Canada

For decades, Canadian governments, both Liberal and Conservative (under Brian Mulroney), wisely declined to participate in earlier versions of the Golden Dome under former U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. Canada’s refusal was largely on the grounds that these so-called “missile defence” systems are not just defensive. In fact, they undermine arms treaties and encourage arms races.

A former Saskatoon police officer, fired in September with two other officers after an off-duty hot tub party in his backyard, is now charged with assault.

Dylan Kemp was arrested, charged and released on Thursday, according to a news release from the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT). He is scheduled to appear in Saskatoon provincial court Nov. 27.

On Aug. 28, CBC reported that five officers were suspended because of a house party in September 2024 hosted by a member of the elite Emergency Response Team, also known as the tactical team.

That host was Dylan Kemp.

Officers who contacted CBC said that a tactical team member allegedly physically assaulted a junior female officer at the party. That officer is the complainant in Kemp's assault charge.

On May 13 and 15, CBSA border services officers examined two marine containers from China that were both destined for Calgary, Alberta. The containers were flagged and referred to border services officers by CBSA intelligence personnel in the Pacific Region and from the National Targeting Centre.

Within the containers, CBSA officers found 60 clear jugs and 20 blue drums containing the following precursor chemicals:

- 3,600L of 1,4 Butanediol – precursor for GHB, also known as the ‘date-rape drug’
- 500L of Propionyl Chloride – a fentanyl precursor
- 200L of Gamma butyrolactone (GBL)

The investigation is ongoing.

Canada is officially designating certain critical minerals as a national security priority under the Defence Production Act, a move that would allow the federal government to support the mining industry by guaranteeing it a buyer and a minimum price.

The move was announced at a G7 energy and environment meeting in Toronto on Friday, where countries discussed countering China’s overwhelming dominance of critical mineral production. Those minerals are essential for modern technologies like electric vehicles and clean energy, and Western nations have been growing increasingly anxious over China’s control of their supply chain.

‐-----------

Oh look! Socialism!

I want to point out that the issue of Child Porn sentences aside, shout out to those who believe Danielle Smith will use the Notwithstanding Clause over and over again. Take a look at this quote:

In a 5-4 decision, the top court said although the sentences contribute to the objectives of denunciation and deterrence, they also remove judges’ discretion to impose sentences other than imprisonment when appropriate.

Conservative politicians swiftly denounced the ruling.

In a social media post, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called the judgment “outrageous” and urged the federal government to overturn it using the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause.

Sudanese Canadians say family members who have applied to join them from war-torn Sudan are, after months of waiting, suddenly receiving approvals to come to Canada or communications from Ottawa’s immigration department about their applications.

Immigration Minister Lena Diab has this week come under pressure to get her department to speed up the processing of applications after massacres occurred in a besieged Darfur city.

Thousands of unarmed civilians have been killed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces this week in El Fasher, according to estimates from human-rights groups and independent monitoring sites. Reports included the killing of hundreds of people in a hospital.

The massacres are the latest atrocities in the Sudan war, which erupted in 2023 after a power struggle between Sudan’s army and the RSF. The war, considered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, has forced 12 million people from their homes, killed hundreds of thousands and left 30 million people in need of emergency aid.

Last year, Ottawa set up a temporary humanitarian program to help Sudanese with immediate family in Canada flee the civil war. The special pathway to permanent residence for people affected by the conflict is available to Sudanese with immediate family here who can help support them.

No Paywall

The 2025 Winter Smart Traveller Survey by the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada (THIA) found that only 26 per cent of Canadians are likely to go to the U.S., a 37 per cent drop from last year.

In B.C.'s south Okanagan region, some wine grape growers are struggling to find buyers for their fruit, during a year many were hoping to make a solid profit after devastating crop loss in recent years.

After two years of severe winter damage, vineyards across the region produced strong yields this season.

But some farmers say a provincial program that allows wineries to import grapes from the United States is crowding the market and leaving them with grapes they can't sell.

Despite strong quality and sugar levels, Gill said his Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes should have been picked two weeks ago. He's concerned about making his loan repayments.

The Conservative and NDP caucuses are grappling with what to do about the upcoming federal budget and whether they want to be part of an effort to trigger an election by voting it down, multiple sources told CBC News.

Senior Conservative sources say the party's leadership does not want an election right now, but they are also opposed to voting for the new Liberal government's first budget given the potential reputational risk of backing Prime Minister Mark Carney and an agenda they simply don't support.

A Conservative source says speculation about the Liberals potentially losing the budget vote is “not contrived” as, at this time, there are not enough votes for it to pass in the House after it is tabled on Tuesday.

Notwithstanding clause notwithstanding.