Seven mayors have already been elected unopposed in cities across Vancouver Island, nearly a month before general voting in British Columbia’s municipal elections. The municipalities include Sidney, Duncan, Lantzville, Cumberland, Comox, Port McNeill and Port Hardy. In each community, only one candidate filed a nomination for mayor, resulting in an automatic victory without a contested election. Political experts and local leaders say the trend may reflect today’s increasingly toxic political environment, personal attacks on social media and growing mental-health pressures. They believe th

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has expelled former MLA Ravinder Singh Brahmpura from the party, citing alleged anti-party activities. Brahmpura, the son of late senior SAD leader Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, represents the Khadoor Sahib constituency and has reportedly been facing allegations of working against the party for some time. According to the party, written complaints were received from SAD workers in Khadoor Sahib. Local leaders also raised concerns about Brahmpura’s alleged activities against the party during the Punjab Bachao Rally held at Goindwal Sahib on Se

Amid rising tensions in the Canada-U.S. trade war, Prime Minister Mark Carney called the United States a “friend” during his keynote address at an investment summit in Toronto. Carney said the two countries will always remain neighbours and that Canada will continue to be the United States’ most important partner in several key areas. He acknowledged that the two countries have had disagreements in the past, but said their relationship has remained close. According to Carney, the relationship works best when there is mutual trust and respect for each other’s traditions and sovereignty.

A landfill linked to a Calgary-based company has been burning for several days, with smoke causing concerns and disruption for residents in surrounding areas. The court has now taken a strong stance in the matter. Court of King’s Bench Justice James Eamon said the local company operating the landfill had deliberately refused to comply with municipal bylaws and orders. The judge also noted that the company’s past conduct showed a continued disregard for regulatory requirements. The court has granted the City of Calgary’s request for an injunction, ordering the company to immediately stop

Alberta NDP candidate Kyle Campbell has won the Calgary-Shaw byelection, defeating UCP candidate Mike Dery by 582 votes. Campbell will now serve as the MLA for the riding. Campbell received 7,461 votes, compared with 6,879 for Dery. Progressive Conservative candidate Kyle Joseph received 978 votes, Liberal candidate John Roggeveen received 602, while the Independent candidate secured 82 votes. NDP leader Naheed Nenshi called the victory a “political earthquake” for the party and said the NDP would build on its momentum in the coming days. The result is being seen as a significant shift in

The Mark Carney government is expected to formally announce the next steps on Tuesday to open the door to private and foreign investment in four of Canada’s major airports. According to reports, the Liberal Party held a special caucus meeting Monday night to discuss private investment in the country’s airports. Sources say the government is expected to outline a process for allowing foreign or other private investors to acquire stakes in major airports, including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto Pearson and Montréal-Trudeau. The airports are currently operated by not-for-profit airport authori

New U.S. tariffs of 50 per cent on 110 Canadian products took effect Tuesday, expanding the range of goods affected by the escalating trade dispute between Ottawa and Washington. The new duties apply to products including certain cheeses, all-terrain vehicles, motorboats, furniture, aluminum products, paper and wood products, iron and steel structures, mattresses and lamps. The changes were made under U.S. tariff measures announced by the Trump administration. At the same time, the United States removed 10 Canadian product categories from the 50 per cent tariff list. Those include salt, Portla

Canada and the European Union are set to deepen their diplomatic ties, with the European Parliament announcing the opening of a dedicated office in Ottawa ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Europe. The move comes as Carney’s government seeks to strengthen trade and defence partnerships with the EU while reducing Canada’s reliance on the United States. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said Monday that Europe and Canada share common views on several issues, including the rules-based international order. She said the new presence in Ottawa would help turn that partn

Surrey Police Service has issued a warning about a high-risk offender who has been released in Surrey. Police say 26-year-old Skyler Wayne Pelletier has a history of violent and sexual offences involving members of the public, including women. According to SPS, Pelletier is an Indigenous man who is 6-foot-2, heavy-set, with short black hair and brown eyes. He has been released under strict court-ordered conditions, including no contact with victims or their families and a prohibition from entering within two blocks of the 2500-block of Woodland Drive in Vancouver. He must also follow a curfew