Sunday, June 16, 2024

Trudeau has “concerns” with NSICOP report on foreign interference


Global News has the story.

In tonight’s top story: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to be plagued by questions about alleged foreign interference by countries like China and India. Those questions come in the wake of a damning report that suggests some MPs are engaging with foreign states. As Mackenzie Gray reports, Trudeau said he has some "concerns" about the report, but is not volunteering any specifics.

In Calgary, the city has declared a local emergency as the ongoing water crisis worsens. It has been 10 days since the city reported what it’s declared as a catastrophic water main break. Now, there are signs it could be weeks before things return to normal. Adam MacVicar has the latest on the ongoing emergency.

Across the pond in London, England, Kate Middleton made her first public in nearly three months on Saturday. Middleton continues to battle a cancer diagnosis away from the public eye but displayed a united front with her family at the celebration of King Charles’ birthday. As Vanessa Wright reports, she managed to steal the show even in the face of her health issues.

Survivors of sexual assault in the military say there’s a long way to go to make Canada’s military a safe place for women to serve. On Wednesday, Ottawa’s Veterans Affairs Committee released a scathing report on how women are treated by the Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs. Heidi Petracek speaks to women whose military careers were shattered by sexual assault about the accountability they say is missing.

And finally, it is do or die for the Edmonton Oilers as they face the Florida Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals. The Oilers face near impossible odds to win the cup and if they fail to win Saturday’s game on home ice, it’s all over. Jeff Semple reports on how fans are feeling.

The so-called National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP; French: Comité des parlementaires sur la sécurité nationale et le renseignement; CPSNR) is a body composed of members of the House of Commons and Senate which reviews the activities of the Government of Canada's national security and intelligence agencies. The committee also performs strategic and systematic reviews of the legislative, regulatory, policy, expenditure and administrative frameworks under which national security activities are conducted.

Formed in 2017, members of NSICOP are appointed from members of Parliament's two chambers on the advice of the prime minister after consultation with the leader of the opposition party. Members must obtain and maintain top secret security clearance. NSICOP is not a standing committee nor a special committee of Parliament. Rather, it is an agency of the executive branch, itself overseen by the Prime Minister's Office, whose membership is made up of parliamentarians, unlike similar bodies in other Five Eyes countries – such as the Senate Intelligence Committee and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the United States, the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament in the United Kingdom or the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security in Australia.

Canada: Ontario chemical plant to permanently close over benzene emissions


Global News has the story.

INEOS Styrolution says it will permanently close its industrial plant in Sarnia, Ont., following intense pressure from both the provincial and federal governments to curb toxic emissions. As Carolyn Jarvis reports, residents of the nearby Aamjiwnaang First Nation had previously said they felt sick after high levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene were detected in the air.

The federal government has faced growing calls to reveal the names of MPs who are accused in a report from Canada's intelligence watchdog of "wittingly" providing information to a foreign state. But as David Akin explains, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says the media firestorm about the allegations are overblown, after reading the uncensored version of the report for herself.

While a motion to increase capital gains taxes for the wealthiest Canadians easily passed the House of Commons, the Conservatives voted against the measure. Mackenzie Gray explains how Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rationalized his vote, how the Liberals and NDP could use it as political ammunition and how the polls have shifted since the 2024 federal budget was introduced.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has approved a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the bloodshed in Gaza and securing the release of hostages taken on Oct. 7. But as Crystal Goomansingh reports, while the deal is being overwhelmingly backed internationally, Israel and Hamas have yet to agree to it.
 
Plus, Western Canada is mourning the deaths of a famous white grizzly bear and her two cubs, who were killed in two separate vehicle collisions on the Trans-Canada Highway near Lake Louise, Alta. Heather Yourex-West reports on how conservationists are urging for better measures to protect the rare species.

Canada: Montreal police use tear gas on Pro-Palestinian protesters at McGill


CTV News has the story.

Genevieve Beauchemin reports from McGill University where police faced off with protesters who barricaded themselves in a school building.

Canada sees drop in citizen applications from permanent residents


BBC News has the story.

Canada has been a magnet for immigrants for decades, but recently the number of permanent residents applying for citizenship has been dropping.

Thousands emigrate from India to Canada every year, with the Punjab community making up one of the country’s biggest diasporas, but some are now choosing to return to their home country.

Canada's foreign student push a mismatch for job market, data shows


CBC News has the story.

Canada's recruitment of international students has tilted strongly toward filling spots in business programs, while doing little to meet the demand for workers in health care and the skilled trades, according to a CBC News analysis of federal data.

Are there ‘traitors’ in Canada’s Parliament? Front Burner


CBC News has the story.

A new report accuses parliamentarians of aiding foreign governments to interfere in Canadian politics. Rosemary Barton walks us through the fallout.

Schools across Canada struggling with overcrowded classrooms


CBC News: The National has the story.

Schools in several Canadian cities are struggling with overcrowded classrooms and skyrocketing enrolment, but building more schools is a lengthy and complicated process.