Laura Brougham

2 days ago | cheknews.ca | Alessia Passafiume |Laura Brougham

Justice Minister Sean Fraser apologized Wednesday for comments he made about the government’s duty to consult with Indigenous leaders on major projects. Fraser said Tuesday that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples requires consultation but does not amount to “a blanket veto power” over projects. Similar language asserting UNDRIP does not convey a veto is used in federal government documents about the declaration.

1 week ago | cheknews.ca | Dylan Robertson |Laura Brougham

Aid groups say Ottawa has fallen silent as Palestinians face a growing risk of famine in the Gaza Strip — and as one Canadian humanitarian organization pauses aid delivery after accusing Israel of imposing a dangerous distribution system. “This isn’t a humanitarian solution. It is a form of control,” Iftikhar Shaikh Ahmad, the chief program officer for Ottawa-based Human Concern International, told a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday morning.

1 week ago | cheknews.ca | Laura Brougham

If you see smoke coming from a manhole cover in Saanich over the weekend, it may not be cause for alarm. Crews in Saanich are smoke testing the sewer system to find any potential defects in need of repair. As part of the testing, crews will blow air and white smoke into the sewer system through manholes. The smoke will then exit through areas where there should be airflow, like sanitary sewer inspection chambers and roof vent stacks.

1 week ago | cheknews.ca | Paola Loriggio |Laura Brougham

The invitation to take part in a threesome came in a text message, followed by a phone call, one of five hockey players accused of sexual assault testified Thursday. Carter Hart told a London, Ont., courthouse he was outside a bar with two other players in the early hours of June 19, 2018, when he saw the message teammate Michael McLeod sent to the national world junior hockey team’s group chat, asking if anyone wanted to have a “three-way” and listing his hotel room number.

1 week ago | cheknews.ca | Laura Brougham

Four units sustained damage in a multi-unit building fire in Saanich on Wednesday afternoon. Saanich Fire says its crews responded to the fire in the 3900 block of Quadra Street around 5:30 p.m., with three engines, a ladder truck, a rescue truck and a medic unit. A total of 20 firefighters were on scene. When crews arrived, there were visible flames and heavy smoke, but the fire was “quickly brought under control,” said Saanich Fire.