There are many heartbreaking tales behind the record number of Canadians using food banks as they struggle with high inflation and mounting housing costs, says a Vancouver food bank executive."We see parents who are skipping meals so that their children can eat. We see people who haven't eaten in days. We see seniors who haven't had produce in months," said Cynthia Boulter, chief operating officer with Greater Vancouver Food Banks.More and more people are accessing its services each year, and with greater frequency than in the past, Boulter said, as low wages and high rents squeeze people betw

India's high commission in Canada says the country's officials will resume processing some types of visa applications in Ottawa and at consulates in Toronto and Vancouver.The decision comes a month after New Delhi suspended the services in Canada and for Canadian citizens worldwide.The high commission says it is resuming business, medical and conference visas, as well as entry for people with family ties in India, but did not include information about other types of visas.The Canadian Press confirmed the authenticity of social-media posts about the decision, and has sought information about wh

The Bank of Canada held its key interest rate steady at five per cent today, noting there are clearer signs of the economy cooling and inflation easing.However, it warns that it is prepared to increase rates further if necessary.The central bank says it's still concerned that price growth is easing too slowly and that the inflation rate has been volatile in recent months.Forecasters widely expected the rate hold as economic data suggests high interest rates are already causing an economic pullback.New economic projections released by the central bank suggest economic growth will continue to be

Federal Court verbally approved $23B First Nations child-welfare settlement.The funding will help offset chronic underfunding of on-reserve child-welfare services by the federal government to more than 300,000 First Nations children and their families.The Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society first filed this complaint with Human Rights in 2007.In September 2019, the Canada Human Rights Tribunal ruled that the federal government did not adequately fund Child and Family Services, which inadvertently and negligently discriminated against First Nations ch

The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas has entered its 19th day.World Health Organization has said that 6 hospitals in Gaza had to be closed due to lack of fuel.Of these, 1,000 people are on dialysis, while 130 are premature children.If the condition does not improve, the patients may die in the ICU.So far, a total of 54 trucks have reached Gaza with relief materials.The problem is that none of them had fuel, but water has been sent along with medicines and food items.Another 250 trucks will arrive this week, but it is not clear whether petrol and diesel will be sent in them.Ministry of Heal

A House of Commons committee is asking the heads of Canada's major grocery chains to explain their plans to stabilize food prices.The committee passed an NDP motion on Thursday to invite the grocery executives, and summon them if necessary, to testify about the measures their companies are taking to address food inflation.This comes after Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne announced the companies have presented plans to the government to tackle rising prices, which he says include discounts, price freezes and price-matching campaigns.However, most grocers have not confirmed details

Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem warned premiers who publicly asked the central bank to not raise interest rates last month that their requests could undermine the institution's independence.The premiers of Ontario, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador wrote to Macklem ahead of the Bank of Canada's Sept. 6 rate decision, outlining concerns about the effects of higher rates on their residents and asking the central bank not to raise its key rate further.In a Sept. 13 letter, Macklem warned that instructions or requests from elected officials could give the impression that the Bank

Defence Minister Bill Blair says Hamas is a terrorist organization that is a threat to the whole world and must be "eliminated." Blair also says he has no expectation that Hamas would respect international law, including any agreement on a ceasefire. His comments are the furthest any Canadian minister has gone in explaining why Canada does not support calls for a ceasefire. The defence minister also appeared unwilling to back more recent calls for a "humanitarian pause," but says there are talks underway to get more aid into the Gaza Strip. More than one million Palestinians have been displace

The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service says officers first discovered the body of a 41-year-old around 10:20 p.m. Monday after someone called to report a break-and-enter at a home.They say the shooter appeared to have fled and about 10 minutes later, police received another call for someone with a weapon at a home about three kilometres north from the previous residence.Police say they found three children aged six, seven and twelve dead in that second home and a 45-year-old who was injured with a gunshot wound.They say officers also found the 44-year-old shooter, who appeared to have died after