North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance after a break and enter at the former Cowichan High School building in Duncan earlier this month. Police say officers were alerted shortly after 1 a.m. on January 3, 2026, when a security company reported an alarm activation at the closed school property. Security personnel responding to the call found five males inside the building who appeared to be preparing to leave. According to RCMP, the suspects, believed to be in their mid-20s, were seen carrying five Cowichan High School yearbooks from the 2020–2021 school year. A s

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the federal Liberal government to immediately approve a new oil pipeline to Canada’s Pacific Coast, warning that recent actions by the United States in Venezuela could threaten Canadian oil exports to American refineries. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney and posted publicly on Tuesday, Poilievre said the U.S. decision to effectively end sanctions and move toward reviving Venezuela’s oil sector has shifted global energy dynamics. He argued that a resurgence in Venezuelan heavy crude production could directly compete with

Students across Quebec are returning to classrooms under new rules that require them to address teachers and school staff using formal titles, as part of a province-wide push to reinforce civility in schools. The Quebec government announced last year that both public and private schools had until January to adopt updated codes of conduct. These codes must require students to address teachers as “Mr.” or “Ms.” and, in French-language settings, use the formal form of “you” when speaking to staff. The conduct codes are also required to outline expectations for respectful behaviour bet

A temporary hold and secure was lifted Monday morning at Nanaimo District Secondary School after police responded to an incident in the surrounding area, according to the Nanaimo RCMP. Police recommended the precautionary measure shortly after 9:15 a.m. to school district senior administration as officers investigated a situation near the school. The hold and secure protocol keeps students and staff inside the building while normal classroom activities continue, and is commonly used when there is a potential concern outside school grounds. RCMP said the incident was resolved by approximately 1

A CBI special court in Chandigarh has granted default bail to suspended Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General Harcharan Singh Bhullar in a disproportionate assets case after the investigating agency failed to file a chargesheet within the stipulated legal timeframe. The court ruled that the Central Bureau of Investigation did not complete the procedural requirement within the period prescribed under law, entitling the accused to default bail. However, the court clarified that Bhullar will not be released from custody as he remains jailed in connection with other corruption related cases. Duri

Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro made his first appearance in a United States courtroom Monday, facing drug trafficking and narco-terrorism charges that U.S. authorities say justified his arrest and transfer to New York. Maduro appeared briefly before a federal judge in Manhattan for an initial procedural hearing, a routine step that marks the beginning of what is expected to be a lengthy legal battle. His defence team is widely expected to argue that he cannot be prosecuted in the U.S. because of immunity claims tied to his status as a former head of state. Earlier in the day, Mad

Burnaby RCMP are investigating a deadly two-vehicle collision that occurred early Monday morning near the city’s boundary with Coquitlam, leaving one driver dead. Police say officers were called to Austin Road around 5:20 a.m., where they found a serious crash involving two vehicles. One of the drivers was pronounced dead at the scene, while the second driver remained at the location and is cooperating with investigators. The cause of the collision has not been determined, and Mounties say the investigation is ongoing. No information has been released about the identities of those involved.

Surrey Police Service, working alongside the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit, is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing woman who has not been heard from for more than two weeks. Police say 33-year-old Joanna Barth was last seen around 7:30 a.m. on December 20 in the 9800 block of Foxglove Drive in Surrey. Investigators report there has been no contact with her since that time. Barth is described as an Indigenous woman standing approximately 5 foot 7 to 5 foot 8 inches tall, weighing between 120 and 130 pounds. Police note she often has dyed hair. Officers say they

Environment Canada is warning residents across parts of Metro Vancouver to prepare for heavy rain and snowfall at higher elevations as a strong weather system moves into the region starting Monday night. According to a special weather statement, some areas near the North Shore mountains could receive close to 70 millimetres of rain, while the City of Vancouver may see totals of up to 40 millimetres by Tuesday afternoon. The heaviest rainfall is expected along mountain slopes, where moisture from the frontal system is forecast to intensify. Forecasters say colder air will cause precipitation to