🪖Soldiers had to rely on food donations because of lack of military support during Ottawa training

Turns out, Canadian Forces personnel sent to Ottawa for specialized cyber training had to rely on donated food to make ends meet because of the lack of support from the military and the high cost of living in the city.

But don't worry, the government has enough money to send to Ukraine and Haiti.

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📢 PM Justin Trudeau says immigration to Canada has "grown at a rate far beyond what Canada has been able to absorb," adding that "temporary immigration has caused so much pressure in our communities," in relation to housing.

#Trudeau
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Real-time payment: how much longer to wait?

Efforts to introduce an instant payment system in Canada, known as Real-Time Rail, are years behind schedule, and Canada remains the only G20 country that has not yet implemented the system.

The delay means merchants have to wait until they receive the amount they are owed, and with online payments sometimes slow, anyone can get into a difficult situation.

For example, if you pay your bill online on the Thursday evening before the long Easter weekend, the payment may not be processed until Monday.

Instant payment systems are in place in almost all civilized countries. Why not in Canada?

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Former Conservative leader says China foreign interference cost party up to nine seats in 2021 election

Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole says the party was targeted by a deluge of misinformation orchestrated by China and its proxies that led to the defeat of up to nine candidates in the 2021 election.

#China
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🎓Doug Ford wants only Ontario students at universities, colleges

Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday he’d like to see Ontario post-secondary institutions attended only by students from Ontario.

Ford said about 18 per cent of students in the province’s colleges and universities are from foreign countries.

In my opinion, and we will continue working with the ministry, get rid of the 18 per cent.

I want 100 per cent of Ontario students going to these universities.

Ford said at an announcement for a new medical school at York University.

#Ontario
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💀Majority of Canadians support bringing back death penalty

Most Canadians are in favour of bringing back the death penalty. Across Canada, the figure is 57 per cent.

The numbers are highest in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (62%), Atlantic Canada and Alberta (60%), and British Columbia (58%). Quebecers are the least supportive of capital punishment (52%).

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🚫Gen. Wayne Eyre’s X account disabled comments

The account of Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre has disabled comments on his posts. All thanks to a barrage of criticism of his leadership and the woke agenda.

Not everyone handles free speech well.

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💸 PM Trudeau is asked if the government plans to raise taxes or introduce new taxes in order to fund new spending commitments.

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🏠💰 Quebec and Ontario reject housing program announced by Trudeau ahead of federal budget

The federal government is launching a multibillion-dollar fund to pay for infrastructure needed to build housing and will bypass any provinces that won't comply with conditions to access the money.

Quebec and Ontario rejected the program as an intrusion into their jurisdiction.

#housing #Quebec #Ontario
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🏠📈 Vancouver is in a ‘full-blown crisis’ for housing affordability

A new RBC report states that it has never been as expensive to own a home anytime, anywhere in Canada as it was in Vancouver in the last quarter of 2023.

At a staggering 106.4 per cent, the share of a median income needed to cover ownership costs means that only a select few high-income earners can afford to buy—or that considerable wealth must be amassed (or received) to put down towards a purchase.

No wonder people are leaving Vancouver and B.C. in general in search of a better life.

#BritishColumbia #housing
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🇨🇦🇵🇸 Canadian man killed providing aid in Gaza was a military veteran with a young son

A Canadian man killed Monday along with six other aid workers in the Gaza Strip was a military veteran from Quebec.

Jacob Flickinger, 33, joined the World Central Kitchen aid organization last fall.

#Palestine #Israel #Quebec
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🚙 Police recover $34.5M worth of stolen vehicles in shipping containers in Montreal

Nearly 600 stolen vehicles have been recovered from shipping containers in the Port of Montreal over the past few months, and 75 per cent of them were stolen in Ontario.

The best way to fight back, according to Toronto police, is to leave the keys outside so that thieves at least don't break into the house.

#Quebec #Ontario
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Quebec man has two healthy fingers amputated to relieve 'body integrity dysphoria'

A 20-year-old patient in Quebec who had been troubled by intrusive thoughts about his fourth and fifth fingers had them amputated by a surgeon.

This is the first described case of digits amputation for body 'integrity dysphoria.'

#Quebec
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📈Canada's unemployment rate rises to 6.1 per cent

Canada's unemployment rate jumped to 6.1 per cent in March, that's up from 5.8 per cent in February.

More people, less jobs.

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🇨🇦🇨🇳 China paid approximately $250,000 to ‘threat actors’ working in Canada, inquiry told

A document presented to the Foreign Interference Commission says Canadian intelligence suggests Chinese officials may have transferred around $250,000 to “threat actors” in Canada in late 2018 or early 2019.

Here's the question that bothers me. All of this was in 2018-2019. Why is the investigation only starting now?

#China
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📈According ot Statistics Canada, Canada's population is growing faster than the economy's ability to create jobs

This could lead to a weaker labor market. For example, in August 2023, the economy added 40,000 jobs, and the population grew by 0.3% (+103,000 people). Thus, the share of the employed population in the total population has decreased.

StatCan estimates that Canada's economy needs to add 50,000 jobs per month to maintain stable employment.

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🇨🇦🇺🇸🇦🇺🇬🇧Canada is exploring the possibility of joining the second phase of AUKUS, a U.S.-led alliance with the UK and Australia.

The initial pillar of the alliance, forged in 2021, was focused on developing nuclear-powered submarines for Australia.

PM Trudeau says Canada will consider whether it needs to purchase nuclear-powered submarines to better ensure it can defend Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic.

#Trudeau #US #UK #Australia
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300 Quebec farmers staged protest, saying it's tough to make a living

More than 300 Quebec farmers drove their tractors through the streets of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Friday to send a message to the provincial government, saying they are facing an existential crisis.

#Quebec
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🪖Canada pledges billions in new defence spending, but doesn't reach NATO's 2% commitment

A new defence policy for Canada was unveiled Monday. The strategy commits to delivering new equipment, including airborne early warning aircraft, long-range surface-to-surface missiles for the army and utility helicopters.

The new policy, entitled Our North, Strong and Free, includes an additional $8.1 billion in new defence spending over the next five years and commits to an additional $73 billion in defence spending over the next two decades.

The Liberal government estimates that the new policy will see military spending rise to 1.76 per cent of GDP by 2029-30.

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