A Quebec man whose frisky husky impregnated a neighbour's chow chow has been ordered to pay about $800 in vet fees and court costs. According to a judgment last month, the Shawinigan-area husky broke into a fenced yard that was home to the chow chow, Bella, last spring. Quebec court Judge Alain Trudel wrote that, "thanks to the husky's handiwork, Bella found herself with an unexpected pregnancy." The dog underwent surgery to terminate the pregnancy.

A Manitoba government backbencher who made inappropriate comments to female staff has been ousted from the Progressive Conservative caucus. Cliff Graydon will sit as an Independent in the legislature. "While we do not take this decision lightly, it has become apparent that previous attempts with Mr. Graydon to address a pattern of inappropriate behaviour have not succeeded," Ewasko said in a written statement.

New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant says his minority Liberal government will present a throne speech Tuesday that addresses many of the opposition parties' campaign issues. Standing in front of the legislature with his 20 members behind him, Gallant said New Brunswickers don't want another election after last month's inconclusive results, so his party will put forward a candidate for Speaker. Higgs says Gallant — whose Liberals now have one fewer seat than the Tories — doesn't have the numbers to pass his throne speech, and the Tories will be ready to assume power and run the province.

The dispute-resolution tool that consumed so much energy during NAFTA talks with the United States has a middling record of defending Canadian exporters, a new think-tank report says — raising questions about what the federal government gave up to preserve it. "I think Canada got caught up in the symbolism of preserving the Chapter 19 panel reviews, and its record of success for Canadian exporters has been pretty modest, and that's diminished over time," Sinclair said in an interview.

A provincial police officer who crashed into a car at high speed and killed a 5-year-old boy during a surveillance operation will likely be sentenced to jail time. The Crown and the defence submitted a joint proposal to the court on Monday in Longueuil, Que. recommending that Patrick Ouellet receive an eight-month sentence. Ouellet was convicted in July of dangerous driving causing the 2014 death of Nicolas Thorne-Belance.