The government is putting $156 million over three years toward a new three-digit suicide-prevention hotline, Mental Health Minister Carolyn Bennett announced Monday. Starting on Nov. 30, people in crisis will be able to dial 988 anywhere in Canada to be connected with trained responders 24 hours a day by phone or text message.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth says survivors deserve to be treated fairly after going through trauma and shielded from further harm, and the new standards and programs will "empower" those people. The province says the funding for the new programs kicks in this month, while new policing standards coupling investigators with victims services workers will begin next year, applying to all B.C. police officers.
RCMP in Nova Scotia say they have found the body of one of the people who went missing over the weekend during massive flooding across the province. Police say they recovered the body of a 52-year-old man.
Ottawa announced projects to support people working in the caring economy at a major foreign-aid conference focused on women's advancement. International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan also offered details at the Women Deliver conference in Rwanda about how $200 million in previously announced funding would be allocated.
For the first time in more than a month, showers and cooler weather are reaching parched sections of British Columbia, potentially bringing some respite for crews battling hundreds of wildfires. Environment Canada says about 20 millimetres of rain should dampen Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver.
Recent incidents, including the tragic shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar that unfolded in our city, have brought this issue to the forefront, sparking discussions and calls for action. As we grapple with the aftermath of such events, it is essential to delve deeper into the multifaceted nature of public safety.