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freeland-introduces-bill-to-remove-gst-off-rental-developments
CanadaSep 21, 2023

Freeland introduces bill to remove GST off rental developments

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland introduced legislation this morning that would remove GST charges from new rental developments and update the country's competition law.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised the new legislation earlier this month to address the housing crisis and affordability crunch.Experts have called on the federal government to remove GST charges off new purpose-built rentals to help spur construction of these kinds of homes.The bill is also supposed to strengthen the Competition Bureau by giving it the power to compel information from companies to conduct studies, tight
ottawa-gives-food-banks-canada-17-9m-for-pilot-to-provide-menstrual-products
CanadaSep 21, 2023

Ottawa gives Food Banks Canada $17.9M for pilot to provide menstrual products

The federal government has tasked Food Banks Canada with handing out free menstrual products to members of marginalized low-income communities.Gender Equality Minister Marci Ien announced the pilot program Thursday.She says the government is injecting $17.9 million into the initiative.Through the project, Food Banks Canada will distribute free period products to community organizations across Canada.It is also going to partner with existing organizations that deal in period education to scale up their operations.The Menstrual Equity project is part of a broader push from the government to redu
india-has-suspended-indian-visa-services-for-canadians
CanadaSep 21, 2023

India suspends visa services in Canada

Due to the tension between India and Canada over the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Indian government has taken a big decision.External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that Canadians will not get visas for now.He cited security as the reason behind this.Indian visa processing services have been suspended from September 21 until further notice, the BLS Indian Visa Application Center said in a statement.80,000 Canadian tourists visited India in 2021, making them the fourth largest group according to the Immigration Bureau of India.Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesp
nijjar-death-case-vancouver-police-boost-security-at-indian-consulate-since-trudeau-remarks
BCSep 20, 2023

Nijjar death case: Vancouver police boost security at Indian Consulate since Trudeau remarks

The Vancouver Police Department says it's beefing up security outside India's Consulate after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this week there was credible intelligence about a potential link between India's government and the killing of a Sikh community leader in B.C.Const. Tania Visintin, the department's media relations officer, says police are "closely monitoring the situation" since Trudeau's announcement about the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a vocal supporter of an independent Sikh homeland, who was shot dead in Surrey in June.She says Vancouver police aren't aware of any specific
illegal-tobacco-growth-costing-three-provinces-2-47-billion-in-taxes-retail-report
BCSep 20, 2023

Illegal tobacco growth costing three provinces $2.47 billion in taxes: Retail report

The governments of British Columbia, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador lost up to $2.47 billion in tax revenues over four years due to the growth in illegal tobacco sales, says a convenience industry report.The Convenience Industry Council of Canada report released Wednesday examined the downward trend in legal tobacco sales in the three provinces since 2019, compared with the rising growth in the underground contraband tobacco market."These cigarettes are illegally sold, tax and duty free, without any Health Canada regulations or inspections and retail for a fraction of legal tobacco pric
1-in-4-adolescents-have-been-cyberbullied-statcan
CanadaSep 20, 2023

1 in 4 adolescents have been cyberbullied : StatCan

A new StatCan report says one in four adolescents in Canada have been cyberbullied and it's taking a toll on their mental health.The study says youth who have been victimized online have a greater risk of depression, anxiety, eating disorder symptoms and thoughts of suicide or suicide attempts.The report says transgender and non-binary youth, as well as females attracted to other females, are at higher risk of being victimized online.Adolescents living with chronic health conditions such as asthma, epilepsy or learning disabilities are also at higher risk for cyberbullying, especially if they
canada-post-breaking-law-by-gathering-info-from-envelopes-parcels-watchdog
CanadaSep 20, 2023

Canada Post breaking law by gathering info from envelopes, parcels: Watchdog

The federal privacy watchdog says Canada Post is breaking the law by gleaning information from the outsides of envelopes and packages to help build marketing lists that it rents to businesses.The office of privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne says information collected for the marketing program includes data about where individuals live and what type of online shopping they do, based on who sends them packages.The commissioner found Canada Post had not obtained authorization from individuals to indirectly collect such personal information.In a report on his office's investigation, Dufresne s
investigation-into-levi-strauss-ties-to-forced-labor-begins
CanadaSep 20, 2023

Investigation into Levi Strauss' ties to forced labor begins

Canada's corporate ethics watchdog has launched an investigation into allegations that Levi Strauss Canada is working with companies that use forced labour in China.Sheri Meyerhoffer, the ombudsperson for responsible enterprise, is looking into whether the denim company known for Levi's jeans has supply relationships with Chinese companies that source materials from Uyghur people forced to work in the Xinjiang region.Meyerhoffer's office is tasked with investigating complaints about possible human-rights abuses in the operations of Canadian garment, mining and oil and gas companies.Levi Straus
hardeep-nijjars-son-revealed-that-his-father-used-to-meet-with-csis
BCSep 20, 2023

Hardeep Nijjar's son revealed that his father used to meet with CSIS

The son of Sikh community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar says his father was meeting regularly with Canadian intelligence officers in the months before he was shot dead in British Columbia, in a killing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says has been credibly linked to India.Balraj Nijjar says in an interview that his father was meeting Canadian Security Intelligence Service officers "once or twice a week," including one or two days before the June 18 killing, with another meeting scheduled for two days after his death.Balraj Nijjar says he also attended a meeting between his father and the RCMP last

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liberal-minister-signals-possible-further-mp-defections-as-government-nears-majority
CanadaDec 15, 2025

Liberal minister signals possible further MP defections as government nears majority

A federal cabinet minister says the governing Liberals are hearing increased interest from opposition MPs following a recent high-profile defection that has brought the government to the brink of a majority in the House of Commons. Energy Minister Tim Hodgson told reporters Tuesday that he has received “lots of inquiries” when asked whether additional MPs are considering crossing the floor to join the Liberal caucus. His comments come days after Ontario MP Michael Ma left the Conservative Party to sit with the Liberals. Ma’s move has left the Liberals one seat short of a majority, a shif
b-c-braces-for-more-flooding-as-heavy-rain-forecast-across-fraser-valley-and-vancouver-island
BCDec 15, 2025

B.C. braces for more flooding as heavy rain forecast across Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island

The B.C. government is warning that heavy rain expected across parts of the province could lead to additional flooding in low-lying areas. Authorities say the Sumas and Chilliwack Rivers remain under flood warnings, though rainfall is anticipated to be less severe than last week’s storms that caused extensive flooding in Abbotsford. Environment Canada has issued "high impact" rainfall warnings for the Fraser and Skagit valleys, with some areas expected to receive up to 80 millimetres of rain, particularly in higher elevations. Officials cautioned that the situation is unpredictable and that
three-children-die-from-flu-related-complications-in-ottawa-eastern-ontario-as-cases-surge
CanadaDec 15, 2025

Three children die from flu-related complications in Ottawa, eastern Ontario as cases surge

Public health officials in Ottawa and eastern Ontario say three children have died from complications linked to influenza over the past two weeks, underscoring growing concerns as flu activity rises sharply across the province. Medical officers of health for Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit say the children were between the ages of five and nine. Officials describe the recent deaths as rare but serious, noting that influenza can lead to severe illness, particularly among young children. Health units report a rapid and significant increase in Influenza A activity across Ontario, with
b-c-police-watchdog-investigates-fatal-collision-involving-surrey-police-vehicle
BCDec 15, 2025

B.C. police watchdog investigates fatal collision involving Surrey police vehicle

British Columbia’s police oversight agency has launched an investigation after a woman was struck and killed by a Surrey police vehicle late Sunday night. Surrey Police Service says the incident occurred at a busy intersection near 152 Street and 64 Avenue, an area that serves as a major commuter route for residents travelling through the city and into Metro Vancouver. Despite immediate medical assistance from first responders, the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released the woman’s identity, and further details about the circumstances leading up to the collis
IndiaDec 15, 2025

Bomb Threat Emails Sent to Around 11 Schools in Jalandhar, Police Launch Investigation

Authorities in Punjab are investigating bomb threat emails sent to approximately 11 schools in Jalandhar, prompting temporary closures and heightened security measures across the city. The threats were received by email early Monday morning, according to district officials. The incident comes just days after similar bomb threats were reported at several schools in Amritsar, raising concerns among parents, educators, and local authorities about student safety. In Jalandhar, school administrations alerted police after receiving the emails, leading to immediate search operations on school premise