David Baxter, The Canadian Press

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service says it's dealing with a growing number of immigration security screening requests — and immigration lawyers say their clients are coping with long delays as a result.

The intelligence agency says in its latest annual report it received over 538,000 screening requests from immigration and border officials in 2024. The agency began to see a significant increase in requests in 2023, when it received over 493,200 requests. Before that, CSIS received roughly 300,000 security screening requests annually over the previous five years.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand were in Mexico to strengthen the countries' relationship, days after the United States hit Canada with higher tariffs.

Champagne said during a virtual press conference from Mexico on Tuesday evening that it was a "very successful trip" and that the mission was to "get to know each other a bit better."

The minister said the countries spoke about how to work together in areas like energy, auto and security.

Tamara Lich and Chris Barber, two leaders of the Freedom Convoy protest, are scheduled to be sentenced for mischief on Oct. 7 in an Ottawa courtroom.

In addition to lengthy prison sentences, the Crown wants to seize Barber's truck, which was used in the protest.

A forfeiture hearing on that matter is scheduled for Sept. 12.

Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey said Thursday she wants to rule on the mischief sentence and truck forfeiture at the same time so that she does not deliver "piecemeal" decisions.

A lawyer for one of two leaders of the Freedom Convoy facing sentencing told an Ottawa court Wednesday her client should not be left with a criminal record.

Crown prosecutor Siobhain Wetscher said Wednesday she is seeking stiff sentences for convoy leaders Tamara Lich and Chris Barber because of the broad community harm caused by the three-week 2022 protest in Ottawa's downtown core.

Parliamentarians likely will get a chance later this year to debate whether to adopt a livestock brand as an official national symbol.

A bill to create the brand was introduced earlier in June by Saskatchewan Conservative MP Steven Bonk.

If the bill passes, the brand will become Canada's 10th national symbol — joining O Canada, the coat of arms and the maple tree.

Here are five things you may not know about the official symbols that say "Canada."

1. The beaver does not stand alone

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Thursday that a 49-year-old Canadian has died while in its custody.

A detainee death notice from the agency, commonly known as ICE, said that Johnny Noviello was pronounced dead by the Miami Fire Rescue Department at 1:36 p.m. on June 23.

The agency said he was found unresponsive at 12:54 p.m. at a federal detention centre where he was being held pending deportation proceedings. Medical staff attempted CPR and defibrillation but were unsuccessful, the agency said.

Government House leader Steven MacKinnon says the NDP will not be granted official party status because the law says a party needs at least 12 seats to be recognized.

The NDP was reduced to just seven seats in last month's election.

Interim NDP Leader Don Davies has told The Canadian Press he spoke with the Prime Minister's Office about obtaining official party status for the NDP in the House of Commons.

Davies pointed to several past instances of provincial legislatures granting party status to an opposition party.

Conservative MP Damien Kurek is set to step aside to allow Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to run in a byelection in the Battle River—Crowfoot riding in Alberta.

Kurek says he is "temporarily" stepping aside as MP for the riding, which he has held since 2019.

The Conservative party confirms that Poilievre will run in the Battle River—Crowfoot byelection once it's called.