CanadaNov 02, 2023
Canadian man in Gaza says Ottawa has asked him to be prepared to leave with family
A Canadian man trying to get out of Gaza with his family says Global Affairs Canada has asked him to gather his documents and be prepared to leave at any moment through the enclave's border crossing with Egypt.Mahmoud Nasser says his wife, who has a Brazilian passport, got a call from Global Affairs today during which an official confirmed that Nasser, his wife, his Canadian father and brother and his Palestinian sister-in-law were all registered with Ottawa to evacuate.Nasser, who is sheltering at a refugee camp that's a 20-minute drive away from the Rafah border crossing, says the official t
CanadaNov 02, 2023
Trudeau headed to D.C. for Western Hemisphere trade summit Friday at White House
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is headed to the U.S. capital for a summit meeting to talk about growing trade connections across the Western Hemisphere.Friday's White House summit, hosted by President Joe Biden, will bring together the leaders of countries taking part in the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity.That's what the Biden administration is calling its hemispheric trade framework, an effort to head off migratory challenges by fostering economic growth and trade in the Americas.The Prime Minister's Office says leaders will also discuss attracting what it calls "responsible and
CanadaNov 02, 2023
Foreign interference inquiry to begin public hearings in early 2024: Commissioner
Justice Marie-Josee Hogue, the commissioner of the public inquiry into foreign interference, says her work is now underway and hearings will be held next year.A press release from the public inquiry says it will first focus on allegations of interference by China, Russia and other foreign actors, and any impact that might have had in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.The inquiry is also aiming to take a look at how the flow of information within the federal government worked when it came to such allegations, while a second phase will focus on the government's capacity to detect and counter f
CanadaNov 01, 2023
Canada aims to stabilize immigration level at 500,000 per year in 2026
The federal government has announced its new immigration level plan.Immigration Minister Mark Miller said the federal government is sticking to its goal of welcoming 500,000 new permanent residents in 2026.Immigration targets have increased steadily in recent years.Last year, the government released a plan to give PR to 465,000 people in 2023, a figure that will increase to 500,000 by 2025.The new targets tabled in Parliament show the government plans to equalize the number of new permanent residents in Canada in 2026, with plans to increase the 2024 and 2025 targets.It is worth noting that th
CanadaNov 01, 2023
Quebec tuition hike: Concordia says could lose up to 90% of out-of-province students
Montreal's Concordia University is warning of "devastating financial implications" if Quebec moves forward with a plan to double tuition for out-of-province students next fall.University president Graham Carr said in a message to the Concordia community that the new $17,000 tuition for out-of-province Canadian students will price the school out of the domestic market.He says the university expects out-of-province undergraduate registration will decline by between 65 and 90 per cent as a result, leading to an annual revenue decline of up to $32 million in four years.The school's total annual re
CanadaNov 01, 2023
Former BC premier John Horgan to be Canada's next ambassador to Germany
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that former British Columbia premier John Horgan has been appointed as Canada's next ambassador to Germany.A statement from the Prime Minister's Office says Horgan has a proven track record of dedicated public service and will provide strategic advice to Trudeau in his new role.Horgan, 64, was first elected to the legislative assembly in 2005 and was re-elected four consecutive times, twice as premier.The statement says Canada and Germany face complex challenges, including food and energy insecurity, and will work to advance shared priorities.Trudeau
CanadaNov 01, 2023
Federal government to announce new immigration level plan today
Today, the federal government will announce its new immigration level plan.Under this plan, targets will be set regarding how many immigrants Canada wants to admit to the country during the next 3 years.Announcing these targets last year, the government said 465,000 new immigrants would be admitted to the country in 2023, 485,000 in 2024 and 500,000 in 2025.Setting of these targets is done annually.Normally there is not much debate about these goals, but this time Canada is dealing with inflation and a housing crisis, which has led to reports and surveys in recent days expressing concern about
CanadaNov 01, 2023
Quebec increases immigration target by 10,000, imposes French requirement for workers
The Quebec government is increasing its immigration target to about 60,000 people next year and imposing new French-language requirements for newcomers.Premier François Legault says the official target will remain steady at 50,000 people a year but a document his government released today shows that number will rise by 10,000 when immigrants admitted through other programs are factored in.The premier told reporters today his government will require all economic immigrants, who are chosen by the province, not Ottawa, to pass a French test before they are admitted.Quebec will also begin requiri
CanadaNov 01, 2023
Make the next federal vote a 'carbon tax election,' Poilievre challenges Trudeau
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is challenging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to a "carbon tax election," and is calling on the Liberals to exempt all home heating from carbon pricing until the next federal vote.Poilievre threw down the challenge in an address to his caucus this morning, where he chided the Liberals' decision to pause the levy only for home heating oil over the next three years.That decision, along with a pledge to increase the top-up to carbon rebates for rural Canadians, came amid weak polling for the Liberals in Atlantic Canada, where the federal carbon price came into