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British Columbia: Petrol rations after Canada storm – BBC News

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In this handout provided by the Canadian Armed Forces, A CH149 Cormorant and its crew from 442 Search and Rescue Squadron provide support after flooding in British Columbia

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A Canadian province is rationing petrol over fuel shortage fears after a major storm cut off road and rail links.

Canadian Armed Forces personnel have begun arriving in British Columbia to help with recovery efforts in the flood-stricken region.

On Friday the province issued travel restrictions and rations on petrol, just a few days after declaring a state of emergency.

At least one person has been confirmed dead, but more deaths are expected.

British Columbia Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said non-essential traffic would be restricted while they rebuild the highway network. Fearing a fuel shortage, he called on people only to fill their vehicles with 30 litres per trip to the petrol station until 1 December.

He did not say how close the province was to running out of gas, and said he would not send police to enforce the ration.

“It’s 10 to 11 days where we have to pull together as a province, if we’re greedy, we’ll fail,” he told media on Friday.

“The overwhelming majority of people will do the right thing,” he added.

With major highways shut and the Canadian Pacific rail line facing multiple track outages, the federal government is looking into alternatives to help supplies flow into the affected area.

US border officials have allowed truckers who don’t usually cross the border to access roads so they can deliver supplies, the province says.

As of Friday, approximately 14,000 residents were still displaced from their homes. A major agricultural region, almost 1,000 farms are under an evacuation order and thousands of farm animals have already been trapped and killed by the floods.

More than 100 soldiers have been deployed to the area so far and more stand by. Helicopters stationed on Vancouver Island and other’s parts of British Columbia might also be called on to ferry supplies and emergency personnel or evacuate residents.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged to “to do more to help people directly.”

Plans to build a 2.5 km levee were scrapped in favour of building a dike. Heavy rains are expected to sweep through the area next week.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Abbotsford mayor Henry Braun said that water levels are still rising in several areas near the town.

“We are not out of this thing by a long shot,” Mr Braun said.

He estimated that repairing Abbotsford after the storm may cost up to C$1bn ($790m, £590m).

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End of Manitoba legislature session includes replacement-worker ban, machete rules

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WINNIPEG – Manitoba politicians are expected to pass several bills into law before the likely end of legislature session this evening.

The NDP government, with a solid majority of seats, is getting its omnibus budget bill through.

It enacts tax changes outlined in the spring budget, but also includes unrelated items, such as a ban on replacement workers during labour disputes.

The bill would also make it easier for workers to unionize, and would boost rebates for political campaign expenses.

Another bill expected to pass this evening would place new restrictions on the sale of machetes, in an attempt to crack down on crime.

Among the bills that are not expected to pass this session is one making it harder for landlords to raise rents above the inflation rate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Father charged with second-degree murder in infant’s death: police

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A Richmond Hill, Ont., man has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of his seven-week-old infant earlier this year.

York Regional Police say they were contacted by the York Children’s Aid Society about a child who had been taken to a hospital in Toronto on Jan. 15.

They say the baby had “significant injuries” that could not be explained by the parents.

The infant died three days later.

Police say the baby’s father, 30, was charged with second-degree murder on Oct. 23.

Anyone with more information on the case is urged to contact investigators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Ontario fast-tracking several bills with little or no debate

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TORONTO – Ontario is pushing through several bills with little or no debate, which the government house leader says is due to a short legislative sitting.

The government has significantly reduced debate and committee time on the proposed law that would force municipalities to seek permission to install bike lanes when they would remove a car lane.

It also passed the fall economic statement that contains legislation to send out $200 cheques to taxpayers with reduced debating time.

The province tabled a bill Wednesday afternoon that would extend the per-vote subsidy program, which funnels money to political parties, until 2027.

That bill passed third reading Thursday morning with no debate and is awaiting royal assent.

Government House Leader Steve Clark did not answer a question about whether the province is speeding up passage of the bills in order to have an election in the spring, which Premier Doug Ford has not ruled out.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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