Watch for fake content around debates, task force warns
In its weekly update, representatives from the Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force urged Canadians to be extra vigilant leading up to and after the scheduled national debates. SITE says of 151 global elections monitored in recent years, it is during times of heightened political activity that malicious content from state-sponsored groups can surge on the internet, including fake content generated with AI.
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Calgary Herald
5 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Tasha Kheiriddin: Liberals finally making Canada's defence a priority
Damn the torpedoes! Canada's Liberal government is taking aim at defence — and it's about time. Article content This week, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will hit the NATO benchmark of 2 per cent of GDP on defence spending this year, instead of waiting for 2032, deploying an additional $9 billion in 2025-2026. Ever the banker, he's also deploying some accounting manoeuvres, shifting $16 billion from the ledgers of other departments to the defence budget to bring it up to the required amount. But that is in line with the tabulations of other NATO countries — and is something predecessor Justin Trudeau should have done, so that Canada would have appeared to be less of a defence laggard for the last decade. Article content Article content Article content But better late than never — and perhaps, just in time. Article content Article content Carney's announcement comes just weeks ahead of both the G7 summit he is hosting in Kananaskis, Alberta and a meeting of NATO leaders later this month in The Hague. The change sends a message to both U.S. President Donald Trump and E.U. allies that Canada means business on defence. Together with the government's border security bill announced earlier this week, Carney is paving the way for a trade deal, or at least some relief from tariffs, with the United States. Article content His spending boost will sit well with his recent pledge to join ReArm Europe, in light of upcoming NATO demands that members spend 5 per cent of GDP in coming years, instead of two. Carney also gets a gold star for actual change. The government will beef up salaries, recruitment and retention of troops, finally acknowledging that new equipment is pointless without skilled personnel. Ottawa will also overhaul the procurement process, a boost for the Canadian defence industry which could offset some of the costs to taxpayers through job creation and revenue. That could also help sell future spending hikes: while polling shows two thirds of Canadians support spending 2 per cent on defence, there's not much appetite for five. Article content Article content But as always, a landmine looms on the horizon: in this case, the infamous F-35 program. Article content Article content On Tuesday, Auditor-General Karen Hogan dropped a bombshell. Canada's planned fleet of 88 F-35 jets is now projected to cost nearly 50 per cent more. It has ballooned from $19 billion in 2022 to a staggering $27.7 billion in 2025, and that's before factoring in infrastructure upgrades, weapons and inflation. Hogan's audit was brutal: the Department of National Defence relied on outdated cost estimates, ignored improved data, and has no coherent contingency plan in place. Infrastructure to house the jets is running three years behind schedule, with some bases not expected to open until 2031. The RCAF is also short on qualified pilots — something it knew back in 2018, but which for the previous government was presumably not a priority. Article content Canada needs stealth fighters. We don't, however, need another lake of red ink. Instead of sticking with 88 F-35s at $27 billion-plus for the fleet, Canada should look at Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's Super Hornet, or a mix of planes. If Carney approves the F-35 as-is, that failure will become the focus, instead of his ambitious plans to rearm. Defence Minister David McGuinty hasn't committed to a review of the project, saying only that he'd ensure that the auditor general's recommendations will be 'fully integrated' into his department. But he should, especially now that Canada is also building stronger ties with Europe, be considering where some of these planes could be sourced.
Toronto Star
6 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Mark Carney says sacrifice is necessary to pay for defence spending. So what will Canadians be asked to do?
Mark Carney 's bold new plan to increase Canada's defence spending comes with two price tags. The prime minister's announcement was clear on one of them: more than $9 billion will be injected into military spending this year alone, and increases in the years after. The other price — 'sacrifice' — got a mention from Carney, but little more by way of detail. Federal Politics Canada plans huge boost in defence spending to hit NATO target by year's end, Carney says Prime Minister Mark Carney tore up Canada's timelines for boosted military spending on Monday 'None of these goals will come easily or quickly,' Carney said, listing the ways in which a stronger defence budget fits into his larger plans to make Canada a bigger, bolder, more independent nation. 'All will require ambition, collaboration and yes, on occasion, sacrifice.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Carney was asked at a news conference later what he meant by this. Did it mean, for instance, that all those dollars for defence would come ahead of health-care spending? This is where the prime minister got vague. He said: 'There's no true security without economic strength, and this is true for defence and security. It's true for our social programs as well. We can't redistribute what we don't have.' Carney, by his own admission, is still learning how to be a politician, but on this and in other areas, he is proving to be a quick study. It is very hard for politicians to ask citizens to make sacrifices. We saw this during the COVID pandemic, when governments and public-health authorities asked an awful lot of the citizens, whether that was mandatory vaccines, wearing a mask, or submitting to lockdowns for weeks and months on end. Canadians were remarkably good about these demands on them, by and large, but there's also no question that it took its toll on them too. The convoy protest was the most outward expression of the pent-up frustration among some of the population, but experts are also drawing some straight lines between the pandemic restrictions and the rising resistance to vaccines of other types too, such as measles. Star Columnists Opinion Andrew Phillips: Mark Carney takes a risk by choosing guns over butter The prime minister announced a 17 per cent hike in military spending on Monday. 'It will be a This is all to say that Carney is probably wise to speak in only general terms of what trade-offs the government — and Canadians — will have to make to turn Canada into a serious, fighting force. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Earlier this year, Kevin Page, the former parliamentary budget officer, laid out for Global News what could be required to bring Canada's defence spending up to the target of two per cent of gross domestic product — which Carney said on Monday would now happen by the end of this fiscal year. Page didn't sugar-coat it. He said it would require either big spending cuts, or a budget deficit or a tax hike, or some combination of these measures. Raising the GST by one percentage point, Page offered as an example, would bring an extra $10 billion — that's just slightly more than Carney is promising to give defence this year. That last option would be political poison in a time when Canadians are reeling from affordability challenges and the havoc that Donald Trump's tariffs are wreaking on the economy. Besides, a government that just cut the carbon levy because of its unpopularity, which just received unanimous support for tax-cut measures last week, is unlikely to turn around and ask Canadians to pay more GST. Opinion Althia Raj: Mark Carney can't be allowed to ram through his plan to build big Bill C-5 has been quickly panned by Indigenous groups, human rights organizations, and There's the option of increasing taxes only on the wealthy, but Carney is in the midst of building back Liberals' standing with business and corporate Canada, which saw itself — rightly or wrongly — as under siege from Justin Trudeau's government. Assuming that running a deficit is also not on brand with Carney's fiscal-manager reputation, thus, not on at all, that leaves this government looking for big savings. Everyone always thinks this is a good idea, right up until their services or benefits or jobs get cut. As former PM Jean Chrétien liked to say, everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. None of this is to pour cold water on the idea of this big, bold boost in Canada's defence ambitions. Carney's speech on Monday was eloquent, even occasionally poetic, on this score. One of my favourite lines: 'In a darker, more competitive world, Canadian leadership will be defined not just by the strength of our values, but also by the value of our strength.' The announcement too, is buying the Liberals a lot of good words from unaccustomed places: the defence community and Conservatives. It will also give Carney and Canada some added heft at this weekend's G-7 meeting, which this country is hosting in Kananaskis, AB. Federal Politics Analysis Mark Carney revives tough talk about America and warns 'a new imperialism threatens' A Canadian government official told the Star that it is 'difficult to say whether or not we'll The prime minister is, then, to borrow from his own phrase, seeing some immediate value for his strong words on defence. Where the value of that strength will be tested is in the cost — not just the $9 billion the government is promising to lay out this year, but in the as-yet unspecified 'sacrifice' it requires from Canadians. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
Cision Canada
11 hours ago
- Cision Canada
Electricity sector urges federal government to adopt national plan to meet rising power demand
Electricity Alliance of Canada, an electricity industry coalition, outlines five priorities to secure clean, reliable energy and support Canada's economic future OTTAWA, ON, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada's electricity sector is calling on the newly elected federal government to develop a bold and immediate plan when it comes to electricity in Canada. This is urgently needed to meet growing demand, secure the country's economic future and become an energy superpower. Last week, the federal government introduced the One Canadian Economy Act, which highlighted the need for building projects in the national interest. There is no greater national interest project than building Canada's electricity grid. The electricity sector finds itself at a pivotal juncture. With climate change accelerating, global energy dynamics shifting, electricity demand increasing and potential U.S. tariffs looming, Canada cannot afford to lose its strategic energy advantage. Canadians expect affordable, reliable and secure power—and the electricity industry is committed to delivering it. Canada's economy was built on dependable power. Today, more than 60 per cent of electricity is generated from hydroelectric sources, with nuclear, wind, solar, and energy storage playing growing and essential roles. Yet current electricity production—around 630 terawatt-hours annually—will not meet future needs. As industries electrify, manufacturing returns, and the economy becomes more digital, pressure on electricity systems will grow significantly. To meet this growing demand, substantial investments in electricity generation, transmission and distribution are essential—not only to keep the lights on, but to create jobs and secure long-term prosperity. The electricity sector is urging the new federal government to act on five urgent priorities: Streamline project approvals and clarify investment incentives The One Canadian Economy Act promises to accelerate project approvals. This is desperately needed. Slow and uncertain approval processes hinder investment and delay critical projects. The industry needs an efficient, 'one project, one review' process for major electricity projects and a finalized version of the Clean Economy Investment Tax Credits. On carbon pricing, a flexible approach should support environmental outcomes while ensuring regional fairness and global competitiveness. Partner meaningfully with Indigenous communities The proposed act also promotes the need for Indigenous voices to be heard. Indigenous partnership in clean energy projects is vital to Canada's future, and Indigenous voices must be heard when it comes to energy decisions. The federal government should also expand tools like the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program to ensure Indigenous partners can participate fully and on their own terms, supporting reconciliation. Build interprovincial energy corridors Canada must turn long-standing conversations about interprovincial grid connections into action. The federal government, provinces, Crown corporations and utilities must collaborate to support energy trade, infrastructure development and labour mobility in regulated occupations. Secure electricity supply chains Global supply chains are facing disruption from tariffs, regulation and trade tensions. The federal government must help manage these risks and ensure the resilience of supply chains critical to electricity infrastructure. Invest in workforce development The future grid requires a skilled, well-trained workforce. Continued federal investment in long-term training programs will help produce the tradespeople and engineers needed to support reliable, clean and resilient electricity systems. Affordable, reliable and clean electricity is a strategic Canadian advantage. The sector has already increased supply while reducing emissions, and is prepared to do even more. The One Canadian Economy Act indicates it's time to focus on "nation-building" projects. Building up the electricity sector—generation, transmission and distribution—not only represents a project in the national interest; it enables all other national interest projects. The electricity sector is ready to get to work on a strong, resilient system to meet growing demand and protect Canada's economic future. Canada needs a bold electricity plan—now. This statement was jointly issued by: Vittoria Bellissimo, President and CEO, Canadian Renewable Energy Association Francis Bradley, President and CEO, Electricity Canada Michelle Branigan, CEO, Electricity Human Resources Canada George Christidis, President and CEO, Canadian Nuclear Association Elisa Obermann, Executive Director, Marine Renewables Canada Lorena Patterson, President and CEO, WaterPower Canada About Electricity Alliance Canada Electricity Alliance Canada is a coalition of six industry associations promoting the power of electrification to lead the way to a sustainable energy future. Our mandate is to enable, promote and advocate for the increased use of electricity throughout the Canadian economy to help achieve Canada's net-zero emissions target.
