Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to address his Liberal caucus in Ottawa today, ahead of the fall session of the House of Commons, which begins Monday. The caucus meeting comes as the Liberal government prepares to introduce key legislation, including a bill to extend the fuel excise tax relief announced by Carney on September 2. The tax break, which was initially in effect from April through September 2026, is planned to be extended until January 2027. Under the measure, Canadians are saving 10 cents per litre on gasoline and 4 cents per litre on diesel. Carney returned to Canada on Thursday

Kelowna RCMP are investigating a serious collision on Highway 97 that forced the highway to close in both directions after a motorcycle caught fire. The crash occurred at around 10 p.m. Thursday near Ethel Street, between Richter Street and Gordon Drive, involving a car and a motorcycle. Witnesses reported hearing a loud explosion before seeing flames rising from the westbound lanes near Harvey Avenue. The airbags of a black sedan involved in the collision were also deployed. Three B.C. Ambulance crews and emergency personnel responded to the scene following the crash. The cause of the collisi

The Liberal government has announced an $880-million fund aimed at helping young Canadians gain valuable experience in skilled trades. Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said that starting early next year, young Canadians will be able to access up to four months of paid job placements to gain hands-on skills and workplace experience before beginning formal training. The funding is part of an $8-billion budget set aside by the government to help train the next generation of skilled workers across Canada, including carpenters, electricians and welders. The government also announced that workers w

Former Alberta Conservative MLA Drew Barnes has announced plans to establish a new federal political party called Alberta Now, aimed at representing Alberta’s interests in Ottawa. Barnes says many Albertans feel they are not receiving adequate representation in Ottawa. The party would operate in a model similar to the Bloc Québécois and plans to field candidates only in Alberta’s 37 federal ridings. According to Barnes, Alberta Now will focus on smaller government, lower taxes, greater choice in government programs, more provincial autonomy and increased provincial control over areas su

Canada’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu met with Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in Mumbai on Friday to discuss ongoing negotiations for the proposed Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. The meeting comes at an important stage as Canada and India aim to conclude the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by the end of this year. According to Sidhu and Goyal, both sides reiterated their commitment to finalizing the agreement as soon as possible. The proposed deal is expected to create new opportunities for businesses in both countries in

British citizen Jagtar Singh Johal, alias Jaggi Johal, has been granted bail by the Delhi High Court in connection with seven separate UAPA cases related to targeted killings in Punjab’s Jalandhar and Ludhiana districts. A bench comprising Justice Naveen Chawla and Justice Ravinder Dudeja passed the order. The High Court had rejected Johal’s bail plea in 2024. The matter was subsequently taken to the Supreme Court, which directed the High Court to reconsider the case. Following the fresh hearing, the Delhi High Court granted him bail. Jagtar Singh Johal was arrested in Punjab in 2017 and h

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre avoided questions from reporters as the party’s two-day federal caucus meeting wrapped up in Penticton, B.C., ahead of Parliament’s fall session. Poilievre addressed Conservative MPs for about 20 minutes during the retreat. Media were allowed to cover the speech, but he did not take questions or participate in additional photo opportunities during the gathering. He left the meeting without speaking to reporters as Conservative MPs concluded discussions aimed at setting the party’s priorities before Parliament resumes. The meeting came amid reports of

Amid the federal government’s efforts to open up new markets, Export Development Canada (EDC) said in a report released Thursday that Canada needs to invest in processing raw materials domestically and turning them into higher-value products instead of exporting them in their raw form. EDC CEO Alison Nankivell said such investments could add nearly $100 billion to Canada’s GDP over the next decade. The report used yellow peas as an example. While exporting raw peas may generate about $30 per tonne, processing them into flour can raise the value to $300 per tonne. Turning them into products

Abbotsford Police have arrested 16 people accused of shoplifting as part of Project Pumpkin Spice, a retail crime enforcement operation conducted on Sept. 11 as part of a nationwide campaign. According to police, 11 officers from the Abbotsford Police Department’s Street Outreach Response Team worked with 20 local businesses during the 10-hour operation. Sgt. Paul Walker said several of those arrested had previous criminal records and outstanding warrants. Police recovered more than $1,600 worth of stolen merchandise during the operation. A vehicle allegedly used in the offences was also sei