While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Catharine Tunney.
Finance Department says Financial Crimes Agency would be distinct from RCMP. The Liberal government is looking to set up a new federal law enforcement agency dedicated to financial crimes, a dramatic undertaking to shake up how money laundering and fraud are investigated in Canada. "Canada has just, what feels like all of a sudden, established a new federal police agency,"...
Projections put deficit $11.5B lower than November budget. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne's spring economic update finds the Liberal government sitting in a better-than-expected position — driven by a resilient economy and surging oil prices — which it's using to justify billions in new spending to train up tens of thousands of skilled workers and set up a sovereign wealth fund...
PM says he wants to see his successors return to official residence. The state of 24 Sussex Drive is "an embarrassment," says Prime Minister Mark Carney, who suggested he wants a decision made about the future of the derelict residence meant for Canada's prime ministers. "You're not going to see me at 24 Sussex, but I would like to see...
Ottawa's new program allows federal employees to leave early without being penalized. Front-line security and intelligence workers including Mounties won't be able to access the government's penalty‑free early retirement incentive as federal public safety agencies focus on getting more people in the door — not out. The early retirement incentive (ERI) is part of the government's larger goal to trim...
Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) employees who came forward as part of an external study investigating mental health at the spy agency described a sometimes isolating and bleak environment "laden with stigma." One participant told researchers the "service has a fear of mental illness." Those comments are included in a first-of-its-kind research project commissioned by CSIS and published earlier this...
PM Carney has said an age of majority for social media is under discussion. Liberal members will decide today whether they think the government should restrict young Canadians' access to social media platforms and artificial intelligence chatbots, as the national convention winds down in Montreal. Liberal grassroots will vote on 24 policy pitches Saturday, ranging from health-care system improvements to...
Liberals are gathering in Montreal for the next few days, buzzing on a fifth floor-crossing and with a sought-after majority government in sight. While the official agenda is dotted with panels, speakers, policy discussions and campaign training, the three byelections set for Monday are expected to dominate conversations at the three-day event. The party is hoping those races will not...
Telecommunications association says ask goes 'beyond normal business operations.' The Liberal government's second attempt at giving police and spies easier access to Canadians' information includes what's anticipated to be costly demands on a range of private businesses to to change how they manage their data. But the government says it doesn't yet know how much the companies — or Canadian...
Prime Minister Mark Carney defended Canada's approach to forced labour as one of his newest MPs continues to face backlash for appearing to cast doubt on the practice in China. Carney's response to Michael Ma's performance at committee last week comes during a sensitive moment in both Canada's attempts to reset ties with Beijing and the ongoing trade war with...
'I want to know how many terrorists are there in Canada,' Conservative says. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree faced pointed questions Tuesday about why the federal government has deported one Iranian official, despite longstanding concerns about how the regime operates in Canada and abroad. Finding himself in the hot seat before a parliamentary committee, Anandasangaree said Canada is "aggressively trying...
PM calls situation a 'failure of the international order' and urges de-escalation. Prime Minister Mark Carney says his support for U.S President Donald Trump's attack on Iran comes amid a "failure of the international order" and is "not a blank cheque." In the aftermath of the initial strike over the weekend, Carney said Canada supports the U.S. in preventing the...
Poilievre says floor crosser has 'betrayed' the people of Edmonton Riverbend Another Conservative MP has crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party, nudging Prime Minister Mark Carney closer to the line of a coveted majority. Alberta MP Matt Jeneroux, who said last year that he planned to leave politics altogether after his name circulated as a potential defector, announced...
Multiple reports argue RCMP's sprawling mandate pulls resources from complex crimes. After months of uncertainty hanging over the RCMP, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the government is committed to keeping Mounties in the business of day-to-day policing across the country — while signalling that improving the federal crimes wing is his priority. "Bottom line is, we could do both,"...
The RCMP's ability to recruit new Mounties was, not all that long ago, seen as a crisis. But new numbers suggest the national police force is starting to turn that around. "I think actually things are looking very promising," said RCMP assistant commissioner Adam Palmer, head of national recruitment transformation, in a recent interview. But it's unclear if the upward...
Standard news conference was abruptly called off Friday. Prime Minister Mark Carney had an eventful week that saw him try and reposition Canada on the world stage and host high-level cabinet meetings — but it ended with unanswered questions about what comes next. Carney was scheduled to take reporters' questions after two days of meetings with his front benches in...
Canada's 'values must be fought for' in a moment of democratic decline, says prime minister. For the second time this week Prime Minister Mark Carney took aim at Donald Trump — this time directly biting back at the U.S. president's "Canada lives because of the United States" comments. On Wednesday Trump addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where...
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to stand firm when he travels to China later next week and keep the steep tariffs on its electric vehicles in place. Canada opened a trade irritant with China when the government, in lockstep with then-U.S. president Joe Biden, slapped a 100 per cent tariff on EVs — arguing the...
First ministers' meeting planned for Jan. 29 in Ottawa, say sources. Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with the premiers in Ottawa later this month, the start of a busy year where the mandatory review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement (CUSMA) kicks into high gear. Carney will hold the first ministers' meeting on Jan. 29 and will host a dinner the night...
Prime minister says AI, critical minerals are areas of concern. Prime Minister Mark Carney has begun to lay out publicly what he sees as boundaries when dealing with China, as his government wades into a new relationship with the economic giant. Carney, who earlier this year called China one of Canada's biggest security threats, has more recently spoken openly about...
U.S. trade representative calling for Canada to expand access to its market. Prime Minister Mark Carney reaffirmed he'll protect Canada's supply management system, as the United States signalled it's ready to fight over this country's dairy rules at the negotiating table. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told members of U.S. Congress Wednesday that Washington is not prepared to extend the...
Poilievre accuses rival of picking up MPs through 'dirty backroom deals.' Prime Minister Mark Carney suggested there is still "a spectrum of MPs" enticed by his brand of governing, as the Liberals teeter on the edge of a majority after last week's surprise floor-crossing. "MPs are attracted to what we're doing," he said in a year-end interview airing on CBC's...
Legislation introduced last spring faces battles on multiple fronts. One of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first orders of business after securing a win during the spring federal election was to introduce a border security bill. It was heralded by Liberals as a signature piece of legislation to help harden the 49th parallel and advance a trade deal with the White...
U.S. envoy says Canada needs to 'seriously consider' its approach. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra continued to lash out against the ad campaign that infuriated his president and abruptly ended trade negotiations while on stage in Ottawa Wednesday, accusing Canada of interfering in “electoral politics” south of the border. He suggested that the timing of the ad amounted to...
Opposition was pushed off message during a key week to define the budget narrative. This is not the week Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wanted to have. For the Opposition, budget week is a communications gift. It’s an easy way for the party to call out government spending, shout about what’s been included and decry what’s left out. For a leader...
Scheer says Carney trying 'to cobble together a majority.' Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer held a brief media availability Friday morning in an attempt to redirect attention from the Official Opposition's internal crisis to the Liberal Party. Instead, the senior Conservative was pelted with questions about Edmonton Riverbend MP Matt Jeneroux’s surprise decision to quit federal politics six months after...
Prime Minister Mark Carney gave no indication trade talks with the United States will resume any time soon, despite apologizing to U.S. President Donald Trump who abruptly ended negotiations over an ad campaign.
A year after passing Bill C-20, still no word on when new agency will be functional. The watchdog body meant to investigate Mounties’ conduct has been without a chairperson for months, stalling investigations and weakening transparency about how the country’s police force interacts with Canadians across the country. The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (CRCC) has for...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took aim at the RCMP’s independence in a recent interview, calling the national police force’s "despicable" leadership and accusing it of covering up for the Liberal government and former prime minister Justin Trudeau. “If the RCMP had been doing its job and not covering up for him, then he would have been criminally charged,” the Opposition...
Affidavit suggests investigators believe plot linked to organized crime. The RCMP has charged an Ottawa Royal Bank of Canada employee after he allegedly accessed Prime Minister Mark Carney's banking profile as part of a criminal plot. The Mounties confirmed Wednesday they charged Ibrahim El-Hakim, 23, with fraud over $5,000, unauthorized use of a computer, identity theft and trafficking in identity information.
NSICOP report on lawful access comes as Bill C-2 makes its way through Parliament. Canada's security and intelligence organizations face "significant challenges" detecting and responding to security threats because of legislative gaps and outdated resources limiting when and how they can access private messages, one of the country's intelligence watchdogs warns. A recently tabled report from the National Security and...
Toronto MP is currently Transport minister. Longtime Liberal cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland is stepping down from cabinet, sources tell CBC News. Those sources, who spoke on the condition they not be named, said the Transport minister is taking up an envoy role related to Ukraine.
CSE confirms Canadian telecom targeted, won't detail extent of attack. A Chinese hacking group that may have stolen information from nearly every American "almost certainly" targeted a Canadian telecommunications company as well, according to a warning from Canada's cyber intelligence agency. The prowess of the Beijing-backed group often referred to as Salt Typhoon is back in the news after more...
One of the heavily armed Canadian Armed Forces members now charged with terrorism allegedly spoke openly about his will to use violence against government authorities and warned about another Waco massacre, according to recently unsealed court documents. Last month the RCMP charged four Quebec men, all with military ties, for allegedly planning an ideologically motivated violent plot "intending to forcibly...
Union says advisory board ignores management's role in getting members back to work. The proportion of Mounties on long-term, off-duty sick leave has reached an all-time high and become a critical issue for the national police force, according to a new outside report. The Management Advisory Board (MAB), an oversight body that advises the RCMP commissioner, is warning that the...
A Nova Scotia Mountie abused his role when he pursued an intimate sexual relationship with the complainant in an assault case where he was the lead investigator, according to an RCMP code of conduct board ruling. The adjudicator overseeing the case, Gina Lévesque, said the Mountie acted inappropriately and discredited the force. "Police officers have a duty to protect vulnerable...
Prime Minister Mark Carney showed no signs of retaliating against U.S. President Donald Trump's increased tariffs — and even suggested he's open to removing existing tariffs if it would help Canadian industries. Carney faced questions Tuesday about Canada's next steps after the two countries failed to reach a trade deal by the Aug. 1 deadline, resulting in a 35 per...
The head of the Canadian Army has temporarily removed the commanding officer of the Cameron Highlanders in Ottawa after discovering a Facebook group with "abhorrent" content. As CBC News reported earlier this month, the Canadian Armed Forces has been investigating what was called the "Blue Hackle Mafia" group, which the army said was littered with "racist, misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic...
Industry says there's already been a 30% drop in production since start of trade war. Prime Minister Mark Carney promised to further crack down on the amount of cheap, foreign steel entering the Canadian market, as the industry continues to be clobbered by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. Carney made the announcement in Hamilton on Wednesday morning. It's unclear whether...
Defence Minister David McGuinty called allegations that military members were part of an extremist plot "disturbing," but pushed back against accusations the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) isn't doing enough to change its culture. The minister briefly spoke to reporters Thursday on the sidelines of a change-of-command ceremony. They were his first public comments since the RCMP charged four men, including...
3 Quebec men face terrorism-related charges. Three men face a terrorism charge for allegedly planning to create an anti-government militia and seize land in Quebec, according to the RCMP. According to a news release Tuesday morning, the Mounties say the group was involved in an alleged ideologically motivated violent extremism plot "intending to forcibly take possession of land in the...
The Federal Court says the RCMP must hand over soldier-client information to the country's national security review agency — allowing a long-stalled review into whether the Mounties mishandled the case of a Canadian convicted of plotting ISIS-inspired terror attacks in the U.S. to move ahead.
CAF says members involved with 'Blue Hackle Mafia' could be punished. The Canadian Army is investigating members who allegedly shared what the country's top soldier called "abhorrent" content within a private Facebook group. According to a statement from Lt.-Gen. Mike Wright, the "Blue Hackle Mafia" group featured "racist, misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic comments and images."
One of Canada's intelligence agencies says it "improperly" shared information about Canadians that it had obtained "incidentally" with international partners. The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) shared some details about the incident after the intelligence commissioner — the quasi-judicial position that reviews the cyber spy agency's activities — flagged the case in his annual report tabled in Parliament earlier this week.
Prime minister was peppered with questions at closing newser. Officials in Prime Minister Mark Carney's office are retracting comments that the U.S. wanted to water down a statement about Russia's war in Ukraine on the final day of the G7 summit in Alberta. Tuesday afternoon, an official from the Prime Minister's Office told reporters from multiple outlets that a joint...
Crown prince was invited to last year's G7 summit, but did not attend. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been invited to attend the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) summit in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, two government sources told CBC News. Bin Salman, known as MBS, is a powerful figure in the Middle East and his...
Ottawa hoping to reach agreement with Trump administration before G7 summit. Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump are having discussions out of the spotlight to reach a trade deal and lift tariffs. Sources with knowledge of the conversations first confirmed the calls with CBC/Radio-Canada and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly later told reporters that Carney and Trump are...
Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government is readying further retaliation measures if negotiations with the United States to end the recently doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum fail. "We are in intensive negotiations with the Americans and in parallel preparing reprisals if those negotiations do not succeed," he told the House of Commons during question period Wednesday afternoon.
A recently released RCMP audit says its 911 dispatch centres across the country are struggling with severe staff shortages and burnout, putting front-line Mounties and the public at risk. Described as the lifeline for officers in the field, the RCMP is responsible for 17 operational communications centres, where dispatchers field calls in almost every province and all three territories. They...
Prime Minister Mark Carney told his caucus to brace for a "very, very" busy few weeks and months as Parliament reopens, promising to implement his vision for the country with "urgency and determination." In an address to caucus — which media cameras were invited in to shoot — Carney teased that his Liberal minority government will introduce several pieces of...
Liberal MPs will vote on whether they want the power to oust the new leader if he loses their trust. Liberal caucus members are meeting today ahead of the return of Parliament, this time under the direction of a leader known for his high expectations and ambitious agenda. Sunday's gathering will likely touch on the big-ticket items Prime Minister Mark...
The government's foreign interference law passed last June. When Parliament passed a sweeping national security bill last June, the Liberal government promised to establish a foreign influence transparency registry to convict proxies trying to meddle in Canadian politics. But nearly a year later, it remains unclear how soon the office will be up and running "I think it's a huge...
Ottawa expects 'full investigation,' prime minister says. Prime Minister Mark Carney says it's "totally unacceptable" that members of the Israeli army fired shots near a diplomatic delegation, which included Canadians, in the West Bank on Wednesday. The federal government confirmed Wednesday that four Canadian personnel were part of a tour in the city of Jenin when members of the Israel...
AI appears in PM Mark Carney's campaign platform in many key areas. Canada has its first-ever minister of artificial intelligence in veteran broadcaster and newly elected Toronto Centre MP Evan Solomon. So what does that job exactly entail? When asked what Solomon's mandate and responsibilities will be, a spokesperson from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) pointed to the Liberal platform...
Canada Elections Act sets out when recounts happen and how they can proceed. A Conservative Party fundraising email alleges the Liberals are trying to "tip the scales" in riding recounts, language some political watchers say is concerning as some Canadians say they don't trust the results of last week's election. The email, sent to the Conservatives' mailing list on Wednesday...
MPs can't resign their seat until 30 days after election result is officially published. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has already taken a trip out to the Alberta riding he hopes to represent, after losing the Ottawa-area seat he held for more than two decades in last week's general election. On Friday, Battle River-Crowfoot MP Damien Kurek announced he'll step aside...
With 24 Sussex Drive sitting desolate and in need of millions of dollars in renovations, the government says Prime Minister Mark Carney will soon take up official residence at Rideau Cottage. The crumbling Ottawa home on Sussex Drive had long been the official residence for Canada's prime ministers, but has sat empty since 2015 as workers dealt with mould, asbestos...
1st results will trickle in from Newfoundland and Labrador just after 7 p.m. ET. Millions of Canadians are expected to cast their ballots today in a pivotal election that will decide who will lead the country through a trade battle with the United States. The 36-day campaign has been nothing short of remarkable for the leading contenders: Liberal Leader Mark...
Singh was at Lapu Lapu Day festival and left moments before driver rammed into crowd. The final day of the federal election campaign took on a sombre tone as the leaders reacted to the deaths of nine people at a Filipino street festival in Vancouver Saturday night. Vancouver police said a driver of a black SUV slammed into a crowd...
When it was time for former prime minister Justin Trudeau to vacate his office, he left at least one thing behind for his successor: blueprints to overhaul one of Canada's most iconic institutions: the RCMP. Calling the nearly 152-year-old agency "strained," Trudeau urged the winner of the next election to start the process of getting the Mounties out of boots-on-the-ground...
Reform founder wrote Carney will be 'the last prime minister of a united Canada' if Liberals wins. Liberal Leader Mark Carney says he governs for all of Canada and called prominent conservative Preston Manning's comments on Western independence "dramatic" during a campaign stop in Montreal on Friday. In a recent op-ed for the Globe and Mail, the Reform Party founder...