International Development Minister Karina Gould says Canadian aid to respond to the devastating explosion in Beirut will be funnelled to “trusted” humanitarian organizations and not be directed to the Lebanese government.
The federal government announced Wednesday that it was contributing up to $5 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, including $1.5 million that will be directed to the Lebanese Red Cross to provide emergency medical services, shelter and food for those affected by Tuesday’s massive explosion.
During a news conference this morning, Gould said Canada is “extraordinarily preoccupied” with Lebanon’s fiscal situation. The country is grappling with an economic crisis and public unrest and angry protests over concerns about government corruption and mismanagement.
“We are in contact with the Lebanese government, but at this time, no direct aid is planned from Ottawa to the Lebanese government,” she said.
Gould said financial aid must come with “significant fiscal and political reforms” to ensure that assistance goes to benefiting the lives of the Lebanese people.
Gould said the money represents Canada’s initial commitment and that it could grow in the coming days and weeks as the scale of the disaster becomes more evident. She said Canada will be there for the long haul to assist with recovery efforts, but the immediate priority is to save lives.
Asked if the government would consider a dollar-matching donation program, Gould said the government is open to all ideas from other politicians and Canadians and that “all options are on the table.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement on the disaster Thursday, saying Canadians are “shocked and deeply saddened” by the explosion. He vowed that Canada will help aid in the recovery.
International Development Minister Karina Gould spoke with reporters on Thursday. 1:34
“To the people of Lebanon, Lebanese Canadians, and all those who watched the explosion in shock and horror, worrying about their loved ones and friends: we will always support the people of Lebanon as you work to heal and rebuild your beautiful city. Canada will also work with the international community to keep identifying how we can support urgent needs, and continue to offer emergency support, including medical aid, food and shelter.
Trudeau said Canada and Lebanon share a “deep and longstanding friendship, which is rooted in close people-to-people ties,” and noted that hundreds of thousands of Lebanese Canadians live in communities across the country.
According to Gould’s office, there are about 11,000 Canadians in Lebanon who have registered with Global Affairs Canada. The minister said today that there have been about 64 requests for assistance to date.
Gould said today that the embassy in Beirut was spared significant damage, and is expected to reopen Monday. All staff are safe at this time, she added.
Canadians in need of assistance can call 1-800-387-3124 or 613-996-8885 or email sos@international.gc.ca.
Dear Canadians in <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lebanon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Lebanon</a>, like you we have been impacted by the explosion. I want you to know the embassy has resumed limited operations today and we hope to resume consular appointments next week. In the meantime, Ottawa continues to provide consular support.
Canada’s chargé d’affaires in Lebanon, Gregory Galligan, tweeted Thursday morning that the government stands ready to help Canadians in the region.
“I want you to know the embassy has resumed limited operations today and we hope to resume consular appointments next week. In the meantime, Ottawa continues to provide consular support,” he said.
The explosion occurred Tuesday when 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate ignited, sending shock waves across the Lebanese capital. Ammonium nitrate is a highly explosive chemical used in fertilizers, and had been stored for years at the port.
At least 135 people were killed and about 5,000 injured, overwhelming hospitals in the area. Another 300,000 people have been left homeless.
Beirut Embassy to reopen on Monday, International Development Minister Karina Gould tells reporters. 2:11
VANCOUVER – Contract negotiations resume today in Vancouver in a labour dispute that has paralyzed container cargo shipping at British Columbia’s ports since Monday.
The BC Maritime Employers Association and International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514 are scheduled to meet for the next three days in mediated talks to try to break a deadlock in negotiations.
The union, which represents more than 700 longshore supervisors at ports, including Vancouver, Prince Rupert and Nanaimo, has been without a contract since March last year.
The latest talks come after employers locked out workers in response to what it said was “strike activity” by union members.
The start of the lockout was then followed by several days of no engagement between the two parties, prompting federal Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to speak with leaders on both sides, asking them to restart talks.
MacKinnon had said that the talks were “progressing at an insufficient pace, indicating a concerning absence of urgency from the parties involved” — a sentiment echoed by several business groups across Canada.
In a joint letter, more than 100 organizations, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada and associations representing industries from automotive and fertilizer to retail and mining, urged the government to do whatever it takes to end the work stoppage.
“While we acknowledge efforts to continue with mediation, parties have not been able to come to a negotiated agreement,” the letter says. “So, the federal government must take decisive action, using every tool at its disposal to resolve this dispute and limit the damage caused by this disruption.
“We simply cannot afford to once again put Canadian businesses at risk, which in turn puts Canadian livelihoods at risk.”
In the meantime, the union says it has filed a complaint to the Canada Industrial Relations Board against the employers, alleging the association threatened to pull existing conditions out of the last contract in direct contact with its members.
“The BCMEA is trying to undermine the union by attempting to turn members against its democratically elected leadership and bargaining committee — despite the fact that the BCMEA knows full well we received a 96 per cent mandate to take job action if needed,” union president Frank Morena said in a statement.
The employers have responded by calling the complaint “another meritless claim,” adding the final offer to the union that includes a 19.2 per cent wage increase over a four-year term remains on the table.
“The final offer has been on the table for over a week and represents a fair and balanced proposal for employees, and if accepted would end this dispute,” the employers’ statement says. “The offer does not require any concessions from the union.”
The union says the offer does not address the key issue of staffing requirement at the terminals as the port introduces more automation to cargo loading and unloading, which could potentially require fewer workers to operate than older systems.
The Port of Vancouver is the largest in Canada and has seen a number of labour disruptions, including two instances involving the rail and grain storage sectors earlier this year.
A 13-day strike by another group of workers at the port last year resulted in the disruption of a significant amount of shipping and trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
The Royal Canadian Legion says a new partnership with e-commerce giant Amazon is helping boost its veterans’ fund, and will hopefully expand its donor base in the digital world.
Since the Oct. 25 launch of its Amazon.ca storefront, the legion says it has received nearly 10,000 orders for poppies.
Online shoppers can order lapel poppies on Amazon in exchange for donations or buy items such as “We Remember” lawn signs, Remembrance Day pins and other accessories, with all proceeds going to the legion’s Poppy Trust Fund for Canadian veterans and their families.
Nujma Bond, the legion’s national spokesperson, said the organization sees this move as keeping up with modern purchasing habits.
“As the world around us evolves we have been looking at different ways to distribute poppies and to make it easier for people to access them,” she said in an interview.
“This is definitely a way to reach a wider number of Canadians of all ages. And certainly younger Canadians are much more active on the web, on social media in general, so we’re also engaging in that way.”
Al Plume, a member of a legion branch in Trenton, Ont., said the online store can also help with outreach to veterans who are far from home.
“For veterans that are overseas and are away, (or) can’t get to a store they can order them online, it’s Amazon.” Plume said.
Plume spent 35 years in the military with the Royal Engineers, and retired eight years ago. He said making sure veterans are looked after is his passion.
“I’ve seen the struggles that our veterans have had with Veterans Affairs … and that’s why I got involved, with making sure that the people get to them and help the veterans with their paperwork.”
But the message about the Amazon storefront didn’t appear to reach all of the legion’s locations, with volunteers at Branch 179 on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive saying they hadn’t heard about the online push.
Holly Paddon, the branch’s poppy campaign co-ordinator and bartender, said the Amazon partnership never came up in meetings with other legion volunteers and officials.
“I work at the legion, I work with the Vancouver poppy office and I go to the meetings for the Vancouver poppy campaign — which includes all the legions in Vancouver — and not once has this been mentioned,” she said.
Paddon said the initiative is a great idea, but she would like to have known more about it.
The legion also sells a larger collection of items at poppystore.ca.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2024.
