🇨🇦🇺🇸75% of all exports are destined to the United States
The U.S. is by far the largest destination for Canadian products (75 per cent of total exports, followed by China (4.5 percent) and the United Kingdom (2.6 percent).
#facts
🍁 Maple Chronicles
The U.S. is by far the largest destination for Canadian products (75 per cent of total exports, followed by China (4.5 percent) and the United Kingdom (2.6 percent).
#facts
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Federal Liberals gives funds for new non-binary sports league
The Government of Canada invested into an exclusive LGBTQ+ sports league in Ontario.
The Government invested $90,000 into a 2SLGBTQI+ Sports in Waterloo Region project, which hosts a multi-sport league for non-binary players.
The league is hosted by a Kitchener advocacy group called SPECTRUM, which currently has a league running for the sports of basketball, volleyball, badminton, floor hockey and dodgeball.
The investment comes as a survey of Canadian female athletes found the majority (91.7%) think women should have the right to a dedicated female league, and 88% believe transwomen have a competitive advantage over women.
#Ontario
🍁 Maple Chronicles
The Government of Canada invested into an exclusive LGBTQ+ sports league in Ontario.
The Government invested $90,000 into a 2SLGBTQI+ Sports in Waterloo Region project, which hosts a multi-sport league for non-binary players.
The league is hosted by a Kitchener advocacy group called SPECTRUM, which currently has a league running for the sports of basketball, volleyball, badminton, floor hockey and dodgeball.
The investment comes as a survey of Canadian female athletes found the majority (91.7%) think women should have the right to a dedicated female league, and 88% believe transwomen have a competitive advantage over women.
#Ontario
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Vancouver mayor says foreign meddling 'insinuations' around municipal election are because he's not Caucasian
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said his race is behind “insinuations” in a newspaper report connecting him to election meddling by Chinese diplomats.
Sim said at a news conference Thursday he was not aware of any foreign interference in the 2022 municipal election that saw him defeat incumbent Kennedy Stewart.
Meanwhile, Canadian intelligence officials are concerned the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver interfered in the election by using diaspora community groups and grooming certain candidates.
#BritishColumbia
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said his race is behind “insinuations” in a newspaper report connecting him to election meddling by Chinese diplomats.
Sim said at a news conference Thursday he was not aware of any foreign interference in the 2022 municipal election that saw him defeat incumbent Kennedy Stewart.
Meanwhile, Canadian intelligence officials are concerned the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver interfered in the election by using diaspora community groups and grooming certain candidates.
#BritishColumbia
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🇨🇦🇮🇳Canada to deport over 700 Indian students for fake admission offer letters
More than 700 Indian students are facing deportation from Canada after authorities in the country found that the admission offer letters to the educational institutions they were studying in were fake, reported The Indian Express.
The students had gone to Canada in 2018-19 on a study visa. After completing their studies the students had also received work permits in the country. The admission offer letters were found to be fake only after they applied for permanent residency in Canada, reported PTI.
The Canadian Border Security Agency scrutinised their documents which revealed that their offer letters were not authentic.
#India
🍁 Maple Chronicles
More than 700 Indian students are facing deportation from Canada after authorities in the country found that the admission offer letters to the educational institutions they were studying in were fake, reported The Indian Express.
The students had gone to Canada in 2018-19 on a study visa. After completing their studies the students had also received work permits in the country. The admission offer letters were found to be fake only after they applied for permanent residency in Canada, reported PTI.
The Canadian Border Security Agency scrutinised their documents which revealed that their offer letters were not authentic.
#India
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Trudeau lashes out at Tories for questioning personal ties with special rapporteur
Justin Trudeau accused his Conservative rival of trying to score political points at the expense of Canadian democracy on Friday by questioning his personal relationship with former governor general David Johnston.
The question came during an event in Guelph, Ont., two days after Trudeau tapped Johnston as special rapporteur responsible for investigating claims of Chinese meddling in the last two federal elections.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has accused Trudeau and Johnston of being too close, noting the prime minister has previously called them family friends. Johnston is also involved in the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
Asked by reporters about their relationship, Trudeau defended the former governor general. Trudeau also said he hoped Johnston's appointment would "bring down the temperature on this issue."
#Trudeau
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Justin Trudeau accused his Conservative rival of trying to score political points at the expense of Canadian democracy on Friday by questioning his personal relationship with former governor general David Johnston.
The question came during an event in Guelph, Ont., two days after Trudeau tapped Johnston as special rapporteur responsible for investigating claims of Chinese meddling in the last two federal elections.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has accused Trudeau and Johnston of being too close, noting the prime minister has previously called them family friends. Johnston is also involved in the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.
Asked by reporters about their relationship, Trudeau defended the former governor general. Trudeau also said he hoped Johnston's appointment would "bring down the temperature on this issue."
#Trudeau
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Most Canadians support death penalty for murderers, poll shows
According to a new survey, 54 per cent of Canadians support relying on capital punishment on murder conviction, up three points since a similar survey conducted by the group in February 2022.
Research Co.’s data shows that Albertans are more likely in favor of the death penalty with the highest percentage of 62 per cent.
Support for capital punishment in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are also high at 60 per cent while 58 per cent of Ontario and B.C. residents feel the same way. Over half (55 per cent) of Atlantic Canada and 43 per cent of Quebec residents said they welcome the return of the death penalty.
When it comes to the type of punishment, 53 per cent (up one point) said they prefer murderers should be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole while 37 per cent would prefer the death penalty.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
According to a new survey, 54 per cent of Canadians support relying on capital punishment on murder conviction, up three points since a similar survey conducted by the group in February 2022.
Research Co.’s data shows that Albertans are more likely in favor of the death penalty with the highest percentage of 62 per cent.
Support for capital punishment in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are also high at 60 per cent while 58 per cent of Ontario and B.C. residents feel the same way. Over half (55 per cent) of Atlantic Canada and 43 per cent of Quebec residents said they welcome the return of the death penalty.
When it comes to the type of punishment, 53 per cent (up one point) said they prefer murderers should be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole while 37 per cent would prefer the death penalty.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
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Sask. Party president steps down after nine years
The Saskatchewan Party’s president, James Thorsteinson, is officially stepping down from his position.
Thorsteinson, who has been party President since November 2014, made the announcement on Saturday.
“After nearly nine years as Saskatchewan Party President, I will no longer be able to dedicate the time the position deserves,” Thorsteinson said.
Derek Tallon will serve as the interim president until a new president is chosen at the Saskatchewan Party convention, which is scheduled for the fall of 2023.
#Saskatchewan
🍁 Maple Chronicles
The Saskatchewan Party’s president, James Thorsteinson, is officially stepping down from his position.
Thorsteinson, who has been party President since November 2014, made the announcement on Saturday.
“After nearly nine years as Saskatchewan Party President, I will no longer be able to dedicate the time the position deserves,” Thorsteinson said.
Derek Tallon will serve as the interim president until a new president is chosen at the Saskatchewan Party convention, which is scheduled for the fall of 2023.
#Saskatchewan
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📈Ontario to see higher numbers of economic immigrants under federal agreement
Ontario is set to double the number of economic immigrants it welcomes to the province under an agreement with the federal government to boost the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.
The federal and provincial immigration ministers are announcing that the province will have more than 18,000 spots under the program in 2025.
Ontario Labour and Immigration Minister Monte McNaughton says the number of health-care workers in particular will change drastically.
Ontario has already put measures in place to prepare for a hoped influx under this program, including removing Canadian work experience requirements, giving newcomers more access to training programs and working to approve applications on average within 90 days.
#Ontario
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Ontario is set to double the number of economic immigrants it welcomes to the province under an agreement with the federal government to boost the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program.
The federal and provincial immigration ministers are announcing that the province will have more than 18,000 spots under the program in 2025.
Ontario Labour and Immigration Minister Monte McNaughton says the number of health-care workers in particular will change drastically.
Ontario has already put measures in place to prepare for a hoped influx under this program, including removing Canadian work experience requirements, giving newcomers more access to training programs and working to approve applications on average within 90 days.
#Ontario
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❄️Winter heating bills climb for 72% of Canadians
Nearly three-quarters of Canadians who pay home heating costs directly felt the pinch of bigger bills this winter.
▪️Among 1,212 bill payers surveyed between Feb. 23 and 24, 72 per cent reported higher energy consumption costs between mid-November 2022 and mid-February 2023. Among that group, 24 per cent say their bill "increased very much."
▪️According to Statistics Canada, most Canadians use traditionally gas-powered systems to heat their homes, mainly forced-air furnaces. The majority, 84 per cent, of gas users who participated in the survey reported paying a bigger bill.
▪️However, homes that rely on oil as their primary energy source for heat appear to have seen the steepest increases. Eighty-three per cent in this category reported an increase, with 42 per cent of this group saying their bill was "very much" higher.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Nearly three-quarters of Canadians who pay home heating costs directly felt the pinch of bigger bills this winter.
▪️Among 1,212 bill payers surveyed between Feb. 23 and 24, 72 per cent reported higher energy consumption costs between mid-November 2022 and mid-February 2023. Among that group, 24 per cent say their bill "increased very much."
▪️According to Statistics Canada, most Canadians use traditionally gas-powered systems to heat their homes, mainly forced-air furnaces. The majority, 84 per cent, of gas users who participated in the survey reported paying a bigger bill.
▪️However, homes that rely on oil as their primary energy source for heat appear to have seen the steepest increases. Eighty-three per cent in this category reported an increase, with 42 per cent of this group saying their bill was "very much" higher.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
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🏥 More than 6.5 million adults in Canada lack access to primary care
▪️A national survey shows that more than one in five Canadian adults – 6.5 million people – do not have a family physician or nurse practitioner they can see regularly for care, a situation that has become worse during the COVID-19 pandemic.
▪️The survey was conducted between September and October last year and includes more than 9,000 responses from across the country.
▪️The situation is particularly bleak in some parts of the country. In British Columbia, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, approximately 30 per cent – almost one in three adults – reported not having a family doctor or nurse practitioner, compared to only 13 per cent in Ontario.
#healthcare
🍁 Maple Chronicles
▪️A national survey shows that more than one in five Canadian adults – 6.5 million people – do not have a family physician or nurse practitioner they can see regularly for care, a situation that has become worse during the COVID-19 pandemic.
▪️The survey was conducted between September and October last year and includes more than 9,000 responses from across the country.
▪️The situation is particularly bleak in some parts of the country. In British Columbia, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, approximately 30 per cent – almost one in three adults – reported not having a family doctor or nurse practitioner, compared to only 13 per cent in Ontario.
#healthcare
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Former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders joins mayoral race
A former Toronto police chief has thrown his hat into the ring to replace former mayor John Tory in June’s upcoming byelection.
Mark Saunders, who served as Toronto’s first Black chief of police, confirmed the news on Monday evening.
Saunders previously ran as a candidate for the Progressive Conservatives in 2022’s provincial election. Saunders lost to Liberal candidate Stephanie Bowman in the riding of Don Valley West.
The byelection for Toronto mayor is set for Monday, June 26.
#Ontario
🍁 Maple Chronicles
A former Toronto police chief has thrown his hat into the ring to replace former mayor John Tory in June’s upcoming byelection.
Mark Saunders, who served as Toronto’s first Black chief of police, confirmed the news on Monday evening.
Saunders previously ran as a candidate for the Progressive Conservatives in 2022’s provincial election. Saunders lost to Liberal candidate Stephanie Bowman in the riding of Don Valley West.
The byelection for Toronto mayor is set for Monday, June 26.
#Ontario
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Ottawa still advertising on TikTok despite banning it on government devices due to security concerns
The federal government continues to advertise on TikTok, despite having banned the China-linked app from all government devices late last month due to security concerns.
The ads promote government messaging on topics such as public safety, armed forces recruitment and online disinformation.
Some tech experts argue Ottawa is sending Canadians a contradictory message and should suspend all advertising on the app.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
The federal government continues to advertise on TikTok, despite having banned the China-linked app from all government devices late last month due to security concerns.
The ads promote government messaging on topics such as public safety, armed forces recruitment and online disinformation.
Some tech experts argue Ottawa is sending Canadians a contradictory message and should suspend all advertising on the app.
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🍼Canadian parents still struggling to find consistent supply of baby formulas
Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, said much of the problem has to do with ongoing issues at the Abbott infant formula plant in the U.S. Its closure over sanitation problems last year sparked the original shortage. The U.S. Department of Justice began investigating the plant’s operations in January.
With Abbott products like Similac off store shelves, alternate brands are having difficulty keeping up with a sudden rise in demand.
Health Canada expects the situation to stabilize over the next few months.
The agency has already authorized the temporary sale of over 70 products from other countries to help ease the effects of the shortage and is working with manufacturers to increase shipments of products generally found on the Canadian market.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, said much of the problem has to do with ongoing issues at the Abbott infant formula plant in the U.S. Its closure over sanitation problems last year sparked the original shortage. The U.S. Department of Justice began investigating the plant’s operations in January.
With Abbott products like Similac off store shelves, alternate brands are having difficulty keeping up with a sudden rise in demand.
Health Canada expects the situation to stabilize over the next few months.
The agency has already authorized the temporary sale of over 70 products from other countries to help ease the effects of the shortage and is working with manufacturers to increase shipments of products generally found on the Canadian market.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
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Feds spend $26M on growth and innovation of Vancouver-based companies
Harjit Sajjan, the minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency, announced eight companies will receive a total of just over $16 million from a federal scale-up and productivity fund.
Almost $4.7 million will be going to Circle Innovation, a jobs and growth fund, while $5 million will allow CoPilot AI to expand its sales software platform within the United States.
A statement from Sajjan’s office says the nearly $26 million in total funding will create 500 jobs, more than $500 million in revenue growth, and over $400 million in new global sales for B.C. companies.
#BritishColumbia
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Harjit Sajjan, the minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency, announced eight companies will receive a total of just over $16 million from a federal scale-up and productivity fund.
Almost $4.7 million will be going to Circle Innovation, a jobs and growth fund, while $5 million will allow CoPilot AI to expand its sales software platform within the United States.
A statement from Sajjan’s office says the nearly $26 million in total funding will create 500 jobs, more than $500 million in revenue growth, and over $400 million in new global sales for B.C. companies.
#BritishColumbia
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Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter says that she is 'preparing to run' in Toronto's mayoral byelection
Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter says that she is ‘all in’ for Toronto’s mayoral by-election, becoming just the latest high-profile candidate to signal an intention to join the race.
Hunter had previously said that she was “very seriously” considering a run but hadn’t committed to putting her name on the ballot.
She has sat as an MPP since 2013 but will be required to resign her seat at Queen’s Park prior to the close of nominations on May 12, due to municipal election rules that prohibit sitting Senators and federal and provincial members of parliament from running.
Hunter has held several cabinet positions in the governments of former premier Kathleen Wynne, including Minister of Education and Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development.
#Ontario
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Liberal MPP Mitzie Hunter says that she is ‘all in’ for Toronto’s mayoral by-election, becoming just the latest high-profile candidate to signal an intention to join the race.
Hunter had previously said that she was “very seriously” considering a run but hadn’t committed to putting her name on the ballot.
She has sat as an MPP since 2013 but will be required to resign her seat at Queen’s Park prior to the close of nominations on May 12, due to municipal election rules that prohibit sitting Senators and federal and provincial members of parliament from running.
Hunter has held several cabinet positions in the governments of former premier Kathleen Wynne, including Minister of Education and Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development.
#Ontario
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📉Inflation rate drops to 5.2% in February
🔹Canada's inflation rate cooled to 5.2 per cent in February, the largest deceleration since April 2020, according to Statistics Canada.
🔹The agency said its consumer price index had a year-over-year deceleration from February 2022, when the inflation rate was 5.7 per cent.
🔹Despite the overall cooling, grocery prices remained elevated and outpaced overall inflation.
🔹Prices for food purchased from stores in February were up 10.6 per cent compared with a year ago, the seventh consecutive month of double-digit increases.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
🔹Canada's inflation rate cooled to 5.2 per cent in February, the largest deceleration since April 2020, according to Statistics Canada.
🔹The agency said its consumer price index had a year-over-year deceleration from February 2022, when the inflation rate was 5.7 per cent.
🔹Despite the overall cooling, grocery prices remained elevated and outpaced overall inflation.
🔹Prices for food purchased from stores in February were up 10.6 per cent compared with a year ago, the seventh consecutive month of double-digit increases.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
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📈Canada’s population grows by over 1 million for first time
Canada’s population grew 2.7% in 2022, the fastest expansion among advanced economies and on par with many African nations.
The country added a record 1,050,110 people over a one-year period to Jan. 1, bringing the total population to 39,566,248, Statistics Canada reported.
❗️International migration accounted for 95.9% of the growth — a testament to Canada’s decision to counter the economic drag of an aging populace by throwing its doors open to newcomers.
It marks the first time Canada grew by more than a million people in a year, while its industrial peers try different ways to address demographic challenges, including raising the retirement age. If this population growth rate is sustained, the statistics agency said Canada would double in size in about 26 years.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Canada’s population grew 2.7% in 2022, the fastest expansion among advanced economies and on par with many African nations.
The country added a record 1,050,110 people over a one-year period to Jan. 1, bringing the total population to 39,566,248, Statistics Canada reported.
❗️International migration accounted for 95.9% of the growth — a testament to Canada’s decision to counter the economic drag of an aging populace by throwing its doors open to newcomers.
It marks the first time Canada grew by more than a million people in a year, while its industrial peers try different ways to address demographic challenges, including raising the retirement age. If this population growth rate is sustained, the statistics agency said Canada would double in size in about 26 years.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
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🚫Kelowna wants its municipal parks exempted from B.C.'s drug decriminalization project
The mayor of Kelowna, B.C., says the city is lobbying the province to exclude parks from drug decriminalization rules that took effect this year.
The municipality had asked the B.C. government to make an exception for the Central Okanagan city that would allow it to prohibit illicit drugs being used in municipal parks.
The request comes amid a federally approved three-year pilot decriminalizing the personal possession of up to 2.5 grams of cocaine (crack and powder), methamphetamine, MDMA and opioids (including heroin, fentanyl and morphine).
Dyas said he has received a "positive reaction" to his request from provincial officials.
#BritishColumbia
🍁 Maple Chronicles
The mayor of Kelowna, B.C., says the city is lobbying the province to exclude parks from drug decriminalization rules that took effect this year.
The municipality had asked the B.C. government to make an exception for the Central Okanagan city that would allow it to prohibit illicit drugs being used in municipal parks.
The request comes amid a federally approved three-year pilot decriminalizing the personal possession of up to 2.5 grams of cocaine (crack and powder), methamphetamine, MDMA and opioids (including heroin, fentanyl and morphine).
Dyas said he has received a "positive reaction" to his request from provincial officials.
#BritishColumbia
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Quebec slashes income taxes in new budget and promises more public spending
The Quebec government is plowing ahead with one of the largest tax cuts in the province's history.
The tax cut is the big ticket item in the 2023-24 budget, which Finance Minister Eric Girard presented at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The tax cut will reduce the lowest two tax rates by one per cent. It's a reduction that will save the average Quebecer hundreds of dollars and will cost the government billions in lost revenue — $9.2 billion worth over five years.
The tax cuts will be paid for by the government making smaller payments toward the Generations Fund, a debt payment fund. This means the province only expects to meet its debt reduction goal in 15 years, instead of 10.
The CAQ has earmarked an additional $5.6 billion over five years to make the health-care system "more efficient and accessible," and will also spend an additional $2.3 billion over five years for "developing the potential of youth."
#Quebec
🍁 Maple Chronicles
The Quebec government is plowing ahead with one of the largest tax cuts in the province's history.
The tax cut is the big ticket item in the 2023-24 budget, which Finance Minister Eric Girard presented at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The tax cut will reduce the lowest two tax rates by one per cent. It's a reduction that will save the average Quebecer hundreds of dollars and will cost the government billions in lost revenue — $9.2 billion worth over five years.
The tax cuts will be paid for by the government making smaller payments toward the Generations Fund, a debt payment fund. This means the province only expects to meet its debt reduction goal in 15 years, instead of 10.
The CAQ has earmarked an additional $5.6 billion over five years to make the health-care system "more efficient and accessible," and will also spend an additional $2.3 billion over five years for "developing the potential of youth."
#Quebec
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🏠Canada needs 300,000 new rental units to avoid gap quadrupling by 2026
In order to reach the optimal vacancy rate of 3 per cent, the report suggested Canada would need to add 332,000 rental units over the next three years, which would mark an annual increase of 20 per cent compared with the 70,000 units built last year.
Canada's vacancy rate fell to 1.9 per cent in 2022, its lowest point in 21 years, from 3.4 per cent in 2020 and 2021.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
In order to reach the optimal vacancy rate of 3 per cent, the report suggested Canada would need to add 332,000 rental units over the next three years, which would mark an annual increase of 20 per cent compared with the 70,000 units built last year.
Canada's vacancy rate fell to 1.9 per cent in 2022, its lowest point in 21 years, from 3.4 per cent in 2020 and 2021.
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Katie Telford to testify on foreign interference
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office says his chief of staff, Katie Telford, will testify before a Parliamentary committee on foreign interference.
Opposition members on the committee voted weeks ago to launch a study into allegations Beijing interfered in Canada’s electoral process.
As part of the study, they called on Telford to testify on what she was told by security agencies after the media reported that the Prime Minister’s Office had been briefed multiple times on Chinese attempts to interfere in the 2019 and 2021 elections.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office says his chief of staff, Katie Telford, will testify before a Parliamentary committee on foreign interference.
Opposition members on the committee voted weeks ago to launch a study into allegations Beijing interfered in Canada’s electoral process.
As part of the study, they called on Telford to testify on what she was told by security agencies after the media reported that the Prime Minister’s Office had been briefed multiple times on Chinese attempts to interfere in the 2019 and 2021 elections.
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