Joly off to Washington to talk tariffs with Rubio as Trump floats 5% target for NATO

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly will press Canada's case against damaging tariffs with the new U.S. secretary of state in Washington next week, after Trump repeated a demand Thursday for allies to vastly increase their military spending.

Trump is threatening to impose 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on imports from Canada starting on Feb. 1. Joly said things are still in flux because Trump hasn't confirmed his new commerce secretary.

"There will be lots of rhetoric," Joly told reporters on Parliament Hill on Thursday.

A review of the 2024 growing year for producers

The 2024 growing year was an interesting one within agriculture for producers across Western Canada. Multiple drought years previously had brought uncertainty heading into the 2024 winter regarding moisture levels for spring as snow was not abundant. Thankfully, some choice snow and rain events in late Winter and into Spring helped shape optimism for the growing year.

From piano worship covers to his debut album, Dwsyn shares heart behind project ▶️

An up-and-coming Christian singer is gearing up for his debut album release. 

Dwsyn's Closer to Your Heart was released today and he is excited to hear what listeners think of the project. "There's one cover on the album of "This is how I Thank the Lord." It's a popular song that most people know and I put a dance spin on it, and I think it's really cool," Dwsyn said.

Supreme Court agrees to hear appeal of Quebec's secularism law

The Supreme Court of Canada will hear a challenge of Quebec's secularism law, setting up a final legal battle between the provincial government and minority and civil rights groups that say the legislation is discriminatory and unconstitutional.

The country's top court announced Thursday morning it has granted leave to appeal to several groups that oppose the law, which prohibits civil servants in positions of authority, including teachers and police officers, from wearing religious symbols on the job.

Karina Gould submits paperwork to enter Liberal leadership race on deadline day

Liberal leadership contender Karina Gould submitted her official paperwork to enter the race to replace Justin Trudeau today.

Gould said outside party headquarters in Ottawa that her party lost touch with Canadians at the end of the pandemic and needs to get better at listening.

Gould briefly touched on some of her policy ideas and said she thinks the party did not get the capital gains tax increase right.

Candidates only have until 5 p.m. EST today to declare they will run — although the party can take up to ten days to confirm them as candidates.

Former priest pleads guilty to indecent assaults of children in Nunavut

A defrocked Catholic priest pleaded guilty Thursday to indecent assaults against seven children decades ago in Nunavut.

Court heard Eric Dejaeger committed the offences between 1978 and 1982 at or near the hamlet of Igloolik. Six of the children were girls and one a boy. 

Prosecutor Emma Baasch described each of the assaults in graphic detail in the Nunavut Court of Justice.

In some cases, it began with the priest offering the children candy. Court heard Dejaeger gave a picture of Jesus to one girl to colour before taking her on his lap and assaulting her.