The federal government's bail-reform legislation is on its way to becoming law. Justice Minister Arif Virani urged MPs to accept the amendments to Bill C-48 on Thursday and they did so unanimously. The Liberal government introduced the bill earlier this year in the face of sustained calls from all provincial leaders and many police chiefs to make bail more difficult to access for repeat violent offenders. The bill expands the use of reverse-onus provisions for certain offenders. It means, instead of a Crown prosecutor having to prove in court why an accused person should stay behind bars un

Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate ticked up to 5.8 per cent last month as job creation continues to lag population growth in the country. The federal agency released its November labour force survey today, showing the economy added a modest 25,000 jobs. Manufacturing and construction saw the largest gains in employment, while the most jobs were shed in wholesale and retail trade as well as finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing. As labour market conditions weaken, the survey finds unemployed people last month were more likely to have been laid off compared with a yea

British Columbia's coroner says the toxic and unregulated drug supply has claimed more than 2,000 lives in the province in the first ten months of this year. A statement from the coroners' service says in October alone 189 people died from overdoses, which is more than six deaths a day. It is also the 37th consecutive month where at least 150 people died from illicit overdoses. The service says more than 13,300 people have died because of poisoned drugs since the crisis was declared in April 2016. Jennifer Whiteside, minister of mental health and addictions, says in a statement that they recog

A new toll-free, three-digit suicide prevention helpline launched across Canada on Thursday morning. People having suicidal thoughts or other mental health distress can now call or text 988 to reach a trained responder 24 hours a day, seven days a week — no matter where they live in the country. About 12 people die by suicide in Canada every day, adding up to about 4,500 lives lost each year, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. More than 200 people in Canada attempt suicide every day. The $158.4-million project is funded and overseen by the public health agency and led by the Ce

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the province is to stop collecting the carbon levy on electric heat starting Jan. 1.He says many people in northern Saskatchewan use electricity to heat their homes, and that they should be exempt from paying the price.The premier says the province is to examine who uses electricity to heat their homes, and then will figure out how to take the carbon price off their bills.In late October, Moe announced the province won't remit the carbon charge on natural gas after Ottawa exempted home heating oil.Moe says the federal government's exemption is unfair, as it

More than 16,000 cases of online child sextortion have been reported in BC this year. In the wake of the recent suicide of a 12-year-old boy in Prince George, police and children's advocates are urging parents and caregivers to talk to their children. Carson Cleland's parents say he was a victim of sextortion, and according to police, such cases are on the rise. The BC RCMP's Integrated Child Exploitation, or ICE, unit says more than 8,000 cases were referred to them by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 2022. In 2023 this number has doubled to 16000 cases. Signy Arnas

BC has seen a 21% increase in homicides over the past year. These figures were released yesterday by Statistics Canada . The latest statistics indicate that there were 155 homicides in the province in 2022, 30 more than the previous year and 55 more than 2020.. These murder cases represent a 21% year-on-year increase. The homicide rate across Canada increased by 8% last year. Last year, Manitoba had the highest increase of all provinces at 40%. Homicides in that state increased from 4.45% per 100,000 population in 2021 to 6.24% in 2022. New Brunswick was second with a 33% increase followed b

Following an extension for a seventh day in the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas, gunmen opened fire on people waiting for buses along a main highway entering Jerusalem. The armed wing of Hamas has claimed responsibility for the attack that left at least three dead and several others wounded. The attack does not appear to have threatened the truce, which involves a cease-fire and the exchange of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel .Both attackers were members of the Hamas group and were brothers. According to the Israel Security Agency, 38-year-old Mu

Canada's major banks RBC, CIBC and Toronto-Dominion Bank released their financial results on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada has reported a fourth-quarter profit of 4.13-billion dollars up from 3.88-billion dollars a year earlier. Revenue totaled a bit more than 13-billion dollars in Q-4, up from 12.6-billion dollars in the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, the bank's provision for credit losses jumped to 720-million dollars, up from 381-million dollars a year earlier. CIBC has reported a 1.48-billion dollar profit for its fourth quarter ended October 31st.That's compared with a profit of ne