Latest news with #RoyalCanadianAirForce
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Zero arrests': RCMP say nobody arrested at G7 but charges possible for wayward pilot
CALGARY — Law enforcement officials overseeing security at the G7 leaders' summit said Wednesday no arrests were made during the three-day event, except for one rogue pilot who forced officials to scramble CF-18 Hornet fighter jets. During the summit, which included leaders from Canada, the United States, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy and the European Union, no-fly zones were in place over Kananaskis Village and the Calgary International Airport. Those temporary restrictions were lifted Wednesday, but there was one violation Sunday over Kananaskis, the day the leaders were set to arrive. The North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) deployed fighter jets to intercept the fixed-wing civilian aircraft above the Kananaskis area and tried to get his attention before resorting to final warning measures to contact the pilot. "As a result of that, the Royal Canadian Air Force and our NORAD partners responded in a manner to enforce and secure that airspace," RCMP Chief Supt. David Hall told a news conference. "Thankfully, we were able to have that pilot safely exit the controlled airspace, land and an investigation started into what exactly happened there." Hall said the pilot was directed to land in Brooks, 285 kilometres to the east, where he was met by RCMP. "At this time it's not my understanding that any charges have been laid." The pilot is not in custody. The RCMP-led Integrated Safety and Security Group spent months working with partners to prepare for the worst, including setting up designated demonstration zones in Calgary and Banff. Protests were small. Two of the three zones in Calgary were barely used. Protesters chose Calgary city hall as their main venue, but no more than a few hundred showed up Sunday, the busiest day of the summit. Monday and Tuesday only saw about a hundred Sikhs protest the arrival of India's prime minister. The 2002 G8 summit, also held in Kananaskis, resulted in large protests, including marches through downtown Calgary. Joe Brar, the G7 event security director from Calgary police, said 17 different groups protested Sunday. He said the world is a different place now than it was 23 years ago. "There are other ways of demonstrating now as well that rather than just showing up in person," he said. "Technology allows people from all parts of the world to reach in and express their views and their opinions so I think it's just a change in the environment." Hall said he was unable to give a price tag for G7 security, but said the number will eventually be released. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025 Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
The Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
I tried the 12-minute daily workout Helen Mirren's used for her ‘whole life' – here's why it's stood the test of time
Helen Mirren's acting career spans six decades, seeing her jump from stage to screen while tackling a wide range of genres. But one thing has remained constant: her workout routine. The 79-year-old uses a 1950s fitness programme for women, developed for the Royal Canadian Air Force, called the XBX plan. And she says she's done so 'off and on my whole life'. 'It just very gently gets you fit,' she previously told Hello! magazine. 'It is 12 minutes [long] and they have charts you follow. Each day, you have to do the exercises within the 12 minutes, and until you can you can't move up. Two weeks of doing that and you think: 'Yeah, I could go to the gym now'.' The plan exclusively uses bodyweight exercises, lining up nicely with Mirren's belief that exercise doesn't have to 'mean joining expensive gyms'. And, after a bit of digging online, I found the original XBX booklet. Here's what happened when I gave it a go, and why I think it has, by and large, stood the test of time. How to do Helen Mirren's workout - the XBX plan The XBX pamphlet is 51 pages long, and pretty wordy, containing a series of charts and numbers which look far from inviting. I've done my best to simplify it for you. XBX is shorthand for 10 basic exercises, and that's exactly what the plan entails: a 10-move, 12-minute workout. There are 48 difficulty levels, with each one challenging you to complete a few extra reps than the level before. Every 12 levels, the 10 exercises are also tweaked to make them slightly more challenging. The idea is that everyone starts on level one. Once you can complete a level fairly comfortably, you progress to the next one. The booklet gives you a level to aim for eventually, depending on your age – 26-30 year olds are told to aim for level 30, while it reckons those aged 46-50 should target level 16. Below you can find the prescriptions for levels one and 30 to see how the chart progresses. Level one of the XBX plan: In two minutes, complete: Toe touch x3 Knee raise x4 Lateral bend x5 Arm circle x24 Then complete: Level 30 of the XBX plan: In two minutes, complete: Toe touch x12 Knee raise x18 Lateral bend x14 Arm circle x30 Then complete: How I got on trying Helen's Mirren's workout plan I limbered up to try Helen Mirren's military workout routine in my living room, which wasn't on my 2025 bingo card. It took some time to decipher the 51-page XBX booklet, but after reading it cover to cover I felt like I had a pretty good grasp of what was going on: 12 minutes, 10 exercises and a target number of repetitions for each one, to be performed within a time limit (usually one or two minutes). 'Start at level one,' the booklet says. 'The XBX has been planned for gradual, painless progression. Follow the plan as outlined in the booklet. Do not skip levels. Do not progress faster than is recommended.' I did as I was told and tried level one. As Mirren said, it 'gently' encouraged me to move my body with it's Pilates -esque exercises, which felt lovely after a morning of sitting at my desk. For this reason, I think it's a solid option for people looking to introduce a little bit more movement into their routine, sans-gym, although those newer to exercise may want to ease into moves like the lateral bend and toe touch. But the workout left me wanting more. So, in the name of experimentation, I abandoned the instructions and jumped straight into level 30 – the target level for women aged 26-30. This proved considerably more challenging than level one. The first four flexibility-focussed exercises felt rushed, as I had to squeeze 74 reps into the allocated two minutes. Even at a canter, these wound up taking me a little over three minutes, and I would have liked more time to focus on moving well. Next came the straight-leg sit-ups – an abs workout staple, which I was able to work through in the two minutes provided. A set of 33 chest and leg raises (an exercise sometimes called the Superman) followed, which I finished right on the buzzer of my 60-second time limit. These also did a decent job of working my upper back muscles, which can be tricky to do in the absence of weights or equipment. Working to a strict time limit for each exercise did raise the intensity of the workout, and by moving quickly my heart and lungs were put to work alongside my muscles, not unlike modern HIIT workouts. But there were downsides to racing the clock too. The side leg raises again felt hurried, with nearly one per second needed to hit the target mark, and I went well over the allotted time with the leg-over tucks. The press-ups were on time, then I rounded things off with the run and half knee bends – running on the spot, bringing your knees up so your feet are at least six inches from the floor, and doing 50 steps on each leg followed by 10 partial squats. These raised my heart rate, but didn't provide any further complications. By the end, my abs felt like they had come under the most scrutiny, followed by some of the smaller muscles around my hips and thighs. My breathing was slightly heavier than normal, but the larger muscles in my thighs, chest and back felt a little overlooked. Helen Mirren's workout plan: My verdict Taking a deep dive into this 1950s workout plan was fascinating. What struck me most was how, no matter how much we try and complicate exercise with fancy terms and equipment, there are certain simple principles that persist. First and foremost among them is progressive overload. This simply means increasing the intensity of your workouts over time, in line with your rising strength and fitness levels, to ensure continued progress. By gradually making your workouts more challenging, you send a clear message to the body that it needs to adapt, leading to all manner of fitness gains. The structured way XBX implements this is one of my favourite things about the plan. It also hit some marks missed by many modern gym plans, such as maintaining mobility by using all three planes of motion; sagittal (up, down, forward and backward movements), frontal (side to side) and transverse (twisting). Workouts nowadays tend to be rather sagittal-dominant, leaning heavily on exercises like squats and press-ups, whereas the XBX plan regularly encouraged me to bend and twist. As a result, my body (and spine in particular) felt enjoyable fresh and mobile afterwards. Another thing I was impressed with was XBX's accessibility and democratisation of exercise. It takes just 12 minutes, the exercises don't require any equipment, and it provides a range of difficulty options to suit most fitness levels. If you have a bit of floor space, you can do it. However, there are many women I train with who would rather chuck a 60kg barbell overhead than follow a plan like this. Put simply, they want to push themselves to become stronger, and there's a ceiling on the progress you can make with these 10 bodyweight exercises alone. The male version of the programme, 5BX, might present a more worthy challenge, with the most difficult version of its workout featuring more advanced moves like V-ups and clapping press-ups. But lifting weights is the obvious solution. On the flip side, some people might need to work up to exercises in XBX that demand more mobility, such as the toe touch and lateral bend. The plan's use of blanket exercise prescriptions remains a problem with cookie cutter workout programmes to this day. They come at a reduced cost, but don't account for the fact that everybody, and every body, is different. An in-person instructor or specialist coach can solve this by adapting each session to suit those doing it. XBX also looks a bit unwelcoming at first, with its booklet containing reams of charts and numbers. Perhaps I've been spoiled by follow-along video workouts for too long, but it took a considerable amount of time to fully understand the plan, and this extra effort might turn people away. But, for me, the most important thing to take away is that the XBX plan works for Mirren, and has done for decades. In an age where the internet is constantly reacting to and critiquing things, workout plans included, it's hard to argue with success. And given the longevity of Mirren's career, you can't deny this plan has been effective for the actor. Which brings me to the crucial point: the best fitness advice I can give is to find a form of movement that works for you, then make that the foundation of your future exercise plans. For Mirren, that's the progressive XBX plan, and if that's a good fit for you too, fantastic. If it's a CrossFit class with friends, Pilates session or dog walk, these all work too. Just find a way to move, and enjoy doing it.
CTV News
6 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘Valour, courage, and devotion': Windsorite honoured with Spitfire dedication
Windsorite, Tommy Decourcy, has been honoured by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM) in Hamilton has named an aircraft after Windsorite, Tommy DeCourcy. DeCourcy, according to the CWHM, enlisted at 19 in the summer of 1940 to be a fighter pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force. Tommy DeCourcy Windsor Tommy DeCourcy. (Source: Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum) 'He was posted overseas and served two tours of duty, and by early 1945, Tommy DeCourcy was promoted to Squadron Leader of 443 Squadron RCAF,' the CWHM news release read. 'During his time there flying a Spitfire, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was awarded for an act of valour, courage, and devotion to duty performed while flying in active operations against the enemy.' Tommy DeCourcy Windsor Tommy DeCourcy and the crew with a Spitfire seen in the background. (Source: Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum) Tragically, DeCourcy died in a car accident after the war ended, before he could return home to his family. Two weeks ago on June 7, the 80th anniversary of his death, the CWHM held a ceremony in Hamilton, to dedicate a Spitfire aircraft. It has been refurbished and painted in DeCourcy's memory. DeCourcy's descendants attended the ceremony. According to their website, the CWHM intends to fully restore the aircraft so it can resume flying.
Economic Times
12-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Canada's F-35 stealth jet ambition hit by 50 percent cost surge, US warning of military unpreparedness
Reuters US issues red alert over Canada's F35 readiness citing failed infrastructure rising costs and defence shortfalls as Ottawa races to meet 2028 delivery deadline A warning from the US Joint Strike Fighter Program Office puts the vision of the sleek F‑35 stealth fighter touching down on home soil by 2028 on hold. According to Canada's Auditor General Karen Hogan, a report released June 10 states that critical infrastructure, hangars, maintenance facilities, and secure networks built at Cold Lake, Alberta, and Bagotville, Quebec, 'weren't up to American standards'. This failing forced costly redesigns and US officials assessed readiness in June 2024, they rated Canada RED - indicating 'significant issues' that demanded senior-level intervention ahead of the planned December 2028 arrival of the first jets. Canada's $19 billion plan to buy 88 F‑35As has ballooned to at least C$27.7 billion and could reach C$33.2 billion, nearly a 50 percent increase. Much of the overspend stems from fluctuating foreign exchange rates, inflation, outdated cost projections, and necessary interim infrastructure, on top of another C$5.5 billion needed for Full Operational Capability. Defence Minister David McGuinty accepted Hogan's findings. He said the department will perform annual cost reviews and manage risks, pressing on with procurement. The government expects delivery of the first 16 jets 'in the next several months,' with initial training in the US, and full operations in Canada by 2028. Adding to the scramble, the Royal Canadian Air Force has suffered a chronic pilot shortage since at least 2018, undermining efforts to staff and fly the stealth fleet. Internal assessments show just 58 percent of personnel are ready for emergencies, and only 40 percent of fighter jets are deemed combat‑ infrastructure and cost, the issue touches national sovereignty. Relying on American control over F‑35 software and parts, some analysts argue, could leave Canada vulnerable at moments of political strain. The saga revived a fierce debate about whether Canada should seek alternatives like Sweden's Gripen or retain flexibility with future purchases. Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered a comprehensive review in March 2025, partly prompted by US policy pressures and trade tensions. Defense Minister David McGuinty blamed the cost overruns on inflation and the pandemic, but told journalists Tuesday that Canada was soon to receive its first 16 F-35s. 'We'll be taking possession of those 16 F-35 fighter jets in the next several months,' he added.
Hamilton Spectator
09-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Longtime NOTL fundraiser sells T-shirts to support Canada and local charities
With phrases of defiance from Canadians ranging from 'Canada is not for sale' to 'elbows up' becoming rallying cries on this side of the border, Niagara-on-the-Lake resident David Scott wants to show his support in an overtly positive way. His choice is to start and promote a new slogan: 'Canada G.O.A.T.,' which stands for 'greatest of all time.' It's an acronym often used to rank the historical greatness of elite athletes, but here, it signifies Canada as being the greatest country of all time. Scott has a long history of charitable work. He helped run a series of fundraisers at the Cherry Hill Golf Club for more than 30 years, which raised more than $1 million. Given the situation with U.S. President Donald Trump, Scott thought it would be a good idea to get his creative fundraising ideas out again. He is creating and ordering the shirts while his niece is helping to print and deliver the shirts. Seven other surviving members of the fundraising group have also been promoting the shirts. Scott hopes these pale blue shirts, meant to resemble the colour of the Royal Canadian Air Force, with dark blue letters and a Canadian flag, will ultimately be a positive expression of being Canadian. The T-shirts cost $35 each. Besides supporting the country, the T-shirt sale will also help out people in the Niagara region. 'Canadian pride is the number one thing,' said Scott. 'It's also about supporting food banks … It's a win-win.' A portion of the proceeds will go to three food banks: Project Share in Niagara Falls, Community Care in St. Catharines and Newark Neighbours in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The charities in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines will get $10 each from a T-shirt sold to someone outside NOTL, while Newark Neighbours will get $20 from each T-shirt sold to someone in town. Scott said he's already sold a couple of dozen T-shirts. With Canada Day just around the corner, Scott said the timing is appropriate for his endeavour, but he wants the T-shirt's message to last a long time past that. 'It's not just for Canada Day,' he said. The 'Canada G.O.A.T.' T-shirt can be purchased at . daniel@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
