Telecom services still too expensive, industry minister says

Canadians are still paying too much for telecom services, the industry minister said Thursday, one day after Rogers Communications said it was raising the cost of some of its wireless phone plans. Rogers said Wednesday it would hike the cost of some of its wireless plans for non-contract customers. Bell is also reportedly increasing some of its existing wireless phone … Read more

Israel’s allies warn against displacing Palestinians in Gaza to places like Canada

Countries traditionally aligned with Israel are warning its right-wing government against contemplating a displacement of people who live in the Gaza Strip, as Israeli officials repeatedly suggest Canada could take in Palestinians. This week, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said his country should “encourage migration” of Palestinians from Gaza and re-establish Israeli settlements there, echoing similar … Read more

Rogers to increase price of some wireless phone plans

Wireless phone plans will be getting more expensive for some Canadians this year.  Rogers Communications Inc. will increase the cost of some of its plans in the coming weeks, the company confirmed to CBC News on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Bell is reportedly increasing some of its existing wireless phone plan prices in February, according to a report by Canadian … Read more

Dennis Edney, lawyer for former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr, dead at 77

Dennis Edney, a lawyer who played a critical role in the release of former Guantanamo Bay prisoner Omar Khadr, has died at 77. An obituary published in the Edmonton Journal said Edney had dementia and died Saturday. The soccer-player-turned-lawyer took on many high-profile cases throughout his career. But his Scottish accent became known across the … Read more

Trudeau goes into 2024 in dire need of a better story to tell

The memo sent to staff in the Prime Minister’s Office to announce the hiring of Max Valiquette as the government’s new executive director of communications said the former marketing executive would be focused on, among other things, “aligning the entire team under a clear narrative.” In politics, a clear narrative isn’t everything, but it’s a … Read more

Heritage minister says she’d like CBC’s mandate updated to include strong online presence, fill info gaps

Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge says she wants the role of public broadcaster CBC/Radio-Canada redefined before the next federal election. In a year-end interview with The Canadian Press, St-Onge said now is the time to update its mandate, to hedge against a possible change in government. She said the Liberal government believes a strong public broadcaster strengthens democracy and promises to keep … Read more

Feds push back release date of foreign interference inquiry report

The first report from the inquiry into foreign interference in federal elections is now set to come out two months later than originally planned.  Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced Thursday the federal government has granted Justice Marie-Josée Hogue an extension on her interim report on foreign interference in federal elections.  According to her terms … Read more

Is Canada ready to expand medical assistance in dying? Liberals will face that choice with deadline closing in

The federal Liberals face a choice early in 2024: They can allow a sunset clause to take effect so that eligibility for medical assistance in dying expands to adults whose only reason for seeking it is a mental disorder. Or they can do what they did in 2023 and postpone it further, even indefinitely. Justice Minister … Read more

Alberta coal policy changes triggers joint lawsuit from coal companies

A trial date has been set for early 2025 to sort out whether Alberta is liable for billions in compensation due to policy changes for coal development in the province. In four separate statements of claim, coal companies allege that Alberta’s decision in 2022 to change the rules around coal mining cost them financially and resulted in … Read more