Canada

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cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3001955

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Senior German and Norwegian defence officials say they're confident Canada will sign on to the ReArm Europe plan in the coming weeks and such a move will make it easier for the Liberal government to buy new submarines from allies.

Jasper Wieck, the political director of the German Ministry of Defence, and Norway's program director of submarines, Capt. (N) Oystein Storebo, spoke with CBC News recently about the pitch for Canada to join their existing partnership, in which the two nations are constructing cutting-edge boats that will begin to enter service in 2028.

Competition for the multibillion-dollar defence program is heating up and their remarks come weeks after two South Korean shipyards, in a joint venture, submitted a detailed, unsolicited proposal worth up to $24 billion, to build 12 submarines for the Royal Canadian Navy.

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Wieck says that agreement, plus the rearmament program, are important for both Europe and Canada as the West tries to face down the threat of potential Russian aggression.

"It's a partnership that has so many benefits from both sides," Wieck said. "Once Canada would have signed the security and defence partnership with the European Union, Canada will be considered as an EU member state in all these European schemes and all these European incentives."

Both Norway and the U.K. are not members of the EU but are deeply involved in the rearmament plan.

"It is about [the] collective effort by Europeans, not only to buy collectively, but to maintain collectively and train collectively and operate collectively," Wieck [said].

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[Edit typo.]

Canada’s federal police have launched a criminal investigation into several IDF soldiers who also hold Canadian citizenship, on suspicion of crimes against humanity allegedly committed during their military service, Canadian media reported Tuesday.

The report, first published by the Toronto Star, marks the first time Canadian authorities have formally opened a war crimes investigation against dual Israeli-Canadian nationals. The move has triggered concern and controversy within Canada’s Jewish and Israeli communities.

According to the report, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are investigating Canadian citizens who served in the IDF, whether in active duty or as reservists, during the war in Gaza. The probe reportedly began in 2024 but remained under wraps until now. It could include evidence collection, information sharing with international bodies and potentially even indictments on Canadian soil.

TLDR: 'members of the beekeeping community came to the rescue, with over two dozen responding to the scene' and 'Hive boxes from the overturned truck were recovered, restored and returned to use. By morning, most bees should have returned to their hives, and those responsible for their delivery will be in charge'

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Canada’s lawmakers are urging the government to implement a recently adopted law against foreign interference following reports by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, CBC News and other media partners that the Chinese government has targeted dozens of Chinese dissidents living in Canada and other countries over the last decade.

Jenny Kwan, a member of the left-leaning New Democratic Party who herself is an “evergreen” target of the Chinese government according to Canda’s intelligence agency, told ICIJ media partner CBC News that countering transnational repression has become an urgent matter.

“In light of the CBC investigation and the reports that have now come out, you would think that this would be a priority for the government,” Kwan, who was born in Hong Kong, said in an interview. “But so far, I have yet to hear the prime minister say foreign interference, transnational repression is a top priority for them.”

[...]

China Targets, an ICIJ-led investigation in collaboration with 42 media partners worldwide, exposed how Chinese authorities as well as Chinese Communist Party supporters and other government-backed individuals and organizations use surveillance, pressure on family members, hacking and other tactics to target regime critics living overseas.

[...]

As part of the $30-million deal, Canadian Tire will take ownership of not only the Hudson's Bay stripes, but also its company names and other trademarks, such as its historic coat of arms symbol.

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Do you think that we could convince Damien Kurek to run as an independent?

🤣🤣🤣

As wildfires continue to rage in Western Canada, communities in affected areas and surrounding provinces have been blanketed by thick plumes of smoke, prompting air quality alerts extending into parts of the United States this week.

Smoke conditions in some parts of the U.S. Midwest have become so bad that the air quality has been categorized as "hazardous."

Exposure to wildfire smoke has been found to cause early death and respiratory issues, says a 2024 report from Health Canada.

**FYI - the smoke map is updated regularly on the website.