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Cision Canada
38 minutes ago
- Politics
- Cision Canada
Message from the Governor General on Canadian Forces Day Français
OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - As commander-in-chief, I am honoured to pay tribute to the proud members of our Canadian Armed Forces—the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force—who defend our great country every day. On Canadian Forces Day, we honour their unwavering dedication and commitment to peace and security that underscores the strength and independent spirit of our nation. In his famous poem, "In Flanders Fields," John McCrae wrote, "Take up our quarrel with the foe." Every day, time and again, members of our Canadian Armed Forces take up the quarrel, in whatever form it takes: a natural disaster, a pandemic, a breach of peace on a foreign shore, or a crisis right here at home. They are there when we need them, strong and courageous and ready for whatever may come. During this time of uncertainty and insecurity, I am reassured by the steadfast presence of our CAF members as they continue to protect our way of life and defend our sovereignty. For this and so much more, and on behalf of all Canadians, I thank you. Mary Simon
Yahoo
an hour ago
- General
- Yahoo
Message from the Governor General on Canadian Forces Day
OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - As commander-in-chief, I am honoured to pay tribute to the proud members of our Canadian Armed Forces—the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force—who defend our great country every day. On Canadian Forces Day, we honour their unwavering dedication and commitment to peace and security that underscores the strength and independent spirit of our nation. In his famous poem, "In Flanders Fields," John McCrae wrote, "Take up our quarrel with the foe." Every day, time and again, members of our Canadian Armed Forces take up the quarrel, in whatever form it takes: a natural disaster, a pandemic, a breach of peace on a foreign shore, or a crisis right here at home. They are there when we need them, strong and courageous and ready for whatever may come. During this time of uncertainty and insecurity, I am reassured by the steadfast presence of our CAF members as they continue to protect our way of life and defend our sovereignty. For this and so much more, and on behalf of all Canadians, I thank you. Mary Simon Stay connected:Follow GovernorGeneralCanada on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. SOURCE Governor General of Canada View original content:
Associated Press
an hour ago
- General
- Associated Press
Message from the Governor General on Canadian Forces Day
OTTAWA, ON, June 1, 2025 /CNW/ - As commander-in-chief, I am honoured to pay tribute to the proud members of our Canadian Armed Forces—the Royal Canadian Navy, the Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force—who defend our great country every day. On Canadian Forces Day, we honour their unwavering dedication and commitment to peace and security that underscores the strength and independent spirit of our nation. In his famous poem, 'In Flanders Fields,' John McCrae wrote, 'Take up our quarrel with the foe.' Every day, time and again, members of our Canadian Armed Forces take up the quarrel, in whatever form it takes: a natural disaster, a pandemic, a breach of peace on a foreign shore, or a crisis right here at home. They are there when we need them, strong and courageous and ready for whatever may come. During this time of uncertainty and insecurity, I am reassured by the steadfast presence of our CAF members as they continue to protect our way of life and defend our sovereignty. For this and so much more, and on behalf of all Canadians, I thank you. Mary Simon Stay connected: Follow GovernorGeneralCanada on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. SOURCE Governor General of Canada
CBC
5 hours ago
- General
- CBC
In Italy, a Canadian has a 'very humbling experience' meeting with King Charles
Hello, royal watchers. This is your regular dose of royal news and analysis. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this delivered to your inbox. After you've met someone briefly, there can be that moment when you think: There was something I didn't get a chance to say. Maj. Casey Anderson, a military intelligence officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, had that thought after he chatted with King Charles and received a King's Coronation Medal from him recently in the Italian coastal city of Ravenna. Charles was in Ravenna commemorating the 80th anniversary of the area's liberation during the Second World War, a military effort in which both Canadian and British forces played a role. In 1944, Anderson's grandfather "was wounded liberating the city of Ravenna," Anderson said via Zoom from Italy, where he is stationed at NATO's Allied Joint Force Command Naples. Anderson's grandfather didn't actually make it right into Ravenna during that military campaign, "And so [that was] actually one of the things … which I didn't get the chance to tell His Majesty but maybe would have been quite interesting," Anderson said. "It was cathartic for me … to be invited to participate in this event." Canada's King's Coronation Medal was created to mark Charles's coronation on May 6, 2023. A total of 30,000 medals are being awarded to Canadians who have "made a significant contribution" to their community, province, territory or country, at home or abroad. Of the medal total, 4,000 are for members of the CAF. Ceremonies have been taking place across Canada to award the medals. Anderson, 37, says it's all "quite surreal" how he happened to receive his medal, along with two other Canadians, from the King in Italy. (Charles, while he was in Italy, made a point — unusual in such an international setting — of noting that he is King of Canada.) The medal "is not the sort of thing that [Charles] would normally personally give out," Anderson said. "This is not only a very humbling experience, but it's also extra unusual because it's happening abroad." Anderson was chosen for the medal to honour his research and advocacy to preserve the legacy of the Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion, a First World War forerunner of the CAF's current military intelligence branch. Circumstances and logistics, however, played into the fact that Anderson received it in Italy. He had been slated to get it in Ottawa earlier in the year, but for various reasons, getting there from his home in Naples would have been difficult. Several weeks after learning he would be receiving the medal, he was asked if he could be in Ravenna in April, although details were slim on exactly why. Then his military chain of command also asked him to go to Ravenna in April, leading a Canadian delegation to take part in the liberation ceremony. "I am an intelligence officer, so I was starting to put two and two together," Anderson said. Looking back, Anderson figures he was able to speak with Charles for a minute and a half or two minutes. The King was "unbelievably gracious" and charming, Anderson said. "In our brief interaction, [he was] using humour, asking about my family, asking me about my role in Italy," he said. "I don't think he knows why I was actually receiving the award, but he congratulated me nonetheless for whatever I had done to receive it. "It was for me a profoundly important moment in my military career and my life as a very proud Canadian individual." While King Charles was in Canada this week, other Canadians reflected on their own receipt of a Coronation Medal. "It was a real honour and a reflection of what everybody who got the award, the medal, how much they've done and what a great community that they've created, either in their own community or globally," Sherry Benson-Podolchuk, a retired RCMP officer who has done extensive work around workplace harassment and bullying, told the CBC's chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault in an interview from Gimli, Man. "And it's just a ripple effect of good work, kindness, authenticness and wanting to make the world a better place." WATCH | Coronation Medal recipients reflect on their experience: Hear from 2 recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medal 4 days ago Duration 6:54 Medals specifically associated with events like coronations and jubilees started to be popularized in the early 20th century, says Justin Vovk, a royal historian at McMaster University in Hamilton. "While orders of chivalry and knighthood were still somewhat bound to the old class system, medals were a way of including more of the monarch's subjects with these important milestones in their reigns." After the First and Second World Wars, they also became an important way for the Crown to recognize the service and contributions of ordinary men and women, Vovk said via email. "The way that medals are now used also serves to reflect the values of the monarchy, specifically in promoting service to our communities and our neighbours." For Anderson, receiving the medal from Charles was an "incredible" experience. "The thing that I've been telling people about in the aftermath of this event is — and I recognize that [Charles has] had a lot of practice — but the almost superhuman ability [he has] to connect with people in short snippets and also not to come across as utterly exhausted … and to put on a brave face, stiff upper lip, whatever you want to call it — it was amazing." Anderson was also left marvelling at how Charles carried out his role that day, under the scrutiny of cameras, deploying "statecraft on the global stage." He also considers Charles to be "incredibly impressive" in "his ability to navigate the complex world in which we live and to act as a diplomat for Canada and in the interest of Canada and all of the other realms in which he is head of state." "It's incredible and part of that thing which I've found deeply humbling as part of this whole experience." A boost in popularity for King Charles Our friend in the CBC Politics bureau, J.P. Tasker, had this report the other day: King Charles is enjoying a popularity boost and there is considerably more support for maintaining Canada's ties to the Crown now than when he assumed the throne, according to public opinion polls released this week around his two-day visit to deliver a historic throne speech. After the long-reigning and hugely popular Queen Elizabeth died in 2022, there was talk across the Commonwealth realms, including in Canada, about whether it was time to do away with the Crown and embrace republicanism. The U.K.-based Lord Ashcroft firm released a poll ahead of Charles's coronation showing particularly dire levels of support for the monarchy in Canada, finding this country ranked close to last among the 15 countries that have the King as their head of state. At the time, just 23 per cent of the 2,020 Canadian respondents surveyed as part of that poll said they would vote to keep the Crown if there was a referendum, Lord Ashcroft found. The picture has changed dramatically in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's 51st state taunts and sovereignty threats, which have prompted a revival of national pride and newfound affinity for Canadian institutions and symbols, polls suggest. Also, some people here have got to know Charles better and like what they see, pollsters say. Polling firm Pollara surveyed 3,400 Canadians between May 20 and 24 and found Charles's popularity in Canada has risen substantially since the last time the firm polled on the issue in 2022, with the number of people holding a positive view of the sovereign up seven percentage points to 44 per cent and those with a negative view down 10 points to 23 per cent. That growth in personal popularity has fuelled support for Canada remaining a constitutional monarchy, Pollara found, with more respondents saying they want the country to keep the Crown (45 per cent) compared to the number who say they want it gone (39 per cent) — a reversal from the last poll the firm did when a plurality of people reported they want to cut ties. In an interview with CBC News, Dan Arnold, chief strategy officer at Pollara, said there has been a "statistically significant" increase in support for Charles and maintaining the Crown in Canada. "Canadians are feeling better about the Crown and I would speculate that's probably because they're looking for a little bit of stability in a world that feels unstable right now. And there's nothing more stable than an institution that's been around for multiple centuries," Arnold said. "This is, to some extent, seen as an institution that gives us something in this fight with Trump." He noted that while Charles's numbers still aren't as high as his mother's were, "we see a clear increase in terms of the people who feel good about him and a sharp decline in his negatives." Arnold says Charles's performance as King is part of the reason why. "Charles came to power at a time when there was a lot of controversy around him — anybody who's watched The Crown or followed the news for the last 30 years knows all about that — and he's been able to put some of that behind him or at least tamp it down a bit during his time on the throne," Arnold said, adding Charles's cancer battle may also have prompted some sympathy. An Ipsos poll, also released this week, found 66 per cent of the 1,000 people it surveyed in May say Canada's relationship with the monarchy is useful because it sets us apart from our neighbours to the south who live in a presidential republic — up from 54 per cent who said the same in April 2023. Sixty-five per cent of the Ipsos respondents said the monarchy is an important part of Canada's heritage, up from 58 per cent two years ago. There's also been a drop in respondents who say Canada should cut ties to the Crown, falling from a high of 60 per cent in January 2020 to 46 per cent now — a result roughly in line with what Pollara found. And it's not just polls that suggest Charles is enjoying a better standing in Canada — the monarch drew sizable crowds throughout Ottawa on his tour with Queen Camilla this week. The turnout was stronger than what greeted him on his 2022 visit, when he came as Prince of Wales. Thousands of cheering spectators snaked through the parliamentary precinct to catch a glimpse of Charles in the landau ahead of his speech, a warm reception that appeared to prompt some emotion from the sovereign. "Royals don't normally 'do' emotion, at least they do their very best to hide whatever feeling they have. But for some reason, King Charles seemed unable to do that on this occasion at the end of a short, but highly significant, visit," British broadcaster ITV noted in its coverage of the speech. "It was the warmest of welcomes and the fondest of returns to a nation and a people we love," Charles and Camilla said in a joint statement after their visit. John Fraser, founding president of the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada, said he doesn't pay much attention to polls — support for the monarchy can go up and down depending on what's in the news. But Fraser said it is evident more people are rallying around the Crown now than they were just a few years ago. "Mr. Chrétien was on to something when he said we should give the Order of Canada to Trump," Fraser said in an interview referring to the former prime minister's quip, adding that the Trump factor has breathed new life into many Canadian institutions, not just the monarchy. "The president may well have given the Crown in Canada a leg up," he said. Charles's Canadian sovereignty talk in the throne speech this week — and his pledge that the country is "indeed" the True North "strong and free" — also likely gave the Crown's standing a boost, Fraser said, especially among people who were clamouring to see the head of state say something as the country faces Trump's annexationist musings. WATCH | The full throne speech read by King Charles: FULL SPEECH | King Charles delivers speech from the throne 5 days ago Duration 28:24 King Charles, speaking from the Senate chamber on Tuesday, delivered a speech from the throne that acknowledged the worry that comes with a 'drastically changing world' — including a changing relationship between Canada and the U.S. But the speech also looked forward, pointing to government plans to increase affordability, take on major projects and build a strong economy that 'serves everyone.' "I thought he handled himself impeccably," he said. "This throne speech really cemented Charles's role in Canada," added Robert Finch, chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada. "I've always said the real threat against the monarchy isn't republicanism per se but apathy. Well, after this week, there's a real sense of renewed interest in this institution." He said republicans were counting on an unpopular King Charles to sever Canada's ties to the monarchy. "I just don't think that's going to present itself now," Finch said. "There are certain moments in history that can make or break something and I think this particular tour, in some part due to the timing and the Trump factor, helped make King Charles's position in Canada secure and for that I'm very grateful." WATCH | King Charles and Queen Camilla wrap up visit: King Charles leaves Canada after throne speech 4 days ago Duration 2:40 Still, some chafed at the idea of Charles taking a stand for Canada in the face of Trump. "We're telling Donald Trump, 'You're not the foreign billionaire who's our boss. This is the foreign billionaire who's our boss,'" said Pierre Vincent, a spokesperson for Citizens for a Canadian Republic. 'Exciting' and 'surreal' to meet King Charles As short as King Charles's visit to Ottawa was this week, several Canadians did have a chance to meet briefly with him. Sarah Vickery, director of programming at the King's Trust Canada, and Maxwell Evans, a member of the youth council at the King's Trust, say they found it reaffirming to speak with him about the work they are doing. WATCH | Talking about the King's Trust with the King: 'Exciting' and 'surreal': King's Trust Canada team members talk about meeting King Charles 5 days ago Duration 4:07 Sarah Vickery, director of programming at the King's Trust Canada, and Maxwell Evans, a member of the youth council at the King's Trust, talk about how their organization works with young people and what it was like to meet King Charles as he makes his 20th visit to Canada. Royally quotable "It is with a sense of deep pride and pleasure that my wife and I join you here today, as we witness Canadians coming together in a renewed sense of national pride, unity, and hope." — King Charles, opening the speech from the throne this week. Royal reads Princess Anne met with medical staff who treated those injured when a car drove into crowds at a victory parade in Liverpool, England. [Daily Mail] Princess Eugenie has said she "couldn't get out of bed or do anything for myself" while recovering after scoliosis surgery as a child. [BBC] Wildlife rangers perform "one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet," Prince William said at the launch of a docuseries highlighting these "unseen, unheard and undervalued" heroes of the natural world. [The Guardian] James Middleton has opened up about how his sister, Catherine, Princess of Wales, supported him through struggles with his mental health. [BBC]
Canada Standard
12 hours ago
- General
- Canada Standard
'We're Getting Desperate': Chinook Helicopters En Route as 2,000 Stranded by Manitoba Wildfire
Two Canadian Forces Chinook helicopters were on their way to the Pukatawagan Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba Saturday morning, where about 2,000 people were stranded with a wildfire just a kilometre away. The community, also known as the Mathias Colomb First Nation, declared an emergency after the airport was closed by a power outage and smoke, while rail lines were blocked by the flames. Located about 700 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, Pukatawagan has no road access, and navigation on nearby waterways is not considered safe. Chinooks have a capacity of 35 to 55 passengers plus crew. First responders previously had access to smaller helicopters that were evacuating people six to 13 at a time. "We're getting desperate now," Chief Gordie Bear told CBC News Thursday. "It's getting rougher. We're going to be heading for the lake... shortly if nothing turns out, if nothing puts the flame out." "We need more resources. We need to move them immediately," said band councillor Kelly Linklater. "The community is in a panic." "I don't even like the words 'to be patient,'" added councillor Connie Constant. "We can't be patient. We need action. We need action now." Constant was responding to Premier Wab Kinew's calls for calm, during a media briefing Friday where he tried to respond to criticisms that evacuations in First Nations communities had been slow and poorly planned. "With transportation, the Canadian Armed Forces is in the business of meticulous planning before they deploy aircraft or before they deploy their troops," Kinew said. "I understand how Manitobans might look at a given situation and have questions. But I'm here to reassure you and tell you that you have the best people leading the response." Kinew said the local hospital in The Pas was under a code orange, meaning it was preparing for a mass casualty or disaster event, CBC reports. View our latest digests On Saturday morning, Manitoba's wildfire map listed the fire near Pukatawagan, designated WE025, at 9,785 hectares and out of control. The site identified 106 active fires across the province totalling 416,340 hectares. On Thursday, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson had decried "delays in response times, delays in supports," warning that "lives are being threatened by wildfires, yet we have to sit back and we have to wait. How is that fair?" On Friday, she said the situation was becoming dire, with communities kept in the dark on what's to be done. "Nobody is communicating with us. Nobody is communicating with our leadership," she told a news conference in Winnipeg, adding that communities were getting only vague reassurances when they asked for firefighting equipment, including water pumps and hoses. "We have communities that have no electricity," she said. "They have no water. They're running out of fuel, running out food." Elsewhere, the chief of Cross Lake (Pimicikamak) Cree Nation credited Kinew with getting federal support for air evacuations, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) reports. "We have been calling on government of Canada to send the Canadian armed forces to help us. But they told me they had to wait for the province to exhaust their resources," Chief David Monias said on social media. "Thanks to Premier Wab Kinew, he called the Prime Minister and they will get the Canadian armed forces to help us." At his media conference Friday, Kinew said Manitoba has never before seen a moment where large wildfires were simultaneously burning in every part of the province. He called the crisis a "serious inflection point", with about 17,000 people evacuated from their homes so far. On Friday, Climate Central reported that inflection point was brought by an early-season heat wave made at least five times more likely by climate change. Temperatures have exceeded seasonal averages by 12.2 to 13.5C in Manitoba and by 6.6 to 11.4C in Saskatchewan, the U.S.-based analysts said, and both provinces are facing drought conditions ranging from Abnormally Dry to Moderate Drought. "This kind of heat would be incredibly unlikely without climate change," Climate Central Vice President of Science Dr. Kristina Dahl said in a release. "These conditions, which set the stage for dangerous wildfires, will only become more frequent and more severe if we continue burning fossil fuels." "Climate change-driven heat dries out vegetation and sets the stage for wildfires," added wildfire specialist Kaitlyn Trudeau, the organization's senior research associate for climate science. "Combine that with persistent drought and a locked-in high-pressure system, and you have a perfect storm." Kinew said as the fires grow, thousands more evacuees can be expected and that communities like Winnipeg, Thompson, and The Pas have already stepped up to help provide food and shelter. He said he spoke with some evacuees in Winnipeg. "(It's) very scary, very tiring, long days for people who've been on the road and in the air to find their way to safety," he said. Kinew said more outside help has arrived, including 125 firefighters from the United States. Winnipeg has opened up public buildings for evacuees as it deals with hotels already crammed with other fire refugees, vacationers, businesspeople, and conventiongoers. Manitoba declared a province-wide state of emergency Wednesday to trigger a coordinated response across levels of government. In northern Manitoba, more people were leaving their homes Saturday as wildfires continued to threaten communities, The Canadian Press reports. The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage were placed under a mandatory evacuation order after fires knocked out power to the community-a situation expected to last for days. An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, which started earlier this week, is ongoing and officials were expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg Saturday. One of the major areas of concern is Flin Flon, a city of some 5,000 residents that has already been evacuated. A fire is burning very close to town and officials are worried a shift in the wind could bring flames right into the community. The forecast for the region does not call for rain in the coming days. Earlier Friday, Flin Flon Mayor George Fontaine said fierce winds were threatening to breach city limits and begin burning structures in the city of 5,000, located 630 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, CP writes. "Unless we get one heck of a boost, (the fire) is projected to take chunks out of our town and surrounding areas," Fontaine said in an interview. "It's looking very ugly right now. "We're begging for air support (to help douse the fire). It's really crucial." Beyond Manitoba, thousands have been affected by wildfires in Saskatchewan and Alberta, with 1,300 people in the community of Swan Hills northwest of Edmonton already forced from their homes, as have the 900 residents of Chateh in the northwestern corner of the province. Firefighters battling a blaze near Chipewyan Lake, Alberta, lost radio contact late Thursday and were forced to take shelter at the local fire hall and school. Major segments of this story were first published by The Canadian Press. Source: The Energy Mix
