The Alberta government says it will spend 400 million dollars to strengthen its aging fleet of water bombers, part of a long term strategy to address increasingly severe wildfire seasons across the province. Premier Danielle Smith announced the agreement with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, which is expected to deliver the first of five new aircraft in 2031. The remaining planes will be phased in over subsequent years. Smith said the investment is separate from the roughly 160 million dollars Alberta allocates annually for wildfire response operations. The province has faced longer and more d

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to visit British Columbia today, with stops in Richmond and Vancouver focused on community engagement and Liberal Party activities. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Carney will join members of the local community in Richmond to take part in Lunar New Year celebrations, an event that draws significant participation from the region’s large Chinese Canadian population. Richmond is home to one of the largest Asian communities in Canada, and Lunar New Year events are considered an important cultural and civic gathering across Metro Vancouver. Lat

Former John Rustad has confirmed he will not seek the leadership of the BC Conservative Party, ending weeks of speculation about a possible return bid. In a statement released Saturday, Rustad said the decision followed considerable reflection. He began by thanking his wife for her support throughout his time in public life, describing her as his strongest source of encouragement during the pressures and challenges of political service. Rustad also expressed gratitude to supporters who had indicated they were prepared to back him in a leadership campaign. He said stepping aside was a decision

Canada Border Services Agency officers have seized more than 266 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine at the Blue Water Bridge border crossing in Sarnia, marking one of the larger drug interceptions in the region this year. According to the CBSA, a commercial truck arriving from the United States on February 4 was referred for a secondary inspection at the Blue Water Bridge port of entry. During a search of the trailer, officers, assisted by a detector dog, discovered 16 duffle bags containing suspected methamphetamine. The total weight of the seized narcotics was reported at 266.4 kilograms

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a $6.6 billion defence industrial strategy aimed at expanding military production within Canada and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers, particularly the United States. The federal government says the initiative is designed to strengthen national security while building long term economic capacity. The plan outlines a 10 year framework to prioritize Canadian based manufacturers in defence procurement. According to the Prime Minister, companies that build and assemble equipment in Canada will receive preference in federal purchasing decisions. The str

Former Punjab Congress leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu has publicly criticized senior Congress figure Rahul Gandhi, alleging that his leadership approach is contributing to the party’s decline in Punjab. In recent remarks, Sidhu claimed that Gandhi is disconnected from ground realities in the state and has failed to address what she described as internal corruption within the Punjab unit of the Indian National Congress. She further alleged that members of his close circle are involved in the sale of party tickets, and suggested that Gandhi is either unaware of or not acting on the issue. Sidhu’s

A young child has died following a collision at a Calgary intersection over the weekend, according to the Calgary Police Service. Police say the toddler was in a stroller being pushed by two adults in a marked crosswalk on Sunday when a Jeep SUV turned into the intersection and hit the stroller. Emergency crews transported the child to hospital, where the toddler was later pronounced dead. The adults pushing the stroller were not physically injured in the incident. Investigators say the driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with authorities. Police have indicated that neither speed n

Alberta RCMP say they have responded to an increased number of reports involving weapons in the days following last week’s deadly school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., which left nine people dead and has shaken communities across Western Canada. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said officers have received four separate calls in the past week reporting individuals with weapons in High River, Fort McMurray, Edson and Sherwood Park. While police cannot confirm a direct link between the recent spike in calls and the tragedy in British Columbia, Savinkoff said it is unusual and officers be

Canada’s annual inflation rate slowed slightly in January, easing to 2.3 percent compared with 2.4 percent in December, according to new data released by Statistics Canada. The decline was stronger than many economists had expected, as most forecasts had predicted the rate would remain unchanged. The federal agency said a significant drop in gasoline prices played a key role in moderating overall inflation. Gasoline prices were down 16.7 percent year over year, offsetting continued increases in the cost of food and clothing. Lower energy costs helped ease pressure on transportation expenses