Cochrane

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government could have acted faster on reining in immigration programs, after blaming "bad actors" for gaming the system.

Trudeau released a nearly seven-minute video on YouTube Sunday talking about the recent reduction in permanent residents being admitted to Canada and changes to the temporary foreign worker program. 

Over the next two years, the permanent residency stream is being reduced by about 20 per cent to 365,000 in 2027.

Dennis Fundytus, vice-chair of Cochrane & Area Health Foundation, says a recent visit by Alberta Health minister Adriana LaGrange was a positive and upbeat discussion on challenges being faced by Cochrane's growing population.

He says a major win was opening up direct communications to her office through the deputy minister.

"Contacts come in really handy, and so from a practical point of view AHS isn't asking us to write a story; we can go directly to the deputy minister."

AgSafe Alberta has added another level to its FARMERS CARE program.

Level 4 is now available at AgSafeAB.ca. 

This free program provides valuable safety information that agricultural producers can navigate at their own pace.

All levels of FARMERS CARE cover a wealth of valuable information in a condensed format, avoiding the major time commitment that typically comes with intensive safety courses.

Ottawa has concluded negotiations for a trade deal with Indonesia and is proposing nuclear-energy collaboration with Southeast Asian leaders.

The moves are a show of faith for multilateralism as the re-election of Donald Trump in the United States is raising fears of further strain in global co-operation on trade and the environment.

Canada's elections chief wants a ban on the misrepresentation of candidates and other key players in the electoral process through manipulation of their voice or image without consent.

The proposed change to the Canada Elections Act is among several measures chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault is putting forward to address the use of deepfakes and other artificially created content to fool voters.

In an interview, Perrault said he is "hoping to convince" MPs to expand an electoral reform bill, currently in a House of Commons committee, to include some new elements.

A small expo is accompanying the resumption of the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee's (CEAC) speaker series on Nov. 30.

CEAC president Tim Giese says The Refillery, Cochrane Public Library, Helping Hands and possibly more will be at the morning session. 

Carla Bitz, the Town of Banff's environmental coordinator will be providing insight into zero waste and reuse strategies we can incorporate into our lives.

Giese says it will be an interactive presentation. 

UPDATE: A list has now been released by the Alberta government on where critical mail destined for Alberta government departments can be dropped off. In Cochrane, the drop-off location is on the second floor of the Provincial Building, 213 - 1 St. W.

Alberta government has announced its plan to ensure critical government mail continues to be delivered during the service interruption at Canada Post.

Canada's Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault apologized Friday, after shifting claims about his Indigenous identity came under scrutiny.

The Liberal member of Parliament said at an unrelated announcement in Edmonton that he's sorry he hadn't been clear, "with everything that I know now."

"I apologize that I wasn't as clear as I could have been about who I am and my family's history,” he said, adding that he's still learning about his family's heritage "in real time."

Workers at Canada Post went on strike Friday in a move that is expected to create delays and other disruptions to mail and parcel delivery — just as the Crown corporation prepares for what's typically its busiest period.

Local postal workers of Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Local 710 are picketing in front of the main post office in Cochrane,185 1st St. E., today (Nov. 15) and will be there until 2 p.m. today.

The local post office remains open.