Latest news with #Simard
Edmonton Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
No evidence of election law breaches in former Liberal MP Han Dong's nomination race, watchdog says
In a document submitted to the foreign interference inquiry last year, the commissioner's office said it was investigating five potential contraventions including voter intimidation, inducing others to vote outside of their electoral district and illegal electoral donations by an ineligible donor. Verriere said the office looked into multiple potential CEA breaches but found that the evidence to support them was either non-existent or insufficient. 'To take formal compliance or enforcement action, the Commissioner must have tangible evidence to substantiate allegations of wrongdoing,' commissioner spokesperson Pierre Verriere said in a statement. 'Following our assessment of the allegations against potential CEA contraventions, we found either no evidence to support formal enforcement action or insufficient evidence, depending on the provision in question,' he added. But as it was highlighted repeatedly throughout the Foreign Interference Inquiry last year, the commissioner's oversight power during party nomination races is very limited. She told inquiry staff that her mandate during internal party elections is limited to political financing and that it would be a major resource challenge for her to have to oversee every nomination race for all 343 federal ridings. She also noted that she does not have the mandate nor the ability to verify intelligence, which was the basis for most of the allegations in Don Valley North. Dong, who stepped away from Liberal caucus after a string of media stories regarding these allegations in 2023 and did not run in the 2025 election, has always denied any wrongdoing. In June, he settled a two-year defamation lawsuit with Global News. He told National Post on Tuesday that he was not aware that the commissioner's investigation was closed until National Post reached out to him for comment. 'I have always said that I have always followed the election rules. Unfortunately, my family, my team and I have suffered irreversible harm,' Dong said in a text message. 'I remain hopeful that this conclusion of Commissioner Simard's investigation will bring DVN electors, especially Liberals, full closure and restore public confidence in our democratic process and institutions.' The other review into foreign interference Simard discussed during the public inquiry was into allegations of Chinese interference against Conservative candidate Kenny Chiu during the 2021 federal election in the B.C. riding of Steveston–Richmond East. During her testimony in front of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference (PIFI) last year, Simard said her office had already concluded there was insufficient evidence to support charges of 'undue foreign influence' or any other breaches of the CRA. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here.
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
No evidence of election law breaches in former Liberal MP Han Dong's nomination race, watchdog says
In a document submitted to the foreign interference inquiry last year, the commissioner's office said it was investigating five potential contraventions including voter intimidation, inducing others to vote outside of their electoral district and illegal electoral donations by an ineligible donor. Verriere said the office looked into multiple potential CEA breaches but found that the evidence to support them was either non-existent or insufficient. 'To take formal compliance or enforcement action, the Commissioner must have tangible evidence to substantiate allegations of wrongdoing,' commissioner spokesperson Pierre Verriere said in a statement. 'Following our assessment of the allegations against potential CEA contraventions, we found either no evidence to support formal enforcement action or insufficient evidence, depending on the provision in question,' he added. But as it was highlighted repeatedly throughout the Foreign Interference Inquiry last year, the commissioner's oversight power during party nomination races is very limited. She told inquiry staff that her mandate during internal party elections is limited to political financing and that it would be a major resource challenge for her to have to oversee every nomination race for all 343 federal ridings. She also noted that she does not have the mandate nor the ability to verify intelligence, which was the basis for most of the allegations in Don Valley North. Dong, who stepped away from Liberal caucus after a string of media stories regarding these allegations in 2023 and did not run in the 2025 election, has always denied any wrongdoing. In June, he settled a two-year defamation lawsuit with Global News. He told National Post on Tuesday that he was not aware that the commissioner's investigation was closed until National Post reached out to him for comment. 'I have always said that I have always followed the election rules. Unfortunately, my family, my team and I have suffered irreversible harm,' Dong said in a text message. 'I remain hopeful that this conclusion of Commissioner Simard's investigation will bring DVN electors, especially Liberals, full closure and restore public confidence in our democratic process and institutions.' The other review into foreign interference Simard discussed during the public inquiry was into allegations of Chinese interference against Conservative candidate Kenny Chiu during the 2021 federal election in the B.C. riding of Steveston–Richmond East. During her testimony in front of the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference (PIFI) last year, Simard said her office had already concluded there was insufficient evidence to support charges of 'undue foreign influence' or any other breaches of the CRA. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here.
CTV News
24-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
This 9-year-old Quebec girl is dominating the Ninja Warrior World in North Carolina
Ninja Warrior Justine B. Simard is dominating the competition at nine years old and hoping to go all the way in the competition. (Swidda Rassy/CTV News) A Quebec girl is quickly becoming the talk of the World Ninja League Championships. She's dominating the competition and she is just getting started. Fast, focused and fearless, nine-year-old Justine B. Simard's journey started while watching Ninja Warriors on TV with her family. A few years ago, her grandparents took her to a ninja centre. 'The owner of the gym said, 'Wow, she's very good,'' said her mother, Annie St-Pierre. The family put her in classes, and eventually, she started competing. Last month, at the World Ninja League Championships in North Carolina, she left with 11 medals and two trophies. 'I'm not the best; I could improve, and then sometimes I'm really great,' said the humble warrior. Her parents are understandably very proud, even if they don't know where she got the talent from. Simard's trainer, Mathieu St-Ours, says it's her focus and strength that make her special. 'She's very strong for this type of ninja, where she can focus only on what she has to do,' said St-Ours. 'She impresses more than some of the teenagers we got.' Next month, the family is headed to Barbados for another competition, and whether she brings home more medals to add to her already impressive collection, her mom says the sport is mostly about having fun, staying active and proving anyone can succeed. 'Also for the girls that they know they can do the same thing as the boys,' said St-Pierre. For Simard, she hopes one day to get a chance to compete on the Ninja Warrior TV show, where she was first inspired. 'I would really like that,' she said.
National Post
15-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Carney says any trade deal with U.S. will likely include tariffs
Article content Canada has yet to respond formally to the latest threat, or to Trump's recent moves to impose lofty tariffs on copper imports and double existing levies on steel and aluminum. Article content Carney and Trump agreed last month to work toward a new trade and security pact by July 21, but the U.S. president unilaterally pushed back the timeline to secure a deal. Carney has said he would wait until the deadline before adjusting Canada's counter-tariffs on U.S. goods, based on where the U.S. tariffs were at then. Article content Simard said the industry needs to see more short-term support 'very soon.' Article content 'Markets have already reacted to a 50 per cent tariff on aluminum. It's not good. It's very destructive. It is very bad for the U.S. aluminum downstream industry and it's not good for us,' Simard said. Article content Canada is the largest supplier of steel and aluminum to the U.S. The metals sector has seen job losses and decreased orders since Trump imposed tariffs. Article content Trade deals the U.S. has announced since Trump returned to office all include some level of tariff. The trade deal with the U.K. includes a 10 per cent tariff on most goods, while the deal with Vietnam includes a 20 per cent tariff on Vietnamese goods and a 40 per cent levy on goods being shipped through the South Asian nation. Article content Article content Before boarding Marine One to head to Pennsylvania Tuesday afternoon, Trump said that a new trade deal with Indonesia will include 19 per cent tariffs, and no levy for the U.S. Article content 'They are going to pay 19 per cent and we are going to pay nothing,' he said. 'I think it's a good deal for both parties.' Article content Trump said a few more deals will be announced. Article content 'India basically is working along that same line — we are going to have access to India,' Trump said. Article content Trump said Monday that he saw the letters he sent to Canada, the European Union and Mexico about increased tariffs rates as 'the deals.' Article content 'I watched a show this morning and they were talking about, 'Well when's he going to make the deal?' The deals are already made. The letters are the deals. The deals are made. There are no deals to make,' Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Article content Trump repeated Tuesday that he saw his letter to the European Union threatening 30 per cent tariffs as the deal, but added the two sides are still in talks. Article content Article content The Trump administration may begin to face increased domestic pressure because of rising costs on consumer goods because of the global tariff campaign. Article content U.S. inflation rose to its highest level since February as Trump's sweeping tariffs push up the cost of a range of goods including furniture, clothing and large appliances. Article content American consumer prices rose 2.7 per cent in June from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Tuesday, up from an annual increase of 2.4 per cent in May. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3 per cent from May to June, after rising just 0.1 per cent the previous month Article content
Business Recorder
06-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Canada could financially back aluminum producers if 50% U.S. tariffs persist, trade group says
MONTREAL: Canada has discussed offering financial support to large aluminum producers like Rio Tinto impacted by a U.S.-led trade war, in the event that Washington's 50% tariff on imports of the metal persist in the medium term, the CEO of a key industry trade group said on Saturday. Aluminium Association of Canada CEO Jean Simard told Reuters in an interview that the early talks could help the sector in the event that Ottawa is unable to reach a planned deal with its key trading partner by July 21. 'It's part of a larger discussion where everything is on the table,' Simard said, adding that no decision has been reached. Canada recently canceled a digital service tax on U.S. technology companies in order to preserve trade talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, but another irritant remains in the ongoing negotiations. While the major aluminum producers operating in Canada do not have liquidity problems, Simard said, a 50% U.S. tariff on aluminum imports would inevitably have an impact on finances if it continues longer term. He added that with the 50% tariff in effect since June 4, it's normal that there are discussions about the impact on businesses' cash flow if the situation continues. Around half of all aluminum used in the U.S. is imported, with the vast majority coming from Canada. Simard's comments follow media reports late Friday in which federal industry minister Mélanie Joly said the government is having conversations with Rio Tinto about providing financial assistance due to the crushing U.S. tariffs. Some Japan buyers agree to pay Q3 aluminium premium of $108/T Rio Tinto declined comment on Saturday. A spokesperson for Joly's office said in a statement that Ottawa is in 'active conversations' on how it can best support Canada's aluminum industry in the context of unjustified American tariffs, with the goal to support increased investment in the sector. U.S. President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50% last month, stepping up pressure on global steel producers and deepening his trade war, to support domestic production of the vital materials for construction.
