Defence Minister Anita Anand says Canada will invest 4.9 billion dollars over the next six years to modernize North America's aging defensive systems. At a news conference at CFB Trenton, Ontario this morning, Anand said this is the most significant upgrade to Norad from a Canadian perspective in almost four decades. The funding is the first of an estimated 40 billion dollars that will be spent over the next 20 years to upgrade the early warning system. It will include plans to build new radar networks to detect threats coming over the Arctic, as well as command and control systems, and advanc

The threat of a shortage of specialized infant formulas in British Columbia has prompted an order from the Ministry of Health to put the containers behind the counter. The ministry says in a statement the guidelines to pharmacies will help preserve supply during the temporary Canada-wide shortage of hypoallergenic formulas.The statement says manufacturers are distributing the specialized formulas for public purchase exclusively to pharmacies until more product is available.There's no shortage of regular infant formulas in B.C., but food for babies with allergies and certain medical conditions

Amid stubbornly hot inflation and rising interest rates, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland detailed financial commitments to ``help make life more affordable for millions of Canadians'', but the measures were all previously announced. Freeland delivered a keynote address about the state of the Canadian economy at the Empire Club of Canada in downtown Toronto on Thursday afternoon. In her speech, Freeland highlighted the federal government's ``Affordability Plan,'' which she referred to as a suite of measures totalling $8.9 billion in new support for Canadians in 2022. The measures were all i

The long-awaited report into money laundering in BC is highly critical of the RCMP and the former Liberal government for letting the crime grow but says there is no evidence of corruption. The report released today by former BC Supreme Court justice Austin Cullen says the RCMP allowed growth in money-laundering to continue unchecked since 2012 due to a lack of attention. It also say the Liberals including former premier Christy Clark knew suspicious cash was circulating in Vancouver-area casinos but failed to do enough to stop it. Cullen says money laundering has been left largely ignored for

Ottawa police say the RCMP is conducting an ongoing investigation into the false bomb tip that led to the arrest of two Sikh rally organizers near Parliament Hill on Saturday. Interim Ottawa police chief Steve Bell shared that information in a letter to the city's police services board Tuesday night.Bell says in light of that investigation, Ottawa police is limited in what it can share about the circumstances around Saturday's incident, but adds it will work to give as much information as possible to "ensure transparency."Bell says police are aware of the effect law enforcement's response had

Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says the Canadian government will suspend COVID-19 vaccine mandates for domestic and outbound international travellers and federally regulated workers. The new rules will come into effect on June 20, though the requirements for foreign nationals coming to Canada will not change. Intergovernmental affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc warns the government is prepared to ``bring back'' necessary policies if there's a resurgence of the virus in the fall. Travel industry groups have blamed federal public health measures and mandates for slowdowns at airport customs tha

The man responsible for Toronto's deadly 2018 van attack has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. Alek Minassian has also been sentenced to 20 years for 15 counts of attempted murder, which are to be served concurrently. He was found guilty last year of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder. Eight women and two men died on April 23, 2018, when Minassian, bent on infamy, angered by women who wouldn't sleep with him and radicalized in the bowels of the internet deliberately drove a rented van down a busy sidewalk. Another woman die

The Canadian men's soccer team put a dramatic week behind them with a decisive 4-0 win over Curacao to open their CONCACAF Nations League campaign on Thursday. The victory followed a week that saw the Canadian players miss two training sessions and refuse to play a friendly game against Panama in Vancouver due to an ongoing contract dispute. Canada, ranked 38th in the world, didn't appear to have much rust to shake off on Thursday, however, pressuring No. 79 Curacao just two minutes into the game. Alphonso Davies scored twice, including on a first-half penalty kick, while Steven Vitoria and L

Longtime British Columbia teacher, labour leader and politician Jinny Sims has announced her intention to run for mayor in Surrey when municipal elections are held this fall. Sims made it official Wednesday at an event with the newly formed municipal party Surrey Forward and the party's four declared council candidates, Ramon Bandong, Jim Bennett, June Liu and Theresa Pidcock. She has represented the provincial riding of Surrey-Panorama as a New Democrat since 2017 and also served as the NDP member of Parliament for the Newton-North Delta riding between 2011 and 2015. Sims also worked as a hi