David Baxter, The Canadian Press

A veteran Ottawa Citizen journalist who was accused by a former cabinet minister of being a Russian asset said it is the "height of irony" that a parliamentary committee studying disinformation has fallen for it. 

David Pugliese told the House of Commons security committee on Thursday he found it astonishing that none of the MPs challenged the allegations when they were made last month. 

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison has confirmed a report that Canada is alleging an Indian cabinet minister and close adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ordered intelligence-gathering operations targeting Canadians.

The Washington Post first reported that Canadian officials alleged Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah was behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists in Canada.

Morrison told MPs at the national security committee Tuesday that he was the one who confirmed Shah's name to that newspaper.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Friday that Canada strongly condemns a new surge of "horrifying violence" perpetrated by gangs in Haiti.

Gang violence has increased in the Caribbean nation in recent weeks and the UN says gangs now control 85 per cent of the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

Kenya is leading a multinational security mission to restore order after gangs drove out the former prime minister with targeted attacks earlier this year.

A transition council is now leading the nation, with the goal of holding elections next year.

The federal government is expected to boost the minimum hourly wage that must be paid to temporary foreign workers in the high-wage stream as a way to encourage employers to hire more Canadian staff.