Canada And Beyond

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  • Putin Freezes Nuclear Deal With U.S. – In his state of the nation address, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was freezing its participation in the New START treaty, a key nuclear arms deal with the United States. Putin also accused Western nations of escalating the conflict and wanting “to be done with us once and for all” but said increasingly sanctions on Russia “will not succeed”. (Aljazeera)
  • Suspected Grave Sites At B.C Residential School – The Tseshaht First Nation has announced the detection of 17 suspected unmarked graves at the former Alberni Indian Residential School in British Columbia. Children at the Alberni School were subjected to government-sanctioned nutrition experiments from 1942 to 1952 which resulted in children getting sick and being malnourished. (CTV News)
  • Inflation Rate Slows – Canada’s annual inflation rate eased more than expected to 5.9% in January, down from 6.3% in December. The annual rate was impacted by downward pressure from the base-year effect of January 2022, when prices increased due to the Russia-Ukraine situation and supply chain disruptions. (MSN)
  • Bill Will Expand Private Clinic Procedures– Ontario tabled legislation Tuesday to allow more private clinics to offer certain publicly funded surgeries and procedures. Concerns have been raised about clinics “upselling” patients to non-OHIP covered services but the government says clinics won’t be allowed to refuse patients who opt for OHIP-only services and won’t allow clinics to charge patients for faster service. (CBC)

Canada And Beyond

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  • Quebec Wants Migrants Redirected – Quebec Premier François Legault is pushing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to redirect all asylum seekers entering Quebec to other provinces as soon as they arrive in Quebec. The number of asylum seekers coming to Quebec increased substantially in 2022 and Legault says “Quebec’s capacity to receive refugees has been exceeded.” (CBC News)
  • Singer Wants To Ban Horse Exports For Slaughter – Canadian Jann Arden has started a petition asking for the federal Liberals to follow through on their election promise to ban the live export of horses for slaughter. Arden said that horses are put into cramped wooden crates and are sometimes left on the tarmac for hours before flying to Japan where raw horse meat is eaten. (Global News)
  • Biden Visits Ukraine – U.S. President Joe Biden visited Ukraine on Monday and announced an additional half-billion dollars in assistance, including shells for howitzers, anti-tank missiles and air surveillance radars. However, the visit angered some in Russia as it upstages an address to the country that Putin is expected to make on Tuesday regarding Russia’s war achievements. (CNN, CTV News)
  • Another Earthquake Hits Turkey – A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey on Monday night as the country attempts to clean up from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck two weeks ago. At least three people are dead and 213 people have been injured in Turkey while in northwest Syria at least 130 people were injured. (ABC News)

Canada And Beyond

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  • Two Dead in B.C. Avalanche – An avalanche on Wednesday in the Purcell Mountain range in British Columbia has killed two people. This was the second deadly avalanche in under a week in B.C. as two skiers were killed in an avalanche in the Potato Peak area on Sunday. (Global News)
  • Premiers Accept Federal Healthcare Proposal – Canada’s premier’s have agreed to accept the federal health transfer funding proposal but say they are disappointed with the limited amount of new federal funding available. The premiers are asking that regular reviews with the federal government be established as part of health-care funding talks. (Castanet)
  • Flying Objects Likely From Private Sector – United States President Joe Biden said that while officials are still assessing the three flying objects recently discovered, it appears the objects were harmless and likely owned by private companies, recreation or research institutions for weather analysis or scientific research. Biden also said no evidence has been found that the objects were linked to the alleged Chinese spy balloon. (Aljazeera)
  • No Fraud In Georgia Presidential Election – A Georgia special grand jury found, unanimously, “that no widespread fraud took place in the Georgia 2020 presidential election that could result in overturning that election”. As well, a majority of the grand jury believe witnesses may have lied under oath and that the district attorney should issue indictments where appropriate. (CNN)
  • Trump Being Asked To Testify – Lawyers representing the Proud Boys plan to subpoena former President Donald Trump in the trial that charges Proud Boys members with conspiring to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 win. The strategy behind Trump testifying would be to try to show that Trump, and not members of the Proud Boys, was responsible for the riot. (Business Insider)

Canada And Beyond

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  • Ford Gets Questioned Over Stag Party – Ontario Premier Doug Ford continued to be questioned by media regarding his daughter’s stag and doe party that took place last summer. Media reports suggested that guests were asked to provide gifts, some up to the amount of $1,000, and that developers were in attendance but the province’s integrity commissioner investigated the incident and found no wrong doing. (CP24)
  • Man Shot While Walking Dog – A 65-year-old man is in critical condition after being shot 13 times in Schomberg, Ontario. The man was walking his dog and gestured to an SUV to slow down before the vehicle circled back and an occupant of the vehicle shot the man multiple times. (Narcity Toronto)
  • China threatens U.S. Over Balloon Incident – China said it will take measures against U.S. entities in response to the shooting down of a suspected Chinese spy balloon which China maintains was an unmanned weather airship that was blown off course. No other details were given and China did not identify the targets they are considering. (CTV News)
  • U.S. Could Default On Debt – The U.S. will be unable to pay all of its bills sometime between July and September, unless the current $31.4tn debt ceiling is raised. If the cap on borrowing is not raised or suspended, the government may have to delay making some payments, default on its debt obligations, or both. (The Guardian)

Canada And Beyond

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  • Gathering Marks Anniversary Of Federal Emergencies Act – Convoy-related activity took place in Ottawa on Tuesday as a a small number of vehicles passed through Ottawa and demonstrators gathered on Parliament Hill with Canadian and “Freedom Convoy” flags. Tuesday marked the anniversary of the invocation of the federal Emergencies Act during the Freedom Convoy demonstration that took place last February. (CTV News)
  • Bed Bath & Beyond Closing – The Canadian operations of Bed Bath & Beyond will be shutting down all 54 stores in Canada as well as 11 BuyBuy Baby stores, resulting in the loss of just over 1,400 jobs. The company had incurred significant net losses since 2018 as consumers shifted to online buying during the pandemic. (Toronto Star)
  • Three Dead In School Shooting – On Monday night, a gunman opened fire in two buildings at Michigan State University, killing three students and wounding five others. For three hours, students, faculty and staff sheltered in place until the gunman was found off campus, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. (New York Times)
  • Survivors Continue To Be Rescued – Rescue efforts continued in Turkey on Tuesday with at least seven survivors being rescued. The death toll in Turkey and Syria from the massive Feb 6 earthquake now exceeds 41,000. (CBC News)

Canada And Beyond

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  • Trudeau Says Flying Objects Connected – Justin Trudeau said on Monday that the four flying objects recently shot down, including one over Yukon territory on Saturday, are connected in some way, without elaborating. Officials have struggled to explain the origin of the latest three objects that fighter jets have brought down over North American airspace. (Reuters)
  • Object Over Canada was Metallic Balloon – According to a Pentagon memo, the flying object that was shot down over the Yukon on Saturday appeared to be a “small, metallic balloon with a tethered payload below it”. The memo also stated that the object shot down over Alaska on Friday was the “size of a small car” and was different from the Chinese balloon that was taken down by the coast of South Carolina. (CNN)
  • Premiers Accept Federal Health-Care Funding – Canada’s premiers have accepted Ottawa’s proposal to pay roughly $46.2 billion in new money to the provinces and territories over 10 years for the provincial health-care systems. Ottawa will now hold meetings with the individual provinces to finalize funding agreements. (CBC News)
  • Shooting at Michigan State University – At least 1 person has died and 5 people were injured in shootings on the campus of Michigan State University. Michigan State University police had ordered students and staff to shelter in place shortly after 8:30 p.m. Monday night. There appears to be only one suspect. (CNN)

Canada And Beyond

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  • Another Object Invades U.S. Airspace – The U.S. military shot down an octagonal object over Lake Huron on Sunday, marking the fourth flying object to be shot down over North America by a U.S. missile in a little more than a week. The military has not been able to identify what the three most recent objects are, how they stay aloft, or where they are coming from. (Reuters)
  • Toronto Mayor To Resign – John Tory announced on Friday evening that he will resign as the mayor of Toronto after having a relationship with a member of his office staff during the pandemic. Tory, who said the relationship “did not meet the standards to which I hold myself as mayor and as a family man,” also stated that the affair ended by mutual consent earlier this year. (CTV News)
  • Earthquake Deaths Continue To Rise – The number of people confirmed to have died in Turkey and Syria from Monday’s earthquake has risen to more than 33,000. Hopes are dwindling of finding many more survivors and there is a sense that the rescue mission will soon end. (BBC)

Canada And Beyond

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  • Bail Reform Given Consideration – Justice Minister David Lametti is giving “serious consideration” to reforming Canada’s bail laws after the premiers unanimously called on the Liberal government to take “immediate action” on the bail system. Premiers want the federal government to establish a “reverse onus” system for specific firearm offences that would require the person seeking bail to demonstrate why they should not remain in custody. (CTV News)
  • Canal Skateway May Not Open – This year may be the first time the popular Rideau Canal Skateway doesn’t open in Ottawa. Winter so far has been warmer than usual in Ottawa and when it has been below freezing, the cold temperatures have not lasted long enough to create safe ice. (CBC News)
  • Congresswoman Fights Off Attacker – A man suspected of attacking congresswoman Angie Craig in the elevator of her apartment building has been arrested. The Minnesota Democrat fought back by throwing hot coffee at the assailant. (BBC)
  • Ukraine May Get Military Aircraft – Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said several European leaders have expressed a “readiness” to supply his country with aircraft. However, Moscow has repeatedly warned it will retaliate against any such moves, which so far has prevented Western backers from sending fighter jets to Ukraine. (Aljazeera)

Canada And Beyond

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  • Death Toll Reaches 12,000 – Rescue teams in Turkey and Syria continued to search for survivors on Wednesday as the death toll from the world’s deadliest earthquake in more than a decade has now risen past 12,000. The Canadian Disaster Assessment Team is travelling to Turkey to assess the situation and determine if Canada can provide assistance. (CBC New)
  • Bus Crashes Into Daycare – Two children are dead and another six children were injured when a Laval city bus crashed into a daycare as parents dropped off their children. The driver, who was arrested at the scene and faces charges of reckless driving and homicide, could be seen exiting the bus, screaming and ripping off his clothes. (Montreal Gazette)
  • China’s Spy Balloon Program – According to the Pentagon, the recent Chinese balloon that was shot down was part of a surveillance program that China has been conducting for several years. Similar balloons had passed over U.S. territory on four previous occasions but at the time they were not identified as Chinese surveillance balloons. (CP24)

Canada And Beyond

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  • B.C. Announces Sept 30 Statutory Holiday – The B.C. government has announced that the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be observed every September 30 and will be a paid statutory holiday in the province. Last year, British Columbia’s First Nations were concerned that B.C. had not made September 30 a statutory holiday. (Global News)
  • Complaint Filed Over Federal Return To Work Policy – One of Canada’s largest unions has filed a complaint against the Canada Revenue Agency over what it’s calling an “about-face” on the issue of working from home. The complaint comes as the federal Treasury Board has begun to mandate that federal public service workers return to the office at least two days a week. (CTV News)
  • Biden Delivers State Of The Union Speech – President Joe Biden challenged Republicans to lift the U.S. debt ceiling and support tax policies that were friendlier to middle class Americans on Tuesday in a State of the Union speech that served as a blueprint for his 2024 re-election campaign. (Reuters)
  • Losses Mounting For Russia – According to some estimates, at least 200,000 and as many as 270,000 Russian troops have died, been wounded or gone missing in the first 11 months of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Such losses could hamper Russia’s ability to sustain current operations or launch a new offensive. (Forbes)