Anishinaabe elder uses online video to pass along love of language to children

Barbara Nolan, an Anishnaabe elder on a mission to promote her nation's language, says she loves to hear stories about how her work is influencing children.

Nolan launched a series of online videos last month to introduce the language — called Anishinaabemowin — to the very youngest members of the community.

No deal after two days of negotiating in the Vancouver grain workers strike

Negotiations to end a strike by grain terminal workers in Metro Vancouver have stalled, with the employers' association saying it's "disappointed" with the results of two days of talks. 

A statement from the Western Grain Elevator Association says the employer bargaining unit had increased its offer to settle "outstanding issues," but that was rejected.

Canada booking seats on flights out of Lebanon as violence escalates

Global Affairs Canada began booking blocks of seats on the few remaining commercial flights leaving Lebanon on Friday as it issued another urgent plea for any Canadians in the country to leave immediately.

"Canadians need to leave now and we are helping with that," Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said in a statement on X late Friday afternoon.

"Canada has secured seats for Canadians on the limited commercial flights available. If a seat is available, please take it."

CSIS says a former parliamentarian may have worked on behalf of a foreign government

A former parliamentarian is suspected of "having worked to influence parliamentary business" on behalf of an unnamed foreign government, Canada's spy service told a federal inquiry Friday.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service also cited indications that an unspecified foreign government engaged in meddling to reduce the likelihood of a specific Liberal candidate of being elected federally.

Disability rights groups launch Charter challenge against MAID law

A coalition of disability rights organizations has launched a Charter challenge against a part of Canada's law on medical assistance in dying, calling it an "abandonment” of people with disabilities. 

The group announced Thursday that it had filed a notice of application to challenge what's known as track two of the MAID law, which it argues has resulted in premature deaths.  

NDP MP introduces bill to criminalize residential school denialism

An NDP MP has introduced a bill that would criminalize residential school denialism, saying it would help stop harm caused toward survivors, their families and communities.

If the bill is passed, people could be charged under the Criminal Code for promoting hatred against Indigenous Peoples by condoning, justifying or downplaying the historical and lasting impact of residential schools.

Foreign ministry rang alarm bell over challenges in countering disinformation online

Canada's foreign ministry expressed alarm about its shrinking ability to counter foreign disinformation online due to limited access to data and the evolving tactics of adversaries, a newly released memo shows. 

The memo, tabled Wednesday at a federal inquiry into foreign interference, noted Canada had led the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism to identify and respond to threats to democracy through open-source data analytics. 

Conservative non-confidence motion defeated; government survives

The Liberal minority government has survived a vote of non-confidence in the House of Commons by a count of 211-120.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre put forward the motion asking MPs to declare they did not have confidence in the prime minister or his government.

Poilievre failed to get the support of other opposition parties to bring the government down.

The Bloc Québécois and the NDP voted against the motion.

If the non-confidence motion had passed it would have defeated the government and very likely triggered an immediate election campaign.

Two Canadians dead in Lebanon as MPs ponder evacuation and Israel mulls invasion

At least two Canadians have died in the escalating violence in Lebanon, which has members of Parliament discussing a possible evacuation of Canadian citizens from the country.

"We are devastated by the loss of two Canadians, but the entire Lebanese people are (also) suffering right now — women, children, innocents," said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

"This is a horrific situation," he told reporters on Parliament Hill, repeating his earlier calls for both Israel and Hezbollah to de-escalate.