Western Standard News Update ｜ $885 million on health for illegal immigrants, refugees ｜ 27 Jan 2026
Episode Stats
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119.027306
Summary
In the last year, Ottawa has spent nearly $885 million providing a wide range of health services to illegal immigrants and refugee clements, which includes hundreds of millions for services not typically covered under provincial health plans. Surrey City Council has unanimously passed a motion introduced by Mayor Brenda Locke calling on the federal government to declare a national state of emergency over the extortion crisis in the city. Nearly 40 extortion-related incidents have been reported in Surrey this month alone, many of them violent. Team Canada s Olympic flag bearers for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics have been announced.
Transcript
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From the Western Standard, here's your news update.
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I'm your host for today, Western Standard reporter Leah Mushett, and here's what you need to know.
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In the last year, Ottawa has spent nearly $885 million providing a wide range of health services
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to illegal immigrants and refugee clements, which includes hundreds of millions for services
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not typically covered under provincial health plans.
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Surrey City Council has unanimously passed a motion introduced by Mayor Brenda Locke
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calling on the federal government to declare a national state of emergency over the extortion crisis in the city.
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Nearly 40 extortion-related incidents have been reported in Surrey this month alone, many of them violent.
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Team Canada's Olympic flag bearers for the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics have been announced,
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naming Mikhail Kingsbury a mogul skier and Marielle Thompson a ski cross skier as the pair to do it.
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Ottawa spent nearly half a billion dollars on its now-canceled 2 Billion Trees program,
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only to fall dramatically short of its own planting goals, according to federal records tabled in Parliament.
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That's it for now. Join us next time for more Western Standard News updates.
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You can follow us on Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Podcasts,
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and don't forget to visit our website at westernstandard.news and have a great day.
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