European Union Ambassador to Canada Geneviève Tuts has revealed that the EU and Ottawa are working toward an unprecedented strategic partnership. Her comments come ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s planned address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, next week. Carney has been invited to speak as a non-European leader. According to Tuts, the proposed trade and strategic framework will be part of the broader security and economic alliance Carney highlighted last month. She said the partnership would be distinct from the EU’s existing agreements with countries such as Switz

Major organizations representing British Columbia’s forestry sector have written to Premier David Eby, calling for immediate action to address the growing crisis in the province’s forest industry. The BC Council of Forest Industries, BC Wood and the United Steelworkers jointly sent a letter to the provincial government this month, urging Premier Eby to establish a Forestry Crisis Action Group under his leadership. The groups said B.C.’s forestry sector is at a critical crossroads. While acknowledging that international trade pressures are beyond the direct control of the provincial gover

The Canadian government has announced a temporary measure allowing eligible temporary foreign workers already in the country to study for up to six months without applying for a study permit. The initiative is aimed at helping workers upgrade their skills, obtain short-term training and pursue professional licensing while continuing to work. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the measure will particularly benefit workers in high-demand fields, including nurses, laboratory technicians and skilled tradespeople. The government says the move is intended to help addr

Canadian shoppers could see higher prices at retail stores as the ongoing tariff war begins to affect newly imported goods. However, retailers say the impact may take some time to reach store shelves as businesses first work through inventory purchased before the latest tariffs came into effect. Matt Poirier of the Retail Council of Canada said products with short shelf lives or those that sell quickly are likely to see price increases first. This could be followed by slower-moving items such as ovens and washing machines as retailers replenish their stock with tariff-affected products. Canad

An 85-year-old man was killed after being struck by a stray bullet inside his apartment in Burnaby. According to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), the body of Chang Yong Cho was found on Aug. 30 inside his apartment in the 7400 block of Kingsway. Police had received reports of a shooting in a nearby block at around 1:30 a.m. Later that day, at approximately 4 p.m., Burnaby RCMP received a call requesting a welfare check at the apartment, where Cho was found dead from a gunshot wound. Investigators said shots were fired during a dispute between a group of young people. One of t

Suraj Uppal, a school board candidate with the One Delta party in the upcoming Delta municipal election, has withdrawn his candidacy. In a statement posted on social media, Uppal said that sometimes stepping back is the best way to move forward and announced that he was leaving the race for school trustee. Uppal did not provide a specific reason for his decision. However, according to local media reports, several posts had appeared on his social media page last week that were described by some local residents as objectionable. It is being speculated that the controversy surrounding those posts

The federal government and Alberta are pledging to build at least 1,460 affordable housing units across the province. Ottawa will provide up to $220 million through Build Canada Homes, a federal agency formed to speed up the delivery of the housing, while Alberta will pay up to $165 million. The governments are expecting to receive $238 million from other sources. A news release says the 21 planned housing projects will include supportive and transitional housing. There is a target of building at least 500 homes using modern methods of construction, including off-site and factory-built approac

A Chandigarh civil court has temporarily restrained retired Justice Ranjit Singh, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia and Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira from publishing, circulating or disseminating any allegedly baseless or defamatory material on social media platforms or through any other medium concerning allegations that Punjab Chief Minister’s wife Gurpreet Kaur had demanded a bribe. Civil Judge (Junior Division) Dr. Parikshit passed the interim order on a suit filed by Gurpreet Kaur seeking damages and an injunction. The court has issued notices to the respondents re

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is preparing to take several steps to attract more foreign investment and support economic growth, with some of the key measures expected to be unveiled in the upcoming fall federal budget. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has assigned several ministers to actively engage with businesses and help them access available government support. As part of the initiative, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne will travel across Canada to meet with business leaders and guide them through the process of applying for gover