In the news today: Hodgson says B.C. tanker ban clarity is close

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

Hodgson says Ottawa is close to providing clarity on B.C. tanker ban

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson says the government is getting close to being able to provide clarity on whether Ottawa would repeal the West Coast oil tanker ban. Hodgson made the remarks at a House of Commons committee meeting Monday, when he was asked about the status of legislation prohibiting tankers from carrying more than 12,500 metric tons of crude oil in areas along the Northern coast of British Columbia. The tanker ban became law in 2019 under former prime minister Justin Trudeau and has been among the most criticized pieces of legislation by the Alberta government. Hodgson’s remarks come as Ottawa is nearing a memorandum of understanding with Alberta on a potential oil pipeline.

Government lagging on accessibility for employees

The federal Office of Public Service Accessibility is in limbo months after it produced a document accusing the government of falling behind on supports for public servants with disabilities. The document, obtained by The Canadian Press through access to information law, says the government is lagging on plans to accommodate employees with disabilities. The report says the government has fallen behind in several important areas. The document also says accommodating employees with disabilities remains a challenge in the public service, especially when barriers are complex or hard to identify, such as those that are mental health and neurodiversity related.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

Two grizzlies caught in B.C. near attack site

Two grizzly bears have been captured in Bella Coola on British Columbia’s central coast, and DNA tests may be conducted on one of them to determine if it was involved in last week’s attack on a group of students and teachers. The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says the other bear has already been examined, and because any link to the attack is “not conclusive” it will be fitted with a GPS collar and relocated. A spokesman for the environment ministry says an update about the other animal will be provided after the possible DNA assessment. The service has previously said a mother grizzly and two cubs are thought to have been involved in Wednesday’s attack that left a teacher and three pupils with severe injuries, and the sow may have been injured.

Canadian farmers want guaranteed annual income

A farmers advocacy group says it plans to lobby the federal government for a guaranteed annual income of $50,000. The idea by the National Farmers Union came from its annual convention, held last week in New Brunswick. Farmers want Ottawa to set up a 10-year pilot project that would ensure they receive an annual income of at least $50,000, a rate that would rise by inflation every year. David Thompson, executive director of the union, says a guaranteed income would help stabilize farmers’ incomes, which are often unstable. Members also voted to lobby Ottawa for a cap on the profits of major grocery chains, such as Sobeys or Loblaws, that control the lion’s share of the market.

Author Thomas King says he’s not Indigenous

Celebrated author Thomas King says that despite believing so nearly all his life, he is not Indigenous. The writer of books including 2003’s “The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative” and 2012’s “The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America,” says he is reeling from recent news that he has no Cherokee ancestry. In an essay titled “A most inconvenient Indian” for the Globe and Mail, the Guelph, Ont.-based King says he learned of rumours several years ago that questioned his heritage. The California-born King says he made a concerted effort this year to find their origin, which brought him to a U.S. organization called Tribal Alliance Against Frauds. That group investigated his past with help from a University of British Columbia scholar, and found no Cherokee heritage.

Meta pitches Ottawa on app store age verification

Meta has been lobbying Ottawa for new rules to implement age verification at the app store level. That would put the burden of identifying underage users on companies like Apple and Google, and not on individual platforms like Meta’s Facebook and Instagram. The idea is that app stores would have to send a signal to app developers indicating whether users are older or younger than 18. Rachel Curran, director of public policy for Meta Canada, says the Liberal government should include the concept in upcoming legislation to deal with online safety issues. Rachel Curran, director of public policy for Meta Canada, says the Liberal government should include the concept in upcoming legislation to deal with online safety issues. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2025.