Federal Government

Brian Le Lievre with his wife Michelle in Mexico, before he was stranded for more than a month as his family searches for a way to bring him home to Langford. (Courtesy of Arielle Boivin)

Unwanted vacation: family desperate to bring B.C. man home from Mexico

Week-long holiday turns into a month-long ordeal, with bills piling up for Victoria area family

Brian Le Lievre with his wife Michelle in Mexico, before he was stranded for more than a month as his family searches for a way to bring him home to Langford. (Courtesy of Arielle Boivin)
The Government of Canada is requiring that federally regulated employers provide free menstrual products for their employees by Dec. 15, 2023. (Pixabay)

‘As necessary as toilet paper and soap’: Federal workplaces required to provide menstrual products

Feds say it will improve the wellbeing of nearly half a million workers; to be implemented by Dec. 15

The Government of Canada is requiring that federally regulated employers provide free menstrual products for their employees by Dec. 15, 2023. (Pixabay)
Conservative foreign-affairs critic Michael Chong rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Government still investigating why threats against Chong not passed up to cabinet

Mendicino says Canada’s priority is holding China accountable for any threatening, harassing behaviour

Conservative foreign-affairs critic Michael Chong rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
Ross Wightman was approved for compensation after falling ill due to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (Ross Wightman/Facebook)

Lake Country man files suit after complications from COVID vaccine

Wightman was one of the first Canadians approved for compensation

  • May 2, 2023
Ross Wightman was approved for compensation after falling ill due to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine (Ross Wightman/Facebook)
Morrell Andrews speaking at a press event announcing Bill S-12 in Ottawa on Wednesday (April 26). (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)

Bill introduced in Senate to change publication ban rules on sexual assault cases

Several B.C. and Vancouver Island advocates have spent years campaigning for change

Morrell Andrews speaking at a press event announcing Bill S-12 in Ottawa on Wednesday (April 26). (Bailey Moreton/News Staff)
PSAC workers and supporters picket outside the Canada Revenue Agency office in Sudbury, Ont. on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. There are calls to extend this year’s tax deadline amid a federal public service strike that some fear is making it hard for some people to file on time. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Gino Donato

Petition calls for tax deadline extension amid federal worker strike

Job action has reduced staff for a Canada Revenue Agency help line

PSAC workers and supporters picket outside the Canada Revenue Agency office in Sudbury, Ont. on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. There are calls to extend this year’s tax deadline amid a federal public service strike that some fear is making it hard for some people to file on time. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Gino Donato
Chris Aylward, PSAC National President, looks on during a news conference on the status of negotiations with Treasury Board, as workers from Canada’s largest federal public-service union are on strike across the country, in Ottawa, on Saturday, April 22, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Public-service strike: Union stepping up picketing efforts starting Monday

Picket lines to be moving to more disruptive areas, union warns

Chris Aylward, PSAC National President, looks on during a news conference on the status of negotiations with Treasury Board, as workers from Canada’s largest federal public-service union are on strike across the country, in Ottawa, on Saturday, April 22, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A year-one-long agreement between Victoria and Ottawa funding home and community care, as well as services for mental health and addiction will see B.C. received $164 million with an extension in the offering. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C., federal government strike deal around home and community care

B.C. gets $164M injection this year, hopes to extend agreement another 4 years

A year-one-long agreement between Victoria and Ottawa funding home and community care, as well as services for mental health and addiction will see B.C. received $164 million with an extension in the offering. (Black Press Media file photo)
A PSAC worker holds a flag on a picket line in Ottawa, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Canada’s largest federal public-service union and the federal government remain at the bargaining table as workers strike and service disruptions begin to be felt across the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Both union, government warn of major service disruptions as a result of strike

Strike involving 155,000 federal public servants one of the largest in Canadian history

A PSAC worker holds a flag on a picket line in Ottawa, Wednesday, April 19, 2023. Canada’s largest federal public-service union and the federal government remain at the bargaining table as workers strike and service disruptions begin to be felt across the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, March 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle

Twitter adds ‘Government-funded Media’ tag to CBC account

CBC media relations director Leon Mar says Twitter’s decision defies its own policy

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, March 31, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle
A man walks though a downtown Toronto office building with other buildings reflected in a window in this June 11, 2019 photo. The future of Canada’s social safety net is pending after the federal budget made no mention of employment insurance reform, despite the Liberals having promised to modernize the program. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy

As economy slows, Feds push off EI reform over worries it could drive up premiums

Expanding eligibility prior to a recession would be costly for the government

A man walks though a downtown Toronto office building with other buildings reflected in a window in this June 11, 2019 photo. The future of Canada’s social safety net is pending after the federal budget made no mention of employment insurance reform, despite the Liberals having promised to modernize the program. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland is seen in the House of Commons as she awaits U.S. President Joe Biden’s address to Parliament, in Ottawa, Friday, March 24, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

$491B federal budget invests heavily in green economic transformation

Almost one-third of the investment tax credits will be for clean power

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland is seen in the House of Commons as she awaits U.S. President Joe Biden’s address to Parliament, in Ottawa, Friday, March 24, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks during a news conference before delivering the Federal budget, Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Federal budget 2023 includes $59.5 billion in new spending, looks to increase revenue

Federal deficit is projected to decrease to $14 billion by 2027-28 from $43 billion

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks during a news conference before delivering the Federal budget, Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Patti MacAhonic, executive director of Ann Davis Transition Society. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)

Feds funding 3 B.C. groups to support survivors of military-based sexual misconduct

‘It fits clearly within our mission and mandate and will help those affected directly’

Patti MacAhonic, executive director of Ann Davis Transition Society. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
Skeena Bulkley MP Taylor Bachrach tabled a private member’s bill which he believes will help protect airline passengers on March 20. He is pictured here at the second-anniversary ceremony of the sinking of tug Ingenika on Feb. 10 in Prince Rupert. (Photo: K-J Millar/The Northern view)

More airline passenger protection at core of bill tabled by northern B.C. MP

Current system favours the airline, NDP transportation critic Taylor Bachrach says

Skeena Bulkley MP Taylor Bachrach tabled a private member’s bill which he believes will help protect airline passengers on March 20. He is pictured here at the second-anniversary ceremony of the sinking of tug Ingenika on Feb. 10 in Prince Rupert. (Photo: K-J Millar/The Northern view)
Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food (left) was taken on a tour of Lucent BioSciences Inc. at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby on March 15, as part of an announcement for funding for clean tech farming projects in B.C. (Government of Canada photo)

4 B.C. agri-businesses awarded $1.6M in federal funding for clean-technology projects

Projects designed to reduce runoff, get farms further off the grid and reduce fuel consumption

Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of agriculture and agri-food (left) was taken on a tour of Lucent BioSciences Inc. at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby on March 15, as part of an announcement for funding for clean tech farming projects in B.C. (Government of Canada photo)
The TikTok logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, Oct. 14, 2022. The federal government is banning TikTok from its mobile devices just days after federal and provincial privacy commissioners launched an investigation into the social media platform. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Michael Dwyer
The TikTok logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, Oct. 14, 2022. The federal government is banning TikTok from its mobile devices just days after federal and provincial privacy commissioners launched an investigation into the social media platform. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Michael Dwyer
Aquatic science biologist Shawn Stenhouse releases a Atlantic salmon back into its tank during a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fish health audit at the Okisollo fish farm near Campbell River, B.C. Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. A Liberal promise to transition salmon farms in British Columbia from ocean net pens to closed containment systems in just over five years is being slammed as careless by the aquaculture industry but applauded by a wild salmon advocate who says the sooner the better. THE CANADIAN PRESS /Jonathan Hayward

Fisheries Department to shut 15 salmon farms off B.C.’s coast to protect wild fish

Canada will not renew licences for 15 open-net Atlantic salmon farms around the Discovery Islands

Aquatic science biologist Shawn Stenhouse releases a Atlantic salmon back into its tank during a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fish health audit at the Okisollo fish farm near Campbell River, B.C. Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. A Liberal promise to transition salmon farms in British Columbia from ocean net pens to closed containment systems in just over five years is being slammed as careless by the aquaculture industry but applauded by a wild salmon advocate who says the sooner the better. THE CANADIAN PRESS /Jonathan Hayward
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (front right) answers questions from reporters at the Whitehorse airport firehall on Feb. 13. (Gabrielle Plonka/Yukon News)

Canadian officials looking for correlation across of aerial objects in recent weeks

“What we’re trying to find out [is] if that pattern is correlated”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (front right) answers questions from reporters at the Whitehorse airport firehall on Feb. 13. (Gabrielle Plonka/Yukon News)
Minister of National Defence Anita Anand holds a media availability on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. The Canadian government says it has sent one of its military planes to Haiti to help the country cope with escalating violence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Canada sends military aircraft into Haiti’s skies as gang violence escalates

UN says gangs are restricting access to necessities like health care and water

Minister of National Defence Anita Anand holds a media availability on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. The Canadian government says it has sent one of its military planes to Haiti to help the country cope with escalating violence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby