Hello,
The Prime Minister won’t say whether Canada intends to restore funding to the UN relief agency operating in Gaza.
“We’re not making any announcements today. But we will continue to make sure Canada does the right thing in this situation and puts the protection of civilian life at the forefront of everything we do,” he told reporters at a news conference Thursday. He added that Canada is discussing the possibility of airlifting aid into the territory.
Canada and 15 other countries paused payments after Israel alleged a dozen of the group’s workers participated in the Oct. 7 attack. Canada has not missed a payment since announcing the pause in funding. Its payment of $25-million for this year isn’t due until next month.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency is the primary provider of social and humanitarian assistance in Gaza, including health care and education. It relies almost exclusively on donations from UN member countries.
With a report from The Canadian Press
This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Ian Bailey. Kristy Kirkup and Samantha Edwards are filling in today. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. If you’re reading this on the web, subscribers can sign up for the Politics newsletter and more than 20 others on our newsletter signup page. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
TODAY'S HEADLINES
Six people killed in Ottawa home, including four children: A 35-year-old mother and her four children are among the victims of a mass killing in a suburban Ottawa neighbourhood that targeted a family from Sri Lanka. Ottawa Police have charged a 19-year-old, who was also living in the townhouse, with six counts of first-degree murder.
Michael Spavor reaches multimillion-dollar settlement: The federal government reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with Michael Spavor to compensate him for the nearly three years he was incarcerated under harsh conditions in a Chinese prison.
Sweden joins NATO: Sweden has joined NATO, two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted the Scandinavian country to rethink its national security policy.
Ontario judge will hear conspiracy argument in trial of convoy organizers: An Ontario court judge will entertain arguments that convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber acted as co-conspirators as part of their criminal trial, she announced in a decision.
Ontario minister says no tax increases in budget: Ontario’s Finance Minister says he will present the province’s next budget on March 26.
Ottawa will give weapons manufacturers millions for ammunition production plan: Defence Minister Bill Blair announced the federal government will give $4.4-million to IMT Defence and General Dynamics to develop proposals to ramp up ammunition production in Canada.
Saskatchewan Premier announces more education spending to address teachers dispute: Scott Moe says his government is offering millions of dollars in new education funding in hopes teachers will return to the bargaining table.
Netanyahu says Israel will push on with Gaza offensive, including in Rafah: Israel will continue its offensive against Hamas, including into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, despite growing international pressure to stop, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
THIS AND THAT
The House of Commons is not sitting this week.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, columnist Marsha Lederman is on the show to talk about the Vancouver Art Gallery admitting that celebrated oil sketches are fakes and how the mystery was solved.
PRIME MINISTER'S DAY
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in the Greater Toronto Area on Thursday to meet with nurses and doctors, and to speak about pharmacare.
LEADERS
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in British Columbia and met with Chief Michael Recalma of Qualicum First Nation.
OPINION
Saskatchewan’s fight against Ottawa pits lawlessness against intransigence
“Saskatchewan is breaking the law. Ottawa is digging in. And instead of months of fireworks on carbon pricing, expect a federal-provincial stalemate of epic proportions to set in – an impasse that won’t halt a grinding decline of political support for the current Liberal version of carbon taxes in Canada.” – Kelly Cryderman
Handcuffing pension funds is not the answer to Canada’s economic woes
“Forcing pension funds to invest in Canadian equities is an idea that seems merely terrible at first glance but, when you really dig into the details, turns out to be truly abysmal.” – Editorial Board
Emmanuel Macron’s Ukraine talk should force NATO to face up to the inevitable
“Western leaders have learned to brace themselves for the worst whenever Emmanuel Macron decides to weigh in publicly on geopolitics. The French President inevitably seems to get carried away and makes some provocative utterance that sends his allies into conniptions.” – Konrad Yakabuski
Why Canada spends so much on health care and still has a crisis
“Canadians know all too well that their health care delivery system is in crisis. A great part of the problem is in how inefficiently our health care funding is spent.” – Nigel Rawson and John Adams
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Kristy Kirkup
Samantha Edwards