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fiscal-and-monetary-policy-in-opposite-directions-difficult-to-bring-down-inflation-mccallum
CanadaOct 31, 2023

Fiscal and monetary policy in opposite directions, difficult to bring down inflation: McCallum

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem says fiscal and monetary policy are rowing in opposite directions, making it harder to bring inflation down.Macklem is appearing before MPs on the House of Commons finance committee after the Bank of Canada's recent rate decision and quarterly economic projections.In response to questioning from Conservative MP Jasraj Singh Hallan, the governor says government spending is working at cross purposes with the central bank's efforts to bring inflation down.The governor says that according to federal and provincial budgets, government spending aggregate will gro
coalition-created-to-tackle-retail-crime-in-bc
CanadaOct 30, 2023

Coalition created to tackle retail crime in BC

A group of more than 30 British Columbia retailers, trade associations and other organizations is calling for a co-ordinated government response for repeat offenders they say are behind a wave of theft, vandalism and violent crime.The Save Our Streets coalition says the need for immediate action is "critical" to meet threats to staff safety, rising security costs and the community impact.The group says federal and provincial governments can't succeed by addressing "singular aspects" of the problem, such as drug decriminalization, policing resources or mental-health reform.Members of the group
demonstration-against-doubling-tuition-fees-for-out-of-province-students-in-quebec
CanadaOct 30, 2023

Demonstration against doubling tuition fees for out-of-province students in Quebec

Protesters are marching in downtown Montreal to condemn the Quebec government's plan to double university tuition for students from other provinces.Protest organizer Alex O'Neill, who grew up in Montreal and studies at McGill University, says out-of-province students can't afford to pay the $17,000 the government wants to charge them next year.Many participants at the protest, which stretched the length of two city blocks, wore purple, the colour of Bishop's University, in Sherbrooke, Que., the province's only English-language university outside Montreal.Sophia Stacey, president of the univers
canada-will-expand-drug-strategy-to-prevent-more-overdose-crisis
CanadaOct 30, 2023

Canada will expand drug strategy to prevent more overdose crisis

The federal government is expanding its drug and substance use strategy to try to save more lives and provide more services to people disproportionately affected by Canada's overdose crisis.The Public Health Agency of Canada says the drug landscape has changed with an increasingly toxic supply since the strategy was first developed in 2016.It also says the COVID-19 pandemic revealed gaps in the government's approach and the need for a more holistic, integrated response.The strategy's priorities include funding more community-based programs for prevention, treatment and support.It also includes
federal-court-dismisses-applications-filed-against-trudeaus-gun-ban
CanadaOct 30, 2023

Federal Court dismisses applications filed against Trudeau's gun ban

The Federal Court today dismissed a legal challenge to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's May 2020 regulations banning some 1,500 styles of firearms.Justice Catherine Kane says in a decision released today that the applicants raised issues around the matter of guns and public safety but the court only explored the question of whether Trudeau's cabinet went beyond its powers in passing the regulations.A few weeks after a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 22 people in April 2020, the Liberals announced they were banning 1,500 models of firearms that it considered too dangerous to be society.The Canadian
breast-cancer-screening-age-lowered-from-50-to-40-in-ontario
CanadaOct 30, 2023

Breast cancer screening age lowered from 50 to 40 in Ontario

Ontario is lowering the age for regular, publicly funded breast cancer screenings from 50 to 40, which Health Minister Sylvia Jones says will help with early detection.Jones is set to make the announcement later today and says the expansion will mean an additional 130,000 mammograms are completed in the province each year.The move follows a draft recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force earlier this year that said screenings in that country should start at 40 instead of 50, because evidence suggests that would have a moderate benefit in reducing deaths.The change in Ontario
feds-ban-wechat-kaspesky-apps-from-government-issued-devices-over-security-concerns
CanadaOct 30, 2023

Feds ban WeChat, Kaspesky apps from government-issued devices over security concerns

The federal government is banning WeChat and Kaspersky applications from its phones over security concerns.WeChat is a social network, messaging and payments app from Chinese company Tencent, while Kaspersky was founded by Russian entrepreneur Eugene Kaspersky and offers cybersecurity and antivirus software.The government says both apps will be removed from its devices today and users will be blocked from downloading WeChat or Kaspersky products in the future.It says it made the move because the chief information officer of Canada determined that the WeChat and Kaspersky apps present "an unacc
israel-hamas-war-joly-appeals-for-humanitarian-pause
CanadaOct 30, 2023

Israel-Hamas war: Joly appeals for humanitarian pause

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says time is running out to help people in Gaza.In a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto this afternoon, Joly is expected to plead for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas conflict to allow more aid to get into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which is home to more than two million Palestinians.Joly's speech will also urge that the more than 200 Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza must be released.Her call comes as the Canadian Armed Forces confirms it has sent special forces to Canada's embassy in Tel Aviv, after Global Affairs C
ban-on-outdoor-water-lifted-in-calgary-people-should-use-water-wisely-city
AlbertaOct 30, 2023

Ban on outdoor water lifted in Calgary, people should use water wisely: City

Officials say the restrictions, which have been in effect for two months, will be removed Tuesday.They were implemented in mid-August due to record low flows in the Bow and Elbow rivers that supply the city and other downstream communities across the Prairies.City officials say they expect decreasing temperatures and seasonal shifts in water use to stabilize demand.They say the restrictions helped to save 1.5 billion litres of water, which is the equivalent of 606 Olympic-size swimming pools.It was the first time that the city had asked its residents to reduce their outdoor water use due to dr

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BCJul 15, 2026

Elderly woman distracted and robbed of gold necklace in Vancouver, police seek suspects

A 76-year-old woman was allegedly robbed of her gold necklace after being distracted by an unknown woman in Vancouver's East 11th Avenue and Victoria Drive area on Tuesday, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Police said the incident occurred at about 12:30 p.m. while the senior was waiting for family members. An unidentified woman approached her and claimed she looked like her mother, whose birthday she said it was. The suspect then hugged the victim and, during the interaction, allegedly removed the woman's gold necklace and replaced it with a fake one. The victim reportedly discov
AlbertaJul 15, 2026

Alberta launches online bike lane complaint form ahead of planned legislation

The Alberta government has launched an online public feedback form inviting residents to report concerns about bike lanes as it prepares legislation expected this fall. According to the Alberta government, Albertans can use the online form to share concerns about bike lanes in their communities, including whether they believe a lane is underused, has reduced on-street parking, contributed to traffic congestion, affected local businesses, or delayed emergency response times. The province says the feedback will help inform future transportation policy decisions. Transportation Minister Devin Dre
canada-pauses-new-parent-and-grandparent-sponsorship-applications-for-2026
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Canada pauses new parent and grandparent sponsorship applications for 2026

The federal government says it will not accept any new applications this year under Canada's Parents and Grandparents Program as it works to reduce processing times and manage a large backlog of existing files. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), approximately 60,500 sponsorship applications are currently being processed. The department said it expects to approve about 15,000 parents and grandparents each year over the next two years from applications already in the system. IRCC said the temporary pause is intended to improve processing efficiency. The department
federal-government-names-new-members-to-independent-senate-appointments-advisory-board
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Federal government names new members to independent Senate appointments advisory board

The federal government has announced new appointments to the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, one week after Prime Minister Mark Carney named four new senators to the upper chamber. According to a federal government news release, the advisory board will continue to provide non-binding recommendations to the prime minister on Senate appointments. The board was established in 2016 to support a merit-based and independent appointments process. The government said the board will continue to include three federal members, including a chair, along with two additional members from
BCJul 15, 2026

Surrey man sentenced to nearly five years in prison in extortion-related shooting and arson case

A Surrey Provincial Court judge has sentenced Abhijeet Kingra to nearly five years in prison for his role in a 2024 extortion-related shooting and arson targeting a Surrey home. According to court records, Kingra pleaded guilty on July 6 to charges of discharging a firearm at a residence and committing arson. The offences stem from an Aug. 10, 2024 incident in which a home belonging to a person who had reportedly received extortion threats was shot at and set on fire. The court imposed a two-year sentence for arson and a sentence of four years, 10 months and 19 days for the shooting offence. T