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u-s-senators-write-to-trudeau-urging-canada-to-meet-nato-spending-target
CanadaMay 24, 2024

U.S. senators write to Trudeau, urging Canada to meet NATO spending target

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, urging him to meet the NATO spending target Canada agreed to a decade ago. All NATO allies pledged to spend at least two per cent of GDP on defence, but Canada is spending well below that at around 1.33 per cent. In a letter dated today, 23 senators say Canada is a valued ally and note its contributions, including leading a multinational battle group in Latvia. But they say the alliance is facing a severe threat landscape and they are calling on all NATO countries to uphold their commitment. Under its ne
minister-expected-to-table-bill-to-extend-citizenship-rights-to-children-born-abroad
CanadaMay 23, 2024

Minister expected to table bill to extend citizenship rights to children born abroad

Immigration Minister Marc Miller is expected to table legislation today that would extend citizenship to some children born outside of the country. In 2009, the Conservative government changed the law so that Canadian parents who were born abroad could not pass down their citizenship unless their child was born in Canada. Amendments to the Citizenship Act in 1977 and 2009 also stripped thousands of people who were born abroad of their Canadian citizenship. Those who've not had access to citizenship rights as a result of the amendments are known as "Lost Canadians." Last year, the Ontario Super
rishi-sunak-to-address-nation-as-expectation-mounts-he-will-call-a-summer-election
WorldMay 22, 2024

Rishi Sunak to address nation as expectation mounts he will call a summer election

BritishPrime Minister Rishi Sunakwas due to address the nation on Wednesday amid mounting expectations that he will call a summer general election. Sunak's office confirmed that he would issue a statement statement afterpositive economic figuresset Britain’s political rumor mill alight with speculation that an election might be imminent. Multiple British media outlets said he would name a July 4 date for the election. Sunak's office declined to quash the rumors and refused "to rule anything in or out” after reports that the prime minister planned to announce the U.K.’s long awaited elect
four-indian-nationals-accused-of-killing-b-c-sikh-activist-to-appear-in-court-today
CanadaMay 21, 2024

Four Indian nationals accused of killing B.C. Sikh activist to appear in court today

Four Indian nationals accused in the murder of British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are all due in court today. Twenty-two-year-old Amandeep Singh appeared via video link for his first appearance in a Surrey, B.C., court last week, and the matter has been put forward to today. Singh was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder earlier this month while he was already in the custody of Peel Regional Police in Ontario for unrelated firearms charges. Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh, who already face the same charges following their arrests i
ottawa-to-make-pathway-for-newcomers-who-lack-official-status-speed-up-deportations
CanadaMay 17, 2024

Ottawa to make pathway for newcomers who lack official status, speed up deportations

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says some immigrants to Canada who lack official status need a pathway to help them stay, while in other cases Ottawa must speed up deportation procedures. The Liberals pledged in late 2021 to "explore ways of regularizing status for undocumented workers who are contributing to Canadian communities." The office of Immigration Minister Marc Miller says he is on track to present a proposal to his fellow cabinet ministers before Parliament rises for its summer break next month. Trudeau says Canada must avoid anti-immigrant sentiment by preserving the integrity of the
fourth-accused-in-nijjar-murder-appears-in-b-c-court
BCMay 16, 2024

Fourth accused in Nijjar murder appears in B.C. court

A fourth man accused in the murder of British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar will next appear at provincial court on May 21, the same day the other three accused are scheduled for a hearing. The BC Prosecution Service says 22-year-old Amandeep Singh appeared via video link for his first appearance in a Surrey, B.C., court on Wednesday, and the matter has been put forward to next week. The three other men accused in Nijjar's murder Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh will all appear in Surrey court on the same date. Amandeep Singh was charged with first-degree murder
growing-wildfires-across-western-canada-are-forcing-thousands-from-their-homes
CanadaMay 15, 2024

Growing wildfires across Western Canada are forcing thousands from their homes

Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts. In British Columbia, a widening area around the northeastern community of Fort Nelson is under evacuation, with the Parker Lake wildfire burning close by and the larger Patry Creek wildfire raging to the northwest. Both blazes are listed with the B.C. Wildfire Service as "wildfires of note," with Parker Lake measuring 84 square kilometres in size and the Patry Creek blaze covering a whopping 464 square kilometres. In Alberta, a 209 square kil
wildfire-burning-near-fort-nelson-continues-to-rapidly-grow
BCMay 14, 2024

Wildfire burning near Fort Nelson continues to rapidly grow

The wildfire burning near Fort Nelson continues to grow rapidly. As of Tuesday morning, the B.C. Wildfire Service reported the fire had grown to over 84 square kilometres. That marks a significant expansion of the fire, which as of Monday morning, was just under 53 square kilometres in size. This comes as efforts to evacuate Fort Nelson continue to be made due to the Parker Lake wildfire, which is still two kilometres outside the town. Mayor of the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality Rob Fraser says efforts were made to call "holdouts" in the last few days, with some of those efforts being
police-announce-arrest-of-fourth-suspect-in-b-c-sikh-activist-nijjars-death
CanadaMay 13, 2024

Police announce arrest of fourth suspect in B.C. Sikh activist Nijjar's death

Police in British Columbia have charged a fourth Indian national in last year's killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The province's Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says 22-year-old Amandeep Singh was already in the custody of Peel Regional Police in Ontario for unrelated firearms charges. Investigators say the evidence in the Nijjar case was "sufficient" for the BC Prosecution Service to charge Singh with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They say no further details of the arrest can be released due to ongoing investigations and court processes. Earlier this

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BCJul 15, 2026

Elderly woman distracted and robbed of gold necklace in Vancouver, police seek suspects

A 76-year-old woman was allegedly robbed of her gold necklace after being distracted by an unknown woman in Vancouver's East 11th Avenue and Victoria Drive area on Tuesday, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Police said the incident occurred at about 12:30 p.m. while the senior was waiting for family members. An unidentified woman approached her and claimed she looked like her mother, whose birthday she said it was. The suspect then hugged the victim and, during the interaction, allegedly removed the woman's gold necklace and replaced it with a fake one. The victim reportedly discov
AlbertaJul 15, 2026

Alberta launches online bike lane complaint form ahead of planned legislation

The Alberta government has launched an online public feedback form inviting residents to report concerns about bike lanes as it prepares legislation expected this fall. According to the Alberta government, Albertans can use the online form to share concerns about bike lanes in their communities, including whether they believe a lane is underused, has reduced on-street parking, contributed to traffic congestion, affected local businesses, or delayed emergency response times. The province says the feedback will help inform future transportation policy decisions. Transportation Minister Devin Dre
canada-pauses-new-parent-and-grandparent-sponsorship-applications-for-2026
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Canada pauses new parent and grandparent sponsorship applications for 2026

The federal government says it will not accept any new applications this year under Canada's Parents and Grandparents Program as it works to reduce processing times and manage a large backlog of existing files. According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), approximately 60,500 sponsorship applications are currently being processed. The department said it expects to approve about 15,000 parents and grandparents each year over the next two years from applications already in the system. IRCC said the temporary pause is intended to improve processing efficiency. The department
federal-government-names-new-members-to-independent-senate-appointments-advisory-board
CanadaJul 15, 2026

Federal government names new members to independent Senate appointments advisory board

The federal government has announced new appointments to the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments, one week after Prime Minister Mark Carney named four new senators to the upper chamber. According to a federal government news release, the advisory board will continue to provide non-binding recommendations to the prime minister on Senate appointments. The board was established in 2016 to support a merit-based and independent appointments process. The government said the board will continue to include three federal members, including a chair, along with two additional members from
BCJul 15, 2026

Surrey man sentenced to nearly five years in prison in extortion-related shooting and arson case

A Surrey Provincial Court judge has sentenced Abhijeet Kingra to nearly five years in prison for his role in a 2024 extortion-related shooting and arson targeting a Surrey home. According to court records, Kingra pleaded guilty on July 6 to charges of discharging a firearm at a residence and committing arson. The offences stem from an Aug. 10, 2024 incident in which a home belonging to a person who had reportedly received extortion threats was shot at and set on fire. The court imposed a two-year sentence for arson and a sentence of four years, 10 months and 19 days for the shooting offence. T