Elections to five municipal corporations, 44 municipal councils, nagar panchayats and bypoll for 49 wards of urban civic bodies in Punjab will be held on December 21. These elections, which will be fought on party symbols, will test the mettle of the Congress, AAP, SAD and the BJP. SAD, which did not contest the recently held four Assembly byelections, would be fielding its candidates in these civic polls, thus making it a four-cornered contest. After the pronouncement of ‘tankhah’ to several Akali leaders, including former party chief Sukhbir Badal, the results would reveal if the public

The Canada Post strike involving more than 55,000 workers has hit 25 days.In a statement Sunday, Canada Post says it is awaiting a formal response from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to the proposal it submitted to the union Friday. In a Friday statement, the union said it was reviewing what Canada Post put forward and questioned when the mediation process will officially resume. The union said it is committed to returning to the bargaining table. The strike began Nov. 14, and federal mediation was put on hold nearly two weeks ago due to the sides being too far apart. Calls for governme

A spokesman for the family of a security guard who police say was murdered while patrolling an Edmonton apartment building last week says the man had only been on the job for three days. Gagandeep Singh Ghuman says Harshandeep Singh was from Haryana state in northern India. He came to Canada a year and a half ago on a student visa and was enrolled at NorQuest College in the city. Ghuman, who is not related to the family, says Singh's aunt and uncle live in Winnipeg, but have travelled to Edmonton because of the tragedy and are dealing with ``an unimaginable loss,'' while his parents both li

The Liberals are set to face a third Conservative non-confidence vote today, but the government is likely to survive with the support of the NDP. Members of Parliament are supposed to vote on a motion that quotes NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh's criticism of the Liberals and asks the House to agree with Singh and vote to bring down the government. Singh said last week he is not going to support the Conservatives, so the motion will likely fail. The House is also supposed to vote on an NDP motion calling on the government to expand the GST break and the $250 "working Canadians rebate" to fully reti

Canada's unemployment rate has reached 6.8%, the highest since January 2017, raising speculation about a potential interest rate cut by the Bank of Canada. A Statistics Canada report shows employers added 51,000 jobs in November, but the rate increased as more people entered the workforce. Compared to October, unemployment rose by 0.3%, with 87,000 individuals newly unemployed in November. This marks the last major economic report ahead of the Bank of Canada's interest rate decision on December 11. Experts anticipate a possible rate cut, though opinions vary on the extent.

British Columbia recorded the highest rate of opioid deaths in Canada in 2023, with 40.3 deaths per 100,000 population, according to Statistics Canada. Alberta and Saskatchewan followed closely. BC Health Minister Josie Osborne noted that while 2024 has seen a decline in deaths from dangerous drugs, the toxic drug supply remains a critical public health issue impacting all regions. The report revealed that over 15,000 lives have been lost to drug poisoning in BC since the public health emergency was declared in 2016. Minister Osborne highlighted government efforts to prevent further deaths, i

Traffic delays are expected in Vancouver, especially near BC Place, Rogers Arena, and Concord Pacific Place, due to road closures and increased police presence for Taylor Swift's concert starting today. Residents and visitors are advised to walk, bike, use taxis, or transit to navigate the city. Taylor Swift is in Vancouver for the final three shows of her blockbuster Eras Tour. The city anticipates a massive influx of fans, with over 160,000 Swifties expected over the weekend. The concert coincides with Canucks games, further adding to the crowd.

Tragic news has emerged from Ontario, Canada. Two Punjabi brothers were shot in Brampton late Wednesday night. One brother, Pritpal Singh, lost his life, while the other, Khushwant Singh, is hospitalized. Peel Police reported receiving a call about a shooting on Odeon Street, near Gorway and Mayfield Roads, around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The incident is believed to be targeted. Investigators are searching for a white four-door sedan used in the attack. Reports suggest the suspects fired shots from this vehicle. Media sources confirmed that both victims hail from the Tarn Taran district of Pun

The British Columbia government is encouraging people to do their research on avalanche risk before heading into the backcountry, as forecasts show danger ratings are expected to increase in some areas over the weekend. Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene says in a statement that everyone should share their plan with a friend or family member and check forecasts and guidance from Avalanche Canada before setting out. The latest forecast puts the danger rating at the lowest level out of five across the Coast Mountains on the Sunshine Coast and in the Sea to Sky region, includin