۴ý

Politics

    • Trudeau links global campaign on arbitrary detention declaration to China

    Share
    Ottawa -

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada spearheaded an international declaration denouncing state-sponsored arbitrary detentions because of China's decision to imprison Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.

    Trudeau made the connection for the first time Friday during a federal election campaign appearance in Windsor, Ont.

    In February, when the federal government announced that it had created a coalition of dozens of countries denouncing the practice, it played down any connection that it was specifically targeting China, which has been angered by the declaration, nonetheless.

    Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau said at the time the declaration was "country agnostic" and was meant to be a broad denunciation of a coercive practices taking place in numerous countries, including Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

    But on Friday, when asked about Canada's exclusion from a new American-Australian-British alliance on intelligence sharing in the Indo-Pacific region, Trudeau touted a number of other Canadian geopolitical alliances, including its historic role in NATO and its relatively new effort on calling out state-sponsored arbitrary detention.

    "We continue to be there as a strong proponent for multilateralism, including on moving forward on things like the international agreement on arbitrary detentions that obviously stems from the arbitrary detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, but that concerns all countries around the world," Trudeau said.

    While the government has routinely branded Kovrig and Spavor's arrests by China as arbitrary, and called for their release, it went to great lengths not to portray the new arbitrary-detention initiative as something that was aimed directly at China.

    China has accused the two men of being spies, a claim rejected by Canada and its allies. The arrests are widely viewed as retaliation for the RCMP's December 2018 arrest of Chinese high-tech executive Meng Wanzhou on an American extradition request.

    The new declaration was born out of a year of behind-the-scenes international diplomacy in 2020 and was led by Garneau's predecessor as foreign affairs minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne. More than 60 countries have since signed on to the new pact, which doesn't have any mechanism to force offending countries to adhere to it.

    China has sharply criticized all attempts by Canada to build an international coalition to press it to release Kovrig and Spavor. And it has dismissed the arbitrary-detention declaration as essentially toothless and lacking the support of the majority of countries.

    The unexpected new alliance announced earlier this week between the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, known as AUKUS, raised questions internationally, and in Canada and the U.S.

    It became an issue on the federal election campaign trail where Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh criticized Trudeau for Canada's absence from the new pact.

    Trudeau shrugged off the criticism, saying Canada continues to be a member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance that includes the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

    He also said the new AUKUS alliance was about bolstering Australia's navy against Chinese ambitions in the region by giving access to American nuclear submarine technology.

    "Canada wasn't in the market for nuclear submarines, and therefore, this particular deal didn't involve us," Trudeau said Friday.

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2021.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    BREAKING

    BREAKING

    Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    BREAKING

    BREAKING

    Quebec’s Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

    Canada

    • An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec's education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.

    • Ontario needs more money to properly deliver the national $10-a-day child-care program now and beyond the life of the current agreement, the province's education minister has told the federal minister in a new letter.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won’t face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing – but they could face professional discipline.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Quebec’s Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    • Vancouver Fire Rescue Services received its first shipment of new firefighting gear on Wednesday, advancing the department's plans to reduce cancer risk for its members.

    • A meteor lit up our region's sky last night – with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Entertainment

    Business

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    Lifestyle

    • A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    • Lonely Planet’s top places to go in 2025

      Grab your passport and your sunscreen, Lonely Planet has just revealed its 30 must-visit destinations for 2025 as well as a brand-new rundown of top 10 travel trends.

    • The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park has undergone a $29-million makeover.

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night – with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that – and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    • Legend has it that on a dark evening in 1988, friends of Supt. Joe Atherton quietly buried his body on the site of the old provincial RCMP headquarters in Vancouver.

    • Since the record-breaking atmospheric river hit Metro Vancouver last Friday, 266 drivers have filed ICBC claims for water damage to their vehicles. In some places, flood water was so deep, cars floated away with the drivers still inside, and the engine running.

    • Brittany La Torre and her husband Marc moved into their West Vancouver home just six months ago, but after last weekend's storm brought a torrent of muddy water and debris into their basement, knocking out power, they're not sure whether they'll be living in it six months from now.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    • It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.

    • A proposed inner-city apartment complex development by Anthem Properties is raising concerns for some residents of Hillhurst and West Hillhurst.

    • A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Quebec’s Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

    • NEW THIS MORNING

      NEW THIS MORNING

      The City of Ottawa is hoping to learn this week just how many residents in the capital are homeless.

    • It feels like fall in Ottawa today, after four straight days with temperatures in the 20s. Environment Canada says temperatures will warm up to 10 C on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

    • An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec's education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      High temperatures have been trending in Montreal this season, but that could soon come to an end.

    • Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says she will quit municipal politics after serving the final year of her second term, which comes to an end in November 2025.

    • An Edmonton tow truck operator has been charged after police say he refused to release a vehicle to its owner.

    • The City of Edmonton has a long road ahead to replace aging ice arenas as demand for ice time increases.

    • The leader of Alberta's Official Opposition rolled up his sleeves for his COVID-19 and flu shots today, opting to receive them in front of media because he's concerned about vaccine uptake.

    • A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    • A volunteer treasurer is facing charges after funds went missing from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston’s riding.

    • A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    • A sentencing hearing is set to begin today for a Manitoba man who admitted to killing his common-law partner and their two young children.

    • A 59-year-old man has died following a crash involving three vehicles that started after a tire fell off a car on the Trans-Canada Highway Wednesday morning in the RM of Tache.

    • Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal is defending his conduct and disagreeing with a recent report from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) – which found he broke rules that prohibit MLAs from being involved with government contracts.

    • Southey RCMP say drivers should expect delays on Highway 6 Wednesday night after a serious crash.

    • Regina police says officers will provide an update Thursday in its search for the suspect of a homicide that took place in the city during the summer of 2023.

    • Detective Robert Hofstetter examined Erb’s home after her death and came to several conclusions based on the blood stains he found there.

    • A psychologist who recently assessed Geovanny Villalba-Aleman believes he may have experienced a psychotic break before stabbing three people in a gender studies class at a University of Waterloo.

    • Corrections Service Canada has confirmed a women’s prison in Kitchener is in lockdown.

    • The race to form government is heating up ahead of the provincial election on Monday. Both the Saskatchewan NDP and the Saskatchewan Party feel they have the momentum as each leader has been focusing on different areas of the province as the campaign trail nears its end.

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • The Saskatoon civic election is drawing closer, with mayoral candidates outlining their visions to keep the city competitive and attract businesses.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • It only took minutes for North Bay pharmacist Brian Chute to be out $1,500 after fraudsters deceptively swapped his bank card with another.

    • A 27-year-old man is miraculously alive after his pickup went over Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley. Fire fighters estimate that from the top to bottom of the embankment is around 270 feet.

    • Under tough cross-examination at the London courthouse on Wednesday, Rachel Johnson, 21, was asked a number of times why there was a delay in calling 911

    • OPP have confirmed that a transport truck driver crashed into a historic home just southeast of London this morning.

    • A suspect in an armed robbery that took place one year ago in Hanover will officially face the court for their charges following an arrest on Sunday.

    • A haunted house in the Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

    • In the Town of Tecumseh, residents and athletes alike are facing a pickleball problem that may prove costly.

    • As hospitals elsewhere in Ontario reintroduce mask mandates due to rising respiratory illnesses, Windsor hospitals are taking a more measured approach.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won’t face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing – but they could face professional discipline.

    • When 16-year-old Kaydence Bourque was struck and killed in a crosswalk on Cedar Hill Cross Road in Saanich in 2021, the community was shaken to the core.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge’s Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.

    • A dazzling light display is making its return to Lethbridge this holiday season.

    • As part of anniversary celebrations, the City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to see VisitLethbridge.com Arena like they never have before.

    • The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.

    • The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won’t fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow ۴ý