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a-group-of-canadians-reached-jordan-by-crossing-the-border-by-bus-foreign-minister
CanadaOct 16, 2023

A group of Canadians reached Jordan by crossing the border by bus: Foreign Minister

Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly has posted information on X that a group of Canadians have crossed the border by bus from the West Bank and entered Jordan safely.Jolie thanked the teams in Ramallah, Amman, Tel-Aviv and Ottawa, saying it was possible with the support of teams working 24 hours a day.According to the information received, a group of 30 people left by bus.This group mainly includes Canadians and citizens of Australia and New Zealand.There were 21 Canadians on the bus.Global Affairs Canada said it is using two buses to evacuate Canadians from the West Bank.About 2
pharmacare-ultimatum-ndp-votes-to-withdraw-from-liberal-deal
CanadaOct 16, 2023

Pharmacare ultimatum: NDP votes to withdraw from Liberal deal

The federal New Democrats plan to make pharmacare a central issue in the next election if the Liberals do not meet the bar the opposition party has set for legislation to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.The confidence-and-supply deal that sees the NDP supporting the minority Liberals on key votes in the House of Commons says the government will introduce a bill to create a framework for national pharmacare this year.NDP members have drawn a line in the sand by passing an emergency resolution at their policy convention in Hamilton this weekend thatsays the party should withdraw its suppor
israel-hamas-war-6-year-old-palestinian-child-killed-in-hate-crime-in-illinois
WorldOct 16, 2023

Israel-Hamas war: 6-year-old Palestinian child killed in hate crime in Illinois

Authorities say a 71-year-old Illinois man has been charged with a hate crime, accused of fatally stabbing a young boy and seriously wounded a woman because of their Islamic faith and the Israel-Hamas war.The Will County Sheriff's Office says in a statement that the man was in custody Sunday and is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, hate crimes and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.Authorities say they found the woman and the 6-year-old child repeatedly stabbed Saturday morning at a home southwest of Chicago.The sheriff's office says the woman was hospitaliz
fifth-canadian-killed-in-israel-hamas-war-global-affairs-canada
CanadaOct 16, 2023

Fifth Canadian killed in Israel-Hamas war: Global Affairs Canada

Global Affairs Canada has confirmed the death of a fifth Canadian in Israel after a series of attacks by Hamas militants, while Canadians in the besieged Gaza Strip still have no way to get out.Three other Canadians who were in Israel when the attacks happened Oct. 7 are still missing, officials said Sunday.Global Affairs did not provide details of the fifth person who died or those who are missing, citing privacy reasons.More than 6,800 Canadians are registered in Israel, and more than 450 in the West Bank and Gaza.Canada is currently assisting about 3,300 permanent residents, Canadians and t
alberta-will-not-adopt-quebecs-pension-model
AlbertaOct 13, 2023

Alberta will not adopt Quebec’s pension model

Finance Minister Nate Horner says if Alberta abandons the Canada Pension Plan to run its own stand-alone fund, it will not adopt Quebec's model, which mandates optimizing returns while also investing in the province.Horner's comments come three weeks after Premier Danielle Smith said her government wants to hear from Albertans first before it makes decisions such as whether to follow the Quebec model.Horner says legislation will be introduced this fall to effectively cancel out using the Quebec model and spell out that any pension assets would only be used for a pension plan.He says when it co
economy-to-stagnate-federal-deficit-expected-to-balloon-to-46-5b-this-year-pbo
CanadaOct 13, 2023

Economy to 'stagnate,' federal deficit expected to balloon to $46.5B this year: PBO

The parliamentary budget officer says higher interest rates will lead the economy to stagnate in the second half of the year and the federal deficit will rise significantly this fiscal year.The PBO released its economic and fiscal outlook today, providing updated projections for the economy and federal finances as high interest rates weigh on growth.The budget officer also says it expects consumer spending to remain weak in the second half of 2023 and throughout the first half of 2024.Faced with slower growth in government revenues and higher expenses, the federal deficit is projected to rise
city-of-surrey-moves-to-court-to-block-police-transfer
BCOct 13, 2023

City of Surrey moves to court to block police transfer

The City of Surrey says it is filing a petition in the B.C. Supreme Court challenging the province's order to convert the RCMP into a municipal police force.The move, announced in a statement on Friday, has been a long-running dispute."My team and I were elected to stop the proposed police change," Mayor Brenda Locke said in a statement.It is worth mentioning that on July 19, B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth directed the City of Surrey to replace its existing RCMP force with the Surrey Police Service.Farnworth said everyone has a right to be safe in their community and all British Co
quebec-plans-to-double-university-tuition-for-out-of-province-students-by-2024
CanadaOct 13, 2023

Quebec plans to double university tuition for out-of-province students by 2024

The Quebec government is doubling tuition for out-of-province students to give more money to francophone universities.Tuition for Canadians outside Quebec will jump to $17,000 from $8,992 beginning fall 2024, while the minimum tuition for international students will be $20,000.Quebec's English universities have far more international and out-of-province students compared to the French institutions.Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry says the new rates are justified because the majority of out-of-province students leave Quebec after their studies but benefit from preferential tuition rates.
aware-of-social-media-posts-threatening-jewish-community-rcmp
CanadaOct 13, 2023

Aware of social media posts threatening Jewish community: RCMP

The RCMP says it's aware of social media posts threatening the Jewish community in Canada, calling it a time for "increased vigilance."The statement comes as several Canadian polices forces, including in Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver, say they have upped patrols in response to the Israel-Hamas war but have not identified any specific local threats.A spokesperson for the Mounties declined to answer further questions about the social media threats, including whether the force was investigating.The statement says any threats are taken seriously and investigated as warranted.The Ontario Provincial

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independent-b-c-mla-says-he-will-not-resign-while-facing-assault-charges
BCMar 31, 2026

Independent B.C. MLA says he will not resign while facing assault charges

Independent MLA Hon Chan says he will not step down from his legislative seat after assault charges related to an alleged incident of intimate partner violence became public, leading to his removal from the Conservative caucus. Speaking briefly to reporters outside the legislative chamber Monday, Chan said he intends to remain in office, adding that “everybody is actually innocent until proven guilty.” The charges relate to an alleged incident dated Jan. 12, 2024. Chan has said he was not contacted by police before the October 2025 provincial election, when he was elected as a Conservative
ottawa-to-extend-2-cap-on-alcohol-excise-tax-increases-through-2028
CanadaMar 31, 2026

Ottawa to extend 2% cap on alcohol excise tax increases through 2028

The federal government is set to extend its temporary cap on annual alcohol excise tax increases for another two years, according to a senior government official who spoke to The Canadian Press on background ahead of a formal announcement. Excise duties on beer, wine and spirits are normally adjusted each April 1 based on inflation. Since 2023, the Liberal government has limited those increases to a maximum of two per cent annually. That cap was scheduled to expire this year, but the official said it will now remain in place until 2028. The government is also planning to extend for two years a
canada-post-moves-ahead-with-plan-to-phase-out-door-to-door-delivery
CanadaMar 31, 2026

Canada Post moves ahead with plan to phase out door-to-door delivery

Canada Post says it is proceeding with a federally mandated restructuring plan that could see the permanent end of door-to-door mail delivery across the country. In a statement to media Monday, the Crown corporation said the transformation is intended to adapt its operations to changing demand while avoiding ongoing financial pressure on taxpayers. According to the statement, the plan includes changes to delivery standards and a shift toward community mailboxes. The direction follows a federal announcement in September, when Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement J
AlbertaMar 31, 2026

Alberta proposes blackout period for citizen-led referendum petitions around elections

Alberta’s government has introduced legislation that would restrict when citizens can launch petitions for constitutional or policy referendums, including a blackout period before and after provincial elections. Justice Minister Mickey Amery outlined the proposed changes in a bill now before the legislature. According to the minister, the bill would prohibit initiating referendum petitions in the 12 months leading up to, and the 12 months following, a provincial election. Amery said the intent is to ensure voters can focus on making decisions at the ballot box without overlapping referendum
nenshi-distances-alberta-ndp-from-new-federal-leader-avi-lewis-over-energy-policy-differences
FeaturedMar 31, 2026

Nenshi distances Alberta NDP from new federal leader Avi Lewis over energy policy differences

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says his party is not aligned with newly elected federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis on energy policy, following Lewis’s victory at the party’s national convention. Speaking at the Alberta legislature on Monday, Nenshi said the divide between the federal and provincial wings of the party on energy issues has existed for years. “It was important for Albertans to remember that for many years now, the New Democrats have not been fully aligned, particularly on energy policy,” he said. Lewis, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and activist, was elected Sunday in Winnipeg