Ontario's Budget 2025: Stimulus, Spending, and Support on Tap

Jamie Benn began his hockey career with the Peninsula Eagles minor hockey association and attended Stelly's Secondary School. He joined the Dallas Stars in 2009 and scored his first NHL goal against Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks in his fourth game. Benn reached 100 NHL goals on January 23, 2014, during a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is the younger brother of defenseman Jordie Benn.

The 105th Memorial Cup will be held at Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Quebec, Canada in 2025. The tournament format is a four-team round-robin. The host team is the Rimouski Océanic, who won the right to host in December 2023. This marks the second time Rimouski has hosted the Memorial Cup. The CHL will award various prizes at the conclusion of the tournament, including the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.

The article discusses a preference for white button mushrooms and its connection to the friendship between Alice Waters (founder of Chez Panisse) and Marion Cunningham. The author recounts how Waters introduced Cunningham to James Beard at Chez Panisse in 1974, highlighting their influence on American food culture.

MEG Energy is a Canadian company specializing in producing heavy oil using in-situ methods. They claim to be the leading player in this field. Their success relies on innovative technologies that minimize energy and water consumption, as well as capital and operating costs. MEG's business strategy aims to generate sustainable free cash flow by utilizing its high-quality assets and skilled workforce.

The PGA Championship is underway at Quail Hollow, and Scottie Scheffler's strong start has him considered a favorite to win. The course conditions will likely play a significant role in determining the final leaderboard.

Victoria Day is a Canadian statutory holiday celebrated on the Monday preceding May 25th. It commemorates the birthday of Queen Victoria and is observed with fireworks, parades, and other festivities. Canada is the only country that officially celebrates Queen Victoria's birthday with a holiday. While not a paid public holiday in all provinces, Victoria Day is recognized as a government holiday in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia (considered a "non-statutory holiday"), and Prince Edward Island.

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy will table the 2025 budget on May 15th. The budget will outline the government's spending plans and commitments for the upcoming year. The Progressive Conservatives campaigned on providing tens of billions in stimulus funding for the provincial economy. Bethlenfalvy stated he will continue to support provincial workers but did not specify the amount of additional funding.

Sam Gagner played midget hockey with the Toronto Marlboros in 2004-05, where he played alongside future NHL player John Tavares. He was drafted sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2007 NHL entry draft. Gagner is the son of former NHL player Dave Gagner, who played for several teams over his 15-season career. His sister, Jessica Gagner, played hockey for Dartmouth Big Green women's ice hockey program.

Quebec chef Giovanni Apollo is facing accusations of fabricating his past, including his birth, qualifications, and even his name. A La Presse article by Isabelle Hachey alleges that Apollo's claims about his childhood are untrue, and photos in his book "Pastapollo" were a joke. Apollo confirmed these details to La Presse. Further accusations against Apollo include serving gnu meat (an African wildebeest) at a 2006 charity dinner, despite suppliers denying having imported or supplied it to him. He was previously accused of sexual misconduct.

Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán was a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel. The cartel smuggled narcotics to major US cities, including Arizona, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and more. Guzmán oversaw this operation, discussing methamphetamine shipments to locations like Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Ohio, and Tucson. He bribed corrupt officials with millions of dollars in exchange for assistance. Guzmán laundered money through bulk cash smuggling from the US to Mexico. Internal conflicts arose within the Sinaloa Cartel, leading to violence and meetings between key leaders like Ismael Zambada García ("El Mayo"), Juan José Esparragoza Moreno ("El Azul"), and Arturo Beltrán Leyva. The cartel used violence to maintain its power, possessing weapons like grenades and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. They corrupted various officials, including law enforcement officers, prison guards, high-ranking military members, and elected officials.

Fireworks are often associated with celebrations, but their use can pose significant risks to public safety and the environment. Many regions are considering or implementing firework bans due to concerns about wildfires, air pollution, and noise disturbances.

The Final Destination franchise includes comic books like "Sacrifice" and "Spring Break." The films follow characters who cheat death, only to face increasingly elaborate and gruesome accidents. The series blends elements of slasher and disaster cinema, with notable visual effects in films like "The Final Destination" (2009) and "Final Destination 5" (2011).

The Washington Capitals will face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Second Round. Andrei Svechnikov (five goals, one assist) and Sebastian Aho (three goals, five assists) led the Hurricanes in the first round. Frederik Andersen, who was leading the Stanley Cup Playoffs in goals-against average (1.59) and save percentage (.936), sustained an injury in Game 4. The Hurricanes won their first-round series with a stronger performance than the Capitals, despite both teams being offensively strong during the regular season. Carolina had the better defense throughout the regular season, while the Capitals relied more on goaltending for success. The Hurricanes beat the Capitals in seven games in the 2019 first round, and won Game 1 of the current series in overtime.

The 69th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in Basel, Switzerland. Switzerland won the 2024 contest with the song "The Code" by Nemo. The event will be produced by Swiss national broadcaster SRG SSR and includes live streams on the Eurovision Song Contest YouTube channel.

Mikael Granlund scored his first career playoff hat trick and Jake Oettinger made 31 saves as the Dallas Stars defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 on Tuesday night. The win gave the Stars a 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference second round.

The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for most of the Brazos Valley through 12 AM Thursday due to the potential for severe wind gusts (60 mph+) and damaging hail (1 inch+). Although the Tornado Watch has been expired, residents in Brazos County, Burleson County, Grimes County, Washington County, Walker County, Houston County, Trinity County, Madison County, Milam County, Robertson County, Leon County should remain prepared. Storms still carry the potential for damaging winds and hail as they continue pushing eastward in central and eastern Alabama.

The "Final Destination" franchise includes both film and comic book installments. A one-shot comic "Final Destination: Sacrifice" accompanied select DVD releases of "Final Destination 3" in 2006. A series, "Final Destination: Spring Break," was published by Zenescope Entertainment in 2007. The films are noted for their blend of slasher and disaster cinema elements. The visual effects, particularly in films like "The Final Destination" (2009) and "Final Destination 5" (2011), have also received attention. Notable action sequences include the roller coaster derailment in "Final Destination 3."

Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy will table the 2025 budget on May 15th. The budget outlines the government's spending plans and commitments for the upcoming year. During the recent election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives promised tens of billions in stimulus funding for the provincial economy. Bethlenfalvy stated he would continue to support provincial workers but did not specify further details.