TIG Post

Tag: Canada

  • Commander of volunteer fighter force from Canada passes away in Ukraine

    Commander of volunteer fighter force from Canada passes away in Ukraine

    A leader from Canada who was in charge of a group of volunteer fighters in Ukraine, called the Norman Brigade, has passed away.

    The information was first spread online in chatrooms and social media posts and then shared by a Russian-owned news outlet called Sputnik.

    Canada’s government knows that a Canadian person has died in Ukraine, but they won’t say who it is or how they died.

    “We are thinking of his family and loved ones during this tough time,” said spokesperson Grantly Franklin. The officials are talking to the local authorities to get more information and are helping the family.

    More update on this story soon.

  • Families who saved loved ones from Gaza believe Canadian government has deceived them

    Families who saved loved ones from Gaza believe Canadian government has deceived them

    The young woman felt hopeful for the first time that she might survive the terrible situation in the Gaza Strip, on the same night she thought she and her family would be killed.

    Last year, Canada government said it would help bring more family members of its citizens out of the dangerous area. However, in the past month, the 20-year-old woman lost hope that the Canadian government would help her family leave due to the delays.

    As the weeks passed, she and her family endured frequent attacks. On some days, when they couldn’t find canned food, the grown-ups chose to go without eating so that the kids could still have food.

    In the middle of February, things got better for them. She and her family got permission to go into Egypt. Their names were on a list.

    The Canadian government was not involved.

    In a very desperate situation, the young woman’s family in Canada paid over $70,000 to a private company to talk with Egyptian and Israeli officials and leave the country.

    The news made her family so happy that they were jumping for joy that night.

    Shortly after, people in the Rafah area, which was thought to be one of the safest places, became very scared because it was bombed by Israel.

    The doors and windows were blown out of a small apartment where a young woman slept with 40 other women and children.

    They survived the night and as the sun came up, the family gathered their few belongings and carefully went to the border.

    She didn’t realize she was really leaving her life behind until she was on the bus. After that, they would all begin again in Canada, and her family would definitely get a visa since they had escaped. But that’s what she believed.

    “The young woman said in Arabic, using a translator, that we thought the only problem would be leaving Gaza, and then it would be simple. ” The Canadian Press promised not to say her name because they were worried about getting in trouble with the Egyptian or Canadian authorities.

    “She begged to go to Canada because that’s our only hope. ” But that hope is almost gone.

    She and her family have not heard from the Canadian government about visas, even though their legal status in Egypt is about to end soon.

    At the same time, the family can’t go to work or see a doctor. Their family overseas is giving them all the help they need, and they already paid a lot of money to keep them safe.

    The people in Canada feel tricked because they don’t know what will happen.

    “The woman’s aunt in Canada said they tricked us. She has been trying to bring her relatives to safety since the war started in October. ” The text cannot be “rewritten in simple words” as it is not complete. Can you please provide additional details or the full text for me to help you. The Canadian Press promised not to say the aunt’s name so that people wouldn’t know who the family is.

    She said the Immigration Department asked for money to apply for the program that Ottawa announced in December, but she hasn’t seen Canada doing much to help her family.

    “She said Canada isn’t putting in enough effort for this program, and it’s a big question. ”

    “They only come up with reasons. ”

    The government started a program in January to give short-term visas to about 1,000 people in the Gaza Strip. They can go to Canada if their family there agrees to help them.

    Immigration Minister Marc Miller is upset that Canada can’t help approved family members come to Egypt.

    He didn’t answer right away when asked about the problems people had escaping on their own.

    The government won’t tell us how many people have applied to the program that helps family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents stay in Canada temporarily. The husbands, wives, and kids of those other family members can also apply.

    As of March 4, we have accepted 986 applications for processing. Only 12 people were able to leave Gaza, complete the screening process, and get permission to come to Canada, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

    The war started when Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7 airplanes crashed, killing around 1,200 people and taking about 240 hostages.

    Israel quickly attacked with planes and then sent soldiers to fight on the ground in a war that has killed over 30,000 Palestinians, as reported by the Health Ministry in Gaza, run by the group Hamas.

    The war made 80% of the 2. 3 million people in Gaza leave their homes, and a quarter of them don’t have enough food to eat, according to the United Nations.

    Immigration lawyer Debbie Rachlis from Toronto is helping about 50 Palestinians in Egypt who escaped on their own and are now waiting for a Canadian visa. She said she knows about 100 similar cases that other lawyers are working on.

    It’s sad because some people won’t be able to leave because their family doesn’t have the money or connections.

    She said that people who didn’t finish the Canadian application process are worried that they may not qualify anymore.

    Rani Hemaid gave a lot of money to a company to help his family leave Gaza and go to Cairo. Now they don’t have much money and are waiting to hear from the Canadian government.

    He said it’s not sure if they still meet the requirements because they came before Canada’s visa program started.

    In Gaza City, his sister, her husband and their five children are waiting too. They are in danger from military attacks and not having enough food to eat. Hemaid said this.

    His 10-year-old nephew, Yamin, has a broken leg that can’t be fixed because all the hospitals are gone, he said.

    Yamin said sorry to his mom for always being choosy about food, his uncle said.

    “I will eat whatever food you give me right now,” Hemaid said emotionally from his home in Hamilton, Ontario.

    Hemaid was a Palestinian Canadian who wanted to help bring the families of Canadians to safety.

    When the visa program started, people called him to say thank you for his help. They said their families would be safe now, he said.

    Now they are calling him to say that they wish it had never opened – the false hope has crushed them.

    “We, as Palestinian Canadians, feel that the Canadian government has tricked and deceived us,” he said. “They don’t care about us. ”

    He is afraid that Palestinians will remain in Gaza and may starve or die because they are unsure about the Canadian visa program.

    It’s not sure who will be approved, or how much time it will take. A lot of people in Cairo don’t have enough money to live day-to-day without knowing if they will have enough money to pay for a hotel or rent a room from Airbnb.

    I am really in need. “I feel very discouraged,” he said.

    The rules say that if extended family members want to apply for the program, they have to be in Gaza when they apply. Yaman Marwah, a lawyer who helps people with immigration in Ottawa, said this.

    Canada has not given any money or help with living to family members who are allowed to come to Canada, and they also did not reduce the cost of applying for a visa. The application fee is about $185 for each person.

    People who were applying for their families had to sign a paper saying they don’t get welfare and will pay for everything themselves.

    Marwah said he’s not sure if it’s better to give people hope and encourage them to fight for it, like Canada did, or to not give them any hope from the beginning and tell them we can’t help.

    The young woman in Egypt said she feels more fortunate than those who are still in Gaza.

    She said that simple things like taking a shower or having a bag of chips feel great, and she really just wants to go back to her normal life.

    She said the Canadian government has to make this hope happen.

  • Canada declares humanitarian situation in Gaza “catastrophic”

    Canada declares humanitarian situation in Gaza “catastrophic”

    Canada is giving money again to the United Nations to help Palestinian refugees in the Near East. Canada will also help send supplies to Gaza from the air.

    Ahmed Hussen, tasked with providing aid to other nations, stated on Friday that they had decided to help the Palestinian people in need.They want to act quickly to help them.
    Canada and other countries stopped giving money to UNRWA because they think some UNRWA workers helped Hamas attack Israel in October. On July 7, 2023.

    Hussen said that Canada has looked at the UN’s preliminary report and is happy with what it says. He also mentioned that UNRWA is working to improve how it oversees, is accountable, and is transparent.

    “Canada will help other countries and organizations to make sure that the suggestions from the OIOS investigation and independent review are followed through,” said a statement from Hussen’s office that came with the minister’s announcement.

    No payments were missed when the pause started in January. The Canadian government will send $25 million to the agency in April. Hussen said this is to make sure the organization doesn’t fail, because it’s really important for helping people in the area.

    “I was in Rafah just two weeks ago and met brave Canadian volunteers who were working hard to save lives in Gaza. ” I saw many trucks with important supplies stuck at the border,unable to go through.

    Get all the important news sent right to you: Just down load the CTV News App.

    Hussen said Canada will help the government of Jordan and the World Food Programme give important supplies to Gaza by dropping them from the air.

    The government is giving $100,000 to buy food, blankets, and warm clothes.

    The Canadian military will give the Royal Jordanian Air Force about 300 cargo parachutes from the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre in Trenton, Ont. , to help with airdrops.

    The minister said these parachutes will help deliver 75 tons of supplies to Gaza, where there is a really bad humanitarian situation getting worse each hour.

    Hussen pointed out that Canada is the first G7 country to start giving money to UNRWA again.

    In an interview on CTV News, Canada’s UN Representative Bob Rae was asked why he thought it was necessary to resume funding.

    Rae explained that the humanitarian situation is terrible, and the government can’t wait any longer for the Israeli government to share information about the UNRWA probe because it’s taking too much time.

    He said that the information from Israel is coming slowly, and Israel has not met with the investigating team yet.

    Rae said we need to move. “We can’t let the investigation work stop us from helping people in need. I think we are doing the right thing. ” I believe it considers everyone’s opinions, but it puts the most focus on helping the people who need it the most.

    Rae also told CTV News that the pressure and protests in Canada about how politicians are dealing with the Israel-Gaza war did not affect the government’s decision in this case.

    The Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) said they are happy that Canada is starting to give money again. They mentioned that many people in society didn’t like the decision to stop the funding.

    However, CJPME also warned about the airdrop plans, mentioning that five people in Gaza were killed when an aid package parachute didn’t work properly.

    Earlier this week, Canada’s future funding for UNRWA was uncertain. NDP MP Heather McPherson said the Liberals were uncertain about what to do while people were dying. Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman called Friday’s decision “vile. “

  • Commander of First Nations police department in Canada under investigation for possible misconduct

    Commander of First Nations police department in Canada under investigation for possible misconduct

    The NAPS board announced on Friday that they are conducting an investigation an alleged misconduct by Chief of Police Roland Morrison and for that reason he has been placed on paid suspension until it is completed.

    Morrison started working as Chief in September 2018 after the former chief, Terry Armstrong, announced his retirement. Morrison was officially given the position in April 2019.

    Deputy Chief Brad Duce will be the temporary Chief of Police until a new Chief is chosen while they look into things.

    “The board said that Duce has had a long and respected career with NAPS. ”

    NAPS is the biggest police service for First Nations in Canada. They help 35 First Nations communities in northern Ontario. The Indigenous police force has offices from the Manitoba border to the Quebec border and north to the James Bay Coast, covering an area that is two-thirds the size of Ontario.

    “The board said they won’t say anything else right now to keep the investigation safe,” .

    This news story is still being updated. Come back later for more information.

  • Iranians sanctioned after being accused of brutally suppressing women and girls in Canada

    Iranians sanctioned after being accused of brutally suppressing women and girls in Canada

    The Canadian government is placing new restrictions on two Iranians who they say have been involved in hurting women and girls in Iran.

    Mélanie Joly, who is in charge of international relationships, is sharing news on International Women’s Day.
    Joly says that Iranian women and girls are in a very strict and dangerous situation where they could get hurt or even die if they speak up or ask for their basic rights.

    Canada has punished 155 people and 87 groups since Mahsa Amini died in 2022.

    Amini died while in police custody after getting arrested, supposedly for not wearing her hijab properly.

    The leader of the city’s public transportation system and a high-ranking member of the government are being put on a list for doing more strict actions.

    Masoud Dorosti, who runs the Tehran metro, makes sure that people follow the law requiring them to wear hijab on public transportation, according to Joly’s office.

    Zohreh Elahian, a conservative politician who supports giving punishment to people who protest in a movement called “Women, Life, Freedom,” is also being punished.

    “These two people in power have been making things harder for women and girls in Iran,” Joly’s office said.

    People on the sanctions list can’t come to Canada or do any business with Canadians.

  • Canada asks arms manufacturers about plans to increase ammunition manufacturing

    Canada asks arms manufacturers about plans to increase ammunition manufacturing

    The government is giving two gun companies a lot of money to figure out how to make more bullets in Canada. Bill Blair, who is in charge of protecting our country, told everyone at a meeting in Ottawa.

    He says that $4. 4 million will go to IMT Defence and General Dynamics to make plans for making more 155 mm ammunition.

    Last autumn, the deputy defense minister said to a group of lawmakers that the two companies thought it would cost $400 million to increase production.

    There is not enough 155 mm ammunition available worldwide because of the war in Ukraine.

    Some countries that work together with Canada have agreed to make more ammunition. They want to make sure Ukraine has enough ammunition to defend itself against Russia.

  • Michael Spavor settles legal dispute with Canadian government – Lawyer

    Michael Spavor settles legal dispute with Canadian government – Lawyer

    Michael Spavor, a Canadian who has been in prison in China for almost three years, has settled a legal issue with the Canadian government, according to his lawyer on Wednesday.

    The Globe and Mail news paper said that an agreement had been made.

    I’m sorry, but I can only say that the issue with Mr. John K sent an email to media saying that Spavor and the Canadian government have worked out their problem. Phillips is a lawyer who works for Spavor.

    The situation was resolved over two years after Spavor and another Canadian named Michael Kovrig, also known as “the two Michaels,” were released from Chinese custody in September 2021. They came back to Canada after being in prison overseas for a longtime. It all started in December 2018when Meng Wanzhou, who is the chief financial officer of a big Chinese tech company called Huawei, tried to besent to the United States from Canada.

    approved a deal allowing Huawei Technologies CoLtd’s Wanzhou, who had been living under house arrest in Vancouver, to return to China. The Justice Department made an agreement to settle the charges against Meng.

    Last year, the Globe and Mail said Spavor wanted a lot of money from the Canadian government. They didn’t say who told them this. On Wednesday, the Globe said that Spavor’s agreement is worth “about $6million. “

    The final decision about the legal issue has not been made clear yet, and it has not been confirmed to TIG post.

  • Canada restricts indirect importation of Russian diamonds

    Canada restricts indirect importation of Russian diamonds

    Canada on Friday announced restrictions on indirect imports of Russian diamonds weighing 1 carat and above in a co-ordinated move with other Group of Seven (G7) countries.

    The latest restriction adds to a ban on Russian diamonds announced in December and will provide Canadians “additional assurance that the diamonds that they purchase are not supporting Russia’s illegal war,” the Canadian foreign ministry said in a statement.

    Canada has been one of the leaders in putting limits on the Putin government’s economy since he started a harsh and illegal attack on Ukraine. This caused a lot of harm to the Ukrainian people. We and our friends have put strict punishments on the Russian government, and we will keep doing this to make Putin and his supporters responsible,” said Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly.

    Russia makes the most rough diamonds in the world, and they were worth around $4. 7 billion in 2022. It also sends a lot of diamonds and diamond products to other countries. It made more than $5. 2 billion from these exports last year.

    The G7 countries make up 70% of the world’s diamond market when they work together.

    In 2022, Canada punished Russia’s government-owned company Alrosa after Russia attacked Ukraine.

    Canada removed Russia’s most-favored nation status, which means they put a 35% tax on all items that are imported from Russia.

    This caused the value of Russian imports to drop a lot, from $327,224 in 2022 to $13,440 for the first eight months of 2023, including products that will be banned.

  • Russians to face more sanctions from Canada over the death of Navalny

    Russians to face more sanctions from Canada over the death of Navalny

    Canada’s foreign affairs minister has said that they will impose more penalties on the Russian government. This is because of the recent death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and Russia’s ongoing violations of human rights.

    Melanie Joly said that on Sunday, six Russian government officials and workers in their legal system will be punished. The statement says they were part of hurting Navalny, punishing him in a mean way, and causing his death.

    Navalny, who is 47 years old, was widely seen as the biggest enemy of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    Last month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Ukraine and said that Putin was responsible for Navalny’s death. Navalny died suddenly in a prison in the Arctic where he was serving a long sentence.

    The Kremlin said that accusations about Putin being involved in Navalny’s death are not true and are disrespectful.

    Joly is asking Russia to investigate Navalny’s death carefully and openly. She sees Navalny as a person who gave hope to the Russian people and spoke up for freedom, fairness, democracy, and a better future for Russia.

    Canada said they will take actions against another country on February. 23 Russian officials and businessmen and 153 companies were punished, along with the United States and the United Kingdom.

  • Supporting Ukraine is the best thing you can do – Foreign minister to Canadian electorates

    Supporting Ukraine is the best thing you can do – Foreign minister to Canadian electorates

    Ukraine’s foreign minister has asked Canadian voters to help his country by giving more support as it’s been two years since Russia invaded.

    Dmytro Kuleba talked to Vassy Kapelos on CTV’s Question Period in an interview that will be shown on Sunday. He said that the war in Ukraine is about the future of a free country and the way the world works together.

    “You have your own problems at home, you have your own fights at home,” Kuleba said when asked about how worried he is about Canadian Conservative MPs voting against a new trade deal between Canada and Ukraine.

    “This is your business, but I want to talk to the people in Canada who vote for different parties,” he said. “The most helpful thing you can do is to give your support to Ukraine. ”

    He also said to Kapelos that Ukraine cannot afford to be concerned about the politics of other countries.

    “We’re not in a time of peace for politics, when politicians can choose a problem and use it for their own benefit,” he said. “We’re not using it for fun because the situation in Ukraine is about people’s lives. ”

    Kuleba gave an interview right after European Union countries agreed to give Ukraine a new aid package worth 50 billion euros (C$81 billion).

    He said that the United States Congress is stuck on whether to give more help to Ukraine. The writer hopes that American lawmakers will do what the EU is doing and give more support.

    Kuleba hopes that people in Washington will wake up and read the news from Europe this morning. “The EU’s decision will make talks in the US better. “

    When asked how probable he thinks that is, Kuleba said he wouldn’t guess.

    “I’m not very good at reading tarot cards. ” Kuleba said, “I don’t guess. ” “I work hard every day to make things happen. ” -> “I work hard every day to make things happen.

    “People were starting to question if the decision made today would work,” he said. “People are questioning the Congress’s decision, but we are still working hard to make it happen. ”

    Kuleba also said the Ukrainian government will work with whoever becomes the next president of the United States. The vote happened, even though Donald Trump didn’t want a new aid agreement.

    The foreign minister said Ukraine supports the decision of American voters and his country can’t afford to focus on other countries’ domestic choices because it’s too busy dealing with war.

    “He said we don’t have enough money for that. ” “We are in a battle. “

  • Brian Mulroney, former prime minister of Canada, passes away at age 84

    Brian Mulroney, former prime minister of Canada, passes away at age 84

    Brian Mulroney, who was once the prime minister of Canada and a strong member of the Conservative party, has passed away at the age of 84. The ex-leader of the Tory party passed away peacefully with his family by his side, his family announced with much sadness on Thursday.

    The House of Commons stopped its meeting on Thursday when they found out Mulroney had passed away. People from all over Canada reacted to the news.

    Throughout his important and sometimes controversial political career, Mulroney made a big impact on the country.

    Desire to enter politics at a young age

    Mulroney was born in a regular family in Baie-Comeau, Quebec. When he was in college studying political science, he started helping the Conservative prime minister John Diefenbaker.

    He did a lot of work in conservative politics for many years. Then he studied law. In 1976, he tried to become the next leader of the federal Progressive Conservative party, but he lost to Joe Clark.

    Mulroney was not successful, but he did not give up. He got a job in a big company, but still planned to remove Clark from his position.

    In 1983, he became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party after working hard to gain power.

    “We will make a new party and a new country together,” he promised. He was chosen as the Member of Parliament for Central Nova, N. SHe promised to work for more jobs in the area.

    Mulroney ran a very successful campaign in 1984 and won the most seats in Canadian history. It was all thanks to a famous line he said during the campaign.

    When former Liberal prime minister John Turner was asked about Pierre Trudeau’s questionable job appointments, Mulroney said, “You could have chosen differently. ”

    ‘Very difficult choices’

    “Mulroney was Canada’s 18th prime minister. Before that, he was a Member of Parliament for Manicouagan, Quebec. ” Started a sometimes difficult time as the prime minister that lasted nine years and both made the country stronger and created divisions.

    Mr Simple words: Mister Mulroney made some hard decisions that people are only starting to recognize as good choices now, said former diplomat and Mulroney’s former chief of staff Derek Burney to CTV News.

    He tried really hard to get Quebec to agree to be a part of Canada, but it didn’t work. He had two big plans, but they didn’t happen. So the changes he wanted to make to the Canadian laws and the improvements he wanted to make never happened.

    On the world stage, Mulroney made Canada more respected and noticed. He got many countries to oppose apartheid, and put restrictions on South Africa.

    Mulroney and his wife Mila became good friends with Nancy and Ronald Reagan while they were getting closer with the United States. This led to a special moment at the 1985 Shamrock Summit in Quebec City.

    These relationships continued after the leaders’ political careers ended, and Mulroney gave speeches at the funerals of both former presidents.

    Mulroney also made new friends in the United States. One of the most important things he did was to make a deal between Canada and the United States for free trade. This was a big issue in the 1988 election.

    After winning again, Mulroney made a bigger trade agreement that included Mexico called the North American Free Trade Agreement.

    In his second term, Mulroney signed the Acid Rain Accord and brought in the unpopular Goods and Services Tax (GST).

    The tax started in 1991 and is still here today. People really didn’t like it. The country was feeling tired and went into a recession. Mulroney’s popularity dropped a lot in 1992.

    Mulroney and his wife became very close friends with Barbara and George Bush Sr.

  • Protesters in Kitchener obstruct entrance to Colt Canada building

    Protesters in Kitchener obstruct entrance to Colt Canada building

    Workers at a gun-making company in Kitchener were met by people protesting as they tried to go to their job on Wednesday morning. A bunch of people stopped others from getting into the Colt Canada Corporation building on Wilson Avenue.

    People said the protest was part of a national push to ask the Canadian government to stop selling weapons to Israel right away, because of the fighting in Gaza.

    “We’ve been preventing people from getting into this Colt facility since this morning,” protestor Sasha Koegler told CTV News.

    “Some Colt employees have said that they work here and also support what we’re doing. They understand that it’s necessary.” Koegler said that people can still go to a nearby Rogers TV building and some homes past the blockage.

    “I think it was a good event. ” Many people have stopped by and are showing their support. They understand that this needs to happen.

    Earlier this month, the government said it might punish Israeli people living in the West Bank for hurting Palestinians.

    The Nicaraguan government wants to ask the International Court of Justice to decide if countries that give weapons to Israel are helping Israel do bad things. But the decision will only be made after the court makes a ruling on a case brought by South Africa. They say Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

    In 2022, Canada sold a lot of military goods to Israel.

    Global Affairs Canada said that the government has not sent weapons to Israel in a long time, but they do allow the export of military technology and non-lethal equipment.

    Earlier this month, Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly said that she would punish 10 people linked to Hamas and the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.

    I want to make sure you understand. Hamas is a group that does bad things, and they will be punished for their attacks, Joly said.

  • Save me, Lord! Akwasi, how do I cater for these children? – Widow of Ghanaian killed in Canada

    Save me, Lord! Akwasi, how do I cater for these children? – Widow of Ghanaian killed in Canada

    Widow of a 40-year-old Ghanaian migrant, Adu Boakye, who was fatally shot in Canada on February 17, 2024, has shared the heartbreaking details of her husband’s tragic passing.

    A Joy News reporter visited the family’s residence in Kwanwoma, Ashanti Region, revealing a household enveloped in sorrow and pain since the devastating news broke.

    Amidst friends offering condolences, the grief-stricken wife, who had been shedding tears for days, was quoted saying, “I cannot fight this battle. Save me, Lord. Akwasi, how do I cater for these children?” The profound loss left the family grappling with the harsh reality of Adu Boakye‘s untimely demise.

    Confirming the circumstances surrounding the shooting, Adu Boakye‘s brother-in-law, Francis Kumi, revealed that the victim was en route to send money back home when the tragic incident occurred.

    Kumi recounted the last conversation with Adu Boakye, stating, “He called me a few hours before his passing, saying that he had sent money to his wife, but it couldn’t go through. So, I asked him to resend it to my account so I could withdraw and give it to her. Sadly, on Monday, I read the news of his passing.”

    Despite immediate efforts by first responders to rush Adu Boakye to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries. A community vigil was held on February 24 in the vicinity of the shooting in Toronto, Canada, attended by the Toronto Mayor.

    While the police have released a photo of the suspected attacker, no arrests have been reported. The grieving family in Ghana is now calling for swift justice.

    A plea echoed by Adu Boakye’s sister, Dorcas Boakye, who shared, “We’re hoping the Canadian government will arrest the perpetrator so that we will be at peace.” The family, deeply impacted by the loss of a caring brother and husband, seeks closure through the apprehension of the assailant.

  • Over US$21K secured in fundraiser launched for Ghanaian immigrant killed in Toronto shooting 

    Over US$21K secured in fundraiser launched for Ghanaian immigrant killed in Toronto shooting 

    Friends of Adu Boakye, a Ghanaian immigrant tragically killed in an indiscriminate shooting in the North York area of Toronto, Canada, are rallying support to aid his grieving family back home. 

    Boakye, who succumbed to his injuries upon arrival at a hospital on February 17, was shot at a bus stop by an unknown gunman.

    In response to the devastating loss, one of Boakye’s close friends, Richardson Adorsu, took initiative by creating a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Boakye’s funeral expenses and to support his family in Ghana. 

    The fundraiser aims to alleviate the financial burden faced by Boakye’s loved ones during this difficult time.

    As of the time of reporting, the fundraiser has garnered overwhelming support, with over 490 generous donors contributing over 28,598 Canadian dollars towards the 40,000 CAD target. This amount translates to over US$21,000, reflecting the widespread solidarity and compassion extended to Boakye’s family and community.

    The fundraiser’s introduction provided poignant details about Boakye’s tragic death, revealing that he was on his way to remit money to his family in Ghana when he was senselessly shot. Additionally, it disclosed the number of shots that struck him, shedding light on the brutality of the incident.

    In remembrance of Boakye, a vigil was held at a bus shelter across from the Driftwood Community Centre on Saturday, February 24. 

    The solemn gathering drew mourners from the community and beyond, with even Toronto Mayor in attendance, underscoring the significance of Boakye’s life and the impact of his untimely passing.

    The tragic loss of Adu Boakye has left a void in the hearts of his loved ones, but the outpouring of support from the community serves as a testament to his enduring legacy and the bonds of solidarity that unite us in times of sorrow. 

    As the fundraiser continues to garner donations and support, it stands as a beacon of hope amidst the darkness of tragedy, offering solace to Boakye’s grieving family and honoring his memory with love and compassion.

    Read the full details below:

    As a community we are raising funds to support a family who has lost their father, their husband, their son, a brother and friend.

    Adu Boakye came to Canada seeking a better life for himself and family. Adu was shot while standing at the bus stop at Jane and Driftwood while waiting for the bus to go and send money to his wife back home in Ghana.

    A gunman walked up to him and shot him 2 times in his stomach and as he tried to run he fell and he was again shot in his face.

    Adu was the primary provider for his family with 4 children and also his elderly parents. This devastating situation is a big loss for a family who is so far and cannot be here to see Adu for the last time. 

    We are pleading with the community at large to help raise funds to help the family with funeral cost and also for his wife and children to be able to see him one last time. We thank you in advance for your thoughtful support. 

  • GoFundMe campaign for fatally shot Ghanaian father in Canada hits 21k dollars

    GoFundMe campaign for fatally shot Ghanaian father in Canada hits 21k dollars

    Friends of a Ghanaian immigrant who tragically lost his life in a random shooting in the North York area of Toronto, Canada’s largest city, have launched a fundraising campaign to support his grieving family back home.

    Adu Boakye succumbed to his injuries upon arrival at a hospital on February 17 after being shot at a bus stop by an unidentified gunman.

    In a heartfelt gesture, one of Boakye’s close friends, Richardson Adorsu, initiated a GoFundMe page to raise funds for Boakye’s funeral expenses and to provide financial assistance to his family in Ghana.

    As of the time of this report, the fundraiser has garnered support from over 490 donors, raising over 28,598 Canadian dollars out of the targeted goal of 40,000 CAD, equivalent to over US$21,000.

    The fundraiser’s description provided additional details about Boakye’s tragic death, revealing that he was en route to send money to his family in Ghana when he was fatally shot. It also disclosed the number of gunshot wounds he sustained.

    A candlelight vigil in memory of Boakye took place at a bus shelter opposite the Driftwood Community Centre on Saturday, February 24, with the attendance of the Mayor of Toronto.

    Read the full details below:

    As a community, we are raising funds to support a family that has lost their father, their husband, their son, a brother and a friend.

    Adu Boakye came to Canada seeking a better life for himself and his family. Adu was shot while standing at the bus stop at Jane and Driftwood while waiting for the bus to go and send money to his wife back home in Ghana.

    A gunman walked up to him and shot him twice in his stomach. As he tried to run, he fell and he was again shot in the face.

    Adu was the primary provider for his fafamily, with 4 children and his elderly parents. This devastating situation is a big loss for a family who is so far away and cannot be here to see Adu for the last time.

    We are pleading with the community at large to help raise funds to help the family with funeral costs and also for his wife and children to be able to see him one last time. We thank you in advance for your thoughtful support.

    SARA

  • Ghanaian shot in Canada: Victim was ‘utterly innocent’ – Police

    Ghanaian shot in Canada: Victim was ‘utterly innocent’ – Police

    In a tragic incident on February 17 in northwest Toronto, a 39-year-old Ghanaian bystander lost his life at a bus stop, becoming the unintended target of a lone gunman.

    Adu Boakye, a father of four who had recently relocated to Canada, succumbed to gunshot wounds upon reaching the hospital. Another unnamed teenager, also shot by the same assailant, remains hospitalized.


    Supt. Andy Singh from 31 Division conveyed to the media that both victims were “completely and utterly innocent,” a statement he emphasized as a “big part of what has caused alarm in this community.”

    The incident unfolded around 3:05 p.m. on Saturday, February 17, 2024, in the Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue area.

    Despite immediate life-saving measures, Boakye could not overcome the injuries sustained during the shooting.

    Detective Phillip Campbell, offering additional information, confirmed that investigations have uncovered no relationship between Mr. Boakye and the individual responsible for the shooting.

    “It is reported that: the victim was located with gunshot wounds. Life-saving measures were performed, and the man was transported to hospital. The man succumbed to his injuries at the hospital and was pronounced deceased,” it added.

    “The victim has been identified as Adu Boakye, 39, of Ghana,” the February 20 statement released by the Homicide and Missing Persons United confirmed.

    Detective Phillip Campbell also gave further details on the matter, disclosing to the media thus:

    “Our investigation thus far has revealed there is no relationship between Mr. Boakye and the individual, or individuals, who shot him.

    “And like the victim shot the day before, Boakye was innocently going about his business [when he was shot],” he added.

    Mr Boakye, much like the victim from the preceding day, was merely going about his daily activities when confronted by this senseless act of violence.

  • Toronto police shares image of suspect who killed Ghanaian man in Canada

    Toronto police shares image of suspect who killed Ghanaian man in Canada

    Image of the primary suspect in the murder of Adu Boakye, a 39-year-old Ghanaian father of four, who fell victim to a random shooting incident in Canada, have been released by the Toronto Police.

    In a press release dated February 20, 2024, the police shared information and pictures of an individual suspected to be the perpetrator behind the fatal shooting in Toronto.

    The suspect is described by the police as a slim-built, black male believed to be between the ages of 18 and 25.

    According to the police release, the suspect was spotted through video canvassing, wearing a black coat, a white hoodie, black pants, black shoes, a black face covering, and possibly a white surgical mask.

    “Through video canvassing, a suspect has been identified. The suspect is described as male, black, 18-25 years old, with a thin build.

    “He was wearing a black coat, a white hoodie, black pants, black shoes, a black face covering and possibly a white surgical mask. Images of the suspect have been released,” parts of the release reads.

    The police also indicated that the suspect used a stolen vehicle to commit the atrocity.

    “The involved suspect vehicle, a stolen black Acura RDX, was located in Hamilton. Anyone who may have seen the vehicle, or who has video or dashcam footage, is asked to contact police,” it said.

    Additionally, it was revealed that the suspect utilized a stolen black Acura RDX as part of the criminal act. The stolen vehicle was later found in Hamilton, and the police are seeking information from anyone who may have seen the vehicle or possesses relevant video or dashcam footage.

    Background:

    Adu Boakye, who had relocated to Canada just three months ago, became one of the victims in a shooting incident that occurred in the North York area of northwest Toronto.

    Responding to a shooting call on Saturday, February 17, 2024, around 3:05 p.m. in the Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue area, the police found the victim with gunshot wounds. Despite life-saving efforts and transportation to the hospital, Adu Boakye succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased.

    Detective Phillip Campbell, in a subsequent media interview, disclosed that Adu Boakye and another unnamed 16-year-old boy were both “shot indiscriminately” within 24 hours while waiting for a bus in the Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue area. Det. Phillip Campbell emphasized that there was no apparent connection between Mr. Boakye and the assailant(s), and both victims were innocently going about their activities when shot.

  • A single room in Canada is over GHC 18k – Hawa Koomson ‘shuts’ critics of rent prices in Ghana

    A single room in Canada is over GHC 18k – Hawa Koomson ‘shuts’ critics of rent prices in Ghana

    Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson, has defended Ghana’s rental prices amid increasing concerns about the high cost of living.

    During a recent interview on Onua FM’s morning show, Yɛn Nsɛmpa, hosted by Nana Yaa Brefo and JB, the Awutu Senya East Member of Parliament encouraged Ghanaians to consider rental rates in comparison to those in Canada.

    She emphasised her recent trip to Canada, pointing out that even renting a single room there could exceed 2,000 Canadian dollars per month, which is considerably higher than in Ghana.

    “People have been complaining that rent is expensive in Ghana. They should go to Canada. For a month, you pay over 2,000 Canadian dollars. That’s for a single room, not even a chamber or hall.

    “Things are hard now, and there is a high cost of living everywhere, and when you compare Ghana to other countries, Ghana is doing far better,” she said in Twi.

  • Ghanaian father of four gunned down in shocking Canada shooting

    Ghanaian father of four gunned down in shocking Canada shooting

    A 39-year-old Ghanaian, Adu Boakye, who recently relocated to Canada just three months ago, has been fatally shot in what authorities have confirmed as a random shooting incident.

    The shooting occurred in the North York area in northwest Toronto, with Adu Boakye becoming one of two victims in this senseless act of violence. The incident took place at Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue, prompting a swift response from the police.

    According to a police statement on the matter, the incident unfolded on Saturday, February 17, 2024, around 3:05 p.m. Upon receiving a call reporting the shooting, police rushed to the scene.

    Adu Boakye was found with gunshot wounds, and despite life-saving measures and immediate transportation to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

    The victim, identified as Adu Boakye, had recently moved to Canada, leaving behind a life in Ghana to seek new opportunities in his adopted country.

    Detective Phillip Campbell, in a subsequent media interview, revealed that Adu Boakye and another unnamed 16-year-old boy fell victim to indiscriminate shootings less than 24 hours apart while waiting for a bus in the Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue area.

    “Our investigation thus far has revealed there is no relationship between Mr. Boakye and the individual, or individuals, who shot him,” said Det. Phillip Campbell. He emphasized that both victims were innocently going about their business when they were shot.

    The police have released some details about the assailant, describing the incident as a gang attack. They are urging the public to come forward with any information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrator. The shocking incident highlights the need for heightened awareness and community cooperation to ensure the safety of residents in the North York area and beyond.

  • Man nabbed in spiritualist’s shrine allegedly attempting to harm wife, son based in Canada

    Man nabbed in spiritualist’s shrine allegedly attempting to harm wife, son based in Canada


    A Ghanaian man has been apprehended by the police for allegedly scheming to spiritually harm his wife, aiming to gain control of a sachet water business established by her son residing in Canada.

    The incident, which has sparked widespread outrage, unfolded amidst a complex web of betrayal and deceit.

    According to reports from broadcast journalist Kofi Adomah, the son of the suspect’s wife, living in Canada, had endeavored to improve his mother’s life after she had supported him through his education and other hardships. Upon graduating from the University of Ghana and securing a job abroad, the son established a successful sachet water business for his mother, with the intention of providing her with financial stability.

    However, the suspect, who was married to the woman, allegedly harbored malicious intentions. Seeking to seize control of the business and undermine his stepson’s financial stability, he purportedly sought assistance from a friend to locate a spiritualist capable of causing harm to someone who had wronged him, without disclosing the identities of his intended victims.

    The friend directed the suspect to a known spiritualist. Upon learning of the suspect’s plans to harm his wife and sabotage his stepson’s business, the spiritualist alerted the police. Collaborating with law enforcement, they thwarted the suspect’s alleged sinister scheme.

    In a disturbing video captured by Kofi TV, the suspect is seen engaging in a ritualistic ceremony, invoking spirits to harm his wife and stepson. With guidance from the spiritualist, he attempts to summon their souls in a pool of water, brandishing a knife provided by the practitioner.

    Fortunately, the police intervened before any harm could be inflicted. The suspect was promptly arrested during the ritual. The case has since been brought before the courts, where the suspect faces trial.

    The seriousness of the situation highlights the prevalence of occult practices intertwined with criminal intent, prompting authorities to stress the importance of vigilance against such insidious acts. As legal proceedings continue, Ghanaians are shocked by the extent of treachery demonstrated in the pursuit of greed and malice. The swift action taken by law enforcement and the collaboration between concerned individuals underscore the necessity of collective vigilance in preventing such atrocities.

  • New executives sworn in by NDC-Canada

    New executives sworn in by NDC-Canada

    The Canada Chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC-Canada) has officially sworn in its newly elected executives, ushering in a team of committed individuals to lead the organization.

    The newly appointed executives are as follows:

    • Chairman: Mr. Gameli R.K. Atakuma
    • 1st Vice Chairman: Mr. Aliu Abdul-Hamid
    • 2nd Vice Chairman: Ms. Keli Binder
    • Secretary: Dr. Eric Asempa
    • Organizer: Mr. Michael Ologo
    • Deputy Organizer: Ms. Freda Atsunyo
    • Women Organizer: Ms. Aseye Kpodo
    • Deputy Women Organizer: Mr. Mabel E. Asempah-Darko
    • Treasurer: Ms. Sharon Cudjoe
    • Deputy Treasurer: Ms. Samira Dzormeku
    • Youth Organizer: Mr. Frank Opoku
    • Deputy Youth Organizer: Mr. Ahmed Ibn Wahab
    • Communication Officer: Ms. Francisca Arhin
    • Deputy Communication Officer: Mr. Ahmed S. Zakaria

    Expressing gratitude on behalf of the newly elected executives, Chairman Gamali R.K. Atakuma thanked the various branches constituting the NDC Canada Chapter for their commitment to the electoral roadmap initiated over four years ago. He urged members to translate their commitments into actionable initiatives to strengthen and invigorate the NDC Canada chapter.

    Offering words of wisdom to the new leadership, Dr. Karl Arhin, Deputy Director of the International Relations Directorate (IRD), acknowledged the challenges facing the NDC Canada chapter. He commended the entire membership, particularly the Special Chapter Electoral Committee chaired by Dr. Wutor Victor, for their dedication and contributions.

    Dr. Karl Arhin expressed confidence that the NDC Canada chapter would continue to play a significant role in the 2024 elections and the NDC as a whole. He reassured members that their contributions would not be in vain and encouraged them to maintain faith in the party while the new executives remained focused on their responsibilities.

  • Ghanaian students in Canada surged by 167% in 2023 – Report

    Ghanaian students in Canada surged by 167% in 2023 – Report

    A study conducted by ApplyBoard, a prominent technology platform for international student mobility, reveals a remarkable 167% surge in the population of Ghanaian students in Canada in 2023.

    The analysis, based on data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), indicates a significant rise from 3,455 Ghanaian student permit holders in 2022 to 9,235 in 2023.

    Ghana secured the second position, following Guinea, in terms of countries experiencing the highest growth in student population in Canada, with an impressive 179% increase in 2023.

    The brief by ApplyBoard highlights that among student populations with over 2,500 valid study permits, Guinean, Ghanaian, and Nepali students demonstrated the most rapid growth.

    “Of the student populations with over 2,500 valid study permits, Guinean, Ghanaian, and Nepali students were the fastest-growing in 2023.

    “The total number of Ghanaian students grew by 167% compared to 2022, making it Canada’s second fastest-growing student population. In 2023, there were 9,235 Ghanaian study permit holders in Canada, up from 3,455 in 2022,” part of a brief by ApplyBoard on its findings reads.

    The breakdown of the surge in Ghanaian student numbers in Canada reveals a notable increase of 107% in students studying health and sciences.

    Additionally, the number of Ghanaian students pursuing computing and IT witnessed a 137% rise, while those studying engineering experienced a 67% increase in Canada.

  • Why dating Nigerian girls abroad is better than dating the ones home – Timini Egbuson

    Why dating Nigerian girls abroad is better than dating the ones home – Timini Egbuson


    Nigerian actor Timini Egbuson sheds light on the divergent dating dynamics between Nigerian girls residing abroad and those living in their home country.

    According to Egbuson, girls abroad, particularly in Canada, London, and America, tend to have a more open-minded approach to finding a partner compared to their counterparts in Nigeria.

    Egbuson suggests that the majority of Nigerian girls abroad actively engage in the dating pool, benefitting from diverse ethnicities and options.

    “I feel like you will get a better dating experience from Nigerian girls living abroad than Nigerian girls living here. (Nigeria) My reason is that right, Nigerian girls living abroad Canada, London, America, majority there are in a dating pool. 

    “There is so much ethnicities, options and I don’t know if the average guy out there is looking for a Nigerian babe still so when a Nigerian babe catches you, you are obviously the catch and she will take care of you and she will be happier to take care of you,” Timini Egbuson stated.

    He emphasised that when these girls abroad find a Nigerian partner who shares their communication patterns and values, the connection becomes more meaningful, and they are more inclined to take care of their significant other.

    “A lot of my friend who are baddies will be checking their phones, so when they catch you a Nigerian guy who has the same value as them and understand their jokes, you are the price but when they come out here its different,” Timini Egbuson stated.

    In contrast, Egbuson notes that Nigerian girls within the country may face a different dating landscape, where the abundance of options is not as prevalent.

    This could result in a shift in the dynamics, making it essential for individuals to navigate a more competitive environment when seeking a compatible partner.

    The actor’s insights highlight the nuanced differences in dating experiences between Nigerian girls abroad and those within the country, emphasizing the importance of cultural understanding and shared values in fostering meaningful relationships.

    Watch video below:

  • Canadian Police apologise to victim of alleged sexual assault in ice hockey case

    Canadian Police apologise to victim of alleged sexual assault in ice hockey case

    The Canadian police apologized for the delay in the charging of five hockey players accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2018.

    The police in London, Ontario charged four NHL players and one former player last week.

    Police said on Monday that they found new evidence in a review of the case that was not available during the initial investigation.

    All five say they did not do anything wrong and will plead not guilty.

    The five people were on Canada’s World Junior hockey team when the alleged attack happened.

    During a meeting with reporters on Monday, Police Chief Thai Truong said: “I am very sorry to the victim and their family for the long time it took to get to this point. ”

    He said, “I am really upset about this. ”

    The police stopped looking into the alleged assault in 2019 and didn’t charge anyone, but they started investigating again three years later when people in Canada started paying attention to the case.

    Sgt Katherine Dann, who is in charge of looking at the case, said her team discovered that there were more things that could have been done to make the investigation better.

    On Monday, the players’ lawyers went to a court in London to represent their clients for the first time. No players showed up.

    The lawyers asked the court to not allow anyone to say the name of the person who was hurt and two people who saw what happened.

    Five players are accused of sexual assault. Player Mike McLeod is also being accused of being involved in the crime.

    Four players in the NHL are Mr. McLeod and Cal Foote who play for the New Jersey Devils, Carter Hart who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers, and Dillon Dubé who plays for the Calgary Flames.

    The fifth person is Alex Formenton, who used to play in the NHL. Before he was arrested, Mr. Formenton was a player for the Swiss hockey team Ambri-Piotta.

    They have been away from their teams waiting for the case to be decided.

    Sgt Dann said that they have charged all the people they have good reasons to believe did something wrong.

    In 2022, a woman sued Hockey Canada for saying that eight players assaulted her in a hotel room in July 2018. Hockey Canada manages hockey programs and teams in Canada, including the Olympics.

    In May, TSN reported that Hockey Canada had settled with the woman without making a lot of noise about it.

    The news caused a lot of people in Canada to be very upset. Because of this, the organisation lost money from the government and some big sponsorships.

    When he was asked why it took almost six years for the police to file charges and if the police didn’t do a good job at first, Mr. Troung said he couldn’t give more details because it could hurt the investigation.

    He said they will talk about why it took a long time.

    The NHL did a big study, but they won’t share what they found because it’s being decided in court.

    Mr Bettman talked to reporters on Friday at the NHL All-Star weekend in Toronto. He said that NHL players will be free agents at the end of the season and won’t be with their teams during the trial.

    Mr Bettman said it’s best to wait for the end of the court case at this time.

    He also said the accusations were terrible and defended the sport despite the charges.

    “Mr Bettman said that this does not show what really happens in our game. ” “We want everyone to know that our game is for everyone, friendly and secure. ”

    The players have to go to court again on April 30. In Canada, if someone is found guilty of sexual assault, they can be put in prison for up to 10 years.

  • Canada unlikely to use of Emergencies Act in future – Former security official

    Canada unlikely to use of Emergencies Act in future – Former security official

    The person in charge of national security says it’s less likely the government will have to use the Emergencies Act again to stop a protest like the trucker convoy.

    Jody Thomas, the person in charge of national security and intelligence, says there is always a risk of another convoy or occupation attempt. She started her job just before the “Freedom Convoy” came to Ottawa in January 2022.

    However, when she spoke to CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, she said that the way to react is now completely changed.

    “And nobody is going to underestimate them anymore,” said Thomas.

    When she was asked if this means it’s less likely to use the Emergencies Act again, Thomas said yes.

    “Yes, definitely for this event,” she said, talking about the trucker convoy that caused traffic jams in downtown Ottawa for three weeks and blocked some important Canada-U. SroutesBorder crossings in the beginning of 2022.

    Thomas stopped working at the end of this week after working for over 35 years as a public servant, with his last job being at NSIA for the last two years. She made these comments after the Federal Court said this week that using the Emergencies Act to stop the protests was not right.

    On FebruaryOn February 14, 2022, the government used the Emergencies Act for the first time. They said the protests were a threat to national security.

    Federal Court Judge Richard Mosley said that the decision to move doesn’t seem to be fair or make sense.

    He also said that the protests could have been handled by different government agencies and police.

    “Personally, I had only been working for two or three weeks,” Thomas said. “I should have talked to different levels of government and police in a better way, maybe in a different situation. ”

    “But at that time, based on what we knew and where we were, I feel sure about the decision I made and the advice I gave,” she said.

    Chrystia Freeland, who is the Deputy Prime Minister, said the government will challenge the decision of the Federal Court.

    Headed by Justice Paul Rouleau, the Public Order Emergency Commission (POEC) listened to over 70 people and looked at over 7,000 documents over six weeks. They found last year that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had enough reason to use the Act.

    Thomas also gave evidence to the POEC.

    “She said to Kapelos that we could clearly see what was happening and had good information. ” ““There were many, many people occupying Ottawa. It was getting more and more violent.

    The person who was in charge of the NSIA said that there might be weapons in some of the trucks. Some of the protestors are using more extreme language. People have been arrested and charged at the Canada-U. SPeople are trying to get across the border in Coutts, Alberta, and there are also threats to other important buildings and systems.

    “She said it was widespread across the country. ” “It was getting bigger, so we had to do something about it. ” To sum up, Canada was facing problems with its economy, security, and reputation.

    “But what we didn’t know was just as worrying as what we did know. ” “We knew a lot,” she said.

    Thomas also talked about the danger of other countries trying to interfere in Canada. There will be a public inquiry to look into this issue, starting on Monday.

    She also talked about how the Canadian government deals with keeping the country safe, the danger that China poses to Canadian security, and the continuing investigation into the murder of Canadian Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last year that the Indian government might have been involved in the killing.

  • Aircraft carrying employees of Rio Tinto to diamond mine in Canada crashes

    Aircraft carrying employees of Rio Tinto to diamond mine in Canada crashes

    A plane taking workers to a diamond mine in Canada crashed right after taking off, and many people died.

    Authorities said the little Jetstream airplane was flying to the company’s Diavik mine and some people on the plane were workers.

    “We are very upset by this news,” said Jakob Stausholm, the CEO of Rio Tinto, in a statement.

    The company is helping the authorities with their investigation.

    The coroner’s office in the Northwest Territories said that several people died in the crash on Tuesday. They haven’t said how many yet because they are still trying to tell the families of the victims. The Jetstream plane can hold up to 19 passengers.

    The Northwestern Air plane crashed close to Fort Smith, a small town about 740 kilometers south of Yellowknife, near the Alberta border.

    Canada’s national broadcaster CBC said the plane crashed about 500 meters away from the end of the runway at Fort Smith Regional Airport. The rescue center in Trenton said it couldn’t communicate with the plane shortly after it took off.

    The Fort Smith Health Center said it had “put its emergency plan into action” in response to the crash.

    The Diavik Diamond Mine is located about 300 kilometers northeast of Yellowknife, in Rio Tinto. The company has been working since 2003, as stated on its website.

    The deputy mayor of Fort Smith, Dianna Korol, said that the incident has been really terrible for the close community.

    “Everyone has a small connection – or someone they know,” Ms Korol said to the CBC.

    RJ Simpson, the leader of the Northwest Territories, expressed his sympathy to the families and friends of the victims.

    “Mr Simpson said that this incident is affecting the whole area. ”

    “The people who died were not only on a plane; they were also our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family members. ” “We won’t forget their stories and how they helped our communities. ”

    The Canadian police and safety board are both looking into the crash.

  • I make $20 dollars hourly for clearing snow in Canada – Ghanaian man brags, blasts govt over unemployment in Ghana

    I make $20 dollars hourly for clearing snow in Canada – Ghanaian man brags, blasts govt over unemployment in Ghana

    A Ghanaian residing in Canada has passionately chastised the leadership in Ghana for what he perceives as a failure to address the pressing issue of unemployment. 

    The individual, who disclosed his identity as Grandpa, expressed frustration over the disparity in earnings and opportunities between Ghana and his current location in Canada.

    In the video, the man highlighted the stark contrast in employment conditions, emphasizing that in Canada, individuals earn a substantial $20 per hour for snow removal work. 

    Drawing a pointed comparison, he underscored that working just 10 hours a day would yield $200—a figure surpassing the monthly salary of many Ghanaians.

    @grandpaa_77

    ♬ original sound – David Antwi

    The frustrated individual urged Ghana’s leaders to take a more serious stance in managing the country’s affairs, particularly focusing on the urgent need to create employment opportunities for citizens. 

    He emphasized the economic challenges faced by many Ghanaians and called for a proactive approach to address unemployment, a critical issue affecting the livelihoods of countless citizens.

  • Ghanaian teacher shares success story after securing GHC20,000 loan to apply to Canadian school

    Ghanaian teacher shares success story after securing GHC20,000 loan to apply to Canadian school

    A Ghanaian man residing in Canada has shared his remarkable journey, recounting how he took a significant risk by obtaining a bank loan of 20,000 cedis while working as a teacher in Ghana.

    He used the loan secured to apply to schools in Canada, marking a pivotal decision that would change the course of his life.

    In his account shared by X user, @eddie_wrt, the Ghanaian noted that he risked it all in order to get out of the country in 2019. Per his narration, the process of leaving the country did not work as expected when the Canadian authority found a fraudulent document.

    “During that time, I could only take a loan worth GHC20,000. I used that to apply for a school in Canada. I then went to compete my visa process. It was a gentleman who forged a bank statement for me.

    “Within three weeks, the officials said they had found something fraudulent in my document so I should provide a different bank statement. I had already paid the guy who got me the fake bank statement. I then told him the issue. He took another cash and did another statement for me. My application was pending for a year,” he recounted.

    For a year, he noted that he had been living on GHC800 as his pay had been cut in half to allow him to pay back the loan. He noted that he was also paying exorbitant fees at Valley View University, where he was studying.

    “My half of my pay was being subtracted during that period. I was taking about GH1300 then but was being paid GH800 for a year.

    It wasn’t easy. I was also schooling at Valley View. So just imagine. The fees I had to pay there.”

    Despite these concerns, this teacher currently abroad says he managed to make it and in the video, he made mention of snow as some sort of indication of his achievement. In the lens of the phone’s camera was a house behind him. It is unknown if it belongs to him or not.

    He did not indicate how his stay in Canada took off or if there were any challenges. He boasted of his current situation and entreated his fellow teachers in Ghana who wish to come abroad to take risks.

    “Sometimes, when I hear teachers say they don’t have enough funds to travel abroad, I tend to laugh. 2019, when I wanted to travel abroad, I didn’t have a pesewa but since I was determined, I went for a loan. In this life, we take risks. If it works for you, then you are good to go, if it does not, you try again.”

    This video comes at a time when Ghana is experiencing mass exodus of teachers, nurses, among others. Government says it is working to address the challenges that poses a threat to healthcare delivery in the country as well as the country’s education sector.

  • Canada considers limiting admissions to international students

    Canada considers limiting admissions to international students

    Canada wants to limit the number of international students it accepts because there is a problem with housing being too expensive.

    Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the change is to fix a system that has become too chaotic.

    In 2023, almost one million students were accepted to study in Canada, the highest number ever.

    In the last two years, the cost of renting a place to live in Canada went up by 22% because there aren’t enough places for people to live.

    Mr Miller said he is worried about the large number of international students coming to Canada in interviews over the weekend.

    Canada is thinking about putting a limit on the number of foreign students because there is a housing problem.

    He said we need a limit on how many houses can be bought, but didn’t say how much the limit will be.

    Mr Miller warned that just letting in fewer students to Canada won’t fix the housing problem. He said the problem is also because there aren’t enough houses, they cost too much, and interest rates are going up.

    “He said in an interview with CBC, a public broadcaster in Canada, that immigrants did not cause the interest rates to go up. But the amount of people is still important and we need to pay attention to it. ”

    The housing crisis is still a big problem. Many people want Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to do something about it, even his main rival Pierre Poilievre.

    “MrPoilievre said that if you want more people to come, you have to build homes for them. ” “At this moment, we’re not making enough houses. ”

    The problem is hard to solve because limiting the number of students admitted to Canadian colleges and universities will make it difficult for them to make money from international students who pay higher tuition fees.

    In recent years, a lot more international students have been coming to study in Canada. The number has gone up by more than 193% from 2012 to 2022, according to information from Canada’s immigration ministry.

    The immigration department expects the number of study permit applications to increase to 1. 4 million by 2027, up from just under a million in 2023. This information comes from documents obtained by the Globe and Mail newspaper.

    Apart from those students, Canada had a goal of bringing in 1. 5 million new immigrants by 2025.

    Canada has always allowed people from other countries to come and live here. This is important because Canada needs more people to work as the population gets older.

    The number of people living in the country hit 40 million in 2023, mostly because of immigrants who moved there permanently or temporarily.

    At the same time, it’s getting harder for a lot of people to afford housing. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a national housing agency, says that Canada needs 3. 5 million more homes by 2030 to make them more affordable.

    Canada has tried to solve the problem in different ways. In 2023, Canada made a rule that stops some people from other countries from buying homes in Canada for two years.

    It also promised to give $1 billion over three years to help with affordable housing projects all over the country.

  • Violent storms cause tornadoes, snowfall, and flooding in the United States

    Violent storms cause tornadoes, snowfall, and flooding in the United States

    Three people died and more than 500,000 homes don’t have power after strong winter storms hit the eastern US and Canada.

    Powerful winds blew cars and caused damage to homes in Florida. There were also reports of multiple tornadoes in the area.

    On Tuesday, over 1,300 flights were cancelled going to or from the US, according to FlightAware.

    Kamala Harris’ plane had to change course because of bad weather.

    Mrs Harris’ spokesperson said bad weather made her plane land in Virginia instead of Maryland on the way back to Washington DC from Atlanta.

    By Tuesday evening, over 630,000 homes in the eastern US, from Florida to New York State, had no power.

    Many counties in Florida have said there is a big problem, because strong winds from storms have taken off the roofs of houses and knocked down power lines.

    Early on Tuesday, there were twelve tornadoes in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. They caused a lot of damage and in some places, people had to be rescued.

    In Houston County, Alabama, a tornado destroyed mobile homes and RVs and an 81-year-old woman died.

    A storm hit a mobile home park in Claremont, North Carolina and one person died.

    In Clayton County, Georgia, a driver died when a tree fell on their car while they were driving.

    A person who lives in Panama City, Florida, said that when the wind toppled the home across from theirs, it sounded very loud and strong, like a freight train hitting a brick wall.

    “He said it was very loud,” he told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

    The storms in Panama City made roads impossible to travel on, damaged buildings by tearing off roofs, and brought hail as big as baseballs.

    A curfew is in place for the downtown area of the city until 6:00AM EST (11:00AM GMT) on Wednesday morning.

    “Don’t go to this area at night,” the Bay County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook.

    The National Weather Service (NWS) said that stronger storms are expected to happen in the east of the US.

    Some areas in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina might have more powerful tornadoes that can cause strong winds and hail.
    Strong winds of up to 50 mph and heavy rain in the eastern US could cause flooding from Florida to southern Maine.
    In South Carolina, heavy rain caused flooding in some areas as four to five inches of rain fell before sunset on Tuesday.

    Over 1 foot of snow fell in the middle of the US, leaving drivers stuck and stopping presidential campaigning in Iowa.

    A big snowstorm is expected in Canada from southern Ontario to central Quebec. Over 1 foot of snow is predicted.

    A strong and rare blizzard in the Pacific Northwest knocked down trees and caused power outages for over 25,000 customers in Washington state. It also affected thousands of people in Canada’s British Columbia province. Snow and strong winds made mountain roads and ferries close. People were warned about possible avalanches.

    There is a warning for possible flooding along the coast of New Jersey until Wednesday.

    The governor of the state, Phil Murphy, said there is a big storm coming and told people to take it seriously.

    In New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul said the storm could be very dangerous. She especially warned that the heavy rain and snow together could cause flash floods, which could be life threatening.

    About 2,000 people who left their home country and now live in a tent shelter in Brooklyn were moved to high school gymnasiums because of the storms.

    There was a brief stop of planes coming in and out of Chicago’s O’Hare Airport because of too much snow and ice, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

    A warning for a tornado was issued at Tampa International Airport in Florida, so they had to stop flights.

    Severe weather has also caused problems for people traveling on the roads in Nebraska and Kansas. The state patrol has had to deal with lots of weather-related issues.

    “Please don’t go out,” a Kansas state trooper wrote on the internet. “We might not be able to help you if you get stuck because it’s hard for us to move around. ”

    The NWS said the very bad weather will start to get a little better on Wednesday, but there could still be some snow in the areas that have already been hit hard in the central US and the northeast.

  • Canadian “poison seller” accused of murder

    Canadian “poison seller” accused of murder

    A man from Canada is being charged with murder for giving a poisonous chemical to people who used it to end their lives.

    Canadian police have accused a 57-year-old man named Kenneth Law, who used to work as a chef, of committing 14 second-degree murders.

    Mr Law was accused of helping people to commit suicide by selling them a deadly chemical online.

    British police have also connected Mr. Law to 90 deaths in the UK.

    Mr Law’s lawyer, Matthew Gourlay, said in an email to the BBC that his client plans to say he didn’t do the things he’s accused of.

    Police said on Tuesday that they are charging Mr. Law with murder, which is a serious crime. This is a big step in the legal process against Mr. Law in Canada. The investigation into his actions has involved 11 different police groups in Ontario, which is the biggest province in the country.

    Simon James, a police inspector from York Region, said that new murder charges are connected to 14 victims in Ontario, as part of a big investigation.

    Mr James said there is proof that backs up the accusation of second-degree murder, but he didn’t give more information because the investigation is still happening.

    Mr Law is accused of both murder and helping people to commit suicide in Ontario. He has a total of 28 charges against him. If he is proven guilty of second-degree murder in Canada, he could go to jail for the rest of his life.

    Mr Law is in jail and being looked into by police in different parts of Canada and other countries like the UK.

    Mr James said that the police in Ontario are working together with international investigations.

    Canadian police said Mr. Law had operated several websites that provided tools and substances to help people commit suicide. The police think he may have sent more than 1,200 packages with deadly chemicals to about 40 countries.

    He was arrested in May for helping someone commit suicide. In August, the police added more charges against him, all related to deaths in Ontario.

    The people who died were between 16 and 36 years old. James said that there were several victims who were younger than 18 years old.

    Many people who say Mr. Law hurt them were in the UK too. The National Crime Agency in London said that Mr. Law sent packages to 272 people.

    The NCA is looking into whether any laws were broken in the UK. They said 90 people who got the suspicious substance have died, but they can’t be sure it caused all of the deaths.

    One person died after police checked on all the addresses that received a package, the agency said.

    A person from the NCA said: “We are looking for clues to help us find evidence of crimes that have been committed in the UK or against its people. ”

    David Parfett was happy to hear that Mr Law was being charged. His son, Tom, bought chemicals from Mr Law and died in October 2021.

    “It tells others who support self-harm and suicide kits for vulnerable people that they can’t break the law,” Mr. Parfett explained to the media.

    He said that there are important lessons for the authorities about how to better protect people on the internet.

    Online, people are allowed to do things like telling others to kill themselves, even though it’s illegal in real life. “He said it needs to stop. ”

    This is a big moment for many families of the victims, but some still have worries.

    They are concerned that other sellers have replaced Mr. Law and are still selling the harmful chemical he is accused of supplying. Many people also think that the UK government has not done a good job in preventing this kind of crime.

    Mr James from the York Regional Police said a big problem is that some of the websites Mr. Law uses are in other countries where Canadian laws don’t apply.

    The families of the victims are also asking for those who created and run a website that promotes suicide to be held responsible for their actions. This website teaches people who are easily influenced how to end their lives. The BBC talked about the forum in October and even spoke to one of its creators, who said he is not part of it anymore.

    Many of the people who died learned about Mr. Law and other sellers from a forum that the BBC won’t say the name of.

    They read and followed the steps on how to do something to end their lives.

  • Canada imposes stringent financial criteria for international students

    Canada imposes stringent financial criteria for international students


    The Canadian government has declared a reassessment of visa prerequisites for international students applying for study permits.

    This initiative, labeled the “cost-of-living financial requirement for study permit applicants,” will result in an escalation of fees from $10,000 to $20,000, starting from January 1, 2024.

    The goal of the action, according to Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Marc Miller, is to ensure that foreign students who wish to apply for study permits are able to support themselves financially while living in the nation.

    “Starting January 1, 2024, the cost-of-living financial requirement for study permit applicants will be raised so that international students are financially prepared for life in Canada,” a statement from the ministry said.

    “For 2024, a single applicant will need to show they have $20,635, representing 75% of LICO, in addition to their first year of tuition and travel costs. This change will apply to new study permit applications received on or after January 1, 2024,” it added.

    The Canadian authorities further pointed out that the review “will help prevent student vulnerability and exploitation.”

    Canada, which has recently become a sought-after destination for immigration, maintained a financial requirement of $10,000 for study permit applicants (international students) for nearly two decades.

    This recent announcement from Canada closely follows the United Kingdom’s introduction of new visa regulations and a salary threshold for foreign workers, making visa acquisition more challenging for individuals, including Ghanaians.

    The Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, proposed these changes, necessitating individuals applying for working visas to have a minimum annual income of £38,700 (GH¢587,578), a substantial increase from the previous £26,000 (GH¢393,444).

    These figures surpass the existing median average salary of a full-time worker in Britain.

    The measures, presented by Home Secretary James Cleverly, aim to reduce annual immigration by 300,000 in the coming years, although a specific timeline for achieving this was not provided.

    The UK Home Secretary also announced additional measures, including restrictions on overseas care workers bringing family dependents and the plan to eliminate the 20 percent salary discount that recruiting firms can offer workers on the shortage occupation list.

  • Sunday morning shooting in Canada leaves 3 people dead and 2 gravely injured

    Sunday morning shooting in Canada leaves 3 people dead and 2 gravely injured

    Three people died and two others were hurt in a shooting in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Officials said it happened early Sunday morning.

    About half a mile to the west of the city’s downtown.

    Police who came to the site found five people with injuries that looked like they were shot.

    Constable Jason Michalyshen, who speaks for the Winnipeg police, said that the incident happened in a building with many apartments. They don’t know the reason why it happened.

    Three people were brought to the hospital, and one of them died later because of their injuries.

    A man and a woman are very sick in the hospital.

    The names of the people who were hurt in the shooting have not been told to the public yet. The police are still looking into what happened.
    “The forensic team from the Winnipeg Police will stay at the scene for a long time because this is a very serious incident,” officials stated.

    The annual report from the Winnipeg Police for 2022 showed that violent crimes in the city were the highest they have been since 2009. There were 53 homicides, which is the most recorded in a year.

  • India to once more provide Canadians visas after ceased in diplomatic row in September

    India to once more provide Canadians visas after ceased in diplomatic row in September

    India’s embassy in Ottawa has announced that they will start offering visas to Canadians again. This comes after the visa services were stopped during a big argument between the two countries in September.

    India said that the reason for the move was because there were security threats that were causing problems at their Canadian missions.

    However, the suspension happened during a major disagreement regarding the assassination of a Sikh separatist within Canada.

    Ottawa said India is responsible for the murder, but India says this is ridiculous.

    On Wednesday, officials announced that they will start giving out some visas again. This decision came after they checked the security situation at their embassies and after considering recent actions taken by Canada (which they did not mention specifically).

    It is being said that services will start again on Thursday. These services will include entry visas, as well as visas for business, medical, and conferences.

    Relations between India and Canada became very bad after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that India was responsible for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a leader who wanted Sikhs to separate from India. He was shot and killed in Surrey, British Columbia, in June.

    The police called it a “targeted killing” but they haven’t found any suspects yet.

    MrTrudeau has asked India to help with the murder investigation, but he also wants to make it clear that Canada does not want to make their relationship with India worse.

    Canada recently brought back many of its ambassadors from India. This happened because India threatened to take away their legal protection, known as diplomatic immunity.

    India has complained that Canada has a larger number of diplomats in Delhi compared to the number of Indian diplomats in Ottawa. India wants both countries to have an equal number of diplomats.

    There are twenty-one Canadian diplomats still in India.

  • Law addressing gender identification in schools passed by Canadian province

    Law addressing gender identification in schools passed by Canadian province

    This bill says that young students need to have their parents’ permission to use different pronouns at school.

    Saskatchewan used a special rule to pass the bill after a court stopped the policy temporarily.

    An LGBT organization raised an issue against it.

    The bill explains that a parent has the main power to make decisions about their child’s education.

    Bill 137 was approved on Friday after a long 40-hour discussion this week.

    Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said on Friday that the bill was intended to give parents the ability and choice to help their children during the important early years of their life.

    This means that parents will be told about things like how often their child attends school, how they behave, if they get in trouble, and how well they’re doing in school. However, some people got upset about the rule that says parents need to agree if a student who is younger than 16 wants to use a different name or gender identity at school.

    MrMoe’s decision to use the notwithstanding clause to pass a policy has received a lot of criticism, including from the human rights commissioner in Saskatchewan.

    Earlier this week, Heather Kuttai quit her job as commissioner because of the policy.

    Ms Kuttai said in a letter that she and her husband have a child who identifies as trans. Ms Kuttai also mentioned that the policy being enforced is negatively affecting the rights of trans, nonbinary, and gender diverse children.

    Carla Beck, the opposition leader from the left-leaning New Democrats party, said that the decision is a step in the wrong direction for Saskatchewan politics.

    Some students didn’t like the policy and protested by walking out of their school in Regina and other cities.

    Earlier this year, New Brunswick, a province in Atlantic Canada, introduced a similar policy.

    MrMoe used a special clause called the notwithstanding clause to make Bill 137 pass. The clause lets provincial legislatures and parliament change some parts of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

    It basically allows provinces to give up some rights for five years.

    The province said that the school’s rules will be different this summer.

    The UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity asked the court to stop the measure because they believed it went against people’s rights and could cause teachers to use the wrong gender for students. The court agreed with them and made a decision.

    The rule was not used often in the past, but it has been used many times in recent years.

    One recent example that caused disagreement is when Quebec used a rule to make a law in 2019 that says civil workers cannot wear religious symbols at their job, like the hijab and kippah.

    In Canada, there is a heated discussion about how schools should handle matters relating to sexual orientation and gender. Last month, there were protests in big cities against educational policies that support LGBT rights, and there were also some opposing protests.

  • NIB was managed from Canada via zoom for a year – Adongo alleges

    Member of Parliament representing Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, expressed deep concern over the National Investment Bank’s (NIB) financial crisis, attributing it to inadequate oversight.

    He cited an instance where the bank’s Managing Director, Samuel Sarpong, was absent for more than a year, managing the bank remotely from Canada.

    As the Deputy Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, Adongo highlighted this situation as one of the issues contributing to the bank’s difficulties.

    “We haven’t given NIB the kind of attention that it deserves given that it has been in crisis… the Managing Director sat in Canada and zoom-managed NIB for almost a year. How can we be serious about that?

    “A bank that requires arm holding, proper nurturing, the Managing Director sat in Canada for one year and what he was doing was Zoom managing that bank. Even very good performing banks cannot be managed by Zoom for one year so clearly there are issues,” he said on JoyFm.

    Earlier reports said that the government was planning to transfer NIB operations to the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).

    However, the minority has aggressively opposed the merger, alleging that it will result in job losses and other concerns.

    According to Isaac Adongo, proceeding with the merger without the assent of parliament is unconstitutional.

    “I want to tell you that the bank itself was not established by the Companies Act, it was established by a National Investment Bank Act 612, and that Act is very clear under Section 22 under liquidation proceedings that nobody can liquidate or take any action that will ultimately lead to the demise of NIB unless it comes back to parliament for parliament to pass a law giving direction as to how that process should be pursued.

    “So, there’s clearly a legal mandate, and that legal mandate rests with the people who set up NIB and it is the parliament of Ghana. So, we don’t expect anything other than a poor regulation action by the Central Bank under Act 930 either to bring it under administration, to revoke the license, or to place it under receivership as provided because they have a license from the Bank of Ghana,” he said.

    He explained further: “But it’s quite clear that’s not the action the Bank of Ghana wants to take, it is not the action the government is interested in, the only action left now is to come under Act 612 and particularly under Section 22 of the Act.”

  • Canadian parliament applauds former Nazi veteran soldier

    Canadian parliament applauds former Nazi veteran soldier

    The leader of Canada’s House of Commons, Anthony Rota, said sorry for praising a Ukrainian man who was in a Nazi group during World War Two.

    Yaroslav Hunka, a 98-year-old man, was sitting in the audience and received enthusiastic applause in the government after Mr. Rota called him a “hero” while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was visiting.

    A Canadian group called CIJA expressed concern about a veteran from a Nazi group being praised, as this group took part in killing Jewish people during the Holocaust.

    It said that this should never occur in the future.

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in parliament with Mr Zelensky at that time.

    Many Ukrainians fought for Germany in the war, but many more served in the Soviet Red Army.

    Mr Rota said that on September 22, after the president of Ukraine spoke, he noticed someone in the audience.

    “I recently found out more information that makes me feel sorry for the choice I made. ”

    Mr Rota said that nobody, including other parliament members and the group from Ukraine, knew about what I was going to say or my comments before I actually said them. I came up with this idea all by myself. The person involved is from the same area as me and someone told me about them.
    I want to say a heartfelt sorry to Jewish communities in Canada and all over the world. “I am fully accountable for what I did,” the person stated.

    CIJA said they’re grateful for the apology they received in response to his statement. It’s really important to make sure we thoroughly check things to make sure something bad like this doesn’t happen again.

    In easier language, the leader of the Canadian opposition Conservative party, Pierre Poilievre, said that the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, should take responsibility for the incident and apologize.

    However, Trudeau’s office, who leads the Liberal party, said that the decision to invite Mr. Hunka was made only by the Speaker’s office, and apologizing was the correct action to take.

    The Prime Minister’s office stated that they did not receive any prior notice about the invitation or recognition, and the same applies to the Ukrainian delegation.

    Mr Trudeau’s office said that there was no private meeting between Mr Hunka and the prime minister.

    Mister Rota pointed at Mister Hunka, who was sitting in the gallery, and called him a hero. He said Mister Hunka is a hero for both Ukraine and Canada, and they are grateful for his service.

    The people in the building clapped their hands.

    Mr Rota has been asked by other members of Parliament to step down, while some have criticized Mr. Trudeau for not being part of the decision to invite Mr.

    “It’s surprising that the members of parliament stood up and applauded him,” Peter Julian, a member of parliament for the New Democratic Party, expressed in the House of Commons on Monday.

    Members did it because we believed the Speaker when they said this person should be given this honor.

    Russia has expressed disapproval of Canada’s invitation to Mr. On Monday, Dmitry Peskov, a spokesperson for the Kremlin, said that it was very shocking or offensive.

    Many Western countries, like Canada, have taught young people who do not know which countries fought each other or what occurred during the Second World War. “And they have no knowledge about the danger of fascism,” Mr. Peskov stated

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has made false claims that Russia wants to “de-nazify” Ukraine as a way to justify his invasion of the country.
    During World War Two, Mr. Hunka was a member of a group called the Galicia Division within the 14th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division. This division consisted mostly of Ukrainian people who chose to join and were under the control of the Nazis.

    The soldiers in this group are being accused of killing Polish and Jewish civilians, but they have not been proven guilty of any crimes by a court.

    The group changed its name to the First Ukrainian Division and gave up to the Western Allies in 1945.

    Dominique Arel, who teaches Ukrainian studies at the University of Ottawa, told CBC News that a group Mr Hunka was involved with had attracted many Ukrainian volunteers. These volunteers had joined with the hope of achieving independence for Ukraine.

  • Speaker of Canada’s House of Commons apologizes after praising war veteran from Ukraine

    Speaker of Canada’s House of Commons apologizes after praising war veteran from Ukraine

    The speaker for Canada’s House of Commons expressed remorse for commemorating a Ukrainian soldier associated with a Nazi-affiliated faction during World War II.

    Speaker Anthony Rota praised 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka during a speech on Friday. Hunka was recognized as both a Ukrainian and Canadian veteran during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the Canadian parliament.

    The person speaking praised Hunka as a brave soldier who fought in the First Ukrainian Division. They said Hunka fought to protect Ukraine from the Russian attackers in the past, and still supports the military today.

    “I recently found out more information that makes me feel sorry for my choice,” stated Rota in a message his office released on Sunday. He said, “I am very sorry to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world. ”

    Many groups that support human rights and the Jewish community have criticized the acknowledgement, stating that Hunka was a part of a Nazi military group called the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS.

    According to a statement from Jewish human rights organization B’nai Brith Canada, Hunka, who moved to Canada after being in the 14th Waffen SS, a Nazi group that supported Adolf Hitler during World War II, got a big round of applause from the members of Parliament and senators who were there.

    The CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, Michael Mostyn, said in a statement that the parliament’s acknowledgement of Hunka is “extremely shocking. ”

    We must not let history be distorted. Canadian soldiers fought and lost their lives in the battle to liberate the world from the cruel and oppressive actions of the Nazis,” Mostyn mentioned.

    The 14th Waffen Grenadier Division was a group that was part of the Nazi SS organization. The International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg declared this organization a criminal group because they had done bad things during war, like committing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    B’nai Brith criticized the Ukrainian volunteers who joined the military unit for being extreme nationalists who wanted Ukraine to have only one ethnic group and supported the idea of removing other ethnic groups.

    The human rights group wants parliament to say sorry.

    Rota said he is fully responsible for recognizing Hunka, who he said comes from his voting area.

    “I want to emphasize that before I spoke, nobody, not even my fellow parliamentarians or the Ukraine delegation, knew about my intention or the things I was going to say,” Rota explained. “I took this initiative by myself because someone from my area caught my attention. ”

  • Twins and their mother accused of feigning Inuit identity

    Twins and their mother accused of feigning Inuit identity

    Three women in Canada are facing criminal charges for falsely claiming to be Inuit in order to receive benefits from indigenous organizations.

    The police say that two sisters who are 25 years old pretended to be adopted Inuit children and did something wrong called fraud.

    Both sisters and their 59-year-old mother have been charged with two counts of fraud. One group of Inuit people found the alleged deception to be very surprising.

    The people being accused have to go to court in Iqaluit on 30 October.

    The RCMP said that Amira and Nadya Gill and their mother, Karima Manji, tricked two local groups out of money that is only meant for Inuit people by getting grants and scholarships. This happened between October 2016 and September 2022.

    As part of an agreement in 1993, the Inuit community in Canada‘s remote northern territory called Nunavut can get benefits like money and help with school.

    The process of proving and confirming indigenous status is managed by an organization called Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, also known as NTI. This organization represents Inuits who live in the region.

    In a statement in March, NTI said that they found out about possible cheating in the enrollment of the Gill sisters. This happened after Ms. Manji said that they were adopted and mentioned an Inuk woman as their birth mother.

    They said that this case was the first time something like this has happened in the organization’s enrollment program.

    After looking into the situation, the three people from Ontario were taken off the NTI’s list of people who receive benefits. The issue was then given to the RCMP.

    Kitty Noah, the woman identified by the Gills as their biological mother, said before she passed away in July that she was not connected to the twins.

    In 2021, the Gill sisters started a business on the internet where they sell face masks. The face masks have designs made by artists from indigenous communities. Both sisters have finished studying at Queen’s University in Ontario.

    During an interview with Canadian broadcaster CBC, NTI President Aluki Kotierk stated that it is important for the Gill sisters and their mother to give back the money they received from Inuit associations.

    He said that in the future, the NTI will provide additional training for the people on the enrollment committees.

    Mr Kotierk described the supposed fraud as “another way of taking over” and part of a larger pattern where non-indigenous Canadians pretend to be indigenous.

    “He said that you aimed to deprive us of our language. ” You tried to remove our culture from us. Are you trying to say that you are us. That is really surprising.

    In a statement, the NTI said that the case was an “isolated” incident. However, they are planning to make enrollment criteria stricter and will now ask applicants to submit a copy of their detailed birth certificate.

    The twins received money from two local groups, the Kakivak Association and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association. They also got scholarships from Indspire, a Canadian charity for indigenous people, as well as from electricity company Hydro One and Royal Bank of Canada.

    A representative from the Royal Bank of Canada said that in the past, people applying for scholarships could say if they were indigenous, but now the rules have changed.

    The BBC has reached out to Indspire and Hydro One to ask for their comments.

    Some Canadians call people who falsely claim to be indigenous “pretendians”.

    But according to Jean Teillet, who is a part of the Métis indigenous community, they say that the term makes the issue seem less serious because it sounds like it is not harmful.

    I like to use the word fraud because it means intentionally tricking someone to get something valuable, and that’s exactly what we’re talking about here.

    The three women who were charged could not be contacted right away for their comments.

  • India accuses Canada of being ‘safe haven for terrorists’

    India accuses Canada of being ‘safe haven for terrorists’

    India has accused Canada of providing a safe place for terrorists after Canada stopped issuing visas to its citizens. This comes after Canada blamed India for the killing of a Sikh separatist activist on Canadian land.

    India’s spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, told reporters that Canada should be concerned about its reputation after making serious accusations.

    He said that if we talk about Canada’s reputation being affected, it is getting known as a country where terrorists, extremists, and organized crime feel safe.

    He made comments after India stopped accepting visa applications from Canadians because they believe there are security dangers towards their diplomats in Canada.

    “The problem is with promoting violence, lack of action from Canadian authorities, and creating a disruptive environment for our high commission and consulates. This is the reason why we are temporarily stopping the issuance of visas or providing visa services,” Bagchi explained.

    The relationship between the two countries got worse this week. The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said that India might be responsible for the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. Nijjar was a Sikh separatist activist who was shot by two masked men in Surrey, British Columbia.

    India strongly denies the claims and thinks they are ridiculous and have a hidden motive. Bagchi said that Canada hasn’t given any specific evidence to back up the allegations.

    India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting released a message to TV channels, requesting them to not provide a platform to individuals who have been accused of serious crimes, like terrorism or being part of banned organizations.

    The Indian government has been saying for a while that Canada is not doing enough to handle Sikh separatist extremism. They believe that these extremists want to create a separate place for Sikhs called Khalistan, which would include some parts of India’s Punjab state.

    Nijjar strongly supported the idea of creating Khalistan. India sees calls for Khalistan as a serious threat to its national security.

    Several groups connected to the concept of Khalistan are labeled as “terrorist organizations” according to India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Nijjar was listed as a UAPA terrorist and in 2020, the Indian National Investigation Agency accused him of trying to influence the Sikh community worldwide to support the creation of ‘Khalistan. ‘

    Many Sikh groups in other countries believe that the Indian government is wrongly connecting the movement with terrorism. They intend to keep promoting the peaceful establishment of Khalistan and also raise awareness about the long history of human rights violations faced by the Sikh community in India.

    Sikhs used to have their own kingdom in the Punjab region. They have been advocating for the establishment of Khalistan for many years, starting around the time India became independent from British rule in 1947.

    When the Partition happened, the former colony was divided quickly based on religion. Muslims were sent to Pakistan and Hindus and Sikhs were sent to India. Punjab, which was a part of this colony, experienced a lot of extreme violence because it was divided in half.

    The Sikhs went through a lot of suffering during the violence that happened afterwards, and they felt like they were treated badly in the new country where Hindus were the majority. Because of this, some important leaders started to push for the creation of Khalistan. Over time, there have been fights between the movement’s supporters and the government of India which led to the loss of numerous lives.

    In the 1980s, there was a long period of violence in Punjab caused by some Khalistani militants. These militants did many bad things, like killing innocent people, setting off bombs without any specific target, and attacking Hindus. This information was reported by Human Rights Watch.

    During counterinsurgency operations, Indian security forces had unlawfully imprisoned, tortured, killed, and made tens of thousands of Sikhs go missing, according to a rights group. The Indian government made laws to fight against rebellions, but these laws allowed for violations of people’s rights and protected the security forces from being held accountable for these violations.

    In 1984, the Indian Prime Minister at that time, Indira Gandhi, told the Indian soldiers to forcefully enter the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The Golden Temple is the most holy place for Sikhs. This was done to fight against Sikh separatists, which made many Sikhs very angry.

    Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards, which led to more violence. This violence resulted in the deaths of over 3,000 people, mostly Sikhs.

    A year later, the violence also happened in Canada. Sikh separatists exploded a bomb on an Air India plane that had left from Toronto airport. This tragic event caused the death of all 329 people on board, which included many Canadians of Indian origin.

    Today, there is no rebellion in Punjab and experts say that supporters of the Khalistan movement are not very influential in India.

    But some Sikhs living in different countries, especially in Canada, Britain, and Australia, still feel sorry for the movement.

    Some Sikhs believe in creating a separate country called Khalistan. They want to have regular votes to decide if this should happen and to agree on where this new country would be.

    Nijjar’s death was a big surprise and made a lot of Sikhs in Canada very angry. The Sikh community in Canada is very big, with more than 770,000 members, and it is one of the largest Sikh communities outside of India.

    The Canadian police have not taken anyone into custody for the murder of Nijjar. In August, the police started looking into three people they thought might be involved in a crime. They also gave a description of a car that might have been used to escape the scene. They asked the public to come forward with any information they had about these things.

  • India revokes Canadians’ visas as conflict worsens

    India revokes Canadians’ visas as conflict worsens

    India has stopped giving visas to Canadian people because of an argument over the death of a Sikh rebel on Canadian land.

    Visa service provider BLS shared a message from India’s mission stating that the decision was made due to operational reasons.

    This week, tensions increased after Canada said it was looking into believable claims that India was involved in the murder of the separatist leader.

    India strongly denied the accusation, describing it as ridiculous.

    Experts say that the relationship between the countries, which has been tense for many months, is now at its worst point ever.

    The news that visas were being stopped was shared on the BLS website on Thursday.

    The Indian Mission has an important announcement. Starting from September 21st, 2023, Indian visa services have been stopped for now because of certain problems.

    India’s government department that deals with relations with other countries declined to give any opinions on the issue and told the BBC to look at the BLS website.

    The decision was made one day after India advised its citizens who are going to or living in Canada to be very careful due to increased activities against India and supported hate crimes and violence in the country.

    Delhi reported that there were threats towards its diplomats and some Indians who are against the anti-India plans.

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that investigators are looking into whether the government of India played a part in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who is a Canadian citizen. India had labeled him as a terrorist in 2020.

    Nijjar was killed when two men with masks shot him while he was in his car outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia on June 18th.

    Mr Trudeau said that if a foreign government is involved in killing a Canadian citizen in Canada, it is not allowed and goes against our country’s independence.

    India responded strongly, claiming that Canada was attempting to divert attention away from the Khalistani terrorists and extremists they had provided refuge to.

    The Indian government strongly opposes the requests of Sikh separatists living in Western countries for Khalistan, which means a separate place for Sikhs to live.

    The Khalistan movement was at its highest point in India during the 1980s. It involved a violent rebellion that mainly took place in the state of Punjab, where a majority of the population belonged to the Sikh community.

    It was stopped by using force and doesn’t have much impact in India anymore, but some people in the Sikh community in countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK still like it.

    Canada has a lot of Sikhs who are not from Punjab, and they have had many protests and demonstrations supporting Khalistan.

    In June, it was reported that India had made a “serious complaint” to Canada about the safety of its diplomats in that country.

  • India urges citizens to ‘remain vigilant’ in Canada in travel advisory as diplomatic crisis worsens

    India urges citizens to ‘remain vigilant’ in Canada in travel advisory as diplomatic crisis worsens

    India has told its people in Canada to be careful and watchful because there could be hate crimes that are supported by the government. This warning comes after Canada accused India of possibly being responsible for the killing of a Sikh activist in Canada.

    According to an advisory from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, there have been recent threats specifically aimed at Indian diplomats and members of the Indian community who are against anti-India plans. Due to the increasingly unsafe situation in Canada, Indian students are strongly recommended to be very careful and stay alert.

    It said that if you are from India or a student, you should register with the High Commission of India or the Consulates General of India in Toronto and Vancouver. This is so that they can contact you in case of any emergency or bad happening.

    Later, a company in Canada that helps people get visas said on its website that India had stopped giving visas to Canadians starting from Thursday. They said they received a notice from the Indian embassy.

    BLS International, the company that manages visa applications for India in Canada, said that the Indian mission has temporarily stopped providing visa services for operational reasons. There is no specified time for when the services will resume.

    On Thursday, the notice was taken away for a short time and then appeared again, but nobody explained why.

    CNN has contacted India’s foreign ministry and BLS International.

    The travel warning happened a few days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the government had been looking into serious accusations that there might be a connection between people from the Indian government and the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Hardeep was a Canadian citizen who was shot by masked men in June.

    New Delhi strongly rejects the accusations, stating that they are ridiculous and driven by ulterior motives.

    But Trudeau’s statement has caused tension between India and Canada, with both countries expelling high-ranking diplomats in response. This could potentially strain the relationship between these important allies of the United States.

    Nijjar strongly supported the idea of making a separate Sikh homeland called Khalistan. This place would be in India’s Punjab state.

    The Khalistan movement is not allowed in India and the government sees it as a danger to the nation’s security. Several groups linked to the movement are considered “terrorist organizations” according to India’s Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

    Nijjar is on the list of UAPA terrorists by the Home Ministry. In 2020, the Indian National Investigation Agency claimed that he was trying to persuade the Sikh community worldwide to support the creation of ‘Khalistan’. They also accused him of encouraging Sikhs to vote for separation, protest against the Indian government, and engage in violent activities.

    The local police say that he was shot and killed by two people with masks while he was in his truck outside a Sikh temple in Surrey, British Columbia, in June.

    The Sikh community in Canada, which is one of the biggest communities outside India and has over 770,000 members, felt very surprised and angry about his death.

    The Canadian police have not taken anyone into custody for Nijjar’s murder. In August, the police said that they were looking into three people as possible suspects in a crime. They also told the public about a car that might have been used to escape and asked for help in finding more information about it.

  • Captured US prison escapee intended to get to Canada

    Captured US prison escapee intended to get to Canada

    Pennsylvania killer Danelo Cavalcante had plans to run away to Canada before he was caught by the authorities on Wednesday.

    The man, who is 34 years old, was found guilty of murdering his former girlfriend. He allegedly informed the authorities that he planned to steal someone’s car and travel to Canada.

    He also said that some of the 500 officers looking for him got very near to him, and they almost stepped on him.

    A police dog found Cavalcante crawling through dense bushes.

    The authorities first believed that he might attempt to go back to his home country, Brazil, where he is wanted for another killing.
    But Cavalcante had different thoughts, he explained to the authorities after he was caught.

    Supervisory deputy US Marshal Robert Clark told ABC News that a person said they were planning to steal a car from someone in the next day, and that they were going to travel to Canada.

    Cavalcante said that the authorities were very close to catching him, so close that sometimes they almost stepped on him. They were only five or six feet away.

    Detective David Sassa from Chester County said to CNN, “Sometimes, the special teams walked past him. ”

    MrSassa said that Cavalcante told investigators that there were times when he didn’t move for about one or one and a half days.

    Cavalcante said he kept himself shaved by using a razor he found in a backpack.

    He was also reported to have told the authorities that he stayed alive by drinking water from a stream and eating watermelon that he found at a farm.

    The search for the man ended because they used special technology to detect heat, and a dog named Yoda helped them find him. Yoda is a four-year-old Belgian Malinois and is part of a Customs and Border Protection team.

    Yoda stopped Cavalcante from escaping and bit him, causing a small wound.
    Cavalcante was waiting to move to a different place when he got away from Chester County Prison on 31 August by crawling up two walls.

    The 5-foot suspect was able to escape from at least six police teams, including the FBI, US Marshals, and US Border Patrol, for a period of two weeks.

    Cavalcante was given a punishment last month. He will stay in prison for the rest of his life and will not be allowed to be released. He killed his ex-girlfriend, Deborah Brandao, by stabbing her. This happened in front of her two young children.

    He will be moved to a state prison where he will spend the rest of his life.

    He has also been accused of a serious crime called felony escape.

  • US and Canada must collaborate to combat Chinese interference – MP

    US and Canada must collaborate to combat Chinese interference – MP

    A Canadian politician recently spoke to US lawmakers and called for the US and Canada to work together to stop foreign interference from China.

    China supposedly targeted Michael Chong because he criticized their record on human rights.

    He was asked to talk about his personal experience in front of a committee in the US Congress that oversees China.

    He said that what Beijing is doing puts Canada in serious danger.

    Mr Chong explained to the bipartisan committee on Monday that his experience is just one example of how Beijing is meddling in Canada. A lot of times, people don’t notice or tell about other cases, and the people who are hurt have to keep it a secret and suffer alone.

    This year, Canada said that China tried to spread false information about Mr. Chong on WeChat.

    Mr Chong said that he found out from Canadian intelligence that Beijing has been collecting information about him and his relatives in Hong Kong for the past three years. In 2021, Mr. Chong suggested in the government meeting that China’s treatment of its Uyghur minority population is considered a genocide.

    China has said many times that they are not trying to scare or control Mr. Chong or get involved in Canadian matters. The Chinese embassy in Canada said that Mr. Chong criticized China for his own political reasons.

    “The Chinese embassy spokesperson said that a lie is always a lie, whether it is in Canada or in the United States,” according to an email.

    In his statement, the Conservative politician explained how China has been involved in his country in different ways.

    He said that Chinese international students in Canadian universities are being forced by Beijing to spy on other students and activists who are considered unfriendly to the Communist Party of China.

    He also mentioned the problem of Beijing-controlled “police stations” in Canada that are said to have forced some Chinese citizens to return to China.

    China says they don’t have police stations abroad, they have service centers for their citizens who are overseas.

    Mr Chong decided to stop communicating with his family in Hong Kong because he was worried that they might be in danger.

    “He said that many, many other people have done the exact same thing. ” This is one of the results of China’s actions to control people in different countries.

    Mr Chong asked the US and Canada to join forces and work together on this problem.

    He said that we can do this by sharing information and making public China’s attempts to interfere. This is important to protect our basic freedoms, democratic systems, and the international rules that we follow.

    Lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties in the US government praised Mr. Chong’s testimony, who spoke before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

    Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley said that young activists who expressed their concerns about the worsening situation in Hong Kong have been continuously targeted. He also mentioned that there is ongoing and intense pressure on Uyghurs globally.

    The commission, which started in 2000, watches over China’s alleged bullying tactics and keeps track of individuals who have disappeared or been imprisoned for political reasons.

    Recently, the relationship between Canada and China has been strained because people found out about alleged attempts to intimidate Mr.

    Canada decided to kick out a Chinese diplomat in May because of the problem. China then responded and asked a Canadian diplomat to leave their Shanghai Consulate.

    The intelligence agencies have said that Beijing tried to disrupt the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

    Canada started an investigation last week to look into how China and other countries are interfering in their affairs.

  • Stolen car from Canada found in Ghana a year later with documents intact

    Stolen car from Canada found in Ghana a year later with documents intact

    A car that had been stolen from a driveway in Toronto, Canada, has been located parked in Ghana, an astounding distance of approximately 8,500 kilometers from where it was originally taken.

    This remarkable discovery unfolded during an investigation led by David Common, a journalist from CBC News, focusing on stolen vehicles in Canada. During the course of his inquiry, Common came across the car and found the original owner’s contact information, which led to the breakthrough.

    Len Green, the car’s rightful owner, had experienced the theft of his vehicle in 2022 and had no knowledge of its whereabouts until receiving an unexpected call from Ghana, initiated by the CBC journalist.

    During the phone call, Common informed Green, “I’m calling from CBC News. We’re doing an investigation into stolen vehicles, and I’m pretty sure I’m sitting in your vehicle in West Africa.”

    Green was understandably shocked to learn that his stolen car had ended up so far from its original location, exclaiming “I can’t believe it … that’s crazy.”

    The astonishing revelation was documented in a video shared on TikTok by CBC.

    Within the same location, a group of journalists came across numerous other vehicles, many of which displayed Canadian license plates. Surprisingly, these vehicles still contained their provincial registration and insurance documents within the glove box.

    All of these vehicles had been reported stolen from Ontario and Quebec. A recent report by the Canadian Financing and Leasing Association indicated that in 2021, over 27,000 vehicles were stolen in Ontario alone, equating to a car being stolen approximately every 17 minutes.

  • ‘Freedom Convoy’ organisers in Canada go on trial

    ‘Freedom Convoy’ organisers in Canada go on trial

    The trial for the leaders of the protest called Freedom Convoy, which caused a long traffic jam in Canada‘s capital for several weeks in 2022, will start on Tuesday.
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    Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are accused of behaving badly and not cooperating with the police.

    The two were part of a group that drove a line of large trucks to Ottawa to show their disagreement with Covid-19 rules and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.

    Experts believe that the result of the trial could have a significant impact outside of the legal system.

    Mr Lich and Mr. Barber have been accused of carrying out mischief. In Canada, mischief is when someone intentionally destroys, damages, obstructs, or interferes with property. They will need to defend themselves against this charge.

    According to Joao Velloso, a law professor at the University of Ottawa, the case is normal from a legal perspective.

    However, he expects a lot of attention because the event is connected to the Freedom Convoy protests and the political tensions on topics such as vaccine mandates and freedom of assembly.

    The way people see the result of the case will vary depending on their opinions on the issues and how much they trust the justice system.

    “The case is more important than the law. ”

    The protests in February 2022 started because the government required truck drivers to get vaccinated before crossing the border between the US and Canada.

    Groups of about 400 large trucks and other vehicles went to Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, and stopped traffic around the parliament buildings for three weeks.

    City officials called it a “occupation”.

    Protests occurred, blocking an important border crossing between the US and Canada near Detroit. This made the White House angry and caused problems with the transportation of goods. Some borders in Alberta and Manitoba were closed off.

    The protests got noticed around the world and encouraged other demonstrations in different countries.

    They ended after Mr. Trudeau used the Emergencies Act, which is the first time the Canadian law has been used for this purpose. This allowed the police to remove people from the streets and the government to stop protests and block the bank accounts of protesters.

    Miss Lich and Mr. Barber were caught by the police not long after.

    Paul Daly, who is an expert in rules and regulations at the University of Ottawa, said a very important question is how much the two people were responsible for causing problems for the people of Ottawa.

    Many people said that during the protest, there was too much loud noise, things were always being disturbed, and some people were being bothered.
    MrDaly said that the trial is a conflict between the rights of convoy organizers to speak freely and associate freely, and the public’s interest in maintaining livable city streets for residents.

    Lawrence Greenspon, who is Ms Lich’s lawyer, said in a statement to the BBC that “we don’t think this will be the trial about the Freedom Convoy. ”

    The main question is whether the actions of two people who planned a peaceful protest should be considered a crime.

    However, at a recent book event, Ms. Lich expressed her belief that the trial’s result will establish a rule for other protestors who are also waiting for their trials.

    She said in July, “I won’t give up easily and we will fight hard. ”

    The lawyers who work for the government said that if Ms. Lich is proven to be guilty, she might have to go to prison for as long as 10 years.

    However, during a court hearing in July to determine bail, a judge in Ontario stated that because of this “very unusual case,” it is unclear how much responsibility she will have for the range of alleged bad actions done by different individuals in a crowd of thousands over several weeks.

    Both Ms Lich and Ms Barber, along with other organizers, are being sued for C$300m by Ottawa residents because of the disruptions caused in the city.

    Ms Lich and Mr Barber’s trial will last for 13 days, and after that, there will be six more days for the trial in October.

    Pat King, who is also helping to organize the protests, will have a trial that is different from the one happening in November.

  • Over 100 companies with Canadian ownership operate mines in Africa – High Commissioner

    Over 100 companies with Canadian ownership operate mines in Africa – High Commissioner

    Her Excellency Martine Moreau, the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana, has emphasized the size of recent trade between Canada and Africa, which has surpassed $15 billion.

    She claims that more than 100 Canadian businesses are engaged in mining operations in Africa.

    Even while investments have expanded gradually at a rate of 12.5% annually over the last four years, she claimed that this illustrates the strength of trade links between the continent and Canada.

    “Last year total trading merchandise between Canada and Africa surpassed 15 billion dollars representing a 56 percent increase over pre-pandemic figures. Canadian investments have over the last four years been increasing at an annual rate of 12.5 percent. More than 100 Canadian-owned companies conduct mining operations in Africa,” she was quoted by citinewsroom.com.

    According to H.E. Moreau, if the African Continental Free Trade Area’s existing framework is used effectively, trade and investment volumes might be increased as soon as possible.

    “While we continue to benefit from exiting opportunities, we also recognize the tremendous economic potential to be realized through the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement,” she opined.

    In light of this, she expressed her unwavering support for the idea while pointing out that the AfCFTA will also benefit other countries outside of Africa by opening up new prospects for commerce.

    “We strongly support this agreement as it will establish a continent-wide rule-based and investment regime that will afford significant opportunities not only for African nations themselves but also for external trading partners including Canada,” she noted.

  • Second-largest tech migrants in Canada attributed to Nigerians

    Second-largest tech migrants in Canada attributed to Nigerians

    Canada has emerged as a top destination for IT talent, with Nigeria ranking as the second-largest contributor to this influx, according to research conducted by TECNA and CTN.

    Between April 2022 and March 2023, Canada experienced a substantial surge in IT professionals arriving from countries like Brazil, India, and Nigeria, totaling over 32,000 workers.

    Canada’s attractiveness as a tech talent hub is attributed to its welcoming immigration policies and the growth of remote work. This appeal extends even to rural areas, where the IT workforce has notably expanded. According to findings from The Technology Councils of North America (TECNA) and Canada’s IT Network (CTN), Nigeria is the second-largest source of IT talent professionals relocating to Canada.

    As reported by Nairametrics, Canada continues to witness a substantial net inflow of IT talent, especially from Brazil, India, and Nigeria, resulting in a thriving tech sector.

    The influx of IT professionals to Canada during the mentioned period exemplifies this trend, with more than 32,000 individuals from the global IT sector seeking employment opportunities in the country. Increased investments by American tech companies in Canada have also played a role in this growth.

    Canada’s success in attracting a substantial number of IT professionals can be attributed to its immigration-friendly laws and cost-effective labor market.

    The rise of remote work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has further encouraged tech talents to explore non-traditional tech hubs and adapt to the evolving landscape of tech migration in North America.

    The pandemic has also prompted investments in the tech industry due to proximity and appealing wage differentials. In 2022, a significant 400,000 software engineers were employed in Canada, leading to the expansion of the IT sector beyond major cities.

    Notably, the employment of IT professionals has surged at an impressive annual growth rate of 16.3% in smaller regions such as Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador. Even smaller rural areas like Windsor, Ontario, have seen a substantial 28% increase in their IT workforce over the past year, aligning with the broader trend of migration from urban to rural areas in North America.

    The most sought-after technical skills in Canada, as identified by a joint research effort by TECNA and CTN, include Customer Experience, Microsoft Azure, Analytical skills, Amazon Web Services, React.js, Jira, Data Science, GitHub, Customer Satisfaction, and Customer Relationship Management.

  • Canada alerts LGBT visitors about risks in the US

    Canada alerts LGBT visitors about risks in the US

    Canada has given a new warning to its LGBT citizens who want to visit the United States.

    There were a lot more protests against LGBT people in the US last year than in 2017, and there is also a growing number of laws being passed that limit the rights of LGBT individuals.

    Global Affairs Canada alerted people that certain laws in certain states might impact them during their journeys, but didn’t mention which states exactly.

    Usually, these warnings are only given to countries like Uganda, Russia, or Egypt.

    Some states have made rules that can impact people who identify as 2SLGBTQI+. The US travel advice page says to look at the laws of the state and city you are going to visit.

    In Canada, the term 2SLGBTQI+ is used to describe people who identify as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or intersex.

    A representative from Global Affairs Canada mentioned that there are laws in the US that specifically affect and target transgender individuals.

    “They said to CBC News that some states in the US have made laws stopping drag shows and limiting the transgender community’s ability to get gender-affirming healthcare and join in sports events since the start of 2023. ”

    In March, the governor of Tennessee passed laws that made it illegal for drag shows to be performed in front of children and limited the medical treatment that transgender youth can receive.

    Two months later, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis approved laws that prohibit kids from receiving transgender medical treatments or attending drag shows, and limit the use of certain pronouns in classrooms.

    Many states run by conservative politicians in the US have suggested lots of similar rules about LGBT matters.

    The Human Rights Campaign, which is the largest group that supports the rights of the LGBT community in the US, said in June that LGBT Americans are in a state of emergency. This is because some states are making laws that specifically aim to harm or discriminate against them.

    On Monday, someone ruined a painting in Florida that was made to honor Lyra McKee, an Irish journalist who was killed in 2019. They drew a swastika and wrote mean things about LGBT people on it.

    When asked why the advice had been changed, Canadian Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland said that the government asked experts to look around the world and see if there are any specific risks to certain groups of Canadians.

    She said no when asked if they talked to the US government before making the change.

  • Students wanting to go to Canada could face visa restrictions due to housing crisis

    Students wanting to go to Canada could face visa restrictions due to housing crisis

    The Canadian Housing Minister, Sean Fraiser, has stated that Canada is now dealing with rising housing costs, and that the government may limit international student visas to address the issue.

    According to Reuters, Fraiser told reporters this on the sidelines of a cabinet retreat in the Atlantic province of Prince Edward Island on Monday, August 21.

    “We’ve got temporary immigration programs that were never designed to see such explosive growth in such a short period of time,” he added.

    The increase comes as Canada has become a favorite destination for overseas students due to the ease with which a work permit can be obtained.

    Fraser, the previous immigration minister, stated that the steep increase in the number of students was putting significant strain on some housing markets.

    The official opposition Conservative Party, which is leading in polls for a federal election that must be held by October 2025, has stated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government is not doing enough to address the housing crisis.

    Canada, which has a population of approximately 39.5 million people, intends to accept a record number of new permanent citizens in 2025. Fraser stated that restricting the number of newcomers was not the solution.