National

National


Ottawa moves to bar kids under 16 from social media, regulate chatbots

The Liberal government’s new online safety legislation would force social media to block access for kids under 16, though platforms will be able to obtain an exemption if they put sufficient safeguards in place. Bill C-34, introduced Wednesday in the House of Commons, would also regulate the companies behind AI chatbots by imposing on them […]

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Fact File: Bogus FIFA websites feed World Cup ticket scams

Websites claiming to offer FIFA World Cup tickets and hotel packages are appearing online ahead of the tournament’s June 11 kickoff. The websites use FIFA logos and branding, similar URLs, and identical looking login pages to pass as legitimate. But the sites are scams, meant to trick users into paying for non-existent tickets or giving […]

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Most OSAP growth came from career college students, documents show

When Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government drastically cut student assistance grants earlier this year, it cited “unsustainable” costs, but new figures show nearly all of the recent growth was among career college students. Data obtained by The Canadian Press through a freedom-of-information request shows that between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, the province spent […]

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5 things you need to know about Canada’s new AI strategy

Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled Canada’s long-promised updated strategy on artificial intelligence Thursday — a technology his government says is quickly changing how the world works. The document emphasizes education for all Canadians and encouraging business to adopt AI, while promising to protect workers and children from potential harms. The strategy is a high-level document […]

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New $2.3B federal AI strategy looks to close ‘adoption gap,’ build public trust

Ottawa wants to increase Canadians’ use of artificial intelligence — and it plans to do so through free AI training and legislation to tackle concerns like surveillance pricing and chatbot safety. Announcing the government’s new AI strategy in Toronto on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said “globally, Canada ranks near the bottom of countries in […]

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Ontario’s top court restores agriculture law parts targeting animal rights activists

Ontario’s top court has overturned a lower court decision that had struck down as unconstitutional parts of an agriculture law that made it illegal to get a job on a farm under false pretences to expose conditions inside. In 2020, Ontario enacted the Security from Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, saying it would protect […]

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Alberta to roll out new ID cards in July with health numbers and citizenship markers

Alberta’s government says it will begin rolling out three-in-one identification cards, ultimately replacing the province’s long-reviled paper health cards. Starting July 2, new driver’s licences and ID cards are to include personal health numbers and citizenship markers, a move Premier Danielle Smith’s government says will streamline access to services. In a video posted to social […]

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B.C. Securities Commission hands out first whistleblower award

The British Columbia Securities Commission says it has paid out $25,000 in its first whistleblower award.  The commission says in a news release that the information contributed to an ongoing enforcement action of suspected misconduct.  Commission chair Brenda Leong says the payout shows that when people come forward with information, it can make a real […]

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Ottawa endorses plan to move Marineland’s whales to U.S. and Spain

Ottawa has endorsed a plan to move Canada’s last remaining captive whales to aquariums in the U.S. and Spain. There are 30 belugas and four dolphins at Marineland, the shuttered theme park in Niagara Falls, Ont., that still face mass euthanasia should the deal fall through. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has issued the […]

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Federal government’s new AI strategy will emphasize trust, minister says

The federal government’s new artificial intelligence strategy will look to build trust in AI, Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said Tuesday just days before he is expected to finally make the plan public. “It’ll be lots on trust, lots on empowering workers, lots on building Canada. You’ll see the details later this week,” Solomon told […]

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MPs get an earful from opponents of ‘lawful access’ bill over privacy concerns

A group that works to keep the internet surveillance-free says a federal bill intended to help police and intelligence services is “an enormous own goal” against Canada’s economy and security. Matt Hatfield, executive director of OpenMedia, told MPs studying the bill Tuesday that limited amendments will not salvage the proposed legislation. The government says the […]

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Here’s what Hydro-Québec fought to hide from the Newfoundland and Labrador government

Hydro-Québec fought to hide parts of letters from the 1960s showing what it offered to lure a French aluminum company to the province, including its internal comments about an energy deal with Newfoundland and Labrador. In a 2024 fight in front of Quebec’s access-to-information commission, the utility claimed the correspondence could jeopardize its present-day energy […]

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