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Oil Prices Are Spiking — Here's What It Means for Your Gas Tank and Grocery Bill

  Published July 17, 2026 Crude oil is trading near one-month highs this week, and if you've filled up your tank recently, you've probably already felt it. The culprit: an escalating conflict in the Middle East that's disrupting one of the world's most important oil shipping routes — and it's starting to show up at Canadian pumps and, eventually, on grocery store shelves. What's happening with oil prices West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the North American benchmark, has been trading around the $79–$80 per barrel range this week — up roughly 5% over the past month. Brent crude, the global benchmark that matters more for what Canadians pay at the pump, has been hovering near $85 per barrel, also near a one-month high. The spike traces back to renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and has intensified strikes, while Iran has responded with attacks on U.S. bases and threats to disrupt regional energy shipments further. ...

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Thousands of Canadians Die While Waiting for Surgery



According to a recent report, more than 17,000 Canadians have died while waiting for surgery or diagnostic scans in 2022-23. The report also suggests that the actual number could be higher. This is a concerning issue that needs to be addressed.

Long wait times for surgeries, MRI and CT scans are putting thousands of patients at risk. The surgical waitlist in Ontario alone surpasses 200,000 people . This comes off the back of a 21-page report from CUPE’S Ontario Council of Hospital Unions that found hospital staff vacancies have grown dramatically, increasing 19 per cent over the last year, and currently 37,00 positions remain unfilled .

The consequences of the long waits are stark, as more than 2,000 people died on waiting lists for surgeries last year, up almost 50 per cent from the year before. Another 9,400 patients died waiting for MRIs and CT scans . The situation is dire and requires immediate attention.


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