Prices at the pump lowered this week as B.C. dropped its consumer carbon tax, but just how much drivers are paying depends on what part of the province they're in. As Jon Hernandez explains, the discrepancies are significant but not altogether uncommon.

The federal government has quietly updated its online travel advice to remind Canadians to "expect scrutiny" from border patrol officers if they travel to the United States.

A new city report recommends delaying approval of an agreement with OVG, the private sector partner chosen to operate a new downtown arena and convention centre.

A man described as a vulnerable person with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder was acquitted of second-degree murder last month, after a Winnipeg judge found his police statement was made up of details he fabricated under pressure — as two detectives took turns screaming at him “at the top of their lungs” — and barred it from being used as evidence in his trial.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in March issued something between a threat and a prediction: The winner of the federal election will have six months to roll out policies friendly to the energy industry or face an “unprecedented national unity crisis.”

Ms. Smith had previously made headlines with her visit to Florida in January to meet U.S. president-elect Donald Trump and her refusal to sign the statement from then prime minister Justin Trudeau and the other premiers about how to deal with the burgeoning trade war with Canada’s southern neighbour. Critics floated the word “traitor” as they opposed her adventures in foreign policy, even though the Premier insisted she was firmly on Team Canada.

The Halifax Mooseheads defeated the Drummondville Voltigeurs 4-2 at the Scotiabank Centre, taking a 3-2 lead in the series.

Halifax and Drummondville traded goals in the first period. Ethan Gauthier opened the scoring for the Voltigeurs, Jacob Steinman making back to back saves before Gauthier finally buried the rebound on Drummondville’s third attempt. Brady Schultz tied the game from the top of the left wing faceoff circle, receiving a pass from Carlos Handel and firing a shot through the five-hole of Voltigeurs netminder Louis-Félix Charrois

Braeden MacPhee gave the Herd their first lead of the night 13 minutes into the second period. Captain Brady Schultz finding MacPhee with a lengthy pass from the Moosehead zone, MacPhee’s initial shot was stopped by Charrois but MacPhee forced a rebound and banked the puck off Charrois’s pad and into the Volt’s net. Steinman also earning an assist on the play.

Halfway through the second period the Mooseheads announced forwards Caylen Blake and Callum Aucoin would miss the remainder of the game with injuries.

The Voltigeurs tied the contest eight minutes in the third period as Yoan Tassé sent a backhand past Steinman. Lincoln Waugh restored Halifax’s lead for his first goal in a Mooseheads jersey, sending a puck on net that found its way through traffic and into the Drummondville net for the game winning goal. Liam Kilfoil added an insurance marker on the empty net to secure the win for the Herd at the Scotiabank Centre.

With the win the Herd now have a 3-2 series lead over the Voltigeurs as the series returns to Drummondville.

The Moosehead overagers earned the three stars of the contest. Jacob Steinman was awarded first star, making 29 saves in the win. Braeden MacPhee earned second star with a goal and third star went to captain Brady Schultz with a goal and two assists.

The Herd now have a chance to move on the the second round as the travel back up to Drummondville to face the Voltigeurs on Monday, April 7 at the Marcel Dionne Centre. Puck drop is at 8 p.m., and you can catch all the action here on 95.7 NewsRadio.

Emergency crews are on the scene of a rollover on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Swift Current Friday evening.

The single-vehicle rollover is about 10 kilometres from the city limits.

According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle was travelling westbound.

Dark secrets from the past emerged at a provincial court trial this week, where an 85-year-old former North Vancouver teacher was convicted of nine historic sexual offences against boys he groomed with ski trips, water-skiing and camping.

The stakes are high as Canadians prepare to vote. The country faces aggressive U.S. tariffs, an affordability and housing crisis, and declining living standards relative to other OECD countries. 

Amid the noise of campaign promises and personality politics, voters must choose between two different visions for Canada’s future — one defined by government-led solutions and the other by market-based approaches.

Rather than getting caught up in each leader’s personality, it may be more useful to consider the underlying values driving each party. After all, leaders are chosen by their party’s members and supported by the caucus. While they may have their own priorities, leaders will mostly be in sync with their party. For voters, understanding these core values may offer a better guide than relying solely on each candidate’s rhetoric.

Liberals generally see government as a way to influence social and economic outcomes. They support intervention through taxation, regulations and spending to address their priorities, such as climate change and child care. Socially, they emphasize inclusion, diversity and rights protections, viewing government as a vehicle for advancing pluralism and collective progress.

Conservatives, in contrast, place more emphasis on individuals and markets. They tend to support a more limited government that is focused on ensuring core services, order and an environment that allows private enterprises to thrive. Their approach favours lower taxes, lighter regulation and fiscal restraint. They are typically skeptical of state-led solutions and more focused on maintaining established norms.

Both parties recognize Canada’s extremely poor productivity growth record, and its importance for maintaining living standards. But their responses differ. 

Liberals look to government-led strategies — including public investments in child care, education and technology — as foundations for growth. They support industrial policy and subsidies for government chosen sectors, such as clean innovation. Critics argue this has done little to raise per capita output.

Conservatives favour market-led productivity growth. They believe tax relief, deregulation and resource development attract private investment. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pledges to reduce hurdles to construction, energy projects and entrepreneurship. The goal is to stimulate productivity by freeing capital and initiative. Critics counter that without public funding in emerging sectors the strategy may have limited success.

The parties also differ on fiscal policy. 

The Trudeau Liberals ran deficits even during periods of economic growth. From 2016 to 2023, federal program spending rose about 10 per cent annually, up from just over two per cent from 2006 to 2015. Liberals say the increased spending boosts growth and funds important programs, while Conservatives say it adds to the national debt and raises interest expenses.

Conservatives instead focus on managing spending in order to balance budgets. In response to the 2008-2009 financial crisis, the Harper government recorded a $55 billion budget deficit. But it returned to a small surplus by 2015 through spending cuts. 

A future Liberal government under Mark Carney would likely continue to run (smaller) deficits to keep debt manageable relative to GDP. New revenues may come from higher taxes on corporations. Conservatives would likely scale back the budget, cut some Liberal programs and reduce the size of the public service.

Climate policy offers perhaps the starkest contrast. 

Liberals would keep regulations and subsidies to cut emissions, while Conservatives propose eliminating all carbon taxes and relaxing regulations they see as harmful to competitiveness. Their approach relies on private sector-led emissions reductions, carbon capture and other mitigation technologies. While this may lower costs for households and businesses, it could make emissions targets harder to meet.

On Indigenous matters, Liberals stress reconciliation, rights recognition and increased funding. They passed legislation recognizing UNDRIP, a United Nations declaration supporting Indigenous rights, framing the relationship as nation-to-nation. Conservatives focus more on economic opportunity, such as resource partnerships, and administrative transparency.

In health care, Liberals have increased transfers, introduced new federal programs such as dental benefits, and oppose any private involvement in the public system. Conservatives also support increased funding, but with fewer federal restrictions and are open to limited private delivery within the public health-care system.

Regarding civil liberties, Liberals prioritize protecting vulnerable groups, regulating harmful content and promoting equality, even if it means limiting some expression. Conservatives favour free speech, religious freedom and opposition to state authority. They oppose legislation such as Bill C-11, which regulates online content, and proposed online harms laws. 

Headlines and photo-ops are often a distraction from what is really at stake in an election. It is by understanding parties’ values and priorities that voters can best understand how each party would govern. 

Although both Liberals and Conservatives aim to improve life in Canada, they take different paths: Liberals rely on government action, while Conservatives favour private enterprise and individual initiative.

The post Op-Ed: Forget the photo ops. Here’s what you should base your vote on appeared first on CANADIAN AFFAIRS.

A union that represents public sector workers in Ontario says it was hit by a "cybersecurity incident" on Wednesday but it cannot say what data, if any, was compromised by the attack.