WestCentral

Shaun Meachem, Kelly Schafer and Chris and Teejay Haichert from the Swift Current Curling Club remained perfect at the World Mixed Curling Championship with a 6-2 victory over Team Hungary on Monday in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The Kindersley Fire Department has been actively engaging communities and students across Saskatchewan over the past week, offering crucial fire safety education through its public education initiatives. The department's community events trailer and public education trailer have made stops in various regions, delivering valuable lessons on emergency preparedness and fire safety.

The Rosetown Curling Club is facing a delayed start to the 2024-25 season due to ongoing repairs and replacement of its ice plant. The club experienced significant technical issues during the 2023-24 season after contractors working on the adjacent arena’s ice plant severely damaged the curling club’s equipment. While the contractor attempted repairs, these were found to be below the standards required by the Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan during the club’s spring shutdown.

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.

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) has unveiled its key policy priorities for the October 28, 2024, Saskatchewan election.

APAS priorities focus on program enhancements, business competitiveness, and infrastructure renewal. These priorities aim to position Saskatchewan agricultural producers, rural communities, and farm and ranch families for future success.

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 Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities has identified four key areas of focus for the next provincial government to address.

SARM's 2024 Provincial Election Priorities include Infrastructure, Health, Policing and Crime, and Agriculture.