Nanaimo RCMP say they have made an arrest in the assault of a 19-year-old man last weekend but are continuing to investigate the incident as a possible hate crime. Police say they have received information that the victim was targeted early Sunday morning at a house party due to his sexual orientation. They say the victim was allegedly punched in the head, then thrown to the ground where he received several more punches before his friends intervened to stop the assault. The Mounties say a 19 year old man was arrested yesterday on one count of assault.

An inmate serving an indeterminate sentence for first-degree murder has died at the Pacific Institution in Abbotsford. Correctional Service Canada says Roy Dalen died last Sunday but it has not provided the cause. The service says Dalen had begun serving his sentence in July 2006. He was convicted in the 2005 stabbing death of his 62-year-old former mental-health social worker in a Richmond parkade.

Officials with the Calgary Stampede have begun the countdown to this year's Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Stampede president Steve McDonough today unveiled the poster for 2022's popular rodeo and exhibition. The poster, designed by 19-year-old artist Kane Pendry of Edmonton, captures the spirit of the rodeo's relay races. McDonough says, unlike last year, this will be a full event similar to pre-pandemic times. COVID-19 forced Stampede officials to scale back last year on the parade and other attractions. The popular chuckwagon races were cancelled. McDonough says there will be a full parad

The Alberta government has introduced a bill that would require new provincial court judges to be trained in sexual assault law and to recognize stereotypes that lead to prejudice and social bias against victims. All applicants would have to fulfil the educational requirement before they could become eligible to be appointed to the bench. The training would not apply to existing judges. Premier Jason Kenney says the law, if passed, would build public confidence in the justice system, better support victims and could encourage more reports of sexual assault. Similar legislation was introduced

Surrey RCMP is reappealing for the public’s assistance in locating 18-year-old Hailey McClelland, who has been missing almost three months. On January 7, 2022, Hailey McClelland was reported missing after last being seen the day before in the 15100-block of 96 Avenue in Surrey. The initial media release on February 2, 2022, generated many reports of possible sightings of Hailey McClelland. Police followed up on all information received, but she was not located.Police are concerned for Hailey McClelland’s well-being due to the length of time she has been out of contact.McClelland is describ

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in BC for meetings with leaders of the Williams Lake First Nation who believe the bodies of children are buried near a former residential school. Trudeau told a gathering he was moved by the their welcome and wanted to convey the message that all of Canada grieves with the community. He says he went there to seek reconciliation. The Williams Lake First Nation announced in January that a preliminary investigation had found 93 ``reflections'' that could indicate children buried around the site of the former St. Joseph's Mission Residential School.

This stash of fake gold jewelry and other items were seized as part of an ongoing investigation into a fraudulent gold transaction that occurred in Richmond two weekends ago. On Saturday March 19th, a man and woman approached another man in the 5500 block of Garden City Road and tried to sell him gold for cash. Suspecting the gold to be fake, the man declined and called police.On March 22nd, Richmond RCMP arrested two suspects and executed search warrants, which offered evidence to suggest the two were part of a sophisticated gold fraud operation.Corporal Ian Henderson of the Richmond RCMP say

A Florida man will go on trial July 18th in Minnesota on human smuggling charges after four migrants from India froze to death during a blizzard while trying to walk from Manitoba into the US. Steve Shand is charged with bringing two people into the US illegally and illegally transporting them once in the country. Four bodies were discovered near Emerson, five Indian nationals were found on foot on the Minnesota side of the border and two others were discovered nearby riding in Shand's van. Shand was not charged in the deaths of the migrants.

The British Columbia Agriculture Ministry says it is ending the COVID-19 quarantine program for temporary foreign workers but will keep a different program for another year to support self-isolation to curb the spread of the virus. The ministry says the program for seasonal agriculture workers ends Thursday because of the easing of federal travel restrictions and high vaccination rates for incoming workers that allows them to go directly to their farms. A statement says the employer must ensure federal quarantine requirements are met for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated workers. Federal-p