Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is chairing today a meeting at Canada House in London that the federal government hopes will lead to justice and financial compensation for the families of the victims of a Ukrainian jet shot down by Iran. All 176 people aboard were killed last week, including at least 89 with ties to Canada. Champagne is meeting with representatives of four other countries that lost citizens in the crash — Ukraine, Sweden, Afghanistan and Britain. The meeting will open with a moment of reflection to remember the victims. Transport Minister Marc Garne

Premier John Horgan says a natural gas pipeline across northern British Columbia will be built despite on going protests and an eviction notice from some hereditary Indigenous leaders. The premier says the courts have ruled in favour of the project and the rule of law will apply to ensure work continues on the Coastal GasLink pipeline across northern B.C. to a coastal an export terminal. The 670-kilometre pipeline is part of a $40 billion liquefied natural gas project. Horgan says the project has received approval from 20 Indigenous nations along the pipeline route and its completion is of vi

Iran's Revolutionary Guard says it accidentally shot down the Ukrainian jetliner that crashed earlier this week, killing all 176 aboard. The government had repeatedly denied Western accusations that it was responsible for the crash. The plane was hit hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq, in retaliation for the killing of its top general. The acknowledgement is an embarrassment for Iran's armed forces and is likely to anger the Iranian public. It also raises new questions about who ordered the strike and why Iran had not shut dow

Surrey councilors Jack Hundial and Brenda Locke responded to allegations laid on them by Mayor McCallum in Sver Wala Show yesterday. Hundial said Mayor's decision to not add more safety personnel to the local police will be a wrong move. Yesterday in Sver Wala Show, Mayor John McCallum had attacked Hundial and Locke for allegedly retracting from their pre-poll promises.

In an exclusive interview on Connect FM’s Sver Wala Show, Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum criticized former councillors Jack Hundial and Brenda Locke for what he called a “flip-flop” on the city’s controversial policing transition. McCallum told Connect News Team, at our studios, that both councillors previously supported replacing the RCMP with a municipal police force before the last municipal election but changed their position after being elected. It’s very unusual to see elected officials reverse themselves so dramatically,” McCallum said. “It’s only natural that three council

Transport Canada says that Air Canada has complied with U.S.-led restrictions on commercial airlines operating in the Persian Gulf region, though neither the government nor the airline has provided further information.Air Canada is the only Canadian airline affected by the ban on flights by U.S. commercial carriers operating in Iran, Iraq and over the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Iran. The airline hasn't provided details but Associated Press reported Air Canada rerouted its flight from Toronto to Dubai through Egypt and Saudi Arabia to avoid travelling over Iraq.WestJet partner Emirates Airlin

The British Columbia Green party has announced more details about its leadership contest as Andrew Weaver officially leaves the post.The party says voting will take place, primarily online, from June 15 to 26, and it will use ranked ballots for three or more candidates or first-past-the-post for a contest of two.The party announced last month that Green legislature member Adam Olsen would be its interim leader and he stepped into the job on Monday.It also said voters aged 16 and up can vote for a candidate even if they're not a member of the party, although membership is free for those aged 2

Defence Secretary Mark Esper says the United States has made "no decision" about withdrawing troops from Iraq amid heightened tensions with neighbouring Iran.Esper spoke to reporters Monday after a letter from a U.S. Army general circulated that seemed to suggest a withdrawal had been ordered in response to a vote by the Iraqi Parliament over the weekend.Esper says, “There's been no decision whatsover to leave Iraq.”

Environment Canada has posted weather warnings from the east coast of Vancouver Island all the way to the southeastern corner of the province, while winter storm watches are in effect for a large section of the southeast Interior and the Elk Valley.Rainfall warnings are up for parts of Vancouver Island and the inner south coast, including Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Howe Sound.The weather office says up to 90 millimetres of rain could cause localized flooding in low-lying areas before the system passes Tuesday.Elsewhere, winter storm and snowfall warnings call for as much as 30 cen