The federal minister of aboriginal affairs has announced a one-year agreement that provides the Canadian Red Cross with $780,000 to provide evacuation services for First Nation communities in Manitoba.
Bernard Valcourt says the measure is effective as of yesterday.
In a news release, Valcourt says the government wanted to make sure things were in order prior to the upcoming flood season.
He says the deal ensures that First Nations have support for any potential evacuations this year due to flood, fire or other circumstances.
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No More Foster Children Placements In Hotels
Manitoba's family services minister has tearfully promised to end the practice of putting foster children in hotels after yesterday's serious assault of a teenage girl.
The girl -- who was in the care of Child and Family Services at a hotel -- was found early yesterday morning on a street in downtown Winnipeg.
Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross says by June 1st, no child in care will be housed in a hotel.
A news release signed by president Bruce Archibald says the agency is proud the food safety system has been rated tops out of 17 countries in the OECD the Conference Board of Canada.
On Tuesday, the Agriculture Union said a critical shortage of inspectors -- especially at processing plants in northern Alberta -- is putting the safety of consumers at risk.
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"We Want You... To Come To Canada"
Canada is looking to entice more US travellers to come to Canada.
Canadian Tourism Commission president David Goldstein says when the border ``thickened'' after the 911 terror attacks of 2001, visits to Canada fell by a third.
Tourism Minister Maxime Bernier says the timing is right to entice Americans to come north again, noting one factor in our favour is the lower Canadian dollar.
Bernier hopes to see more funding allotted to tourism in the next federal budget, expected in the coming weeks.
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Militants Attack Kenyan University
A Red Cross official in Kenya says fighting is continuing between security forces and gunmen who attacked a college campus in Kenya's northeast this morning.
Witnesses say the attackers burst into dormitories at Garissa University College, shooting indiscriminately as many students were still asleep.
At least 15 people have been killed and dozens wounded.
The National Disaster Operations Center says three dorms were evacuated and the gunmen were holed up in a fourth.
The attack bears the hallmarks of Somali Islamic extremist group al-Shabab.
