Top Stories – Mar 29 – Budget Details

The federal government released a budget that prioritizes spending on health care, a clean economy and affordability measures to help deal with inflation. Some of the spending includes $13 billion for the Canada dental benefit over the next five years, $2.5 billion for another one-time doubling of GST rebates and $49.4 billion in health-care cash flowing to provinces and territories this year. The Liberal government plans to launch a National Counter-Foreign Interference Office, amid ongoing scrutiny of allegations that Beijing interfered in recent federal elections. The budget earmarked $56 million over five years for measures to combat foreign interference, threats and covert activities. The federal deficit is projected at $40 billion this year.

The posted speed limit was 100 km/h and police caught the driver doing 194. It happened near Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island and the 20-year-old local with an ‘N’ driver’s license was arrested under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital. RCMP say there is a lot of wildlife in the area and the driver was lucky not to hit anything.

Flair Airlines says it has reimbursed almost all 1,900 passengers whose flights were cancelled after the seizure of four of the carrier’s planes earlier this month. Bailiffs repossessed the jets because the discount airline had overdue payments.

The province says it will do a better job of making sure that supplies of the diabetes drug Ozempic meant for British Columbians will not go to Americans. An investigation found that U-S residents made up 19% of all patients who were dispensed the drug by a pharmacy in BC. Victoria didn’t say specifically what it was going to do other than limit the sale of Ozempic to non-Canadian residents in situations where there are potential supply issues.

The person who killed three children and three adults at a Christian school in Nashville legally bought seven firearms in recent years and hid them from parents. Three 9-year-old students were killed, as well as the head of the grade school, a custodian and a substitute teacher. The suspect was a former student at the school who was not on police radar before the attack.

Some Russian athletes can soon return to international sports, although their status for next year’s Paris Olympics is still up in the air. The International Olympic Committee recommended that individual athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to return to competition under a neutral status as long as they have no military links.

A Quebec provincial police officer was killed and a male suspect was shot dead by police during an arrest attempt at a home in the province’s rural Mauricie region Monday night. Sgt. Maureen Breau, an officer with more than 20 years of experience was stabbed while the suspect was being read his rights.

The Liberal government plans to launch a National Counter-Foreign Interference Office, amid ongoing scrutiny of allegations that Beijing interfered in recent federal elections. The budget earmarked $56 million over five years for measures to combat foreign interference, threats and covert activities. The federal deficit is projected at $40 billion this year.

Shoppers Drug Mart is getting out of its medical cannabis distribution business and preparing to transfer patients to biopharmaceutical company Avicanna. The chain did not say what prompted the change or how much money Toronto-based Avicanna is paying for Shoppers to refer patients to its MyMedi.ca platform.

Sports

Kelowna Rocket Andrew Cristall was named to the WHL’s First All-Star team for his performance this season. The Burnaby forward led the team with 39 goals and 56 assists for 95 points.

In St. Louis last night, two late Vancouver goals forced overtime, but the Blues scored 21 seconds into the extra frame to take a 6-5 win. Quinn Hughes had 3 points in a losing cause.

The Toronto Blue Jays are breaking spring training camp in Dunedin Florida today. They ended with the record of 17 wins and 15 losses. First regular season game is tomorrow in St Louis.

A group has submitted a fully financed bid for the NFL’s Washington Commanders. It includes basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, and is one of multiple bidders involved in the sale process.