CAQ MNA apologizes after criticizing his own government
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National Post
27 minutes ago
- National Post
Federal byelection in Alberta draws more than 14,000 early voters
OTTAWA — More than 14,000 people cast their ballots early in the Battle River—Crowfoot byelection, Elections Canada says. Article content Elections Canada says an estimated 14,452 voters made their way to the advance polls. Article content Article content Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is running in Battle River—Crowfoot after losing his Ottawa-area seat in the April election to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy. Article content Article content Damien Kurek resigned his seat in the riding after winning more than 82 per cent support in the April 28 election. Article content Article content
Globe and Mail
27 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Conservatives call for investigation of Spanish drugmakers' use of Canadian-donated blood plasma
Conservative MPs are calling for a parliamentary investigation into Spanish drugmaker Grifols's GIFOF use of Canadian-donated blood plasma to make medicines for sale abroad. The call follows a Globe and Mail investigation that found Canadian Blood Services is selling some blood components to Grifols to manufacture a product called albumin, as part of a complex arrangement between the international pharmaceutical company and the Canadian charity to collect and process blood plasma. Plasma is a straw-coloured fluid in blood used for transfusions and to make therapies such as immunoglobulin, commonly used for people with immune disorders. Both CBS and Grifols collect plasma at donation centres across Canada, and Grifols pays donors while CBS does not. Hamilton rebukes Canadian Blood Services, Grifols over paying for blood plasma donations In a letter sent Wednesday to House of Commons health committee chair Hedy Fry, six Conservative MPs called the details in the story 'troubling.' The letter also references the fact that the private-equity arm of Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. BAM-T explored a bid to buy Grifols last year. At the time of the bid, Mark Carney was chair of the board of Brookfield, one of the world's largest asset managers, but he stepped down in January to pursue the leadership of the Liberal Party and ultimately became Prime Minister. Brookfield said in April it had dropped its bid for Grifols. 'We urge you to recall the Standing Committee on Health to investigate both the use of Canadian-donated plasma by Grifols and the potential conflicts of interest arising from the Prime Minister's investments in Brookfield Asset Management, given its attempts to acquire Grifols,' wrote the letter's signatories, including Conservative shadow health minister Dan Mazier. 'Canadians expect their donated blood plasma to save lives in Canada and not to be turned into profits for foreign companies or the Prime Minister.' The Canadian Health Coalition, a progressive group that advocates for the public health care system, said it also supported the call for a parliamentary investigation. 'I think every member of Parliament deserves an explanation from Canadian Blood Services about the murky details of its agreement with Grifols,' said Steven Staples, the group's national director of policy and advocacy. CBS has had a lengthy association with Grifols. The Spanish drugmaker has been a long-time supplier of immunoglobulin and consulted with CBS on a national plasma-collection strategy before the agency announced a formal partnership in 2022. Under the 15-year agreement, Grifols acts as CBS's 'agent' in Ontario, allowing the company to get around a legal ban on paying for plasma donations. In a statement, Grifols said it is 'proud of our pioneering, long-term agreement with Canadian Blood Services to help Canada reach self-sufficiency in immunoglobulins. We continue to follow the agreement to the letter and deliver on our commitments.' CBS said the partnership was necessary to boost the domestic supply of immunoglobulin, which has faced global shortages. CBS said it currently meets 27 per cent of its plasma needs domestically, compared with 15 per cent before 2022. The agency said Grifols's medicine being sold abroad is made from 'byproducts' of the immunoglobulin manufacturing process, and the arrangement lowers the manufacturing cost to CBS. Plasma therapies make up an enormous share of CBS's annual budget. It spent $913-million on 'plasma protein and related products' last year, according to its 2024 annual report, about 60 per cent of its expenses that year. Nearly all of its revenue comes from provincial and territorial governments.
CBC
28 minutes ago
- CBC
Kamloops RCMP dismiss mayor's complaint journalist assaulted him
Social Sharing Kamloops RCMP have dismissed a complaint from the city's mayor, alleging he was assaulted by a journalist at a local pub. Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson had claimed that Tim Petruk, the news director for Castanet Kamloops, had assaulted him at a local pub on June 28. The mayor told CBC News that Petruk had hit him in the back at Bailey's Pub after the Kamloops NorthPaws baseball game. Petruk told CBC News at the time that he had just patted the mayor on the shoulder while saying goodbye. Now, police have said that after speaking with witnesses and reviewing video footage, they won't be forwarding charges to prosecutors in the case. They said that while "unwanted contact" had happened, the interaction didn't constitute an assault. "The public is reminded to respect personal boundaries and not make unwanted contact," read a statement from Supt. Jeffery Pelley. Journalist was critical of mayor Hamer-Jackson had earlier told CBC News that his interaction with Petruk couldn't be seen as a friendly pat. "He walked up behind me; he whacked me in the back ... it would take a person of less than average intelligence to think in any way that it was a nice gesture," Hamer-Jackson said immediately after the interaction. The mayor had said Petruk has repeatedly published "biased" articles and op-eds against him. He specifically criticized an opinion piece Petruk wrote in 2024, in which he described Hamer-Jackson's treatment of another Kamloops journalist as "bullying for all to see." Immediately after the police complaint was first lodged, Petruk told CBC News the mayor was trying to use the police to "harass" a journalist after critical coverage. "This will no doubt prove to be another baseless allegation made by the mayor and another waste of taxpayer resources getting the police to investigate his petty grievances," Petruk said at the time. WATCH | Hamer-Jackson refuses to step down after council request: Kamloops mayor refuses to heed council's call to resign 1 year ago City council in Kamloops, B.C., has formally called on Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson to resign after a scathing report by a provincially appointed municipal adviser was made public on Tuesday. But, CBC's Marcella Bernarndo explains, the mayor is refusing to resign. Hamer-Jackson has been no stranger to controversy since his 2022 election. He has filed two defamation suits against a fellow city councillor and has had his pay cut for leaking confidential documents.
