Blog

The future of Ukraine is the top item on the agenda at the Munich Security Conference following a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week, when they pledged to work together to end the three-year-old Russia-Ukraine conflict. U.S. Vice President JD Vance hammered home the U.S. demand that the NATO alliance step up defence spending on Friday, ahead of a security meeting in Europe at a time of intense concern and uncertainty over the Trump administration’s foreign policy.Vance is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later Friday for talks that many observers, particularly in Europe, hope will shed at least some light on Trump’s ideas for a negotiated settlement to the war.Vance started his day in Munich meeting separately ...

The Ontario NDP is asking the integrity commissioner and Elections Ontario to investigate a campaign video from PC Leader Doug Ford’s trip to Washington D.C. this week, portions of which were supported using taxpayer resources. The complaint was lodged after a new video was posted on social media Thursday morning showing Ford and two Progressive Conservative candidates walking around Washington D.C.The video also included footage from an event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and meetings with elected officials, which were paid for and organized by the government.The video, uploaded to Ford’s social media page ended with the PC Party’s campaign slogan, Protect Ontario.The footage was deleted several hours after it was first posted online on Thursday and re-uploaded to Ford’s social media ac...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent lawyer and vocal vaccine critic, has been confirmed as the United States’ new health secretary Thursday morning, following a 52-48 vote by the U.S. Senate. The Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) role controls US$1.7 trillion in spending for vaccines, food safety and health insurance programs like Medicare and Medicaid for roughly half the country’s population, not to mention medical research, public health outreach, hospital oversight and funding for community health care clinics.Despite several Republicans expressing deep skepticism about his views on vaccines, Kennedy cruised to a confirmation win. Republican senators have largely embraced Kennedy’s vision, reciting his newly hatched slogan to “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) in speeches.Se...

The chief of NATO says the military alliance needs to shift to a “wartime mindset.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said on Thursday that members recognize “the need to invest much more,” making the comments after the U.S. told members the day earlier that Europe must “own responsibility for its own security,” including support for Ukraine.“We are producing more and faster than at any time in decades, but we can and must do more to ensure the credibility of our returns in defence for years to come,” Rutte said.“We need to shift to a wartime mindset and we need industry to shift with us. The demand signals are clear and they’ll continue to grow.”Rutte, who spoke after a meeting of alliance defence ministers, said he believed the officials would return to each of their countries with a “gr...