National News

It’s the inflation you’re not supposed to see.

From toilet paper to yogurt and coffee to corn chips, manufacturers are quietly shrinking package sizes without lowering prices. It’s dubbed “shrinkflation,” and it’s accelerating worldwide.

In the U.S., a small box of Kleenex now has 60 tissues; a few months ago, it had 65. Chobani Flips yogurts have shrunk from 5.3 ounces to 4.5 ounces. In the U.K., Nestle slimmed down its Nescafe Azera Americano coffee tins from 100 grams to 90 grams. In India, a bar of Vim dish soap has shrunk from 155 grams to 135 grams.

A senior official in the department of public safety says the minister has been "misunderstood" in saying police asked the federal government to use the Emergencies Act in February.

Deputy minister Rob Stewart appeared before the special joint committee that’s examining the Liberals' decision to invoke the act on Tuesday evening. 

In April, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told the same committee that after weeks of blockades in downtown Ottawa and at several border crossings, the government was in regular consultation with law enforcement including the RCMP. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isn't saying whether he supports President Joe Biden's decision to exclude Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba from this week's Summit of the Americas. 

Trudeau acknowledges that some of the countries in the Western Hemisphere are "less like-minded" than others. 

But he says they all share a number of urgent issues, such as migration pressures, climate change and recovering fully from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

All three are expected to be on the agenda at the weeklong summit as the prime minister departs for Los Angeles later today. 

Canadians across the country organized parties, donned traditional British garb and planted trees over the weekend as they joined the world in celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee marking her 70 years on the throne.

The Canadian festivities were more muted affairs compared to the boisterous, four-day party that took place in London in honour of the occasion. 

Gasoline prices continued to trend upward across much of Canada over the weekend and experts warn more increases are coming this week.

National average gas prices rose to about $2.06 on Sunday, up almost three cents from the day before and 11 cents higher compared with a week ago, according to the Canadian Automobile Association.

"We're seeing gas price records repeatedly shattered across the country," said Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy.

Candidates have until midnight to secure party memberships for their supporters to vote in the election for the next Conservative leader, who will replace Erin O'Toole. 

The deadline marks a major milestone in the campaign and the start of a new phase in the race.

The party's leadership election organizing committee said late last month it had already broken records for how many new members candidates have drawn in ahead of the June 3 cutoff.

This summer will see Kevin Costner return to Alberta as marshal of this year's Stampede Parade.

Costner starred in the films Open Range and Let Him Go, which were both filmed in the province.

The latter saw him spend some time in High River for filming in 2019.

"I just gotta tell you how nice it felt to be selected at the parade marshal," said Costner in the announcement video. "You don't see those kinds of things coming. I'm not sure what the list looked like, I'm glad I was on it."

Seasonal or higher than normal temperatures across much of the country will offer Canadians a chance to enjoy the summer, but predictions from a prominent national forecaster warn the humidity could welcome a rather stormy few months.

Chris Scott, chief meteorologist at The Weather Network, says the heat coupled with an active jet stream will lead to above normal precipitation that runs across the Prairies through to Ontario and Quebec. 

While that "doesn't mean every day is going to be a wash-out," Scott says he expects "some rather intense storms from time to time."

A national freeze on importing, buying, selling or otherwise transferring handguns is a central feature of firearm-control legislation tabled Monday by the federal Liberals.

The measure does not ban handguns outright, allowing current owners to continue to possess and use them, but seeks to cap the number already in Canada.

"This is a concrete and real national measure that will go a long way towards keeping Canadians safe," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference in Ottawa.

Murray Sinclair received the Order of Canada Thursday for dedicating his life to championing Indigenous Peoples' rights and freedoms.

Sinclair held his wife's hand as the award was announced in Rideau Hall, and was met with a standing ovation as he rose to receive it.

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon presented Sinclair with the award at the ceremony, which was held several months after it was announced he would receive the honour.