National News

To combat the rising need for plastic pollution awareness, Ocean Legacy Foundation is launching an updated version of its education program to reach all corners of the world.

Ocean Legacy Foundation is a Canadian non-profit organization that designs and initiates plastic pollution emergency response programs globally. One of the programs it recently developed is a free online education platform called EPIC Academy. 

A shift towards environmentally friendly materials and new digital engagement strategies are among new initiatives the Royal Canadian Legion is hoping will breathe fresh life into the 2022 national poppy campaign.

The annual push to honour fallen soldiers officially launched on Friday and is set to run until Remembrance Day, and organizers say they're hopeful the features introduced this year will help re-engage Canadians in the act of paying tribute to veterans both past and present.

Families of those killed or injured in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash are raising concerns that Saskatchewan's rules for truck driving licences could be loosened as the industry deals with a shortage of drivers. 

The crash killed 16 people and injured 13 others after a bus carrying the junior hockey team collided with a transport truck at a rural intersection on April 6, 2018. 

Mounties say a regimental funeral will be held next Wednesday for British Columbia RCMP Const. Shaelyn Yang.

The 31-year-old officer was stabbed to death last week in a Metro Vancouver park while she helped a City of Burnaby employee notify a man in a tent that he wasn't allowed to live in the park.

Thirty-seven-year-old Jongwon Ham has been charged with first-degree murder in Yang's death and remains in custody. 

Mounties say the service will be held at the Richmond Olympic Oval, which has the capacity for about 8,000 spectators. 

Statistics Canada says 34.6 per cent of people in this country have no religious affiliation — more than ever before.

The last time Canadians were surveyed on religion, in 2011, 23.9 per cent selected "no religion."

The latest tranche of data from the 2021 Census also shows the highest proportion of the population — 53.3 per cent — identifies as Christian, but that is down from 67.3 per cent in 2011.

StatCan says last year's survey presents the most comprehensive portrait of Canadians' religious affiliations to date.

The latest release of 2021 census data shows immigrants make up nearly a quarter of all people in Canada, and are projected to represent a third of people in the country by 2041.

Immigration now makes up the largest portion of the population since Confederation, with more than 8.3 million people in the country who were, or had ever been, a landed immigrant or permanent resident.

Statistics Canada says immigration is the main driver of population growth, in part because of the aging population and low fertility rates in the country. 

Alberta's new cabinet will be sworn in today at a ceremony at Government House in Edmonton.

Premier Danielle Smith announced who would head the top tier of her government on Friday — a 27-member cabinet supported by 11 parliamentary secretaries.

After this morning's ceremony, Smith and her cabinet will hold a media availability with reporters.

Smith defeated six rivals earlier this month in the leadership race to replace Jason Kenney as party leader and premier, and all but one of the six have a place at Smith's cabinet table.

A former senior officer for the Ontario Provincial Police says the "Freedom Convoy" protests in Ottawa could have been ended without the federal Emergencies Act.

Former Chief Supt. Carson Pardy told the public inquiry examining the invocation of the act Friday that plans to clear the demonstrations were consistently delayed because of confusion and disorganization within the ranks of Ottawa police, and that the chief of police didn't trust his OPP team.

Pardy said emergency powers proved "critical," giving police power to tow and hold vehicles without laying charges. 

Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney says a global recession is likely, making it challenging for Canada to avoid a similar economic downturn. 

While testifying before the Senate banking committee on Thursday, Carney said Canada may fare better than others because of mitigating factors such as the country's ties to the U.S. as well as the strong labour market recovery after the pandemic.

A senior Ontario Provincial Police officer is expected to be cross-examined this morning at the federal government's inquiry into the use of the Emergencies Act.

Supt. Craig Abrams told the commission yesterday that his officers saw dysfunction in the ranks of the Ottawa Police Service even from the early days of the protest. 

He said Ottawa police failed to come up with an operational plan and were not properly deploying OPP officers sent to Ottawa to help patrol the "Freedom Convoy" protests in February.