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spain-rejects-natos-anticipated-defense-spending-increase-as-unreasonable
WorldJun 19, 2025

Spain rejects NATO’s anticipated defense spending increase as 'unreasonable'

Spain has rejected a NATO proposal to spend 5% of GDP on defense needs that’s due to be announced next week, calling it “unreasonable.” In a letter sent Thursday to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said that Spain “cannot commit to a specific spending target in terms of GDP” at next week’s NATO summit in The Hague. Most U.S. allies at NATO are on track to endorse U.S. President Donald Trump’sdemandthat they invest 5% of gross domestic product on their defense and military needs. In early June,Sweden and the Netherlandssaid that they aim to
canadian-population-growth-continued-to-slow-with-almost-no-increase-in-q1-statcan
CanadaJun 18, 2025

Canadian population growth continued to slow with almost no increase in Q1: StatCan

Statistics Canada says population growth stalled in the first quarter. The agency says the Canadian population rose by 20,107 people from Jan. 1 to April 1 to 41,548,787, the smallest increase since the third quarter of 2020 when it contracted by 1,232 people. It was the sixth consecutive quarter of slower population growth after a decision by the federal government in 2024 to lower the levels of both temporary and permanent immigration. However, immigration still accounted for all of the population growth in the quarter as there were 5,628 more deaths than births in Canada. Canada admitted 10
mp-resigns-seat-so-poilievre-can-run-in-alberta-byelection
CanadaJun 17, 2025

MP resigns seat so Poilievre can run in Alberta byelection

Alberta Conservative Damien Kurek says he has officially resigned as an MP after promising earlier in the spring to vacate his seat in the Battle River—Crowfoot riding to allow Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to run in a byelection. Poilievre lost his Ottawa-area seat in the general election to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy, a political rookie. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he will call a byelection in the riding as soon as possible.
mark-carney-to-meet-donald-trump-today-at-g7-summit-in-alberta-amid-sensitive-talks
CanadaJun 16, 2025

Mark Carney to meet Donald Trump today at G7 summit in Alberta amid 'sensitive' talks

Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet this morning with U.S. President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Alberta. It's Trump's first visit to Canada since he started repeatedly saying the country should become an American state, leading Canadians to boo the American anthem at hockey games. Trump stormed out of the last G7 summit that Canada hosted, in 2018, and many will be watching this morning's meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. local time in Kananaskis, Alta. The meeting comes weeks into regular calls and text messages between Carney and Trump as they try to resolve an economic spat caused by Tr
middle-east-de-escalation-must-be-priority-after-israel-attacks-iran-anand
CanadaJun 13, 2025

Middle East de-escalation must be priority after Israel attacks Iran: Anand

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says de-escalation "must be the priority" after Israel attacked Iranian missile and nuclear sites Friday and Iran warned of "severe punishment" in retaliation. The Israeli strike involved more than 200 aircraft and about 100 targets, according to Israel's military. Iran confirmed the deaths of three of its top military leaders and launched more than 100 drones at Israel in response, but Israel said the drones were being intercepted outside the country's airspace. Israeli leaders describe the attack as a pre-emptive strike to head off an imminent threat of I
london-bound-air-india-flight-with-more-than-240-aboard-crashes-after-takeoff-from-ahmedabad-india
IndiaJun 12, 2025

Air India plane crashes at Ahmedabad airport

An Air India passenger plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board including one Canadian crashed Thursday in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad, the airline said. Visuals on local television channels showed smoke billowing from the crash site in what appeared to be a populated area near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city with a population of more than 5 million. Firefighters doused the smoking wreckage of the plane, which would have been fully loaded with fuel shortly after takeoff, and an adjacent multi-story building with water. Charred bodies lay on the ground. “The sce
man-accused-of-plotting-shooting-at-new-york-jewish-centre-extradited-to-u-s
CanadaJun 11, 2025

Man accused of plotting shooting at New York Jewish centre extradited to U.S.

The U.S. Justice Department says a Pakistani citizen who was living in Canada has been extradited to New York, where he's accused of plotting to carry out a mass shooting at a Jewish centre. The RCMP arrested Muhammad Shahzeb Khan in Quebec last September. The Mounties said at the time he was in the process of planning a deadly attack targeting Jewish people in the U.S. and was facing charges in Canada. He is now charged in the U.S. with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and attempting to commit terrorism that transcends national boundaries. The 20-year
eby-says-its-not-him-blocking-smiths-oil-pipeline-its-lack-of-money-and-proponent
BCJun 10, 2025

Eby says it's not him blocking Smith's oil pipeline, it's lack of money and proponent

British Columbia Premier David Eby says it's not him standing in the way of Alberta counterpart Danielle Smith's longed-for oil pipeline from Alberta to B.C.'s north coast — it's that there's no proponent, no money and "no project right now." It's Eby's latest rebuff to the idea, coming after Smith said on Sunday she could convince him to allow such a pipeline. Eby says that if Smith succeeds in finding a proponent and funding, and assembles a project, then B.C. "will certainly cross that bridge." But he says there are already "countless projects" that B.C. could work on with Alberta to crea
peace-river-regional-district-in-b-c-northeast-issues-new-evacuation-order
BCJun 09, 2025

Peace River Regional District in B.C. northeast issues new evacuation order

The BC Wildfire Service says the Pocket Knife Creek wildfire in the province's northeast has merged with another blaze, increasing its size "substantially." It says the fire is now more than 610 square kilometres in size and is considered an out-of-control wildfire of note. The Peace River Regional District says the fire poses an "immediate danger to life safety" and issued an evacuation order Sunday for the area approximately nine kilometres west of the Buckinghorse River, and around the Redfern Trail down toward Redfern Lake. The regional district issued earlier evacuation orders due to the

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BCSep 23, 2026

BC Green Leader Emily Lowan to Run in Saanich North After Rob Botterell Retires

BC Green Party MLA Rob Botterell has announced his retirement from politics, opening the door for party leader Emily Lowan to contest the Saanich North and the Islands riding in the upcoming provincial election. Botterell confirmed his decision during a joint news conference with Lowan in Victoria. Lowan will now seek the seat, which has been held by the Greens since Adam Olsen won it in 2017 and was retained by Botterell in the 2024 election. Elections BC records show Botterell was elected with the Green Party in 2024. The riding is considered significant for the BC Greens, given the party’
CanadaSep 23, 2026

Ontario Launches Canada’s First Medical Drone Pilot Program

Canada’s first medical drone pilot program of its kind has been launched by Peel Regional Paramedic Service in Ontario, allowing life-saving medical supplies to reach patients before an ambulance arrives during emergencies. The pilot project is currently operating in the Bolton area. Under the program, when a 911 call is received, a drone can be dispatched alongside an ambulance to the scene. The drone can deliver an automated external defibrillator (AED) for cardiac emergencies, naloxone for opioid overdoses and medical kits designed to control severe bleeding, particularly in rural and rem
one-charged-second-suspect-sought-in-granville-street-face-slashing
BCSep 23, 2026

One Charged, Second Suspect Sought in Granville Street Face-Slashing

Crown Counsel has approved charges after a 19-year-old man was allegedly slashed in the face with a blade during an early-morning robbery on Vancouver’s Granville Street last month. Vancouver Police are also asking the public to help identify a second suspect. The incident happened around 3:20 a.m. on August 8 in the 900-block of Granville Street. Police say two men approached the victim and his friends, removed a chain necklace from the victim’s neck and slashed him. The victim suffered a five-inch cut stretching from the tip of his nose, beneath his eye and ending near his eyebrow. On Se
canadas-population-growth-hits-slowest-pace-since-wwii
CanadaSep 23, 2026

Canada’s Population Growth Hits Slowest Pace Since WWII

Canada’s population grew by 0.5 per cent between July 2025 and July 2026, marking the slowest annual growth rate recorded since the end of the Second World War. According to Statistics Canada, the pace of population growth was even lower than during the period when border restrictions were imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. As of July 1, 2026, Canada’s population was estimated at 41.8 million. The report says the slowdown was mainly driven by federal government measures and policy changes aimed at limiting the number of temporary residents. Statistics Canada said Ontario, Quebec and B
b-c-election-advance-voting-set-for-october-16-21
BCSep 23, 2026

B.C. Election: Advance Voting Set for October 16–21

Election activity is intensifying in British Columbia, with Elections B.C. announcing that advance voting will be held from October 16 to 21. Voters will be able to cast their ballots from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the advance voting period. Political parties and independent candidates will have until October 3 to enter the race and complete their registration. The 2024 provincial election cost approximately $91 million to conduct. For this election, Elections B.C. has initially requested a budget of $50 million, although the final cost will only be known after the voting process is completed. V