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WorldAug 18, 2020

Second large seizure of fentanyl at Mexico City airport

Mexican marines and customs authorities say they have seized 250 pounds (113.5 kilograms) of the synthetic opioid fentanyl at the Mexico City airport. It was the second such large bust at the airport this month. Authorities said Tuesday the fentanyl was found in four small cardboard drums that were part of an air freight shipment. Mexican drug cartels once favoured importing fentanyl and closely related chemical precursors from Asia through Mexico's Pacific coast seaports, but they now appear to have turned to airports. In mid-August, customs authorities seized almost 500 pounds (220 kilogram
lawyers-representing-huawei-executive-meng-wanzhou-fighting-to-win-release-of-more-confidential-documents
BCAug 18, 2020

Lawyers representing Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou fighting to win release of more confidential documents

Lawyers representing Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou are back in BC Supreme Court today fighting to win release of more confidential documents tied to the case. Meng's legal team says some of the documents relate to her detention at Vancouver's airport in December 2018 and could shed light on her claim that her rights were violated before her arrest. Meng is wanted in the US on fraud charges, which she and Huawei deny, and this chapter in her extradition battle began yesterday with Meng attending via phone link. The matter could continue all week and today's arguments will focus on the technica
BCAug 18, 2020

79 wildfires have been sparked in the last two days: BC Wildfire Service

The BC Wildfire Service says 79 wildfires have been sparked in the last two days, in the wake of a fierce lightning storm that moved across southern BC Sunday night. The wildfire service website says 74 per cent of the new fires were caused by lightning, including 14 of 15 reported on southern Vancouver Island. Most remain very small, with only a handful larger than a hectare, although a fire on the eastern shore of Sooke Lake, east of Langford, is listed at eight hectares and considered out of control. In all, 475 fires have been reported across B-C since the start of the fire season in Apri
BCAug 18, 2020

Environment Canada drops heat warnings for most regions

Another hot day is unfolding across much of southern B-C, but Environment Canada has dropped heat warnings for all but the Fraser Canyon and Kootenay Lake regions. Temperatures above 35 degrees, with nighttime lows not falling below 18, will continue there for at least another day but the weather office is calling for slightly cooler conditions tonight. It's still set to be a scorcher for many areas with the mercury nudging the mid-30s in the Kamloops, Kelowna, Cranbrook and Trail areas. There's also the risk of more thunderstorms across southeastern B-C where the wildfire service rates wildf
CanadaAug 18, 2020

Bill Morneau's resignation will do little to quash the WE Charity affair: Jagmeet Singh

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says the resignation of Bill Morneau as federal finance minister will do little to quash the WE Charity affair. Singh says that's because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the rest of his inner circle are still at the cabinet table. Jagmeet Singh says he does not believe the resignation of Bill Morneau as federal finance minister will end the ethical problems plaguing the federal Liberals. Singh told reporters in Vancouver that Morneau's replacement, Chrystia Freeland, was at the cabinet table when decisions were made to offer WE Charity a multi-million dollar contract
trudeau-set-to-move-freeland-to-finance-prorogue-parliament-for-economic-reset
CanadaAug 18, 2020

Cabinet glass ceiling shattered as Chrystia Freeland named finance minister

Canada has its first ever female finance minister. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was sworn in this afternoon at Rideau Hall in a cabinet shuffle that also saw Dominic LeBlanc take over the intergovernmental affairs portfolio. Prime Minister Trudeau usually hugs his cabinet ministers at such ceremonies, instead he gave Freeland and LeBlanc a congratulatory elbow bump. Trudeau has asked Governor General Julie Payette to prorogue Parliament until September 23rd, two days after the House of Commons was initially to resume sitting.
increase-in-covid-19-cases-b-c-alberta-and-manitoba
CanadaAug 18, 2020

Increase in COVID-19 cases B.C., Alberta and Manitoba

There are 122,872 confirmed cases in Canada. Quebec: 61,206 confirmed (including 5,721 deaths, 53,930 resolved) Ontario: 40,745 confirmed (including 2,789 deaths, 37,036 resolved) Alberta: 12,412 confirmed (including 224 deaths, 11,056 resolved) British Columbia: 4,594 confirmed (including 198 deaths, 3,653 resolved) Saskatchewan: 1,581 confirmed (including 22 deaths, 1,387 resolved) Nova Scotia: 1,075 confirmed (including 64 deaths, 1,007 resolved) Manitoba: 716 confirmed (including 9 deaths, 490 resolved), 15 presumptive Newfoundland and Labrador: 268 confirmed (including 3 deaths, 263 reso
b-c-officials-announce-236-covid-19-cases-over-three-days-says-penalties-coming
BCAug 18, 2020

B.C. officials announce 236 COVID-19 cases over three days, says penalties coming

Health Minister Adrian Dix says the B.C. government will announce stricter penalties this week for those who flout public health rules as COVID-19 cases climb in the province. Officials announced 236 new cases since Friday during a briefing today, including the second highest single-day increase of 100 since the pandemic began. Hospitalizations decreased from 12 cases to four. Deputy provincial health officer Dr. Reka Gustafson says most of those testing positive are young, which suggests the province has done a relatively good job of protecting the most vulnerable. However, she says young pe
finance-minister-bill-morneau-resigns-plans-to-run-for-head-of-oecd
CanadaAug 18, 2020

Finance Minister Bill Morneau resigns, plans to run for head of OECD

Bill Morneau is resigning as the federal minister of finance and a Liberal MP. Morneau says he is putting his name forward as a candidate to be the next secretary general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he accepted Morneau's resignation earlier Monday and that Canada would ``vigorously support'' his efforts to take on the new role. Morneau has been finance minister since 2015, when the Liberals returned to power. For several weeks, opposition parties have been calling for Morneau's resignation over allegations that he had a con

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CanadaOct 30, 2025

Surrey Renames Park After Community Raises Concerns Over Historical Injustices

The City of Surrey has renamed a neighbourhood park following concerns from residents of Japanese descent about its historical namesake. Senator Reid Park, located in the city’s north end, will now be known as North Ridge Park. The change follows a review prompted by community feedback highlighting Senator Thomas Reid’s role in supporting discriminatory policies against Japanese Canadians before, during and after the Second World War. City officials said the park, originally named in the 1990s, no longer reflects Surrey’s values of inclusivity and respect. Laurie Cavan, general manager o
b-c-seeks-court-stay-in-cowichan-tribes-aboriginal-title-case-amid-concerns-from-richmond-residents
BCOct 30, 2025

B.C. seeks court stay in Cowichan Tribes Aboriginal title case amid concerns from Richmond residents

Premier David Eby says the British Columbia government will ask the courts to delay implementation of a ruling that recognized Aboriginal title for the Cowichan Tribes over land in Richmond. The province is requesting a stay while the B.C. Court of Appeal reviews the landmark decision, which has raised questions about its impact on private land ownership. In August, the B.C. Supreme Court declared that the Cowichan Tribes hold Aboriginal title to about 750 acres along the Fraser River. The court found that Crown grants of private titles on that land were an unjustified infringement of Cowichan
police-investigate-shots-fired-at-surrey-business
CanadaOct 29, 2025

Police probe overnight shooting that damaged Surrey business

Police in Surrey are investigating after gunfire caused property damage to a business in the city’s South Surrey area earlier this week. Surrey Police Service (SPS) and the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit (SPOSU) say the incident was reported around 11:35 a.m. on October 28. Officers were called to a business in the 15200 block of Croydon Drive, where they confirmed that the building’s exterior had been struck by bullets. Investigators believe the shooting took place sometime between 8:30 p.m. on October 27 and 8:30 a.m. the next morning. No one was inside the business at th
drug-related-offences-rise-nationally-for-first-time-in-12-years-statcan
CanadaOct 29, 2025

Drug-related offences rise nationally for first time in 12 years – StatCan

Statistics Canada says the country’s rate of police-reported drug crime has increased for the first time in more than a decade, marking a 13 per cent jump between 2023 and 2024. The new data shows the rise was driven by higher numbers of possession and trafficking charges involving cannabis, cocaine and opioids other than heroin. Despite the recent uptick, the national rate remains well below its historical peak. The 2024 figure stood at 128 incidents per 100,000 people – down 61 per cent from a high of 330 in 2011. The Northwest Territories recorded the highest rate of drug crime last yea
bc-government-calls-emergency-meeting-with-federal-ministers
BCOct 29, 2025

BC government calls emergency meeting with federal ministers

The BC government is calling an emergency meeting with federal ministers in Vancouver next week, also known as the Forestry Sector Summit, in light of the trade dispute with the US and the recent increase in tariffs on softwood, with Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar inviting federal ministers Dominique LeBlanc and Melanie Joly to attend. The BC government intends to seek financial assistance from the federal government to help the struggling forestry sector and combat the tariffs. Parmar said that forestry for us in BC is like the auto sector and the steel sector, which the government should a