The federal government is freezing the threshold at which the Competition Bureau must be notified of a merger. It also announced $123 million of funding to eight homebuilders that the federal government says are driving innovation and will help build more than 5,000 affordable homes. The announcements came this morning during Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland's weekly economic update alongside other ministers. Competition law requires mergers that exceed a certain value to be flagged to the Competition Bureau in advance, so it can determine whether the deal could prevent or lessen competition

Quebec provincial police say they've so far arrested 21 people allegedly connected to a war over drug territory in eastern Quebec between a street gang and the Hells Angels. Sgt. Hélène St-Pierre said more arrests are possible in the crackdown on the running conflict between drug dealers tied to the Hells Angels and the Blood Family Mafia. Police say the war between the two groups has led to a series of violent incidents, including at least one murder, in the Quebec City area, the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region, the Lower St-Lawrence and the North Shore. St-Pierre says that among the arrested a

Hungary’s parliament voted Monday to ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand in response to Russia'swar in Ukraine. The vote, which passed with 188 votes for and six against, came as a culmination of months of wrangling by Hungary's allies to convince its nationalist government to lift its block on Sweden's membership. The government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán submitted the protocols for approving Sweden's entry into NATO in July 2022, but the matter had stalled in parliament over oppositi

Police on Vancouver Island say a hit-and-run crash has killed a 90-year-old woman. A statement from Nanaimo RCMP says a passing driver called police at around 8:50 p.m. Saturday after finding the woman lying unconscious on the road. They say the woman was pronounced dead at the scene "despite the valiant efforts of bystanders who administered emergency first aid and first responders." Police say the crash is being investigated as a hit-and-run based on evidence gathered by traffic services officers and an RCMP collision analyst. The Mounties are appealing to the public for help in finding the

A new report says the crisis in Canada's bail system has worsened over the last decade, with more people in pre-trial custody and some spending weeks in detention before being released. A report released today by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association says that by 2021-2022, the proportion of people in provincial and territorial jails who were awaiting bail or trial was more than 70 per cent and nearly 79 per cent in Ontario. That's compared with just over 54 per cent in 2014, when the association released its initial report on the issue. The report says that while there are "clear timeframe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action in the two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. 31,000 Ukrainian military personnel have been killed in this war. Not 300,000, not 150,000, not whatever Putin and his deceitful circle have been lying about. But nevertheless, each of these losses is a great sacrifice for us," Zelenskyy said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum in Kyiv. The Ukrainian leader said that he wouldn't disclose the number of troops that were wounded or missing. It is the first time that Kyiv ha

Donald Trumphas appealed his$454 million New York civil fraud judgment,challenging ajudge’s findingthatTrump lied about his wealthas he grew the real estate empire that launched him to stardom and the presidency. The former president’s lawyers filed a notice of appeal Monday asking the state’s mid-level appeals court to overturn Judge Arthur Engoron’s Feb. 16 verdict in Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit. Trump’s lawyers wrote in court papers that they're asking the appeals court to decide whether Engoron “committed errors of law and/or fact” and whether he abused his disc

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz has created history. She has been elected as the first woman Chief Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province. Maryam Nawaz took oath as the Chief Minister of Punjab at the Governor House on Monday. She is also currently the Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. After becoming the chief minister, Maryam Nawaz said that her government would not take any retaliatory action. It is to be noted that Maryam Nawaz got the support of 220 MLAs in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. There his first speech was boycotted by the opposi

Republican National Committee ChairRonna McDanielwill leave her post on March 8, having been forced out of the GOP’s national leadership asDonald Trumpmoves toward another presidential nomination and asserts control over the party. McDaniel announced her decision in a statement on Monday morning. “I have decided to step aside at our Spring Training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing," McDaniel said in the statement. “The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition.”