Razan Abu-Ghoush filed her Canadian citizenship application on July 2, 2024. Two years later, she’s still waiting. That shouldn’t be happening. IRCC’s own published processing-time data shows citizenship grants — the standard path for permanent residents applying to naturalize — have been improving this year, even as the separate citizenship-by-descent queue has ballooned. Application decisions […]

The City of New Westminster has established an AI working group to tackle the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. City council recently received a report outlining the work staff have done to date on the development of appropriate AI usage guidelines and upcoming work.  The July 13 report said publicly available Generative AI (GenAI) […]

Naheed Nenshi, leader of the Opposition of Alberta, is asking the premier to come clean about the total cost of holding the referendum will be. Though Access to Information requests by Alberta NDP found an additional $2 million in costs towards the referendum to the already staggering $132-180 million. Some of these costs include a […]

Lynn Gehl was in her thirties when she finally started to learn the story of her great-grandfather Joseph Gagnon from Golden Lake Reserve (now known as Pikwakanagan First Nation) in Ontario. In Joseph Gagnon: An Algonquin World War 1 Veteran, Gehl outlines the way her great-grandfather suffered from discrimination when it came to Canada’s implementation […]

For residents who have spent years demanding action on the abandoned former General Motors property in St. Catharines, the latest chapter will sound all too familiar. Just weeks after the City’s Property Standards Appeal Committee upheld sweeping compliance orders requiring the owners to repair or demolish dozens of deteriorating structures, the controversial numbered company that […]

Alberta’s Opposition says the cost of just getting the word out on the province’s looming separation referendum is setting taxpayers back at least $365,000 dollars. The new numbers come from a freedom of information request, NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said Thursday. He said contracts show about $365,000 in fees for a televised address and promotional […]

School security camera footage of a nearly 15-second hug between a teacher and one of her students was repeatedly screened and scrutinized at a historic hearing. “This isn’t a fleeting or a casual embrace. The two were comfortable with each other,” teacher commissioner lawyer Tristan Sandulak told a professional disciplinary panel on Tuesday. Sandulak made […]

As the days grow longer, the Slave Lake RCMP detachment is noticing a familiar seasonal shift in the types of calls they receive. To get a clear picture of current crime trends and how residents can stay safe over the coming months, the Lakeside Leader reached out to Staff Sgt. Casey Bruyns for an update. […]

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is encouraging residents to register with the Saskatchewan Evacuation Registration (SER) program before an emergency occurs, saying advance registration can reduce stress for evacuees while helping emergency officials provide faster, more effective support. The online registration system allows Saskatchewan households to provide information in advance that may […]

Ramara residents are almost equally divided on the fate of two aged municipal buildings on Highway 12 in Brechin. About half of residents want to see the buildings renovated, while the other half think they should be demolished. Financially impacting the decision, the Ministry of Transportation requires them to be set back from the highway. […]

The Alberta RCMP is asking drivers to lock their vehicles this summer, saying campsites and trailheads are common targets for thieves. The force issued the reminder Monday from Edmonton. It listed several steps drivers can take to protect vehicles, trailers and gear during the summer months.  Police say a vehicle should be locked even if […]

A suggested policy change erupted in an argument about how Ramara conducts business. A staff report suggesting a change in fees related to information requests recommended same day ratification. “Although it is proposing an amendment to the fee structure, what we’re really trying to do is get records into the hands of the requesting party […]