Two Alberta-based francophone organizations are pushing back against calls to loosen bilingualism requirements for Supreme Court of Canada judges, warning that language rights should not become a political bargaining tool. The Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Alberta and the Alberta chapter of the French Canadian Association say bilingualism at the country’s highest court is essential to ensure francophones can fully access the justice system in one of Canada’s two official languages. They argue the requirement reflects constitutional principles rather than regiona

Two men are facing criminal charges after Vancouver Police say a loss prevention officer was assaulted during an attempted retail theft in East Vancouver earlier this week. Police were called shortly before 8:40 a.m. on February 2 to a store near Glen Drive and Terminal Avenue, where officers say two suspects used bear spray on an employee while trying to flee on foot with unpaid merchandise. The victim did not require hospital treatment, according to police. An extensive search of the surrounding area followed, involving patrol officers, a police drone, and a canine unit. The suspects were lo

A Calgary man who travelled to the Middle East and joined the Islamic State terrorist organization has been sentenced to 16 years in prison, with parole eligibility only after serving at least half of the sentence. A judge handed down the sentence to Jamal Borhot following his conviction in December on three counts related to participating in the activities of a terrorist group. The court heard that Borhot left Canada in 2013 and travelled to Syria with a cousin, where he knowingly and willingly aligned himself with ISIS. Evidence presented at trial showed the 35-year-old took part in violent

Homicide investigators in Abbotsford say a 26-year-old man is now charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of a 30-year-old woman whose body was discovered inside a local hotel last month. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says Sondeep Singh Gill was initially charged with second-degree murder, but the charge was upgraded following additional investigative work and a review of the evidence. Gill also faces a separate charge of indignity to human remains. Police were first called to the hotel after patrol officers received reports of suspicious circumstances. Inves

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday led the party’s core committee members to the Punjab Director General of Police office in Chandigarh, alleging harassment of Akali workers by the police. Badal said the action was linked to the investigation into the alleged disappearance of 328 saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, claiming that party workers were being unfairly targeted in the case. He maintained that the Shiromani Akali Dal was seeking clarity from senior police officials on the basis of the ongoing actions. The Akali Dal leader said the party’s entire leadership

Health Canada says it will not reverse its ban on strychnine, maintaining that environmental and human health risks outweigh concerns raised by Prairie governments and farm groups. The federal department confirmed it reviewed requests from Alberta and Saskatchewan to reconsider the use of the rodent poison to control gopher populations that farmers say are damaging crops and pastureland. Health Canada concluded the risks associated with strychnine remain too significant to justify its use. Strychnine has been prohibited for most pest control uses because of its high toxicity and the risk it po

The Alberta government says it will present its next provincial budget on February 26, warning that deteriorating financial conditions will make the process difficult. Finance Minister Nate Horner says lower oil prices and ongoing global economic uncertainty are putting strain on provincial revenues, forcing the government to make what he described as tough choices. Alberta’s economy remains closely tied to energy markets, making budget planning vulnerable to swings in commodity prices. The province is currently projecting a 6.4 billion dollar deficit by the end of the fiscal year in March.

A former Kamloops lawyer has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of one of his clients, a Thompson Rivers University lecturer whose death shocked the local legal and academic communities. Rogelio “Butch” Bagabuyo was convicted in B.C. Supreme Court for the March 11, 2022 killing of Mohd Abdullah. The court heard that Bagabuyo stabbed Abdullah multiple times inside his law office after stealing nearly $800,000 from him, money that had been entrusted for legal matters. Prosecutors said the killing was planned and deliberate, noting that Bagabuyo attempted to conceal the c

Deadly Israeli strikes hit northern and southern parts of Gaza again after Israel reopened the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, with local hospitals reporting that about 20 Palestinians were killed. Medical officials said casualties were brought to several facilities as attacks continued in multiple areas. The Israeli military said the strikes targeted what it described as militant positions. According to Israeli officials, the attacks were carried out in response to gunfire directed at Israeli troops operating in northern Gaza, an incident that left one Israeli officer seriously