The Canada Border Services Agency says it has launched hundreds of immigration investigations tied to alleged extortion networks operating across Canada, with dozens of foreign nationals already deported as part of the enforcement effort. According to information shared during a public safety roundtable in British Columbia, the agency had opened 446 immigration investigations nationwide as of May 7 involving foreign nationals suspected of participating in or being connected to extortion-related activities. The CBSA said 118 removal orders have been issued following those investigations, while

Elections Alberta says the man linked to a major voter information leak has not co-operated with an ongoing investigation into the unauthorized use of the province’s official voter registry. In a statement, the agency said Centurion Project leader David Parker has not complied with a cease-and-desist letter issued last week. The letter required Parker to sign a declaration confirming he would stop using Alberta’s official voter list, which contains the names and addresses of nearly three million residents. According to Elections Alberta, investigators identified the Centurion Project as th

Members of the British Columbia Nurses Union have voted 98.2 per cent in favour of strike action as contract negotiations with the province remain stalled. The union said more than 50,000 of its roughly 55,000 members participated in the vote after bargaining talks reached an impasse in April. Key issues in negotiations include wages, benefits and ongoing staffing shortages across the health-care system. The BCNU has not announced a strike date. Any potential job action would follow further negotiations and could involve mediation or additional bargaining steps under provincial labour rules. T

Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand has begun official visits to Oman and Qatar aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and advancing cooperation on regional and economic priorities. According to Global Affairs Canada, Anand will remain in Muscat and Doha until May 15 for meetings with senior government officials focused on defence cooperation, trade, and people-to-people connections between Canada and Gulf states. In Oman, Anand is scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi and other senior officials. Discussions are expected to include economic

Oakridge Park, the retail and residential redevelopment under construction in Vancouver, is scheduled to open its shopping mall component on May 28, developers QuadReal Property Group and Westbank announced. The project, located at the former Oakridge Centre site, is part of a broader redevelopment expected to total about five million square feet by its planned completion in 2029. Developers have previously estimated the full project cost at approximately $6.5 billion. According to project details released by QuadReal and Westbank, the first phase opening later this month will include about 2.

Alberta’s Opposition NDP is accusing Premier Danielle Smith of allowing a United Conservative caucus staffer to take responsibility for a privacy breach involving Albertans’ personal information. The issue stems from an April meeting where private information was allegedly displayed through an app used during discussions attended by UCP caucus members and staff. According to the UCP caucus, a staffer present at the meeting later briefed the caucus executive director about the incident. Smith said the information was not passed on to her office by the executive director, resulting in a dela

Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney says federal Members of Parliament should publicly oppose efforts aimed at separating Alberta from Canada, warning that a referendum on sovereignty would create deep divisions across the province and country. Speaking at an event at the University of Calgary on Monday evening, Kenney said a vote on Alberta leaving Confederation would cause a “huge rupture” in society and argued federal politicians need to take a clearer position on national unity. Liberal MP Cory Hogan, who also attended the event, said Alberta MPs and Prime Minister Mark Carney should s

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced renewed pressure within the Labour Party on Tuesday after junior housing minister Miatta Fahnbulleh resigned from government following the party’s recent local election losses. Fahnbulleh, who served as a minister in the housing, communities and local government department, said the government had failed to deliver the pace of change voters expected after Labour’s election victory. In a resignation statement, Fahnbulleh said the government had not governed “with the vision, pace and mandate for change” it had been given by voters. She also said

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has not ruled out the possibility of holding a referendum on Alberta separation this October, as separatist organizers publicly increase pressure on the provincial government to allow a vote. Asked directly whether she would commit to not holding such a referendum, Smith said the government is still waiting on several developments before making a decision. She said discussions with caucus members and cabinet ministers would help determine the province’s next steps. Some members of Smith’s United Conservative cabinet have publicly distanced themselves from sep