WestJet and flight attendants reach tentative deal early Monday morning
Plus: Liberals strategize over byelection timing, National Bank Open gets underway in Toronto, and elite youth hockey players compete in Edmonton.
TL;DR
- WestJet and CUPE ended the strike after one day with a tentative deal recognizing more unpaid work and boosting compensation for flight attendants.
- Prime Minister Carney strategically called only three byelections instead of four to maximize the Liberals' spending advantage in the tight Quebec race.
- The National Bank Open women's tennis tournament opened in Toronto with first-round play.
- The Hlinka Gretzky Cup, featuring the world's top under-18 hockey prospects, began in Edmonton.
Politics
Liberals strategize to maximize byelection advantage
Prime Minister Carney called three byelections for August 31 but skipped a fourth vacant Quebec seat, giving Liberals a strategic financial advantage. By omitting Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot-Acton (held by the Bloc Québécois), Carney prevents the sovereigntist party from accessing campaign funds, while letting Liberals redirect spending from safe ridings to the tight Chicoutimi-Le Fjord race—roughly doubling their spending power there (via Global News).
Business and economy
WestJet and union end standoff with new contract
WestJet and the Canadian Union of Public Employees ended their one-day strike early Monday with a tentative agreement on pay for pre-flight and post-flight work. CUPE Local 8125 president Alia Hussain said the deal "recognizes more of the work cabin crew are required to perform," resolving the core dispute. The agreement covering 4,400 flight attendants now proceeds to ratification (via CBC News).
Sports
Tennis and youth hockey compete across Canada
The National Bank Open presented by Rogers, Canada's premier women's tennis tournament, kicked off in Toronto with first-round matches at Sobeys Stadium. The mandatory WTA 1000 event runs through August 13 and draws a 96-player singles field, including top seeds Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff. The tournament continues through the week with matches at 12:30 PM and 7:00 PM daily.
Hlinka Gretzky Cup opens in Edmonton. The 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup got underway at Rogers Place and the Downtown Community Arena with elite under-18 and under-20 talent competing through August 8. Canada faced off against Switzerland in the day's opening matchup at 5 p.m. mountain time. The annual tournament showcases the world's finest young hockey prospects preparing for professional and international careers (via Rogers Place).
