Politics

A 2021 analysis of China’s foreign interference operations intended to spark discussion among senior government figures did not make it to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or cabinet ministers, the Hogue commission heard Monday. The report, produced by the Privy Council Office (PCO) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and delivered in January 2022, was stalled for months in the office of Trudeau’s then-national security adviser, Jody Thomas.The foreign interference inquiry, overseen by Justice Marie-Josée Hogue, has heard repeatedly about the challenges of ensuring that vital intelligence reaches senior decision-makers.As the nerve centre of government, PCO has a division called the Intelligence Assessment Secretariat, tasked with supporting the prime minister and their nati...

A new report from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is sending a stark warning ahead of the U.S. presidential election, saying protectionist policies like Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs could damage economies on both sides of the border. The report authored by Trevor Tombe, an economics professor at the University of Calgary, said while most Canadians recognize the importance of trade with the U.S., Americans don’t have the same understanding about how intricately the two countries are connected particularly at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.Canadian officials and business groups have been meeting with Democratic and Republican counterparts across the U.S., making sure Canada is prepared for any outcome of the November election.Both presidential candidates have campaigned on protection...

As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, more than a thousand Canadians have left Lebanon over the past nine days through commercial flights, with more seats available this week. Since Sept. 29, a total of 1,162 people, including Canadians, permanent residents and immediate family members, have flown out of Lebanon, Global Affairs Canada said in an update on Monday evening.The federal government began co-ordinating commercially assisted departures for Canadians looking to get out of Lebanon at the end of last month amid an intensifying conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. 3:36 Feds commit another $15M in humanitarian aid to Lebanon ...

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on Tuesday doubled down on his call for Israel to pre-emptively strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, saying such an act would be “a gift by the Jewish state to humanity.” Poilievre first voiced his support Monday at a commemoration event in Ottawa marking the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel. The ensuing conflict in the Middle East reached a new crescendo last week, when Iran — which supports Hamas and other proxy militant groups fighting Israel — fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel, which has vowed retaliation.U.S. President Joe Biden and other world leaders have warned against striking Iran’s nuclear facilities over fears of further escalating the conflict into an all-out war between two of the region’s most ...

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre lamented the House of Commons remains “paralyzed” Tuesday as his party extends a debate about turning government documents over to the RCMP. Poilievre was referring to the delay in the government producing seven years’ worth of records related to the Sustainable Development Technologies Canada (SDTC) organization within 30 days.The now-defunct organization, which was federally funded but at arm’s length from government, was found earlier this year to have broken conflict of interest rules and made “significant lapses” in managing public funds by the Auditor General of Canada. The Conservatives have taken to calling it a “green slush fund.”If you’re already feeling lost, don’t worry. It’s a natural reaction to the political posturing that typically comes...

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau lands in Laos on Wednesday, he will have spent almost a full day in the air and yet, despite spending 24 hours to get to the Laotian capital of Vientiane, he won’t even spend 48 hours there. But senior government officials travelling with the PM this week say the time and treasure spent so that Trudeau can attend the annual summit of leaders from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an important part of a “strategic long-term bet” his government made several years ago to raise Canada’s profile in the region.It’s part of the country’s Indo-Pacific strategy aimed at boosting rules-based trade and enhancing the kind of multilateral security relationships that a middle power like Canada must have to survive and thrive.“Canada has to be build...

Canada is adding another $15 million to its humanitarian aid package for Lebanon after an escalation in the conflict between Israel and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah. International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen says the new money will help Canadian and international aid groups provide food, water, emergency health care and other assistance in Lebanon, though the exact allocations are yet to be determined.“This conflict is taking a terrible toll on civilians in Lebanon and beyond,” Hussen said at a press conference. 2:00 Israeli military won’t back down from intense attacks on Gaza and Lebanon “As of today, Canada has committed...

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s national security advisor said she has not seen evidence that federal politicians are “traitors” through their dealings with foreign governments. Speaking at the Hogue commission into foreign interference Wednesday, Nathalie Drouin suggested a recent report by a cross-partisan national security committee gave the mistaken impression that some MPs were betraying their country.“The fact that (the report) focused on members of Parliament and thus gave the impression that some MPs might have been aware and might have acted in a way that is close to treason makes me very uncomfortable. Because that’s not what I see,” Drouin, a longtime public servant appointed Trudeau’s National Security and Intelligence Advisor in January, said.“I’ve seen inappropriate behaviour...

OTTAWA – A former chief of staff to a Liberal public safety minister has denied suggestions she worked to stall approval of a spy service warrant in early 2021 because it directly touched the operations of the Trudeau government. Zita Astravas called the allegation “categorically false” during testimony late Wednesday at a federal inquiry into foreign interference.The inquiry has heard that it took 54 days for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warrant application to be approved by Bill Blair, public safety minister at the time.The average turnaround time for such applications is four to 10 days.Michelle Tessier, CSIS deputy director of operations during the period, has told the inquiry there was frustration with the delay.A timeline tabled at the inquiry says Astravas attended a b...