Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

18 Feb

Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux Joins Liberals, Becomes Third Floor-Crosser in Three Months

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada Politics, Conservative Party, floor crossing, Liberal Party, Mark Carney, Matt Jeneroux

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux has crossed the floor to join the Liberal caucus, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Wednesday, marking the third defection from the Conservatives in the past three months. In a post on social media, Carney welcomed Jeneroux and said that building a stronger and more resilient Canada requires “ambition, collaboration and, at times, sacrifice.” He also thanked the Edmonton Riverbend MP and his family for their continued public service. Jeneroux confirmed his decision separately, stating that after consulting with his family, constituents and colleagues, he chose to remain in Parliament and work with the…

18 Feb

Poilievre Vows to Defend ‘United Canada’ Amid Alberta Separatist Push

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, CanadaConservative federalist caucus, Pierre Poilievre Alberta separatism, Stay Free Alberta referendum, united Canada stance

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Pierre Poilievre says the Conservative Party remains firmly committed to a united Canada as a separatist movement in Alberta campaigns for a referendum on independence. Responding to questions from reporters on Tuesday, Poilievre stated that the Conservatives are “entirely a federalist caucus,” adding that no member of his parliamentary team has expressed support for Alberta separatism. The group Stay Free Alberta is currently seeking to trigger a provincial referendum on Alberta becoming an independent country. Organizers have until May to gather nearly 178,000 signatures required to move the proposal forward. Under Canadian law, provinces cannot unilaterally separate…

18 Feb

B.C. Budget Plans 15,000 Public Sector Job Cuts, Projects $13.3B Deficit

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, CanadaBC budget 2026, Brenda Bailey finance minister, British Columbia deficit $13.3B, public sector job cuts, workforce reduction plan

Victoria (Rajeev Sharma): The Government of British Columbia has unveiled a budget that includes plans to eliminate 15,000 full time equivalent public sector jobs by the end of the 2028/29 fiscal year as part of efforts to “right-size” government operations. The reductions are expected to generate savings of $2.85 billion over three years. According to the province, the cuts will not target front-line services, and hiring in key areas such as education and health care will continue. An estimated 2,500 positions will be cut from the B.C. Public Service, which staffs core government ministries and offices. The remaining 12,500 roles…

18 Feb

Delhi Police arrest Lawrence Bishnoi’s key aide, Booby Kabutar linked to Sidhu Moosewala’s recce

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaMurder case, Sidhu Moosewala

New Delhi, Rajeev Sharma :- The Counter-Intelligence Unit of the Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested a key member of Lawrence Bishnoi gang, who had been absconding for seven years, officials said. The accused has been identified as Bobby Kabutar, who is reportedly a close associate of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi and was actively involved in the syndicate's criminal activities. He was allegedly evading arrest for several years and is wanted in multiple cases. According to the investigation, he was involved in carrying out recce prior to the murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu MooseWala. Police said his role included ground-level…

18 Feb

India AI Impact Summit 2026 extended by one day, to conclude on February 21

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAi Impact Summit 2026, India

New Delhi, Rajeev Sharma :- The government on Wednesday announced extention of India AI Impact Summit 2026 by one more day, till February 21 due to the overwhelming response of visitors and exhibitors. Earlier the event was slated to conclude on February 20. The timings for the summit have also been extended till 8 pm in order to provide comfortable experience to the people. Meanwhile, the summit will remain closed for the public on February 19 in view of the restricted events. Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said over three lakh people had registered for the summit, which highlights…

18 Feb

Seniors Targeted by Thieves at Surrey Gurdwaras, Police Issue Urgent Warning

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada

Surrey ( Rajeev Sharma): The Surrey Police Service has issued a strong public warning after multiple reports of distraction thefts targeting senior citizens at gurdwaras in Surrey. Police say suspects are deliberately approaching elderly worshippers in parking lots and near temple entrances, engaging them in conversation under the pretext of offering help or asking for directions. While distracting the victims, the suspects allegedly remove valuables such as gold chains, rings, wallets, and cash. Investigators confirmed that several incidents have been reported in recent weeks, mostly during peak prayer hours when crowds are larger and seniors are more vulnerable. In many…

17 Feb

Courtney Sarault Claims Third Medal at Milano Cortina 2026, Falls Just Short of Golden Sweep

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, SportsCourtney Sarault, Kim Boutin, Milano Cortina 2026, short track speed skating, Team Canada, women’s 1000m silver

Milan (Rajeev Sharma): Canada’s Courtney Sarault came within reach of completing a full Olympic medal set at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, ultimately securing silver in the women’s 1000m on Day 10 of competition. The 25-year-old from Moncton, New Brunswick had already captured bronze in the 500m and silver in the mixed relay earlier in the Games. For much of Monday’s nine-lap final, gold appeared well within her grasp as she led through the opening half of the race. However, in the closing laps, Sarault slipped briefly to third before battling back to finish second. Despite earning her third…

17 Feb

Provinces Enter 2026 Budget Season on Stronger Footing Despite Trade Uncertainty: Desjardins Report

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCUSMA review, Desjardins report, Donald Trump tariffs, provincial budgets 2026, Randall Bartlett, Statistics Canada GDP revision

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Canada’s provinces are heading into the 2026 budget season in a stronger position than previously expected, buoyed by economic resilience and upward revisions to historical growth data, according to a new analysis from Desjardins Group. Randall Bartlett, deputy chief economist at Desjardins and co-author of the report released Tuesday, said forecasting remains unusually challenging amid global trade volatility and shifting economic signals. “It is a much more difficult time to be doing forecasting for any economy, really,” Bartlett said. Trade Pressures and Tariff Exposure At this time last year, provincial outlooks appeared far more fragile as U.S.…

17 Feb

Alberta RCMP Report Surge in Weapons Calls, School Lockdowns After Tumbler Ridge Shooting

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, CanadaAlberta RCMP, Fort McMurray, High River, school lockdowns, Tumbler Ridge shooting, weapons calls

Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Alberta say there has been a noticeable increase in reports of people carrying weapons and subsequent school lockdowns in the days following the deadly mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, which left nine people dead last Tuesday. Cpl. Troy Savinkoff said the spike in calls over a short period is unusual, though he stopped short of definitively linking it to the tragedy in British Columbia. “Having those calls in that short amount of time is more than what is standard,” Savinkoff said in a phone interview Sunday. “We certainly can't disprove that…

17 Feb

13-Year-Old Girl Dies After Chairlift Accident at Quebec Ski Hill

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada13-year-old girl death, Centre Vorlage, chairlift accident, CHEO hospital, ski lift safety, Wakefield Quebec

Wakefield, Que. (Rajeev Sharma): A 13-year-old girl who was critically injured after her clothing became entangled in a chairlift at Centre Vorlage has died, her family confirmed. In a statement released Sunday through CHEO, the Ottawa children’s hospital where she was treated, the family said they were “devastated” by the loss. “We would like to thank our community for their support and the outpouring of love we have received over the last few days. We would like to extend our love to all of those affected by this terrible tragedy,” the statement read. The family also expressed gratitude to those…