Politics

OTTAWA — A panel of top bureaucrats considered warning the public about possible foreign interference in the last general election, but ultimately decided against it, a senior official testified at a federal inquiry Friday.

WHITEHORSE — Yukon's premier is apologizing ahead of an inquest into the deaths of four Indigenous women who were accessing services at the Whitehorse emergency shelter.

FREDERICTON — A New Brunswick school district has gone to court to prevent the government from forcing it to apply the province's policy on gender identity for students.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says although she once spoke positively of carbon rebates, the rising cost of the federal levy means Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can no longer justify it.

OTTAWA — Montreal MP Anthony Housefather said Friday he will remain in the Liberal caucus, despite the intense anger he still feels about a motion passed by the House of Commons last month.

VICTORIA — The BC Coroners Service says 177 people died in February due to "toxic, unregulated drugs." The service says at least 175 people have died because of the toxic drug supply in each of the last 20 consecutive months.

OTTAWA — The federal Liberal government plans a $600-million package of loans and funding to help make it easier and cheaper to build homes for owners and renters.

HALIFAX — The first female Speaker of the Nova Scotia legislature is leaving politics.

LONGUEUIL, Que. — A former employee of Quebec's hydro utility who is accused of spying on behalf of China pleaded not guilty to additional charges on Friday as his lawyers attempted to gain access to more evidence in his case.

A voting company owner on Friday acknowledged making a “coercive” demand of 32 Texas counties: Pay an additional surcharge for the software that runs their voting registration system, or lose it just before November's elections.