CAMROSE, Alberta – Advance polls opened today for a significant federal byelection in Alberta's Battle River-Crowfoot riding. This election marks a historic moment as, for the first time, Elections Canada requires voters to fill out a blank ballot.

A record 214 candidates are competing in this rural riding, with the official voting day set for August 18. Many of these candidates are affiliated with the Longest Ballot Committee, a protest group advocating for reforms in Canada’s electoral system.

The byelection was called by Prime Minister Mark Carney in June after Conservative Damien Kurek resigned. Kurek had previously won the seat in the April general election. His resignation allows Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to run for the position. Poilievre recently lost his long-held seat in Ottawa's Carleton riding.

In other news, Canadian tennis player Victoria Mboko made headlines by defeating Naomi Osaka in the National Bank Open final. The 18-year-old rallied from a wrist injury to win the match 2-6, 6-4, 6-1, marking her first WTA title. This victory makes her the third Canadian to win the tournament in the Open Era, following Bianca Andreescu and Faye Urban.

Meanwhile, Air Canada and the union representing its flight attendants are set to resume negotiations today. The union, which represents 10,000 flight attendants, recently voted overwhelmingly in favor of a strike mandate. If an agreement is not reached, a strike could begin as early as August 16.

Prime Minister Carney is also scheduled to make a military announcement in Trenton, Ontario, today. He plans to discuss security and defense matters while touring a military facility. This visit follows a NATO summit in June, where member countries agreed to increase defense spending targets significantly.

Lastly, Statistics Canada is expected to release new job figures for July today. Economists predict the economy added 13,500 jobs, but the unemployment rate may rise to seven percent. The Bank of Canada is closely monitoring these figures after maintaining its benchmark interest rate at 2.75 percent for the third consecutive time.