The Northwest Territories government is getting up to $150 million in federal funding over the next five years for a 3,000-feet runway extension and facilities upgrades at Inuvik Airport. Among other things, it will enable the RCAF’s forward operating location to handle larger aircraft for domestic and NORAD operations. [node:read-more:link]
The federal government has announced up to $500,000 in initial emergency assistance to support humanitarian relief efforts in the northern Bahamas, which have been ravaged by Hurricane Dorian, the worst storm of its kind on record. [node:read-more:link]
Canada’s Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, has announced that Canada will host the Fifth Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas in 2017. [node:read-more:link]
The Government of Canada has introduced legislation to create a new labour relations regime for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police members and reservists. [node:read-more:link]
The Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Michel Coulombe, has issued a statement after he appeared this week before the Senate Committee on National Security and Defence to discuss the current security environment, and the evolving threat to Canada posed by terrorism. [node:read-more:link]
The recent sale of eight F-16 fighters to Bulgaria is seen as evidence that a stepped-up U.S. plan to compete with Russia and China in the global arms trade is succeeding. The $1.7-billion sale had been on hold over cost concerns but the U.S. sweetened the deal with a $60-million grant. [node:read-more:link]
As the U.S. closes in on a deal to wind down its presence in Afghanistan, senior officials in Afghanistan, Europe and the U.S. say Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is declining to sign it. [node:read-more:link]
A U.S. judge is questioning the constitutionality of a federal database on people deemed to be “known or suspected” terrorists and who can be prevented from entering or travelling within the country.” Ruling on a suit by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, he agreed that the standard for inclusion in the database is too vague. [node:read-more:link]
China has unveiled a proposal for a $50 trillion global electricity network that would help fight pollution and the effects of climate change. [node:read-more:link]
The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, yesterday issued a statement on the reappointment of Howard Sapers as Correctional Investigator of Canada. [node:read-more:link]
Foreign Affairs Minister Freeland announced the appointment of business executive Dominic Barton to the role of Canada's newest Ambassador to China. A start date has not been specified. [node:read-more:link]
Dominic Barton, former global managing director of the McKinsey consultancy and head of the federal Economic Advisory Council, has been confirmed as Canada’s ambassador to China. His appointment comes at a time when the two countries remain locked in a feud over Canada’s detention of a top Huawei executive and China’s apparently retaliatory arrests of two Canadians. [node:read-more:link]
The Afghanistan government is pressing for clarification of the draft peace accord struck by the U.S. and the Taliban. A spokesman for President Ashraf Ghan says the government wants to analyze the risks and potentially negative conseqences of a scaled-back U.S. military presence. [node:read-more:link]
Iran is dismissing as “totally ineffective” U.S. sanctions against its space agencies for their alleged role in developing ballistic missile capabilities. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif says “Americans are addicted to sanctions” as a way of dealing with adversaries. [node:read-more:link]
European powers have been given two more months to save a 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran but President Hassan Rouhani warns that he is preparing for further significant breaches of the agreement if the diplomatic initiative fails. France has offered nearly €14 billion in lines of credit if Iran become fully compliant with the deal. [node:read-more:link]
