In the news today: PM Trudeau at foreign interference inquiry

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

Trudeau to testify at foreign interference inquiry

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is slated to testify today as a federal inquiry into foreign interference finishes the latest phase of its work.

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The commission of inquiry is looking at the ability of institutions to detect and fend off the attempts of hostile states to meddle in Canadian affairs.

Over the last several weeks it has heard from senior bureaucrats, police and intelligence officials, cabinet ministers and members of diaspora communities.

Trudeau returns to the inquiry after appearing in April during its initial phase, which looked at allegations of meddling in the last two general elections.

Chiefs gather to vote on $47.8B child welfare deal

First Nations chiefs are gathering in Calgary today as they prepare to vote on a landmark $47.8-billion child welfare reform agreement with Ottawa.

The deal was struck in July between Canada, the Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and the Assembly of First Nations after a nearly two-decade legal fight over Canada’s underfunding of on-reserve child welfare services.

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal said that was discriminatory, and tasked Canada with coming to an agreement with First Nations to reform the system, along with compensating children who were torn from their families and put in foster care.

Chiefs in Ontario voted in support of the agreement last week, but the AFN is set to discuss three resolutions calling for the deal to be struck down or renegotiated.

Who are Donald Trump’s supporters in 2024?

They are known for wearing bright red and showing unwavering allegiance to Donald Trump.

The true supporters who are showing up to his hours-long rallies are everyday Americans, convinced that freedom and the future of America are at stake if the former Republican president doesn’t win the razor-thin race to the White House.

“The people who are in the middle class, the blue-collar workers and the people who just want what’s best for America, especially veterans, I feel like that’s what a Trump supporter is,” said Stevie Oberhofer.

The 16-year-old girl was among thousands of Trump supporters who stood in line for hours to attend a rally in Butler, Penn. earlier this month when the former president returned for the first time since he survived an assassination attempt. Trump was grazed in the right ear and one supporter was killed when a gunman opened fire in July.

Canada needs changes before next pandemic: report

An expert panel of doctors and researchers say Canada needs to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and take action before the next health emergency strikes.

One of the six experts, Dr. Fahad Razak, says most scientists believe it’s “only a matter of time” before another global health crisis hits.

The panel’s report, called “The Time to Act is Now,” says disease surveillance, hospitalization data and research findings need to be communicated much more effectively between the provinces, the territories and the federal government.

Razak, an internal medicine specialist at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, says it’s critical to share evolving health information much more quickly with the public to build trust and combat the spread of disinformation.

Leaders roundtable today in N.B. election campaign

New Brunswick party leaders are scheduled to participate today in a televised roundtable hosted by CTV Atlantic.

It will be the final opportunity for voters to hear the leaders exchange together before Monday’s election.

Higgs, who is vying for his third term as premier, has been noticeably less present on the campaign trail compared with his primary two opponents.

The Tory leader has not held any public events on at least 10 days of the campaign, which began Sept. 19. Higgs was also absent for the second leaders debate, on Oct. 9.

Eby, Rustad campaign on Vancouver Island

Leaders of the B.C. NDP and the B.C. Conservatives will be on Vancouver Island today for campaign events on the last day of advanced voting before British Columbia’s provincial election on Saturday.

David Eby has an announcement scheduled in Nanaimo this morning before fanning out across the island for campaign events in Ladysmith, Duncan and Victoria.

John Rustad will be in Nanaimo this evening for a campaign rally at a hotel.

B.C. Greens Leader Sonia Furstenau has a series of Zoom calls scheduled, but the party’s website indicates no in-person events Wednesday.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 15, 2024

The Canadian Press