CanadaNewsMedia news July 10, 2024: PM joins Biden for NATO dinner and AFN deal for child-welfare

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …

Top secret status offered to provincial officials

Canada’s senior public servant has invited his provincial and territorial counterparts to apply for top secret-level security clearance as a way of fostering “healthy, transparent dialogue” on foreign interference and other threats.

In a July 11 letter to the heads of public services across the country, John Hannaford, clerk of the Privy Council, said that obtaining the clearance would allow the Privy Council Office and other federal security agencies to offer regular, intelligence-informed briefings.

The briefings would support the public service leaders’ efforts to advise provincial and territorial governments on policy development as well as their responses to “acute security events,” Hannaford wrote.

Interference inquiry to hear from party officials

A federal inquiry into foreign interference is scheduled to hear today from Bloc Québécois, Green and New Democratic Party officials.

The inquiry’s latest hearings are focused on the capacity of federal agencies to detect, deter and counter foreign meddling.

An emerging concern is the adequacy of party procedures to prevent foreign meddling from tainting candidate nomination processes.

Elections Canada has suggested possible changes to protect the nomination process from interference, including barring non-citizens from helping choose candidates and requiring parties to publish contest rules.

N.B. premier expected to call election today

A 33-day provincial election campaign is expected to officially get started today in New Brunswick.

Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs has said he plans to visit Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy this morning to have the Legislature dissolved.

Higgs, a 70-year-old former oil executive, is seeking a third term in office, having led the province since 2018.

The campaign ahead of the Oct. 21 vote is expected to focus on pocketbook issues, but the government’s provocative approach to gender identity issues could also be in the spotlight.

Massive shifts before B.C.’s election campaign

If the lead up to British Columbia’s provincial election campaign is any indication of what’s to come, voters should expect the unexpected.

It could be a wild ride to voting day on Oct. 19.

The Conservative Party of B.C. that didn’t elect a single member in the last election and gained less than two per cent of the popular vote is now leading the charge for centre-right, anti-NDP voters.

The official Opposition BC United, who as the former B.C. Liberals won four consecutive majorities from 2001 to 2013, raised a white flag and suspended its campaign last month, asking its members, incumbents and voters to support the B.C. Conservatives to prevent a vote split on the political right.

New Democrat Leader David Eby delivered a few political surprises of his own in the days leading up to Saturday’s official campaign start, signalling major shifts on the carbon tax and the issue of involuntary care in an attempt to curb the deadly opioid overdose crisis.

Voters head to polls in Ontario byelection

Polls are set to soon open in the eastern Ontario riding of Bay of Quinte, where voters will pick their next representative in the provincial Legislature.

It’s a byelection with a quick turnaround, as it takes place just one month after cabinet minister Todd Smith resigned the seat.

Smith won four successive elections in the region, securing nearly 50 per cent of the vote in the last two elections, but some experts and polls suggest it may be a closer race this time around.

The top two contenders appear to be Progressive Conservative candidate Tyler Allsopp and Liberal candidate Sean Kelly, both municipal councillors in Belleville.

Pressure still on oilsands group to cut emissions

Canada’s oilsands industry remains under pressure to reduce its greenhouse gas footprint, even as companies have clamped down on public communications in the wake of new anti-greenwashing legislation.

The Pathways Alliance — a consortium of six companies that have jointly committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from oilsands production — has been largely silent since June, when the federal government passed an amendment to Canada’s Competition Act containing a new anti-greenwashing provision.

But clean energy think tank the Pembina Institute said concerns about the new law shouldn’t prevent Pathways from pulling the trigger on its proposed $16.5-billion carbon capture and storage project.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024

Oil and gas production hikes and rebounding air travel put a drag on Canada’s climate progress last year, but a new report says the country was still able to make a modest cut to its planet-warming emissions.

New estimates published by a leading climate policy institute show Canada cut emissions by about one per cent last year compared to 2022, or eight per cent since 2005.

But the Canadian Climate Institute says the country will need to speed up that progress if it hopes to hit its 2030 target to cut emissions by 40 to 45 per cent compared to 2005 levels.

The report says the electricity sector remains a standout, cutting emissions by 6.2 per cent year-over-year, or 38 per cent since 2005, boosted by policies such as industrial carbon pricing and coal phaseouts.

The oil and gas sector continued to hold back Canada’s progress, increasing its emissions by about one per cent compared to 2022, and now accounts for just under a third of the country’s total emissions.

Of the eight major sectors, the report says transport saw the biggest annual increase, rising by about 1.6 per cent, driven by a rebound in domestic aviation.

“Once again, progress in Canada’s emissions reductions is starkly different across sectors,” said Canadian Climate Institute president Rick Smith.

“Governments right across the country need to accelerate developing policy and strengthen measures already in place, like electrification and industrial carbon pricing systems.”

The institute’s early estimates are intended to offer a high-level snapshot of trends before Canada releases its official inventory report next spring, a requirement under United Nations climate pacts. The independent early estimates are based in part on annual Statistics Canada data on production, demand and demographic activity.

Last year was the second warmest on record in Canada and the warmest globally, driven by climate change and boosted by El Niño conditions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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HOUSTON (AP) — Brian White scored in the second half to rally the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.

Houston (12-9-8) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Ezequiel Ponce scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Ponce’s third goal this season came after Amine Bassi drew a foul on Whitecaps midfielder Pedro Vite following a video review. It was Ponce’s sixth career appearance, all starts.

Vancouver (13-8-7) scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute when White, who entered in the 60th, used assists from Fafá Picault and Ryan Gauld to find the net for the 13th time this season. Picault’s assist was his fifth, matching his career high for a single season. Gauld’s assist gives him a career-best 13 on the season.

Yohei Takaoka, who had clean sheets in his last three starts, finished with one save in goal for the Whitecaps.

Steve Clark saved three shots for the Dynamo, who remain one point behind Vancouver in the Western Conference standings.

Houston, which was coming off a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, has allowed just 33 goals this season.

Vancouver — 6-2-2 in its last 10 matches overall — leads the all-time series 10-9-6.

The Whitecaps remain on the road to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. The Dynamo travel to play Austin FC on Saturday.

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AP MLS:

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