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Category: Canada

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investing in supporting vibrant communities | Investissements pour stimuler le dynamisme communautaire

    [. This includes investing in initiatives like Alberta’s Crowdfunding platform, capital grant funding, and funding for community grant programs.If passed, Budget 2025 will continue to build strong and vibrant communities by supporting community grant programs, including $64 million for the Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) and Community Initiative Program (CIP) grants that stimulate economic growth, enhance gathering places and provide opportunities for Albertans to build community and connect with one another.
     

    “I am proud that Budget 2025 reinforces Alberta’s commitment to communities by investing in programs like the Community Facility Enhancement Program and the Community Initiatives Program. These programs allow us to continue supporting non-profits and volunteers and help strengthen communities by expanding the spaces, services and programs available to everyday Albertans.”

    Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women

    The CFEP grant helps fund both building new facilities and renovating existing spaces such as heritage facilities, community halls and theatres, festival spaces and many others. Additionally, the CIP grant supports programs, initiatives and events that contribute to and create opportunities for Albertans to engage with their communities.

    Last year, the Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance received a CFEP grant to assist with the construction of Edmonton’s first dedicated mountain biking facility. The facility will be accessible for bikers of all skill levels and will include dirt jumps, wooden drops, skills structures and an asphalt pump track, spanning almost ten acres within Queen Elizabeth Park.

    “This investment in the Edmonton Bike Park is a game-changer for our community, providing a dedicated space for riders of all ages and skill levels to develop their abilities and enjoy the outdoors. With mountain biking growing rapidly in Edmonton, this park will serve as a hub for skill progression, youth engagement and active recreation. We’re excited to see this long-awaited project come to life and grateful for the support that will make it happen.”

    Joe Yurkovich, president, Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance

    To continue bringing educational programming to the big screen and around the province, The TELUS World of Science – Edmonton received a CFEP grant to help with costs in upgrading its IMAX system. This exciting upgrade will make educational content more accessible for communities across Alberta, increasing access to virtual field trips and virtual events, and allow for rental opportunities for groups in need of this unique technology. Once the upgrade is complete, the IMAX theatre at TELUS World of Science – Edmonton will be the only one of its kind in Canada to feature this updated technology.

    “We are sincerely grateful to the Government of Alberta for investing in non-profit organizations such as ours to amplify impact and build thriving communities. With support from funding programs like CFEP and CIP, we are leveraging new technologies that break down barriers to science education, expanding access for underserved communities, and investing in the next generation of science innovators and entrepreneurs. We know that an investment in curiosity is an investment in our collective future.”

    Constance Scarlett, president and CEO, TELUS World of Science – Edmonton

    Community grants are invested in organizations in all corners of the province. Recently, the Street Sisters Society in Calgary received a grant to strengthen its capacity to provide programs, services and training, improving the quality of life for vulnerable Albertans. As well, Foothills Search and Rescue Society in Diamond Valley received a grant to help with purchasing two side-by-side off-road vehicles and a trailer to allow more trained volunteers to respond to search locations quicker and increase capacity to transport Albertans in areas threatened by fire or flood.

    Alberta’s government is meeting the challenges faced by family and communities, staying focused on ensuring our province is the best place to live, work and raise a family.

    Quick facts

    • Budget 2025 maintains the Community Facility Enhancement Program’s record-level funding at $50 million, an increase that was announced in 2023 as part of a three-year strategic investment.
    • Every government dollar invested through CFEP results in an additional $3 worth of investment from other sources directly into our communities.

    Related information

    • Community Facility Enhancement Program
    • Community Initiatives Program: Project-Based
    • Community Initiatives Program: Operating
    • Previous Grants Recipients Database
    • Crowdfunding Alberta
    • Other Initiatives Program
    • Grants, funding and supports for non-profits

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    Le gouvernement de l’Alberta accorde près de 85 millions de dollars de subventions pour renforcer et dynamiser les collectivités de la province. 

    Chaque année, le gouvernement de l’Alberta soutient des centaines de projets et de programmes sans but lucratif pour fournir des services essentiels aux communautés de la province. Cet appui comprend l’investissement dans des initiatives telles que la plateforme Crowdfunding Alberta, le financement de subventions en capital et le financement de programmes de subventions communautaires.

    S’il est adopté, le budget 2025 continuera à stimuler la force et le dynamisme des communautés en soutenant des programmes de subventions communautaires, notamment en investissant 64 millions de dollars dans le Programme d’amélioration des installations communautaires (Community Facility Enhancement Program [CFEP]) et le Programme d’appui aux initiatives communautaires (Community Initiative Program [CIP]), qui stimulent la croissance économique, améliorent les lieux de rassemblement et offrent aux Albertaines et aux Albertains la possibilité de renforcer leur communauté et de se rapprocher les uns des autres.

    « Je suis fière que le budget 2025 renforce l’engagement de l’Alberta envers ses communautés en investissant dans des programmes tels que le Programme d’amélioration des installations communautaires et le Programme d’appui aux initiatives communautaires. Ces programmes nous permettent de continuer à soutenir les organismes sans but lucratif et bénévoles, et d’aider à renforcer les communautés grâce à des projets d’amélioration des installations, des services et des programmes offerts à toute la population albertaine. »

    Tanya Fir, ministre des Arts, de la Culture et de la Condition féminine

    La subvention du CFEP aide à financer à la fois la construction et la rénovation d’installations, comme celles de lieux patrimoniaux, de salles et théâtres communautaires, de sites de festivals, etc. De son côté, la subvention du CIP soutient des programmes, des initiatives et des événements qui offrent des occasions aux Albertaines et aux Albertains d’enrichir leur vie communautaire.

    L’an dernier, l’Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance a reçu une subvention du CFEP pour l’aider à construire le premier parc de vélo de montagne d’Edmonton. Accessible aux cyclistes de tous niveaux, le site comprendra des sauts en terre, des descentes en bois, des structures d’habileté et une piste de vitesse en asphalte, et il occupera près de dix acres dans le parc Queen Elizabeth.

    « En offrant un espace aux cyclistes de tous âges et niveaux pour développer leurs compétences et profiter du plein air, cet investissement dans le parc de vélo d’Edmonton transformera complètement notre communauté. L’intérêt pour le vélo de montagne croît rapidement à Edmonton. Ce parc deviendra ainsi un centre névralgique pour l’entraînement, l’engagement des jeunes et la pratique de l’activité physique. Nous avons hâte de voir ce projet tant attendu se réaliser et nous sommes reconnaissants du soutien reçu pour lui donner vie. »

    Joe Yurkovich, président de l’Edmonton Mountain Bike Alliance

    Pour continuer à offrir des programmes éducatifs sur grand écran et dans toute la province, le TELUS World of Science – Edmonton a reçu une subvention du CFEP qui l’aidera à payer les coûts de mise à niveau de son système IMAX. Cette superbe version augmentée améliorera l’accès au contenu éducatif dans toutes les communautés de l’Alberta, grâce à des excursions et événements virtuels, et elle permettra la location des lieux aux groupes qui auront besoin des caractéristiques uniques de cette technologie. Une fois la mise à niveau terminée, le cinéma IMAX du TELUS World of Science – Edmonton sera le seul au Canada à offrir cette nouvelle technologie.

    « Nous sommes sincèrement reconnaissants au gouvernement de l’Alberta d’investir dans des organismes sans but lucratif comme le nôtre pour maximiser les bienfaits et bâtir des communautés florissantes. Grâce au soutien de programmes de financement tels que le CFEP et le CIP, nous tirons parti de nouvelles technologies qui éliminent les obstacles à l’enseignement des sciences, élargissent l’accès aux communautés mal desservies et nous permettent d’investir dans la prochaine génération d’innovateurs et d’entrepreneurs scientifiques. Nous savons qu’en stimulant la curiosité, nous investissons dans notre avenir collectif. »

    Constance Scarlett, présidente et directrice générale, TELUS World of Science – Edmonton

    Des organismes de partout dans la province bénéficient de subventions communautaires. Récemment, la Street Sisters Society de Calgary a reçu une subvention pour renforcer sa capacité à fournir des programmes, des services et de la formation, et améliorer ainsi la qualité de vie de personnes vulnérables. De même, la Foothills Search and Rescue Society de Diamond Valley a reçu une subvention pour l’aider à acheter deux véhicules tout-terrain côte à côte et une remorque qui permettront à un plus grand nombre de bénévoles formés de se rendre plus rapidement sur les lieux de recherche, en plus d’augmenter la capacité de transport des Albertaines et Albertains hors des zones menacées par les incendies ou les inondations.

    Le gouvernement de l’Alberta relève les défis auxquels sont confrontées les familles et les communautés en veillant à ce que la province reste le meilleur endroit où vivre, travailler et élever une famille.

    En bref

    • Le budget 2025 maintient le financement record du Programme d’amélioration des installations communautaires à 50 millions de dollars, une augmentation annoncée en 2023 dans le cadre d’un investissement stratégique sur trois ans.
    • Chaque dollar investi par le gouvernement dans le cadre du CFEP se traduit par un investissement supplémentaire d’une valeur de trois dollars provenant d’autres sources, directement dans nos communautés.

    Renseignements connexes

    • Programme d’amélioration des installations communautaires
    • Subvention axée sur les projets du CIP
    • Subvention de fonctionnement du CIP
    • Base de données des bénéficiaires de subventions antérieures (en anglais seulement)
    • Crowdfunding Alberta (en anglais seulement)
    • Programmes de subvention d’autres initiatives
    • Subventions, financement et appui aux organismes sans but lucratif (en anglais seulement)

    Multimédia (en anglais seulement)

    • Regarder la conférence de presse

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Highway 1 will close in Fraser Canyon for construction at Tank Hill

    Drivers are advised that Highway 1 at Tank Hill, 14 kilometres east of Lytton, will be closed overnight on Friday, March 21, 2025, and in the afternoon from March 24 until March 26, 2025.

    The closure is necessary for the installation of steel girders that will span the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) rail line as part of the new overpass.

    Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon will be closed in both directions overnight from midnight until 4 a.m. on Friday, March 21, 2025, and during the day from 12:30-5:30 p.m. from Monday, March 24 until Wednesday, March 26, 2025. 

    Closures must be co-ordinated with CPKC and specific closure times may be adjusted based on rail operations.

    The Ministry of Transportation and Transit is working with emergency services so they have access through the site.  

    Drivers travelling between the Interior and Lower Mainland can take highways 3 or 5 as alternative routes. Up-to-date information about this closure and road conditions on alternative routes can be found at: www.drivebc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney strengthens Canada’s security and sovereignty

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Now more than ever, we need to reaffirm Canadian sovereignty by strengthening our military, bolstering our Arctic security, and unleashing the North’s economic potential.

    Prime Minister Carney was today in Iqaluit, Nunavut, to announce initiatives in partnership with Inuit leaders to build the Nunavut economy and strengthen Canadian security and sovereignty in the Arctic.

    First, Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada intends to partner with Australia to develop advanced Over-the-Horizon Radar technology. This partnership will include developing Canada’s Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar system, an investment of more than $6 billion that will provide early warning radar coverage from threats to the Arctic. A key component of Canada’s NORAD modernization plan, the radar system’s long-range surveillance and threat tracking capabilities will detect and deter threats across the North. Collaboration with Australia on this critical technology will further deepen our long-standing bilateral defence relationship, while supporting Canada’s commitment to strengthening North American defences in partnership with the United States.

    The Prime Minister confirmed the partnership in his call with the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, earlier today.

    Second, Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada will take on a greater, sustained, and year-round Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) presence in the Arctic – an investment of nearly $420 million to protect our sovereignty across land, air, and sea. With an expansion of its Northern and Arctic operations and training exercises, and the deployment of more personnel, the CAF will be better placed to defend Canada’s Arctic presence and sovereignty­ – while enabling greater collaboration with NATO Allies. 

    Third, to advance reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, Prime Minister Carney announced over $253 million in new support to build a stronger economy across Nunavut, including:

    • $94 million to upgrade power plants in Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, Igloolik, and Iqaluit. These important energy upgrades will ensure that Nunavut communities have access to safe and dependable power.
    • Almost $74 million to improve critical housing infrastructure, accelerate housing development, and help meet the growing demand for affordable housing.
    • Almost $66 million to build, renovate, and repair hundreds more homes across Nunavut, including for Indigenous Peoples and underserved groups.
    • $20 million to help the Nunavut Nukkiksautiit Corporation complete the first phase of the development of its hydroelectricity facility which will, once complete, provide renewable energy security and create jobs across Nunavut.

    Following a positive and constructive meeting with the Premier of Nunavut, P.J. Akeeagok, the two leaders agreed to continue to work together in partnership on shared priorities in the Arctic.

    The Prime Minister also met with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated as well as the President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Natan Obed, to reinforce the fundamental importance of their leadership and to establish a link of collaboration on major infrastructure projects.

    With an enhanced Arctic focus, the Canadian government is improving our military readiness, creating more high-paying jobs, and growing a stronger economy across the North. Working closely with Indigenous Peoples and our Allies, we will fortify the Arctic by strengthening our year-round presence, accelerating defence spending, unleashing the North’s economic potential, and reasserting Canada’s sovereignty and security.

    Quote

    “Canada is, and forever will be, an Arctic nation, and we can never take our sovereignty and security in the region for granted. Our government will strengthen Canada’s Arctic security, bolster partnerships with our closest Allies, unleash the North’s economic potential, and reaffirm reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Canada will remain a strong, secure, and sovereign nation.”

    Quick Fact

    • The Arctic region is central to Canada’s national identity, prosperity, and security. The Canadian Arctic covers 40 per cent of Canada’s territory and more than 70 per cent of its coastline. 

    Related Product

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Backgrounder: Expanding Public Transit for Rural Communities in Manitoba

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Backgrounder

    The federal government is investing $3,976,981 through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund to increase transit services across Manitoba.

    Project Information:

    Location

    Project Name

    Project Details

    Federal Funding

    Provincial Funding

    Recipient Funding

    Other Funding

    City of Flin Flon

    Purchase of a wheelchair-accessible bus and supporting infrastructure to enhance Flin Flon’s fixed-route transit service

    Purchase of one wheelchair-accessible bus and installation of sidewalks and bus stop shelters to enhance Flin Flon’s fixed-route public transit service.

    $1,776,000

    $0

    $444,000

    $0

    Municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain

    Purchases to support transit for Killarney-Turtle Mountain

    Purchase a wheelchair-accessible handivan bus to maintain transportation services in the municipality of Killarney-Turtle Mountain.

    $186,116

    $0

    $46,529

    $0

    Rural Municipality of Rockwood; Rural Municipality of Rosser; Rural Municipality of St. Laurent; Town of Stonewall; Rural Municipality of Woodlands

    Purchase of electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure to provide door-to-door transportation service in the Interlake District

    Purchase of two electric buses, installation of six charging platforms and 12 chargers, as well as investments in garage upgrades to enhance door-to-door transportation service for seniors and individuals with mobility challenges in Manitoba’s Interlake District.

    $1,412,898

    $150,000

    $103,225

    $100,000

    St. Theresa Point First Nation

    Purchases to support transit for St. Theresa Point First Nation

    Purchase of two electric vehicles, two charging stations, and electronic equipment to enhance local transit service and improve the quality of life and safety for residents of St. Theresa Point First Nation.

    $440,132

    $0

    $0

    $0

    Town of Teulon

    Purchases to continue transit service in Teulon, Rockwood and Woodlands

    Purchase of a mini-bus and an accessible van to replace aging fleets and ensure safe, reliable transportation in Teulon, Rockwood, and Woodlands.

    $161,835

    $0

    $40,459

    $0

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Expanding Public Transit for Rural Communities in Manitoba

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Stonewall, Manitoba, March 18, 2025 — Increased transit services, improved accessible public transit, and expanded door-to-door electric vehicle transportation are coming to Manitoba thanks to a federal investment of over $3.9 million.

    Funding will support the purchase of two electric buses, six charging platforms, 12 chargers, and garage upgrades in the Interlake region. These investments will enhance door-to-door transportation services for seniors and individuals with mobility challenges, improving accessibility and service reliability.

    Teulon, Rockwood, and Woodlands will also benefit from funding to purchase a new mini-bus and an accessible van to replace aging vehicles. These upgrades will ensure the continued delivery of safe and reliable transit services, while enhancing accessibility and sustainability in the region.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What Trump could learn from the British and Irish trade war of the 1930s

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Carr, Lecturer in History and Politics, Anglia Ruskin University

    The Blue Water Bridge border crossing connects Michigan in the US with Ontario in Canada. ehrlif/Shutterstock

    During his election campaign, US president Donald Trump claimed the word tariff is “more beautiful than ‘love’”. Now in office, Trump has targeted his closest neighbours and trading partners with those self same policies. He initially concentrated his levies on Canada, China and Mexico – two of which share land borders with the US – before implementing blanket tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports.

    History shows us the impacts these policies can have. In 1932, during Neville Chamberlain’s time as British chancellor, the country slapped what became 40% levies on key exports (including cattle, butter and other agricultural products) from the then Irish Free State. These were promptly met by Irish retaliation on British goods including coal and steel.

    A trade war ensued – and lasted in some form for almost six years.

    As with Trump today, raising tariffs is often partly about some other policy goal. As far as the British-Irish trade war goes, I show in my new book Britain and Ireland From the Treaty to the Troubles that the initial beef (pun intended) was over a decades-long debt obligation. These annuities, as they were known, were predominantly owed by Irish farmers to Anglo-Irish landowners, and were widely disliked.

    In early 1932 Éamon de Valera secured electoral victory in Ireland for his Fianna Fáil party, partly on the basis of refusing to hand over this money. At £5 million, it was a significant sum for a government that took in around £25 million annually.

    Instead, de Valera planned to use the annuities for domestic purposes. He wanted to reward his agricultural and working-class electoral bases principally in Ireland’s west, as well as win over new voters with the nationalist and anti-English nature of his message.

    The legality of the annuities dispute was ambiguous. But de Valera withheld the money, and to recoup the missing millions the British imposed tariffs and punitive quotas. This was swiftly followed by retaliatory measures from Dublin – just as Trump’s moves have seen reaction from abroad.

    The stakes were high. A massive 92% of Irish exports went to the UK, and civil servants in Dublin fretted about the knock-on effects. In the short term, they were right to. Exports of cattle, bacon and other goods collapsed, and emergency domestic subsidy was needed to plug the gap.

    Irish attempts to land a major trade deal with the US by way of compensation went nowhere, and Britain remained its key customer for decades.

    Yet, unlike Trump, de Valera had a clear end goal into which the tariff war fitted rather well. He wanted to retool Irish farming away from livestock towards crops, and invest in Ireland’s nascent industry elsewhere. This included expanding the country’s energy independence and kick-starting its manufacturing sector.

    The retained annuities and the increased political capital his government gained from the trade war both helped with these objectives.

    It took until about 1937, after two more election wins and a referendum victory for de Valera, for British leaders to accept that the Irish public broadly backed their leader. They realised that a bilateral agreement was necessary.

    The dispute was finally ended in April 1938. As the ink dried on a deal that saw tariffs dropped in exchange for a one-off payment from Dublin and the return of three ports to Ireland, the British media hailed the achievement of Chamberlain – now prime minister.

    But this reaction also tells us something. Initially, Chamberlain was portrayed as a genius who had clearly won. But then critics pointed to it being a rather better deal for de Valera (the £10 million one-off sum was nowhere near the £100 million the British had a nominal claim for).

    In this new stance, it had been a great deal precisely because Chamberlain had been so magnanimous. A terrible deal was actually a great deal. Some of that mentality could be seen in reactions to the Munich Agreement with Adolf Hitler a few months later.

    All told, the consequences had been significant. Perhaps 3% of the Irish economy was lost.

    In the meantime, Irish immigration to Britain consequently ticked up as people looked for work. Smuggling at the Northern Irish border ballooned, leading to additional costs to police a frontier where cattle were hurried across unmanned fields and rivers to avoid the tariff.

    Guinness even moved production to London in order to avoid future tariffs.
    gabriel12/Shutterstock

    Major Irish-based industry, including Guinness and Ford, moved operations to the London periphery (Park Royal and Dagenham respectively) to avoid any future duties. Although Ford kept some tractor production in Cork in the south of Ireland, for large parts of its European and imperial business the only way was now Essex.

    All this meant economic dislocation and diplomatic animosity at a point where the geopolitical outlook was troubled – not an unfamiliar story. Although Ireland remained neutral during the second world war – the ultimate show for de Valera of its independence – intelligence cooperation and the service of Irish men and women in the Allied war effort illustrated that the two countries just about muddled through.

    But today, tariffs provoking wider turmoil remains a big worry. As former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau noted, Trump’s actions are “a very dumb thing to do” and could lead to “exactly what our opponents around the world want to see … a dispute between two friends and neighbours”.

    Trump may also be wise to note that de Valera’s position was bolstered when he could claim that he was being bullied by a more powerful neighbour. In the past few weeks, the Canadian Liberal Party has surged back in the polls, partly on the back of the same dynamics. The little guy sometimes swings back.

    Richard Carr does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. What Trump could learn from the British and Irish trade war of the 1930s – https://theconversation.com/what-trump-could-learn-from-the-british-and-irish-trade-war-of-the-1930s-252128

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: AGNICO EAGLE COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF 100% OF O3 MINING

    Source: Agnico Eagle Mines

    (All amounts expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted)

    TORONTO, March 18, 2025 /CNW/ – Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE: AEM) (TSX: AEM) (“Agnico Eagle“) and O3 Mining Inc. (TSXV: OIII), (OTCQX: OIIIF) (“O3 Mining“) are pleased to jointly announce that Agnico Eagle has today completed the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding common shares of O3 Mining (the “Common Shares“) pursuant to the amalgamation (the “Amalgamation“) of O3 Mining and Agnico Eagle Abitibi Acquisition Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agnico Eagle.  O3 Mining is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Agnico Eagle. 

    The Amalgamation constituted the subsequent acquisition transaction contemplated by Agnico Eagle’s board-supported take-over bid to acquire O3 Mining. Under the Amalgamation, shareholders of O3 Mining, other than Agnico Eagle, will receive $1.67 in cash per Common Share (the “Consideration“).

    It is expected that the Common Shares will be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange on or around March 20, 2025 and O3 Mining will file an application to cease to be a reporting issuer under Canadian securities laws.

    Additional Information and How to Receive the Consideration

    Additional information concerning the Amalgamation is contained in the notice of special meeting and management information circular of O3 Mining (the “Circular“) dated February 13, 2025.  The Circular is available under O3 Mining’s issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

    In order to receive the Consideration (less applicable withholdings), each registered shareholder must properly complete and duly execute the letter of transmittal enclosed with the Circular and deliver such letter of transmittal, together with all other necessary documents and instruments to Odyssey Trust Company, in its capacity as depositary for the Amalgamation, at the address specified in the letter of transmittal and otherwise in accordance with the instructions contained in the letter of transmittal.  Non-registered shareholders whose Common Shares are registered in the name of an investment advisor, broker, bank, trust company, custodian, nominee or other intermediary must contact such intermediary for instructions and assistance in exchanging their Common Shares for the Consideration.  

    If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact Laurel Hill Advisory Group, by phone at 1-877-452-7187 or by e-mail at assistance@laurelhill.com.

    Information for Warrantholders

    Any warrants to acquire Common Shares (the “Warrants“) that remain outstanding may be exercised prior to the expiry time thereof in accordance with the terms of the Warrant Indenture governing the Warrants, as amended, and will receive on exercise, in lieu of Common Shares, $1.67 in cash. The Warrant Indenture has been amended by a supplemental indenture to give effect to the foregoing. In connection such amendment, the exercise form to be used by holders of outstanding Warrants has been amended and replaced with an amended exercise form attached as Appendix E to the Circular.  For additional information, please contact investor.relations@agnicoeagle.com or call (416) 947-1212.

    About Agnico Eagle Mines Limited

    Agnico Eagle is a Canadian based and led senior gold mining company and the third largest gold producer in the world, producing precious metals from operations in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico, with a pipeline of high-quality exploration and development projects. Agnico Eagle is a partner of choice within the mining industry, recognized globally for its leading sustainability practices. Agnico Eagle was founded in 1957 and has consistently created value for its shareholders, declaring a cash dividend every year since 1983.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on current expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations about future events as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking information and statements are based on estimates of management by Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining, at the time they were made, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the timing for the delisting of O3 Mining from the TSX Venture Exchange and for O3 Mining to cease to be a reporting issuer; and the receipt of $1.67 in cash on the exercise of Warrants. Material factors or assumptions that were applied in formulating the forward-looking information contained herein include, without limitation, expectations relating to the timing for the delisting of the Common Shares and O3 Mining (or its successor) filing an application to cease to be a reporting issuer under applicable securities laws; and expectations concerning the outstanding Warrants. Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining caution that the foregoing list of material factors and assumptions is not exhaustive. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining believe, or believed at the time, to be reasonable expectations and assumptions, there is no assurance that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither O3 Mining, nor Agnico Eagle nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. Agnico Eagle and O3 Mining do not undertake, and assume no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to be a forecast, projection or estimate of the future financial performance of Agnico Eagle or any of its affiliates or O3 Mining.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. 

    SOURCE O3 Mining Inc.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Canada must treat its food system as a matter of national defence

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Karen Foster, Associate Professor, Sociology and Social Anthropology and Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Rural Futures for Atlantic Canada, Dalhousie University

    Rising tensions between Canada and the United States have made increased military investment and a renewed focus on national defence all but inevitable.

    A recent Angus Reid poll found three in four Canadians want to see the country’s military strengthened in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Canada as the 51st state. In early March, former prime minister Justin Trudeau committed publicly to increasing military spending.

    While it makes sense for a country feeling vulnerable to invasion to look at recruiting new soldiers and increasing its arsenal, there is an additional facet of national defence that is too often overlooked: food preparedness.

    Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs are already “stoking a new nationalism” in Canadians and sparking interest in buying local, but food should be part of the national defence conversation, too.

    The double edge of globalization

    The globalization of food systems, in Canada and the rest of the world, has intensified since the Second World War. This has brought some benefits, such as year-round access to fresh produce, but it has also made Canada’s food systems vulnerable to the whims of its trading partners.

    Academics focused on food security and sovereignty have long raised concerns about import-dependence on key nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables.

    Even in 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic shone a harsh light on food supply chains in Canada, research showed that the production of fresh produce was declining while imports were increasing.

    Now, faced with both a trade war and annexation threats, Canada must confront whether its domestic food systems can feed its population in a crisis — economic, political, environmental or otherwise.

    Food systems and national defence

    Trade-dependent countries worldwide are recognizing food security as a matter of national defence. Some, like Sweden, are making plans to take stock of the capacity and resilience of their food systems, and actively working toward a system that can sustain the lives of their citizens in a crisis.

    Sweden’s total goods trade accounted for 67 per cent of its GDP in 2023, compared to Canada’s 53 per cent. Despite its high level of trade dependence, Sweden has put food at the heart of the country’s total defence approach to national security.

    Total defence is a defence policy that emphasizes both traditional military activities and civilian activities, including their food systems.

    The Swedish government, in its defence resolution, states: “A well-functioning and robust food supply and personal preparedness of the civil population are ultimately a matter of survival and maintaining the will to defend.”

    This approach is not focused only on individual or household levels of preparedness — that is, whether people have enough in their pantries — but also includes the overall preparedness of the systems that produce, process and distribute food.

    Canada, with its heavy reliance on global trade and the U.S. as a primary trading partner, would do well to take note.

    Food sovereignty in Canada

    There are hundreds of scholars and thousands of community entities working to make Canada’s food systems more sustainable and resilient in the face of financialization, farmland consolidation and the globalization of supply chains.

    In Québec, for example, there is a growing movement to mobilize and empower producers, community entities, the agrifood sector, policymakers and additional stakeholders to build more resilient, territorial food systems across the province.



    Read more:
    Making our food fairer: Don’t Call Me Resilient EP 12

    Canadian experts play a key role in global discussions on food systems resilience, with scholars contributing to the United Nations Committee on World Food Security’s Building Resilient Food Systems draft report. This report is designed to help countries make their food systems more resilient, equitable and sustainable.

    Yet Canada’s efforts are not co-ordinated, empowered or moving fast enough in the push for greater food sovereignty. The point is not to abandon trade, but to manage it more strategically.

    Both international and domestic markets are crucial for Canadian farmers, and many local companies are devoted to importing everyday goods like coffee, tea and bananas under fair trade and agroecological conditions.

    Trade relations, however, are about more than economics; they involve building political partnerships with Mexico, the European Union, Asian countries and beyond — something Canada needs now more than ever.

    Sweden has already recognized this. Its food preparedness strategy involves deepening co-operation with like-minded Nordic countries and collaborating around the supply, transport, stockpiling and testing of food.

    Crisis-proofing Canada’s food systems

    To ensure Canada can feed itself in a crisis, the government must invest in domestic production, processing and distribution infrastructure. This would create more efficient, connected local markets that removes some of the burden of buying local from individuals.



    Read more:
    Boycotting U.S. products allows Canadians to take a rare political stand in their daily lives

    The Canadian government must also promote diversification in production and export. Canada needs to move away from monoculture farming and toward more regional networks and agroecological approaches. These approaches are more resilient to both crops themselves and the diverse markets they open up, reducing Canada’s dependence on single trading partners like the U.S.

    Key agricultural policies such as the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership need to go beyond the long-standing focus on prioritizing export markets. They must also invest in infrastructure and partnerships in Canada to strengthen their support of Canadian producers, ranchers, fisheries and food system players at home, to help them work together at a regional scale.

    Correcting power imbalances in our food systems is also critical. Greater local and regional autonomy over how food is produced, processed and distributed would help with this. These strategies would make Canada less vulnerable to supply chain disruption.

    Countries like Sweden recognize these efforts as part of national defence — an approach Canada should consider.

    But while we fight annexation from the kitchen table, we must recognize it doesn’t start there; it starts at a higher level. Only better policy, infrastructure and systemic change can prepare Canada to be more proactive and resilient in the face of world crises — economic or otherwise.

    Karen Foster receives research funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) as well as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). She is the director of the SSHRC/AAFC-funded Common Ground Canada Network.

    Alicia Martin is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the SSHRC/AAFC-funded Common Ground Canada Network.

    Gavin Fridell receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) of Canada. He is a member of the Trade and Investment Research Project at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

    Kathleen Kevany receives funding from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, for the Food Impact Network research and knowledge mobilization for the handbook of sustainable diets; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for food waste prevention work, and Mitacs for internships on food procurement and food environment analysis.

    I am advised to Farm to Cafeteria Canada (F2CC) an NGO.

    – ref. Why Canada must treat its food system as a matter of national defence – https://theconversation.com/why-canada-must-treat-its-food-system-as-a-matter-of-national-defence-251118

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Crowns Support Local Steel Jobs

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 18, 2025

    The province’s Crown corporations are buying Saskatchewan steel to support local jobs, with thousands of pounds of steel and more than a hundred kilometres of pipe recently procured from EVRAZ Steel. 

    “The Government of Saskatchewan will always stand up for Saskatchewan’s interests, focusing on pragmatic and sensible solutions, while protecting our jobs, economy and residents,” Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “By prioritizing the purchasing of local steel for SaskPower and SaskEnergy infrastructure projects, we are helping to keep over 400 hardworking Saskatchewan people on the job right here in Regina.”

    SaskPower has negotiated a purchase of up to 10,000 tons of steel from EVRAZ, or the equivalent of three-years’ worth of steel for the Crown, which is used for the construction of transmission structures and other infrastructure that is critical to maintain Saskatchewan’s power grid.

    “EVRAZ Canada has been a proud part of Saskatchewan’s economy for nearly 70 years,” EVRAZ Canada Senior Vice President Don Hunter said. “The commitment we are seeing today from the provincial government is a strong signal that the Government of Saskatchewan recognizes the importance of domestic steel manufacturing—not only for EVRAZ’s workers who depend on it but for the broader economy that benefits from a strong and resilient supply chain.”

    Collaboration between SaskPower and EVRAZ, along with steel structure fabricators, Brandt and JNE Welding, will result in a made-in-Saskatchewan solution that will support the provincial economy while ensuring reliable power for residents and businesses. 

    “The United Steelworkers have been at the forefront of fighting for our jobs and for our industry,” USW Local 5890 President Mike Day said. “When hearing of commitments like this from the Saskatchewan government, it eases some of the uncertainty our members have been facing. 

    “Commitments and investments just like these – to buy Canadian – from all forms of government is what the USW has, and will, continue to advocate for in all Canadian infrastructure projects.”

    Currently, EVRAZ is working on an order from SaskEnergy which purchased 125 kilometres of steel pipe through Gateway Tubulars LTD. for the Aspen Power Station project, a new 370-megawatt natural gas power plant near Lanigan. SaskEnergy has procured $79 million from EVRAZ directly or through supplier agreements since 2019.

    In the first three quarters of 2024-25, the Crown sector awarded $1.2 billion to Saskatchewan suppliers, including $92 million to Indigenous companies. The sector is actively engaging industry groups to improve the capacity and competitiveness of local businesses.

    -30-

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Media Advisory: Infrastructure Announcement in Thunder Bay

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Thunder Bay, Ontario, March 18, 2025 — Members of the media are invited to an infrastructure announcement with the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services; Ashley LaRose, Chief Executive Officer of Science North, and James Lundrigan, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Science North.

    Date:
    Wednesday, March 19, 2025

    Time:
    12:30 p.m.

    Location:
    The Chanterelle On Park, lounge
    206 Park Avenue
    Thunder Bay, ON P7B 2T2

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan’s Building Construction and Housing Starts Lead the Nation

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on March 18, 2025

    Province Ranks First in Building Construction and Second in Housing Starts in Year-Over-Year Growth

    The latest Statistics Canada numbers show an increase of 27.2 per cent in January 2025 compared to January 2024 for the building construction investment in the province. Housing starts for Saskatchewan increased by 115.7 per cent from February 2024 to February 2025. 

    “These two key indicators are reflective of the overall strength of our provincial economy and today’s numbers show continued positive growth,” Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said. “These numbers translate into more jobs, investment and new projects throughout our communities, which brings added opportunity to everyone who calls Saskatchewan home.”

    In February 2025, housing starts on single family dwellings increased by 80.8 per cent and multiple units increased by 127.6 per cent, compared to February 2024. In the first two months of 2025, urban housing starts in Saskatchewan increased by 51.5 per cent, compared to the same period in 2024. Saskatchewan ranked second among the provinces in percentage change.

    Investment in building construction is calculated based on the total spending value on building construction within the province. Housing starts refers to the number of housing projects that started that month.

    Statistics Canada’s latest GDP numbers indicate that Saskatchewan’s 2023 real GDP reached an all-time high of $77.9 billion, increasing by $1.77 billion, or 2.3 per cent from 2022. This places Saskatchewan second in the nation for real GDP growth and above the national average of 1.6 per cent.

    Private capital investment in Saskatchewan increased last year by 17.3 per cent to $14.7 billion, ranking first among provinces. Private capital investment is projected to reach $16.2 billion in 2025, an increase of 10.1 per cent over 2024. This is the second highest anticipated percentage increase among the provinces.

    Last year, the Government of Saskatchewan unveiled its new Securing the Next Decade of Growth – Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy. This strategy, combined with Saskatchewan’s trade and investment website, InvestSK.ca, contains helpful information for potential markets and solidifies the province as the best place to do business in Canada. 

    For more information visit: InvestSK.ca.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union Discusses Impacts on Aerospace Workers Amidst Tariff Uncertainty

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    The IAM Union is closely monitoring the impacts of ever-changing tariff policy on all IAM members, including aerospace workers who rely on heavily integrated supply chains, especially between the United States and Canada.

    IAM International Affairs Director Peter Greenberg was recently featured on an expert panel webinar hosted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).

    Greenberg noted that the IAM represents more than 100,000 aerospace workers in both the U.S. and Canada. Aircraft and their components are often manufactured and shipped across the border several times for assembly by highly-skilled IAM members. A tariff war between the two nations puts that relationship at risk.

    WATCH: The Tariff Landscape — What We Know Now

    “The supply chains in North America have become so integrated in aerospace that it would be very difficult for manufacturers to move to solely U.S.-based suppliers, or solely Canadian suppliers,” he said. “There is a deep well of aerospace skills, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, that allow companies to take advantage of economies of scale. The complexity of this supply chain is really hard to overstate.”

    Safety could also come under the spotlight, Greenberg added.

    “The supply chain and the established certification procedures that result in a safe aviation operating environment can’t just be replicated,” he said. “Replacing existing pieces of the supply chain from scratch would be time-consuming and expensive and probably also have a negative safety impact.”

    The IAM Union has consistently called for the strategic use of tariffs against bad actors, like China, that ignore trade rules and labor standards.

    “Canada is not an adversary—it is one of our closest allies and largest trading partners,” IAM International President Brian Bryant and Canadian General Vice President David Chartrand recently said. “IAM members demand a trade strategy that puts workers first, fosters long-term economic growth, and strengthens our manufacturing base on both sides of the border.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can a virtual reality residential school, developed with Survivors, improve empathy toward Indigenous people?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Iloradanon H. Efimoff, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University

    Virtual reality is a rapidly developing technology. As the technology expands, becoming more portable and affordable, the potential uses have expanded as well.

    One virtual reality creator calls virtual reality the “ultimate empathy machine.” Promising research shows that virtual reality can improve empathy toward groups such as people experiencing schizophrenia,
    children who are refugees and people who are unhoused.

    Working with an interdisciplinary research team, we put this statement to the test within the context of residential schools in Canada.

    Effective teaching about residential schools

    Residential schools were state-funded, church-run institutions that amounted to genocide. Teachers and other adults at these schools abused the children physically, emotionally and sexually.

    Knowledge of residential schools in Canada is relatively high. Recent national polls show that in 2022, 65 per cent of non-Indigenous respondents had read or heard about residential schools. This number increased to 90 per cent in 2023. This type of awareness, however, does not necessarily reflect a deep knowledge of residential schools.

    Given the apparent rise in residential school denialism and decreasing support for reconciliation initiatives, it is vital to find effective ways to teach about residential schools.

    Work with Survivors on virtual project

    Members of our interdisciplinary research team created a virtual rendering of Fort Alexander Residential School,
    working closely with a group of Survivors from that school. The school operated from 1905-1970 in Manitoba, near Winnipeg, and was run by the Roman Catholic Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

    The virtual rendering took years to develop, with critical relationships forming along the way. Members of this same team, and some new members, then tested the effects of the school.

    Overall, researchers with a range of approaches participated, including those who work in the areas of psychology, sociology, and computer science, or who are concerned with representation of war and genocide.

    One concern of those involved in the project was how participants would engage in the virtual school. In particular, we didn’t want the virtual school to be “gamified” (used like a video game). To this end, the virtual reality school is “on-the-tracks,” meaning viewers move through the school on a set path.

    This set path included visiting a classroom, a dormitory and a cellar, among other spaces that the Survivors described. The school was designed such that the viewers would feel physically small in the space — as if they were the size of a child. While moving through the various rooms in the school, viewers listened to recordings of Survivors’ stories of their experiences at the school.

    Would VR experience improve empathy?

    To test if a virtual reality residential school could improve empathy toward Indigenous people, we ran an experiment, as researchers do when they want to compare the impact of different experiences.

    All experiments include a group of people who receive some sort of intervention, such as our virtual reality school. In the simplest approach, researchers can compare the effects of the intervention group to an “empty control group,” which includes people who receive no intervention and often just respond to questions assessing key outcomes. Through comparisons like this, researchers can understand the effect of the intervention compared to doing nothing.

    We used a slightly more rigorous design by adding a third group who simply read the transcripts of the narration that accompanied the virtual school. This allowed us to test if the virtual reality school outperformed the transcripts, which were a different method of learning about residential schools.

    Powerful Survivor stories

    We tested how the virtual school, transcript and control groups affected four outcomes: empathy, warmth and political solidarity toward Indigenous people as well as perceptions that past events still cause suffering today — what we and often legal scholars call “privity.” We looked at the effects right after the experiment and then again weeks later.

    As we thought, compared to the control group, people who received either the transcript or virtual reality intervention responded more favourably toward Indigenous people; they reported more empathy, warmth, political solidarity and privity.

    But a surprising thing happened too: People in the transcript and virtual reality groups responded in the same way. Though we cannot be sure why, we suspect these two groups did not differ because the Survivors’ stories are powerful.

    Finally, over time, the differences among groups disappeared. The changes caused by reading a transcript or experiencing the virtual world went away.

    Need for ongoing education

    Our findings imply that a meaningful story does not require sophisticated technology like virtual reality to have impact. In cases where the story is captivating, the technology might not be necessary to engage people.

    Though trendy, virtual reality equipment is also more expensive and not as portable as written work. Of course, virtual reality might be just the right fit for audiences that would rather not or can’t read. It might also be a novel hook to get someone to engage with a topic they may otherwise avoid.

    Perhaps more clearly, our disappointing finding that the interventions did not last over time highlights the need for ongoing education about residential schools. A single learning opportunity is unlikely to cause long-lasting change in feelings and attitudes toward Indigenous people. There is more work to do.

    Katherine B. Starzyk holds funding from the Social Science and Humanities Council of Canada as well as Canadian Heritage / Patrimoine canadien. She is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Manitoba.

    Iloradanon H. Efimoff does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Can a virtual reality residential school, developed with Survivors, improve empathy toward Indigenous people? – https://theconversation.com/can-a-virtual-reality-residential-school-developed-with-survivors-improve-empathy-toward-indigenous-people-249996

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Combatting the measles threat means examining the reasons for declining vaccination rates

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Catherine Carstairs, Professor, Department of History, University of Guelph

    To address anti-vaccine sentiment, we need to listen to parents’ concerns and make it easy for them to get their children vaccinated. (Shutterstock)

    Measles was supposedly eradicated in Canada more than a quarter century ago. But today, measles is surging.

    Public Health Ontario recently announced that there have been 195 cases in the province in the past two weeks and 372 cases since autumn 2024. Many cases have required hospitalization. Last year, a child died.

    The cause of this resurgence is declining vaccination rates.

    Measles is extremely infectious. One person with the measles is likely to infect nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts. To prevent its spread, we need 95 per cent of the population to be vaccinated.

    Anti-vaccine sentiments

    Our research examines why parents have hesitated or refused to vaccinate their children. Anti-vaccine sentiment is often linked to a now thoroughly discredited 1998 study that suggested a link between the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine and autism.

    But our research on the anti-vaccine movement in Canada from the 1970s to the early 2000s suggests that parents’ concerns about vaccines started much earlier than that study, and that parents worry about far more than autism.

    To address anti-vaccine sentiment, we need to listen to parents’ concerns and make it easy for them to get their children vaccinated. We also need to persuade them of the benefits of vaccination, not just for their own children, but for their family members, friends and fellow citizens.

    The anti-vaccine literature is not anti-science. It is filled with statistics and references to scientific studies, although the facts are often wrong. Parents who read this literature need more than the simple reassurance of experts that vaccines are safe and effective. They need to be shown evidence and have confidence that their concerns are being taken seriously.

    One argument that appeared frequently in the anti-vaccine literature is that rates of infectious disease had fallen before the introduction of vaccines.

    While mortality from infectious diseases declined well before vaccination, vaccines played a vital role in further diminishing the toll of infectious disease. Diphtheria is largely unknown today, but before the introduction of widespread vaccination in the years between the First and Second World Wars, it killed hundreds of Canadian children every year.

    Another common argument was that vaccines are ineffective. This argument was often used with respect to the measles vaccine. Because some people are inadequately vaccinated (receiving only one shot for example, instead of two), and because the vaccine is not perfect, there will be some cases of measles even in vaccinated people. Fortunately, these people tend to have milder cases.

    Anti-vaccine texts frequently contain long lists of scary-sounding ingredients in vaccines, similar to what we see for highly processed foods. Thimerosal (ethyl mercury used as a preservative) attracted the most attention. Thimerosal is no longer used in childhood vaccines in Canada.

    The anti-vaccine literature is deeply skeptical about the profit-making motivations of pharmaceutical companies and often mentions past disasters such as the thalidomide scandal that saw thousands of children born with shortened limbs.

    While this is not the only example of inadequate safety testing of new drugs, it is clear that the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, used since the early 1970s, has a long safety record and has played a vital role in reducing deaths and illness from the measles in Canada and abroad.

    Anti-vaccine literature also stressed that there were natural ways of building immunity that could take the place of vaccination. We see this today with claims by United States Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

    Kennedy claims that poor eating habits are behind the spread of measles in the U.S. This is extremely dangerous. Even the healthiest, best-fed child can get extremely sick with the measles. Not all parents can afford nutritious food. And some children can’t be vaccinated because of medical conditions, leaving them extremely vulnerable.

    Tragedies of the past

    Anti-vaccine parents see vaccines as one of the dangers of our modern, polluted world, and worry that vaccines might have risks that have not yet been recognized. While there are risks with any medical technology, the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the possible dangers.

    A century ago, parents mourned the gruesome deaths of children with diphtheria, which caused a membrane to form across the child’s throat, slowly strangling them to death.

    Mortality from the measles declined in the first half of the 20th century, but in 1945, there was still one measles death for every 100,000 people in Ontario.

    Parents today have little memory of these tragedies, but sadly, they could return. Indeed, a powerful article recently published in the Atlantic Monthly profiled a father who had just lost his six-year-old child to the measles.

    Along with scholars like sociologist Jennifer Reich, who has studied contemporary anti-vaccine parents, we see anti-vaccination sentiment as part of a larger societal trend towards individualism. Parents think about what’s best for their own child, rather than thinking about what’s best for their community.

    At a time when Canadians are bonding together to fight the tariff threat from the U.S., it would be wonderful if we could also come together to fight the scourge of infectious diseases, including measles. The best way to do this is vaccination.

    Catherine Carstairs received funding from AMS Healthcare for this project.

    Kathryn Hughes receives funding from AMS Healthcare for this project.

    – ref. Combatting the measles threat means examining the reasons for declining vaccination rates – https://theconversation.com/combatting-the-measles-threat-means-examining-the-reasons-for-declining-vaccination-rates-252168

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson makes 11 recommendations after reviewing how the Canada Revenue Agency administers the Canada child benefit for temporary residents

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    OTTAWA, March 18, 2025 – Today, the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson, Mr. François Boileau, released Timing Is Everything, the report on our Office’s examination into issues that could prevent some temporary residents from receiving the Canada child benefit (CCB) in a timely manner.

    In March 2024, the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson announced that our Office was opening a systemic examination into this situation. During this examination, one of the main issues we found was that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) stops paying the CCB after a temporary resident’s status has expired in its system, even if they may still be eligible for the benefit. This can happen because the onus is on the taxpayer to send the CRA proof of their updated status, but it generally takes the CRA 14 weeks or more to process updated temporary resident status information. As a result, temporary residents will not receive CCB payments while they wait for the CRA to process this information.

    Many temporary residents rely on the CCB to make ends meet. Although the CRA will send payments to the temporary resident retroactively once it has updated their immigration status, the temporary resident still has to pay their bills in the meantime. While waiting weeks for the CRA to update their file, single parents still have to feed their children and families still have to pay rent. This can be very difficult or impossible without the CCB.

    To more fully understand the factors surrounding the issue, we looked into how the CRA informs temporary residents about the eligibility criteria to continue receiving the CCB without interruption. We also looked at whether the CRA communicates with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and if they could streamline the process to prove eligibility.

    To continue receiving the CCB, temporary residents must have legal status in Canada, including maintained status. They have maintained status if, before their permit expires, they have applied to IRCC for an extension for their permit and are waiting for IRCC to make a decision. While on maintained status, eligible temporary residents are still entitled to receive the CCB.

    However, we found that the CRA does not notify temporary residents before it stops paying them the CCB. And as mentioned above, the CRA stops paying the CCB after the temporary resident’s status expires in its system, even if they have legal status. Although it is the taxpayer’s responsibility to notify the CRA of updates to their immigration status, this is problematic because they may not know that they need to send updated information to the CRA until they try to find out why their benefit payments have stopped. With the CRA’s long processing times compounding this issue, temporary residents could wait more than four months for their CCB payments to start again.

    This issue partly exists because the CRA processes the updated information manually. Additionally, the CRA does not have an information-sharing agreement with IRCC to validate temporary resident status information and help it determine eligibility for the CCB.

    As a result of this examination, the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson has made 11 recommendations to improve the service the CRA provides to temporary residents. The CRA should:

    • remind taxpayers whose immigration status is about to expire that they must provide proof of any update to their legal status to make sure their benefits are not interrupted.
    • give taxpayers a way to check the expiry date of their immigration status in their online CRA account.
    • see if it can make information that requires action more prominent on the initial notices it sends to temporary residents.
    • provide information online at the “Keep getting your payments” web page for temporary residents about:
      • what they need to do to prevent their payments from stopping; and
      • what they can do to get their payments reinstated if they are stopped.
    • centralize the information it provides to newcomers and include information targeted at temporary residents.
    • communicate directly and in a timely manner with temporary residents who may be eligible for the CCB.
    • allow taxpayers to track CCB correspondence through its progress tracker.
    • inform taxpayers through its CRA’s Check Processing Time tool of how long it will take to process CCB correspondence.
    • improve how it processes immigration status updates for CCB recipients when there is a gap period and the new permit does not reflect that their status was maintained, explaining why they will not get payments for the gap period and who they should contact if they had maintained status for the whole period.
    • review the length of time it considers someone to be a newcomer after their arrival in Canada.
    • implement an information-sharing agreement with IRCC to get immigration information and continue collaborating with IRCC to work towards an automated solution to get real-time data.

    Background information

    The Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson works independently from the CRA. Canadians can submit complaints to the Office if they feel they are not receiving the appropriate service from the CRA. Our main objective is to improve the service the CRA provides to taxpayers and benefit recipients by reviewing individual service complaints and service issues that affect more than one person or a segment of the population.

    The Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson assists, advises and informs the Minister of National Revenue about matters relating to services provided by the CRA. The Ombudsperson ensures, in particular, that the CRA respects eight of the service rights outlined in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canadians are more patriotic than ever amid Trump’s trade war — but it’s important not to take national pride too far

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Susan Dieleman, Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership and Associate Professor of Philosophy, University of Lethbridge

    Amid a trade war between Canada and the United States, there’s been a surge in Canadian patriotism over the past few weeks.

    A recent poll shows that, across the country, the number of Canadians who consider themselves “proud” or “very proud” has increased — including in Québec, where these numbers have increased from 45 to 58 per cent.



    Read more:
    Is Trump’s assault on Canada bringing Québec and the rest of the country closer together?

    Canadians have been showing their national pride in a variety of ways. Sports fans have been singing “O Canada” at the top of their lungs and booing the U.S. national anthem. Consumers have adjusted their purchasing priorities, buying more Canadian products and avoiding American ones where possible. Vacationers have even changed their travel plans, opting to stay in Canada rather than travel south of the border.

    Political leaders, too, have practically draped themselves in the Canadian flag to show their national pride. For example, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been dubbed “Captain Canada” by the media for his response to the tariffs. Federal and provincial leaders have also adopted a so-called “Team Canada” approach — committing to presenting a united front in their response to tariff threats from the U.S.

    Former political leaders have penned opinion pieces proclaiming Canada to be the best country in the world — or, at least, a once-serious and proud country.

    But what does it mean to be patriotic — and are there good and bad ways of being patriotic? As an expert in the political thought of American philosopher Richard Rorty, I have found his reflections provide useful guidance for understanding the line between being a good patriot — and either taking things too far or not far enough.

    The virtuous response

    Rorty’s prophetic claims in his 1998 book Achieving Our Country: Leftist Thought in Twentieth-Century America about the likelihood that a “strongman” would be elected went viral after Donald Trump’s 2016 election. His insights can help us understand patriotism and why it might be important in the present moment.

    Rorty opens that book by providing an analogy:

    “National pride is to countries what self-respect is to individuals: a necessary condition for self-improvement. Too much national pride can produce bellicosity and imperialism, just as excessive self-respect can produce arrogance. But just as too little self-respect makes it difficult for a person to display moral courage, so insufficient national pride makes energetic and effective debate about national policy unlikely. Emotional involvement with one’s country […] is necessary if political deliberation is to be imaginative and productive. Such deliberation will probably not occur unless pride outweighs shame.”

    In this passage, Rorty invokes Aristotle’s notion of a “golden mean” — moderation between the excessive and deficient expression of a particular disposition. Very roughly put, to be virtuous is to feel and respond appropriately to any given situation. To exceed or fall short of the appropriate feeling and response is to be vicious.

    For example, to be courageous is to fear appropriately and to respond to that fear appropriately. The courageous person is not a person without fear. Rather, they fear what’s worthy of fear and don’t fear that which isn’t.

    The courageous person also responds appropriately to fear. What this response looks like will vary according to situation. Sometimes, courage calls one to stand and fight — while at other times, it calls one to turn and run. An inappropriate response is when one is reckless because they’re overly unafraid — or when one is cowardly because they’re overly afraid. As the wise fool character of Falstaff notes in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, the better part of valour is discretion.

    Virtuous patriotism

    Applying the same approach, we can understand patriotism as feeling and responding appropriately in a situation that calls for national shame. The person who takes pride in their country is not a person who never feels shame. Rather, they’re ashamed when something their country has done is worthy of shame — and not ashamed when there’s no reason to be.

    As a result, patriotism sometimes calls one to criticize their country. At other times, patriotism calls us to celebrate our country. The person who exhibits patriotism virtuously will know when criticism and celebration are appropriate. To respond inappropriately, according to Rorty, is to be either quarrelsome and imperialistic when one is overly unashamed, or to be apathetic and uninvolved when one is overly ashamed.

    Pride in one’s country is only a virtue when it’s well-deserved. But when it is well-deserved, pride is the virtuous response.

    In Achieving Our Country, Rorty was primarily concerned with the fracturing and consequent direction of the political left, worrying that it was veering off the virtuous track in the direction of vicious apathy. The political left, he said, emphasized the ways their country fell short — and of which they were rightly ashamed. But they didn’t look at the way the country had lived up to its promise, which should have made them proud.

    However, as I’ve written about previously, the political left wasn’t wrong to identify those aspects of a country’s history that are indeed shameful. And for Rorty, the left has played a vital role throughout history in helping countries become kinder, less shameful places than they otherwise might have been.

    In the current political climate, Rorty’s lesson for us is to make sure we don’t veer too far in the opposite direction, becoming quarrelsome or imperialistic. What true patriot love calls for is a more moderate stance — where we’re shameful of that which is worthy of shame, but also proud of that which is worthy of pride. Without a balance of shame and pride, efforts to continue improving what we stand on guard for is likely to falter and fall.

    As we Canadians wave our flags and support our Canadian producers, we would be well-served to remember the value of imaginative and productive deliberation — and to steer well clear of both bellicosity and apathy.

    Susan Dieleman receives funding as the Jarislowsky Chair in Trust and Political Leadership at the University of Lethbridge.

    – ref. Canadians are more patriotic than ever amid Trump’s trade war — but it’s important not to take national pride too far – https://theconversation.com/canadians-are-more-patriotic-than-ever-amid-trumps-trade-war-but-its-important-not-to-take-national-pride-too-far-250210

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada investing $60 million in Boucherville biomanufacturing project

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    March 18, 2025 – Boucherville, Quebec 

    The Government of Canada is committed to strengthening Canada’s domestic biomanufacturing ecosystem, boosting the economy while creating and maintaining well-paying jobs and better positioning us to respond to future health needs.

    Today, Sherry Romanado, Member of Parliament for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne and Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, on behalf of the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced a $60 million contribution through the Strategic Innovation Fund to Delpharm Boucherville Canada Inc. This investment will support Delpharm’s $220 million project to modernize and expand its facility in Boucherville, Quebec, increasing its capacity to manufacture sterile injectables, many of which are essential medicines used on a daily basis by Canadians and in our hospitals. This investment will also enable Delpharm to maintain 450 jobs and hire students for 150 co-op terms.

    Through this project, Delpharm will add 28,000 square feet to its Boucherville facility and install new state-of-the-art equipment. This will double production capacity to approximately 130 million units per year. This expansion will significantly enhance Canada’s ability to produce essential sterile injectables for domestic use and the export market.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Helping close to 30,000 Canadian workers pursue the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    March 18, 2025                   Gatineau, Quebec                   Employment and Social Development Canada

    The race to decarbonization is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create good-paying jobs, grow our economy and lower harmful emissions. By investing in union training programs and giving tradespeople the green skills required to meet this moment, we are ensuring that Canadian workers play an active role in that race and assume an outsized position in the jobs and opportunities it promises to bring.

    Today, the Minister of Jobs and Families Steven MacKinnon announced more than $67 million across 10 projects to help equip approximately 29,300 tradespeople with high-demand skills as industries shift to greener, low-carbon alternatives. This funding will run from 2025 to 2030.

    These projects, funded by the Sustainable Jobs funding stream of the Union Training and Innovation Program under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy, complement the investment in the Sustainable Jobs Training Fund that helps thousands of workers to upgrade or gain the new skills required for a green economy.

    This funding is part of the Government’s response to the skilled trades workforce’s most pressing needs, including addressing barriers to successful entry, supporting progression and completion of apprenticeships, addressing the housing crisis, and increasing net-zero construction to unlock Canada’s economic potential.

    Today’s announcement is another step the Government is taking to grow Canada’s economy and create well-paying sustainable jobs for generations to come.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Backgrounder: Sustainable Jobs Stream

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy

    The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy (CAS) aims to support a trades workforce that is skilled, inclusive, certified and productive. The CAS funds projects that aim to:

    • promote the skilled trades as a good career option;
    • develop initiatives that help Canadians explore, prepare for, participate and succeed in apprenticeship;
    • facilitate the participation of employers and unions in apprenticeship; and
    • encourage innovative tools and approaches to better prepare pre-apprentices, apprentices and journeypersons for the jobs of tomorrow.


    CAS Union Training and Innovation Program Sustainable Jobs Stream

    The Sustainable Jobs Stream aims to support projects that will develop and deliver green training for journeypersons and apprentices in Red Seal trades that are key to reducing Canada’s emissions. It supports the Government’s Sustainable Jobs Plan.

    Eligible organizations include:

    • organizations that are located and operate in Canada (except in Quebec);
    • unions representing workers in the Red Seal trades; and
    • organizations managing training trust funds for unions representing workers in the Red Seal trades.

    The following organizations are also eligible, if they have a partnership with a union representing workers in the Red Seal trade:

    • not-for-profit organizations;
    • for-profit organizations;
    • provincial, territorial and municipal governments, agencies, institutions and Crown corporations; and
    • Indigenous organizations.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Twillingate — Twillingate RCMP investigates break, enter and attempted theft at Dearing’s Automotive in Fairbank

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Twillingate RCMP is investigating a commercial break, enter and attempted theft of an ATM machine that occurred on March 14, 2025, at Dearing’s Automotive in Fairbank.

    Shortly after 5:00 a.m. on Friday, Twillingate RCMP received a report of a break and enter in progress at the business. Video surveillance captured a masked suspect on the property who arrived in a pickup truck. The suspect used the truck to smash the front entrance of the building and attempted to steal an ATM from inside the business by towing it with the vehicle. The attempt was unsuccessful. The suspect then fled the scene in the vehicle.

    A short time later, police received a report of a truck on fire in Summerford, matching the description of the vehicle used in the break and enter.

    The abandoned truck, a 2010 black GMC Sierra, was extinguished by firefighters and confirmed as being involved in the break and enter.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Twillingate RCMP is seeking assistance from the public in identifying the suspect. Anyone having information about this crime is asked to call Twillingate RCMP at (709) 884-2811. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Sandoz signs landmark supply and manufacturing agreement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Sandoz signs 10-year agreement with partner Delpharm, a global pharmaceutical developer and contract manufacturer
    • Agreement will secure a reliable supply of affordable, quality sterile injectables made in Canada
    • With this decision, Sandoz solidifies its position as the #1 supplier of sterile injectables to Canadian hospitals

    BOUCHERVILLE, Quebec, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sandoz Canada, the leader in generic and biosimilar medicines in Canada, has signed a 10-year, long-term supply agreement with its partner Delpharm, a global pharmaceutical developer and contract manufacturer. This partnership, along with financial backing from the Government of Canada, will allow Delpharm to carry out its modernization plan for its Boucherville plant.

    Michel Robidoux, President and General Manager of Sandoz Canada, said: “Almost every minor or major surgery in the country is performed with at least one Sandoz medicine that is manufactured in Boucherville. This is how we are continuing our Purpose of pioneering access for Canadian patients.”

    After Delpharm bought the Boucherville plant in 2022, Sandoz signed an exclusive partnership with the company to maintain its supply of sterile injectables for Canadian hospitals.

    The Boucherville plant is considered to be essential to the Canadian hospital network as it produces an essential range of molecules used in various surgical procedures and intensive care units. In addition, the site is responsible for producing 20 of Canada’s top 100 molecules, and has the country’s largest manufacturing capacity for injectable narcotics.

    The project mainly involves renewing and refurbishing production equipment and the laboratory to create a state-of-the-art plant. Over the next few years, the plan will be carried out in several phases so as not to compromise supply. This modernization will not only ensure continuity in meeting the highest quality standards, but also maintain cutting-edge local production of sterile injectables commercialized by Sandoz Canada.

    Disclaimer
    This Media Release contains forward-looking statements, which offer no guarantee with regard to future performance. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance at the time the statements are made. They are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not confined to, future global economic conditions, exchange rates, legal provisions, market conditions, activities by competitors and other factors outside of the control of Sandoz. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecasted or expected. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and Sandoz undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

    About Sandoz Canada
    As a Canadian leader in off-patent medicines, Sandoz Canada has a product portfolio that includes over 700 generics and biosimilars spanning multiple therapeutic areas, such as anti-infective, cardiovascular, central nervous system, immunology and oncology. In 2024, 56 million Sandoz prescriptions were issued in Canada (source: IQVIA Compuscript TRx). Sandoz Canada employs 300 people across the country and at its head office in Boucherville, Quebec. It is a trusted partner for pharmacists, physicians and hospitals for quality medicine and outstanding customer service and is committed to ensuring a reliable supply. For more information about Sandoz Canada, visit www.sandoz.ca.

    About Sandoz AG
    Sandoz (SIX: SDZ; OTCQX: SDZNY) is the global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, with a growth strategy driven by its Purpose: Pioneering access for patients. 20,000 people of more than 100 nationalities work together to bring Sandoz medicines to some 800 million patients worldwide, generating substantial global healthcare savings and an even larger social impact. Its leading portfolio of more than 1,500 products addresses diseases from common colds to cancer. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Sandoz traces its heritage back to the year 1886. Its history of breakthroughs includes Calcium Sandoz in 1929, the world’s first oral penicillin in 1951, and the world’s first biosimilar in 2006. In 2022, Sandoz sales achieved USD 9.6 billion.

    Media relations contact    
    Sophie Levasseur
    Manager, Corporate Communications
    sophie-1.levasseur@sandoz.com
    (+1) 263-788-3835    		    
    Follow Sandoz on social media  
    LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/sandozcanada

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/46860583-a539-4025-a530-29a72250b652

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Brière to announce a significant milestone for the Sherbrooke Armouries

    Source: Government of Canada News

    March 18 , 2025 – Sherbrooke, Quebec – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    The Honourable Élisabeth Brière, Minister of Veteran Affairs, Minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency and Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke, on behalf of the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, will announce  a significant step in the recapitalization project of the Sherbrooke armouries. She will be joined by The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Member of Parliament for Compton-Stanstead.

    Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025
    Time: 4:00 PM (EST)
    Location: 1900, Galt Street West,
                       Room 334, entrance through Door 2
                       Sherbrooke QC J1K 1H8
    Details: Participation in this media availability is for accredited media only.

    Notes to editor / news director: 

    Media interested in attending the event are asked to contact National Defence’s media relations office at mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca to confirm their attendance.  

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Search and Rescue stations across Ontario open for 2025 recreational boating season

    Source: Government of Canada News

    March 18, 2025

    Sarnia, Ontario – The Canadian Coast Guard’s seasonal search and rescue stations across the Great Lakes will open on the following dates:

    • March 21: Amherstburg, Kingston, Port Dover, Port Weller
    • March 28: Cobourg
    • April 4: Goderich, Meaford, Tobermory
    • April 11: Thunder Bay

    Waterways remain very cold at this time of year and take much longer to warm up when compared to the air, so boaters should ensure they take necessary precautions when near or on waterways. Transport Canada’s Safe Boating Guide is an excellent source of information in preparation for the recreational boating season.

    Emergencies on the water can be reported 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, toll-free (within Canada) at 1-800-267-7270. If toll-free service is unavailable, please dial 613-965-3870.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tanner Settlement — Lunenburg District RCMP investigating suspected arson in Tanner Settlement

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Lunenburg District RCMP is investigating a suspected arson after a structure fire in Tanner Settlement.

    On March 17, at approximately 2:10 am, Lunenburg District RCMP and fire services responded to a report of a fire at a home on Tanner Settlement Rd. Upon arrival, the residence was fully engulfed in flames.

    The fire was extinguished, but the home sustained extensive damage. No one was at the residence at the time of the fire.

    Initial investigation indicates the fire was intentionally set.

    The investigation is ongoing and is being led by the Lunenburg District RCMP with assistance from RCMP Forensic Identification Services and the Nova Scotia Fire Marshal’s Office.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact the Lunenburg District RCMP at 902-634-8674. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). A secure web tip can be submitted at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca or use the P3 Tips App.

    File #: 2025-345521

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Water cooperation is essential when countries share lakes and rivers – yet it’s been deteriorating in many places, with serious consequences

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Susanne Schmeier, Associate Professor of Water Law and Diplomacy, IHE Delft

    Lake Chad once provided adequate livelihoods for 20 million people in Africa, but it lost 90% of its surface area in 30 years. AP Photo/Christophe Ena

    Just over half the world’s population shares a river or lake basin with at least one other country. To sustainably manage those water resources for the health of people, ecosystems and economies, neighboring countries must work together.

    However, many countries have been less willing to cooperate in recent years, even to protect a resource as vital as freshwater.

    This trend away from multilateralism isn’t unique to water. The world is seeing a decline in the general willingness of countries to jointly solve many interstate, regional and global challenges. It shows as countries, like the U.S., pull out of the global institutions, such as the World Health Organization, and drop their support for global climate goals.

    The breakdown in cooperation can have severe consequences. If one country takes more water than agreed upon, and builds dams or pollutes the water, its neighbors and their people, cities, agriculture, energy production and wildlife can suffer. That can ultimately destabilize local communities, deteriorate relations between countries and endanger regional peace and stability.

    Water flowing into Africa’s Nile River affects several countries. A large dam being built by Ethiopia has led to concerns and disputes in the region.
    AP Photo/Amr Nabil

    We conduct research and work with governments and international organizations on environment and water law, policy and governance. The shift we’re seeing away from multilateral cooperation and rules-based order to more nationalistic tendencies, in which a country prioritizes itself to the detriment of all others, is raising concerns about the future.

    Thousands of years of water cooperation paid off

    More than 4,000 years ago, two Sumerian city-states – Lagash and Umma – were engaged in a fierce war over a strip of fertile land and a canal fed by the Tigris River in what today would be southern Iraq.

    The conflict ended in 2550 B.C. with the first known precursor to an international water treaty. The Mesilim Treaty included payments and agreements on collaborative water use. It didn’t hold the peace permanently, but it created a model that lasted.

    Conflict still occurs over shared waters; however, since the late 1800s, and particularly since the end of World War II, cooperation has been the dominant interaction between countries in the world’s 313 surface water basins, 468 transboundary aquifers and more than 300 transboundary wetlands.

    In Europe, for example, countries have worked together through treaties, data sharing and joint projects to improve water quality, including in the Rhine and Danube rivers.

    Nine countries work closely to protect the health of the Rhine River, which each depends on. In 2018, that cooperation became essential as water levels dropped to levels that interrupted ship travel.
    AP Photo/Martin Meissner

    Having cooperative processes in place also helps when disagreements arise. In Southeast Asia, negotiations and technical exchanges between countries that share the Mekong River have helped to ease tensions over the construction of dams in Laos.

    Unilateralism is rising

    Despite the proven benefits from cooperating over water resources, we’re seeing a troubling trend: Countries are increasingly taking actions that undermine water cooperation.

    Even in the Columbia River Basin, often considered a model of cross-border cooperation, the status of an updated treaty between the U.S. and Canada is in question after the Trump administration paused talks in March 2025.

    Since 1964, the U.S. has paid Canada to control the river’s flow to prevent flooding and to serve U.S. hydropower plants. The updated deal has been agreed to in principle, but is not signed. That’s raising questions about what will happen if the interim agreements expire in 2027 before the new treaty comes into force.

    Another example is in the Zambezi River Basin in southern Africa, where countries increasingly disregard agreements to notify one another before building projects that will affect the water flow. Similar behavior happens in the Nile and Aral Sea regions, among others.

    Ethiopia’s construction of a large hydroelectric damage on the Blue Nile has upset its downstream neighbors.

    As unilateral actions over shared water resources become more frequent, the willingness of governments to enter into agreements and establish joint institutions to guide that cooperation is declining. The rate of establishing multilateral agreements has significantly slowed since the 2010s. Only around 10 agreements have been signed since 2020, and only two joint institutions have been established. A large proportion of basins have no agreements or institutions at all.

    The few recent attempts to establish cooperative mechanisms have stalled or failed. The formal establishment of an organization to manage Lake Kivu and the Ruzizi River basin, shared by Congo, Rwanda and Burundi, was never formally ratified by its member countries. That left the once-promising organization a zombie.

    Even when institutions already exist, some governments are withdrawing from them. But moves made for short-term gain can have long-term repercussions.

    An example involves the Aral Sea, which has shrunk dramatically since the 1960s due to a combination of water demand for cotton crops and climate change drying the region.

    The International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, IFAS, was created in 1993 by five countries to support projects designed to ensure water use remains possible along its rivers. However, in 2016, Kyrgyzstan froze its membership, arguing that the organization wasn’t taking Kyrgyzstan’s national interests into account. Kyrgyzstan contributes about 25% of water flowing into the region. Its frozen participation limits IFAS’ effectiveness.

    The Aral Sea in Central Asia has been shrinking since the 1960s, but dramatically lost water each year over the past two decades. The top left image is from 2000.
    NASA

    Similarly, Egypt and Sudan froze their participation in the Nile Basin Initiative in 2010 over a cooperative agreement that they saw as violating their historical water rights – established in colonial 1929 and 1959 agreements – in favor of governance centered on “equitable water allocations.” While Sudan resumed participation in the Nile Basin Initiative in 2012, Egypt’s participation remains frozen.

    Erosion of multilateralism

    The changes we’re seeing with water agreements and institutions reflect a broader decline in countries’ willingness to address shared problems through multilateral cooperation — a trend that seems to be rapidly increasing.

    In the United States, the Trump administration is pursuing expansionist foreign policies and protectionist trade policies. The administration has also publicly wavered on the U.S. commitment to NATO and announced it was leaving the World Health Organization.

    Argentina also announced it would withdraw from the WHO. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States, which promotes economic and political cooperation in the region.

    The environment has been particularly affected by this trend. The U.S. move to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and the difficulty of reaching a global plastics treaty also reflect the growing difficulty in reaching cooperative solutions to benefit future generations.

    Harm to ecosystems, people and countries

    As climate change shrinks freshwater resources, and growing populations lead to overexploitation of water supplies, countries will increasingly need multilateral cooperation to avoid conflict.

    These agreements and institutions provide forums for communication and cooperation. Losing them can lead to less well-governed water resources, declining environmental, economic and health benefits, and increasing conflict.

    Lake Chad is a cautionary example. The Lake Chad Basin Commission was established in 1964 by Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria to oversee its water and other natural resources and coordinate projects related to the lake. But the countries never fully committed to cooperating.

    Since then, the lake has shrunk by around 90%, which has increased poverty by reducing people’s access to vital water resources to support their livelihoods. And that has created optimal conditions for terrorist group Boko Haram’s violent insurgency to succeed in recruiting young men who had limited livelihood options left.

    People collect water from a branch of Lake Chad in Ngouboua, Chad, which has been attacked by the terrorist group Boko Haram. People depend on the lake for water, but it has been shrinking.
    Philippe Desmazes/AFP via Getty Images

    We believe this decline in countries’ commitment to multilateral cooperation should be a wake-up call for everyone. If the world’s most precious resource is not managed cooperatively and sustainably across international boundaries, more than just water is at risk.

    Melissa McCracken has not received funding related to this article.

    Susanne Schmeier does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Water cooperation is essential when countries share lakes and rivers – yet it’s been deteriorating in many places, with serious consequences – https://theconversation.com/water-cooperation-is-essential-when-countries-share-lakes-and-rivers-yet-its-been-deteriorating-in-many-places-with-serious-consequences-251864

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Yukon offers letters of support for foreign nationals with work permits expiring in 2025

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Government of Yukon has extended an agreement with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to facilitate the issuance of work permits to prospective applicants of the Yukon Nominee Program (YNP). Foreign nationals who were living and working in the Yukon on May 16, 2024, with work permits that have expired since January 1, 2025, or that are set to expire before December 31, 2025, will be eligible to apply for a new Yukon-specific work permit. This permit will be valid for up to two years.

    This temporary measure specifically applies to foreign nationals who are currently established in the Yukon. Their employer must plan to nominate them for permanent residency through the YNP in 2025 or 2026. If eligible, the foreign national will receive a letter of support from the Government of Yukon to accompany their work permit application to IRCC.

    The intake period to request a temporary measure letter of support will open on March 19, 2025, at 9 am Yukon Standard Time. Foreign nationals must submit their request by April 2, 2025, at 4:30 pm Yukon Standard Time. To prepare, foreign nationals can find information about what they will need to submit on the webpage: Request support as a potential nominee. The form to submit requests will be available on this page when the intake opens.

    In January 2025, IRCC informed the Yukon of a 50 per cent reduction in nominee program allocations for the year. In consideration of the Government of Canada’s priority to stabilize immigration levels across the country, lower allocation limits are expected to continue. This means fewer foreign nationals will be able to pursue participation in the YNP as a pathway to permanent residence each year. The department encourages anyone with an expiring work permit in 2025, and who intends to pursue candidacy for the YNP, to consider submitting a request. Extending this measure to people with work permits expiring in 2025 gives individuals and their employers time to apply in 2025 or 2026.

    The Department of Economic Development is finalizing the approach for YNP intake for 2025. This work has been done in conversation with industry organizations. Updates will be made in consideration of feedback and how the program can better meet participant and labour market needs. Information on the 2025 process will be announced in the coming weeks.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Premier Pillai on the International Day to combat Islamophobia

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:  

    “Tomorrow, on the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, the Government of Yukon will stand in solidarity with the Yukon’s Muslim community in the fight against hate, discrimination and intolerance.

    “Our government believes strongly in building a Yukon where everyone feels safe, respected and valued. Established by the United Nations in 2022, the International Day to Combat Islamophobia serves as an important reminder that combatting intolerance requires ongoing commitment from all of us.

    “We are fortunate to have a growing Muslim community here in the Yukon and to celebrate historic milestones with them, including the opening of the territory’s first mosque in 2018.

    “I encourage all Yukoners to reflect on the actions we take, big and small, to create a more welcoming community. By challenging prejudice, promoting understanding and standing in solidarity with our neighbours, we build a stronger, more inclusive territory for all.”
     

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Yukon and Yukon Medical Association entering negotiations on next Memorandum of Understanding

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Government of Yukon and Yukon Medical Association entering negotiations on next Memorandum of Understanding
    jlutz
    March 17, 2025 – 11:45 am

    The Government of Yukon and the Yukon Medical Association (YMA) will soon begin negotiations for a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reaffirming their commitment to collaboration and strengthening the sustainability of the Yukon’s health care system.

    The negotiations will focus on key priorities, including improving access to quality health care services across the territory, representational rights for physicians and any necessary legislative changes and ensuring fair and sustainable compensation. These discussions will also support broader system sustainability efforts, such as recruiting and retaining physicians, making it easier for Yukoners to find a family doctor and strengthening team-based care so people can see the right health care provider when they need it.

    These negotiations will also help align future agreements with the shift towards a territorial health authority, called Shäw Kwä’ą / Health and Wellness Yukon / Santé et mieux-être Yukon. This includes reducing administrative burdens for both physicians and government, ensuring health care information is accurate and reliable across the system and ensuring initiatives support the recommendations outlined in the Putting People First report.

    The Yukon Medical Association and the Government of Yukon have agreed the current MOU will remain in effect beyond March 31, 2025, until a new agreement is negotiated and ratified. The current MOU has contributed to improving equity in health care services and enhancing physician supports in the territory.

    The Government of Yukon is looking forward to beginning negotiations with the Yukon Medical Association. We are pleased to have a negotiating mandate that provides an opportunity to strengthen our partnership and advance key priorities, including representational rights and necessary legislative changes, to ensure a strong, accessible and sustainable health care system for all Yukoners.

    Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee

    The Yukon Medical Association looks forward to collaborating with the Government of Yukon to establish a new Memorandum of Understanding. By working together, we can prioritize improving access and attachment to family doctors, ensure sustainability of medical services and achieve equity across payment models. The YMA is confident that supporting representational rights will advance these priorities and improve medical care for Yukoners during the transformation of our health care system.

    President of the Yukon Medical Association Dr. Derek Bryant

    Quick facts

    • The Yukon Medical Association represents physicians across the territory, advocating for professional standards and the delivery of quality health care.

    • The current three-year Memorandum of Understanding, in effect from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2025, includes initiatives such as the Attachment and Attraction Program, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Learning Program and commitments to collaborative maternity and early years care.

    • The upcoming negotiations will focus on issues such as sustainable health care service delivery, representational rights and necessary legislative changes, and fee structures.

    Media contact

    Laura Seeley
    Cabinet Communications
    867-332-7627
    laura.seeley@yukon.ca

    Nigel Allan
    Communications, Health and Social Services
    867-332-9576
    nigel.allan@yukon.ca

    News release #:

    25-117

    Related information:

    Yukon Medical Association
    Shäw Kwä’ą / Health and Wellness Yukon / Santé et mieux-être Yukon

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Yukon launches new tourism dashboard

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Government of Yukon launches new tourism dashboard
    jlutz
    March 17, 2025 – 9:48 am

    The Government of Yukon announces the launch of a new online service that provides a window into the territory’s active tourism sector.

    Informed by direct feedback from tourism stakeholders, the Yukon Tourism Indicators Dashboard is a new source for sharing Yukon tourism data. The dashboard highlights visitor numbers, spending patterns and seasonal trends to help inform decision making and industry plans.

    The new dashboard features data about border crossings, airport arrivals, hotel and short-term rental indicators, employment rates, restaurant and retail sales, business counts and consumer confidence. Data sources are updated weekly or monthly and the dashboard is also easily expandable as new datasets become available.

    For more information and to use the dashboard, people can visit yukon.ca/access-yukon-tourism-indicators-dashboard.

    Tourism is a key driver of the Yukon’s economy and having reliable data at our fingertips allows us to support the sector more effectively. This new dashboard makes it easy to track tourism activity and identify opportunities for sustainable development. Tourism operators, communities and stakeholders are encouraged to explore the dashboard and use the insights to help shape their strategies and investments.

    Minister of Tourism and Culture John Streicker

    The Yukon Tourism Advisory Board (YTAB) is thrilled with the launch of the Yukon Tourism Indicators Dashboard. The YTAB’s approach is to make recommendations to the Minister that are market-driven, research-based and industry-led. The collection and reporting of reliable data through the Yukon Tourism Indicators Dashboard will support timely, informed decision making that supports the priorities of Yukon tourism businesses, communities, First Nations and all Yukoners.

    Yukon Tourism Advisory Board Chair Denny Kobayashi

    Quick facts

    • Data on the dashboard comes from a variety of Yukon government sources as well as Statistics Canada, Destination Canada and other providers. The dashboard includes historical data going back as far as 30 years.

    • This service absorbs and improves upon the previous Yukon Sustainable Tourism Dashboard and replaces the old method of publishing quarterly reports. Reports from previous years have been added to the Government of Yukon’s Open Data platform. 

    Media contact

    Laura Seeley
    Cabinet Communications
    867-332-7627
    laura.seeley@yukon.ca

    Alicia Debreceni
    Communications, Tourism and Culture 
    867-3323670
    alicia.debreceni@yukon.ca 

    News release #:

    25-116

    Related information:

    Yukon Tourism Development Strategy: Sustainable Tourism. Our Path. Our Future.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Summit Nanotech Corporation Closes US$25.5M Funding Round to Accelerate Commercialization of their Direct Lithium Extraction Technology

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, March 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Summit Nanotech Corporation (“Summit”), a leader in sustainable lithium extraction technology, announced today that it has successfully closed US$25.5 million in funding led by Evok Innovations and BDC Capital’s Climate Tech Fund, with participation from Xora Innovation, Capricorn Investment Group, Mitsui Kinzoku – SBI Material Innovation Fund, and LG Technology Ventures.

    “This funding comes at a pivotal time for Summit as we strengthen our strategic partnerships and transition from demonstration to full-scale commercial design,” said Amanda Hall, Founder and CEO. “We are ready to provide our industry-leading solution to lithium mining companies who want to maintain a strong focus on economics and environmental responsibility.”

    Summit’s innovative direct lithium extraction (“DLE”) technology, denaLi™, combines system and fully integrated water recycling. Data analytics and AI are harnessed for advanced process control that ensures reduced water use, maximum sorbent lifespan, maximum lithium recovery and leading on-stream reliability, driving levelized lithium costs down. By unlocking more resources economically, Summit’s technology will strengthen international supply chains.

    Nobuyoshi Sogabe, General Manager at Mitsui Kinzoku, expressed enthusiasm about the investment: “We are committed to make an effort to achieve a lithium supply chain from brine by collaborating our advanced material synthesis, processing, and scaling technologies with Summit’s innovative denaLi™ system, thereby contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.”

    In the last six months, Summit has achieved key milestones, including commissioning a demonstration plant in Northern Chile, successful sorbent qualification results with a major lithium mining company, and launching their proprietary data analytics platform. With strong investor backing and a commitment to innovation and cost reduction, Summit is well-positioned to drive the future of sustainable lithium extraction.

    “The demand for electric vehicles will soon outpace growth in lithium supply. Summit’s technology addresses this challenge by optimizing lithium extraction from brine to produce high-quality lithium at a lower cost,” said Cheri Corbett, Partner at BDC Capital’s Climate Tech Fund. “We need to get more competitive lithium to market if we are to meet the global demand for electric vehicles. That’s why we’re working with results-driven leaders like Amanda and her team. A great example of a growth-minded Canadian business, exactly the kind that BDC is designed to help get to the next level.”

    About Summit Nanotech Corporation

    Summit is a leading provider of direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology for the lithium mining industry. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Summit has invented a patented sorbent, DLE process technology, and data analytics platform that, when combined, improves project economics by over $1,000 per tonne LCE and unlocks additional plant capacity compared to competing DLE technologies. Its technology selectively and efficiently captures lithium ions from brine which, after conversion, can be sold directly to a battery manufacturer. Summit partners with mining and oil and gas companies to accelerate and optimize their lithium resources.

    As the world shifts toward electrification, Summit is committed to building a cleaner, more responsible lithium supply chain for future generations.

    Learn more at summitnanotech.com.

    Media Contact:

    Kristen Gray
    Manager, Communications and Investor Relations
    media@summitnanotech.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/20d7e71d-1bb4-4c64-b152-1b74dfa09897

    The MIL Network –