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federal-unit-of-rcmp-faces-staff-crunch-many-positions-vacant
CanadaNov 17, 2023

Federal unit of RCMP faces staff crunch, many positions vacant

The RCMP's federal unit, which investigates Canada's serious crime cases, is facing staff shortages.According to RCMP spokesperson Marie-Eve Breton, the federal policing wing is short about 1,000 positions.At present, the wing has 507 fewer police officers than a decade ago and 500 more posts are vacant.Breton said federal policing currently has about 5,000 employees.The RCMP has two main policing units, one that provides local and regional law enforcement officers to the states and the other is a federal policing wing that investigates cases related to national and international crimes such a
soon-international-students-in-canada-will-not-be-able-to-work-more-than-20-hours-a-week
CanadaNov 17, 2023

Soon international students in Canada will not be able to work more than 20 hours a week

International students in Canada will soon be unable to work more than 20 hours a week.In November last year, the then immigration minister Sean Fraser removed this limit, which expires on December 31, 2023.A spokesperson for the Immigration Department said the move was intended to provide more opportunities for eligible international students to gain better work experience in Canada and increase the presence of workers to sustain economic growth after the pandemic.The ban on working hours was lifted from 15 November 2022 to 31 December 2023 to deal with labor shortages.The new policy was for
punjabi-youth-shot-dead-in-mississauga
CanadaNov 17, 2023

Punjabi youth shot dead in Mississauga

A Punjabi youth died in a shooting incident in Mississauga on Wednesday.According to the police, when officers and paramedics arrived at the scene, the youth was found seriously injured due to gunshot wounds, he was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition, where he died within a short time.At present, the police has not given any information about the suspect, nor has the identity of the deceased been made public, but the family has confirmed the death of 28-year-old Jagraj Singh in this incident.He was a resident of Nathowal village in Raikot town of Ludhiana and had come to Canada for
bc-government-suspends-surrey-police-board-appoints-new-administrator
BCNov 17, 2023

BC government suspends Surrey Police Board, appoints new administrator

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke says the provincial government has orchestrated a policing takeover in the city by suspending the current police board.Solicitor General Mike Farnworth suspended the board Thursday and installed former Abbotsford police chief Mike Serr as temporary administrator to lead the transition.Locke says the move was done without any consultation with the city and removes civilian oversight of policing in Surrey as the plan to replace the RCMP with a municipal force moves forward.Locke says the province is forcing the city to go ahead with the costly transition, while taking o
the-wait-continues-for-canadians-wanting-out-of-gaza-approval-list-not-yet-updated
CanadaNov 17, 2023

The wait continues for Canadians wanting out of Gaza, approval list not yet updated

Canadians in the Gaza Strip, eager to escape the bloody conflict between Israel and Hamas, may have to wait a little longer to leave.As of 4 a.m. Eastern, the General Authority for Crossings and Borders had yet to update its daily list of approved foreign passport holders authorized to exit Gaza and enter Egypt.The Canadian government says that as of Wednesday afternoon, it was in touch with 386 people still in the besieged territory.Global Affairs Canada says, so far, 367 Canadians, permanent residents and their relatives have been able to escape via the Rafah border crossing, most recently i
charges-laid-against-veltman-for-killing-muslim-family-in-ontario
CanadaNov 16, 2023

Charges laid against Veltman for killing Muslim family in Ontario

Nathaniel Veltman, who drove a truck into a Muslim family in Ontario in 2021, has been charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.First degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no possibility of parole before 25 years.On 6 June 2021, four members of the Afzaal family were killed by the accused by running down the truck.This family had gone for a walk.46-year-old Afzaal, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, 15-year-old daughter Yumnah Afzaal and 74-year-old mother Talat Afzaal died in this accident.A 9-year-old boy was seriously injured in the incident, but survived.This
canadian-border-guards-seized-more-than-13-million-worth-of-drugs-in-march
CanadaNov 16, 2023

Canadian border guards seized more than $13 million worth of drugs in March

Police have arrested a Toronto couple after Canadian Border Guards seized 300 kilograms of methamphetamine drugs from a truck in March.The drugs seized had a market value of more than $13 million.The drugs were seized from a semitruck at the Ambassador Bridge border in Windsor, RCMP said, with border agents arresting the driver at the scene and turning him over to police, who was later released without charge and has since been released.An investigation was launched to find out where the huge drug supply was going and who was behind the shipment.Investigation lead to a 33-year-old man and a 35
ontario-expert-panel-urges-province-to-end-post-secondary-tuition-freeze
CanadaNov 16, 2023

Ontario expert panel urges province to end post-secondary tuition freeze

A government-commissioned report on the finances of Ontario's universities and colleges says the province should both end its tuition freeze and increase per-student funding to those institutions.The Progressive Conservative government introduced a 10 percent tuition cut in 2019, as it cancelled the former Liberal government's free tuition program for low- and middle-income students, and has frozen fees at that level since then.That has forced post-secondary institutions to increase their dependence on international student tuition, which is considerably higher than for domestic students.Meanw
montreal-mayor-receives-death-threats-over-plan-to-cull-deer-in-local-park
CanadaNov 16, 2023

Montreal mayor receives death threats over plan to cull deer in local park

The mayor of a Montreal-area city has allegedly been targeted by death threats in connection with a plan to cull most of the white-tailed deer living in a local park.A spokesman for the City of Longueuil confirmed today that Mayor Catherine Fournier has been threatened in recent days and weeks by a single individual.Longueuil police Insp. Gino Iannone says the mayor was placed under intermittent police protection in September due to her high-profile position and to concerning events that occurred even before the recent threats.Last month, Quebec's highest court upheld a decision authorizing a

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b-c-government-takes-legal-action-against-openai-tough-step-over-tumbler-ridge-school-shooting
BCSep 21, 2026

B.C. Government Takes Legal Action Against OpenAI, Tough Step Over Tumbler Ridge School Shooting

British Columbia’s government has filed a lawsuit against artificial intelligence company OpenAI in a California court, alleging that the company failed to alert law enforcement about concerning activity linked to the suspect in the Tumbler Ridge school shooting. B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma announced the legal action at a news conference Monday. The case is connected to the Feb. 10 mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge School, in which an 18-year-old gunman killed eight people, including six children. The provincial government alleges that OpenAI’s safety team became aware months before the
BCSep 21, 2026

B.C. NDP Faces Setback as Lana Popham Steps Away from Next Election

Political activity in British Columbia has intensified after Agriculture Minister Lana Popham announced that she will not seek re-election for the B.C. NDP in Saanich South. Popham’s decision comes amid growing speculation about the possibility of an early provincial election. Political observers say her announcement could add to the speculation, although it does not by itself confirm that an early election will be called. The announcement also comes as the opposition B.C. Conservative Party faces internal turmoil, while the B.C. NDP has been making preparations for a potential election camp
john-rustad-says-he-was-invited-back-to-b-c-conservative-caucus
BCSep 21, 2026

John Rustad Says He Was Invited Back to B.C. Conservative Caucus

Former B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad says he has been invited to rejoin the party’s caucus, just days after he was expelled by former leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay. Speaking at a press conference in Victoria on Monday, Rustad said interim party leader Lorne Doerkson personally contacted him by text message and invited him to return to the caucus. Rustad said he is considering the offer, but added that he believes his time in politics may have passed. Rustad also commented on speculation surrounding former premiers Christy Clark and Gordon Campbell, saying that former leaders should now s
nearly-1-in-4-canadian-households-struggle-with-unaffordable-housing-costs
CanadaSep 21, 2026

Nearly 1 in 4 Canadian Households Struggle With Unaffordable Housing Costs

According to the latest report from Statistics Canada, about 23.2% of Canadian households-nearly one in four- are living in homes considered unaffordable, as housing and living costs continue to rise. Statistics Canada defines housing as unaffordable when a household spends 30% or more of its total income on housing costs. The report found that renters are significantly more likely to face unaffordable housing than homeowners. About 33.7% of renters were living in unaffordable homes, compared with 17.4% of homeowners. In 2024, 36.6% of households had a mortgage, and among them, 26.1% were cons
canada-india-trade-talks-show-progress-sidhu-eyes-new-asia-pacific-trade-deals
BCSep 21, 2026

Canada-India Trade Talks Show Progress, Sidhu Eyes New Asia-Pacific Trade Deals

Canada’s International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu has confirmed progress in trade discussions with India following his two-day visit to the country. Sidhu has now travelled to the Philippines to attend a meeting of economic ministers from Southeast Asian countries. He said Canada will work to advance free trade agreement negotiations with both ASEAN and the Philippines. According to figures shared by Sidhu, Canada’s trade with Asian countries increased by 23.4 per cent last year, reaching $52.3 billion. If a new agreement is finalized, it is expected to create 14,000 well-paying jobs in