RCMP warning locals of ‘impacts to day-to-day activities' during Kananaskis G7 summit
RCMP and Global Affairs Canada officials have set up an information centre at Stoney Nakoda Resort and Casino to answer questions from locals about June's G7 summit in Kananaskis. The CBC's Acton Clarkin visited the centre to find out what people living inside the G7 "controlled access zone" want to know about the summit.
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CBC
27 minutes ago
- CBC
Holland College questions fairness of province giving $2M grant only to UPEI
Social Sharing The president of Holland College is not happy that the P.E.I. government stepped in with a $2-million grant to the University of Prince Edward Island to cope with the loss of revenue from international tuition fees, but Holland College got nothing. "It doesn't seem fair... I support closely what the administration of UPEI is doing and I think that they are doing some cool things after a very difficult period of time, but no, it doesn't seem fair," said college president and CEO Sandy MacDonald. "I guess I'm qualifying my answer because I'm hoping the province will take the opportunity in the next fiscal year to balance things out, so I'm hoping it will be made fair." MacDonald has estimated that the international student population at the college will plummet by 85 per cent over the next two years as federal changes to student permits kick in, designed in part to relieve a nationwide housing crunch. From a high of 800 international students, Holland College enrolment is projected to fall to 140 students by September 2026. That means a huge drop in revenue, leading the college to phase out eight programs and lay off 25 staff. Three kilometres away from Holland College's main campus in Charlottetown, at the University of Prince Edward Island, officials have raised tuition fees and made some cuts. But they also received a one-time grant of $2 million from the Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population to help offset the loss of international tuition fees, estimated at $3 million this year. It was included in UPEI's 2025-2026 budget as a line item called International Enrolment Reduction Support. UPEI's vice-president of administration and finance, Tim Walker, said it will be used for things like recruitment and retention, enrolment planning, and a hunt for new revenue streams. "This important support gives UPEI the opportunity to consider more options and take action during this fiscal year, ensuring we have a stronger foundation for the next budget planning cycle (2026-27)," Walker said in an email to CBC News. MacDonald said getting a similar $2 million would have made a huge difference to Holland College. "We have been underfunded for many years," he said. "We've made the argument many times. It goes back all the way to the auditor general's report from 1999; Wayne Murphy said at the time we had a structural deficit." Why the upfront cost is multiplying for international students on the Island 1 year ago Duration 3:59 Both UPEI and Holland College are increasing tuition deposits for international students. Lornie Hughes, the registrar at Holland College, explains why. Expected funding did not come in He said in 2023, the college and the province made a deal that would provide extra money over the next three fiscal years to help the college catch up with its deficit. Then it would go back to a lower funding level. The first year, Holland College did get a 9.5 per cent increase and $3 million more for its capital budget. This year, it was expecting the same. "We did not get that. We got a 6.5 per cent increase and half of the $3 million in capital," MacDonald said. "We were disappointed, but we understood the province is under financial constraints, so we had to accept that." Would the $2 million have made a difference in terms of those decisions? Of course it would. — Sandy MacDonald Then came the realization that UPEI had asked for — and gotten — the $2 million grant. "We've suspended eight programs, we've cut portions of three other programs," MacDonald said. "Those were the results of the deficit that we faced this fiscal year. So would the $2 million have made a difference in terms of those decisions? Of course it would." As for the future, MacDonald said the college will ask for — and hopefully get — some International Enrolment Reduction Support funding of its own for 2026-2027. "Certainly we will have a significant deficit again this year," he said. "I've spoken to the province since the budget come down and they've said, 'We're willing to work with you.' "So if UPEI was getting a one-time grant for this issue this year, certainly we would be hoping to get something similar for next year." Cuts at Holland College will affect all union members, UPSE president says afterweekend meeting 2 months ago Duration 2:16 The news came late Friday: Holland College said it would freeze some programs and downsize others because caps on international students have led to the P.E.I. college is taking in less money. Over the weekend, the president of the college met with union officials like Karen Jackson of UPSE (shown) to discuss what happens next, especially with the 35 jobs that will be affected. CBC's Stacey Janzer reports. Province's response CBC News reached out to the provincial government about the grant to UPEI and MacDonald's concerns. "Holland College did not receive funding in the 2025-26 academic year for an international enrolment reduction support grant," a spokesperson replied by email. "The province is working closely with post-secondary institutions to help address overall enrolment challenges and the impact of international student reductions... "All funding requests submitted to the province undergo a thorough review and consideration process. Holland College did receive a 6.5 per cent increase in its core operating funding for the 2025-26 academic year to help address operational needs.
Cision Canada
35 minutes ago
- Cision Canada
Biggest-ever aid cut by G7 members a death sentence for millions of people, says Oxfam
Aid cuts could cost millions of lives and leave girls, boys, women and men without access to enough food, water, education, health treatment G7 countries are making deliberate and deadly choices by cutting life-saving aid, enabling atrocities, and reneging on their international commitments Low and middle-income countries face reduced aid, rising debt, and trade barriers — a perfect storm that threatens development and recovery. OTTAWA, ON, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ - The Group of Seven (G7) countries, which together account for around three-quarters of all official development assistance, are set to slash their aid spending by 28 percent for 2026 compared to 2024 levels. It would be the biggest cut in aid since the G7 was established in 1975, and indeed in aid records going back to 1960, reveals a new analysis by Oxfam ahead of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. "The G7's retreat from the world is unprecedented and couldn't come at a worse time, with hunger, poverty, and climate harm intensifying. The G7 cannot claim to build bridges on one hand while tearing them down with the other. It sends a shameful message to the Global South, that G7 ideals of collaboration mean nothing," said Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar. 2026 will mark the third consecutive year of decline in G7 aid spending – a trend not seen since the 1990s. If these cuts go ahead, G7 aid levels in 2026 will crash by $44 billion to just $112 billion. The cuts are being driven primarily by the US (down $33 billion), Germany (down $3.5 billion), the UK (down $5 billion) and France (down $3 billion). "Rather than breaking from the Trump administration's cruel dismantling of USAID and other US foreign assistance, G7 countries like the UK, Germany, and France are instead following the same path, slashing aid with brutal measures that will cost millions of lives," said Behar. "These cuts will starve the hungry, deny medicine to the sick, and block education for a generation of girls and boys. This is a catastrophic betrayal of the world's most vulnerable and crippling to the G7's credibility," said Behar. Canada allocated $10.17 billion to official development assistance in 2023/2024. Although its foreign aid budgets have been declining for the past two years, Canada is one of the few G7 countries that as not announced its intention to cut ODA. Oxfam Canada is calling on the federal government to clearly affirm its commitment to combating global inequality by maintaining its international aid budget for the coming years. "The Canadian government's recently announced intention to increase Canada's military spending to meet the NATO target of 2% of GDP makes the announcement all the more necessary. International aid makes a crucial contribution to global stability by focusing on prevention and providing essential services that strengthen social cohesion," said Lauren Ravon, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. Economic projections show that aid cuts will mean 5.7 million more people across Africa will fall below extreme poverty levels in the coming year, a number expected to rocket to 19 million by 2030. Cuts to aid are putting vital public services at risk in some of the world's poorest countries. In countries like Liberia, Haiti, Malawi, and South Sudan, US aid had made up over 40 percent of health and education budgets, leaving them especially exposed. Combined with a growing debt crisis, this is undermining governments' ability to care for their people. Global aid for nutrition will fall by 44 percent in 2025 compared to 2022: The end of just $128 million worth of US-funded child nutrition programs for a million children will result in an extra 163,500 child deaths a year. At the same time, 2.3 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition – the most lethal form of undernutrition – are now at risk of losing their life-saving treatments. One in five dollars of aid to poor countries' health budgets are cut or under threat: WHO reports that in almost three-quarters of its country offices are seeing serious disruptions to health services, and in about a quarter of the countries where it operates some health facilities have already been forced to shut down completely. US aid cuts could lead to up to 3 million preventable deaths every year, with 95 million people losing access to healthcare. This includes children dying from vaccine-preventable diseases, pregnant women losing access to care, and rising deaths from malaria, TB, and HIV. G7 countries are not just reneging on commitments to global aid and solidarity, they are fuelling conflicts by allowing grave violations of international law, like in Gaza where people are facing starvation. Whether in Ukraine, the occupied Palestinian territory, the Democratic Republic of the Congo or elsewhere, civilians must always be protected, and aid is often the first line of protection they get. G7 countries are illuminating a double standard that risks more global instability, conflict and atrocities. While G7 countries cut aid, their citizen billionaires continue to see their wealth surge. Since the beginning of 2025, the G7 ultra-rich have made $126 billion, almost the same amount as the group's 2025 aid commitment of $132 billion. At this pace, it would take the world's billionaires less than a month to generate the equivalent of the G7's 2025 aid budget. By taxing the super-rich, the G7 could easily meet their financial commitments to end poverty and climate breakdown, whilst also having billions in new revenue to fight inequality in their own countries. "The world is not short of money. The problem is that it is in the hands of the super-rich instead of the public. Rather than fairly taxing billionaires to feed the hungry, we see billionaires joining government to slash aid to the poorest in order to fund tax cuts for themselves," said Behar. Oxfam is calling on the G7 to urgently reverse aid cuts and restore funding to address today's global challenges. More than 50 years after the United Nations set the target of 0.7 percent for aid spending, most G7 countries remain well below this. Oxfam is also urging the G7 to support global efforts led by Brazil and Spain to raise taxes on the super-rich, and to back the call from the African Union and The Vatican for a new UN body to help manage countries' debt problems. NOTES TO EDITORS According to OECD Data Explorer, the combined annual aid expenditure of the G7 in 2024 was $156.694 billion. Canada spent $7.323 billion, the United States $61.821 billion, Japan $17.583 billion, France $15.047 billion, Germany $31.382 billion, Italy $6.534 billion, and the United Kingdom $17.005 billion. Donor Tracker estimates that the decline in combined annual aid spending of the G7 countries for the period 2024 to 2026 will be -$44,488 billion. In 2024, aid from G7 countries declined by 8 percent, and projections for 2025 point to a sharper drop of 19 percent. Modelling using finds that 5.7 million more Africans would fall below the US$2.15 extreme poverty income level in the next year if Trump's administration succeeds in its aid-reduction ambition. This assumes a 20 percent reduction of aid to Africa, considering that some US aid would be maintained as the US alone accounted for 26 percent of aid to Africa before the cuts. The dismantling of USAID and major aid reductions announced by Western donors threaten to undo decades of progress on malnutrition. A 44 percent drop in funding from 2022 levels could lead to widespread hardship and death. Up to 2.3 million children with severe acute malnutrition risk losing life-saving treatment, warns the Standing Together for Nutrition Consortium. There are 2,968 billionaires in the world, and 1,346 live in G7 countries (45 percent). For real-time updates, follow us on X and Bluesky, and join our WhatsApp channel tailored specifically for journalists and media professionals.
Globe and Mail
37 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Canada invites Saudi Crown Prince to G7 summit
Canada has invited Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Group of Seven summit in Alberta this month, an extension of hospitality to a kingdom Ottawa once shunned after the 2018 murder of a dissident journalist who criticized its rulers. A source with knowledge of the matter confirmed the invitation and said there had been no response so far on whether Mr. bin Salman will attend the June 15-17 meeting in Kananaskis. The Globe and Mail is not identifying the source, as they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Mr. bin Salman is not the only leader Canada is inviting in spite of a strained bilateral relationship. Prime Minister Mark Carney is welcoming Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi even though Ottawa has publicly accused his government of playing a role in the 2023 murder of a Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar. The G7 summit is being held just outside Calgary. Here's who will be there and what these meetings achieve Saudi Arabia and India are not members of the G7 but hosts of gatherings of this annual political and economic forum for top industrialized countries often invite other national leaders to join. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is also attending the summit in Alberta, as is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In 2018, Ottawa followed the United States in imposing sanctions on 17 Saudis for the slaying of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He was murdered in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October of that year when he entered to procure documents certifying a divorce. U.S. media, including the Washington Post, later reported that the CIA believes the Crown Prince ordered Mr. Khashoggi's killing – contradicting Riyadh's assertion that he was not involved in the murder. Canada's sanctions remain in place today. Canada and Saudi Arabia also suffered a major diplomatic rift for nearly five years starting in 2018 when Riyadh expelled Canada's ambassador after the department of Global Affairs and Chrystia Freeland, who was minister of foreign affairs at the time, publicly called for the immediate release of several imprisoned political activists in the kingdom. Riyadh also recalled its envoy, decrying what it said was 'blatant interference' in its internal affairs, and it froze new trade and investment with Canada. The Saudi embassy in Ottawa did not immediately return a request for comment on the invitation.
