The Bank of Canada is keeping its key interest rate at five per cent because higher interest rates are clearly restraining spending. The central bank says the combination of weaker growth and a cooling job market suggests demand is no longer outpacing supply in the economy and that this slowdown is necessary to restore price stability. However, the Bank of Canada isn't ruling out future rate hikes just yet, saying it is still concerned about risks to the outlook for inflation and remains prepared to raise rates further if needed

New report from Statistics Canada suggests the problem of sexual misconduct in the military is getting worse. The survey suggests 3.5 per cent of Canadian Armed Forces personnel say they were sexually assaulted by another military member in 2022. That is a significant increase from the 1.6 per cent reported in the same survey in 2018, and 1.7 per cent in 2016. Statistics Canada defines sexual assault as sexual attacks, unwanted touching, and sexual activity when the victim was unable to consent. Victims of these assaults were more likely to be women, the survey found, and they were disproporti

Global Affairs Canada has confirmed the deaths of two more Canadians amid the Israel-Hamas war, bringing the total number of Canadian-related deaths to nine. The department says the latest two deaths occurred in Lebanon, whose border has been under fire since October 7 between Israel and Hezbollah militants.On the same day, Hamas launched attacks on southern Israel. Global Affairs Canada did not provide a death toll, but said in an update that 130 more Canadians had left Gaza this weekend via the Rafah crossing, leaving the battlefield. The total number of Canadians who have left has increased

British Columbia's coroner says the toxic and unregulated drug supply has claimed more than 2,000 lives in the province in the first ten months of this year. A statement from the coroners' service says in October alone 189 people died from overdoses, which is more than six deaths a day. It is also the 37th consecutive month where at least 150 people died from illicit overdoses. The service says more than 13,300 people have died because of poisoned drugs since the crisis was declared in April 2016. Jennifer Whiteside, minister of mental health and addictions, says in a statement that they recog

Statistics Canada says the economy shrank 1.1 per cent on an annualized basis in the third quarter. A decrease in international exports and slower inventory accumulation by businesses were partially offset by increases in government spending and housing investment. StatCan also revised up its reading for real gross domestic product in the second quarter. It says the economy didn't shrink, but instead grew by 1.4 per cent on an annualized basis.

A large majority of Canadians agree that higher immigration is fueling the housing crisis and putting pressure on the health-care system, a new Leger poll suggests. New federal voting intention numbers from the polling firm also show that the Conservatives are maintaining their sizable lead over the governing Liberals. The polling, conducted from Friday to Sunday, found that about three-quarters of respondents agreed the increase in immigrants is adding strain to both the housing market and health-care system. Nearly two-thirds of respondents, or 63 per cent, said the volume of newcomers is al

Forty-one construction workers have been rescued from a collapsed tunnel in northern India where they had spent the last 17 days. The rescue on Tuesday marked a happy ending to an ordeal that had gripped the country and led to a massive rescue operation that overcame several setbacks. Locals, relatives and government officials erupted in joy, set off firecrackers and shouted ``Bharat Mata ki Jai'', Hindi for ``Long live mother India", as happy workers walked out after receiving a brief checkup by doctors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to some of the rescued workers over the phone. He

A new report from Statistics Canada says life expectancy for the average Canadian at birth has fallen for three straight years, from 82.3 years in 2019 to 81.3 in 2022. The report on deaths shows New Brunswick saw the biggest decline in life expectancy in 2022, dropping to 79.8 years from 80.9 in 2021. Saskatchewan's life expectancy has fallen the most over the past three years combined, dropping a full two years to 78.5 in 2022 from 80.5 in 2019. Cancer and heart disease were the leading causes of death, accounting for 41.8 per cent of all deaths in 2022, while COVID-19 caused about six per

The spokesman for Qatar's Foreign Ministry says an agreement has been reached to extend the Israel-Hamas truce for another two days. The announcement came on the final day of an original four-day truce between the warring sides. A fourth exchange of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel is planned for later in the day. Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. The cease-fire came into effect Friday after several weeks of indirect negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Qatar is the go-to