Section: National Newswatch (Canada)
Rickford makes last-ditch KXL pitch
WASHINGTON – The Canadian government made a last-ditch pitch for the Keystone XL pipeline Wednesday as the U.S. capital was gearing up for an imminent decision on the project after six years of delay.Natural Resources Minister Greg Rickford made the 11th-hour case in meetings in Washington with the U.S. State Department, his counterpart...
No simple solutions in Ukraine, Iraq crises
There is no question that dramatic unresolved events of 2014 have set the stage for what bodes to be an incredibly violent and volatile 2015. The internal unrest in Ukraine prompted Russia’s annexation of Crimea and has developed into a bloody civil war. Canada has been one of the most strident supporters of the pro-western government in...
Canadian exporters to Russia assess crisis
OTTAWA – Canadian exporters stung by Russia’s currency crisis and its retaliatory sanctions against the West wonder what 2015 will hold for a market filled with promise less than 12 months ago.Companies from farm-equipment manufacturers to pork producers spent much of 2014 adjusting to the economic instability in Russia, a country...
HMCS Fredericton on way to Mediterranean for NATO mission
HMCS Fredericton left Halifax on Tuesday as part of Operation Reassurance, Canada’s response to Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine. Family members and well-wishers gathered at the CFB Halifax dockyard to say goodbye. For Melissa McQuaid, it’s her fourth time seeing off her husband for a deployment. She was at the dockyard...
Terror attacks, Mountie killings, Ghomeshi scandal among top news events in 2014
An in-brief look at some of the most significant news events of the last 12 months, in chronological order:JANUARY1 — Colorado becomes the first U.S. state to allow recreational marijuana sales to adults at licensed pot stores. Washington state followed suit in July.3 — Phil Everly, the youngest of the Everly Brothers, died of chronic obstructive...
Canadian frigate departs for Mediterranean
HALIFAX – A Canadian frigate has departed Halifax to replace a sister ship that is part of a NATO maritime force aiming to reassure eastern European allies that are worried about the crisis in Ukraine.HMCS Fredericton will take over from HMCS Toronto in the operations in the Mediterranean Sea.Toronto has been in the area since August, and...
Oil’s wild ride in 2014 signals return to volatility
After five years in which oil traded in a narrow band around the $100 US a barrel mark, crude markets returned to volatility this fall. Back in late June of this year, oil was trading at $107 US a barrel. At year end, it was headed below $55 a barrel. The months in between tell the story of how changes in supply and demand can lead to wild and...
Canada ‘stood up strongly abroad for Canadian values’ in 2014: Baird
Calling 2014 “an unprecedented year in the fight for freedom and security around the world,” Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said Canada responded to various crises the way it knows best. “Canada has always approached global challenges from a principled position,” Baird said, explaining the country’s involvement in conflicts in Europe...
Ukraine crisis: Key peace talks in Minsk called off
A key round of peace talks between Ukraine’s government and pro-Russian rebels, due to take place in Minsk on Friday, has been called off, Belarusian officials say. No immediate reason was given by the Belarusian foreign ministry. The talks had begun on Wednesday to try to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine which has left 4,700 dead. A...
Harper government selective on Russians being sanctioned – Putin’s inner circle untouched
It seems the Harper government has left off a few key Russians from its sanctions list and questions are being asked why? As readers know, Prime Minister Stephen Harper pretty much compared Russian leader Putin’s actions in Ukraine to those of Adolf Hitler just before the Second World War. …read more Source: National...
