Canada's defence minister is calling out China over what he describes as its ``hostage diplomacy'' and says the NATO military alliance needs to keep tabs on the increasingly assertive Asian giant. Harjit Sajjan's comments came during a online panel discussion with counterparts from Slovakia and Latvia as two Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor remain in Chinese custody. The two Michaels were arrested in apparent retaliation for Canadian authorities' having detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver in December 2018 to face fraud charges in the United States. Sajjan said China

B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson says his party would expand a program that pairs police officers with mental health workers if the party wins the provincial election. During a campaign event in Vancouver today, Wilkinson said a Liberal government would provide $58 million to hire 100 psychiatric social workers and registered nurses to staff joint teams with police to answer mental health calls. He says the Liberals would also hire 200 more police officers to fill vacancies across British Columbia and 40 new Crown prosecutors. As Wilkinson sought to boost the party's law-and-order brand

A shooting outside a restaurant in a west-side Vancouver neighbourhood has left one man injured. It happened at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in a busy section of the Dunbar area, crowded with shops and restaurants. A statement from police says a family of three was leaving a restaurant when the shots were fired. A woman and child were not hurt but a man with them was taken to hospital suffering from non-life-threatening injuries. Two people were arrested a short time later. Police have not yet said if there is a motive for the shooting or whether it was targeted.

Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says six single-use plastic items that aren't easily recycled and already have more environmentally friendly alternatives will be the first to go under Canada's new restrictions on plastics. That means the end of next year will be the end of the road for plastic straws, stir sticks, carry-out bags, cutlery, dishes and takeout containers and six-pack rings for cans and bottles. Wilkinson says many of the items that aren't on that list, such as plastic bottles, will be getting new standards to require them to contain a minimum amount of recycled material

Mayor Kennedy Stewart wants councillors to support a multimillion-dollar proposal to help those who are homeless in Vancouver during the pandemic. Stewart has released a recommendation to council seeking as much as $30 million to buy or lease land in the city and pay for other services to provide emergency relief for people without homes. A statement from the mayor's office says the recommendation builds on the findings of a staff report, which concluded that the lease or purchase of vacant apartment complexes, commercial hotels and other buildings is the only viable way to quickly address

B-C health officials are reporting 102 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths. That brings the death toll in the province to 244. Provincial health officer Doctor Bonnie Henry says active cases ticked up to one-thousand-384 with 71 people in hospital, including 16 in intensive care. Henry says the latest modelling data shows individual actions make a difference and B-C is starting to flatten the curve of the pandemic once again as a result of public health measures.

Mayors of BC's largest cities are asking the major provincial political parties to outline their election policies in four key areas. The BC Urban Mayors' Caucus is asking where the parties stand on mental health and addictions, affordable housing, public transit and the fiscal relationship between local governments and the province. It has sent a letter to the leaders of the New Democrats, Liberals, Green party and the Conservatives asking for a response by Monday. The mayors' caucus says it will make the answers public to help voters make an informed choice on October 24th.

Police say a toddler has died after he and his mother were hit by a car while crossing a street in Coquitlam, B.C. The two were hit at about 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Westwood Plateau neighbourhood. A statement from Coquitlam RCMP says the boy was two-years-old and his mother, who was also hurt, is 36. Cpl. Michael McLaughlin says the investigation is just beginning but officers have already gathered clear dash-cam video and independent witness statements. He says neither speed nor impairment appear to be factors. Police said earlier that the driver remained at the scene and was co-operating.

British Columbia's Green party wants to see free child care for children under three and free early childhood education for three- and four-year-olds. Campaigning in Vancouver on Tuesday, Green party Leader Sonia Furstenau says their plan would also have financial support for stay-at-home parents of $350 a month. She says taking care of a child needs to be recognized as a real job that counts as time in the workplace, not as a relaxing time out. Furstenau says parents with young children in B.C. are facing tremendous pressure as costs skyrocket and household income stagnates. She is also prop