Jun 27 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Canadian officials will likely face a “challenging” NATO leaders summit amid new data suggesting a defence spending dip, and growing public confusion about where the cash is coming from for major promised NORAD upgrades, experts warn. New numbers from the military alliance suggest Canada is slipping behind on its pledge to hit a prominent spending […]
Jun 25 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Canada’s defence chief says he doesn’t yet know where the money is coming from for $4.9 billion in promised upgrades to NORAD radar and surveillance systems. In an interview with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson, Gen. Wayne Eyre was asked about growing questions facing the government to detail their spending plan on NORAD upgrades. Sources […]
Jun 24 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed the U.S. Supreme Court ruling stripping American women and people who can get pregnant of the right to abortions, calling it “horrific.” The top court overturned the precedent-setting Roe v. Wade decision on Friday. “The news coming out of the United States is horrific. My heart goes out to the […]
Jun 22 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — The Canadian government is freezing federal funding to Hockey Canada as the organization remains embroiled in a firestorm of scrutiny over its handling of sexual assault allegations. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday called the organization’s handling of the allegations “unacceptable,” while Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge said Hockey Canada will be “held accountable.”
Jun 19 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Rampant inflation in the Canadian economy means the Bank of Canada will have to raise rates above three per cent to bring things back under control, suggests one economist. Don Drummond, an economist and fellow with Queen’s University, spoke with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson and said while the Bank has been clearly signalling an […]
Jun 17 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Bureaucrats supporting the Prime Minister’s Office claim they need until February 2023 to decide whether to release records about the so-called “Freedom Convoy” — the same month the judicial inquiry into the use of the Emergencies Act is set to wrap up. Global News submitted a request under access to information laws to the Privy […]
Jun 16 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — The federal government’s new legislation proposing sweeping new powers to direct cybersecurity for private sector critical infrastructure operators has “good bones,” according to experts. But they warn that provisions in the bill to gag any operator from disclosing orders from the government to fix their systems — potentially requiring tens of millions of dollars in […]
Jun 14 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — The Canadian government wants sweeping new powers, including access to confidential information, in order to “direct” how critical infrastructure operators prepare for and respond to cyberattacks. And it wants to prohibit those companies from disclosing to the public anything about the directions issued by the federal government — including the mere existence of any orders […]
Jun 12 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Canada and the United States are facing “rough patches” in their democracies as populist, authoritarian movements continue to find traction among Western countries, says the American ambassador. But in an interview with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson, David Cohen said he is ultimately optimistic that the democracies will find a way through the political turmoil […]
Jun 9 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — The Canadian government is on “high alert” for cyberattacks by Russia and others amid a global threat environment that continues to shake the foundations of the post-second World War international order. Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino issued the warning during an appearance at the House of Commons public safety committee on Thursday morning. He told […]
May 29 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Justice Minister David Lametti says imposing tougher bail conditions and longer sentences for gun violence in Canada is “certainly an option” as the government eyes further reform to firearms laws. At the same time, he suggested helping provinces and territories ban handguns remains a “top” priority. Lametti spoke with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson after […]
May 29 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Too often, horrific mass shootings such as the massacre of schoolchildren at Sandy Hook in 2012 lead to a jump in gun sales rather than the calls for reform that most Americans support, says one U.S. writer. In an interview with The West Block‘s Mercedes Stephenson, U.S. political commentator and staff writer with The Atlantic […]
May 24 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Conservative ethics critic James Bezan is asking the federal ethics commissioner to probe what he calls a $17,000 “sweetheart” deal given out by International Trade Minister Mary Ng’s office one month into the first COVID-19 lockdown in April 2020. In the letter sent to Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion on Tuesday, Bezan asked for an investigation […]
May 22 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney‘s imposition of COVID-19 vaccine mandate and other public health measures, along with the province’s desire for equalization changes, are what “derailed” his leadership, suggests leadership rival Danielle Smith. In an interview with The West Block’s Mercedes Stephenson, Smith said Kenney’s decisions to put in place public health measures as COVID-19 spiked […]
May 20 2022 — Amanda Connolly — Global News — The hotly-anticipated final report from former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour into how best to fix the military sexual misconduct crisis is expected to land with Defence Minister Anita Anand on Friday. It comes as the Canadian Forces remains under heavy scrutiny for what experts have repeatedly described as endemic abuses of power, sexism, racism […]