Canada, U.S. close embassies to public in Ukraine due to threat of Russian strikes

LONGUEUIL, Que. – Canada’s new lunar rover will head to the moon when it’s built, but first it needs a name.

The Canadian Space Agency has begun polling the public on four possible choices: Athabasca, Courage, Glacier or Pol-R.

The rover, still in development, will be the first Canadian craft to explore the moon’s surface, with a launch scheduled for 2026 at the earliest.

It is expected to explore the lunar south pole, and among its tasks will be searching search for water ice, a key to the future of human space exploration of the moon.

Online voting starts today and continues until Dec. 20, and the agency is not providing an option for write-in votes.

The agency says it wants the name to be representative of the mission or to allude to Canada’s role in space.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2024.

A link to vote for the rover name is at

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for clergy abuse.

Newfoundlander Gemma Hickey is the board president of non-profit Ending Clergy Abuse, which is advocating for the church to adopt widespread rules requiring any priest or deacon found guilty of sexual abuse to be removed permanently from ministry.

Hickey and other group members met today with officials from the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, which is the department of the main governing body of the Catholic Church concerned with canonical law.

Hickey says they discussed changes proposed by Ending Clergy Abuse that would see the permanent removal of any cleric found guilty under canon law of even a single act of sexual abuse of a child or vulnerable person.

The Vatican approved a “one strike and you’re out” policy for the U.S. Catholic Church in 2002, which has long stood out as the toughest in the church.

Ending Clergy Abuse is asking the church to adopt that approach across the globe.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2024.

— With files from The Associated Press.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

HALIFAX – Nova Scotia Liberal Leader Zach Churchill says if his party is elected to govern on Tuesday, it would develop a comprehensive housing strategy for seniors.

Churchill made the announcement Wednesday at Liberal headquarters in Halifax before heading off on his campaign bus to his riding in Yarmouth, N.S.

The proposed strategy, part of the Liberals’ previously announced platform, calls for developing small, walkable communities that offer “wellness supports” for seniors.

The platform also says a Liberal government would work with non-profit agencies to ensure there is affordable housing available for seniors.

As well, Churchill wants to make it easier for healthy seniors to stay in their homes longer.

“We’ll increase funding for programs that help seniors upgrade their homes to meet their changing needs, whether that’s adding a ramp or widening a hallway,” he said. The platform calls for spending $5 million over four years on adapting existing housing.

“Our seniors aren’t just sitting around waiting for long-term care. Our seniors are the bulk of our volunteer force. They’re keeping many service organizations going.”

Churchill said a Liberal government would also review the property tax system, which he says penalizes seniors who want to downsize. In particular, he said the residential deed transfer tax had to be changed.

The Liberals are also promising to double the province’s annual seniors care grant to $1,500 and expand eligibility for the grant by increasing the maximum annual household income threshold to $50,000 from $45,000.

“This will help with paying for the essential expenses like home repairs, phone bills, transportation,” he said.

In the past three years, an average of 32,400 seniors received the existing $750 grant each year. The total cost for the program during this fiscal year is expected to be almost $27 million. The Liberals’ proposed changes would more than double that cost to about $59 million annually.

As well, Churchill is promising to spend an additional $10 million annually to improve the working conditions of homecare workers, a move the Liberals say would help eliminate a current staffing shortage.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2024.

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