Chilliwack news

• Carney’s foreign policy shift to trade, security prompts questions about human rights

  29-12-2025 10:00 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  OTTAWA — As Prime Minister Mark Carney puts trade and security at the centre of Canada's foreign policy, observers say Ottawa is also shifting how it asserts its values on the world stage.
  The Liberals insist they are still standing up for human rights globally while seeking investment from China, India and Gulf countries. But a change in priorities is prompting some criticism — and changing how Canada trains its diplomats.
  "They won't say out loud (that) we're going to be less inter
  
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• Five things to know as Canada’s figure skaters vie for Olympic spots at nationals

  07-01-2026 23:41 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  GATINEAU — Olympic spots are on the line this week at the 2026 Canadian National Skating Championships.
  Senior competition runs Friday through Sunday at Centre Slush Puppie, where the country’s top figure skaters will look to book their tickets to next month’s Milan Cortina Winter Games. Unlike some years, the makeup of Canada’s team is far from set in stone.
  Here’s a look at five things to know heading into the event:
  SELECTION CRITERIA
  Canada holds seven figure sk
  
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• Federal government to help fund firearm buyback efforts in Quebec

  07-01-2026 23:40 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  OTTAWA — This federal government says it will provide up to $12.4 million to cover costs incurred by Quebec to co-ordinate a buyback of banned firearms in the province.
  Since May 2020, Ottawa has outlawed approximately 2,500 types of guns on the basis they belong on the battlefield, not in the hands of hunters or sport shooters.
  The federal government says a national buyback program will provide owners fair compensation for their outlawed firearms.
  Ottawa has budgeted more than $700 millio
  
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• CP NewsAlert: Freeland resigning as Toronto MP on Friday

  07-01-2026 23:30 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  OTTAWA — Longtime Liberal MP and former cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland will resign as a member of Parliament on Friday.
  She posted her plan to resign on social media today.
  Earlier this week, Freeland accepted a voluntary role as an economic development adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
  Prime Minister Mark Carney said Freeland’s upcoming resignation from the House of Commons is “consistent” with her upcoming role.
  But the Conservatives say Freeland s
  
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• Venezuelans in Canada share mixed emotions in wake of Maduro’s capture

  07-01-2026 23:21 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  TORONTO — Venezuelans in Canada are dealing with a mix of emotions after the United States captured the country’s president and his wife.
  U.S. President Donald Trump stunned the world Saturday by ordering a military raid on the Venezuelan capital, seizing President Nicolas Maduro and bringing him to New York to face charges.
  The move has challenged international law and could drastically reshape the situation in Venezuela, where violent repression and economic mismanagement, coupled
  
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• US will exit dozens of international organizations as it further retreats from global cooperation

  07-01-2026 23:12 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration will withdraw from dozens of international organizations, including the U.N.'s population agency and the U.N. treaty that establishes international climate negotiations, as the U.S. further retreats from global cooperation.President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order suspending U.S. support for 66 organizations, agencies and commissions following his instructions for his administration to review participation in and funding for al
  
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• B.C. skip Taylor Reese-Hansen’s breakout season will include Scotties debut

  07-01-2026 22:52 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  When Taylor Reese-Hansen was asked to provide a life goal for her yearbook entry in Grade 12, an appearance at the Canadian women's curling championship made the list.
  It's an ambition the 28-year-old skip will finally realize this month in Mississauga, Ont.
  "I put (down) I want to go to the Scotties," said Reese-Hansen. "So it's really cool and a full-circle moment for all of us to all be going and to represent B.C."Reese-Hansen's Victoria-based team secured the berth in the provincial final la
  
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• Woman, 90, is fourth Quebec senior to die after being found outside in past month

  07-01-2026 22:50 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  MONTREAL — Quebec's coroner is investigating the case of a 90-year-old woman who died after her body was found outside her retirement home on New Year's Day.
  Her death marks the fourth time in roughly one month that a person older than 70 has been found dead outside or has died shortly after they were discovered in the cold.
  Provincial police are assisting the coroner and say the woman died in hospital not long after she was found in Lac-au-Saumon, Que., about 570 kilometres northeast of M
  
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• Trump proposes massive increase in 2027 defense spending to $1.5T, citing ‘dangerous times’

  07-01-2026 22:46 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday proposed setting military spending at $1.5 trillion in 2027, citing “troubled and dangerous times.”Trump called for the massive surge in spending days after he ordered a U.S. military operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and spirit him out of the country to face drug trafficking charges in the United States. U.S. forces continue to mass in the Caribbean Sea. The 2026 military budget is set at $901 bil
  
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• From selling medical devices to representing Canada, Listro has lived and learned

  07-01-2026 22:46 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  From selling medical devices to representing Canada, Jordyn Listro has lived and learned.
  After starting her pro career in Spain, the Toronto-born midfielder played in the NWSL for the Orlando Pride and Kansas City. She has won two caps for Canada, starting in a 1-0 win over Argentina and coming off the bench in a 2-0 loss to Brazil — both at the SheBelieves Cup in February 2021.These days she captains Tampa Bay Sun FC, leading it to the inaugural USL Gainbridge Super League championship l
  
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• Yukon officials outline power concerns after cold snap tested grid capacity

  07-01-2026 22:21 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  WHITEHORSE — Officials in charge of Yukon's power grid say rotating blackouts are a "last resort," and neighbourhoods in Whitehorse need to prepare to be part of the rotation should the territory's grid be pushed to its limits again during a cold snap.Yukon Energy Minister Ted Laking warned last month that the territory's power grid was under significant strain, with customers setting "an all-time record" for peak demand on Dec. 22, beating another record set just weeks before.
  Katherine B
  
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• Police investigate deaths of two people found in Delta, B.C., home

  07-01-2026 22:07 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  DELTA, B.C. — The Delta Police Department says it is investigating the deaths of two people.Police say in a news release the bodies were found in a home early Wednesday.Officers were called to the house in the suburb of Ladner in the 4600 block of London Crescent to conduct a welfare check.They say two elderly people were found dead.Police say they believe the deaths are isolated and there's no public safety concerns.The department's major crime unit is leading the investigation to determi
  
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• American Hockey League, Professional Hockey Players’ Association tentatively agree on a new CBA

  07-01-2026 22:03 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  The American Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association reached a tentative agreement Wednesday on a new collective bargaining agreement.
  It must still be ratified by the AHL’s Board of Governors and the union's membership in the U.S. and Canada-based developmental league just below the NHL.
  The deal comes a few weeks after players in the third-tier ECHL staged a strike out of the holiday break, which caused 41 games to be postponed. The ECHL and PHPA have since h
  
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• Propane-leaking Zamboni set off chain reaction blast in Alberta arena: officials

  07-01-2026 21:38 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  TABER, ALBERTA, CANADA — Officials in the southern Alberta town of Taber say it was a leaky Zamboni that set off a chain reaction fireball blast inside one of the hockey-loving community's only ice rinks.
  The town says a propane leak from the ice resurfacer created a gas cloud on Dec. 17.
  That cloud was eventually ignited by a nearby electric heater, creating a fireball that blew off the building's garage door, shattered glass and toppled walls between the two rinks.
  Town spokeswoman Megha
  
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• McKenna hopes world juniors propel strong second half in NCAA with NHL draft looming

  07-01-2026 21:29 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  Gavin McKenna has a specific way of centring himself.
  The once slam-dunk No. 1 overall pick at the 2026 NHL draft put up 129 points in 56 games with the Western Hockey League's Medicine Hat Tigers last season.
  McKenna headed south this fall and proceeded to have a so-so start in the NCAA with four goals and 14 assists across 16 contests for Penn State before joining Canada for the world junior hockey championship.
  The 18-year-old centre finished second in tournament scoring as part of a bronze-m
  
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• Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day festival to return after deadly SUV attack, focus on healing

  07-01-2026 21:24 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  VANCOUVER — Filipino BC has announced the 2026 Lapu Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver will go ahead nearly a year after the devastating van attack that killed 11 people and injured dozens more.
  The organization says it recognizes "the community’s shared grief" and notes the planning for this year's event in April has a focus on "remembrance and healing" and will include at least one memorial gathering.
  The group says it will be working closely with the City of Vancouver, the province an
  
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• B.C. Mountie should be fired or order to resign over behaviour in group chats: lawyer

  07-01-2026 21:18 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  An RCMP officer who has been found to have committed discreditable conduct over sexist comments in group chats says he never meant to hurt anyone and still wants to be a Mountie.But the lawyer for the RCMP's conduct authority says Const. Mersad Mesbah should be dismissed immediately or directed to resign within 14 days over posts that included hoping a woman would be killed and saying he would have pepper sprayed a victim if he had been first to arrive on a scene.Mesbah told the hearing today th
  
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• One-day retail theft blitz leads to over 24+ arrests/criminal charges and thousands in stolen goods: AbbyPD (VIDEO)

  07-01-2026 21:14 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  ABBOTSFORD — Police in Abbotsford say a one-day retail theft enforcement initiative roughly a week before Christmas paid off with over two dozen arrests and criminal charges and thousands of dollars in recovered stolen merchandise.
  AbbyPD Sgt. Paul Walker says the AbbyPD’s Community Engagement Response Team, or CERT, launched “Boost and Bust” on December 16, a one-day police sting in partnership with Lower Mainland police agencies and the Organized Retail Crime Associatio
  
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• Quebec residences get training to become more inclusive and safe for LGBTQ+ seniors

  07-01-2026 20:47 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  MONTREAL — A Quebec foundation is hoping to train 10,000 people on making seniors residences safer and more inclusive for older LGBTQ+ adults.
  The Émergence Foundation says seniors who are sexually and gender diverse may feel isolated and even experience bullying inside care homes.
  The foundation has already trained more than 3,000 care home staff across Quebec in both private and public facilities.
  Trainer Julien Rougerie says the program helps to dispel prejudices and gives staff
  
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• Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Saskatchewan Roughriders earn top grades in CFLPA report cards

  07-01-2026 20:46 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  TORONTO — The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, among the CFL's top teams last season, have earned the distinction of being its best franchise off the field.
  Hamilton, which finished atop the East Division in 2025, received five As and five Bs in the CFL Players' Association's second annual team report cards, which were released Wednesday.The top grades came in football operations, facilities/equipment, strength and conditioning, team travel and training camp while Bs were for coaching staff, ownership
  
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• Federal, provincial leaders visit First Nation in Manitoba hit by power outage

  07-01-2026 20:41 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  PIMICIKAMAK CREE NATION, MAN. — Bottled water, plumbing supplies and food continue to be flown in to a beleaguered First Nation in northern Manitoba, as its chief met Wednesday with political leaders to survey extensive damage to the community after a days-long power outage.Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, federal Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs Rebecca Chartrand and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak are among a delegation touring Pimicikamak Cree Nation.
  
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• Canada’s Diallo upset by wildcard Wong in second round of Hong Kong Open

  07-01-2026 20:31 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  HONG KONG — Canadian tennis player Gabriel Diallo was eliminated in the second round of the Hong Kong Open on Wednesday after he was upset 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 by local wildcard Coleman Wong.
  Montreal's Diallo, who was seeded sixth at the ATP 250 event, won 81 per cent of first-serve points and didn't face break point while breaking Wong twice in a dominant first set.
  Wong recovered and outperformed Diallo two breaks to one in each of the next two sets.
  Diallo opened the tournament with a 6-4, 7-
  
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• Trump says U.S. will ‘be there’ for NATO as threats toward Greenland rattle alliance

  07-01-2026 20:22 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump says the United States will "be there" for NATO after the White House refused to rule out the use of military force to take control of Greenland.
  In a post on social media today, Trump says Russia and China would have no fear of NATO without the contributions of the United States.
  Trump's repeated comments about taking over Greenland, the self-governing territory of the kingdom of Denmark, have rattled members of the long-standing military alliance.
  Secr
  
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• Inmate serving indefinite prison term in Abbotsford dies in custody

  07-01-2026 20:12 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  ABBOTSFORD — The Correctional Service of Canada says a man who was serving an indefinite prison sentence at a correctional facility in Abbotsford has died.In a statement, the CSC says William Jacques Louis McNichol, an inmate from Pacific Institution’s Regional Treatment Centre, died this past Sunday, January 4 of apparent natural causes.
  The feds did not reveal the circumstances around McNichol’s indefinite prison term.At the time of death, the inmate was 75 years old and had
  
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• B.C. Lions release defensive back Carter so he can pursue NFL opportunities

  07-01-2026 20:08 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  VANCOUVER — The B.C. Lions released Robert Carter Jr., on Wednesday to allow the American defensive back to pursue NFL opportunities.
  The five-foot-10, 175-pound Carter appeared in 18 regular-season games in 2025, his first in the CFL. He recorded five interceptions and one forced fumble while scoring a defensive touchdown for the Lions.
  Carter has since reportedly signed a deal with the NFL's Indianapolis Colts.
  "Robert earned every bit of this opportunity," Lions general manager Ryan Rig
  
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• Man arrested in connection with three armed robberies in Burnaby, B.C.

  07-01-2026 19:39 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  BURNABY — Police say a man linked to a string of armed robberies in Metro Vancouver late last year has been arrested during a raid at a local home.
  Burnaby RCMP say the 35-year-old man was taken into custody on Dec. 10 after Mounties and Vancouver police emergency teams served a search warrant on a home in Vancouver.
  The man has since been released, and police say the investigation is ongoing.
  Police say the man is suspected in three armed robberies in October and November.The first crime
  
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• Former envoy says Ottawa is ‘parroting’ Trump’s anti-democratic approach to Venezuela

  07-01-2026 19:27 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  OTTAWA — Canada's former ambassador to Venezuela says Ottawa is "parroting" Washington's anti-democratic line by giving air to the idea of fresh elections in Venezuela.
  Ben Rowswell, who served as Canada's envoy to Caracas, says Canada should instead be working toward helping install the leaders voters chose in the stolen 2024 election.
  Rowswell is reacting to a statement issued Tuesday by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand which said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes Venezuel
  
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• Veteran winger Derrick Etienne Jr. signs new contract with Toronto FC

  07-01-2026 19:25 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  TORONTO — Toronto FC has signed veteran winger Derrick Etienne Jr. to a new contract through 2026 with club options for 2027 and 2027-28 (when Major League Soccer switches to a summer-to-spring schedule).The 29-year-old Haiti international, who made US$745,566 last season, was one of eight players whose 2026 contract options were declined by TFC in late October.
  Etienne appeared in 25 league games last season with 10 starts, including four of TFC's last five outings. He is a versatile atta
  
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• Ex-Listuguj police officer faces charges after Quebec police watchdog investigation

  07-01-2026 19:16 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  MONTREAL — A former officer with the Listuguj Police Department is facing criminal charges following an investigation by Quebec's police watchdog.
  Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes says Cass Barnaby is facing charges of extortion, non-consensual publication of intimate images, and harassing communications.The charges are related to alleged offences in 2024 in the Mi'kmaq community of Listuguj, a First Nation on the Gaspé Peninsula near the border with New Brunswick.
  The
  
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• Big streamers challenging financial disclosure rules in CRTC Cancon decision

  07-01-2026 19:09 via fraservalleytoday.ca
  OTTAWA — Large foreign streaming companies are fighting a decision by the federal broadcast regulator to modernize its definition of Canadian content.
  They are challenging a portion of the CRTC’s November decision that would require them to disclose financial information.
  A group of streamers, including Netflix and Amazon, filed the challenge in the Federal Court of Appeal in December.
  The new disclosure requirements would see the regulator publish information on each large streamer&
  
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