Advocacy groups decry federal government’s shutdown of mental health website, app

Mental health and addictions experts are slamming the federal government’s decision to shut down an online service that offered help with finding free counselling and peer support over the last four years. Health Canada announced in February that it would stop funding the Wellness Together Canada website and PocketWell app on April 3. Despite a … Read more

Telecom execs insist wireless prices going down as MPs voice concern over costs

The chief executives of Canada’s three largest telecom companies stressed that phone and internet prices are coming down during an appearance before MPs on Monday, noting that increased data usage and high spectrum costs may be some reasons Canadians feel otherwise. The three CEOs — Rogers Communications Inc.’s Tony Staffieri, BCE Inc.’s Mirko Bibic and … Read more

Toronto police reviewing pro-Palestinian protest that prompted Trudeau team to scrap event

Investigators with the Toronto Police Service (TPS) are reviewing whether illegal activity occurred during a Saturday pro-Palestinian protest that led Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s team to cancel a reception to host a visiting G7 leader, the TPS said Sunday. The Saturday evening event at the Art Gallery of Ontario was meant to cap off a … Read more

Trudeau’s Toronto event with Italy PM Meloni cancelled due to pro-Palestinian protest

A Toronto event where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was scheduled to host his Italian counterpart was cancelled on Saturday evening due to security concerns as hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the venue, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office said.  Justin Trudeau’s office says neither he nor Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were able to … Read more

PM won’t say whether MP who attacked government’s Gaza policy will stay in current role

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau skirted the question Thursday when he was asked whether one of his key MPs should stay in his parliamentary secretary role after railing against the government’s approach to the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Rob Oliphant, parliamentary secretary to Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, was recorded in a Zoom call with a … Read more

Federal dental care program will exclude 4.4M uninsured Canadians: report

Politics A new report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says millions of uninsured Canadians will be left out of the new federal dental program because their family income is too high. Enrolment began last month in new program, set to be fully implemented in 2025 The Canadian Press · Posted: Jan 17, 2024 … Read more

Judge rejects federal bid to recoup legal expenses in Muslim charity court case

A judge has rejected the federal government’s request to recover legal costs it incurred during a major Muslim charity’s court bid to halt an audit of its activities. In his ruling, handed down last month, Ontario Superior Court Justice Markus Koehnen says the Muslim Association of Canada’s case served a valid public interest, even if … Read more

U.S. Federal Reserve leaves key interest rate unchanged, expects 3 rate cuts in 2024

For a third straight time, the U.S. Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday, as it signalled its expectations to make a series of quarter-point cuts to the benchmark interest rate next year. Those envisioned rate cuts — which wouldn’t likely begin until the second half of 2024 — suggest officials think high borrowing rates … Read more

Tensions emerge in the Liberal caucus over Canada’s UN vote for a Gaza ceasefire

The federal government’s decision to back a UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza conflict without certain conditions has prompted a mix of reactions from Liberal MPs. Some say they hope it will bring about peace. Others say it amounts to Canada abandoning Israel while it’s at war with extremists. Some Liberal MPs take issue … Read more

Feds introduce bill to set drinking water standards in First Nations

The federal government’s proposed new bill to set drinking water standards in First Nations is being met with mixed reactions.  Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu introduced Bill C-61 on Monday in the House of Commons. The proposed law is intended to protect fresh water sources, create minimum national drinking water and wastewater standards in First Nations, and … Read more