Politics

VICTORIA — A record-high $966 million in wildfire spending and lower natural gas prices have combined to add $2.5 billion to British Columbia's projected deficit for this fiscal year, pushing that number to $6.7 billion.

OTTAWA — Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani said Wednesday he is confident the Liberals' bail-reform package will have an impact and make the country safer, but he says he cannot measure what exactly that will be.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S.

MONTREAL — The older brother of a mentally ill man who killed three people at random during a 24-hour shooting spree in the Montreal area last year told a coroner Wednesday he questions why his medication regime had been changed before the killings.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Montana man has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he threatened to kill President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, both Democrats, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Montana said.

FREDERICTON — New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is dangling the prospect that he could send the province to the polls this fall, a year ahead of schedule, citing the risk of "instability and stagnation" if the legislature resumes sitting next month.

GATINEAU, Que. — The complainant in the court martial for Lt.-Gen.

OTTAWA — Immigration is almost solely responsible for the largest annual population boom Canada has seen since 1957, new estimates from Statistics Canada show.

OTTAWA — Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu says she hopes to table a piece of legislation this fall that she says is the closest the federal government has come to co-developing law with First Nations.

DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered all judges to address people in court by the pronouns they use or by “other respectful means.