A Canada flag is backlit atop the East Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. Parliament closes in on its eighth week of gridlock over a privilege motion, as Canada Post employees are on strike and calls emerge to exclude Mexico from upcoming trade talks. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…
Post strike and trade talks amid parliament stall
Parliament closes in on its eighth week of gridlock over a privilege motion, as Canada Post employees are on strike and calls emerge to exclude Mexico from upcoming trade talks.
While question period has continued, other house business is on hold due to a Conservative privilege motion calling on the government to turn over unredacted documents on a green technology fund.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and some members of his cabinet are not in Ottawa for the first half of the week, as they attend the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Lima, Peru this weekend, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said many nations have been approaching Canada on how to work with the incoming Donald Trump administration in the United States.
Meanwhile back in Canada, Canada Post workers hit the picket line Friday, and Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon says that he is ruling out early intervention for now, though he recently ordered binding arbitration in recent job action at ports in Montreal and British Columbia.
Here’s what else we’re watching…
Hunger, leader meetings on Trudeau’s agenda at G20
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden at the G20 summit in Brazil today.
The meeting will take place a day after The Associated Press reported that Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia.
Trudeau is also scheduled to meet today with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, for the first time since each took office.
Over the weekend, Trudeau voiced concerns about high levels of Chinese investment in Mexico coming at a time when the U.S. seeks to combat some of Beijing’s trading practices.
The prime minister also has a meeting scheduled with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
N.S. election: Leaders speak at chamber event
The leaders of Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservative, NDP and Liberal parties will appear this morning at a discussion held by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce.
Tim Houston, Claudia Chender and Zach Churchill are scheduled to speak at around 10:30 a.m. today.
The discussion is set to be moderated by Ifeanyi Emesih, an entrepreneur and member of the chamber’s board of directors.
The event is described as a chance for the three party leaders to discuss their platforms and engage with the Nova Scotia business community about topics important to them.
Afterwards, the NDP is scheduled to make an announcement about affordability for commuters.
Trial begins for pair accused of human smuggling
A trial is to begin today for two men accused of smuggling migrants across the Canada-U. S. border.
Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand are accused of being part of operation that brought people from India to Canada, then across the border from Manitoba to Minnesota.
One of the trips they are accused of taking part in saw a family from India – a couple and two children – die in a blizzard in January 2022, when the wind chill reached -35 C.
The men have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to transport aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy.
Prosecutors allege Patel co-ordinated with smugglers in Canada to have migrants dropped off near the border, where they would walk until they entered the United States and be picked up by Shand.
Canadians optimistic about human rights: poll
Two-thirds of Canadians are optimistic about where human rights are headed in this country, but there is growing pessimism about the state of rights abroad, a new survey found.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg released its second survey on the topic as it seeks to ensure its exhibits match Canadians’ concerns.
In an increasingly polarized world, museum CEO Isha Khan said she is encouraged that the poll suggests a majority of people share a common sense of social responsibility.
The outlook on human rights among Canadians appears to be less rosy on what’s happening abroad, with only one-third of respondents saying they are optimistic about the trajectory of rights internationally.
Respondents say war and violence are the key drivers of this pessimism, followed by sexism and women’s rights.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2024.
