and 2:05 now and [thinking] about Rory [Linkletter] and Cam [Levins].

“If there’s anything I learned from Tokyo and missing out on the [2021] Olympic team, it’s you can’t expect everything to work out. You have to aim for the best.

“I want to be running 2:05 in that [2028 Los Angeles] Olympic build,” continued Flanagan. “I don’t want to be relying on other people’s performances and not being there. I want to be one of the top guys.”

Meanwhile, Dayna Pidhoresky and Rachel Hannah are two elite athletes to watch in the women’s marathon on Sunday.

Pidhoresky, a 2021 Olympian, is making her fifth appearance in the Toronto Waterfront event. The 38-year-old, who was the top Canadian woman with a 2:29:03 PB in 2019, won the Vancouver Marathon for the third time five months ago.

Hannah, 39, clocked 2:34:42 in the Boston Marathon this year and consistently runs in the 2:34 range. In May, the nutritional consultant from Port Elgin, Ont., was fifth in the women’s race at the Canadian 10K Road Running Championships in Ottawa.

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The Best Marathon Training Plans, Based on Your Fitness Level

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 16:00:45 +0000

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After crossing six marathon finish lines—and with NYC coming up in just two weeks—I’ve learned that the right training plan can make or break your 26.2-mile journey. The difference between hitting the wall at mile 20 and finishing strong often comes down to matching your plan to your current fitness level (and all the brutal honesty that entails). I’ve tried several of the most popular programs out there, and here’s what actually works, based on my experience and countless miles logged.

For beginners: The foundation builder (16-20 weeks)

Who this is for: You can comfortably run 3-4 miles and want to finish your first marathon without injury.

My first marathon was a humbling experience, but I’m grateful I didn’t rush the process. Beginner plans should prioritize building endurance gradually, with most runs at an easy, conversational pace.

My top advice for beginners is to focus on the long run progression. Increase your longest run by just one mile every 1-2 weeks. This slow build prevents injury and teaches your body to process fuel efficiently. I recommend the run-walk method popularized by Jeff Galloway—there’s zero shame in walking breaks, and they actually helped me finish my first marathon feeling stronger than friends who pushed through without them.

Hal Higdon’s Novice 1 & 2 (18 weeks)

This is where I started, and I recommend it to every first-timer who asks. Higdon’s plans are beautifully simple and forgiving. Novice 1 has you running just 3-4 days per week with optional cross-training, peaking at 40 miles weekly. The progression is gentle, and the instructions are crystal clear—no confusing pace calculations or complicated workouts.

What I love: The plan includes walking breaks and doesn’t overwhelm you with jargon. It’s free online and has a massive community following it, so you’ll find plenty of support.

Best for: True beginners or anyone returning from a long break who wants a straightforward, proven approach.

Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster (16 weeks)

This three-runs-per-week plan surprised me with how effective it could be with lower volume. Each run has a specific purpose: track repeats, tempo run, and long run, supplemented with mandatory cross-training.

What I love: It’s perfect for busy people or those worried about injury from high mileage. The structure is rigid but efficient.

Best for: Beginners who can only commit to three running days a week but want to still see progress, or those cross-training heavily in other sports.

For intermediate runners: The performance enhancer (16-18 weeks)

Who this is for: You’ve completed at least one marathon or regularly run 25+ miles per week and want to improve your time.

This is where training gets interesting. You’re no longer just trying to finish, but actually chasing a PR or a specific time goal. Tempo runs changed everything for my third marathon. Running at or slightly above your goal marathon pace for sustained periods teaches your body what that pace feels like and builds the mental toughness to maintain it when you’re tired. I do these midweek: Warm up for 10-15 minutes, run 5-8 miles at tempo pace, then cool down.

Hal Higdon’s Intermediate 1 & 2 (18 weeks)

I used Intermediate 1 for my last marathon and knocked 22 minutes off my previous time. The plan bumps you up to 5 days of running per week, peaking around 50 miles, and introduces pace runs and tempo work without being overwhelming.

What I love: It maintains Higdon’s accessible approach while adding the speed work you need to improve. The balance between hard efforts and recovery is well-calibrated for someone still building their base.

Best for: Runners who had success with a beginner plan and want to level up gradually with a familiar structure.

Hanson’s Marathon Method: Beginner/Just Finish (18 weeks)

Don’t let the “beginner” label fool you—Hanson’s approach is unconventional and challenging. Unlike other plans, your longest run caps at just 16 miles, but you’re running higher weekly mileage (peaking around 57 miles) with less recovery between hard efforts. The philosophy is “cumulative fatigue,” where you learn to run on tired legs.

What I love: The plan forces you to respect your easy pace and teaches you to run marathon pace when you’re already fatigued, which is exactly what race day feels like.

Best for: Runners ready to commit to six days per week of running who want to break through a plateau. Not ideal for injury-prone runners due to the accumulated fatigue.

For advanced runners: The time trialer (16-20 weeks)

Who this is for: You’ve run multiple marathons, consistently train 40+ miles per week, and are chasing ambitious time goals or Boston qualification.

At this level, the margins are smaller and the training is more sophisticated. You’re fine-tuning an already efficient engine. Marathon pace long runs are your secret weapon. Rather than running all long runs easy, incorporate marathon pace segments into your longest runs. For example, run 18 miles with miles 10-16 at goal marathon pace. This teaches your body to run fast on tired legs—exactly what you’ll face on race day. My last two marathons improved dramatically after I started doing this, particularly with Pfitzinger’s approach.

Pfitzinger’s Advanced Marathoning: 18/55 or 18/70 (18 weeks)

Pete Pfitzinger’s plans are the gold standard for serious marathoners. The plan features medium-long runs, marathon pace segments within long runs, lactate threshold workouts, and VO2 max intervals. Everything is purposeful and periodized.

What I love: The variety keeps training interesting. A medium-long run (12-15 miles) on tired legs taught me more about marathon pacing than anything else. Pfitzinger respects recovery while still pushing you hard.

Best for: Experienced runners chasing specific time goals who can commit to 6-7 days per week. The 18/70 plan is for those targeting sub-3:00 or are already comfortable with high mileage.

Hanson’s Marathon Method: Advanced (18 weeks)

The advanced version of Hanson’s method maintains the 16-mile long run cap but pushes weekly mileage to 63+ miles with more intense tempo work and speed sessions. Three “something of substance” (SOS) workouts per week make this plan demanding.

What I love: If cumulative fatigue works for your body, this plan delivers results. You’ll run marathon pace so often in training that race day feels familiar rather than daunting.

Best for: High-mileage runners who recover quickly and aren’t injury-prone. The frequent hard efforts can break down runners who need more recovery between quality sessions.

Jack Daniels’ Elite Marathon Plan (24 weeks)

This plan is out of my league, but it’s well-known and highly trusted among runners. It includes four phases: base, quality, speed, and taper. Peak mileage can exceed 80 miles per week with multiple quality sessions. The plan uses precise training zones and includes marathon pace runs within long runs.

What I love: If you’re chasing an aggressive goal and have the time to commit, this plan leaves no stone unturned. The 24-week timeline allows for gradual, sustainable building.

Best for: Runners targeting Boston qualification or personal bests who have successfully completed multiple high-mileage training cycles. This isn’t a plan to jump into lightly.

Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster: Advanced (16 weeks)

Even at the advanced level, this plan keeps you at just three hard running days per week, but the intensity is dramatically higher. Track workouts, tempo runs, and long runs with pace work are all challenging, with mandatory cross-training filling other days.

What I love: For anyone balancing high training stress from other areas of life, this proves you don’t need massive mileage to run fast.

Best for: Advanced runners who can handle high intensity but need lower running volume due to injury history, age, or life constraints.

How to choose the right plan for you

Mileage comfort: Be honest about what your body can handle. If you’ve never run 50 miles in a week, don’t start with a plan that peaks at 70.

Time commitment: A six-day-per-week plan requires different life logistics than a three-day plan. Consider your work schedule, family obligations, and other commitments.

Coaching style: Higdon is encouraging and simple. Pfitzinger is detailed and scientific. Hanson’s is contrarian and tough-love. Pick a voice that motivates you.

Track access: Some plans require a track for specific workouts. If you don’t have access, choose plans with more flexible tempo runs and hill work.

Injury history: Higher mileage and frequent intensity increase injury risk. If you’re injury-prone, consider Hanson’s approach (lower long run), Runner’s World (lower volume), or building slowly with Higdon.

Universal advice across all levels

Listen to your body over your plan. Every plan I’ve followed required adjustments. Illness, work stress, unusual fatigue—these happen. Missing one workout won’t derail your marathon, but running through injury absolutely will.

The taper is sacred. Regardless of your level, reduce mileage by 20-30% three weeks out, then another 40-50% two weeks out, with race week at minimal mileage. You might feel antsy or even sluggish initially—that’s normal. Trust every plan’s taper—they all agree on this.

Race day strategy matters as much as training. Start conservatively—the first half should feel easy. I’ve watched countless runners blow up after going out too fast. Negative splitting (running the second half faster than the first) is the most satisfying way to finish.

Find your community. Whether it’s a running club, online forum, or training partners, having support makes the long training cycle infinitely more bearable. Some of my best friendships started on early morning long runs. Most of these plans have dedicated online communities where you can find others following the same schedule.

The marathon is a humbling, rewarding distance that teaches you as much about mental strength as physical endurance. Choose the plan that matches where you are now, not where you wish you were. I’ve had success with Higdon’s approachable structure, Pfitzinger’s scientific periodization, and learned valuable lessons from Hanson’s cumulative fatigue philosophy. Trust your training, respect the distance, and enjoy the journey. Every marathon I’ve run has been different, but the feeling of crossing that finish line never gets old.

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Striking B.C. public service workers agree to mediation after 7 weeks on pickets

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 15:38:52 +0000

The union representing 34,000 striking public sector workers says it will enter mediation over a labour dispute that has threatened the delivery of services in the province.

“We’re committed to exploring every option to achieve a fair and respectful agreement for our members,” said B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) president Paul Finch in a release Friday.

The union said the decision follows a request from government on Thursday.

“Mediation represents a next step toward resolving this dispute in a way that respects the vital work our members do every day,” said Finch.

The union said mediation would begin as soon as possible, but workers would continue with pickets across the province during the process.

Its result will be non-binding, meaning any tentative agreement will need to be decided on by a vote my union members. About 34,000 members are part of the bargaining unit that is currently involved in job action, around 25,000 of whom have been actively striking.

The BCGEU is seeking a four per cent general wage increase each year for two years.

BCGEU members began a strike on Sept. 2, which resulted in pickets at government offices and service locations.

Restaurants and bars have been hit especially hard with the shutdown of B.C.’s provincial liquor distribution network.

As the strike wears on, with the two sides in disagreement over appropriate wage increases for a new two-year deal, the union has continued to increase the number of members walking off the job.

This week, the BCGEU said it was coming close to a “near-full walkout,” according to Finch.

All Service B.C. locations were behind pickets as of Wednesday, but those offices will continue to provide essential services for people who rely on it, although timelines may be longer than usual, the province said in a release.

Also this week, the Professional Employees Association said its engineers, geoscientists and mining inspectors are among those now on the picket lines, but some of its essential members will remain on.

In a statement on Friday the province said, “the strike is having an impact on the public, businesses and employees, and government is committed to reaching a fair agreement that works for everyone.”

It confirmed it and the BCGEU had entered mediation with mediators Vince Ready and Amanda Rogers, “in an effort to find a resolution to the current dispute between the parties that has resulted in the public-service strike.”

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Trio given suspended jail sentences, community service following Wet’suwet’en blockade

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:54:53 +0000

A Wet’suwet’en leader and two other pipeline opponents have been given suspended jail sentences and community service for breaking an injunction against blocking work on the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

“Historically, this type of suspended sentence was akin to a form of judicial clemency,” said B.C. Supreme Court Justice Michael Tammen on Friday.

“In this case, it is appropriate to extend such judicial clemency, in part based on the need to foster reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.”

Sleydo’, also known as Molly Wickham, a wing chief of Cas Yikh, a house group of the Gidimt’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, Shaylynn Sampson, a Gitxsan woman with Wet’suwet’en family ties, and Corey Jocko, who is Kanien’kehá:ka from Akwesasne, were found guilty of criminal contempt in January 2024.

They were arrested in November 2021 at a blockade on Wet’suwet’en traditional territory for breaking a 2019 injunction against people blocking work on the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

Tammen gave Sleydo’ a net sentence of 17 days, Jocko received a net sentence of 12 days and Sampson was given a net sentence of 9 days.

But their terms are suspended, and jail time will only be served if there are further breaches of the injunction or recognizance conditions in the next year. Each must complete 150 hours of community service.

The Crown sought jail time for the accused, saying it was needed to preserve the rule of law and deter both those convicted and the wider public “from similar actions.”

Crown lawyer Paul Battin argued custodial sentences were warranted due to social media posts that called for others to join the blockade after the injunction was imposed, the risk to CGL workers who were unable to leave the blockade area for four days and the risk to RCMP enforcing the injunction.

“This sentencing is about how these three contemners acted. On how those views, and how those actions, undermine the court’s reputation and the rule of law,” said Battin Wednesday.

But defence lawyer Frances Mahon argued more jail time would further degrade the integrity of the court following an abuse of process ruling, and said Thursday that time served would be a more appropriate sentence.

In February, Sleydo’, Jocko and Sampson brought forward the abuse of process application that alleged RCMP used excessive force during their arrests.

Justice Tammen found some of their Charter rights — to life, liberty, and security of person — were breached during arrest, and also referenced recordings where several police officers on two separate occasions compared Sleydo’ and Sampson, who wore a red handprint painted on their faces, to orcs in the movie The Lord of the Rings.

“I found those comments to be grossly offensive, racist and dehumanizing,” said Tammen during his decision Friday.

Tammen said he also took into account the extensive time the three spent in RCMP transport vehicles, calling Sleydo’, Jock and Sampson’s experience “harsh” and “arduous.”

Court heard the three spent hours from Nov. 19 to Nov. 22 without washroom breaks at various times during their transport, and sometimes up to 11 hours without a meal.

Battin also said the beliefs of Sleydo’, Jocko and Sampson did not justify their choice to defy a court order, and referenced prior Court of Appeal decisions where the beliefs of an Indigenous person convicted of criminal contempt were not factored into sentencing.

But Mahon said history must be taken to account, referencing the 1997 Delgamuukw decision and a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in 2020 between Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and the federal and provincial governments, arguing neither have been implemented in a meaningful way.

“We’re not talking about beliefs here,” Mahon said.

“We’re talking about this specific history, which has, in essence, constrained the circumstances of the Wet’suwet’en to prove its title beyond the recognition that the provincial and federal governments have not extinguished it.”

“This is an integral component of why they have come before the courts,” Mahon said.

Tammen said he agreed with the defence that the failure to meaningfully implement the MOU was part of what led to the “offending behaviour” that brought the three to court.

“I do consider it as an extremely unique circumstance, which should be considered,” said Tammen.

“I am also mindful of the fact that the dark shadow of the legacy of colonization looms large in the broader backdrop to this case.”

The Crown sought a sentence of 30 days for Sleydo’, 25 days for Jocko and 20 days for Sampson, with reductions for time served, and the two to five-day credit proposed as a remedy as a result of the abuse of process ruling.

Tammen granted a reduction with credit, resulting in a ten day deduction for Slaydo and Jocko, and an eight day deduction for Sampson. As a remedy for the abuse of process ruling, Tammen granted three days.

The defence sought a sentence of time served or a conditional sentence order with 100 to 150 hours of community service to respond to the continued overincarceration of Indigenous people.

Tammen said he largely agreed with the Crown’s submission and determined sentences of 30 days for Sleydo’, 25 for Jocko and 20 days for Sampson before credits, but chose to suspend the implementation of the remaining jail sentences in hopes to “foster respect for the common law courts of Canada.”

“If by suspending the implementation of the remaining jail sentence in this case, I can advance the goal of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, even infinitesimally, I should seriously consider it,” said Tammen.

“In my view, right thinking members of society would not view the sentence I have imposed as unduly lenient, nor in my view does this sentence risk erosion of respect for the courts or the rule of law.”

The blockade delayed, but did not stop, the completion of the 670-kilometre pipeline, which carries natural gas across northern British Columbia to a terminal in Kitimat for export to Asia. LNG Canada exported its first shipment in June.

Sleydo’ said at the end of sentencing arguments Thursday that Wet’suwet’en land “has never been ceded or surrendered.”

“We are more than just our songs and dances. Our ancestors said we are the land, and the land is us. Our laws flow from the land, we are nothing without it.”

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‘We are the land,’ Sleydo’ tells B.C. court at Wet’suwet’wen blockade sentencing

Sarah Taylor — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:54:53 +0000

A Wet’suwet’en leader convicted after blocking work on the Coastal GasLink pipeline addressed a B.C. Supreme Court at the end of sentencing arguments on Thursday, telling the judge her land “has never been ceded or surrendered.”

“We are more than just our songs and dances. Our ancestors said, we are the land, and the land is us. Our laws flow from the land, we are nothing without it,” Sleydo’ said at the end of the hearing.

Sleydo’, also known as Molly Wickham, a wing chief of the Gidimt’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, was one of three people found guilty of criminal contempt last year for breaking a 2019 injunction against people blocking work on the Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline in November 2021.

Shaylynn Sampson, a Gitxsan woman with Wet’suwet’en family ties, and Corey Jocko, who is Kanien’kehá:ka, were also convicted.

Justice Michael Tammen is expected to hand down a decision on Friday, after sentencing arguments were delivered over Wednesday and Thursday in Smithers, B.C.

The Crown is seeking jail time for the accused, saying it is needed to preserve the “rule of law” and deter both those convicted and the wider public “from similar actions.”

“This sentencing is about how these three contemners acted, on how those views, and how those actions, undermine the court’s reputation and the rule of law,” said Crown lawyer Paul Battin.

But defence lawyer Frances Mahon argued more jail time would further degrade the integrity of the court following an abuse of process ruling , and argued time served would be a more appropriate sentence.

In February, Sleydo’, Jocko and Sampson brought forward the abuse of process application in that alleged RCMP used excessive force during their arrests.

Justice Tammen found some of the accused’s Section 7 rights— life, liberty, and security of person — were breached during arrest, and referenced recordings where several police officers on two separate occasions compared Sleydo’ and Sampson, who wore a red handprint painted on their faces, to orcs in the movie The Lord of the Rings.

“The court found that these comments were racist, grossly offensive, dehumanizing.… They mocked a well-known symbol of the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit,” Mahon said.

“What does it say to Canadians, to international observers and to Indigenous people, that victims of this hideous racism will be sent to jail to serve further time, notwithstanding this misconduct.”

Battin said the Crown doesn’t argue that the comments were disrespectful, but said a sentence reduction somewhere in the range of two to five days would address that.

He argued custodial sentences were warranted due to social media posts that called for others to join the blockade after the injunction was imposed, the risk to CGL workers who were unable to leave the blockade area for four days, and the risk to RCMP enforcing the injunction.

Battin also said the beliefs of Sleydo’, Jocko and Sampson did not justify their choice to defy a court order, and referenced prior Court of Appeal decisions where it did not factor the beliefs an Indigenous person convicted of criminal contempt into sentencing.

“We’re not talking about beliefs here,” Mahon said. “We’re talking about this specific history, which has, in essence, constrained the circumstances of the Wet’suwet’en to prove its title beyond the recognition that the provincial and federal governments have not extinguished it.”

“This is an integral component of why they have come before the courts,” Mahon said.

The Crown is seeking a sentence of 30 days for Sleydo’, 25 days for Jocko and 20 days for Sampson, with reductions for time served, and the two- to five-day credit proposed as a remedy as a result of the abuse of process ruling .

The defence is seeking a sentence of time served or a conditional sentence order, with 100 to 150 hours of community service.

“If the court concludes that additional jail time is required, the sentence could be served in the community to respond to the continued overincarceration of Indigenous people,” Mahon said.

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