At a public safety forum in Surrey this weekend, frustration in the South Asian business community reached a boiling point. Community members, many of them extortion victims, spoke out about a justice system they no longer trust. Instead of standing with victims, NDP Public Safety Minister Garry Begg blamed the community for not coming forward. His comments, made in front of survivors and concerned citizens, shocked attendees and drew immediate condemnation from MLA Elenore Sturko, Official Opposition Critic for Solicitor General and Public Safety. “At yesterday’s public safety town hall

Global Affairs Canada says approximately 3,500 Canadians are in Iran and another 6,700 are in Israel amid an escalating conflict between the two countries. The department says that count is based on the voluntary registration of around 80,000 Canadians in the Middle East and doesn’t fully reflect how many of them may need help getting out of the region. Global Affairs Canada says it hasn’t received any reports of Canadian injuries or deaths in the conflict. The department is warning against all travel to Iran, Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and advising Canadians in the Middle Ea

Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, India has started evacuating its citizens from Iran. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that some Indian citizens have been evacuated from the country through the Armenian border. Most of these students are from Jammu and Kashmir, who are studying MBBS in the city of Urmia in Iran. According to the information received, these students were brought from the university campus to the Armenian border at midnight on June 16, Indian time. All will reach India on Wednesday. There are about 10,000 Indians in Iran, including 1,500 students

The Mayor of Squamish says two properties are on evacuation order due to slope instability from a wildfire. Armand Hurford says the Dryden Creek wildfire remained at nearly 60 hectares in size yesterday, but burned tree roots and wildfire crews have reported large trees falling and disturbing debris. Squamish Fire Rescue Chief Aaron Foote says the wildfire service is now the lead agency on the blaze, and cooler temperatures and rain are expected this week. Foote says Squamish has a busy fire department even without a wildfire, and about 57 wildfire fighters remain on the Dryden Cree

Canada's privacy watchdog says inadequate security measures opened the door to a data breach discovered two years ago at genetic testing company 23andMe. Privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne and U.K. information commissioner John Edwards released the findings from their joint investigation of the breach, which affected almost seven million people, including nearly 320,000 in Canada. Dufresne told a news conference today the breach serves as a cautionary tale for all organizations about the importance of data protection in an era of growing cyberthreats. He says strong protection must be a pr

Alberta has surpassed 900 cases of measles since the beginning of March. Data from the provincial government's dashboard shows 53 more cases were confirmed over the weekend, bringing Alberta's total to 932. The case count is the highest the province has seen in more than 40 years. Alberta Medical Association president Dr. Shelley Duggan has said Canada is at risk of losing its measles-elimination status come October and that she doubts cases will be brought under control before then. Health Canada says measles was eliminated in 1998 after being ruled no longer endemic. Alberta's governm

Prime Minister Mark Carney is to hold bilateral talks with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Alberta today. The G7 will continue for its second and final day without U.S. President Donald Trump who left the talks ahead of schedule on Monday. Trump said he left due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, and he is missing the day Carney had scheduled to focus on foreign policy. Carney will meet privately with Zelenskyy, who is set to join a G7 leaders working breakfast session on ending Russia's invasion

A union representing 30,000 health-care workers in Alberta is calling on Premier Danielle Smith's government to reverse course and provide free COVID-19 vaccines to all front-line workers and any other Albertan who wants the shot. The Health Sciences Association of Alberta says that is the best way to protect patients, reduce hospitalizations, and keep the health-care system strong. Smith says the aim of the new policy, announced last week, is to prevent wastage, recover costs, and protect those who need it the most by giving them the COVID shot for free. However, most Albertans

Firefighters are marking success in opposite corners of British Columbia after favourable weather this weekend allowed crews to rein in two prominent fires that have triggered evacuation orders and alerts. The BC Wildfire Service says crews remain on the scene in Squamish, B.C., to extinguish hot spots from the Dryden Creek fire, which was declared to be no longer out of control on Saturday. The District of Squamish Emergency Operations Centre along with Squamish Fire Rescue have rescinded most evacuation alerts, though one remains in effect for properties on Dryden Road east. The wildfire ser