A broad group of Alberta health professionals, including frontline paramedics, has voted to ratify a new four-year contract with Alberta Health Services. The Health Sciences Association of Alberta says roughly two-thirds of participating members supported the mediator-recommended agreement after a weeklong vote. The deal provides general wage increases totalling 12 per cent over the life of the contract. Several classifications will also receive additional one-time adjustments to bring salaries in line with market conditions. The union says the agreement marks progress for workers who have fac

Six additional members of Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative caucus are now the subject of recall petitions, according to Elections Alberta, marking a significant expansion of efforts to challenge sitting government lawmakers. The new approvals bring the total number of UCP MLAs under recall to nine. The most recent petitions target four cabinet ministers – Rajan Sawhney, Myles McDougall, Dale Nally and RJ Sigurdson – along with House Speaker Ric McIver and Associate Minister for Multiculturalism Muhammad Yaseen. Earlier this month, petitions were authorized against Education M

Migrant rights organizations are urging the federal government to abandon Bill C-12, legislation they warn could severely limit access to Canada’s refugee system. The proposed border security bill is currently before House of Commons committees, with clause-by-clause review scheduled at the national security committee this week. The bill features several significant changes to immigration and asylum procedures, including a provision that would prevent people who have lived in Canada for more than a year from submitting a refugee claim to the Immigration and Refugee Board. Groups working with

Surrey Police Service is examining a neighbourhood in the city’s north end after a woman was hurt in a shooting outside a home late Sunday night. Officers were called around 9:11 p.m. to the 12100 block of 101B Avenue following reports of gunfire near the residence. Police say the woman, who was inside the home at the time, was taken to hospital with injuries that are not considered life threatening. Several other people were present but were not harmed. Investigators remained on site through Monday to review physical evidence and gather any available security footage. SPS reports that the m

British Columbia conservation officers say they are continuing to search the Bella Coola Valley for the grizzly bear involved in a sudden attack on an elementary school group last week. Three students and a teacher were hospitalized on Thursday after the bear charged a group of about 20 people who had stopped for lunch during a field trip. Officials now believe the incident likely involved a mother grizzly with two cubs, a situation that can increase defensive behaviour. Conservation officers have placed traps in the area and are urging residents and visitors to avoid nearby forested trails wh

Environment Canada is cautioning travellers in southeastern British Columbia as a winter storm brings up to 20 centimetres of snow to the Elk Valley region near the Alberta border. The agency says the heaviest bands are expected around Fernie, with conditions easing later this evening as the system moves east. The advisory stretches across Alberta’s southern boundary with the United States and into parts of southern Saskatchewan. The weather office says the snowfall is tied to a low-pressure system tracking across the Prairies, creating challenging conditions on highways frequently used by t

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is travelling to South Korea this week for a series of meetings aimed at expanding Canada’s defence-related industrial partnerships and attracting new foreign investment. The five-day mission includes stops in Seoul and Busan before continuing on to Tokyo. Her visit comes as Ottawa works to broaden its export markets beyond the United States and accelerate long-term procurement planning. A key stop on the trip includes discussions with executives at Hanwha, one of two companies bidding on Canada’s multibillion-dollar project to build a new fleet of up to 12

Canada and India are taking steps to restart negotiations toward a full trade agreement, marking a renewed push after more than a decade of on-and-off discussions. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signalled their interest in reviving the effort during meetings around the G20 summit in Johannesburg. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand told The Canadian Press that both governments want a broad agreement covering major industrial sectors as well as services. The two countries first pursued such a deal in 2010, but talks were scaled back in recent years to focus

A grizzly bear attacked a group of elementary school students in Bella Coola, in B.C.'s Central Coast region. A total of 11 people were injured in the incident, with two in critical condition and two others seriously injured. According to BC Emergency Health Services, seven people were treated at the scene. The incident is believed to have occurred around 2 p.m. Thursday. According to eyewitnesses, several people tried to stop the bear and a male teacher confronted the bear and suffered serious injuries. According to information, this teacher was taken to the hospital by helicopter. The Bella