Canada's new defence minister says she's accepted a call to move the investigation and prosecution of sexual misconduct and assault cases that happen in the military over from the force's control to civilian police. Anita Anand says the federal government has accepted ``in full'' the recommendation from retired Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour. Arbour was the second retired Supreme Court justice to call for the military to transfer criminal cases involving sexual misconduct to civilian authorities. Morris Fish made a similar recommendation in June, following a comprehensive review of the m

A teacher at Mount Elizabeth Secondary in Kitimat, BC, is under fire after allegedly mocking an Indigenous student for wearing traditional Haisla regalia to school for picture day. Students organized a walkout on Tuesday to demand accountability from education officials. School District 82 has not named the teacher alleged to have made the comments and has not confirmed whether the teacher is still working at the school or what type of investigation they may be facing. The Haisla Nation says it is aware of what happened and it serves as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to ac

Victoria police have issued a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all staff including front-line officers, civilian staff, special municipal constables, volunteers and contractors. Police say they will require staff to submit proof of full vaccination or begin regular COVID-19 antigen testing by November 15th. Police Chief Del Manak says he believes most of his staff are fully vaccinated, but this will be an added precaution to confirm the safety of staff members and the public. BC health officials reported six deaths and 430 new cases of the virus yesterday, bringing the active case count to 4,373.

Britain is the first country to grant a conditional authorization to pharmaceutical giant Merck's coronavirus antiviral, the first pill shown to successfully treat COVID-19. It's intended to be taken at home twice a day for five days by people with mild to moderate COVID-19.An antiviral pill that reduces symptoms and speeds recovery could prove groundbreaking, easing caseloads on hospitals and helping to curb outbreaks in poorer countries with fragile health systems.The pill is also pending review by regulators in the United States and the European Union.

B.C. is reporting 430 new cases of COVID-19, including two epi-linked cases, for a total of 207,120 cases in the province.There are currently 4,373 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 200,220 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 137 individuals are currently in intensive care.In the past 24 hours, six new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,192.The new deaths include:Fraser Health: fourInterior Health: oneIsland Health: oneThere has been one new health-care facility outbreak at Hallmark on the Park (Fraser Health). The outbreaks at Heritage

On October 27, 2021 at approximately 11:50 PM, members of BC Highway Patrol’s Traffic Safety Unit - Police Dog Service (TSU-PDS) checked a suspicious vehicle parked in an overnight parking area reserved for commercial vehicles near Revelstoke, BC. Police observed that the seats behind the driver were removed and the vehicle, a Toyota minivan, was filled from floor to ceiling with boxes and concealed by a blanket. The van’s occupants, a man and woman from Calgary, were queried on police databases and were found to be the subjects of prior criminal activity in the Lower Mainland.Based on the

Ravi Kahlon, MLA for Delta North and Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, has issued the following statement in honour of the proclamation declaring November as Sikh Nation Blood Donation Month:"In November 1999, the Sikh Nation organized its first blood donation campaign in Surrey with the belief that all humans should live a safe and happy life. Powered by that belief and the dedication of a few hard-working volunteers, this grassroots campaign became an annual event, growing in size and impact with every year."Now in its 22nd year, the campaign has dozens of clinics across Ca

Williams Lake Mayor Walt Cobb has apologized for reposting an article on his personal Facebook page that suggested there are two sides to the history of residential schools. Speaking at a council meeting last night, Cobb says he is ``seriously sorry'' for the repost and says he did not endorse it, but he also called the complaint from Williams Lake First Nation Chief Willie Sellars a ``personal attack'' because the post was on Cobb's personal page, not on the page he uses as mayor. Sellars could be immediately reached for comment but Charlene Belleau, who attended the meeting and spoke for th

Saanich Police are promising to crackdown on unlawful weekend parties at the University of Victoria. Police say in a release there have been parties every weekend since the semester started in September, with crowds of up to one thousand people drinking alcohol, committing assaults, along with disorderly conduct that borders on rioting. On the Halloween weekend, police say people discharged fireworks into the crowd, officers in a police car were surrounded by a mob and several intoxicated and underage youth needed medical attention. Police say they'll be putting up roadblocks, increasing foot