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b-c-watchdog-investigates-after-man-killed-in-police-involved-shooting-in-abbotsford
BCDec 18, 2023

BC watchdog investigates after man killed in police involved shooting in Abbotsford

One man is dead after a police-involved shooting in Abbotsford, British Columbia, on Sunday night. Police say the shooting happened in the 1700 block of Riverside Road, and the section between Marshall and King roads has been closed due to the ongoing investigation. Abbotsford Police say in a statement that one man died in the incident, although his name and other details surrounding the shooting have not been released. No police officers were injured in the incident. Police say they have notified B.C's Independent Investigations Office, and the watchdog agency is leading the investigation in
macklem-says-2024-likely-to-be-transition-year-as-economy-slows-inflation-falls
CanadaDec 15, 2023

Macklem says 2024 likely to be `transition' year as economy slows, inflation falls

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says he expects 2024 to be a transition year as higher interest rates slow down the economy, making way for lower inflation. In his final speech of the year, the governor lays out his expectations for a softer economy next year and offers some criteria that must be met for the central bank to start discussing rate cuts. Macklem says higher borrowing costs will restrain spending, limit growth and employment, a price that the economy needs to pay to get inflation down. Once the central bank is sure inflation is on a clear path back to two per cent, Macklem
alberta-increasing-mandatory-crash-reporting-threshold-from-2-000-to-5-000
CanadaDec 15, 2023

Alberta increasing mandatory crash reporting threshold from $2,000 to $5,000

Alberta has increased the mandatory crash reporting limit from $2,000 to $5,000. Alberta residents will now only report a vehicle accident to police if the damage exceeds $5,000. This rule will come into effect from January 1, 2024. According to Alberta Transportation, this will prevent fraud when reselling damaged vehicles. This will save time to settle the minor collision report but if there is any death or injury during the accident then it has to be reported. According to the Transportation Minister, this will reduce the burden on the justice system. After about a decade it has been chan
weighing-our-options-ottawa-open-to-further-pause-to-expand-assisted-dying-rules
CanadaDec 15, 2023

'Weighing our options': Ottawa open to further pause to expand assisted dying rules

The federal government is considering whether to pause its original plan to broaden the rules that govern medically assisted dying so they include patients whose only underlying condition is a mental disorder. "We're weighing our options," Justice Minister Arif Virani said Thursday. It would be the second time the federal Liberals have hit pause on the plan. The first came in February, when the government decided to impose a one-year delay amid widespread public and political concern. That decision established a new deadline of March 2024, one that now appears in jeopardy. Cabinet will consid
speaker-greg-fergus-apologizes-in-house-of-commons-again-for-partisan-video
CanadaDec 15, 2023

Speaker Greg Fergus apologizes in House of Commons again for partisan video

The Speaker of the House of Commons has once again apologized for filming a video played at a partisan event, after a parliamentary committee called on him to show more contrition. Speaker Greg Fergus says he made a "serious mistake" in recording a video in tribute to the outgoing interim leader of the Ontario Liberals. He was wearing his ceremonial robes in the video, which was shot in his Parliament Hill office and played at the provincial party's recent leadership convention. The procedure and House affairs committee said in a report released Thursday that there should be clearer guidelines
online-news-act-funding-capped-for-private-broadcasters-cbc-report
CanadaDec 15, 2023

Online News Act funding capped for private broadcasters, CBC: Report

The final regulations for the Online News Act show the amount of funding both private broadcasters and the CBC will get through Ottawa's 100-million-deal with Google will be limited. The regulation shows private broadcasters will receive at most 30-million-dollars from the fund, while CBC/Radio-Canada will see no more than 7 million dollars. The rest of the money is earmarked for other qualifying news outlets like newspapers and digital platforms Last month Google agreed to contribute 100-million-dollars a year to Canadian news publishers, indexed to inflation, leaving it exempt from havin
senate-passes-liberal-bill-that-enshrines-handgun-freeze-targets-ghost-guns
CanadaDec 15, 2023

Senate passes Liberal bill that enshrines handgun freeze, targets ghost guns

Senators have passed a government bill that cements restrictions on handguns, increases penalties for firearm trafficking and aims to curb homemade ghost guns. The legislation also includes a ban on assault-style firearms that fall under a new technical definition. Senators voted 60 to 24 in favour of the bill at third reading today. Upon introducing the bill last year, the Liberals announced a plan to implement a freeze on importing, buying, selling or otherwise transferring handguns to help reduce firearm-related violence. Federal regulations aimed at capping the number of handguns in Cana
death-toll-among-b-c-s-homeless-rising-hits-342-people-last-year-coroners-report
BCDec 15, 2023

Death toll among BC's homeless rising, hits 342 people last year: Coroner's report

British Columbia's Coroners Service says there's been a sharp increase in deaths among people experiencing homelessness. A statement from the coroners service says the deaths of 342 people experiencing homelessness were reported last year, an increase of almost 140 over the past two years. The coroners service says there were 1,464 deaths of people who were homeless in B.C. in the period between 2015 and 2022, averaging about 183 deaths per year. Most of those deaths were in Vancouver, Victoria and Surrey, BC, and 82 per cent of them were male. However, the coroners service says the number of
BCDec 14, 2023

World Health Organization calls for ALL flavored vapes to be banned worldwide

The World Health Organization has advocated a ban on all flavored vapes. The World Health Organization has urged governments to ban e-cigarettes on the same lines as tobacco.The United Nations agency said that the time has come to take necessary steps to control them. The World Health Organization cited the study as saying that there is little evidence that vapes have released cigarette butts. The agency said flavored vapes pose a risk to non-smokers, particularly as they may increase nicotine addiction among children and youth. According to the agency, children aged 13 to 15 are using it more

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fifteen-people-accused-in-b-c-extortion-cases-file-refugee-claims-cbsa-confirms
CanadaDec 12, 2025

Fifteen people accused in B.C. extortion cases file refugee claims, CBSA confirms

Canada’s border agency says 15 foreign nationals linked to ongoing extortion investigations have submitted refugee claims, a move that has drawn concern from local officials in Surrey as the region continues to grapple with a surge in extortion-related crime. The Canada Border Services Agency says each claimant will be assessed under federal asylum rules, but did not disclose the individuals’ nationalities or details of their applications. Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says she is troubled by the development and argues that the public expects federal systems to prevent criminal suspects from u
worksafebc-issues-more-than-1-3-million-dollars-in-penalties-after-fatal-crane-incident-at-oakridge-park
BCDec 12, 2025

WorkSafeBC issues more than 1.3 million dollars in penalties after fatal crane incident at Oakridge Park

WorkSafeBC has levied more than 1.3 million dollars in fines against EllisDon Corporation and Newway Concrete Forming following a series of crane-related safety violations, including the February 2024 incident at Vancouver’s Oakridge Park development that killed construction worker Yuridia Flores. The penalties stem from multiple investigations involving highrise projects in Vancouver and Victoria. Flores died when a large concrete form mould – measuring nearly 10 metres by six metres – fell 26 storeys after accelerating out of the side of the building while being moved between floors. E
alberta-ends-fall-sitting-after-sweeping-use-of-notwithstanding-clause-draws-scrutiny
AlbertaDec 12, 2025

Alberta ends fall sitting after sweeping use of notwithstanding clause draws scrutiny

Alberta’s fall legislative session closed this week with Premier Danielle Smith’s government advancing two major bills that relied heavily on the Charter’s notwithstanding clause, a move that has renewed debate over the limits of provincial authority and the protection of individual rights. The clause was applied four times in the sitting, shielding the legislation from certain court challenges for up to five years. The government first invoked the clause when it passed a law ordering more than 51 thousand public school teachers back to work following a three-week provincewide strike. Th
AlbertaDec 12, 2025

Advocacy groups shift legal strategy in bid to challenge Alberta’s gender care law

Two national advocacy organizations say they are pivoting their legal strategy as they continue efforts to challenge Alberta’s restrictions on gender-affirming care for youth. Egale Canada and the Calgary-based Skipping Stone Foundation launched a constitutional challenge last year after the province passed legislation prohibiting doctors from prescribing puberty blockers or hormone therapy to people under 16, and from performing gender-affirming top surgery on anyone under 18. The groups say the path through the Charter of Rights and Freedoms has become significantly more difficult since th
IndiaDec 12, 2025

Threatening email targets multiple schools in Amritsar, prompting closures and police response

Authorities in Amritsar ordered an immediate shutdown of several private schools after administrators reported receiving an email threatening bomb attacks on campus. The message, sent to multiple institutions early Tuesday, triggered evacuations and a large-scale police deployment. Local officials said at least 15 well-known private schools were identified in the threat. Police teams, including the bomb squad and fire services, secured school grounds while investigators worked to verify the credibility of the email. The Deputy Commissioner directed schools to release students for the day as a