Canada's defense minister confirms deaths and injuries in Alberta base incident

Canadian Defense Minister David McGuinty has confirmed that people were killed and injured in a serious incident that resulted in a fire at a military base in Alberta.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said officers were called shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday following reports of a fire in a training area at the base.

Fire crews worked late into the night as fierce winds drove flames beyond Canadian Forces Base Wainwright and into the surrounding rural area.

By 11 p.m., the Municipal District of Wainwright said the fire was being held and that property and critical infrastructure were protected.

McGuinty said the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were involved in investigating the incident. He described the situation as very active and delicate.

He said authorities were still working to establish what had happened and expected to provide more information soon.

Canadian Forces Base Wainwright is one of Canada's busiest military training bases, where soldiers prepare for combat operations.

Elections Alberta said Tuesday that 174,532 people voted on the first of five advance polling days ahead of the Oct. 19 vote. That compares with an average of 151,727 voters per advance polling day in the 2023 provincial general election.

Albertans are being asked whether they want to begin the legal process for a second, binding referendum on independence. The current vote does not ask them to decide whether the province should separate.

The referendum contains 10 government-initiated questions, most concerning immigration and constitutional issues. Only one of those questions addresses the possibility of holding an independence referendum.

Both separatist and pro-Canada campaigners have increasingly shifted their attention from persuading voters to making sure their supporters get to the polls.

Thomas Lukaszuk, the former Alberta cabinet minister spearheading the Forever Canadian campaign, said the campaign has approximately 18,000 volunteers working to get supporters out to vote ahead of Oct. 19.

Alberta referendum draws 174,532 voters on first advance polling day

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