The Canadian Press

The federal government has tapped a Quebec judge to head a public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in Canada's affairs.

Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the probe will examine meddling by China, Russia and other foreign states and non-state actors.

LeBlanc, who is also the minister of public safety, says Quebec Court of Appeal Justice Marie-Josée Hogue will lead the probe starting Sept. 18.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says the federal government needs to review the mandate of the Bank of Canada to put people first.

Singh's comment today comes as the bank holds its key interest rate steady at five per cent after raising it 10 times since March of last year.

Singh says while interest rates won't rise, they're still higher than they have been in the last 20 years.

Manitoba's provincial election has been called for Oct. 3. Here's a look at the leaders of the province's three parties that have seats in the legislature. 

Heather Stefanson, Progressive Conservative Leader

Age: 53. Born May 11, 1970. 

Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson has launched an election campaign with voters set to go to the polls on Oct. 3.

Stefanson, who became premier two years ago, said she visited Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville Tuesday morning and the writ for the election was officially dropped.

"I am excited to be here with many excited members of our strong PC team to talk about affordability and how we will continue helping you — Manitobans — make ends meet," Stefanson told a news conference flanked by cheering Progressive Conservative candidates.

About 160 firefighters battling a blaze in British Columbia's Interior have pulled out of their camp after they were subjected to what the BC Wildfire Service calls "persistent bear activity."

The service says the bears threatened the safety of personnel "within and around" the camp near Gold Bridge, about 100 kilometres west of Lillooet, B.C., prompting the decision to move everyone Wednesday evening.

Nic Kokolski, an information officer with the service, says the animals had been moving around tents and other camp infrastructure.

A state of emergency in the Northwest Territories has been extended until Sept. 11 and its premier says she understands the frustration of those forced from their homes. 

"I want to go home, too. We all want to go home. It's hard being evacuated," Premier Caroline Cochrane said Wednesday following a visit to an Edmonton evacuation centre alongside federal ministers Randy Boissonnault and Dan Vandal, Alberta Forestry Minister Todd Loewen and Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi.

LONDON (AP) — British police said Friday they are investigating the deaths of 88 people in the U.K. who bought products from Canada-based websites allegedly offering lethal substances to people at risk of self harm.

The last travel restriction for the Okanagan region in British Columbia has been lifted alongside all previous evacuation orders within Kelowna's city limits, as wildfires there diminish after this week's rainfall.

Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma said in a statement late yesterday that travel restrictions to West Kelowna — adjacent to the McDougall Creek wildfire — has been lifted as of midnight.

The mayor of Yellowknife says it's not safe for residents to go home to the territorial capital, but notes city officials are working on a return plan as a fire continues to burn about 15 kilometres away.

Most of the residents in the city of 20,000 evacuated by air or road late last week to cities and towns as far south as Calgary and as far east as Winnipeg.

"Of course, the question that everyone wants to know is when can we come home?" Rebecca Alty told reporters at a briefing Tuesday evening.

The return plan, she said, has two parts.

Canada's Heritage Minister is calling on Meta to allow people to share news articles on Facebook and Instagram as thousands flee wildfires that have devoured homes in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.

Pascale St-Onge says Meta's decision to continue blocking Canadian news articles on its two massive platforms is "reckless."

In a Friday post to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, she said those threatened by the out-of-control fires need more access to news about what's happening.