National

National


Climate change could be avenue for adversaries to harm Canada, spy service warns

OTTAWA — Canada’s spy service warns that dramatic shifts caused by climate change and the ensuing fractious upheaval around the world could leave Canada vulnerable, imperilling its food and water supplies, energy security and Arctic sovereignty. Global warming will threaten security as countries and other actors seek to either bolster their economic positions or exploit […]

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Black people disproportionately stopped, searched by Toronto police: report

Black people in Toronto are disproportionately stopped and searched by police despite the Ontario government’s efforts to regulate so-called “street checks,” the Ontario Human Rights Commission reported Thursday as it concluded a multi-year inquiry into anti-Black racism and discrimination within the Toronto force. While official street checks appear to have been effectively eliminated, with only […]

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Senate bill would require age verification for Canadians accessing porn sites

A Senate bill that would require Canadians to verify their age to access internet porn is proceeding without the support of the Liberal government, which warns the bill does too little to protect children from online harm.  Sen. Julie Miville-Dechêne, an Independent Senators Group member and sponsor of the bill, said she can’t understand why […]

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“Alarming” number of deportations caused by Canada’s restrictive immigration system, advocates say

Canada’s cumbersome immigration system is leading to an “alarming” number of migrants being deported every day back to potentially dangerous situations, advocates have revealed. The Migrant Rights Network released data last week showing at least 39 people were deported daily in the first half of 2023, despite Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2021 mandate letter calling […]

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AI generated hoaxes pose a ‘persistent threat’ to public safety: intel analysis

OTTAWA — Violent extremists who lack the means to carry out an attack in Canada could compensate by perpetrating hoaxes with the help of artificial intelligence, says a newly released analysis. The May report by the federal Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre, obtained through the Access to Information Act, warns that such visual trickery, known as […]

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AI systems ‘can be weaponized,’ warns top U.S. cyber official in promoting safeguards

OTTAWA — Top cybersecurity officials are urging technology firms to bake safeguards into the futuristic artificial intelligence systems they’re cooking up, to prevent them from being sabotaged or misused for malicious purposes. Without the right guardrails, it will be easier for rogue nations, terrorists and others to exploit rapidly emerging AI systems to commit cyberattacks […]

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Federal dental insurance program to be phased in over 2024, benefits to start in May

OTTAWA — The new federal dental insurance plan will be phased in gradually over 2024, with the first claims likely to be processed in May, government officials said ahead of a formal announcement scheduled for Monday morning. Applications are expected to open as early as next week, starting with qualifying seniors over the age of […]

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CBC considering ‘all possible measures’ in wake of concerns over cuts, exec bonuses

OTTAWA — Top CBC executives said Friday they are considering options to manage the broadcaster’s financial pressures, including taking a look at “senior executive compensation,” following plans to slash 10 per cent of the public broadcaster’s workforce. CBC/Radio-Canada head Catherine Tait and seven vice-presidents released a brief statement that afternoon, after MPs of different political […]

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‘Silence isn’t neutral’: Emails show debate in Quebec universities on Israel, Hamas

MONTREAL — Five days after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Universite de Montreal rector Daniel Jutras was under growing pressure to say more about the conflict. Shortly after midnight on Oct. 12, he sent an email to colleagues saying that as other universities took public positions on the war, it was becoming increasingly […]

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Ontario auditor: at least 99 patients placed in LTC homes without their consent

TORONTO — At least 99 hospital patients in Ontario have been placed in long-term care homes without their consent, the province’s auditor general has found. Opposition politicians and seniors’ advocates have roundly criticized a law the Progressive Conservative government enacted last year to enable those moves, which can see those patients placed in homes up to 70 […]

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CSIS sexual assault allegations highlight the need for external oversight

This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. ___ The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has launched a third-party workplace assessment of its British Columbia office after serious allegations of sexual assault, bullying and […]

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TMX has met inspection order measures: Energy Regulator

The Canadian Energy Regulator (CER) says Trans Mountain has satisfied measures the company was required to take after receiving an inspection order this summer for inadequately addressing socioeconomic issues stemming from construction of its pipeline expansion project. The order was issued by the CER on July 4th, after a review by an inspection officer and […]

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