Canada And Beyond
- Opposition Parties Unsatisfied With Review – The announcement that an independent special rapporteur will review alleged Chinese interference in Canadian politics has failed to stop opposition-led calls for an open inquiry on the foreign election interference issue. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre panned PM Trudeau’s offerings as little more than efforts to “cover up” a process he believes should be open and not led by anyone appointed solely by the Liberals. (CTV News)
- Charges Stayed In Historical Drug Bust – What was once dubbed the largest-ever international drug burst in Toronto Police Service history with 182 charges, 20 arrests and $61M worth of drugs seized, fell through in court Monday after all charges linked to the case were stayed. No official word on why the charges were stayed has been released although the Crown said it was a result of a combination of witness issues, disclosure issues and delays in the proceedings. (CBC News)
- Ontario Must Be Prepared For Next Pandemic – Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health, said that Ontario can’t let public health preparedness fall by the wayside once COVID-19 ends. In his annual report, Moore said the arrival of the next pandemic is not a question of if, but when and Ontario must maintain its investment in public health preparedness. (CP24)
- Arrests Made In Student Poisonings – The first arrests in connection to the mystery poisonings of schoolgirls in Iran have been made. A number of people have been arrested and the relevant agencies are conducting a full investigation. More than 5,000 Iranian children have been affected by the poisonings that has targeted mainly female students since late November. (The Times Of Israel)
