Proposal to add PFAS to toxic substances list is ‘unprecedented,' minister says
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault announced on Wednesday that the federal government is proposing that PFAS be added to the list of toxic substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Asked why Ottawa hasn't moved faster to ban these substances, Guilbeault said the government is 'trying to go as fast as we can within the confines of the laws and regulations.'
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Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Cision Canada
Statement by Minister Guilbeault on Eid al-Adha
The Government of Canada issues a statement to mark Eid al-Adha. OTTAWA, ON, June 6, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, issued the following statement: Today, Muslim communities in Canada and around the world are marking Eid al-Adha. This sacred day in the Islamic calendar celebrates the conclusion of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the Hajj. It is observed with morning prayers, social and family gatherings, festive meals and charitable donations to the most vulnerable people in our society. The spirit of Eid al-Adha—meaning the Feast of Sacrifice or Greater Eid—is one of happiness and gratitude. Yet it comes at a time of ongoing war and conflict, bringing fear and anxiety to Canadians with loved ones in Gaza, the West Bank, Sudan and many other regions. Canada remains committed to supporting ceasefire efforts in Gaza, as well as the urgent safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid for civilians. This year, the holiday also coincides with the fourth anniversary of the tragic terrorist attack on a Canadian Muslim family killed in London, Ontario on June 6, 2021. Fondly remembered as "Our London Family," their lives were taken simply because they were Muslim, in a horrifying act of Islamophobia. Our government stands with the community in London, with all those affected by this tragedy, and with all victims of Islamophobia and every form of hatred. We are committed to ensuring that all Canadians feel safe and protected in their communities. This includes providing at-risk communities with access to financial support to protect their gathering spaces and to launch local initiatives that bring Canadians together and combat racism. We also continue to work with Canada's Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, Amira Elghawaby, to fight Islamophobia, including with The Canadian Guide on Understanding and Combatting Islamophobia: For a more inclusive Canada. The Canadian identity is rooted in our diversity. Canada is stronger because of its people, their different backgrounds, and the stories that make our mosaic one of the most vibrant and unique in the world. On behalf of the Government of Canada, I wish all Muslims in Canada a happy Eid al-Adha, celebrated in unity, solidarity and peace. Eid Mubarak! "!عيد مبارك
Cision Canada
4 days ago
- Cision Canada
LAC provides funding to 37 local organizations in support of Canada's documentary heritage
Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025–2026 funding cycle of the Documentary Heritage Communities Program GATINEAU, QC, June 4, 2025 /CNW/ - This year, archives, museums and documentary heritage institutions will share $1.425 million to carry out 37 projects selected under Library and Archives Canada's (LAC) Documentary Heritage Communities Program (DHCP). View the projects funded by the DHCP in 2025–2026: These projects were selected for the significant impact they will have on documentary heritage preservation, and access, and in the broader community. LAC funding empowers local recipient organizations to allocate essential resources to projects aimed at enhancing access and awareness of their collections, while also bolstering their capacity to safeguard Canada's documentary heritage. Heritage organizations play a vital role in preserving Canada's local memory. LAC is proud to contribute to documenting, preserving and making accessible to the public a memory that reflects Canadian experiences, cultures and society. About Library and Archives Canada The mandate of LAC is to acquire and preserve the documentary heritage of Canada for the benefit of present and future generations and to be a source of enduring knowledge accessible to all, contributing to the cultural, social and economic advancement of Canada. LAC also facilitates cooperation among communities involved in the acquisition, preservation and diffusion of knowledge and serves as the continuing memory of the Government of Canada and its institutions. Quotes " I would like to congratulate all the recipients this year. I also want to express my gratitude for the outstanding efforts they put forth in educating and informing Canadians about their history. We take pride in supporting these initiatives, which will further empower local institutions and contribute to the development of more resilient communities." —The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages "My heartfelt congratulations to all the recipients! Your dedication to documenting and preserving your community's history is truly commendable. It brings me much joy to see how LAC is able to support amazing projects like yours through yearly funding. Now, more than ever, it's essential for LAC and communities across Canada to stay committed to making our shared stories accessible to everyone." —Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada "LAC's DHCP funding was crucial for the ICC Canada Archives in 2024-2025. This funding allowed us to enable access to Inuit documentary heritage in Inuktitut. Inuktitut is a living language and the first language of many Inuit in Canada." — Lisa Mullins, Archivist, Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada "The funding from the DHCP has made an immense difference to the organization. In the recordings currently restored and made accessible, there are notable musicians, whose legacy will be remembered." — Felix Rowe, Administrative officer, National Youth Orchestra of Canada Quick Facts Since the creation of the DHCP in 2015, LAC has provided $16.395 million in support of 407 documentary heritage community projects. This year, of the 37 recipients, 9 organizations will receive funding for Indigenous documentary heritage projects, and nine organizations will receive funding for Francophone documentary heritage projects. An organization can receive funding of up to $50,000 per year (up to $60,000 for a remote organization) to implement its project. The next call for proposals to apply for funding will be issued in the fall of 2025. Associated Links
National Post
4 days ago
- National Post
Chris Selley: Governments won't save your kids from internet smut
There is another legislative effort afoot to keep Canadian children away from pornography. It's well-intentioned effort, I suppose, but such efforts didn't work very well when pornography was printed on glossy paper and distributed on VHS tapes and pay-per-view, so it seems particularly improbable in the internet age. Article content Bill S-209 is Independent (Liberal-appointed) Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne's second attempt at a private member's bill on the topic. It is predicated on the notion that it's easier to verify age automatically than it used to be: 'Online age-verification and age-estimation technology is increasingly sophisticated and can now effectively ascertain the age of users without breaching their privacy rights,' the bill's preamble avers. Article content Article content It is absolute rubbish, to the extent that even the Liberals under former prime minister Justin Trudeau seemed to realize it the first time it was tried. We can only hope Mark Carney's Liberals are of similar mind. Early signs are not positive. The reappointment of Steven Guilbeault as heritage minister (now called Canadian identity and culture minister, for some reason) doesn't bode well. He seems genuinely to dislike the online world on principle. Article content Article content Or, maybe it does bode well. Guilbeault did a singularly terrible job trying to sell the Liberals' anti-internet agenda in English Canada. I'm not sure he could give away ice cream in a Calgary heatwave. So if you think laws targeting 'online harms' are doomed to fail at best — and could lead to dystopian outcomes — then maybe Guilbeault is exactly the fellow you want in charge. Article content When it came to online porn, the Trudeau Liberals seemed to have some sense of the Sisyphean proposition before them. Miville-Dechêne's first attempt at a bill received support from MPs of all parties in the House of Commons last year, but the Liberal leadership cited privacy concerns in refusing to get behind it. Article content Article content In large part that might just have been because Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre supported the idea and, to Liberals, anything Poilievre supports must obviously be a serious threat to humanity's survival. But still, Trudeau was pretty unequivocal in rejecting the idea. Article content Article content '(Poilievre is) proposing that adults should … have to give their ID and their personal information to sketchy websites, or create a digital ID, for adults to be able to browse the web where they want, where they want to,' he told reporters last year. 'That's something that we stand against and disagree with. We think we need to responsibly protect kids. But we need to do it in a way that is acceptable to all Canadians.' Article content Answer: It doesn't. Obviously. It's magical thinking. Article content Instead, the Pollyannas who support these efforts will tell you about 'age estimation' and similar technologies. Instead of just asking your kids for ID, Pornhub (for example) would scan users' faces and study their choice of words and maybe root around in their browser and shopping histories a bit, and using that information make an educated guess as to the hairy-palmed applicant's age.
