The Green Party has been disqualified from participating in the federal leaders' debates scheduled for today and tomorrow, ahead of Canada’s April 28 election. The decision was made by the Leaders' Debate Commission, the government agency responsible for organizing the French and English debates. According to the commission, the Green Party failed to meet the minimum participation requirements. The party reportedly reduced the number of its candidates contesting the federal election, thereby falling short of the eligibility criteria. The Green Party initially submitted a list of 343 candida

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted interim relief to Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa by staying his arrest until April 22 in connection with an FIR registered in the bomb statement case. Bajwa, who serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, had approached the court seeking the quashing of the FIR lodged against him at the Mohali police station. As part of the interim order, the High Court has directed Bajwa not to make any public statements to the press regarding the case. Additionally, he has been instructed to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigat

The trade conflict between the United States and China has intensified, with U.S. President Donald Trump announcing a 100 percent increase in tariffs on Chinese imports. This latest move brings the total tariff on Chinese goods entering the U.S. to a staggering 245 percent. In response to China’s earlier move imposing a 125 percent tariff on American goods on April 11, Trump introduced the new round of tariffs. The escalation has further strained already fragile diplomatic and trade relations between the two global powers. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian commented on the deve

Canadians will not see any further cuts in loan rates, as the Bank of Canada has decided to keep interest rates unchanged amid uncertainty stemming from U.S. President Donald Trump's ongoing tariff war. The central bank’s benchmark interest rate remains steady at 2.75 percent. Previously, the Bank of Canada had reduced rates seven consecutive times, with the most recent cut of 0.25 percentage points taking place on March 12. Following that reduction, major banks including the Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada, and Toronto-Dominion Bank lowered

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's government has introduced promised legislation to allow for adults and youngsters to be forced into addiction treatment facilities. If a proposed bill passes, parents, family members, health-care professionals, police or peace officers can apply for a treatment order from a new provincial commission. Under the bill, those using substances and deemed a risk to themselves or others can be ordered into treatment in a secure facility for up to three months, or six months in community-based treatment. Smith says there is no compassion in leaving peopl

Alberta is reporting three more confirmed cases of measles, including one in Calgary. Alberta Health Services says the individual in Calgary had visited nearby towns of Banff and Canmore while infectious earlier this month. The health authority is warning that residents of the two towns may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease if they attended specific locations. It says exposure areas include the Save-On-Foods in Canmore on April 6, and Banff's Lux Cinema and the Fairmont Banff Springs hotel on April 11. Alberta has seen 77 cases of measles since the beginning of

Alberta is without a chief medical officer of health, as the government says Dr. Mark Joffe's contract expired this week. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange's office says an interim replacement is to be announced shortly. Joffe was serving in the role on an interim basis, after Premier Danielle Smith's government fired Dr. Deena Hinshaw in 2022. Before Smith became premier, she committed to firing Hinshaw, who held the position throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. LaGrange's office says the minister will rely on other public health experts within government while the position is vacan

Liberal Leader Mark Carney's French language skills will be put to the test, and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will seek to turn his numbers around, when the five main federal party leaders square off in Montreal tonight in the first of two debates ahead of election day on April 28. The two-hour French-language debate will be moderated by Radio-Canada's Patrice Roy and will focus on five themes: the cost of living, energy and climate, the trade war, identity and sovereignty, and immigration and foreign affairs. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanche

Police in Edmonton are issuing a warning to the public about a convicted sex offender. They say Robert Edward Ventress is set to be released from jail after serving his sentence, but officials believe he could commit another offence. The 55-year-old is subject to a court order with multiple conditions. Ventress is about 6 feet tall and weighs about 170 pounds. His eye color is green and hair is brown. Police say he has a history of sexual offences, child pornography and failure to comply with court conditions, so people are to call them with any concerns about him when he is released.