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Global News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Global News
Toronto man accused of supplying Russia's drone program is 1st to face prosecution over sanctions
On May 9, Russian troops paraded their tanks, armoured vehicles and missiles through Red Square, past the man who sent them to war in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin. The Victory Day procession in Moscow also showcased, for the first time, the military drones that have proven indispensable to Putin's invasion. But Russian drones are not really Russian on the inside. They are built out of electronics purchased around the world by a global procurement network that allegedly relies on suppliers in several countries, including Canada. Last week, Global News revealed the RCMP had arrested a Toronto businessman for allegedly exporting restricted goods to Russia in the months after Putin launched his 2022 full-scale attack on Ukraine. The RCMP has now confirmed that Anton Trofimov was taken into custody on May 22. He has been accused of selling materials to Moscow that could be used to make weapons. The arrest is the first under the Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA), which placed export controls on Moscow in 2014 in response to Russian military intervention in Ukraine. 'We can confirm that this is the first prosecution under SEMA based on the Russia regulations,' said Nathalie Houle, a Public Prosecution Service of Canada spokesperson. The charges do not mention drones, but Trofimov and his companies were sanctioned by the U.S. in 2023 for allegedly shipping microelectronics to Russian military drone manufacturers. Global News was unable to reach Trofimov or his lawyer for comment. He was released on bail after posting a $5,000 deposit and was scheduled to return to court in Toronto on June 30. The RCMP said it was planning a news conference 'at the earliest availability' to announce what it called the 'important file' but would not answer questions about its investigation. Advertisement 'Canada's sanctions regime makes a critical contribution to international stability as trade in certain kinds of technology and equipment could pose serious risks in maintaining international peace and global security,' the RCMP said in a statement. 'Individuals and businesses are responsible for ensuring the end destination of all exports do not fall under these sanctions. The RCMP will continue to pursue individuals or groups who attempt to profit from illegal trade.' The Ukrainian embassy in Ottawa said it welcomed Canada's efforts to use sanctions to 'limit Russia's ability to fuel its war machine.' 'Sanctions must not only be adopted but rigorously implemented to remain an effective tool in deterring further aggression and atrocities,' the embassy said in a statement to Global News. 'Any attempts to supply Russia with technologies that can be used in its illegal war against Ukraine must be met with swift and decisive consequences.'
Winnipeg Free Press
02-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
International fugitive returned to B.C. after being arrested in Middle East
An international fugitive and one of Canada's most wanted is back behind bars following a Vancouver Police Department investigation that lasted three years, spanned 14 countries and ended in the Middle East. Cody Casey has been back in Canada since April 24 following his arrest by police in Oman on Oct. 5, 2024, and an extradition process that lasted six months. Vancouver Police allege Casey disappeared on April 10, 2022, after removing his ankle bracelet while on bail just weeks before his scheduled trial. He was facing 17 criminal charges, including the production and trafficking of fentanyl and numerous firearms-related offences. The national BOLO program, which helps spread the word about fugitives on the lam, named Casey Canada's third-most-wanted person in May 2023 and announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Phil Heard, commanding officer of Vancouver Police's Organized Crime Section, says Casey's arrest was the conclusion of a 'complex' investigation across multiple jurisdictions requiring 'extraordinary collaboration and perseverance.' The federal government, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, Vancouver Police and RCMP co-ordinated the extradition of Casey, who has since appeared in B.C. Provincial Court and remains in custody. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2025.
CBC
15-04-2025
- CBC
Human smuggling charge stayed against man accused of helping foreign nationals cross Manitoba-U.S. border
A Calgary man who was arrested for human smuggling after he was accused of helping seven foreign nationals illegally cross the Canadian border into Manitoba last year has had that charge stayed, the national prosecuting authority says. Saleh Youssouf, 50, was charged under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, shortly after RCMP alleged he was found driving a rented vehicle carrying seven men just north of the Canada-United States border on Jan. 27, 2024. However, that charge has since been stayed, a Public Prosecution Service of Canada spokesperson told CBC News. No reasons as to why the court proceedings were stayed were provided on the court's record, the spokesperson said. A rented vehicle was stopped at the intersection of provincial roads 200 and 201 near Dominion City, Man., after RCMP said they were tipped off by the United States Border Patrol about a group of people walking north along a rail line toward the Canadian border near Emerson, Man., around 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 27, 2024. They appeared to be wearing proper winter clothing, and were likely to cross into Canada within the hour, RCMP said. The men in the vehicle ranged in age from 27 to 49 and were from the Republic of Chad in north-central Africa, according to RCMP. The other men in the vehicle were arrested under the Customs Act and turned over to Canada Border Services Agency immigration officers at the Emerson port of entry, RCMP said.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Farmers sound alarm over growing crisis threatening economy: 'We are not secure'
Canadian farmers have raised concerns about knock-on effects from drought conditions that have led to customers going bankrupt before making payments for produce. Some farmers in Canada are facing the longest drought since the infamous Dust Bowl of the 1930s. Changing temperatures have caused stunted crops to grow since 2021 and low commodity prices, resulting in grain-buying firms going out of business and farmers unable to rely on insurance payments. While there is some financial protection from the federal Canadian Grain Commission, according to Insurance Journal, the CGC is allegedly not enforcing a crucial law: reporting unlicensed companies to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. By law, only licensed companies can buy crops directly from farmers, and some unlicensed companies have slipped through the cracks. The CGC is also making it more difficult on farmers by requiring they post about non-payment within 90 days, and some have alleged that the organization has not consistently verified that licensed firms have proper security. According to Insurance Journal, "Discovering that some failing companies, such as Agfinity, are unlicensed, has alarmed farmers, as has finding out that some licensed companies are not fully insured." Agfinity allegedly delayed a $75,000 (Canadian) payment to at least one farmer, who had to keep "being a pain in the ass" until they finally paid the sum, with interest, before declaring bankruptcy, Insurance Journal reported. The CGC told The Cool Down that "If a company does not meet licensing requirements, the CGC will revoke or suspend their licence." And according to Insurance Journal, "the agency must complain to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which then decides whether to take action." Insurance Journal reported that the CGC hasn't made a complaint about unlicensed companies to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in a minimum of seven years, according to a CGC spokesperson Christianne Hacault — which likely is due to most being licensed, but it also raises concern on the heels of reports that a company like Agfinity was operating while unlicensed. In a statement to The Cool Down, the CGC also said that "licensed grain companies must provide payment security to the CGC to cover money owed to producers for grain deliveries" and that "the CGC audits licensees to monitor that the reports have been completed properly and determine if security is sufficient based on the assessed level of risk to producers." Canada is the No. 1 and No. 3 producer of canola oil and wheat in the world, respectively. On top of changing temperatures and climate disasters, the country's farmers are also expecting tariffs to impact their sales. "Where do we cut our expenses? Or how do we get more revenue to do the things we need to do?" Canadian farmer Bill Prybylski told Insurance Journal. Prybylski is going to have to rely on a line of credit to keep his farm in Saskatchewan afloat until the next harvest in the autumn. Southern Saskatchewan farmer Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel also told Insurance Journal that the current situation "has fully exposed that we are not secure." With the lack of protections, lack of law enforcement, and low commodity prices, the farmers' risk of bankruptcy keeps rising. Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Definitely Not sure No way Only in some cities Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The CGC is consulting with farmers to improve its protection systems and its bylaws. However, it would be further improved if Canadian farmers had other options like paid climate leave, snow-resistant solar panels, and extreme weather survivors groups to keep more businesses afloat despite impactful weather events. If you want to learn more about how climate issues are affecting where you live and how you can be a part of the solution, check out The Cool Down's guide. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
CBC
29-01-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Federal government ends MMIWG funding to northern prosecution offices
Social Sharing The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) says special funding it used to support victims of sexual violence in all three territories — which originally stemmed from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls — has ended. The $23.5 million was initially allocated in the federal government's 2021 budget, and was slated to last for three years. An email obtained by CBC News shows that the federal government's decision not to renew it is leaving a 25 per cent hole in the PPSC's budget in Nunavut alone. According to the prosecution service's 2022-23 departmental plan, the money was intended to "improve the level of justice provided to Indigenous victims, witnesses and communities experiencing sexual violence and intimate partner violence" in the territories. In an email, the prosecution service's communications director, Alessia Bongiovanni, confirmed the money had ended in the 2023-24 fiscal year and had not been renewed. Anne Crawford, a lawyer with 40 years of experience in the North, said the funding change will have a negative effect on the Crown's credibility in northern communities — and she doesn't understand why it's happening now. "We are very much mistaken if we think that the issues revealed in the [National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls] have been resolved by a couple years of funding," said Crawford, who has worked in criminal, civil, territorial and Indigenous law. "If this was post-election and priorities were being realigned … you'd say OK, well that's where this is coming from," said Crawford. "It just strikes me that it's a glitch somewhere high up that somebody doesn't realize the impact [of]." CBC News arranged interviews with the chief prosecutors of each territory in mid-January. Bongiovanni then cancelled the interviews on their behalf. "We are working towards reorganizing our resources within the current money allocation in a way that will meet our mandate, while at the same time minimizing disruptions to the communities we serve," she wrote. Canada's Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Justice Minister Arif Virani declined interviews about the funding decision. Anna Lisa Lowenstein, a spokesperson for Virani, said in an email that "sexual violence anywhere is despicable, and location should never be a barrier to receiving justice." "We remain committed to supporting the safety and security of all victims, witnesses and communities across Canada, including in the North," the statement reads. Lawyer worries important programs at risk The funding has been used for programs like specialized prosecution teams launched in Nunavut and the N.W.T to handle sexual assault cases. In a press release about the creation of the N.W.T.'s team in May 2022, the Public Prosecution Service said it would be staffed with two senior prosecutors who have "extensive experience" working with people who are victims or witnesses of sexual violence. The team would oversee all cases related to sexual assault, it said at the time, and would also help other prosecutors to prepare for cases, work on prosecution strategies and make sentencing recommendations. In an interview in October, the N.W.T.'s chief federal prosecutor Alex Godfrey said the team was expected to grow to three people in 2025. Nunavut, which had a sexual assault rate that was nearly six times the national average in 2018 according to Statistics Canada, launched its own specialized prosecution team in April 2024. At the time, it consisted of four prosecutors, two paralegals and a rotation of witness co-ordinators. The special teams are just one example, said Crawford, of programs that were bridging the gap between communities and prosecutions. That's the type of program she now worries is at risk because the MMIWG funding is gone. In other parts of Canada, she said, prosecutors, police and decision-makers grow up in the same places where they end up working. In the North, prosecutors, police and decision-makers often come from elsewhere. "There is a gap that requires trust and investment to bridge," she said. "Every time we remove services like this … we enhance that gap and we enhance the cynicism and the lack of trust that we have already created in [the] community." Crawford said she wonders if the decision was made by someone who doesn't realize the federal Crown is the only prosecuting body in the northern territories, unlike in the provinces where there are provincial Crowns too. She's also concerned the Nunavut prosecution office may not be able to keep all its prosecutors, and that it'll be those with the least seniority — recent Inuit grads — who'll lose work. 'There will be changes' An email from Philippe Plourde, Nunavut's chief federal prosecutor, obtained by CBC News said the funding's end meant the PPSC's Nunavut office had a 25 per cent hole in its budget. "There will be changes made to the office in the near future," he wrote in the Jan. 6 communication. "We are being asked to consider all solutions, and to be resourceful to make do with less." Plourde also asked people who were considering moving south or changing their employment in the next year to let him know, so that those changes could be accounted for in planning. Crawford said she hasn't seen Plourde's email herself, but she's heard of it. She also said the PPSC now has a 25 per cent hole in its budget in each of its territorial offices — not just in Nunavut. CBC News reached out to the PPSC to verify the Jan. 6 email, the information within it, and whether each office had a quarter of its funding removed.
