A 44-year-old foreign national has been sentenced to four years in prison following a Canadian Border Services Agency investigation into firearms offences at a British Columbia port of entry. According to the Canadian Border Services Agency, Reuben Velasquez was sentenced on Feb. 3, 2026, in Williams Lake Provincial Court after being convicted of two offences under the Criminal Code: possession of a loaded, prohibited or restricted firearm without authorization or licence under section 95(1), and unauthorized possession of a firearm under section 91(1). The charges stem from an incident on Sep

Voting has begun in the federal New Democratic Party leadership race to replace Jagmeet Singh, with party members able to cast ballots until March 28. A party official said about 100,000 members are eligible to vote in the contest. The winner will be announced March 29 at the party’s annual convention in Winnipeg. Five candidates are seeking the leadership: union leader Rob Ashton, social worker Tanille Johnston, filmmaker Avi Lewis, Heather McPherson and farmer Tony McQuail. Fundraising disclosures filed with Elections Canada show Lewis leading the race financially. The party’s latest qua

The federal Liberal government has proposed holding a House of Commons debate Monday evening on the ongoing conflict involving Iran and the potential impact on Canadians in the region, according to government House leader Steven MacKinnon. MacKinnon, who also serves as transport minister, said in a Sunday post on the social platform X that the government had put forward the proposal to opposition parties. The debate would focus on hostilities involving Iran and the implications for Canadians abroad. Media representatives for the New Democratic Party and the Conservative Party of Canada did not

Canada’s Minister of Canada–U.S. Trade Dominic LeBlanc is scheduled to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington today as both countries prepare for a mandatory review of the continental trade agreement known as Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement. LeBlanc’s office said the meeting will focus on the upcoming review of the pact, commonly called CUSMA, as well as other bilateral trade issues between Canada and the United States. The agreement, which also includes Mexico, requires a joint review by member countries to determine whether the deal will continue or

The Government of Canada has issued an updated travel advisory for Canadians travelling to Pakistan, warning that the security situation in parts of the country remains fragile. According to the advisory published by Global Affairs Canada, rising tensions in the Middle East and ongoing military clashes along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border have increased safety concerns for travellers. Canadian officials say risks in Pakistan include terrorism, kidnapping and sectarian violence, and travellers are advised to exercise a high degree of caution. The advisory recommends that Canadians avoid all

Former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper is in India this week and took part in the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, where he met with India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. The annual conference brings together political leaders, security officials and policy experts from around the world to discuss global security, geopolitics and economic cooperation. Scott Moe, the premier of Saskatchewan, is also attending the event. Speaking to reporters during the conference, Moe said he was encouraged by meetings held earlier this week between Canadian and Indian representative

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Friday as he wrapped up the final leg of a three-country Indo-Pacific tour focused on trade and strategic cooperation. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the two leaders announced a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership aimed at expanding cooperation in defence, energy and technology. Carney also presented Takaichi with a birthday cake made using Canadian maple syrup during the meeting. The visit is part of Canada’s broader Indo-Pacific strategy, which seeks to diversify trade relation

Usually, when media has interactions with the police, it is related to some serious incidents/announcements or some serious business. But in contrast, the media's interaction with the police on Wednesday at the BC RCMP headquarters at Green Timbers in Surrey took place in a very lively atmosphere where police officials and media-persons were visibly happy. Police officers, who usually appear alert, cautious and serious, were seen playing with little puppies in the media room of BC RCMP headquarters. This occasion seemed joyous and relaxing for the officers. This relates to an annual contest du

Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed Glen Purves, a senior economist at BlackRock, as Canada’s new deputy minister of international trade, according to a federal government announcement. The appointment is aimed at expanding Canadian exports beyond the United States and strengthening access to global markets. The government said Purves will help guide international trade policy as Canada works to diversify trade partnerships. Purves has served since January 2025 as global head of macro research at the BlackRock Investment Institute in New York. He previously spent 12 years in the federal