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A landmark court ruling in British Columbia regarding Aboriginal land title over urban lands has ignited fierce debate and uncertainty over the future of private property rights in the province and across the country. The federal and provincial governments are appealing the B.C. Supreme Court’s ruling in favour of the Quw’utsun Nation, or Cowichan Nation, that found it had “established Aboriginal title” to more than 5.7 square kilometres of land on the Fraser River in Richmond, south of Vancouver.The City of Richmond has also joined the appeal.The ruling declared Crown and city titles on the land are “defective and invalid,” and the granting of private titles on it by the government unjustifiably infringed on the Cowichan title.That has created confusion and anger among homeowners in the a...

BOSTON (AP) — Two judges could rule as soon as Friday on whether President Donald Trump’s administration must replenish SNAP food aid benefits for November despite the government shutdown. The grocery-buying ability for about 1 in 8 Americans could hinge on the outcomes.Even if a judge rules the benefits cannot be suspended for the first time in SNAP’s 61-year history, many beneficiaries are likely to face delays in getting the debit cards they use to buy groceries reloaded. That process can take one to two weeks, so it’s likely too late to get funds on cards in the first days of November.In a hearing in Boston Thursday on a legal challenge filed by Democratic officials from 25 states, one federal judge seemed skeptical of the administration’s argument that SNAP benefits could be halted.U....

The 1995 referendum on independence took place 30 years ago on Thursday, when a razor-thin majority of Quebecers voted to stay in Canada. After a dramatic campaign during which the sovereigntist side came from behind to take a lead in the polls in the final weeks before the vote, 50.58 per cent of voters chose “no.” Here are five things you may not know — or may have forgotten — about the 1995 referendum. Yes and No supporters clash on the streets of Montreal, Monday, Oct. 30, 1995, as the No side won a narrow victory in the province’s referendum. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Robert Galbraith Foreign influenceInternational leaders played a role in the federalist and sovereigntist campaigns. In February 1995, U.S. President Bill Clinto...

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government shutdown has been a source of anxiety for school leaders wondering how long grant money will last and who can help them interpret federal laws. For Education Secretary Linda McMahon, it offers a preview of what she hopes to make permanent. Much of the department’s work has gone completely cold. No new grants are being awarded, and civil rights investigations have been halted. Money is still flowing for key programs, but in many respects, schools and states are on their own.That’s the vision President Donald Trump has promoted since his presidential campaign — a world where states fully have the reins of education policy with little or no influence from the federal government.Even before the shutdown, mass layoffs had left the agency with 2,400 employees, do...

By Staff The Canadian Press Posted October 30, 2025 5:50 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size The Quebec government has passed a law extending the province’s ban on religious symbols to everyone who interacts with students in schools. The law also prohibits students from wearing face coverings in a bid to strengthen secularism in schools.The new legislation expands on a secularism law from 2019 that banned religious symbols for public employees deemed to be in positions of authority, including teachers, judges and police officers. Get daily National news Get t...