WestCentral

Alleged members of an Indian gang and its leader have been sending shivers down the spines of members of the South Asian diaspora in Canada for years, says a city councillor in Richmond, B.C.

Kash Heed said the Bishnoi gang, led by Lawrence Bishnoi, gained notoriety and instilled fear among Indian Canadians well before the RCMP accused the syndicate this week of orchestrating violent crimes on Canadian soil.

There was no clear winner in Saturday's British Columbia election, but the leader of the B.C. Conservatives says the province's political landscape has "changed forever," after his party pushed the incumbent New Democrats to the brink.

Neither party won enough seats to claim a majority, and vote counting was set to continue Sunday, with Premier David Eby's NDP in striking range of a minority government if he gets the co-operation of the Greens, who won two seats.

Potential recounts mean it could be next week before the winner is decided.

The executive team from the Assembly of First Nations will meet in the coming days to discuss how to proceed with new negotiations for a child welfare reform deal after chiefs voted against the government's proposed $47.8 billion agreement at a meeting in Calgary Thursday.

AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, who had helped negotiate the deal and pushed for it to be approved, was blunt in her assessment of the outcome in her closing remarks to the special chiefs assembly Friday.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by editors.

B.C. NDP Leader David Eby is seen through a bus windshield as he arrives for a campaign stop in Nanaimo, B.C., Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canada announced the details of a $64.8 million military aid package to Ukraine Friday as National Defence Minister Bill Blair attended a NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels.

Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia was a key topic at the meeting, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the ministers during the meeting.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, chairing his first NATO defence ministers' meeting since taking the role earlier in October, said the alliance's members are on track to deliver almost $60 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.

The Kindersley Museum is gearing up for one of its most beloved holiday traditions, the annual Museum of Lights event, which transforms the grounds into a dazzling winter wonderland. However, with rising costs, the Museum is reaching out to the community for help to ensure this year's event is as spectacular as ever.

During the October 9th Town Council meeting, the future of public safety took centre stage as discussions focused on building a new fire hall for Outlook. While the council reviewed a variety of topics, it was the proposed fire hall that sparked significant interest, underscoring its importance for the community.

Meet Patrice, the chatty guinea pig looking for her forever home

Patrice is a happy, talkative guinea pig who would make a wonderful addition to a loving home. At about 3 years old, she’s as sweet as they come. Though she may be a bit shy when you first meet, Patrice warms up quickly—especially if you offer her a fresh piece of cucumber, her favourite treat!

The Rosetown and Kyle RCMP handled various incidents from October 11 to October 17, 2024. Key reports included investigations into harassment, mischief, and traffic complaints, along with a vehicle rollover on Highway 4 where two individuals were injured. RCMP also responded to a stolen vehicle, which was later recovered by Saskatoon Police. During the week, officers issued 117 traffic-related charges, dealt with 911 misdials, and addressed several false alarms.

A full summary of calls is as follows:

This weekend, we're diving into new music with special guests! Eric Ethridge joins us to talk about his latest single and album title track, "Family First." Meghan Patrick will share insights on her newly released album Golden Child, and we’ll play "Whether You Love Me or Not" the first track she released a few months back from this new project. Plus, we’re throwing it back to this week in 2020 with a #1 from Hardy and some exciting news he shared this week.