CanadaJul 14, 2023
Emergency visa applications for Ukrainians fleeing war to end Saturday
Canada is expected to close applications for temporary emergency visas offered to Ukrainians fleeing Russian aggression Saturday but hasn't announced whether it plans to offer long-term refuge.Canada launched the emergency visa after the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year as millions of people fled the embattled country.The visa is available to an unlimited number of Ukrainians and allows them to work and study in Canada for three years while they figure out their next steps. Those who've come to Canada using the emergency visa aren't given refugee status in Canada, and instead are consider
CanadaJul 13, 2023
Feds doing 'broader review' of social media after banning TikTok from work devices
The government is taking a look at possible threats from other social-media applications, after banishing TikTok from the mobile devices of federal public servants for privacy and security reasons.Martin Potvin, a spokesman for the Treasury Board Secretariat, says the government is conducting a wider review of social-media applications on work devices and will share the results when they are available.Potvin says the government is working to improve cybersecurity in Canada by identifying threats and vulnerabilities, including from social-media platforms, to ensure the protection of systems and
CanadaJul 12, 2023
Canada's premiers urge Ottawa to advance infrastructure to boost economic growth
Canada's premiers have ended their annual three-day conference in Winnipeg with a request that Ottawa boost economic growth and trade.Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson, who hosted the meeting, says the premiers have asked for a dedicated meeting with the prime minister to discuss infrastructure priorities.Stefanson says partnerships are needed to keep Canada competitive, but Ottawa must respect the unique jurisdictions of each province.She says the provinces are united in their goal of advancing infrastructure in communities and between jurisdictions, including economic trade corridors.The pr
CanadaJul 07, 2023
Canadian unemployment rate rose to 5.4% in June
Unemployment in Canada climbed in June and numbers from Statistics Canada show B.C. followed the trend.Stats Can says the national jobless rate edged up three basis points to 5.4 per cent last month, while the number of people looking for work in this province climbed to 5.6 per cent from five per cent in May.Analysts say 60,000 positions were added to the national economy in June, but the growing population and boost in jobseekers overshadowed the gain.The Bank of Canada has blamed low unemployment for fuelling inflation and it could consider the consecutive monthly hikes in the jobless rate
CanadaJul 05, 2023
Canadian government suspends advertising on Facebook, Instagram
The Canadian government has given a severe blow to Meta which is opposing the Online News Act.Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the federal government is going to suspend all its ads on Facebook and Instagram.The Trudeau government minister said that Meta's threat to block Canadian news on its platforms in defiance of the Online News Act was irresponsible and unacceptable.He said that the government wants the two platforms to negotiate and pay Canadian media instead of local news while working on the regulatory process.The government said that the talks with Google are going in the right
CanadaJul 04, 2023
Joly concerned for safety of India's diplomats, calls protest poster 'unacceptable'
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says she is concerned about the safety of India's diplomats following what she calls an "unacceptable" poster for an upcoming protest near Toronto.The protest is planned in memory of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was killed in a shooting in British Columbia in June.A poster for the protest circulating on social media includes photos of India's top two diplomats in Canada, calls them "killers in Toronto" and suggests it's time to "kill India."Niijar was a vocal opponent of India and supporter of an independent Sikh state but police say they have fou
CanadaJul 04, 2023
Hockey Canada names former Curling Canada exec Katherine Henderson as president, CEO
Hockey Canada is appointing Katherine Henderson as its next president and chief executive officer.She spent the last seven years as Curling Canada's CEO.Hockey Canada is coming off a scandal-filled year related to the national sport organization's handling of sexual assault allegations and settlement payouts.Federal and corporate funding was slashed as scandals mounted.Public faith in the organization took a significant hit.The board of directors resigned last October along with interim board chair Andrea Skinner.President and CEO Scott Smith also left the organization.Retired judge Hugh L. Fr
CanadaJun 29, 2023
Google set to remove news links in Canada, Meta ends contract for journalism fellowship
Google says it will remove news links in Canada because of a new law that will force digital giants to compensate media outlets for content they share or otherwise repurpose online.Digital giant Meta is terminating the contract for a fellowship program that supports the hiring of a limited number of emerging journalists at newswire service The Canadian Press.The move comes amid fallout from the federal government's Online News Act, formerly known as Bill C-18, which became law last week.The law requires tech companies such as Facebook parent Meta and Google to negotiate deals compensating medi
CanadaJun 28, 2023
Trudeau announces child-care infrastructure funding to build more spaces
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced $625 million of funding to help provinces and territories build child-care infrastructure.Trudeau says the money will be rolled out over four years and will help providers renovate, retrofit and build new not-for-profit and public child-care facilities.The announcement follows through on the child-care infrastructure fund promised by the Liberal government in the 2022 budget.It's meant to complement the national child-care program, which aims to deliver child care for $10 a day, on average, by 2026.Parents have already seen fees reduced by an average