City Ottawa Financial News

A jury has found ex-RCMP intelligence officer Cameron Ortis guilty of sending sensitive information to alleged criminals and money launderers in an unprecedented trial.

OTTAWA — Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled a fall economic statement on Nov. 21 that aims to support middle-class Canadians amid soaring consumer prices and looming mortgage renewals.

The mortgage cliff that will see more than two million home loans up for renewal over the next two years appeared to weigh heavily in the federal government’s fall economic update.

The federal government is planning on making counselling and psychotherapy exempt from the GST and HST in their Fall Economic Statement (FES).

Homeowners fretting about paying more on their mortgages at renewal could soon have more power to shop around for a better rate, thanks to a package of housing affordability measures proposed in the Liberals’ fall economic statement.

Last week, Justin Trudeau put out a statement to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week. “The Government of Canada,” he said, “is working to remove barriers so that entrepreneurship can continue to thrive.” That sounds nice, except for the “continue to” part: entrepreneurship has not thrived under his government at all. Statistics Canada reports that despite significant population growth between 2015 and 2022, the number of Canadians who were self-employed and who employed other people for pay fell 11 per cent. Contrast this decline in entrepreneurs to the 18 per cent growth in public sector employment over the same period. The two statistics are connected. Adding to government employment takes away money and resources that businesses and entrepreneurs need to establish themselves and grow.

By Steve Scherer

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government faces pressures from two ends heading into Tuesday’s fall economic statement.

single-use plastic ban is “unconstitutional and unreasonable” is generating disappointment for some in the environmental movement.And it is also raising questions about whether the plastic bags, straws and takeout containers listed under the ban could make a comeback.“I mean, we were very disappointed. And this is a real setback to the federal government’s plans to address the plastic pollution crisis,” said Ashley Wallis, associate director with Environmental Defence in Toronto.Both Environmental Defence and Greenpeace Canada are calling on the federal government to appeal the ruling, something Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said he’s “strongly considering.”But where do things go from here?The court challenge was brought forward by a group called the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition (RPUC), made up of plastic producers including Dow Chemical and Imperial Oil.They successfully argued that the May 2021 cabinet order classing “plastic manufactured items” as toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) was too broad.In a statement, the RPUC said it is glad that the court upheld the provisions of the CEPA and believes industry and the government can work collaboratively to reduce plastic waste.This classification allowed Ottawa to ban a wide variety of single-use plastics because under the CEPA, the federal government can ban toxic substances.With this classification retroactively overturned, does it mean single-use plastics like bags and straws will come roaring back?Not likely, it seems.Two of Canada’s major grocers, Loblaws and Metro, both tell Global News they will not be bringing back plastic shopping bags.“No.

Saskatchewan MLA has been stripped of his duties after he was charged with obtaining sexual services for consideration according to an email release from the province.Ryan Domotor, MLA for Cutknife – Turtleford was arrested by Regina police at a business Thursday afternoon and charged for communicating for the purposes of procuring sex.According to the Canadian Press, Domotor was at the legislature a few hours before his arrest, speaking to a motion about the province’s disagreement with Ottawa’s climate policies.He was one of 16 people arrested by Regina’s vice unit during a project to fight sexual exploitation.Domotor has been kicked out of government caucus and removed of all government appointments and responsibilities.Premier Scott Moe said he took immediate action after learning about the charge.“Those in public office should be working to support vulnerable women, not exploit them,” Moe said. “There is absolutely no place in our government, nor frankly in the Assembly, for someone who has been charged with such a crime.”Domotor was elected in the Cut Knife-Turtleford constituency in the 2020 provincial election.He was the Chief Administrative Officer for the R.M.

India flagged its concerns at the '2+2' foreign and defence ministerial meeting. «We have made our concerns very very clear,» Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a media briefing. The American delegation at the '2+2' ministerial dialogue talks was led by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin while External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh headed the Indian side. «We have core security concerns and I am sure you are all aware of recent video that has surfaced from one such individual,» Kwatra said adding the US side understood New Delhi's concerns. The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations in September over the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June in the Canadian town of Surrey. Days after Trudeau's allegations, India temporarily suspended issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity. Canada has already withdrawn 41 diplomats and their family members from India. India has already resumed some of the visa services.

The federal government will give an update on the country’s finances later this month, with Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland set to deliver the fall economic statement as Canadians face difficulties amid high interest rates and ongoing cost of living concerns.

By Steve Scherer and David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) — The Canadian government will release its annual fall economic statement (FES) on Nov. 21, the finance ministry said on Thursday.

Canada’s main stock index was down 150 points in early-afternoon trading with losses led by the energy sector as the price of oil dropped below US$80 per barrel.

MPs are set to vote Monday on a motion by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to have Ottawa extend its carbon price pause to all forms of home heating.

Diwali celebration at Parliament Hill which saw a great turnout of prominent members of the Indian diaspora from several Canadian cities like Ottawa, the Greater Toronto Area, and Montreal. Arya also raised a Hindu flag with the sacred symbol 'aum' on Parliament Hill, PTI reported.

India-Canada row: The ties between India and Canada have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September alleged the involvement of "agents of the Indian government" in the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June this year. India on the other hand has rejected the claims and called the allegations as "absurd and motivated." Since then Ottawa and New Delhi announced tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats in the wake of Trudeau's allegation of Indian involvement in Nijjar's killing. India also temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Canadian citizens and asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity.

Ahead of a looming vote on a Conservative motion to pause the federal carbon price on all forms of home heating, Alberta Liberal MP and Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault is defending the current policy – only pausing it for homes that use heating oil.

Canada, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday as the ties between the two sides remained strained following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegations of a «potential» involvement of Indian agents in the killing of a Khalistani separatist. The external affairs minister said both sides have been in touch and hoped that a way would be found to resolve the row. At the same time, he asserted that «sovereignty and sensitivity» cannot be one-way streets.

(Reuters) — Canada's police probe into the June murder of a Sikh separatist in British Columbia has been damaged by a high-level Canadian official's public statements, India's High Commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Kumar Verma, told the Globe and Mail in an interview published on Saturday.