'Remain' vote takes early lead on a referendum night filled with confusion and late poll closures

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Voters in Canada’s oil-rich Alberta province overwhelmingly backed remaining in Canada, with early referendum results Tuesday delivering a boost to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push for national unity amid U. S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threats. With more than 1 million votes counted, 77% supported remaining in Canada, while 23% backed beginning a process toward separation, according to unofficial results from Elections Alberta. The vote was not a direct referendum on independence but would have set oil-rich Alberta on a path toward a future vote on separation from Canada. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith welcomed the early results, saying they showed widespread support for remaining in Canada. “Albertans have voted for a stronger Alberta in a united Canada,” Smith posted on social media. Smith, who called the referendum amid pressure from separatists within her governing United Conservative Party despite opposing independence, said she would address the province Tuesday evening about the results and Alberta’s future.

Re “Globe endorses yes on 3″ (Opinion, Oct. 16):I concede that there is a stunning lack of competition in most elections in Massachusetts, but Question 3 won’t fix that problem. It won’t necessarily add more candidates to the field, and may trample on the rights of every political party to nominate candidates for the election in which most voters participate: the general election. The result may be that some parties get shut out from general elections. Primary election turnout is low, but replacing existing primaries with an all-party primary isn’t the way to increase turnout. Primaries allow voters to choose who represents each party in the general election. That makes sense. Parties should have a say in who runs in their name. Holding an all-party primary election under Question 3 dictates who ends up in the general election. Only the top two finishers would advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. Both candidates could come from the same party. I guess Republicans, Green-Rainbow, and other parties will be out of luck in a lot of places in Massachusetts.

On the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack, the Globe devoted its opinion pages almost entirely to coverage that blamed Israel for the attack and the resulting war while leaving no space to mainstream Jewish voices grieving one of the darkest days in Jewish history (“Three years after the attack, what are we teaching our children?”; “I lost my husband, my home, and my sense of safety. I still dream of a future for my daughter”; and “Three years later, Israel needs a thorough investigation of Oct. 7,” Opinion, Oct. 7). Not one piece centered the experience of Jewish families who lost loved ones, communities torn apart, or the trauma that continues to reverberate three years later. The op-ed by a resident of Gaza City did not even acknowledge Hamas’s massacre as the cause of the war. The Globe can and should publish diverse perspectives on a complex conflict. But on the anniversary of the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, the very least a responsible publication can do is provide balanced and accurate coverage, and make room for Jewish grief. That consideration was absent. We urge Globe Opinion to reflect seriously on what its Oct.

Most of the province of Alberta has rejected a formal referendum on separatism and would rather remain part of Canada. Elections Alberta began releasing the referendum results late Monday night, and by midnight around 76 per cent of Albertans voted to remain part of Canada without any further deliberation. The separatism question asked voters if Alberta should remain in Canada or if the provincial government should begin the legal process of holding a future binding referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada. As of midnight, the votes were as follows:Remain: 883,641Hold second referendum/Leave: 278,062Total: 1,163,148By law, officials must count all votes by hand within 48 hours. Question 10 — about separation — is being counted first. Story continues below advertisement

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- With Election Day two weeks away, one of the nation's most closely watched mayoral contests is drawing renewed attention to rising utility costs, as Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman on Monday outlined a plan to address complaints about high LADWP bills. Raman spoke outside an LADWP facility in North Hollywood alongside customers who said their bills have surged in recent months. The issue has gained attention following claims by local resident Micah Reed regarding fees on LADWP bills that many customers said they were unaware of. Raman, who is challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, said LADWP bills have increased 40% citywide during Bass' tenure. LADWP operates under the oversight of the mayor's office. If elected, Raman said she would pursue a three-point plan that includes auditing LADWP with City Controller Kenneth Mejia, including a review of executive pay; requiring LADWP officials to appear before the City Council to publicly explain rates; and repairing and modernizing the utility system. "The public deserves transparency about the cost that they are experiencing. They deserve a public justification of these enormous costs," Raman said.

ABC7 On Your SideThe whistleblower claims that after making the Eaton Fire allegations, OEM leadership treated him with hostility. A senior employee in Los Angeles County's OEM has filed a lawsuit, alleging he faced retaliation after blowing the whistle on the county's response during the Eaton Fire. Tuesday, October 20, 2026 5:46AMLOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A senior employee in Los Angeles County's Office of Emergency Management has filed a lawsuit, alleging he faced retaliation after blowing the whistle on the county's response during the Eaton Fire. The employee, Nicholas Vaquero, previously spoke with ABC7 On Your Side Investigates back in March. Vaquero served as the Emergency Operations Center director during part of the county's response to the wildfires that erupted on Jan. 7, 2025. A current OEM employee is alleging a now-former colleague, who had a crucial role as the Eaton Fire raged the first night, was, at times, asleep on the job. During that interview, Vaquero alleged that a now-retired Office of Emergency Management supervisor was seen sleeping while on the overnight shift as Altadena burned.