CanadaMar 23, 2023
RCMP arrest suspect in Montreal on terrorism allegations after tip from FBI
The RCMP say they arrested a man in Montreal today on terrorism allegations after receiving intelligence from the FBI.Police say officers arrested 18-year-old Mohamed Amine Assal, who is from Montreal's St-Laurent borough.They say their operation was to disrupt Assal's "suspicious activities" and get him to sign a peace bond that could include several conditions.The RCMP say their investigation gave them reasonable grounds to fear that Assal may commit a terrorism offence.They say he has not been charged but could be at a later date.An RCMP news release says the police force is committed to co
CanadaMar 22, 2023
First presidential visit since 2016; heavy security presence in Ottawa
At least seven different police and military units will be patrolling Ottawa's skies and streets this week as the city braces for the arrival of U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden.They are set to arrive Thursday for the first official visit to Canada since Biden took office as president in 2021 and will stay overnight until Friday.The last time the country hosted a president was in 2016, when former president Barack Obama came to Ottawa for the North American Leaders' Summit near the end of his second term.Biden's sojourn will take place under a heavy police presence, with the
CanadaMar 22, 2023
Ottawa to spend $1.5 billion to improve access to drugs for rare diseases
The federal government says it will spend up to $1.5 billion over the next three years to improve access to drugs used to treat rare diseases.Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says up to $1.4 billion of that money will be used to help provinces and territories expand coverage of new and existing drugs that treat rare diseases.The federal government says it wants to create a list of new and emerging drugs for rare diseases that would be covered in a similar way by all provincial and territorial health insurance plans.Another $52 million will be used to gather evidence on the safety and effective
CanadaMar 21, 2023
'Canada's passport application backlog completely eliminated : Minister
Families Minister Karina Gould announced today that the federal government has now "completely eliminated" the backlog of passport applications that caused major delays and major political strife last year.She also announced that Ottawa is launching a new digital tool that will allow Canadians to check the status of their Service Canada application online, as long as they provide an email address.The update comes after Gould said in late January that the backlog was "virtually eliminated," with the exception of some complex cases held back for reasons such as child-custody issues.The pandemic
CanadaMar 20, 2023
'Third man dies after pedestrians struck by truck last week' : Quebec Police
Provincial police say a third person has died after a pickup truck crashed into pedestrians in an eastern Quebec town one week ago.Police say Simon-Guillaume Bourget, 41, died on the weekend after being injured last Monday.Two other men, Gérald Charest, 65, and Jean Lafrenière, 73, died after being struck in Amqui, about 350 kilometres northeast of Quebec City.Police have said eight others were injured in the crash, ranging in age from less than a year old to 77, and hospital officials in Quebec City say one person is in critical condition and two others are stable.Steeve Gagnon, 38, is faci
CanadaMar 20, 2023
Winnipeg school to offer province's first Punjabi bilingual program next year
A new Punjabi bilingual program is set to start at the Seven Oaks School Division in Winnipeg next school year. Students will receive Punjabi instruction in core subjects for about half of the day.There will also be some focus on Indian culture and history.Amber Trails Community School will be offering the program to students in kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2.This is the fourth non-French bilingual program offered in the school division, which currently runs similar programs in Ukrainian, Ojibway and Tagalog.
CanadaMar 17, 2023
Deputy commissioner Mike Duheme to become interim top Mountie as Lucki retires
The federal government says Mike Duheme will be the interim commissioner of the RCMP, until a replacement is found for Brenda Lucki.Lucki, who was appointed commissioner in April 2018, is retiring as of today.Her tenure as the top Mountie has been marked by internal and external challenges, including allegations of systemic racism within the force, growing calls to defund the police, and the devastating mass shooting in Nova Scotia in 2020.Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says Duheme, who currently oversees federal policing for the Mounties, will take over the job on Saturday.Duheme was
CanadaMar 17, 2023
Mass to be held in honour of victims in Quebec town where pedestrians struck by truck
A memorial mass will be held this evening in the Quebec town where two people were killed and nine injured when a pickup truck crashed into pedestrians.Two men, Gérald Charest and Jean Lafrenière, died after being struck on Monday afternoon.Police have said those injured in the crash range in age from less than a year old to 77, and on Thursday a Quebec City hospital said two injured adults remained in critical condition.The mass will be held at Saint-Benoît-Joseph-Labre church in Amqui.A candlelight vigil was held in front of the church Thursday evening in the town about 350 kilometres nor
CanadaMar 16, 2023
Canada will hold special ceremony to mark May 6 coronation of King Charles: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will hold a special ceremony marking the coronation of King Charles on May 6.The ceremony in Ottawa will be one of several events held over two days as Canada marks the investiture of its new monarch.Trudeau says the Canadian ceremony will acknowledge the special relationship that King Charles has had with Canada over the past 50 years as the Prince of Wales.Other details about the event, including how Canadians can watch, will be revealed in the coming weeks.The coronation will take place May 6 at Westminster Abbey and will be marked by a procession,