Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says small and medium-sized business owners will receive their long-awaited carbon pricing refunds before the end of this year. According to the Finance Department, the federal government will distribute more than $2.5 billion to about 600,000 Canadian businesses in December. The refunds will return a portion of carbon price revenues collected between 2019–20 and 2023–24 in provinces where the federal fuel charge applies. The amount each business receives will depend on its province of operation and number of employees. The measure is part of Ottawa’s c

The Government of India has granted Z+ category security to Jasdeep Singh Gill, the newly appointed head of the Radha Soami Dera Beas in Punjab. Under the arrangement, CRPF commandos will be deployed for his protection. Officials said that whenever Gill travels outside Punjab, the respective state governments and local administrations will be responsible for providing additional security cover during his visits. Gill was appointed successor by Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon, the current Dera chief, on September 2, formally entrusting him with all organizational and operational responsibilities of

The Bloc Québécois is set to increase pressure on the federal government today by forcing a House of Commons debate on its proposal to raise Old Age Security (OAS) payments for all seniors. Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has given the Liberal government until October 29 to approve the party’s $16-billion pension plan, warning that failure to do so will prompt him to begin talks with other opposition parties to bring down the minority government. Even if the Liberals agree, the move would likely only buy them a few months of Bloc support. Blanchet’s party plans to use its opposition

Law professors at McGill University have suspended their five-week-long strike, allowing classes to restart this week after the university and the faculty union agreed to resume negotiations. The Association of McGill Professors of Law and the university’s administration said they will work toward negotiating a joint collective agreement process alongside other faculty unions. Classes are expected to resume by October 3. The announcement came a day after McGill warned it could cancel the fall semester if no agreement was reached. However, a message sent to students Tuesday did not clarify wh

Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar was notably absent from the state party meeting held in Chandigarh on Monday, deepening speculation about his possible resignation. The meeting was chaired by Vijay Rupani, the party’s in-charge for Punjab affairs. Senior leaders discussed strategies for the upcoming panchayat elections and four assembly by-elections scheduled in the coming weeks. Party insiders said Jakhar has been in Delhi since September 27 and had already informed colleagues that he would not be attending the meeting. However, his continued absence from several key organizational gatheri

A tragic fire engulfed a school bus in suburban Bangkok on Tuesday, leaving at least 25 people feared dead, according to Thai officials and rescue workers. The bus, carrying 44 students and teachers from Uthai Thani province to Bangkok for a school trip, caught fire around noon in Pathum Thani province, located just north of the capital. Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungruengkit said the blaze spread rapidly before emergency crews could respond. Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told reporters that authorities have not yet confirmed the exact number of fatalities as investigations continu

Haryana Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini has approved a 20-day parole for Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, who is currently serving a prison sentence for rape and murder convictions. The decision was made after the Election Commission of India granted permission on Monday for the state government to review the parole request. With Haryana Assembly elections scheduled for October 5, the approval was required to ensure compliance with the Model Code of Conduct. Gurmeet Ram Rahim was convicted in 2017 and sentenced to 20 years in jail by a special court. Since his imprisonment, this marks

Tension is escalating in Punjab as the state gears up for the panchayat elections. A violent clash broke out between leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress during the filing of nominations in the Zira area of Ferozepur district. Both groups reportedly threw bricks at each other, leaving several injured, including former MLA Kulbir Singh Zira. Police sources said that shots were also fired during the confrontation, adding to the chaos in the area. Meanwhile, a video of AAP MLA Amolak Singh from Jaito has gone viral on social media. In the clip, he is seen allegedly threatening vi

B.C. Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau is set to hold a news conference in Victoria this morning as the second week of the provincial election campaign continues. The Greens have already detailed several key commitments, including a plan to create a network of 93 community health centres across the province and to provide coverage for six annual mental health visits under the Medical Services Plan. The party has also pledged to maintain the carbon tax while expanding the size of the climate rebate for residents. All three major party leaders are expected to meet face-to-face on Wednesday for