Foreign interference and national-security issues in Canada’s banking and insurance sectors are in the sights of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. “Over the two years that I’ve been Superintendent, geopolitical risk and its offshoots have increased in significance,” says Peter Routledge. “There’s a possibility that that intensity metastasizes over into the financial system, and we want our institutions ready to adapt.” [node:read-more:link]
Vera Jourova, a Czech politician who is the European Commission’s vice-president for “values and transparency”, says the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has “the largest ratio of mis- or disinformation posts” in the world. Moreover, she warns, billionaire Elon Musk’s dismantling of a monitoring team likely means the problem will grow. [node:read-more:link]
Draft legislation the government says will improve consumer choice by limiting corporate concentration is being slammed by the president of he Business Council of Canada. “C-56 is a trojan horse,” says Goldy Hyder. “It will upend a legal regime that fostered all the globally competitive Canadian companies doing business today.” [node:read-more:link]
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced today that the federal government is increasing the Canada Mortgage Bonds program by 50% to $60 billion to boost low-cost financing for the construction of rental housing. The expectation is that it will add 30,000 units annually. [node:read-more:link]
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has received a classified intelligence briefing that points to India’s role in the killing of a prominent Sikh activist in B.C. last June. “It was very clear […] that there is credible information that the Indian government was involved,” he said, adding that he doesn’t think details should be made public for now because it could compromise the criminal investigation. [node:read-more:link]
Expelled from the UN Human Rights Council after invading Ukraine, Russia is applying to rejoin for a three-year term despite the fact that President Vladimir Putin and his military stand accused of war crimes. In its application, Russia seeks to stop the council becoming an “instrument which serves political wills of one group of countries.” [node:read-more:link]
Antony Rota, the Ontario Liberal MP who has served as Speaker of the House of Commons since 2019, announced today that he is resigning. All parties had sought his resignation after he had lauded a constituent during Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy’s visit to Parliament last week. Yaroslav Hunka, 98, had served in a Nazi division during the Second World War and while Rota apologized, that wasn’t enough. [node:read-more:link]
Polish Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek said today that he has “taken steps” to having a 98-year-old Ukrainian-Canadian extradited for trial. Yaroslav Hunka, a member of a Nazi division during the Second World War, came into the spotlight last week when he was recognized as a “hero” by House of Commons Speaker Anthony Rota, his Ontario MP. [node:read-more:link]
The Open Mind Insititute, a research group which tackles disinformation and propaganda, says the results of a recent poll highlight the fact that economically-pinched Russians foresee an even gloomier future due to fallout from the Ukraine invasion. However, the polling data also indicate that some elements of the population are resolutely supportive of their government. [node:read-more:link]
Commenting on the diplomatic fallout from Prime Minister Trudeau’s explosive allegation that India was involved in the murder of a B.C. Sikh activist last June, Defence Minister Bill Blair said September 23 that a criminal investigation is more appropriate. “Move beyond credible intelligence to evidence […] of exactly what happened so that we and the Indian government can know the truth, have the facts and then work together to resolve it.” [node:read-more:link]
French President Emmanuel Macron said September 23 that he will withdraw diplomatic staff and 1,500 troops from Niger in “the months and weeks to come” with a full pullout “by the end of the year.” Military leaders who overthrew democratically-elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July have been pressing for a withdrawal. [node:read-more:link]
The federal government has topped up assistance for Ukraine with a $650-million deal to supply 50 armoured vehicles over three years. The announcement coincided with a commitment to send personnel to train Ukrainian fighter pilots, an updated trade deal, more funding for Ukrainian mental health programs, and extended Russian sanctions. [node:read-more:link]
As Canada’s diplomatic row with India continues over Prime Minister Trudeau’s allegation that Indian agents were involved in the killing of a Sikh activist in B.C. last June, the U.S. Ambassador to Canada has confirmed that “shared intelligence […] helped lead Canada to making the statements that the Prime Minister made.” [node:read-more:link]
The UN Security Council has been urged by U.S Secretary of State Antony Blinken to authorize deployment of a Kenya-led security mission to Haiti. He has also promised “robust financial and logistical assistance” for a campaign to address ongoing gang violence which has paralyzed Haiti for more than two years. [node:read-more:link]
Draft legislation introduced by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is designed to address soaring housing and grocery costs. Among other things, Bill C-56 as tabled September 21 would remove the federal portion of the Goods & Services Tax to incent construction of new rental housing and amend the Competition Act to address corporate concentration and its effect on the grocery sector. [node:read-more:link]
