Defence Minister Anita Anand says Canada is officially buying the F-35 fighter jet to replace its aging CF-18s, ending the years-long search where it first began. Canada had announced plans to buy the F-35 back in 2010, before politics and government mismanagement scuttled that decision. The government says Canada will ultimately buy 88 F-35s at an estimated cost of $19 billion, with the first aircraft to be delivered in 2026. The Canadian Press reported last month that the Defence Department had been authorized to spend $7 billion on an initial set of 16 F-35s and associated gear. Officials

The family of a Nova Scotia woman who died in hospital in Amherst after waiting hours for care on December 31st is calling for immediate action to address the provincial health care crisis. Independent MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin says Allison ``Ali'' Leah Holthoff had to wait hours for care at the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre's emergency department despite showing signs of medical distress. The MLA from Cumberland North has sent a letter to Premier Tim Houston asking for assistance in urgently implementing a plan to help ensure safe and timely care for people living in the area. N

A Downtown Eastside man is in custody after Vancouver Police and paramedics were shot with a pellet gun fired from the window of a Hastings Street rooming house Sunday night. B.C. Ambulance Service paramedics were working in the lane behind the Carnegie Centre, near Main and Hastings, around 11 p.m. when someone began firing from above, striking the first responders and their ambulance. The paramedics took shelter and notified Vancouver Police, who were also struck with pellets as they arrived on scene. One VPD officer suffered minor injuries after being shot several times. VPD’s Emergency

Vancouver Police are investigating the homicide of a 40 year old man, who was stabbed Sunday night outside a shelter on Yukon Street. The victim, a shelter resident, died in hospital around 10:30 p.m., after being stabbed during an altercation with another person near Yukon and West 5th Avenue. No arrests have been made.

Richmond RCMP is seeking dash cam footage for an alleged assault with a weapon during a road rage incident. At approximately 7:06 pm on December 27, 2022 Richmond RCMP frontline officers attended the 6600 block of Steveston Hwy for an alleged assault with a weapon resulting from a road rage incident.According to the victim, a black Hyundai sedan was driving closely behind him through the Massey Tunnel and both vehicles exited Hwy 99 on the Steveston Hwy off-ramp. The victim said the two then proceeded Westbound on Steveston Hwy.As they proceeded Westbound, the other driver was allegedly swervi

Surrey RCMP is on the scene at a residence in the Fraser Heights area where three deceased persons have been located inside the house. On January 9, 2023, shortly after 12:00 p.m., Surrey RCMP attended a residence in the 15600-block of 112 Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered three deceased persons inside the home, whom are believed to be part of the same family. No one else was located at the property. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) has been called and will be working in partnership with Surrey RCMP. Police are currently in the evidence gathering phase; however do not

Surrey RCMP is asking for the public assistance with locating a man wanted on a Canada wide warrant for Robbery and other offences including unlawful confinement. On September 28, 2022, Jaden Kahnapace-Newton was released while awaiting trial in relation to 14 charges stemming from three robberies that occurred in October 2021. He was released by a judge on strict conditions, which included electronic monitoring, by an ankle bracelet. On December 1, 2022, a Canada wide Warrant was issued for the arrest of Kahnapace-Newton. It is alleged that Kahnapace-Newton tampered with or removed his elect

Coquitlam RCMP is warning the public of a recent increase of sextortion cases. In recent months, Police have been receiving a large number of money-motivated sextortion reports where youth boys and girls are being targeted. According to Cybertip!ca, there has been an 150% increase in youth being sextorted between December 2021 and May 2022.Cybertip!ca is a Canadian tip line for reporting online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. Visit Cybertip!ca for more information.In these incidents, a suspect often begins a flirtatious online relation with the victim. Once the relationship has been

A staff report presented to Surrey City Council last month sheds light on the immense cost of the police transition in Surrey. According to that report, the costs for the Surrey Police Service are estimated to be $235M more than maintaining the RCMP as Surrey’s Police of Jurisdiction over the next 5 years. To recover this funding gap in the upcoming year a one-time tax increase of 55% would be required, in addition to the normal tax rate set by Council. It is abundantly clear that a switch to the Surrey Police Service would create an untenable financial burden for Surrey taxpayers during the