Alberta’s Court of Appeal has ordered a new trial for a man previously convicted in the 2020 death of his common-law partner, finding legal errors in how intent was assessed at trial. In a decision released Friday, the court overturned Ryan Applegarth’s 2023 conviction for second-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Chantelle Firingstoney. According to the ruling, the trial judge did not make a required finding that Applegarth intended to kill, a key element for a murder conviction. Court records show Firingstoney died in November 2020 at her home in Ponoka, about 95 kilometres south

Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon says the Liberal government will move to change House of Commons procedures to ensure it holds a majority of votes on parliamentary committees. MacKinnon said Tuesday the planned motion would adjust committee composition rules so governing party MPs have the numbers needed to advance legislation and studies. He argued that committees should reflect the governing party’s mandate and avoid what he described as “partisan games” that delay work. The proposal comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals seek to consolidate control of the parliament

Alberta’s Opposition NDP is accusing Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative government of weakening democratic processes following a proposal to review and redraw electoral boundaries. The criticism comes after the government introduced a motion to create a new committee that would examine constituency boundaries and consider changes to representation in the legislature. According to statements made during debate in the legislature on Tuesday, the proposal could also lead to an increase in the number of seats to address representation concerns in rural areas. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi

U.S. President Donald Trump says the United States has agreed to extend a ceasefire with Iran for an unspecified period after a request from Pakistan’s leadership. According to Trump’s statement, the decision follows an appeal from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir. Trump said the request was made to allow time for Iran’s leadership to reach internal consensus and prepare a unified proposal. He described Iran’s government as lacking cohesion at present, which he said complicates negotiations. In response, Trump said he has ordered U.S. forces to tempo

Canada’s chief negotiator with the United States, Janice Charette, says talks on the North American trade agreement could stretch beyond the July 1 deadline, adding to uncertainty for businesses across the region. Charette made the remarks during a business forum in Ottawa, where she said ongoing negotiations on the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement may take longer than anticipated. U.S. officials have also previously signalled that a delay is possible, according to public statements. Experts say missing the July 1 target could prolong uncertainty for companies that rely on cross-border

Some residents may still be inside an evacuation zone in northeastern British Columbia after road access was closed due to landslide risk, according to the Peace River Regional District. In a social media update, the regional district said a co-ordinated evacuation took place Monday night in the community of Old Fort, about five kilometres south of Fort St. John, but some residents may not have left the area. Authorities are urging anyone still inside the zone to conserve supplies and stay away from the slide area. The district declared a state of local emergency and issued an evacuation order

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations called on the United Nations on Tuesday to support First Nations leaders opposing proposed changes to British Columbia’s Indigenous rights law. Speaking at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak said the province’s plan to amend or suspend parts of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act violates international standards. According to her remarks to the forum, First Nations rights are protected under international human rights law and “cannot be suspended, amended or paused by

Corrections officers at Mission Institution in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley seized a package containing suspected drugs and contraband after it was discovered inside the prison grounds earlier this month, according to police. The RCMP said in a news release that staff located the package on April 9 after it had been dropped over the facility’s perimeter fence overnight. The parcel was disguised to resemble a patch of loose turf, with real cut grass attached to the outside of a bubble mailer to blend in with the surrounding ground. According to police, the package contained more than 30

The federal government has introduced legislation that would establish a regulatory framework for launching spacecraft from Canadian territory. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon tabled the proposed Canadian Space Launch Act on Tuesday. According to a Transport Canada technical briefing, the legislation would give the federal government authority to oversee both launches and the re-entry of spacecraft. Officials said the proposed rules are intended to enable launches of satellites and rockets from within Canada, supporting both civilian and military applications. The framework would also set