Portage

Canada's decision to expel New Delhi's top envoy and five other diplomats is front-page news in India, as an analyst wonders how other countries will respond.

On Monday, the RCMP warned the public about a rash of crimes including murder, extortion and coercion that the force links to Indian government agents.

The RCMP and other Canadian officials presented evidence to India earlier this past weekend, but they say New Delhi refused to co-operate in police investigations.

Canadians are set to receive carbon pricing rebates Tuesday, as the Liberals defend one of their most embattled policies.

The government says this is the first time all banks will label the payment as the Canada Carbon Rebate, after years of inconsistent and vague phrasing on bank statements.

The quarterly rebate will go to Canadians who filed their income tax while living in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and all four Atlantic provinces.

The payments vary by household size and province, while those in rural areas get a top-up.

Ottawa's decision Monday to expel India's top envoy and five other diplomats is just the latest development in tensions that have simmered for months between the two countries.

Here's a look at what's driving the chill between Canada and India.

Why is India mad at Canada?

India is a staunch opponent to the Khalistan separatist movement, in which some Sikhs advocate for an independent state called Khalistan to be carved out of Indian territory.

Monday's announced expulsion of six Indian diplomats from Canada comes after months of tensions between the two countries, which came to a head after the assassination of B.C. Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, allegedly at the behest of the Indian government.

Here is a timeline related to the killing, which triggered the ongoing diplomatic rift between Canada and India.

2023

June 18 — Hardeep Singh Nijjar is shot dead outside the Guru Nanak Sikh temple in Surrey, B.C.

Accusations of widespread murder, extortion and coercion across Canada linked to agents of the government of India sparked an escalation of already strained diplomatic tensions Monday, as each country expelled six diplomats.

Canada declared six Indian diplomats, including the high commissioner, persona non grata after RCMP and other government officials told India its diplomats were persons of interest in several investigations into violent crimes in Canada. 

India swiftly retaliated by ordering six Canadian diplomats to leave the country by Saturday.

Monday, October 14th

Farm Credit Canada's mid-year report shows cultivated farmland values rose by an average of 5.5 per cent nationally for the first half of 2024.

Over the 12 months from July 2023 to June 2024, there was a 9.6 per cent increase, representing a slowdown compared to the previous 12-month period (January to December 2023).

FCC's Vice President and Chief Economist J.P. Gervais says for the second consecutive year, Saskatchewan recorded the highest average six-month increases at 7.4 per cent, Alberta was at 4.6 per cent, and Manitoba 3.9 per cent.

The Portage Office of United Way West Central Manitoba is in the middle of its annual Coats for Kids campaign and is adding a new initiative this year called Coats for Seniors.

Program co-ordinator Megan Romphf said many seniors are facing the same challenges as some families in the community when it comes to lacking warm winter clothing.

"Bev Zaroski and Kaylee Hannah from Portage Service for Seniors have taken that on. Anyone who would like to donate to Coats for Seniors, please come down to the Herman Prior Centre. There is a drop-off bin there," Romphf said.

Safety is a matter that concerns both sides of the Canadian-American border.  
 
For the first time, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET) and the United States Border Patrol’s Grand Forks Sector held an information session jointly to educate the public on the dangers of crossing the border illegally — especially during the winter months when frigid temperatures and inclement weather can cause a tragic loss of human life.

Farmers are working hard pushing against the weather to get this year's crop in the bin.

As a result, they can also be dealing with an overwhelming amount of stress ranging from weather to markets, finances, equipment breakdowns and more, all at the same time.

Learning ways to recognize, release stress and reach out for help is key to avoid feeling overburdened especially when trying to stay focused when working with large farm equipment or unpredictable livestock.