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quebec-to-appoint-conciliator-as-labour-unions-prepare-for-major-strikes-this-week
CanadaNov 20, 2023

Quebec to appoint conciliator as labour unions prepare for major strikes this week

The province says it will appoint a conciliator to help bridge the gap in stalled contract negotiations with public sector unions ahead of major strikes this week.The conciliator's recommendations, however, won't be binding.A labour group representing about 420,000 public sector workers in education, health, and social services asked for a conciliator to help talks advance.The group, which calls itself the "common front" will hold a three-day strike starting Tuesday.The common front has rejected Quebec's latest contract offer — a 10.3 per cent salary increase over five years and a one-time
no-word-on-status-of-135-canadians-cleared-to-leave-gaza-strip-over-weekend
CanadaNov 20, 2023

No word on status of 135 Canadians cleared to leave Gaza Strip over weekend

Canadians with loved ones trapped in the embattled Gaza Strip are still waiting to learn whether the 135 people cleared to leave the territory on Sunday were able to make the journey.A daily list from Gaza's General Authority for Crossings and Borders, which contains the names of foreign passport holders cleared to cross into Egypt via the Rafah land crossing, expanded to include 135 people with ties to Canada on Sunday.But Global Affairs Canada did not provide any details on Sunday as to how many of those people were able to leave the war-torn enclave.The agency's last update, provided on Fri
canadian-mps-spent-14-6m-on-travel-in-first-half-of-2023
CanadaNov 20, 2023

Canadian MPs spent $14.6M on travel in first half of 2023

Canadian Members of Parliament spent more than $14.6 million of taxpayer dollars on travel in the first six months of 2023, up nearly 10 percent from the previous six months. This amount works out to about $80,000 per day. This taxpayer money is spent on commercial airfare,, ground transportation, accommodation and meals for Members of Parliament and their families and staff. According to the report, from January 1 to June 30, 338 MPs spent an average of $43,000, or more than $7,200 per month, on work and constituency-related travel.Among them were the travel bills of Canada's two main opposit
federal-unit-of-rcmp-faces-staff-crunch-many-positions-vacant
CanadaNov 17, 2023

Federal unit of RCMP faces staff crunch, many positions vacant

The RCMP's federal unit, which investigates Canada's serious crime cases, is facing staff shortages.According to RCMP spokesperson Marie-Eve Breton, the federal policing wing is short about 1,000 positions.At present, the wing has 507 fewer police officers than a decade ago and 500 more posts are vacant.Breton said federal policing currently has about 5,000 employees.The RCMP has two main policing units, one that provides local and regional law enforcement officers to the states and the other is a federal policing wing that investigates cases related to national and international crimes such a
soon-international-students-in-canada-will-not-be-able-to-work-more-than-20-hours-a-week
CanadaNov 17, 2023

Soon international students in Canada will not be able to work more than 20 hours a week

International students in Canada will soon be unable to work more than 20 hours a week.In November last year, the then immigration minister Sean Fraser removed this limit, which expires on December 31, 2023.A spokesperson for the Immigration Department said the move was intended to provide more opportunities for eligible international students to gain better work experience in Canada and increase the presence of workers to sustain economic growth after the pandemic.The ban on working hours was lifted from 15 November 2022 to 31 December 2023 to deal with labor shortages.The new policy was for
punjabi-youth-shot-dead-in-mississauga
CanadaNov 17, 2023

Punjabi youth shot dead in Mississauga

A Punjabi youth died in a shooting incident in Mississauga on Wednesday.According to the police, when officers and paramedics arrived at the scene, the youth was found seriously injured due to gunshot wounds, he was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition, where he died within a short time.At present, the police has not given any information about the suspect, nor has the identity of the deceased been made public, but the family has confirmed the death of 28-year-old Jagraj Singh in this incident.He was a resident of Nathowal village in Raikot town of Ludhiana and had come to Canada for
the-wait-continues-for-canadians-wanting-out-of-gaza-approval-list-not-yet-updated
CanadaNov 17, 2023

The wait continues for Canadians wanting out of Gaza, approval list not yet updated

Canadians in the Gaza Strip, eager to escape the bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas, may have to wait a little longer to leave.As of 4 a.m. Eastern, the General Authority for Crossings and Borders had yet to update its daily list of approved foreign passport holders authorized to exit Gaza and enter Egypt.The Canadian government says that as of Wednesday afternoon, it was in touch with 386 people still in the besieged territory.Global Affairs Canada says, so far, 367 Canadians, permanent residents and their relatives have been able to escape via the Rafah border crossing, most recently i
charges-laid-against-veltman-for-killing-muslim-family-in-ontario
CanadaNov 16, 2023

Charges laid against Veltman for killing Muslim family in Ontario

Nathaniel Veltman, who drove a truck into a Muslim family in Ontario in 2021, has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.First degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no possibility of parole before 25 years.On 6 June 2021, four members of the Afzaal family were killed by the accused by running down the truck.This family had gone for a walk.46-year-old Afzaal, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, 15-year-old daughter Yumnah Afzaal and 74-year-old mother Talat Afzaal died in this accident.A 9-year-old boy was seriously injured in the incident, but survived.This
canadian-border-guards-seized-more-than-13-million-worth-of-drugs-in-march
CanadaNov 16, 2023

Canadian border guards seized more than $13 million worth of drugs in March

Police have arrested a Toronto couple after Canadian Border Guards seized 300 kilograms of methamphetamine drugs from a truck in March.The drugs seized had a market value of more than $13 million.The drugs were seized from a semitruck at the Ambassador Bridge border in Windsor, RCMP said, with border agents arresting the driver at the scene and turning him over to police, who was later released without charge and has since been released.An investigation was launched to find out where the huge drug supply was going and who was behind the shipment.Investigation lead to a 33-year-old man and a 35

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CanadaNov 20, 2025

Indian national wanted in murder case arrested after being refused entry at Canada–U.S. border

U.S. border officials say a 22-year-old Indian national was taken into custody at the Peace Bridge crossing at Fort Erie after Canadian officers refused him entry over the weekend. The case is drawing renewed attention to cross-border screening practices that affect travel between Ontario and Western New York, a corridor frequently used by travellers from Ontario’s South Asian communities. According to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the man – identified as Vishat Kumar – had previously entered the United States without authorization in 2024 and did not appear for a
chrystia-freeland-to-leave-parliament-for-senior-leadership-role-with-rhodes-trust-in-u-k
CanadaNov 20, 2025

Chrystia Freeland to leave Parliament for senior leadership role with Rhodes Trust in U.K.

Chrystia Freeland is preparing to leave federal politics next year as she moves to Oxford, England, to take up a senior leadership role with the Rhodes Trust. The educational charity confirmed that Freeland will become its next chief executive officer on July 1, overseeing one of the world’s most influential international scholarship programs. The organization administers the Rhodes Scholarship, which brings students from around the globe to study at the University of Oxford. Freeland’s appointment places her at the centre of an institution that has produced generations of leaders in publi
rain-and-snow-alerts-in-effect-as-coastal-and-northern-b-c-brace-for-strong-weather-system
BCNov 20, 2025

Rain and Snow Alerts in Effect as Coastal and Northern B.C. Brace for Strong Weather System

Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a pair of weather alerts for communities along British Columbia’s north and central coast, warning that a strong frontal system could bring significant rain and heavy mountain snow through the end of the week. The agency says areas from Bella Coola through Kitimat may receive as much as 70 millimetres of rain, raising the risk of water pooling on roads and possible washouts near rivers and creeks. The system is expected to weaken by Friday, but officials caution that changing conditions may still affect travel across coastal corridors. While t
senate-approves-citizenship-reform-for-lost-canadians-as-advocates-raise-adoption-concerns
CanadaNov 20, 2025

Senate approves citizenship reform for ‘Lost Canadians’ as advocates raise adoption concerns

Federal legislation designed to address long-standing gaps in Canada’s citizenship rules has cleared the Senate and is expected to become law before a court-imposed deadline early next year. The bill aims to resolve cases involving so-called Lost Canadians – individuals born abroad to Canadian parents who were themselves born outside the country and who lost access to citizenship because of restrictive rules adopted in 2009. The changes come after the Ontario Superior Court ruled last year that the previous one-generation limit on citizenship by descent was unconstitutional. Under the upda
AlbertaNov 20, 2025

Alberta auditor says failed lab privatization left public with $109 million bill

Alberta’s auditor general says the province’s attempt to shift community lab testing to a private operator resulted in significant financial losses and gaps in government oversight. A new report from Auditor General Doug Wylie estimates taxpayers absorbed roughly $109 million after the privatization effort collapsed. Wylie’s review found that senior officials in government advanced the plan despite internal warnings that the projected savings were unlikely. He says weaknesses in record keeping, financial analysis and contract oversight contributed to the breakdown of the agreement with D