Western Standard News Update | Youth locked out of jobs | 9 Feb 2026

In today’s Western Standard News Update, Leah Mushet reports on several developments quietly shaping the national landscape. Elections Canada is stocking up on voting-day supplies despite government claims that no federal election is imminent. Ontario dairy farmers dump millions of litres of milk under supply controls, raising questions about waste and consumer costs. Canada’s budget watchdog warns that rising youth unemployment could have long-term economic consequences, while new polling shows half of Canadians now struggle to access a family doctor, underscoring a decade-long decline in health care access.