Defence Minister Anita Anand says Canada is officially buying the F-35 fighter jet to replace its aging CF-18s, ending the years-long search where it first began. Canada had announced plans to buy the F-35 back in 2010, before politics and government mismanagement scuttled that decision. The government says Canada will ultimately buy 88 F-35s at an estimated cost of $19 billion, with the first aircraft to be delivered in 2026. The Canadian Press reported last month that the Defence Department had been authorized to spend $7 billion on an initial set of 16 F-35s and associated gear. Officials

The family of a Nova Scotia woman who died in hospital in Amherst after waiting hours for care on December 31st is calling for immediate action to address the provincial health care crisis. Independent MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin says Allison ``Ali'' Leah Holthoff had to wait hours for care at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre's emergency department despite showing signs of medical distress. The MLA from Cumberland North has sent a letter to Premier Tim Houston asking for assistance in urgently implementing a plan to help ensure safe and timely care for people living in the area. N

Canadian tourists remain barricaded in their hotel today amid violence in the streets after the arrest of a major drug cartel leader. Tina Dahl, an Edmonton woman with relatives stranded in the popular resort town of Mazatlan, says her six family members remain safe. But she says they're definitely shaken by what's happened. She says the hotel lobby was full of people who slept there overnight after their flights were cancelled. The beaches are full of military vehicles patrolling up and down as helicopters patrol the skies. Dahl says her family went to their room Thursday afternoon and have

Ontario's premier was among those who spoke today at the funeral for a provincial police officer who was killed in what the OPP has called an ambush. Doug Ford says the death of Constable Greg Pierzchala is a painful reminder that policing is a ``family calling.'' Police have said the 28 year old Pierzchala was attacked as he responded to a call for a vehicle in a ditch west of Hagersville on December 27th. Two people have been charged with first-degree murder.

A 19 year old man is facing terrorism-related charges for allegedly posting threatening tweets targeted at Parliament Hill, the Department of National Defence and two embassies. Daniel Houde is charged with four counts each of a terrorist hoax, threatening to cause death or bodily harm to a person and threatening to burn, damage and destroy property. Police say he allegedly targeted the embassies of the United States and the People's Republic of China in Ottawa.

Officials say there were no working smoke alarms in a Hamilton townhouse where a fire killed four people, including two children, last week. Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg says the on-scene portion of his office's investigation is complete and confirmed the fire's origin as an upholstered sofa on the house's ground floor, though its cause is still being investigated. Pegg says the location of the fire and layout of the house blocked the victims' ability to descend down the stairwell from the second floor. Police have said they were called to help with the townhouse fire in southeast Hamilton l

New Brunswick RCMP say a 29 year old man has been charged with second-degree murder following the death of a well-known journalist in the province. The RCMP said in a news release that Philippe Hebert, who was arrested Dec. 29 after fleeing from police, was charged Tuesday with the killing of Rejean Hebert. Police say Philippe Hebert also faces charges of resisting arrest, dangerous driving, flight from police and indecently interfering with human remains. Donald Noel, the general manager of the radio station where Rejean Hebert worked, confirmed the accused is Hebert's son. The 60 year old j

Details are emerging about a criminal past of one of the two suspects charged in the killing of an Ontario Provincial Police officer. Both 25 year old Randall McKenzie and 30 year old Brandi Crystal Lyn Stewart-Sperry are facing a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Greg Pierzchala. Police say Pierzchala responded to a call for a vehicle in a ditch just west of Hagersville yesterday afternoon and was shot dead when he got there. Court documents show McKenzie has a history with the justice system, including an almost three-year sentence for robbery and other charges.

Jim Carr, a Liberal MP from Winnipeg and a former cabinet minister, has died. He was 71. Winnipeg MP Kevin Lamoureux asked the House of Commons for a moment of silence before question period today. The parties then agreed to suspend the House for the rest of the day. Carr had represented the riding of Winnipeg South Centre for the Liberals since 2015. He served as the minister of natural resources and then the minister of internal trade diversification between 2015 and 2019. In 2019, the day after being re-elected as an MP, he was diagnosed with the blood cancer multiple myeloma, and he under