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CanadaFeb 16, 2023

Downed objects most likely benign, Biden says, vowing new rules for U.S. skies

President Joe Biden says the three unknown flying objects he ordered shot down over the U.S. and Canada earlier this month were likely no danger to national security.Biden says the objects were downed expressly because they did pose a potential risk to commercial air traffic.Biden, who spoke out after members of Congress had urged him to do so, says the U.S. and Canada worked closely together to monitor the objects before acting out of an abundance of caution.He says there's nothing to suggest they were surveillance devices, and were more likely linked to private research or recreational activ
AlbertaFeb 16, 2023

Alberta health minister promises $158M in budget to recruit front-line health staff

Alberta’s health minister says there will be $158 million in the upcoming budget to attract more physicians and other health-care professionals to fill gaps in care.Jason Copping says the workforce is stretched and that demands will only increase as the population ages.The budget is to be delivered on February 28, and Copping says that half of the $158 million will be used for programs to recruit physicians to rural areas, which are feeling the brunt of the doctor shortage.There will also be funds to help underserviced and remote communities, and money to bring in internationally trained nur
BCFeb 16, 2023

B.C. high court orders three Hells Angels clubhouses forfeited to the province

British Columbia's Appeal Court has overturned a lower-court ruling and ordered the Hells Angels motorcycle club to surrender three properties under the province's Civil Forfeiture Act.The unanimous decision by a three-member panel issued Wednesday, says a B.C. Supreme Court justice was wrong to find "no evidence" that the Hells Angels' clubhouses in Nanaimo, Kelowna and Vancouver were used for the planning or commission of criminal activity.She finds the trial judge did not account for evidence showing Hells Angels members had "committed serious crimes" in the past or that the clubhouses "pro
liberals-introduce-milgaards-law-to-create-review-process-for-wrongful-convictions
CanadaFeb 16, 2023

Liberals introduce 'Milgaard's Law' to create review process for wrongful convictions

New legislation introduced in the House of Commons today would make it easier and faster for people who may have been wrongfully convicted to have their cases reviewed.The bill is dubbed "David and Joyce Milgaard’s Law," named for the man who was released in 1980 after being wrongfully imprisoned for 23 years, and his mother who fought relentlessly to free him.The government says it is rare for miscarriages of justice to occur but a formal process to review such cases is needed.The bill would establish an independent commission to review, investigate and decide which criminal cases should be
wake-up-call-flying-objects-raise-concerns-about-arctic-security
CanadaFeb 16, 2023

'Wake-up call:' Flying objects raise concerns about Arctic security

Some politicians and researchers say four flying objects that were discovered, tracked and shot down over U.S. and Canadian airspace in recent weeks highlight the need to improve security in Canada's Arctic."It should be a wake-up call for Canadians in general of the woefully inadequate capacity we have in the North in terms of our military capacity," said Opposition Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon."The fact that we rely on the American military to a huge degree is simply a fact of life in the North and that's something I don't think a lot of other Canadians would find acceptable."A high-altit
joly-ends-ukraine-visit-pledging-support-for-war-crime-tribunal-cash-to-local-groups
CanadaFeb 16, 2023

Joly ends Ukraine visit pledging support for war-crime tribunal, cash to local groups

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has ended a two-day visit to Ukraine where she met with senior officials to assess Canada's response to Russia's invasion.Ottawa tried to keep the visit under wraps for security reasons, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video Tuesday of his meeting with Joly.Joly met with her Ukrainian counterpart, as well as the country's prime minister, top prosecutor and internal affairs minister to discuss Canada's military support and attempts to bring Russia to international tribunals for war crimes.She also spoke with Ukraine's first lady Olena
rcmp-commissioner-brenda-lucki-announces-retirement
BCFeb 16, 2023

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki announces retirement

RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki announced her resignation as head of the National Police Force on Wednesday.She said that she will officially exit on March 17.Lucky said that she tried her best during her career to ensure that the RCMP continues to shine in its 150th year.She admitted that together with the senior executive team and RCMP personnel, she modernized the system and addressed several internal challenges.Lucki was appointed to the post in 2018, and was the first woman to hold the role.
CanadaFeb 16, 2023

Federal audit finds Hockey Canada did not use public funds for legal settlements

An audit commissioned by the federal government has found that Hockey Canada did not use public funds to settle sexual assault cases or pay for related legal fees.Sport Minister Pascale St-Onge called for the audit in June after several media outlets reported that Hockey Canada had settled a $3.55 million sexual assault lawsuit.She requested the investigation to ensure that public funds had only been used to support amateur hockey.A summary of the audit made several conclusions, including that funds disbursed by the federal government to Hockey Canada have been used for the intended purpose.It
canada-faces-fresh-pressure-on-military-spending-as-nato-chief-eyes-hard-target
CanadaFeb 15, 2023

Canada faces fresh pressure on military spending as NATO chief eyes hard target

The head of NATO is raising the prospect of hard targets for military spending which could put more pressure on Canada to invest billions more on defence.NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg today urged the military alliance's 30 members to recommit to spending at least two per cent of their GDP on defence.He said they should set firm requirements and timelines for meeting the target, unlike when it was first set in 2014.Canada has long lagged most of its allies on spending as a share of GDP, and refused to fully commit to the target.Successive Canadian governments have instead insisted tha

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IndiaMar 30, 2026

Former Punjab minister Laljit Singh Bhullar remanded for three more days in suicide case probe

A court in Punjab has extended the police remand of former Aam Aadmi Party minister Laljit Singh Bhullar by three days after his initial five-day custody period ended. He was produced in court following the expiry of the earlier remand. According to police, investigators have not yet recovered key evidence, including a mobile phone, during questioning. Authorities told the court that further custodial interrogation is required as part of the ongoing investigation. Bhullar was arrested in connection with the death of Gagandeep Singh Randhawa, a district manager with the Punjab Warehousing Corpo
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BCMar 30, 2026

B.C. union calls for expanded work-from-home policy amid rising fuel costs

The B.C. General Employees’ Union is urging the provincial government to allow full-time remote work for provincially regulated employees as fuel prices rise, citing financial pressure on workers. In a statement, the union – which represents about 35,000 public service workers among more than 95,000 members – said a temporary work-from-home policy would help offset costs linked to higher gasoline prices. The increase is tied to global supply concerns amid the ongoing Iran conflict, according to the union. The union also called on the province to consider additional relief measures for em
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BCMar 30, 2026

B.C. Conservative leadership candidate Fulmer signs electoral pact with OneBC’s Brodie

B.C. Conservative leadership candidate Yuri Fulmer has entered into a “unite the right” agreement with former Conservative MLA Dallas Brodie, aimed at preventing vote-splitting if Fulmer becomes leader of the Opposition. According to a joint statement released by the two camps, Brodie’s OneBC party would refrain from running candidates in 88 of British Columbia’s 93 ridings. In exchange, the Conservatives would not field candidates in five unspecified ridings. Brodie, who was removed from the Conservative caucus last year by then-leader John Rustad, said she is offering her “full sup
authorities-warn-of-world-cup-related-fraud-schemes-as-tournament-approaches
CanadaMar 30, 2026

Authorities warn of World Cup-related fraud schemes as tournament approaches

Canadian authorities are warning residents and international visitors to be alert to fraud schemes linked to the upcoming FIFA World Cup, as demand grows for tickets, travel and accommodations. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, along with policing partners in host cities Toronto and Vancouver, issued the advisory, saying fraudsters may attempt to exploit interest in the tournament, which Canada is co-hosting with the United States and Mexico. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, investigators are tracking several types of suspected scams, including fake ticket sales, fraudulent short-ter
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CanadaMar 30, 2026

Police-reported hate crimes level off in 2024 after multi-year rise, Statistics Canada says

The number of police-reported hate crimes in Canada remained largely unchanged in 2024 following several years of sharp increases, according to new data released by Statistics Canada. The agency reported 4,882 hate crimes in 2024, marking a one per cent increase over the previous year. The latest figures follow a 34 per cent rise between 2022 and 2023, and a broader trend that has seen reported incidents more than double since 2018, according to the federal data agency. Statistics Canada said incidents targeting race or ethnicity increased by eight per cent in 2024. At the same time, police-re