The Alberta government is proposing changes to the provincial Bill of Rights aimed at giving residents the right to refuse medical treatments, including vaccines. But there would be exemptions around whether the person has the capacity to consent, and if they are likely to harm themselves or others. Justice Minister Mickey Amery says the United Conservative government wants to make it clear no one will be forced to receive a treatment they don't want. But Premier Danielle Smith says the legislation is worded in such a way that it wouldn't conflict with the U-C-P's plans to allow polic

BC Hydro says the massive Site C dam project in northeastern British Columbia has started generating power. The provincial electric utility says in a statement that the first of six generating units on the Site C dam has begun operations after completing testing and commissioning procedures. It’s expected that the site will be in full service by fall 2025, adding about eight per cent more supply to B.C.'s electricity grid. BC Hydro says the reservoir is now reaching more than 90 per cent full, with the water level at the dam rising by about 40 metres since late August when the filling proces

An Israeli strike on a five-story building where displaced Palestinians were sheltering in northern Gaza killed at least 34 people early Tuesday, more than half of them women and children, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. The ministry's emergency service said another 20 people were wounded in the strike in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, near the Israeli border. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. The dead included a mother and her five children, some of them adults, and a second mother with her six children, according to an initial casualty list provided by the emergency

Saskatchewan residents are waking up to another Saskatchewan Party government, after Premier Scott Moe secured a fifth-straight majority for the party in Monday's election. Moe's party lost in the big cities while retaining its grip on rural areas to secure 35 seats in the 61-seat legislature. The Saskatchewan Party was shut out by Carla Beck's NDP in Regina and lost all but two seats in Saskatoon. Moe says he must do better. He says he has heard the message sent by voters that there's unhappiness in how the province is delivering health care, education and making life more affordable. Beck ha

The Bloc Québécois is poised to begin talks with other parties to bring down the minority Liberal government, which has not met its deadline to pass two key bills. Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet set the deadline last month, putting the Liberals on notice that to avoid an election "before Christmas" they must adopt a pair of private member's bills. One of the Bloc bills aimed at safeguarding supply management in trade negotiations has the support of the government and is being studied by the Senate. The other, which would raise old age security payments for seniors under 75, is one the L

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme is among a slate of top security officials set to meet the House of Commons national security committee, weeks after making explosive allegations against the Indian government. On Oct. 14, the RCMP alleged Indian diplomats and consular officials were persons of interest in cases of extortion, coercion and violence, including murder, that targeted Canadian citizens. The RCMP said it took the extraordinary step of talking publicly about ongoing investigations because of threats to public safety. That same day, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced Canada

A boat carrying 13 Egyptian migrants to Europe has capsized off Libya's coast, killing all on board except for one person, local authorities and a Libyan group said Tuesday. Al-Abreen, a group that provides humanitarian assistance to migrants in Libya, said on Facebook that the boat capsized 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of the city of Tobruk on Monday evening. One migrant survived, according to the group, which said the bodies were recovered and brought to shore. The Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration in Tobruk also confirmed the incident. In recent years, the North African nation ha

RCMP say a traffic stop in British Columbia's southern Interior led to the discovery of about 73 kilograms of cocaine in a vehicle. Insp. Lori Orstad with B.C. Highway Patrol says their preliminary investigation suggests the discovery earlier this month has "all the earmarks of organized crime." Police say officers arrested the 28-year-old man from Surrey who was driving the vehicle, and he's since been released with conditions and a scheduled court date. A statement from police says the traffic stop on Oct. 8 involved a roadblock on the Trans Canada Highway near Malakwa, east of Sicamous. The

Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Waring has written to the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Raghbir Singh and explained the objectionable comments. In the letter, he wrote, 'Sahib Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Jathedar Sahib there are very respectful to me. As a humble Sikh, I have always followed all the rules of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and will continue to follow them throughout my life. I cannot even think of making any objectionable remarks about the place you occupy. I am a Sikh living in Sikh tradition and the comments I made in the past were related to another politica