BC's chief coroner says the status quo of making illicit drugs a crime has been an abject and costly failure and officials have to admit it won't stop overdose deaths. A coroner's report released today says 2,224 people died of suspected overdose deaths last year in BC, a jump of 26 per cent from the year before. Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe says making illicit drugs a crime has created chaos in communities, killed thousands across the country and made enormous profits for the drug trade. She says it's hard to see why anyone would think it was an effective system because it has resulted in sha

B.C. is reporting 1,117 new cases of COVID-19, including five new epi-linked cases, for a total of 335,042 cases in the province.There are 24,372 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 306,888 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 986 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 146 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. The new/active cases include:189 new cases in Fraser HealthTotal active cases: 9,711180 new cases in Vancouver Coastal HealthTotal active cases: 4,355376 new cases in Interior HealthTotal active

Saskatchewan is the first province in the country to announce a plan to lift all COVID-19 restrictions. Premier Scott Moe's government is going to drop its vaccine passport requirement as of Monday and end its indoor mask mandate at the end of the month. Moe says the passport has created deep divisions in the province and that people should be able to choose whether they get vaccinated. He says his government is going to respect that right. Moe says he expects other provinces and the federal government to follow suit.

B.C. is reporting 3,287 new cases of COVID-19, including three new epi-linked cases, for a total of 333,925 cases in the province: Feb. 4-5: 1,326 new cases Feb. 5-6: 1,118 new cases Feb. 6-7: 843 new cases There are 23,739 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 306,419 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 987 COVID-positive individuals are in hospital and 141 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation. The new/active cases include: 864 new cases in Fraser Health Total active cases: 9,596 440 new cases in Vancouver Coa

Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says it is well past the time for the protest in Ottawa to come to an end. He is one of six federal cabinet ministers who held a news conference this afternoon to address the protests that have paralyzed the area around Parliament Hill for more than a week. Protesters and some MPs are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to meet the protest organizers but he has been adamant that he has no intention of meeting with what he calls a ``fringe minority'' that holds ``unacceptable views.'' NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is calling for an emergency debate in Par

Crowdfunding site GoFundMe will reimburse or redirect to charities the vast majority of the more than $10 million raised by demonstrators protesting COVID-19 measures in Ottawa, saying the event has become an occupation. The move could deny participants a vital source of funds as Ottawa braces for a new wave of protesters slated to arrive in the national capital this weekend. GoFundMe says it supports peaceful protest and that it believes that was the initial intention of the Ottawa event. The crowdfunding site says it now has evidence from law enforcement that the demonstration ``has become

Premier John Horgan shared a message on twitter to share his views about the growing problem of cancer on the occasion of world cancer day. Premier John Horgan wrote: It’s #WorldCancerDay. About 85 British Columbians will get a cancer diagnosis today. Another 85 tomorrow.My family knows this feeling. Like so many other patients battling cancer, I was impressed & deeply touched by the care I received from doctors & other health care workers.BC has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in cancer treatment. We’re ensuring more people get the care needed.Our 10-year plan makes us a

Police in Essex, England, say a 19-year-old British Columbia woman has been murdered and a man is under arrest. A statement from Essex Police says 19 year old Ashley Wadsworth of Vernon died Tuesday, shortly after officers were called to a disturbance at a home in Chelmsford, northeast of London. A 23 year old man was arrested at the scene and police say he has been charged with murder. Jack Sepple, who lived at the address where Wadsworth died, was charged Thursday. Police said he was expected to appear in Colchester Magistrates' Court later in the day. Detectives in Essex have released littl

Erin O'Toole says it's been the honour of a lifetime to lead the party of Sir John A. MacDonald and Confederation. Speaking this evening he says he believes the Conservative party needs to be both an intellectual force and a governing force. Erin O'Toole was ousted today by his caucus in a strong vote against his leadership. But he intends to remain as a sitting MP, saying, ``there is not a bad seat in the House of Commons, from the back corner where he first sat, to the front rows.'' Erin O'Toole has headed the party since August of 2020 after Andrew Scheer was pushed out as leader. Click th