Politics

With Canada’s new fentanyl czar now in place, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty said the next step in the fight against the opioid crisis is to designate criminal cartels as terrorist entities under the country’s Criminal Code. Speaking Wednesday at Toronto Pearson International Airport, McGuinty said that listing cartels as terrorist groups will give law enforcement, such as RCMP and local police, more authority and more powers to “follow the money and to look and see how criminal cartels are using sophisticated laundering tactics.”“Right now in downtown Toronto, there’s a gathering of the leadership of the Public Safety Department with Finance Canada, with our fentanyl czar, and with our senior RCMP folks. They’re meeting with the six largest chartered banks in Canada,” he said durin...

By Staff The Canadian Press Posted February 19, 2025 12:45 pm Updated February 19, 2025 12:50 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is scheduled to provide an update today on the government’s response to allegations of government interference in lucrative medical contracts. Health Minister Adriana LaGrange is also set to appear at the news conference in Calgary.The former head of Alberta Health Services alleges in a lawsuit that she was fired for pro...

The Nova Scotia government has introduced a $17.6-billion budget that includes major tax cuts and a reserve fund to be used if the U.S. president makes good on his threat to impose tariffs. Finance Minister John Lohr brought forward a budget Tuesday forecasting a deficit of $697.5 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year — a figure that could rise if the $200-million reserve fund needs to be used.“The threat of U.S. tariffs continues to loom over us. We don’t know what will come, but we are ready to respond,” said Lohr in his budget speech. “It is clear we are entering a period of heightened uncertainty and heightened risk.”Lohr said the province faces hard work in the years to come due to pressing issues such as slowing population growth and American protectionism, which could trigger a drop i...

By Kyle Duggan The Canadian Press Posted February 18, 2025 12:53 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Former central banker Mark Carney is dominating the fundraising field in the race for the federal Liberal leadership. And his main rival appears to be trailing at the back of the pack.Financial data published by Elections Canada shows Carney raised $1.9 million for his leadership bid — more than eight times the sum collected by his nearest fundraising competitor. 2:02 Liberal leadership candidate Mark...

When British Columbia’s Legislature opens for the first time in nine months on Tuesday, the driving force behind the province’s politics and the government’s upended agenda will be thousands of kilometres away. New Lt.-Gov. Wendy Cocchia will deliver a throne speech outlining the NDP government’s goals, opening the legislative session against the backdrop of economic uncertainty and the looming threat of whopping tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump. 1:58 B.C. budget expected in March amidst possible trade tariffs Already, at least one flagship promise is out the window, with last week’s cancellation of the government’s $1,000 grocery reba...

The federal government will recognize Aboriginal title over the archipelago of Haida Gwaii off British Columbia’s northern coast in a historic agreement with the Haida First Nation. Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree says this is the first time the federal government has recognized Aboriginal title through negotiations.He says in an interview that it’s a “hugely significant” achievement that will reset the relationship in a “very meaningful way.”The Big Tide Haida Title Lands Agreement affirms that the Haida have Aboriginal title over all of the islands’ lands, beds of freshwater bodies, and foreshores to the low-tide mark. 2:28 What historic agreement signed in Haida Gwaii...

By Kyle Duggan The Canadian Press Posted February 17, 2025 8:01 am Updated February 17, 2025 8:12 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size It’s deadline day for candidates to pay up so they can stay in the running to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader — and the field appears to be set. The final $125,000 instalment of a total $350,000 entrance fee is due by the end of the day — a high bar of entry for such a short race.The campaigns for Chrystia Freeland, Frank Baylis and Karin...

The mayor of the border city of Windsor, Ont., says the potential for steep U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods could have a near “catastrophic” impact on the economy and jobs. Mayor Drew Dilkens told The West Block’s Mercedes Stephenson that such tariffs, which U.S. President Donald Trump has delayed until March, would impact many sectors important to his city, including automotive.“We’re on the precipice of being catastrophic,” he said.“Twenty-five per cent for us would certainly mean that the price of vehicles would go up. People would simply defer spending 25 per cent more for the price of a vehicle waiting for some more certainty. It may make imports more attractive, quite frankly.”He went on to explain that shift away from Canadian products, and people waiting for more certainty, would th...

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada is firmly opposed to having Russia reinstated in the G7 as U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested. During a news conference at an international security conference in Munich, Germany on Saturday, Joly was asked if she and her international colleagues discussed re-admitting Russia into the group.“No we didn’t, and I am telling the position of Canada: No way this will happen,” she said.The meeting of foreign ministers during the Munich Security Conference was the first one under Canada’s 2025 presidency. Joly also announced she will host her counterparts in Charlevoix, Que., on March 12-14.Russia used to be part of what was known as the Group of Eight until other members suspended Moscow in 2014 over the invasion of Ukraine that resulted i...

Cale Makar will do everything he can to step on the ice for Canada on Saturday night. But head coach Jon Cooper isn’t ready to confirm his top defenceman will be available for the highly anticipated 4 Nations Face-Off matchup against the United States.“That’ll be a game-time decision,” Cooper said Saturday morning — “but trust me, this won’t be a situation (where) we ever put Cale Makar in harm’s way — so if he’s in the lineup, he’ll be good to go.”Cooper said goalie Jordan Binnington will start for the second consecutive game.Makar — an all-situations blueliner who quarterbacks Canada’s loaded top power-play unit — participated in Canada’s morning skate after missing practice Friday with an illness.The former Norris Trophy winner said the last couple of days have featured “a lot of ups an...