Alberta officials say cooler weather and showers help in battle against wildfires
Cooler temperatures and a bit of rain were delivering some relief for firefighters as they continued to battle wildfires that threaten communities in northern Alberta, but provincial officials warned the reprieve was only in some areas and lightning is sparking some new blazes.
"People have called this season certainly unprecedented in recent memory because we have so many fires so spread out," Christie Tucker with Alberta Wildfire told a media briefing Sunday afternoon.
"It's been an unusual year."
Appropriate for Alberta premier to discuss COVID case with accused, deputy says
An Alberta deputy premier says it was appropriate for his boss to phone up a pastor and discuss his upcoming criminal trial on charges stemming from protests over pandemic restrictions.
Kaycee Madu says Premier Danielle Smith has a broad mandate to reduce divisions over the COVID-19 pandemic while helping the province grow.
Madu says in pursuing that mission, Smith is free to contact whomever she wants.
'Tragic loss': Two Edmonton police officers killed while responding to call
Edmonton police say two patrol officers have been killed while responding to a call.
The force did not immediately release details about what happened.
Police Chief Dale McFee and other dignitaries were scheduled to make statements later Thursday.
About a dozen police cars were parked around a northwest Edmonton apartment complex, a large series of brick three-storey walkups. A forensics truck was parked outside one of the buildings.
The scene was taped off and a road leading into the complex was blocked. Police also set up two command posts in the area.
Two Edmonton police officers killed while responding to a call
Edmonton police say two patrol officers have been killed while responding to a call.
The force did not immediately release any details about what happened.
Police chief Dale McFee and other dignitaries are to make brief formal statements later Thursday.
Police say further details will be released once they're confirmed.
Several officers, along with forensic units and command post trucks were outside an apartment complex in northwest Edmonton on Thursday morning as people were quietly leaving for work and school. One of the complexes was taped off.
RCMP gifts musical ride horse to King Charles ahead of upcoming coronation
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police say they will be gifting King Charles with a new horse, Noble, ahead of the monarch's upcoming coronation in May.
The RCMP says the King will be presented with the horse, which is also being given in recognition of the federal service's 150th anniversary, at a ceremony.
It says the King personally requested a horse from the musical ride to eventually be his new charger when his current steed, George, retires.
The musical ride is a troop of police horse riders who perform intricate formations and drills set to music.
MPs want to see Google in the hot seat for blocking news access to some Canadians
Some members of Parliament want to see Google in the hot seat over the tech company's move to temporarily block news access to some of its Canadian users.
The House of Commons heritage committee is meeting today and members are expected to discuss whether to summon leadership from Google to testify.
Last week Google confirmed to The Canadian Press that it was limiting news access on its search engine to less than four per cent of its Canadian users.
Alberta signs $24B, 10-year health-care funding deal with Ottawa
Alberta has become the seventh province to sign an agreement in principle with Ottawa on health-care funding.
The federal government said in a news release Monday that more than $24 billion is to be invested in Alberta's health-care system over the next 10 years.
Canada adds more Iranian officials to list of those affected by sanctions
Canada is imposing more sanctions against Iran for what it describes as gross violations of human rights.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced twelve senior Iranian government and law enforcement officials are being sanctioned for participating in "gross and systematic human rights violations," including through repressing demonstrations in the western part of the country.
The listed individuals will have their Canadian assets frozen and be barred from entering the country.
Alberta expecting another gusher in budget ahead of provincial election
Alberta is scheduled to introduce its budget Tuesday — the last before a spring provincial election — with political observers wondering what the province will do with all its billions of extra petrodollars.
“Any budget that’s leading into an election is always one that contains quite a few goodies,” said University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe.
“Combine that with a government with significantly higher resource royalties than planned, and you have a lot of scope for big announcements."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talks climate change with King Charles
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office says he shared a call with King Charles that centred on environmental issues.
Trudeau's office says he and the King discussed the COP15 biodiversity summit that was held in Montreal last month, where nearly 200 countries signed a landmark conservation agreement.
They also exchanged "ideas on tackling climate change and protecting the environment moving forward."