Gas prices in Metro Vancouver continued to break records this weekend, reaching a staggering two dollars and 22 cents per litre. We are paying more at the pumps than anywhere else in the province or the country. In B-C’s Interior, prices are around a dollar and 94 cents per litre, while drivers in Victoria are paying two dollars and 17 cents per litre. Experts and B-C Premier John Horgan have largely blamed the Russian invasion of Ukraine for a trickle-down impact felt across the globe for the surging prices.
Coquitlam R-C-M-P say one person has been arrested after a stabbing early yesterday morning. Police say they responded to a call and found a man suffering from stab wounds. They say he died on scene. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is assisting with the investigation.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says having the Canadian flag fly over the streets of Kyiv once again is just another testament to the strength and solidarity of Canadians and Ukrainians. Trudeau made an unannounced visit to Ukraine Sunday, where he reopened the Canadian Embassy in the capital After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trudeau also announced fresh Canadian military support, as well as new sanctions on 40 more Russian individuals and entities.
The cross-examination of a woman alleging Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager continues today in a Toronto courtroom. The woman began her testimony Thursday, saying she met the Hedley frontman at concerts and fan events, and they began messaging each other after a meet-and-greet in April of 2016, when she was 15. She alleges he groped her backstage at a show a few weeks after they started texting and later violently raped her in his Toronto-area hotel room when she was 16. Hoggard has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault causing bodily harm and one of sexual interference.
Experts says gas prices could go up another five cents across Canada if Russia decides to intensify its assault on Ukraine or declare all-out war. The President of Canadians for Affordable Energy, says May 9 marks Victory Day in Russia and could prove pivotal when it comes to the war in Ukraine. Gas prices could go up an additional five cents per litre next week as well if the situation worsens in Ukraine and as Canadians gear up for the May long weekend, which is typically considered the unofficial start of summer. The average price of gas in Canada is pushing towards $1.97 per litre, with Metro Vancouver seeing $2.22 per litre.
Coquitlam R-C-M-P say one person has been arrested after a stabbing early yesterday morning. Police say they responded to a call and found a man suffering from stab wounds. They say he died on scene. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is assisting with the investigation.
As moms across the country were celebrated on Mother’s Day yesterday, a women’s non-profit says the majority of Canadian mothers are overworked, overstressed, and feeling undervalued. The Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF) says yet another year of the COVID-19 pandemic has added extra pressure on Canadian mothers, who were already feeling stressed last year. In a national poll, the CWF found 44 per cent of Canadian mothers surveyed have reached their breaking point. And nearly half of mothers said they were reaching their breaking point. The poll also found 67 per cent of mothers were concerned about their physical health, and 60 per cent were concerned about their emotional well-being and their mental health. Many mothers said they were forced to put their careers on hold as a result.
The New York Times says its use of the word “fetus” in its popular puzzle game, Wordle, was unintentional. The paper scrambled to change its word of the day to avoid an answer that might be seen as a commentary on the news. The word came up less than a week after a leaked report suggested the U-S Supreme Court was about to change the nation’s abortion policy. The Times says “fetus” had been loaded into the game before the newspaper even bought it.
Surrey R-C-M-P say a suspect is being held in custody following his arrest in an assault in the Whalley area last week. Police say a woman was physically assaulted by a man in the staircase of an underground parking lot early Thursday morning. They say a 26-year-old suspect was arrested on May 7th and was charged the following day with aggravated assault and uttering threats. The Mounties say he was remanded into custody while he awaits his next court appearance.
The Queen will not attend the opening of Parliament for the first time in nearly 60-years. Buckingham Palace says the 96-year-old monarch made the decision in consultation with her doctors, due to her ongoing mobility issues. She skipped the centuries-old ceremony only two other times, during pregnancy. Her son, Prince Charles, will deliver the Queen’s speech, and Prince William will also attend — the first time he’ll have an official role in the event. The Queen has attended only a handful of public events in recent months, though she continues to hold virtual audiences regularly.