The political agenda for British Columbia Premier David Eby's NDP government heading into an election this fall will take shape today with the delivery of a throne speech starting the spring legislative session. The speech outlining the government's goals this year comes just ahead of the provincial budget on Thursday and the election this fall. Recent forecasts from the Ministry of Finance and private financial experts suggest the province will experience slow economic growth this year. Eby has said he expects the government to table about 20 pieces of new legislation and a budget that look

Fire officials in Chilliwack, B.C., say an early morning blaze at an apartment complex has displaced six families. The Chilliwack Fire Department says the blaze was reported around 5:30 Monday morning, and more than three dozen firefighters responded to the apartment complex on Edward Street. The department says in a news release the ``heavy fire'' had destroyed three vehicles by the time firefighters arrived, spewing smoke and flames through the building. It says the building has six semi-detached units and all residents got out safely before crews extinguished the flames. The departmen

Loblaw Cos. Ltd. says it will build more than 40 new stores as part of a record investment plan of more than $2 billion.The parent company of Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart says it will also expand or relocate another 10 locations. It will renovate more than 700 others. Loblaw says the company's capital investments this year are expected to create more than 7,500 jobs in Canada. The company has a network of 2,500 stores across the country. In addition to Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart, the company's banners include No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore and T&T.

In Britain, Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party is facing a new crisis before the next elections. Due to opposition to government policies and a collapsing economy, the Conservative Party is continuously losing by-elections, which has led to calls for a change of leadership in the party. 100 MPs of the party have decided to resign before the elections. Reports say that many MPs feel that they will lose their seats in the upcoming elections. Along with this, some MPs have decided to retire from politics and are looking for jobs in the private sector. In the 2019 elections in Britain, former Prime

The Supreme Court of India has rejected the previous results of the Chandigarh Mayoral elections. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud declared valid the 8 ballot papers declared illegal by Presiding Officer Anil Masih on Tuesday, after which Aam Aadmi Party and Congress alliance candidate Kuldeep Kumar became the new mayor of Chandigarh. It is to be noted that after the Chandigarh Mayoral elections held on January 30, Presiding Officer Anil Masih declared 8 out of 36 votes as illegal and declared BJP candidate Manoj Kumar as the winner. The Supreme Court has also ordere

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office says his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, will visit Canada next month. Meloni is set to visit Toronto on March 2 in her first visit since she was elected in 2022. Trudeau's office says they will discuss global challenges, including the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as co-operation with African partners. The two got into in a public spat last year after Trudeau criticized Italy's stance on LGBTQ+ issues in a meeting with Meloni at the G7 leaders' summit. He was reacting to her government's move to limit the recognition of parental right

Ontario police are investigating a string of extortion cases targeting local businesses, including a Caledon auto dealer who says he was ordered to pay $200,000 in December under threats of violence. The dealer told investigators he received a WhatsApp call from an unknown number demanding payment in either a Canadian or Indian account. Initially dismissing the threat, he later arrived at his lot on December 6 to find bullets scattered and 11 vehicles damaged by gunfire. A Brampton restaurant owner reported a similar case on January 19, saying threats escalated into a ransom demand backed by v

B2Gold Corp. says three employees have died after an attack on a bus transporting workers in Mali. The company says the bus, which was travelling under Malian gendarme escort, was going from its Fekola mine to Bamako, the capital of Mali. It says initial reports indicate several other employees travelling on the bus were also wounded. B2Gold says the attack occurred over 300 kilometers northeast of the Fekola mine, along a route that has been the focus of an increased security presence by the Malian armed forces. The company says it has been engaged with the Malian government on further improv

Construction of new homes in Canada fell 10 percent in January compared to December, according to the National Housing Agency, with 223,589 units started last month, down 25,379 from December, while many economists had An increase was expected. TD Bank economist Mark Arcolao said Canada needs to accelerate the pace of homebuilding to prevent a continued decline in housing affordability. He said that the prospect of interest rate cuts by the Bank of Canada could boost existing home sales in the coming months, potentially resulting in an increase in new home construction. New home construction