Canada spat leads India newspapers, as analysts await reactions from peer countries

Canada's decision to expel New Delhi's top envoy and five other diplomats is front-page news in India, as an analyst wonders how other countries will respond.

On Monday, the RCMP warned the public about a rash of crimes including murder, extortion and coercion that the force links to Indian government agents.

The RCMP and other Canadian officials presented evidence to India earlier this past weekend, but they say New Delhi refused to co-operate in police investigations.

Carbon pricing rebates land in bank accounts as Liberals defend embattled policy

Canadians are set to receive carbon pricing rebates Tuesday, as the Liberals defend one of their most embattled policies.

The government says this is the first time all banks will label the payment as the Canada Carbon Rebate, after years of inconsistent and vague phrasing on bank statements.

The quarterly rebate will go to Canadians who filed their income tax while living in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and all four Atlantic provinces.

The payments vary by household size and province, while those in rural areas get a top-up.

Why India and Canada are in an escalating rift, with each expelling diplomats

Ottawa's decision Monday to expel India's top envoy and five other diplomats is just the latest development in tensions that have simmered for months between the two countries.

Here's a look at what's driving the chill between Canada and India.

Why is India mad at Canada?

India is a staunch opponent to the Khalistan separatist movement, in which some Sikhs advocate for an independent state called Khalistan to be carved out of Indian territory.

Canadian MPs join Australian, New Zealand peers in pushing for Palestine statehood

Canadian members of Parliament are working with their colleagues in Australia and New Zealand to try and convince their respective governments to jointly recognize Palestinian statehood.

NDP MP Heather McPherson, who is leading an effort to recruit Canadian MPs, said building on work the three governments have already done might be the best leverage to advance a two-state solution.

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.

Liberals launch pandemic preparedness agency, seeking faster vaccine development

The federal Liberals are creating a new agency to beef up Canada's ability to handle rapidly spreading infectious diseases and protect from future pandemics.

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the agency is meant to preserve the "top-gun team" of public servants that helped steer Canadians through COVID-19.

Health Emergency Readiness Canada is being tasked with boosting Canada's life-sciences sector and ensuring Canadians get faster access to vaccines, medical therapies and diagnostics by accelerating the transition from research to commercialization.

Joly says about 45,000 Canadians in Lebanon; she's concerned about pager explosions

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says close to 45,000 Canadians are in Lebanon, months after warning there is no guarantee Ottawa can evacuate them if the situation deteriorates further.

She is also expressing concern that attacks like exploding pagers are only making the situation worse.

"My message to Canadians who even think of going to Lebanon is don't go, and I've been saying that for months," she told reporters Friday in Toronto.

Trudeau says Ukraine can strike deep into Russia with NATO arms, Putin hints at war

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ukraine should be allowed to strike deep inside Russia, regardless of Moscow threatening that this would draw Canada and its allies into direct war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the NATO military alliance would draw itself into war if it allows Ukraine to use donated weapons to make long-range strikes inside Russia.

His comments come five weeks after Ukrainian forces stormed the border and put parts of Russian territory under foreign occupation for the first time since the Second World War.

Canadian killed near Gaza border after threatening forces with knife: Israeli police

Israeli police say a Canadian citizen was killed Monday after threatening local security officials with a knife near the border with the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military says the man drove to the entrance of the town of Netiv HaAsara, just 300 metres north of the Gaza border. The military says the man left his vehicle with a knife and approached the local security patrol, who opened fire and killed him.

There were no other injuries, the military said, providing a photo of a kitchen knife with a black handle. The rescue service Zaka also said nobody was injured. 

MPs grill 'incompetent' health agency on fired National Microbiology Lab scientists

Federal officials in charge of the National Microbiology Lab defended security protocols at the Winnipeg institution against accusations from MPs of bureaucratic incompetence Friday. 

"We acted as expeditiously as we could, given the information that was available," Public Health Agency of Canada head Heather Jeffrey said Friday.