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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
ontario-expert-panel-urges-province-to-end-post-secondary-tuition-freeze
CanadaNov 16, 2023

Ontario expert panel urges province to end post-secondary tuition freeze

A government-commissioned report on the finances of Ontario's universities and colleges says the province should both end its tuition freeze and increase per-student funding to those institutions.The Progressive Conservative government introduced a 10 percent tuition cut in 2019, as it cancelled the former Liberal government's free tuition program for low- and middle-income students, and has frozen fees at that level since then.That has forced post-secondary institutions to increase their dependence on international student tuition, which is considerably higher than for domestic students.Meanw
montreal-mayor-receives-death-threats-over-plan-to-cull-deer-in-local-park
CanadaNov 16, 2023

Montreal mayor receives death threats over plan to cull deer in local park

The mayor of a Montreal-area city has allegedly been targeted by death threats in connection with a plan to cull most of the white-tailed deer living in a local park.A spokesman for the City of Longueuil confirmed today that Mayor Catherine Fournier has been threatened in recent days and weeks by a single individual.Longueuil police Insp. Gino Iannone says the mayor was placed under intermittent police protection in September due to her high-profile position and to concerning events that occurred even before the recent threats.Last month, Quebec's highest court upheld a decision authorizing a

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bank-of-canada-holds-key-interest-rate-at-2-25-as-global-risks-weigh-on-outlook
CanadaApr 29, 2026

Bank of Canada holds key interest rate at 2.25% as global risks weigh on outlook

The Bank of Canada kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25 per cent on Wednesday, marking the fourth consecutive decision to hold rates, according to its latest monetary policy report. The central bank also maintained its deposit rate at 2.20 per cent. Governor Tiff Macklem said ongoing conflict in the Middle East and evolving U.S. trade policies are reshaping global trade patterns and adding uncertainty to the economic outlook. According to the bank’s report, the Iran-related tensions have reduced growth prospects in oil-importing countries while contributing to higher inflation
federal-finance-minister-tables-2026-spring-mini-budget-with-focus-on-skilled-trades-training
CanadaApr 29, 2026

Federal finance minister tables 2026 spring mini-budget with focus on skilled trades training

Canada’s Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne tabled the federal government’s 2026 spring mini-budget in the House of Commons, outlining measures aimed at strengthening the national economy and addressing labour shortages in key sectors. According to the government’s budget statement, a new initiative branded “Team Canada Strong” will focus on expanding the skilled trades workforce. The plan sets a target of training 100,000 new skilled trades workers by the 2030–31 fiscal year to help meet demand in housing construction, infrastructure projects and major resource developm
WorldApr 28, 2026

Israel orders evacuations in southern Lebanon villages amid ceasefire violations claims

The Israeli military has ordered residents in more than a dozen villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately, citing safety concerns during an ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. According to a statement posted on the social media platform X by Israeli Defence Forces spokesperson Avichay Adraee, civilians in the affected areas were urged to leave without delay. The military said the warning was issued for public safety, alleging that Hezbollah had violated the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The evacuation order comes despite the ceasefire remaining formally in effect. Isra
b-c-attorney-general-urges-ottawa-to-include-ai-chatbots-in-youth-social-media-rules
BCApr 28, 2026

B.C. attorney general urges Ottawa to include AI chatbots in youth social media rules

British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma says federal plans to set a minimum age for social media use should explicitly include artificial intelligence chatbots, arguing the rules would be ineffective if such platforms are excluded. In a letter to the federal government, Sharma said tools such as ChatGPT should fall within any regulatory framework aimed at protecting children online. According to her office, the letter cites recent incidents, including a shooting in Tumbler Ridge, and references cases where AI tools were reportedly linked to harmful online behaviour. Sharma said AI system
AlbertaApr 28, 2026

Evacuation alert issued for Draper, Alta., as ice jam raises river levels

An evacuation alert has been issued for the community of Draper in northern Alberta after rising river levels linked to a large ice jam raised concerns about possible flooding. According to a notice from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, approximately 140 residents of the unincorporated community have been advised to prepare to leave on short notice. Draper is located along the southern bank of the Clearwater River, about 12 kilometres southeast of Fort McMurray. Officials say a roughly 20-kilometre-long ice jam on the Athabasca River has contributed to a rapid increase in water level