National News

As Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola products continue to hamper the cash price of one of the country's most valuable crops, farming experts say producers have big decisions ahead of them.

Market analyst Chuck Penner with LeftField Commodity Research said while future prices are down slightly, the cash price farmers receive for their canola, also known as the basis, is much lower.

Federal public servants were less likely to call in sick to work during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, new government data shows.

The figures shared by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat indicate that in 2020-21, when the pandemic had most office employees working entirely remotely, the average number of sick days for the public service was 5.9.

That number grew to 8.1 in 2021-22, 8.8 in 2022-23 and 9.2 days in 2023-24.

New research on a sample collected from the asteroid Bennu — a small portion of which should arrive in Canada soon — is offering a glimpse into how it came to be.

Studies published in Nature Astronomy and Nature Geoscience last week offer some insight into the granules that were collected and brought to Earth in September 2023 as part of NASA-led OSIRIS-REx mission.

The contest to supply Canada with its next fleet of submarines heated up this week, as Ottawa narrowed down the competition to just two suppliers: a Korean company and a German one.

Here's a look at where the massive procurement project currently stands.

1. Why does Canada need to buy new submarines?

Canada is racing to replace its deteriorating fleet of Victoria-class submarines. The fleet, bought second-hand from the U.K. in 1998, is rapidly aging and are expensive to repair and replace parts.

The federal government needs to amend the Criminal Code so the use of force, including lethal force, is considered reasonable to defend your home and family if someone breaks into it, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Friday.

Poilievre called a news conference in Brampton, Ont., amid an outcry over assault charges that were laid against an Ontario man who encountered another man who allegedly broke into his apartment while carrying a crossbow. 

The Quebec government says it is planning to ban prayer in public places as part of a move to strengthen secularism in the province. 

The announcement makes good on an idea first mentioned last winter by Premier François Legault, who said he didn't want to see people praying in public parks or on streets. 

Researchers are urging Canada, United States and Mexico to take immediate action to save the monarch butterfly as the migratory insect faces a growing risk of extinction amid habitat loss. 

The iconic butterfly's population has decreased by around 80 per cent in the past two decades, says the paper published in the journal Current Biology, with the loss of breeding habitat cited as the main reason behind the sharp decline.

The Assembly of First Nations' annual general meeting next week in Winnipeg will set the stage — and the tone — for engaging with governments on major infrastructure projects.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says politicians will be paying close attention to the resolutions chiefs pass related to the federal major projects legislation. The bill, which passed in June, has seen strong opposition from some First Nations leaders and community members who fear it won't respect their rights.

A new poll indicates an overwhelming majority of Canadians are in favour of regulating artificial intelligence, and almost half are worried it will contribute to cognitive decline.

The Leger poll found 85 per cent of respondents believe governments should regulate AI tools to ensure ethical and safe use. More than half, 57 per cent, said they strongly agreed with that statement.

"It's very clear Canadians want government involved," said Jennifer McLeod Macey, senior vice-president at Leger.

A new national report on how abuse and maltreatment are handled in sport says "Canadian sport has lost its way" and the federal government must act to better protect athletes across the country. 

The Future of Sport in Canada Commission released its preliminary report Thursday, saying it heard that there are "deeply ingrained" issues across the country, from a culture of silence that has led to abuse and maltreatment to underfunding and a lack of diversity.