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O’Toole says CSIS told him he was focus of Chinese misinformation, suppression effort

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

OTTAWA — Conservative MP Erin O’Toole says Canada’s spy agency has told him he was the target of Chinese interference intended to discredit him and promote false narratives about his policies while party leader. Rising in the House of Commons on a question of privilege Tuesday, O’Toole said the Canadian Security Intelligence Service briefing revealed a range of actions against him. They included Chinese Communist Party funding to create misinformation, the use of groups and the WeChat social media platform to amplify the mistruths and a campaign of voter suppression against him during the 2021 general election, he said.The former Conservative leader said the threats against him and members of his caucus were not flagged to him by the government or security agencies at the time. They were also not communicated to the Conservatives through the federal task force intended to help safeguard the integrity of the 2021 election, he added.O’Toole said the Liberal gov...

Canada will keep up with U.S., won’t cut corners on permitting reform, Wilkinson says

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

WASHINGTON — Canada’s natural resources minister says he won’t be “cutting corners” when it comes to the environmental assessment process for energy projects. Jonathan Wilkinson says the government is focused on delivering a new permitting process before the end of the year. Industry experts say it’s more urgent than ever, now that the U.S. is poised to eliminate duplication and require shorter timelines for environmental assessments.The U.S. permitting reforms are part of the new Fiscal Responsibility Act, the result of efforts to end the political standoff over the debt ceiling. That controversy is still far from resolved, however: Congress is divided over the legislation, which aims to stave off a U.S. default before Monday. If passed, the bill would create a new agency to oversee the permitting process and require environmental reviews take no longer than two years.  This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2023.The Canadian Press

Drug policy advocate group Moms Stop the Harm wants meeting with Poilievre

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

OTTAWA — The co-founder of a network of mothers whose children died of drug overdoses says she wants to speak with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre about his opposition to prescribing a safer supply of opioids to those living with addiction.Leslie McBain of the group Moms Stop the Harm joined other advocates and Green Party MPs at a news conference today, where she said she wants to tell Poilievre that she believes the practice of offering drug alternatives saves lives.The Greens joined the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois on Monday in voting against a Conservative motion that sought to condemn the Trudeau government’s approach to substance use and addiction.Poilievre had asked the House to reject what he views as the failed policy of federally funding the supply of pharmaceutical alternatives, such as hydromorphone, in place of certain illicit drugs to combat the opioids crisis.Drug policy experts and advocates argue such measures are needed to counter the poisone...

Gunman in Pittsburgh synagogue massacre planned attack, defense acknowledges as trial gets underway

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A trial for the man charged in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history opened Tuesday with his own lawyer acknowledging he planned the 2018 massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue and made hateful statements about Jewish people.Robert Bowers went to Tree of Life synagogue and “shot every person he saw,” defense attorney Judy Clarke acknowledged in her opening statement.Bowers, 50, could face the death penalty if convicted of some of the 63 counts he faces in the Oct. 27, 2018, attack, which claimed the lives of 11 worshippers from three congregations who shared the building. Charges include 11 counts each of obstruction of free exercise of religion resulting in death and hate crimes resulting in death.In the long run-up to the trial, Bower’s lawyers had done little to cast doubt on whether he was the gunman, instead focusing on trying to save his life. Bowers, a truck driver from the Pittsburgh suburb of Baldwin, had offered to plead guilty in return for a life...

Construction worker critically injured after fall onto TTC tracks

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

A male construction worker suffered life-threatening injuries after he fell from a bridge and onto TTC tracks near Rosedale Station.Toronto police were called to the Roxborough Street East and Yonge Street area just after 1 p.m. on Tuesday for reports of an industrial accident.Authorities said a male construction worker fell from a bridge. The victim will be rushed to a local trauma centre with life-threatening injuries.The TTC has been advised, police said, and delays are expected in the area.Line 1 Yonge-University: No service between Bloor-Yonge and Eglinton while we respond to a medical emergency. Shuttle buses are running between Bloor-Yonge and Eglinton. https://t.co/KZAxoSI7CE— TTC Service Alerts (@TTCnotices) May 30, 2023

Ukraine’s economy shows ‘resilience’ from Russian attacks, IMF says as it backs aid

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Ukraine’s economy is showing “remarkable resilience” following Russian attacks on its electricity infrastructure, officials from the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday as they signed off on an initial loan of $900 million and raised their estimate for the country’s economic growth. The outlook improved to 1% to 3% growth this year from minus 3% to plus 1% in an earlier assessment in March, said Gavin Gray, the IMF’s mission chief to Ukraine. Inflation is coming down and the hryvna currency is stable despite the massive disruption of the war, Gray said. But he warned that the economic outlook faces “exceptionally high risks.” “Through the winter, Ukraine faced devastating attacks on its critical infrastructure, and missile strikes continue countrywide,” Gray said in an online news conference. “Despite this, the Ukrainian economy has shown remarkable resilience — economic activity in the first quarter rebounded strongly, as the energy system...

Fertility doctor accused of using own sperm dies in crash of hand-built plane

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

YATES, N.Y. (AP) — A New York fertility doctor who was accused of using his own sperm to impregnate several patients died over the weekend when the hand-built airplane he was in fell apart mid-flight and crashed, authorities said.Dr. Morris Wortman, 72, of Rochester, was a passenger in the experimental aircraft that went down Sunday in a pasture in Orleans County. The pilot, Earl Luce Jr., of Brockport, also was killed, according to the county sheriff.The crash of the aircraft, identified by the National Transportation Safety Board as a Wittman W-5 Buttercup airplane, remained under investigation Tuesday.Preliminary findings indicate that “the wings of the aircraft became detached from the fuselage and fell to the ground in an orchard,” Sheriff Christopher Bourke said in a news release Monday. The fuselage continued west for another 1,000 to 1,500 yards before crashing.Wortman was a well-known OB-GYN in western New York who was often the target of anti-abortion protesters. He ...

What’s new in robots? An AI-powered humanoid machine that writes poems

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Ameca can speak French, Chinese or dozens of other languages, instantly compose a poem or sketch a cat on request. Ask for a smile, and you’ll get a clenched grin on her rubbery blue face. Ameca is a humanoid robot powered by generative artificial intelligence that gives it the ability to respond to questions and commands and interact with people. It’s one of hundreds of robots on display this week at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation, or ICRA, in London, where visitors got a glimpse at the future. The event is sort of the Olympics of the robot world, where student teams compete in a host of challenges including robot cooking and autonomous driving contests, academics present their research and startups show off their latest technology.It comes as scientists and tech industry leaders, including executives at Microsoft and Google, warned Tuesday about the perils of artificial intelligence to mankind, saying “mitigating the risk of extin...

Air Canada pilots look to start bargaining early after WestJet pay hike

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

MONTREAL — The pilots union at the country’s biggest airline has opened the gate to bargaining ahead of time — as early as this summer.Air Canada said Tuesday its pilots group has triggered an option to launch negotiations around a new collective agreement a year early.The move comes after some 1,800 pilots at WestJet and budget subsidiary Swoop settled on a tentative deal this month that secures a 24 per cent wage increase over four years.Since landing on an agreement in 2014, Air Canada pilots have received a two per cent pay hike each year.The airline said the current deal will remain in force until Sept. 29, but that its provisions will still apply after that date.“The current agreement, which has been in place for nearly a decade, is a testimony of the productive relationship we have with our pilots. We expect the upcoming negotiations to be conducted in this same spirit,” said Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick in an email.The Air Canada Pilots Associatio...

Air Canada failing to provide full services in both official languages: report

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:31:51 GMT

OTTAWA — The official languages commissioner says Canadian travellers — particularly francophones — are struggling to get service in their official language of choice from Air Canada. Raymond Théberge says his assessment also applies to the Canada Border Services Agency and major airport authorities. His new report highlights the way federal institutions are failing meeting the requirement to provide services in English or French, where demand warrants it. It says the largest number of complaints in all of the travel industry are filed against Air Canada. Théberge says most of those complaints have to do with communication and service to the public. Air Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2023. The Canadian Press