💰Majority of Canadians say Ottawa overspends, feel overtaxed

A majority of Canadians consider themselves overtaxed by a federal government that spends too much and unwisely. And Quebecers are the ones who most feel the Trudeau government is “investing” too much.

An Ipsos-MEI poll shows that 63 per cent of Canadians think the federal government’s spending is either “too high” or “much too high,” which is a sharp increase compared to a similar poll ran by Ipsos last year. They also feel the government isn’t transparent or accountable enough for the spending spree.

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🇺🇸🇨🇳🇷🇺🇨🇦Chinese and Russian military planes tracked, intercepted off Alaska, NORAD says

Two Chinese and two Russian long-range bombers were tracked flying over international waters near Alaska and US and Canadian fighter jets were sent up in response, their joint aerospace command said.

The Chinese and Russian military activity Wednesday was not seen as a threat, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, known as NORAD, said.

“NORAD will continue to monitor competitor activity near North America and meet presence with presence,” the command said in a news release.

🔎 Source
#US #China #Russia #Canada

☠️ Blood Meridian

🇨🇦🇧🇩 Quebec sees surge in number of asylum seekers from Bangladesh amid unrest

There has been a surge in the number of asylum seekers from Bangladesh to Quebec in recent months.

Between January and June, just over 2,865 Bangledeshis claimed refuge in Quebec alone. Last year that number was just under 1,209. At the current rate, there could be more than 5,000 claims in the province by the end of the year.

#Quebec #immigration
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Alberta premier says a third, perhaps half, of all Jasper buildings destroyed by fire

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says early reports indicate a third and perhaps up to half of all buildings in the historic Rocky Mountain resort town of Jasper have burned in a wildfire.

#Alberta #wildfires
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🇨🇦⚽️Canada's men's and women's soccer teams have relied on drones and spying for years, sources say

Coaching staff and contractors working with Canada’s men’s and women’s national soccer teams have been engaged for years in efforts to film the closed-door training sessions of their opponents, including during the women’s gold-medal winning Olympic tournament in 2021, two sources with first-hand knowledge of the activity said.

The historical spying allegations come with the Canada’s women’s soccer team program under intense scrutiny at the Olympics in Paris.

The Canadian Olympic Committee said on Wednesday that assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi had left the team and returned to Canada after Lombardi was caught using a drone to spy on two of New Zealand’s closed training sessions. On Thursday, Canada beat New Zealand 2-1 in their Olympic tournament opener.

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🩺 New language directive for Quebec hospitals denounced as 'dangerous'

A team of bureaucrats in Quebec’s Health Ministry has issued a 31-page directive spelling out the “exceptional” circumstances in which English is allowed to be spoken in hospitals and other medical facilities.

But representatives from the anglophone community who have read the densely worded directive are already calling it confusing and potentially dangerous.

The Health Ministry produced the directive in response to the adoption two years ago of Bill 96, the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s overhaul of the Charter of the French Language. Bill 96 requires that all government workers — including those in hospitals and nursing homes — use French “systematically” in written and oral communications with their clients, with certain exceptions, like emergencies.

#Quebec #healthcare
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🦠B.C.'s top doctor ends four-year COVID-19 public health emergency

After four years of mask mandates, gathering restrictions, vaccinations and hospitalizations, British Columbia’s provincial health officer has ended the province's public-health emergency for COVID-19.

Dr. Bonnie Henry said Friday that all remaining restrictions, including the vaccination requirement for health-care workers, will be rescinded.

Better late than never.

#BritishColumbia #healthcare
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💸Federal government posts $3.9B deficit in April, May

The federal government posted a $3.9 billion deficit in the first two months of the fiscal year.

The result for the April-to-May period compared to a $1.5 billion surplus for the same stretch last year.

Revenues increased $6.5 billion, or 8.9 per cent, largely due to higher tax revenues.

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⚽️FIFA strips Canada of 6 points in Olympic soccer, bans coach Bev Priestman for 1 year in drone spying scandal

FIFA came down hard on Canada Soccer on Saturday for a drone spying scandal, deducting six points from the Canadian women's soccer team at the Paris Games and banning three staff members, including head coach Bev Priestman, for one year each.

The punishments include a fine of $313,000 for the national federation in a case that has spiralled over the last week. Two staff members were caught using drones to spy on New Zealand's practices before the teams played their opening game.

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'Our schools are full': David Eby says population growth in BC 'completely overwhelming'

British Columbia Premier David Eby has said “unprecedented population inflows” in the province have become “completely overwhelming.”

Asked about increasing numbers of asylum seekers, Eby emphasized that migration in general has created problems in BC.

We’re talking about well in excess of 10,000 people a month. Our most recent total for last year was 180,000 new British Columbians. And that’s great, and that’s exciting, and it’s necessary. And it’s completely overwhelming. To add a new city of 180,000 people every year to our province is not sustainable. Our schools are full. We are unable to keep up with housing starts.

#BritishColumbia #immigration
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She escaped Ukraine unharmed — but was shot on a bus in Ottawa

Oksana Stepanenko says she never imagined that she would escape the war in Ukraine without a scratch — only to be shot in downtown Ottawa.

Stepanenko is recovering at home after she was attacked by someone wielding a pellet gun on an OC Transpo bus late Thursday afternoon.

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🪖💰Canada downplays cost of meeting NATO spending mark

In 2025, the figures NATO uses to calculate members' GDP will no longer be based on the 2015 numbers it uses now, but would instead use 2020 as the base year, leaving Canada about $3.5-billion short of its 2032 target.

#NATO
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🇨🇦🇻🇪Canada urges Venezuela to detail election results, Freeland cites 'serious concerns'

Canada is calling on Venezuelan authorities to release detailed polling results of its presidential election, after autocratic President Nicolas Maduro and his opposition rival both emerged from the contest claiming victory.

Global Affairs Canada called on Venezuelan authorities to "respect the will of the people" and to publish detailed results for all polling stations.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Ottawa was partnering with like-minded countries on the issue, without specifying what that involves.

#Venezuela
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📘Canada’s living standards are falling behind the rest of the developed world

As noted in a new study published by the Fraser Institute, from 2002 to 2014, Canada’s GDP per-person growth roughly kept pace with the rest of the OECD.

But from 2014 to 2022, the latest year of available comparable data, Canada’s average annual growth rate declined sharply, ranking third-lowest among 30 countries over the period.

Consequently, in dollar terms, Canada’s GDP per person increased only $1,325 during this time period, compared to the OECD average increase of $5,070 (all values in 2015 U.S. dollars).

What a coincidence!

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Liberal MP James Maloney says the LPC caucus has complete confidence in Freeland as Finance Minister.

Unequivocally, we are united behind this person beside me. Freeland has done a great job and there isn’t a single person in my caucus who'd say anything to the contrary.

#Freeland
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👑Ashley Callingbull is the 1st Indigenous woman to win Miss Universe Canada

Alberta’s Ashley Callingbull has become the first Indigenous woman to win Miss Universe Canada.

The 34-year-old model, actress and television host from Enoch Cree Nation was crowned in Windsor, Ont., on Saturday.

She will compete for the noscript of Miss Universe in Mexico in November.

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🇨🇦🇿🇦South African firefighters landed in Edmonton to assist in the fight against the raging wildfires.

#Alberta #wildfires
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Convoy leader Pat King to be re-arrested over alleged bail breach

Pat King's trial may have ended last week, but the prominent figure in the 2022 convoy protests is expected to be taken into custody as early as Tuesday after allegedly breaching his bail conditions.

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💉Over 1,150 toxic-drug deaths in B.C. in 1st half of 2024: coroner

At least 1,158 British Columbians died of toxic, unregulated drugs in the first half of 2024, the B.C. Coroners Service says — a rate of about six people per day.

Drug toxicity continues to be the leading cause of death in B.C. for people aged 10-59, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

Decriminalization was never the answer.

#BritishColumbia
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💩Debate ensues over photo of someone pooping in Ontario parking lot

It's been a strangely poop-fuelled few days as far as Ontario news goes, with the latest incident involving an image of what looks to be a man about to openly defecate in a gas station Tim Hortons parking lot, which some suggest are photoshopped.

So folks, photoshop or Trudeau's Canada?

#Ontario
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