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bc-conservatives-face-leadership-crisis-over-residential-schools-comments
BCMar 11, 2025

BC Conservatives Face Leadership Crisis Over Residential Schools Comments

The BC Conservatives are currently grappling with a leadership crisis over comments regarding residential schools, putting John Rustad's leadership in jeopardy. The party is scheduled to hold a leadership review this fall, and Conservative strategist Allie Blades suggests that recent events will serve as a significant test for Rustad’s leadership. So far, three MLAs have chosen to sit as independents in the provincial legislature due to the party's internal divide. The dispute began in February after Vancouver-Quilchena MLA Dallas Brodie made controversial comments about the former resident
dna-analysis-confirms-remains-as-mission-b-c-teen-missing-since-2007
BCMar 11, 2025

DNA analysis confirms remains as Mission, B.C., teen, missing since 2007

Mounties says DNA testing has confirmed remains that washed ashore in Washington State almost 17 years ago are those of a teenager who went missing from Mission, B.C., more than a year earlier. Police say that 17-year-old Jeffrey Surtel was reported missing by his family on April 29, 2007, and despite search efforts and several tips of possible sightings, he was not found. They say that in August 2008, human remains washed up on Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The RCMP say Clallam County Sheriff’s Office investigated, conducted DNA analysis of the remains and compared it with samples
b-c-expands-alcohol-ban-in-its-liquor-stores-to-all-u-s-booze
BCMar 10, 2025

B.C. expands alcohol ban in its liquor stores to all U.S. booze

British Columbia Premier David Eby says Americans can "keep their watery beer" as he announces an expansion of the U.S. alcohol ban from provincial liquor stores. The province had removed alcohol from Republican states in reaction to President Donald Trump's tariff threats against Canada, but Eby says the latest news from the United States prompted this action. He says Trump's threats of additional tariffs on the dairy industry, an investigation into Canada's lumber, and disturbing reports that the president wants to redraw the border and pursue Canada water set off the newest ban. Eby says al
3-b-c-conservatives-kicked-from-the-party-will-sit-as-independents
BCMar 10, 2025

3 B.C. Conservatives kicked from the party will sit as Independents

A group of three former B.C. Conservative legislators have announced they will sit as Independents in the provincial legislature. Dallas Brodie was kicked out of the party on Friday over her comments about residential schools, and Jordan Kealy and Tara Armstrong left the party saying Leader John Rustad had abandoned the truth. Armstrong told reporters outside the legislature today that Rustad “caved to the woke liberals who have infiltrated the party.” She says no one was surprised when New Democrat Premier David Eby attacked Dallas Brody for telling the truth about Kamloops, but Rustad’
more-than-450-unhoused-people-died-in-b-c-in-2023-almost-tripling-2020-toll
BCMar 07, 2025

More than 450 unhoused people died in B.C. in 2023, almost tripling 2020 toll

New data from the BC Coroners Service says at least 458 people experiencing homelessness in the province died in 2023, with the toll almost tripling in just three years. The service says in a news release there's been a 23 per cent increase from the 373 recorded deaths of unhoused people the year before. It says 91 per cent of the 2023 deaths were classified as accidental, including 86 per cent due to drug toxicity. The data show 79 per cent of those who died were male, while more than half were between the ages of 30 and 49. Chief Coroner Dr. Jatinder Baidwan says the numbers speak to the "tr
daylight-saving-time-returns-clocks-to-move-forward-on-march-9
BCMar 07, 2025

Daylight Saving Time Returns: Clocks to Move Forward on March 9

Parts of Canada, including British Columbia (BC), will move their clocks forward by one hour on Sunday, March 9. Daylight saving time (DST) will officially take effect at 2 a.m. on that day. The change is expected to influence sleep patterns and daily routines. DST has a long history. In 1784, Benjamin Franklin proposed the concept while serving as the U.S. ambassador to France. However, it wasn’t formally adopted in Canada until 1918, during World War I, as a measure to increase productivity. Following the end of World War I, the Canadian government discontinued DST, only to reinstate it d
b-c-health-officials-confirm-another-travel-related-measles-case-in-lower-mainland
BCMar 07, 2025

B.C. health officials confirm another travel-related measles case in Lower Mainland

British Columbia health officials say another travel-related measles infection has been confirmed in the Lower Mainland, in a resident who visited Southeast Asia. Fraser Health says in a statement that the case is unrelated to an infection last month involving a resident of the Vancouver Coastal Health region who was also infected after a trip to Southeast Asia. It says the new case involves a Fraser Health resident, and health officials are directly following up with people known to have been exposed to the virus. The statement says members of the public might have been exposed to measles if
b-c-signs-670-million-pharmacare-agreement-with-federal-government
BCMar 06, 2025

B.C. signs $670-million pharmacare agreement with federal government

The British Columbia and federal governments have signed a four-year, $670-million pharmacare agreement, giving universal access to contraceptive and diabetes medications. The plan will support nearly 550,000 B.C. residents with diabetes and provide 1.3 million people with a range of contraceptives. B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne and federal Health Minister Mark Holland announced the agreement will also mean free public coverage of hormone replacement therapy to treat menopause symptoms.
eby-says-b-c-making-contingency-plans-to-reduce-reliance-on-u-s-electricity
BCMar 06, 2025

Eby says B.C. making contingency plans to reduce reliance on U.S. electricity

British Columbia Premier David Eby says the government is making contingency plans to reduce the province's reliance on electricity from the United States after the start of the continental trade war. He says similar planning happens in the event of natural disasters and now it's due to a "man-made disaster" created by U.S. President Donald Trump, who imposed sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports on Tuesday. Eby says uncertainty and potential instability coming from south of the border mean the province needs backup plans so B.C. will never again be "so dependent on the United States." The prem

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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