The number of extortion incidents occurring in B.C. in 2025 is staggering, and the number of arrests or charges in the cases is disappointing. Connect FM gathered data on extortion in several major jurisdictions in B.C.'s Lower Mainland. The number of extortion cases targeting businesses or people associated with the Indo-Canadian community in Surrey has reached 81 as of November 3 of this year. There were 42 extortion cases where shooting incidents took place. In this, information about the addition of 28 extortion files has come to light in the just month of October alone. Surrey Police Se

Quebec provincial police say 22 men have been arrested following a provincewide investigation into online child sexual exploitation. The suspects, aged 18 to 70, were taken into custody after a series of coordinated raids carried out earlier this week. According to the Sûreté du Québec, 20 of the accused have already appeared in court on charges that include possession, distribution and access of child sexual abuse material. The investigation was conducted between November 3 and 7, with more than 150 officers participating in searches across multiple cities, including Montreal, Quebec City,

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Anita Anand, has announced that foreign ministers from G7 member nations will gather in Niagara, Ontario, from November 11 to 12, 2025. The meeting will bring together representatives from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Anand said Canada will also welcome ministers from several outreach countries, including Australia, Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, and Ukraine, as part of efforts to strengthen global cooperation on shared priorities. India’s External Affairs

Canada’s labour market showed unexpected strength in October, adding 67,000 jobs and marking the second straight month of stronger-than-forecast employment growth, according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency said the gains were concentrated in part-time positions, with the private sector recording its first employment increase since June. Ontario led the way with 55,000 new jobs, driven largely by growth in wholesale and retail trade as well as transportation and warehousing. Younger Canadians also saw long-awaited improvement. Employment among workers aged 15 to 24 rose by 21,000 in

Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux has announced his resignation from Parliament, marking the second departure from the federal Conservative caucus in less than a week. Jeneroux, who has represented Edmonton Riverbend since 2015, said in a letter that stepping down was “not an easy decision” but one he believes is “the right one.” He noted that he had hoped to contribute to a government led by Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives but acknowledged that the political outcome had not aligned with his expectations. The Alberta MP expressed “great admiration” for members of the House of Common

A 20-year-old man has pleaded guilty to six counts of murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with a mass stabbing that shocked Ottawa last year. Febrio De-Zoysa entered guilty pleas today in an Ottawa courtroom to four charges of first-degree murder and two of second-degree murder, as well as one charge of attempted murder. The killings took place in 2024 at a rented townhouse in the Barrhaven area. The victims were 35-year-old Darshani Ekanayake, her four children aged between two months and seven years, and 40-year-old family friend Gamini Amarakoon. The children’s father,

The Quebec government has announced it will reduce its annual target for new permanent residents to 45,000, marking a significant shift from the roughly 61,000 people expected to settle in the province this year. The revised plan outlines a more moderate approach than earlier proposals that would have lowered the figure to as few as 25,000 newcomers annually. The government’s new immigration framework emphasizes language integration, setting a goal for nearly 80 per cent of new immigrants to achieve at least intermediate-level French by 2029. In 2019, that figure was 50 per cent. Officials s

The Surrey Police Service and the City of Surrey are reminding residents to stay alert as reports of distraction thefts continue to target seniors across the city. The awareness campaign coincides with National Seniors Safety Week, running from November 6 to 12, and focuses on helping older residents recognize and prevent these crimes. Police say 54 distraction thefts have been reported in Surrey so far this year, with many victims being seniors. Investigators note that suspects often approach their targets under friendly pretenses, such as asking for directions, complimenting jewellery, or of

The Conservative Party and the Bloc Québécois say they will not support the Liberal government’s new federal budget, narrowing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s options to keep his minority government afloat. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called the budget “an inflationary plan” and said his party cannot back what he described as a costly proposal. He said Conservatives wanted a budget that would make life more affordable for Canadians and announced plans to introduce an amendment aimed at restoring affordability. With both the Conservatives and Bloc Québécois opposed, the Lib