Local News

Idle No More protests are the start of a larger movement that will bring together a broad cross-section of First Nations and non-indigenous communities, Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs president Stewart Phillip predicted Wednesday.

Traffic ground to a standstill for about an hour Wednesday morning as more than 300 Idle No More protesters, many beating drums and waving placards, streamed onto the Patricia Bay Highway.

Cowichan Valley NDP MLA Bill Routley is recovering after heart surgery, his party has announced. Routley underwent surgery in Victoria last week to treat an unspecified heart condition, the NDP said Wednesday in a statement.

TODAY The Victoria Whisky Festival, featuring tastings, workshops, masterclasses and seminars. Today to Sunday at the Hotel Grand Pacific, 463 Belleville St. Schedule of events and ticket information at victoriawhiskyfestival.com.

Agreement comes days before planned shutdown off all services next week

OTTAWA - Martha Hall Findlay won't promise to run for the Liberals in the next federal election if she loses her bid to become party leader. The former Toronto MP would only say Wednesday that she'll see about running when the time comes.

OTTAWA - France is looking for financial backing from Canada and the world to support the international military mission in Mali, says the country's Canadian envoy.

Traffic ground to a standstill for about one hour this morning as more than 300 Idle No More protesters, many beating drums and waving placards, streamed on to the Pat Bay Highway.

OTTAWA - If there's one issue that unites Idle No More protesters, Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence and militant and moderate First Nations alike, it is the federal government's recent changes to environmental oversight.