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surrey-city-council-postpones-vote-on-salary-increase-for-mayor-and-councillors
CanadaDec 17, 2024

Surrey City Council Postpones Vote on Salary Increase for Mayor and Councillors

Surrey City Council has postponed a vote on a recommendation to increase the salaries of the mayor and councillors by 8% until the first council meeting in 2025, scheduled for January 13. The proposal was set to be voted on Monday night, but Mayor Brenda Locke was not present for the vote. Councillor Harry Bains, who chaired the meeting in her absence, requested that the item be removed from the agenda. He explained that the vote should involve all council members, and staff were instructed to bring the report back to the next meeting. Notably, if the Surrey City Council votes in favor of the
statistics-canada-reports-inflation-at-1-9-in-november
CanadaDec 17, 2024

Statistics Canada Reports Inflation at 1.9% in November

Canadian inflation has fallen below the central bank's 2% target for the second time in three months. Statistics Canada reported today that inflation in November was 1.9%. The agency noted that gasoline prices remained stable last month. Additionally, Black Friday sales helped bring down prices in November. Grocery prices increased by 2.6% year-over-year, but this was slightly lower than the 2.7% increase seen in October. This is the first of two inflation reports to be released before the Bank of Canada's next decision on interest rates, scheduled for January 29, 2025. Governor Tiff Macklem
postal-employees-head-back-to-work-as-union-challenges-strike-intervention
CanadaDec 17, 2024

Postal employees head back to work as union challenges strike intervention

Canada Post trucks, conveyors and mail carriers are moving again after a month-long strike by more than 55,000 postal workers left letters and parcels in limbo. The Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered postal workers back on the job following hearings over the weekend to determine whether the two sides stood too far apart to reach a deal by year's end. The hearings came after a directive to the labour board from Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon, who said Friday he was giving the two sides a "timeout" as negotiations seemed to have stalled. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers is contestin
transgender-bill-challenger-dismayed-by-smiths-openness-to-notwithstanding-clause
CanadaDec 17, 2024

Transgender bill challenger dismayed by Smith's openness to notwithstanding clause

A lawyer challenging a new Alberta law affecting transgender youth says he is dismayed by Premier Danielle Smith's intention to use the notwithstanding clause if required. The new law bans doctors from providing gender-affirming treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for those under 16, and prohibits gender-affirming ``top'' surgeries for minors. For months Smith has dismissed the notwithstanding clause question as moot given she believes the new restrictions would withstand a legal challenge. But on her Saturday radio show Smith confirmed she would invoke the notwithstanding
chrystia-freeland-resigns-as-finance-minister
CanadaDec 16, 2024

Chrystia Freeland Resigns as Finance Minister

Chrystia Freeland resigned from her position as Finance Minister on Monday, sharing her resignation letter addressed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media. In the letter, Freeland expressed pride in her work for Canada but explained her decision to step down after Trudeau indicated he no longer wanted her as Finance Minister and offered her a different Cabinet role. Freeland stated that a minister must have the Prime Minister's full confidence, which she felt she no longer possessed. She highlighted key disagreements with Trudeau over handling U.S. economic nationalism and potential
ndp-leader-jagmeet-singh-demands-trudeaus-resignation
CanadaDec 16, 2024

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh Demands Trudeau's Resignation

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has called for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation. Speaking in the House of Commons, Singh stated that Canadians are struggling to afford basic necessities like groceries and are increasingly unable to purchase homes. Singh criticized Trudeau for being preoccupied with personal matters while Canada faces significant challenges, including threats to thousands of jobs from U.S. policies. Singh posed the question: "Will the Prime Minister step down?" This marks the first time Jagmeet Singh has directly demanded Trudeau's resignation in the House of Commons. Me
poilievres-wife-targets-trudeau-over-freelands-resignation
CanadaDec 16, 2024

Poilievre's Wife Targets Trudeau Over Freeland's Resignation

Anaida Poilievre, the wife of Canada's Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, has launched a strong criticism of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau following the resignation of Chrystia Freeland. Anaida accused Trudeau of failing to take responsibility for his government's shortcomings and claimed he sacrificed Freeland’s position to replace her with a man. She argued that positions should be filled based on merit, not gender, race, or other factors. However, she accused Trudeau of hypocrisy, stating that a leader who frequently lectures the world on equality should be called out for his ac
sean-fraser-announces-he-will-not-contest-next-federal-election
CanadaDec 16, 2024

Sean Fraser Announces He Will Not Contest Next Federal Election

Former Canadian Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced today in Ottawa that he will not contest the next federal election. Fraser explained that his role in federal politics had made it difficult for him to spend enough time with his family. He also mentioned that he had already informed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of his decision. Notably, Fraser is the sixth minister in the Trudeau cabinet to announce that they will not seek re-election. Fraser has represented the Central Nova riding of Nova Scotia in the House of Commons since 2015, the year the Trudeau government first came to power.
chrystia-freeland-quits-cabinet-the-day-of-fall-economic-statement
CanadaDec 16, 2024

Chrystia Freeland quits cabinet the day of fall economic statement

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned from the Liberal cabinet on Monday, posting her resignation letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social media. Here is the letter:"Dear Prime Minister,It has been the honour of my life to serve in government, working for Canada and Canadians. We have accomplished a lot together.On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your Finance Minister and offered me another position in the Cabinet.Upon reflection, I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from the Cabinet.To be effective, a Minister must spea

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environment-canada-expands-air-alerts-as-wildfire-smoke-spreads-over-b-c
BCSep 05, 2025

Environment Canada expands air alerts as wildfire smoke spreads over B.C.

Environment Canada's special air-quality statements for wildfire smoke have now expanded to cover most of British Columbia, with air quality at its worst possible level in parts of the Fraser Valley. The alerts advise people to limit or avoid outdoor activity and are now in place for all of B.C. outside of Vancouver Island, the Central and North Coast, Haida Gwaii and about a quarter of the province on its northern edge. An air-quality warning continues to be in effect in Metro Vancouver, covered by orange smoke haze for a third day. Monitoring from the Metro Vancouver Regional District shows
carney-pledges-370m-in-incentives-for-canola-sector
CanadaSep 05, 2025

Carney pledges $370M in incentives for canola sector

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the government is launching a new $370 million production incentive to help Canada’s canola producers. The government says its new biofuel production incentive is meant to address "immediate competitiveness challenges" as China imposes massive tariffs on Canadian canola seed.
portuguese-police-say-two-canadians-dead-in-lisbon-streetcar-crash
CanadaSep 05, 2025

Portuguese police say two Canadians dead in Lisbon streetcar crash

Police in Portugal say two Canadians are among the 16 people killed when a streetcar derailed Wednesday. The dead also included five Portuguese nationals, three British citizens, two South Koreans, one American, one French, one Swiss and one Ukrainian, police said in a statement. The list of nationalities was published following forensic identification. The French Foreign Ministry said Friday that a woman who was a French-Canadian dual citizen is among the dead. The Portuguese government's Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations said that it has concluded its analysis of
wanted-person-25-year-old-storm-kehler
BCSep 04, 2025

Wanted person- 25 year-old Storm Kehler

The Nanaimo RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 25-year-old Storm Kehler. Kehler recently failed to appear in Nanaimo Provincial Court for a scheduled court appearance on a variety of charges ranging from Break and Enter, Theft Under $5000, Mischief, Resist Arrest and Breach of Probation. Kehler is a Caucasian man, 5 foot ten inches, 155 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. He is of no fixed address and is believed to be in Nanaimo. The picture provided is recent. Of note, Kehler has a tattoo of a diamond on his left hand. If anyone has information on the whereabouts o
ottawa-must-cancel-or-significantly-reform-temporary-foreign-worker-program-says-eby
BCSep 04, 2025

Ottawa must cancel or significantly reform temporary foreign worker program, says Eby

British Columbia Premier David Eby says the temporary foreign worker program should "be cancelled or significantly reformed" because the province can't have an immigration system that takes young people's jobs, while filling up homeless shelters and food banks. Eby says one reason B.C. is facing "significant fiscal headwinds" is because of "very high unemployment rates" among young people, linked to both the temporary foreign worker program and the international student program. He says B.C. is willing to "convene provinces that are interested in this issue" to have a "serious, grown-up" conve