The Trudeau government has tabled legislation to repeal mandatory minimum penalties for certain drug offences, saying they do not deter crime and unfairly affect Indigenous and Black offenders. The bill introduced today would also allow for greater use of conditional sentences, such as house arrest, counselling or treatment, for people who do not pose a threat to public safety. In addition, it would require police and prosecutors to consider alternative measures for cases of simple possession of drugs, such as diversion to addiction-treatment programs. The office of Justice Minister David Lam

Newly arriving refugees will have the cost of their mandatory hotel quarantines covered by the federal government. The federal government is also covering the cost of mandatory COVID-19 testing on arrival.As of Monday, most incoming travellers to Canada are required to stay for up to three nights in government-approved hotels while they await the results of COVID-19 tests.The new rules are meant to guard against further spread of COVID-19 and discourage travel. But the fact travellers must pay out of pocket had refugee groups in particular concerned about how they'd find the money. Despite wid

Farmers demonstrated at various railway tracks across India during their four-hour-long 'rail roko' andolan, a part of their protest against the three new farm laws. Police personnel were deployed at various railway stations across the country ahead of the nationwide four-hour blockade by protesting farmers on February 18. Police personnel were seen guarding the Palwal railway station, in wake of 'rail roko' from 12 pm to 4 pm. In view of the protest, Railways deployed 20 additional companies of the Railway Protection Special Force across the country with a focus on Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Prad

RCMP say they were called Wednesday night to a report of an assault at a home in the Panorama Ridge area of south Surrey. The critically injured man was found outside the home. He was given CPR and other emergency treatment but police say he died at the scene. Officers believe the victim and his attacker knew each other, but details are still being gathered. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has joined the case and will handle the release of any further information.

British Columbia is recording 427 new COVID-19 cases today, bringing the total number of active cases in the province to 4,150. Health officials say three more people have died and the death toll now sits at 1,317. There are 232 people in hospital, 63 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry say in a joint statement that chains of transmission are broken when everyone works together. To date, 176,015 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.

A 70 year old man was arrested Wednesday in the hit and run death of rapper Nicki Minaj's father. Police say Charles Polevich stopped briefly to ask the injured man if he was OK but didn't call for help. Polevich faces charges of leaving the scene of an incident and tampering with physical evidence in connection with the death last week of 64 year old Robert Maraj on New York's Long Island. Polevich splits time between Long Island and Guam. He is free on bail following an arraignment in Nassau County court. A message seeking comment was left with Polevich's lawyer.

A month-long crackdown has resulted in nearly 300 recommended criminal charges against people police allege are violent and prolific shoplifters working in downtown Vancouver. A statement from Vancouver police says officers worked closely with retailers and store security teams over four weeks, ending Feb. 12.The crackdown identified 250 alleged shoplifting incidents leading to 130 arrests and 268 recommended criminal charges.Police say just over $37,000 in stolen merchandise was recovered, along with 35 weapons, and 45 of those arrested were either the subject of a warrant or were allegedly b

Regional parks across Metro Vancouver are seeing record numbers of visitors as Lower Mainland residents seek outings that comply with pandemic rules. Park officials say more than 1.2-million people visited in January, more than double the number of visits in January 2020, while total visits last year were up 38 per cent as residents stayed close to home to avoid spreading COVID-19. All Metro Vancouver regional parks have stayed open throughout the pandemic. Although backcountry trails on North Shore parks, including the Grouse Grind on Grouse Mountain, are currently closed due to unsafe winte

BC has lost its application for a court injunction to halt services at three Fraser Valley churches whose members are defying rules against in-person gatherings. Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson turned down the application this morning after saying last week that the province was putting the court in an "impossible situation" by asking for it. The Attorney General's ministry and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry requested the injunction after the three churches filed a petition alleging the ban on religious gatherings violates the rights of parishioners. The Riverside Calvary Chapel