The Liberal government is entering into final negotiations on purchasing the F-35 fighter jet. Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi and Defence Minister Anita Anand are announcing the decision at a news conference this afternoon. The move doesn't mean a deal to purchase the stealth fighter from U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin is officially done. The government still has the option to begin talks with Saab about its Gripen fighter should negotiations with Lockheed Martin stall. Canada plans to buy 88 new fighter jets to replace its CF-18s, budgeting up to $19 billion for the purchase. The go

Premier John Horgan says drivers in British Columbia will get a one-time relief rebate to help drivers deal with the cost of rising gas prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Horgan says the provincial government approached the Insurance Corporation of B.C. to provide drivers with a basic auto insurance policy with a $110 rebate and commercial drivers with $165.He says a one-time payment is a better approach than cutting fuel taxes because the price will only increase again at the pumps.Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says the payment will cost $395 million.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada is going to impose sanctions on 160 members of the Russian Federation Council. That brings the total number of sanctioned people with links to President Vladimir Putin to 964. Trudeau says Canada is going to increase its defence spending, but at a news conference in Brussels following NATO and G-7 leaders' meetings he wouldn't be pinned down on specifics. NATO's secretary-general says leaders have agreed to present plans by June on investing billions of additional dollars into their respective militaries.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is making a plea to European leaders to come together as democracies in the face of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Trudeau is addressing the European Parliament for the first time since 2017. He says Putin's attack on Ukraine is an attack on the values that form the pillars of all democracies. Trudeau says Western countries must provide more humanitarian aid, send military equipment and lethal aid to Ukraine, and further tighten economic sanctions on Putin. Trudeau says democracies face a new threat from Russian President Valdimir Putin. Trudeau will joi

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Liberals have reached an agreement that would see the New Democrats support his minority government through to 2025. Trudeau says the deal is a ``confidence and supply'' agreement and it takes effect today. This kind of agreement, which is a version of the deal the B.C. NDP struck with the Greens in that province in 2017, generally involves an opposition party agreeing to support the government on confidence motions and budget or appropriation votes for a certain period of time. Trudeau says it is about focusing on what each party agrees on, rather than

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will address the European Parliament in Brussels this week before meeting with other NATO and G7 leaders about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Prime Minister's Office shared news of the coming speech to European lawmakers as Trudeau prepares to leave for his second trip across the Atlantic this month. Trudeau is set to arrive in Brussels Wednesday, where his speech will stress the importance of ties with North America and both continents working together to defend democracy. The prime minister will then join other NATO leaders on Thursday to co-ordinate the mil

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada will soon impose new sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.Joly made the comments to reporters today after delivering a speech to the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations.She says more economic sanctions are forthcoming against Russian nationals and Russian companies in an effort to further isolate the country.Joly says Russian President Vladimir Putin is unpredictable and his invasion of Ukraine is a threat to world stability.She saluted the courage of Russians who have dared to demonstrate against the war, and she says she apprec

B.C. is reporting 199 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 353,578 cases in the province. The new cases include:Fraser Health: 52Vancouver Coastal Health: 18Interior Health: 72Northern Health: 14Island Health: 43People who reside outside of Canada: zeroThere are 290 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 46 are in intensive care.In the past 24 hours, six new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,966.There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks. The outbreak at Sidney Care Home (Island Health) has been declared over, for a total of seven facilities with ongoing outb

Premier John Horgan has released the following statement on Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colours:"This week, on the last full moon in the lunar month of the Hindu calendar of Phalguna, people and communities here in British Columbia and around the world will be celebrating Holi."Known as the Festival of Colours, Holi marks the end of winter and the start of spring. It is a time for new beginnings and renewal, for hope and optimism."After two of the most challenging years we have ever faced, British Columbians are coming back together to reconnect, recover and rebuild stronger than ever."For tho