A BC man convicted of importing 2 kg of opium was sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment last month. In February 2017, a BC RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime (FSOC) - Major Projects team initiated a transnational drug importation investigation stemming from Germany. Shortly after arresting Hamid Nemati Shirazi for drug trafficking, German Federal Police authorities (Bundespolizei or BPOL) discovered shipment details for a package suspected of containing opium and alerted the RCMP International Liaison Officer to the Canada-bound package. Acting on this intelligence, the RCMP Liaison Offic

Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says extreme weather events are increasing across Canada and everyone must be prepared for disasters. Blair says Public Safety Canada has responded to 14 requests for community assistance related to wildfires over the last two years, but received just four such requests in the five years before that. He says the increasing frequency of fires mean it's critically important that the federal and provincial governments learn from the blaze that destroyed Lytton last year. Blair made the comments in Vancouver flanked by several other federal and provincia

The minister of Indigenous services says it's important Pope Francis is honouring his commitment to visit Canada this summer to issue an apology for the Roman Catholic Church's role in residential schools. The Vatican says the the pontiff will be visiting Edmonton, Quebec City and Iqaluit on a trip from July 24 to 29. Survivors and leaders were hoping a visit to the former Kamloops residential school site would be included. Patty Hajdu says the visit is welcomed but the federal government will not step in to dictate where the Pope should visit.The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops says i

The United Arab Emirates' long-ailing ruler, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nayhan, died Friday, the government's state-run news agency announced in a brief statement. He was 73. The UAE’s Ministry of Presidential Affairs announced a 40-day period of mourning and a three-day suspension of work in all ministries and the private sector beginning Friday, including flags to be flown at half-staff. He had long seized having involvement in day-to-day affairs, with his brother, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed, seen as the de-factor ruler. There was no immediate announcement about the succe

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney says his government has made strides in adding capacity to hospitals still straining to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kenney says 19 of 50 new intensive care beds promised in the spring budget are available and staffed by new specialists, including nurses and respiratory therapists. He says Alberta will no longer have the lowest number of intensive care beds per capita once the rest of the promised beds open. Kenney says that will leave Alberta about average in Canada. Health Minister Jason Copping says even with the new beds, hospitals remain under severe str

The trial for a Calgary man accused of travelling to Syria to commit terrorism offences will occur exactly one year after it was originally scheduled. Jamal Borhot was charged in 2020 with three counts of participating in terrorist group activity after a seven year investigation by the RCMP. Police allege he committed terrorist activities benefiting the terrorist group known as the Islamic State in 2013 and 2014. A trial was originally scheduled for this October but his lawyer removed himself from the case. The new four-week trial begins Oct. 3, 2023. Borhot's new lawyer said he needs time to

Punjab Police on Friday declared Lakhbir Singh Landa as the key conspirator in the Mohali blast case, wherein a Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack took place on the Punjab Police's Intelligence headquarters earlier this week. Addressing a press conference today, Punjab Director General of Police VK Bhawra said, "The key conspirator is Lakhbir Singh Landa. He's a resident of the Tarn Taran district in Punjab. He is a gangster and shifted to Canada in 2017. He is a close associate of Harinder Singh Rinda, who is in close proximity to Babbar Khalsa International chief Wadhawa Singh, is a part

CALGARY - Family and friends are rallying around the children of a Calgary woman who died after a road-rage shooting led to a four-vehicle crash. Angela McKenzie, who was 40, died Tuesday when two vehicles thatwere pursuing each other collided with her van and another car at an intersection in the city's southeast. McKenzie was identified by her church pastor as a mother of five children between the ages of nine and 17. A GoFundMe account has been set up by a church member to help the children and their grandmother, who is currently caring for them. Capt. Ian Scott, pastor of the Salvation Arm

Alberta's health minister says planned changes to funding for insulin pumps are on hold after people with Type 1 diabetes voiced worries about potential financial or medical hardship. Jason Copping says the changes, which were to begin Aug. 1, are being put off pending consultations to make sure no one is forced to choose between a pump and putting food on the table. Copping, speaking in the legislature during question period, apologized to the roughly 4,000 Albertans who use insulin pumps. The government said last week that it would change how it funds the pumps, small programmable machines t