Canada economy tops Q4 expectations, central bank seen staying cautious

Canada's economy grew at a faster pace than anticipated in the final quarter of 2016, lifted by consumer spending and a drop in imports, though the strong figures were seen as unlikely to prod the central bank to soon modify interest rates.

Gross domestic product grew at an annualized 2.6 percent rate in the fourth quarter, Statistics Canada said on Thursday, beating economists' forecasts for 2.0 percent.

While that marked a slowdown from an upwardly revised 3.8 percent rate in the third quarter, the economy grew by 0.3 percent in December, boding well for the transition into 2017.

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Ex-Alberta Premier Prentice Dies in Plane Crash

Former Alberta Premier and long-time-federal minister Jim Prentice and three others died in the crash of a small plane in southern British Columbia.

A senior government official confirmed Prentice died in the crash late Thursday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to go on the record before the family could issue a statement. He was 60.

Prentice was among former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper's most trusted cabinet ministers.

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Canada Sets Aside Payout for Female Abuse Claims

The head of Canada's national police force issued an emotional apology Thursday and announced that the government has earmarked $75.7 million (CA$100 million) in payouts related to the settlement of two class-action lawsuits stemming from sexual harassment allegations by female employees, some of which date back to 1974.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Bob Paulson apologized to hundreds of female employees who have alleged they were subjected to harassment dating back 42 years.

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Christy Clark says she won't accept Liberal adoption of Harper's health-care limits

The Liberal government's pledge to maintain the health-care spending escalator unilaterally set by the former Harper government is unacceptable, B.C. Premier Christy Clark says, demanding that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau come up with more money.

"It's urgent that we sort this problem out. Nobody is really interested in the targets that Stephen Harper set for the increase. We'd like to see more money go into health care to support B.C.,

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Royal visit: Where to find Prince William and Kate on the last day of their tour

The royal tour of B.C. and Yukon wraps up today in Victoria.

Prince William and Kate are scheduled to continue their visit by meeting with social service agencies, which have featured prominently since they arrived last Saturday. 

The 2016 royal visit to Canada: Full CBC coverage

The day is scheduled to start shortly after 10 a.m. PT with a visit to the Cridge Centre for the Family.

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Prince William gets lesson in colonialism, cultural genocide at Black Rod ceremony

Prince William got a lesson in both colonial history and modern politics from First Nations leaders Monday night in Victoria when he participated in a politically charged ceremony.

William and wife Kate attended a VIP reception hosted by the B.C. government, where William added a ring of reconciliation to the Black Rod.

The ceremonial staff, which was created in 2012 to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, is used in the legislature when the monarch or her provincial representative is present.

The new ring is meant to represent the connection between the Crown, Indigenous peoples and all British Columbians.

Controversy about the ceremony was sparked earlier in the day when prominent B.C. First Nations leader Stewart Phillip, the grand chief of the Union of B.C. Chiefs, announced he would not attend the event, as a protest of what he called provincial and federal government inaction on key First Nations concerns.

"The chiefs in assembly felt it would not be appropriate for me to participate in a 'reconciliation' ceremony at this time," he said in statement on Monday morning.

A lesson in empire and genocide

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Private meeting at UN between Trudeau team and Omani officials led to Hoodfar's release by Iran

A quiet meeting just off the main floor of the United Nations General Assembly a week ago may have been the turning point in Canada's attempts to secure the release of Iranian-Canadian Homa Hoodfar from a prison in Iran.

It happened in the corner of a large meeting room just after U.S. President Barack Obama finished his final speech to the UN. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his top political staff and foreign policy advisers held a private "pull aside" meeting with the foreign minister of Oman and a small delegation of Omani officials.

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Jordan expects abandoned vessels bill to pass Parliament

SHELBURNE, N.S. - The South Shore MP expects her bill on derelict vessels to be approved by the government this fall, but what Bernadette Jordan is really hoping for is all party support.

Jordan, the member of Parliament for South Shore-St. Margaret’s, has been pushing a bill aimed at getting the federal government to become more involved in the issue of abandoned vessels.

“We’ve had First Reading and it goes to Second Reading on Oct. 17 and

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Rules for keeping exotic pets all over the chart in Canada: official

TRURO, N.S. – A mish-mash of rules has resulted in dangerous situations across the country, according to the executive director of Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums.

Massimo Bergamini was in Truro to speak at the recent Atlantic Mayors’ Congress.

“We have an absolute mess of a system in place, if I could even use the word system,” he said. “It’s a hodge-podge that varies by jurisdiction.”

He said the assortment of regulations,

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