National News

Canada has a need for a co-ordinated flash flood warning system and could deepen its European partnerships as the United States cuts climate- and weather-related funding, says a new report digging into the future of Canada's weather service. 

The independent assessment prepared for Environment and Climate Change Canada says significant cuts to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration threaten a wide range of weather and water monitoring in Canada, from the Arctic to the Great Lakes. 

Canada's ministers of finance and procurement have given officials in charge of most federal contracting 45 days to come up with a plan to review all existing and planned federal contracts to find ways to save money.

The directive made by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound is the latest cost-savings directive from the federal cabinet as Prime Minister Mark Carney looks to cut government operating spending by 15 per cent over the next three years.

The five players acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial can return to the NHL when their suspensions end "no sooner" than Dec. 1, the NHL announced Thursday.

The players, who are all unrestricted free agents, can sign with a team on Oct. 15 as they wait for full reinstatement.

Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton and Carter Hart were all charged with one count of sexual assault stemming from an encounter with a woman after a 2018 gala celebrating the world junior team's gold medal. All five pleaded not guilty when the trial opened in April.

Prime Minister Mark Carney named the first five projects on the federal government's fast-track list on Thursday — part of his plan to attract outside investment and bolster the Canadian economy.

The projects include planned energy development, mining and port infrastructure projects from the West Coast to Central Canada.

The government also released an expanded list of projects not quite ready for prime time that includes additional initiatives in Eastern Canada and the North.

The number of emergency department visits for pneumonia more than doubled last fall over the previous year, the Canadian Institute for Health Information says.    

The new data released Thursday said young people between five and 19 years old were the hardest hit. 

"This is actually the largest increase in pneumonia-related emergency department visits that we've seen post-COVID," said Tanya Khan, CIHI's manager of hospital data advancement and engagement, in an interview. 

Politicians in Canada are speaking out about political violence after Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event.

Prime Minister Mark Carney offered condolences to Kirk's family and friends.

"There is no justification for political violence and every act of it threatens democracy," he said on social media.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Kirk's shooting must be strongly denounced.

Pierre Poilievre is encouraging Prime Minister Mark Carney to adopt Conservative plans to deal with the country's housing crisis, which he said is entering a new phase as prices begin to fall in some cities.

At a press conference Tuesday in Brampton, Ont., the Conservative leader blamed Liberal policies for the housing crunch and invited the government to "steal our best ideas."

"They first inflated the housing bubble, and now Liberals are bursting the housing bubble," he said, noting that construction is slowing in Ontario.

Fiscal experts say Ottawa will have to be transparent with Canadians in the upcoming fall budget to justify a seismic shift in spending away from government programs and toward defence and infrastructure.

The federal Liberals are expected to table the annual budget sometime this fall, possibly as early as next month, after forgoing the traditional spring budget.

The federal government says it plans to launch a public registry to keep Canadians in the loop on its growing use of artificial intelligence.

"We are seeing a lot more activity across departments and agencies," Stephen Burt, the government’s chief data officer, told The Canadian Press.

The federal government says it has found almost 500 ways to streamline regulations and cut costs following a 60-day red tape review exercise.

Departments and agencies have published reports identifying measures to make them more efficient and eliminate complicated or redundant regulations or processes.

Examples include a Canada Border Services Agency proposal to end the rule requiring that travellers arriving in Canada only on their way to another country, be examined by the agency before making their way to their departing flight.