Voters are heading to the polls in three federal byelections today that are expected to determine whether the governing Liberals secure a majority in the House of Commons. Two of the ridings are long-held Liberal seats in the Toronto area, while a third contest in Terrebonne, Que., is considered competitive between the Bloc Québécois and the Liberals. The Quebec riding is being closely watched as it could decide whether the government crosses the majority threshold. According to Elections Canada, the byelections were called to fill vacancies left by former Liberal MPs Bill Blair and Chrystia

Statistics Canada is set to release its March labour force survey Friday, offering the latest snapshot of Canada’s job market after a sharp slowdown at the start of the year. According to a Reuters poll of economists, the economy is expected to have added 15,000 jobs in March. That would follow losses totalling more than 100,000 positions in January and February combined, based on previous labour force data. The same poll projects the national unemployment rate will edge up to 6.8 per cent. Economists at RBC, however, expect the rate to hold at 6.7 per cent, citing modest hiring conditions t

British Columbia Premier David Eby says a proposed move to suspend sections of the province’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act is intended to address legal uncertainty, not weaken First Nations rights. In a letter to Indigenous leaders, Eby wrote that the government is considering a temporary pause on certain provisions of Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act to clarify how land use and resource management decisions are made. According to the letter, the goal is to resolve uncertainty that has emerged in regulatory processes. Eby has previously argued that a

Ontario MP Marilyn Gladu says she has left the Conservative caucus and will sit with the Liberals under Prime Minister Mark Carney, becoming the fifth member of Parliament to cross the floor since November. Gladu confirmed the move in a statement, saying she will support the government’s agenda going forward. The reasons for her decision were not immediately detailed, and it is not clear whether she will take on a formal role within the Liberal caucus. Floor crossings do not trigger a byelection under federal rules, meaning Gladu will continue to represent her Ontario riding as a Liberal MP

An Alberta First Nation is in court Tuesday seeking an injunction to stop a citizen-led petition campaign advocating for the province to leave Canada. The Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation has filed an application in the Court of King’s Bench in Edmonton, asking a judge to suspend the campaign while legal questions over treaty rights are addressed. According to the court filing, the First Nation argues that any move toward Alberta’s separation from Canada would require the consent of First Nations under existing treaties. The application alleges that the governments of Alberta and Canada, along wi

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning of strong winds across British Columbia’s then coast beginning Monday afternoon. According to the federal weather agency, gusts of up to 70 km/h are expected to develop late Monday as a cold front moves across the South Coast. The winds are forecast to continue into Tuesday morning. The statement applies to several , including Metro Vancouver, Greater Victoria, eastern Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands. Environment Canada says the system will bring “strong and gusty” westerly winds in the wake of what it descr

The Canada Super 60 league is set to return to Vancouver's iconic BC Place Stadium. The second season of the league has been announced. This time, the league will be played from September 29 to October 4. Organizers say that the league will once again see the combination of the game of cricket with entertainment, cultural activities and concerts. League organizer Yuvraj Singh, iconic former international cricketer, says that the first season was successful and we are happy that we are now going ahead with the second season. Yuvraj Singh with BC Premier David Eby at BC Place stadium during the

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is set to join multi-nation talks hosted by the United Kingdom on Thursday aimed at identifying diplomatic options to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key global trade corridor disrupted by the ongoing Iran conflict. Anand said Canada is prepared to support efforts to secure the strait once a ceasefire is in place, though she indicated the federal government has not yet determined what specific measures it would take. According to her office, the discussions will focus on restoring safe passage for commercial shipping amid rising tensions in the region. The c

Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi says his party is not aligned with newly elected federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis on energy policy, following Lewis’s victory at the party’s national convention. Speaking at the Alberta legislature on Monday, Nenshi said the divide between the federal and provincial wings of the party on energy issues has existed for years. “It was important for Albertans to remember that for many years now, the New Democrats have not been fully aligned, particularly on energy policy,” he said. Lewis, a Vancouver-based filmmaker and activist, was elected Sunday in Winnipeg