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Category: Canada

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Government of Canada advances 2SLGBTQI inclusion in Ontario by funding Rainbow Community Places

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Press release

    September 25, 2024 – Scarborough, Ontario – Women and Gender Equality Canada

    Equality is about everyone being able to participate fully in the economic, social and political life of Canada. Removing systemic barriers related to sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression through the inclusion of 2SLGBTQI communities will ensure a better future for all Canadians.

    Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth, announced $147,000 in funding to Rainbow Community Places, a 2SLGBTQI organization located in Scarborough, Ontario.

    This funding will enable Rainbow Community Places to improve its organizational governance, develop a donation system and develop a sustainability plan to increase its financial stability. The organization will also develop strategies to attract volunteers, build partnerships through outreach activities and develop an advocacy strategy.

    Thanks to the Federal 2SLGBTQI Action Plan , the Government of Canada continues to advance the rights and equality of 2SLGBTQI communities. This work will continue to be guided by direct collaboration with community partners, whose work and lived experiences contribute to addressing the inequalities experienced by 2SLGBTQI people.

    Quotes

    “Amid rising hate, the federal government stands in solidarity with 2SLGBTQI communities across Canada. To help these communities, we are investing in vital community organizations that serve them, like Rainbow Community Places in Scarborough. Ultimately, it is organizations like this one that are on the front lines of ensuring that 2SLGBTQI communities can thrive and flourish, building a more vibrant and inclusive country for everyone.”

    The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Youth

    “It is by working with local 2SLGBTQI community-led organizations that we will create and maintain safe and vibrant communities here in Scarborough. By supporting the worthwhile work of these organizations, we are moving closer to the diverse and inclusive vision of the Federal 2SLGBTQI Action Plan.”

    The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence and Member of Parliament for Scarborough Southwest

    “Women and Gender Equality Canada’s (WAGE) funding support for community capacity development has been critical in enabling Rainbow Community Places to move forward in developing the organizational infrastructure needed to position the organization for effective governance and financial sustainability. During these challenging times, we are witnessing a rapid increase in violence and hate crimes based on sexual orientation, leaving 2SLGBTQI communities feeling isolated and under attack. In response, Rainbow Community Places seeks to provide a place of belonging and support for 2SLGBTQI community members through Toby’s Place for youth and Dorothy’s Place for seniors. WAGE’s funding over a 28-month period provides a solid financial foundation for the growth and development of our organization, and we are very grateful for this support from the federal government.”

    Julian Monro, Executive Director of Rainbow Community Places

    Quick Facts

    The Government of Canada has invested more than $250 million to advance the rights and improve equality of 2SLGBTQI communities over the past eight years. Of this total, $100 million over five years (2022–27) has been committed directly to the Federal 2SLGBTQI Action Plan .

    Among the Canadian population aged 15 and over, 1.3 million people identified as 2SLGBTQI. Of this group, 10.5% were individuals aged 15 to 24. Of this 10.5%, 1% of these individuals identified as transgender or non-binary.

    Among those aged 15 and older, 3 in 10 (29.7%) 2SLGBTQ people reported their mental health as fair or poor, compared to less than 1 in 10 (9.1%) non-2SLGBTQ people.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    Carolyn Svonkin Director of Communications Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and YouthCarolyn.Svonkin@fegc-wage.gc.ca

    Media Relations Women and Gender Equality Canada 819-420-6530FEGC.Media.WAGE@fegc-wage.gc.ca  

    Follow Women and Gender Equality Canada:

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Minister LeBlanc launches Canada’s Community Safety Program to protect communities from hate-motivated crimes

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Press release

    September 24, 2024

    Ottawa, Ontario

    Everyone living in Canada deserves to be and feel safe in their community. In recent years, we have seen an unacceptable increase in hate incidents targeting many communities, particularly those that are more vulnerable. In response, the federal government is developing safety programs tailored to their needs to ensure their safety.

    Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, launched the new Canada Community Safety Program (CCSP), and announced that the program will be ready to accept funding applications from eligible organizations starting October 1, 2024.

    The CCSP replaces and enhances the Security Infrastructure Funding Program (SIFP), which aims to support communities by investing in security measures that will help keep them safe. Eligible measures include security equipment and materials, minor renovations to enhance security, security and emergency plans and assessments, hate-motivated incident response training, and time-limited security personnel.

    The federal government listened to concerned organizations and partners and designed the CCSP to better meet the needs of communities and provide greater flexibility for organizations applying for financial support. Under the CCSP:

    Funding eligibility criteria have been expanded to include office and administrative spaces, cemeteries and early childhood centres; up to 70% of eligible project costs can be covered, compared to 50% of costs under the SIPP; funding for authorized, time-limited third-party security personnel is now a permanent feature of the Program; the maximum amount (or stacking limit) of total government assistance (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) has been eliminated, providing organizations with more opportunities to apply for other sources of funding; application requirements have been modified to reduce administrative barriers; organizations can apply for funding at any time of the year through an ongoing call for applications process; and organizations can apply for funding and deliver projects on behalf of eligible associated recipients.

    Together, these measures will make it easier for organizations to fund their projects and protect their community gathering places.

    Quotes

    “Every person living in Canada deserves to feel safe in their community. The changes we are making through the new Canada Community Safety Program are informed by what we heard from organizations that interacted with its predecessor, the Security Infrastructure Program. It is now a more flexible, more generous and simpler program that will make it easier for vulnerable communities to protect themselves from hate-motivated crimes.”

    – The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

    Quick Facts

    Hate crimes are considered one of the most underreported offences. Research shows that only one-third of hate crime victims in Canada report a crime to police.

    Additional funding for the PSCC was announced in Budget 2023 and Budget 2024 as follows:

    16 million in 2024-2025; 16 million in 2025-2026; 11 million in 2026-2027; 11 million in 2027-2028; 11 million in 2028-2029 and thereafter.

    The CCSP is one of four programs under the National Crime Prevention Strategy, which supports targeted, local crime prevention initiatives and knowledge development and sharing to prevent and reduce crime among at-risk populations and vulnerable communities. The other programs are: the Crime Prevention Action Fund, the Youth Gang Prevention Fund and the Aboriginal and Northern Crime Prevention Fund.

    The PFPIS was originally created in 2007 to support communities at risk of hate crimes by improving their safety infrastructure. This important work will now continue under the PSCC.

    In total, through the SIP and the expanded Security Infrastructure Program (SIIP), the Government of Canada has invested more than $30 million in funding for over 770 projects to help Canadian communities at risk of hate-motivated crime protect their communities and strengthen the security of their community centres, places of worship and other facilities.

    To better support communities in need, costs related to security personnel hired for a fixed period are eligible for reimbursement starting September 24, 2024 and following project approval.

    Public Safety will contact organizations that have submitted an application under the PFPIS to discuss the status of their application and their participation under the PSCC.

    Organizations wishing to be kept informed of the launch of the next PSCC call for applications are invited to register at distribution list from the National Crime Prevention Center.

    Following the National Summit on Antisemitism and the National Summit on Islamophobia, the Government of Canada committed to considering adjustments to the SIP. The SIP will enable the Government of Canada to be more effective and more responsive to the safety and security needs of communities.

    Budget 2024 provides an investment of $273.6 million over six years, starting in 2024–25, and $29.3 million ongoing, for Canada’s Action Plan to Combat Hate. The upcoming Action Plan will support expanded community services and law enforcement reform, address the rise in hate crimes and incidents, strengthen community safety, combat radicalization, and increase support for victims. The additional funding provided to the CCSP in Budget 2024 is part of an investment in this first-ever whole-of-government action plan to prevent and combat hate.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    Gabriel BrunetPress SecretaryOffice of the Honourable Dominic LeBlancMinister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs819-665-6527gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca

    Media RelationsPublic Safety Canada613-991-0657media@ps-sp.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Supporting innovation and growth in rural Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Indigenous and small communities are vital to Alberta and its long-term economic prosperity. In December 2022, Alberta’s government recognized the importance of these communities by releasing its Economic Development in Rural Alberta Plan.

    Alberta’s government is investing in the second round of grants through the Small Community Opportunity Program to further implement this plan. Grant funding through the program will support Indigenous and small communities and help rural Alberta grow its economic footprint. In 2023, the program awarded grants between $20,000 and $100,000 for 43 community-led projects that build capacity in agriculture, small business supports and local economic development.

    “The Small Community Opportunity Program continues to provide financial backing for Indigenous and small communities to tackle challenges and tap into opportunities to grow their local economic footprint. By building capacity in small businesses and the agriculture industry, these rural communities will have a strong foundation to grow and thrive.”

    RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

    To be eligible for funding, projects must align with the Economic Development in Rural Alberta Plan and build entrepreneurship, mentorship and skills development, small business supports and/or partnerships, as well as interconnectivity and collaboration within the local community.

    Eligible organizations can apply for grants between $20,000 and $100,000 for local, community-led projects. Non-profit organizations may collaborate with Indigenous and small communities, or communities may work together or independently on projects that drive innovation and achieve sustainable growth and diversification. Projects must be completed within two years and have a measurable impact supporting, improving or enhancing rural and Indigenous communities, local economic development and/or the agriculture industry.

    The Small Community Opportunity Program will open for applications September 24.

    Application criteria

    • Small Community Opportunity Program projects must align with one or more of the following Economic Development in Rural Alberta Plan strategic directions:
      • Rural business supports and entrepreneurship
      • Support for labour force and skills development
      • Marketing and promoting rural tourism
      • Rural economic development capacity building
    • Applicants must be an incorporated non-profit organization in a rural community or a rural or Indigenous community. The Economic Development in Rural Alberta Plan identifies rural communities as those that:
      • Have a population of fewer than 20,000
      • Are removed from communities larger than 25,000 people that could provide employment and services
      • Are remote communities or communities that have within them, or are surrounded by, a significant amount of nature, natural resources, agricultural land and wilderness areas
      • Have a workforce largely focused on primary economic activity, including oil and gas, agriculture and forestry

    Quick facts

    • The Economic Development in Rural Alberta Plan has strategic directions with corresponding initiatives and actions to ensure rural Albertans and Indigenous communities have economic opportunities where they live.
    • The Small Community Opportunity Program is made possible through Budget 2023 to provide up to $3 million per year in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
    • Albertans can learn more about the program through webinars hosted by the following organizations in October:
      • Rural Municipalities of Alberta
      • Economic Developers Alberta
      • Alberta Municipalities

    Related information

    • Small Community Opportunity Program
    • Rural economic development
    • Small Community Opportunity Program 2023-24 Grant Recipients
    • Northern and Regional Economic Development Program

    Related News

    • Strengthening rural Alberta (Nov. 9, 2023)
    • Maximizing opportunities in rural communities (Jun. 10, 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Alternating lane closures on the Chaudières crossing

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 2

    Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) wishes to inform users that there will be an alternating lane closure on the Chaudières crossing for repair work.

    For immediate release

    Gatineau, Quebec, September 10, 2024 – Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) wishes to inform users that there will be an alternating lane closure on the Chaudières Crossing for repair work during the following period:

    Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    During this time, only 1 lane will remain open to alternating traffic in both directions. Traffic signs will be installed, and flaggers will direct traffic. Motorists can expect delays.

    The sidewalk will remain accessible. Cyclists are asked to dismount when crossing the bridge.

    The schedule may change depending on weather conditions.

    SPAC invites users to exercise caution when traveling on the crossing and thanks them for their patience.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Minister Champagne to welcome European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager to Montreal

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, will meet in Montreal with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe fit for the Digital Age and Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, to discuss topics of mutual interest as well as bilateral and global issues.

    September 24, 2024 – Montreal (Quebec)

    The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, will meet in Montreal with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Europe fit for the Digital Age and Commissioner for Competition, Margrethe Vestager, to discuss topics of mutual interest as well as bilateral and global issues.

    In addition, Minister Champagne and Executive Vice-President Vestager will attend the unveiling of the MonarQ quantum computer and participate in an informal discussion on economic security, artificial intelligence, research and innovation, and competition policy reforms. The informal discussion will take place during a luncheon hosted by the Montreal Council on Foreign RelationsA question period will follow the unveiling.

    MonarQ quantum computer unveiled

    Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Time: 9:15 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. (Eastern Time).

    Location: Montreal (Quebec)

    Media representatives are requested to register with Valérie Harvey at valerie.harvey@calculquebec.cato confirm their attendance and obtain details of the location where the event will take place.

    Informal discussion at the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations luncheon

    Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Time: 12:50 p.m. (Eastern Time). The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. (Eastern Time). The Minister will be available to meet with the media following the luncheon.

    Location: Montreal (Quebec)

    Media representatives are requested to register with Gustavo Serra at gustavo@mercureconseil.cato confirm their attendance and obtain details of the location where the event will take place.

    Audrey MilettePress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industryaudrey.milette@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Media RelationsInnovation, Science and Economic Development Canadamedia@ised-isde.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Government of Canada to announce investment to support skilled trades training in Alberta

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 2

    Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault will make an announcement to highlight funding for projects in Alberta under the Canadian Apprenticeship Training Strategy.

    Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault will make an announcement to highlight funding for projects in Alberta under the Canadian Apprenticeship Training Strategy.

    A photo opportunity and press briefing will follow the announcement. Please note that details are subject to change and all times are local.

    Date: Friday, September 13, 2024 Time: 10:30 a.m. MDT Location: Budd Coutts Apprenticeship and Education Center Township Road 584, Range Road 232 Thorhild County, Alberta

    To register, send an email to media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca by indicating your name and that of your press office before 9:30 a.m. (MDT) on Friday, September 13, 2024.

    Mathis DenisPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnaultmathis.denis@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: RM of East St Paul — Selkirk RCMP investigating after body found in the Red River

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On September 21, 2024, at approximately 1:00 pm, Selkirk RCMP responded to a report of a body floating in the Red River near the 3900 block of Henderson Highway, in the RM of East St Paul.

    The autopsy has confirmed that the cause of death is not criminal in nature however identification of the deceased is pending.

    Selkirk RCMP continue to investigate.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Leaders’ Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug  Threats

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Today, President Biden hosted a Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, which the President directed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to launch in June 2023, in order to mobilize international action to tackle the synthetic drug crisis.  In just over a year, the Global Coalition has grown to include 159 countries and 15 international organizations working together to disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs; detect emerging drug threats; and prevent and treat through effective public health interventions. With the Summit as a motivating force, 11 core Coalition countries announced new initiatives that will advance the work of the Coalition, including efforts to disrupt the supply chain of fentanyl and enhance public health interventions.  These international commitments complement intensive work being done domestically, including an increased focus on coordinated disruption of drug trafficking networks and concerted efforts to make the opioid overdose reversal medication, naloxone, widely available over-the-counter. As a result of these efforts, we are starting to see the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.  When President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office, the number of drug overdose deaths was increasing by more than 30% year over year.  Now, the latest provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics show an unprecedented decline in overdose deaths of 10% in the 12 months ending April 2024.  These aren’t just numbers – these are lives. Background on the Global Coalition The 159 countries and 15 international organizations that are now part of the Coalition are working together on three key lines of effort:
    Disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs;
    Detect emerging drug threats; and
    Prevent and treat through effective public health interventions. 
    For the past year, three working groups and seven sub-working groups have met monthly to create detailed plans of action.  These working groups have made tangible progress, including implementing new efforts to increase seizures of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals at ports of entry, sharing best practices with respect to the identification of emerging drug threats, and taking actions to schedule an increasing number of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, thus subjecting these drugs and chemicals to increased controls. 
    New Initiatives Being Announced
    At today’s Summit, 11 core countries announced new initiatives that will move the work of each of the Coalition’s core lines of effort even further:
    Australia, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom will lead new efforts to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.  These efforts include the development of regional coalitions to disrupt the transit routes for illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, and associated equipment, protect against the diversion of chemicals for illicit use, and improve the detection and disruption of production sites.
    Italy and Ghana will lead new initiatives to detect emerging drug trends, to include Italy helping other Coalition countries to develop early warning systems to identify emerging drug patterns.
    Canada and the United Arab Emirates will work to prevent and treat the overdose epidemic, including by expanding public health interventions and making life-saving medications widely available.
    Core Coalition countries also signed a Coalition Pledge agreeing to take additional actions to regulate all relevant drugs and precursor chemicals, take needed steps to fill gaps in their own domestic authorities, expand public-private partnerships to more effectively combat the supply chain for illicit fentanyl, develop mechanisms to monitor real-time data on trends in illicit drug use, and expand access to treatment.  At the Summit, President Biden called on all other Coalition countries to likewise sign this pledge.
    Domestic Actions to Fight Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids
    Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has made disrupting the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic drugs a core priority.  As part of their Unity Agenda for the Nation, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made it a priority to invest in public health and to tackle both the supply and demand for drugs.  And those efforts have paid off:
    Border officials have stopped more illicit fentanyl at ports of entry in the past two fiscal years than in the previous five fiscal years combined.  In the past 11 months, over 974 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl were seized at U.S. ports of entry.
    The Biden-Harris Administration deployed cutting-edge drug detection technology across our southwest border, adding dozens of new inspection systems, with dozens more coming online in the next few years.
    The Biden-Harris Administration has made naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication, widely available over the counter, and has invested over $82 billion in treatment – 40 percent more than the previous Administration.
    In 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order targeting foreign persons engaged in the global illicit drug trade, and the Administration has since sanctioned over 300 persons and entities under this authority, thereby cutting them off from the United States’ financial system.
    The Biden-Harris Administration has prosecuted dozens of high-level Mexican cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers, including Chapitos leader Nestor Isidro “El Nini” Perez Salas, and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación’s top chemical brokers—placing dangerous drug traffickers behind bars.  Just last week, the son of a fugitive Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación boss, Ruben “El Menchito” Oseguera, was convicted for his violent acts, including the deadly downing of a military helicopter in Mexico, in support of his father’s drug trafficking organization.
     In July, President Biden issued a new National Security Memorandum (NSM) calling on all relevant Federal departments and agencies to do even more to stop the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in our country.  The NSM directs increased intelligence collection, more intensive coordination and cooperation across departments and agencies, and additional actions to disrupt the production and distribution of illicit fentanyl.  And the Biden-Harris Administration has called on Congress to pass the Administration’s “Detect and Defeat” counter-fentanyl legislative proposal to increase penalties on those who bring deadly drugs into our communities and to close loopholes that drug traffickers exploit. As stated above, these measures are having an effect. Provisional CDC data show a 10% drop in overdose deaths in the 12 months leading up to April 2024 – the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history. Other International Engagements Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, the United States has engaged around the world – both as part of the Coalition and in numerous bilateral and multilateral engagements – to spur global action in the fight against synthetic opioids. In early 2023, President Biden, together with the President of Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada, directed the establishment a Trilateral Fentanyl Committee, and the Biden-Harris Administration engages regularly with both countries to tackle the supply chain for fentanyl. In November 2023, President Biden negotiated the resumption of counternarcotics cooperation with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), spurring the creation of a U.S. – PRC Counternarcotics Working Group that has led to increased cooperation on law enforcement actions and ongoing efforts to shut down companies that fuel illicit fentanyl and synthetic drug trafficking and cause deaths in the United States.   The United States and India have worked together to increase counternarcotics cooperation, including by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding and Framework for ongoing work to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs just this past week.  The Biden-Harris Administration has worked extensively with law enforcement partners across the globe to hold drug traffickers to account.  These partnerships pay dividends – including by generating support for extraditions that have enabled the United States to put dozens of cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers behind bars.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Champagne to welcome European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager in Montréal

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, will meet with Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age and Commissioner for Competition, in Montréal to discuss matters of mutual interest and address bilateral and global issues.

    September 24, 2024 – Montréal, Quebec 

    The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, will meet with Margrethe Vestager, the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age and Commissioner for Competition, in Montréal to discuss matters of mutual interest and address bilateral and global issues.

    Minister Champagne and Executive Vice-President Vestager will also participate in the unveiling of the MonarQ quantum computer and in a fireside chat on economic security, artificial intelligence, research and innovation, and competition policy reforms. The fireside chat is part of a luncheon organized by the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations. A media availability will follow the unveiling.

    Unveiling of the MonarQ quantum computer

    Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Time: 9:15 to 10:15 am (ET).

    Location: Montréal, Quebec

    Members of the media are asked to contact Valérie Harvey at valerie.harvey@calculquebec.ca to receive event location details and confirm their attendance.

    Fireside chat at the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations luncheon

    Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Time: 12:50 pm (ET). The luncheon is from 11:30 am to 1:45 pm (ET). The Minister will be available to speak to media after the luncheon.

    Location: Montréal, Quebec

    Members of the media are asked to contact Gustavo Serra at gustavo@mercureconseil.ca to receive event location details and confirm their attendance.

    Media Relations
    Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
    media@ised-isde.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: Leaders’ Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug  Threats

    Source: The White House

    Today, President Biden hosted a Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, which the President directed Secretary of State Antony Blinken to launch in June 2023, in order to mobilize international action to tackle the synthetic drug crisis.  In just over a year, the Global Coalition has grown to include 159 countries and 15 international organizations working together to disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs; detect emerging drug threats; and prevent and treat through effective public health interventions.
     
    With the Summit as a motivating force, 11 core Coalition countries announced new initiatives that will advance the work of the Coalition, including efforts to disrupt the supply chain of fentanyl and enhance public health interventions.  These international commitments complement intensive work being done domestically, including an increased focus on coordinated disruption of drug trafficking networks and concerted efforts to make the opioid overdose reversal medication, naloxone, widely available over-the-counter.
     
    As a result of these efforts, we are starting to see the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.  When President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office, the number of drug overdose deaths was increasing by more than 30% year over year.  Now, the latest provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics show an unprecedented decline in overdose deaths of 10% in the 12 months ending April 2024. 
     
    These aren’t just numbers – these are lives.
     
    Background on the Global Coalition
     
    The 159 countries and 15 international organizations that are now part of the Coalition are working together on three key lines of effort:

    1. Disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other synthetic drugs;
    2. Detect emerging drug threats; and
    3. Prevent and treat through effective public health interventions. 

    For the past year, three working groups and seven sub-working groups have met monthly to create detailed plans of action.  These working groups have made tangible progress, including implementing new efforts to increase seizures of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals at ports of entry, sharing best practices with respect to the identification of emerging drug threats, and taking actions to schedule an increasing number of synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals, thus subjecting these drugs and chemicals to increased controls. 

    New Initiatives Being Announced

    At today’s Summit, 11 core countries announced new initiatives that will move the work of each of the Coalition’s core lines of effort even further:

    1. Australia, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom will lead new efforts to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.  These efforts include the development of regional coalitions to disrupt the transit routes for illicit drugs, precursor chemicals, and associated equipment, protect against the diversion of chemicals for illicit use, and improve the detection and disruption of production sites.
    2. Italy and Ghana will lead new initiatives to detect emerging drug trends, to include Italy helping other Coalition countries to develop early warning systems to identify emerging drug patterns.
    3. Canada and the United Arab Emirates will work to prevent and treat the overdose epidemic, including by expanding public health interventions and making life-saving medications widely available.

    Core Coalition countries also signed a Coalition Pledge agreeing to take additional actions to regulate all relevant drugs and precursor chemicals, take needed steps to fill gaps in their own domestic authorities, expand public-private partnerships to more effectively combat the supply chain for illicit fentanyl, develop mechanisms to monitor real-time data on trends in illicit drug use, and expand access to treatment.  At the Summit, President Biden called on all other Coalition countries to likewise sign this pledge.

    Domestic Actions to Fight Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids

    Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has made disrupting the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic drugs a core priority.  As part of their Unity Agenda for the Nation, President Biden and Vice President Harris have made it a priority to invest in public health and to tackle both the supply and demand for drugs.  And those efforts have paid off:

    1. Border officials have stopped more illicit fentanyl at ports of entry in the past two fiscal years than in the previous five fiscal years combined.  In the past 11 months, over 974 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl were seized at U.S. ports of entry.
    2. The Biden-Harris Administration deployed cutting-edge drug detection technology across our southwest border, adding dozens of new inspection systems, with dozens more coming online in the next few years.
    3. The Biden-Harris Administration has made naloxone, a life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication, widely available over the counter, and has invested over $82 billion in treatment – 40 percent more than the previous Administration.
    4. In 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order targeting foreign persons engaged in the global illicit drug trade, and the Administration has since sanctioned over 300 persons and entities under this authority, thereby cutting them off from the United States’ financial system.
    5. The Biden-Harris Administration has prosecuted dozens of high-level Mexican cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers, including Chapitos leader Nestor Isidro “El Nini” Perez Salas, and Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación’s top chemical brokers—placing dangerous drug traffickers behind bars.  Just last week, the son of a fugitive Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación boss, Ruben “El Menchito” Oseguera, was convicted for his violent acts, including the deadly downing of a military helicopter in Mexico, in support of his father’s drug trafficking organization.

     
    In July, President Biden issued a new National Security Memorandum (NSM) calling on all relevant Federal departments and agencies to do even more to stop the supply of illicit fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in our country.  The NSM directs increased intelligence collection, more intensive coordination and cooperation across departments and agencies, and additional actions to disrupt the production and distribution of illicit fentanyl.  And the Biden-Harris Administration has called on Congress to pass the Administration’s “Detect and Defeat” counter-fentanyl legislative proposal to increase penalties on those who bring deadly drugs into our communities and to close loopholes that drug traffickers exploit.
     
    As stated above, these measures are having an effect.
     
    Provisional CDC data show a 10% drop in overdose deaths in the 12 months leading up to April 2024 – the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.
     
    Other International Engagements
     
    Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, the United States has engaged around the world – both as part of the Coalition and in numerous bilateral and multilateral engagements – to spur global action in the fight against synthetic opioids.
     
    In early 2023, President Biden, together with the President of Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada, directed the establishment a Trilateral Fentanyl Committee, and the Biden-Harris Administration engages regularly with both countries to tackle the supply chain for fentanyl.
     
    In November 2023, President Biden negotiated the resumption of counternarcotics cooperation with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), spurring the creation of a U.S. – PRC Counternarcotics Working Group that has led to increased cooperation on law enforcement actions and ongoing efforts to shut down companies that fuel illicit fentanyl and synthetic drug trafficking and cause deaths in the United States.  
     
    The United States and India have worked together to increase counternarcotics cooperation, including by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding and Framework for ongoing work to disrupt the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs just this past week. 
     
    The Biden-Harris Administration has worked extensively with law enforcement partners across the globe to hold drug traffickers to account.  These partnerships pay dividends – including by generating support for extraditions that have enabled the United States to put dozens of cartel leaders, drug traffickers, and money launderers behind bars.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Federal government launches Health Emergency Readiness Canada to strengthen preparedness for future health emergencies

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    New agency will provide sustained focus on growing innovation and industrial capacity in the life sciences and biomanufacturing sector to support Canada’s health emergency readiness

    New agency will provide sustained focus on growing innovation and industrial capacity in the life sciences and biomanufacturing sector to support Canada’s health emergency readiness

    September 24, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario 

    The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on Canadians and their livelihoods. That’s why the federal government is taking action to be better prepared for future health emergencies and build a stronger life sciences ecosystem in Canada.

    Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, jointly announced the launch of Health Emergency Readiness Canada (HERC), a new federal organization within Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada dedicated to protecting Canadians against future pandemics and delivering on Canada’s life sciences and medical countermeasures readiness objectives.

    HERC will serve as Canada’s focal point to help mobilize industry to respond in a coordinated approach to public health needs and to support the growth of a domestic life sciences sector. This new organization will bridge the gap between research and commercialization, meaning Canadians could get faster access to the most relevant and effective vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other products, including when they need them the most.

    Once HERC is fully operational, its key features are expected to include:

    • integrated decision making to build life sciences capacity
    • strengthened partnerships with industry, academia and international counterparts
    • the development and maintenance of a Canadian industrial game plan to mobilize research and industry in the event of a health emergency
    • world-leading innovation to advance next-generation technology platforms

    With the creation of this new agency, Canada joins G7 peers that have created specialized entities to support health emergency readiness, following similar initiatives such as the United States’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the EU’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

    Media Relations
    Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
    media@ised-isde.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ontario’s closure of youth detention facilities has not resulted in more support for young people

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jessica Evans, Assistant Professor, Criminology, Toronto Metropolitan University

    The closure of youth detention centres is a positive development. However, without adequate investment in community organizations that serve youth, it is a move set up to fail.
     (Shutterstock)

    The Ontario government said it would save $40 million per year by closing 26 youth detention centres in 2021, with promises to use those savings to support community services for youth.

    Framed as a cost-savings strategy aligned with the objectives of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the money saved through the closures would be reinvested in community-based services and alternatives to youth detention.

    Since these closures, however, there has been no government reporting on where or when this $40 million will be reinvested. Meanwhile, organizations that serve youth report ongoing resource constraints.

    The closure of youth detention centres is a positive development. However, without adequate investment in community organizations that serve youth, it is a move set up to fail.



    Read more:
    Ontario closes half of its youth detention centres, leaving some young people in limbo

    Youth detention in Ontario

    Between 2018 and 2022, youth imprisonment numbers fell by around 50 per cent in Ontario. That continued a longer trend which has seen youth detention numbers fall by over 85 per cent over a 25-year period from 1997 to 2022. There has also been a recent uptick in youth imprisonment numbers, increasing from 9,654 in 2021-22 to 10,960 in 2022-23.

    Currently, Ontario’s youth prisons are at overcapacity, and the Sudbury youth detention centre is set to close next year.

    Several of the 26 youth detention centres that were closed were situated in northern Ontario. The Ontario Ombudsman, Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Grand Council Treaty #3 have said the abrupt closures would disproportionately impact Indigenous youth in detention.

    A CBC News report on overcrowding in Ontario’s youth detention centres.

    Community organizations overwhelmed

    We have examined the annual reports for 2019-24 from 46 organizations serving youth in the justice system from Kenora, Thunder Bay and Kingston where a significant number of the youth detention closures occurred.

    While many community organizations believe closing detention centres is a good long-term decision, there are many immediate concerns. We found consistent reporting of limited funding to support all youth in need.

    Organizations are impacted by record-high numbers of youth seeking access to services, with some organizations seeing a significant increase in the number of youth accessing their services — especially mental health programs. This has resulted in some organizations increasing the hours and days they are open to accommodate as many youth as possible, while also balancing staff burnout.

    Organizations did not report any substantial increase in funds from the government due to the closure of youth detention centres. Some noted challenges around fundraising, as many events were put on hold during the pandemic. This has resulted in organizations being unable to hire new staff or increase their services. In some cases this has also led to staff layoffs.

    Investing in community

    Deinstitutionalization refers to the period when institutions that housed or confined people with mental, cognitive, intellectual and physical disabilities were shut down, and people were released to live in communities.

    However, this process is often not met with sufficient funding for social supports. Inevitably, more people struggling with mental health end up in hospital emergency departments and in conflict with the law. This shift in responsibility has been referred to as transinstitutionalization.

    We have written about these trends in Ontario following the 2021 youth detention centre closures. Many of the young people in these centres struggle with mental health issues, neurodivergence and addictions.

    Significant investments in community supports are needed. Otherwise, many youth will continue to be funneled into other institutions, including hospitals and adult prisons.

    Since 2009, Ontario has seen a significant increase in hospital emergency room visits for mental health or substance-related concerns, especially among 14–21 year olds. Mental illness and drug dependence are some of the most prevailing health problems for criminalized Canadians. In a study of 1,770 young people in Québec, researchers found those struggling with alcohol or drugs and familial problems are more likely to face re-imprisonment.

    The Brookside Youth Justice Centre in Cobourg, Ont., was among the facilities the provincial government closed in March 2021.
    (Infrastructure Ontario)

    Helping youth in detention

    In 2023, a justice centre was opened in Kenora, and in 2024, funding was announced for child and youth mental health in Ontario. Yet, more support is needed. In many northern, rural and remote communities, services for children and youth with intensive needs simply do not exist.

    Youth face a number of additional barriers accessing support and treatment. These include long wait lists, overemphasis on illness-based and medical models, fragmented services, lack of developmentally and culturally appropriate services, and support that fails to consider the preferences and perspectives of youth and families.

    Strains on youth community supports are also felt in other provinces. Researchers interviewed youth justice community workers in Alberta who reported inadequate funding with impacts on resources for youth, including psychological support and the ability for staff to give enough attention and time to youth. Conditions also lead to staff burnout and exit from the sector altogether.

    The move to shift youth in the justice system away from confinement and towards community is a positive one. However, without investment in community-based service providers to support youth being transitioned out of custodial settings, it is unlikely that youth will thrive.

    Such failures are likely to increase acute mental health crises and demands on ambulatory care within general medicine and psychiatric hospitals. These gaps are also likely to increase the number of youth who will come into conflict with the criminal legal system as adults.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Ontario’s closure of youth detention facilities has not resulted in more support for young people – https://theconversation.com/ontarios-closure-of-youth-detention-facilities-has-not-resulted-in-more-support-for-young-people-238748

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Federal government launches Health Crisis Preparedness Canada to help country prepare for future health emergencies

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French

    The new agency will focus on strengthening innovation and industrial capacity in the life sciences and biomanufacturing sector to help Canada prepare for health emergencies.

    The new agency will focus on strengthening innovation and industrial capacity in the life sciences and biomanufacturing sector to help Canada prepare for health emergencies.

    September 24, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario

    The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Canadians and their livelihoods. The Government of Canada is taking action to ensure the country is better positioned to respond to future health emergencies, including by building a more robust life sciences ecosystem.

    Today, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, and the Minister of Health, the Honourable Mark Holland, jointly announced the creation of Health Crisis Preparedness Canada (HCPC), a new federal agency within Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada that will work to protect Canadians from future pandemics and help the country achieve its medical countermeasures and life sciences goals.

    PCSC will become a national hub for engagement, facilitating the coordination of industry efforts in response to public health needs, while supporting the growth of the national life sciences sector. This new organization will bridge the gap between research and commercialization, ensuring that Canadians can access the most effective vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and other products more quickly, particularly when they are needed most.

    When the body is fully operational, it will:

    will integrate decision-making processes to strengthen the capacity of the life sciences sector; strengthen its partnerships with industry, academia and international organizations with a similar mandate; develop and maintain an industrial action plan to mobilize the research sector and industry in the event of a health emergency; and support world-class innovations that will position Canada as a leader in next-generation technology platforms.

    In establishing this body, Canada is following in the footsteps of other G7 countries that have established specialized health emergency preparedness entities, including the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in the United States and the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority.

    Audrey MilettePress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industryaudrey.milette@ised-isde.gc.ca

    Media RelationsInnovation, Science and Economic Development Canadamedia@ised-isde.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Minister Joly to meet with Yulia Navalnaya in Ottawa

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French

    Press release

    September 16, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will welcome Yulia Navalnaya, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Anti-Corruption Foundation and widow of former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, to Ottawa, Ontario, on September 17, 2024.

    Minister Joly will take part in a high-level meeting with Ms. Navalnaya to discuss human rights in Russia and the challenges and risks facing political dissidents.

    Minister Joly and Ms. Navalnaya will participate in an informal meeting to discuss the role of Canada and the international community in supporting democracy, justice, and the defense of human rights, as well as Ms. Navalnaya’s resilience in the face of immense personal and political adversity, which has made her a powerful voice in the fight for freedom and justice.

    During her visit to Ottawa, Ms. Navalnaya will also meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

    Quotes

    “Yulia Navalnaya is a strong and inspiring voice for the Russian people and those fighting for their right to live in a free and democratic society without fear of reprisal and oppression. I look forward to welcoming Ms. Navalnaya to Ottawa and hearing in person about her experience of continuing her late husband’s legacy in the fight for justice.”

    – Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Quick Facts

    On February 16, 2024, after numerous failed assassination attempts by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s henchmen and years of brutal imprisonment, Alexei Navalny died after months of deteriorating health due to poor prison conditions. A symbol of hope in the fight against abuse and tyranny, the news of his death devastated millions around the world.

    On March 21, 2021, in response to the poisoning and imprisonment of Mr. Navalny, Canada sanctioned several individuals involved in gross and systematic human rights violations in Russia. In November 2022, August 2023, and June 2024, Canada announced sanctions against members of the Russian justice and security sectors, including police officers and investigators, prosecutors, judges, and corrections officials, as well as senior Russian government officials. These individuals have been implicated in gross and systematic human rights violations in Russia against opposition leaders, including Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and other Russian citizens.

    Ms. Navalnaya has traveled around the world to meet with world leaders and deliver speeches from major platforms denouncing President Putin’s cruel regime and human rights abuses.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    Media Relations OfficeGlobal Affairs Canadamedia@international.gc.caFollow us on X (Twitter): @CanadaPELike us on Facebook: Canada’s foreign policy – Global Affairs Canada

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Orders Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce to Pay $1.25 Million for Untimely Swaps Reporting

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    Washington, DC — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today issued an order simultaneously filing and settling charges with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) for repeatedly failing to timely report swap transactions to a registered swap data repository as required by the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC Regulations.

    The order imposes a $1.25 million civil monetary penalty and orders CIBC to cease and desist from violating the CEA and CFTC regulations as charged. CIBC also admits the facts detailed in the order.

    “Timely swaps reporting is a critical component of the swaps reporting regulatory regime, and it is essential to the overall effectiveness of the swaps reporting system,” said Division of Enforcement Director Ian McGinley. “Where there is substantial cooperation, including significant voluntary reporting of factual findings and remediation, as was the case here, the CFTC will not hesitate to recognize a swap dealer’s engagement and efforts to be in compliance with the law.”

    Case Background

    The order finds that from at least Jan. 2017 to the present, CIBC was late in reporting various types of data for its swaps transactions, including real time, primary economic terms, confirmation, snapshot and valuation data. CIBC consistently reported swap data outside the time requirements prescribed by Parts 43 and 45 of the regulations regarding millions of required reports. The untimeliness of CIBC’s swaps reporting was pervasive over the course of the relevant period and impacted thousands of swaps.

    The reduced civil monetary penalty in the order recognizes CIBC’s substantial cooperation with the Division of Enforcement’s investigation and acknowledges CIBC’s representations regarding its remediation efforts, including retaining a consultant, conducting extensive historical analysis and devoting significant resources to remediation. 

    The Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this matter are Katie Rasor, Alejandra de Urioste, David MacGregor, Lenel Hickson, Jr. and Manal M. Sultan.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Historic Vote, Arctic Caucus Co-Chair Senator King Welcomes First Ambassador to the Arctic

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), co-chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus, today cast his vote for Michael Sfraga — currently serving as U.S. Arctic Research Commission Chair — to become the country’s first Ambassador at Large for Arctic Affairs, in a Senate vote of 55-36. Until Sfraga’s confirmation, the U.S. has been the only Arctic Nation that did not have a high-level official to represent the county in Arctic negotiations. With America now having formal diplomatic representation, it sends a clear signal to Arctic partners and foes that the country is fully invested in the High North as a strategic hotspot. The region is especially critical with regard to national security and deterrence efforts against known adversaries like China and Russia.

    “The Arctic is emerging as a region of enormous potential, and for far too long America has been on the sidelines — not demonstrating the level of commitment and attention shown by the other Arctic nations. That ends today,” said Senator King. “Not only is the High North drawing additional attention and investment by nations like Norway, Canada, and Russia, but China and India are also making moves in the region — investing millions in icebreakers and critical mineral research, laughably passing themselves off as ‘near Arctic nations.’ While the Arctic has long been considered a ‘zone of peace,’ America has not been represented by a Senate confirmed official bearing the title of ‘Ambassador.’ From now on, when there are conversations had about Arctic affairs, America finally will participate among equals. I thank my Arctic Caucus Co-Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) for her tireless work on this nomination, and now it’s time to truly get to work to advance and defend our Arctic interests.”

    Sfraga brings over 30 years of experience in Arctic issues, and was the founding director of the Polar Institute and served as the Director of the Global Risk and Resilience program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. As an Alaskan and trained geographer, his work has focused the changing geography of Arctic and Antarctic landscapes, as well as the rapidly changing economic, social, environmental and security implications of the region.

    As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and as Co-Chair of the U.S. Senate Arctic Caucus, Senator King is an advocate for Maine and America’s interests in the North Atlantic and Arctic region. Along with Caucus co-chair Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), King introduced the Arctic Commitment Act earlier last year to improve America’s posture and opportunities in the Arctic. He’s been calling for the appointment of an Arctic Ambassador since 2015, and has continued to press the Administration on the effort this year. King also recently laid out the challenges and opportunities of a warming arctic in an article in the Wilson Quarterly, and in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, he successfully secured the inclusion of provisions to increase America’s activity and opportunities in the Far North.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Seizure of contraband and unauthorized items at Archambault Institution 

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    On September 11, 2024, as a result of the vigilance of staff members, contraband and unauthorized items were seized at Archambault Institution, a multi-level security federal institution.

    Septembre 13, 2024 – Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec – Correctional Service Canada

    On September 11, 2024, as a result of the vigilance of staff members, contraband and unauthorized items were seized at Archambault Institution, a multi-level security federal institution.

    The contraband and unauthorized items seized included hashish, marijuana and tobacco. The total estimated institutional value of this seizure is $80,400.

    The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) uses several tools to prevent drugs from entering its institutions. These tools include ion scanners and drug-detector dogs to search buildings, personal property, inmates, and visitors.

    CSC is heightening measures to prevent contraband from entering its institutions in order to help ensure a safe and secure environment for everyone. CSC also works in partnership with the police to take action against those who attempt to introduce contraband into correctional institutions.

    CSC has also set up a telephone tip line for all federal institutions so that it may receive additional information about activities relating to security at CSC institutions. These activities may be related to drug use or trafficking that may threaten the safety and security of visitors, inmates, and staff members working at CSC institutions.

    The toll-free number, 1‑866‑780‑3784, helps ensure that the information shared is protected and that callers remain anonymous.

    -30-

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Remarks by President  Biden at the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats | New York,  NY

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    1:57 P.M. EDT
    THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  To all the — my fellow leaders from nations around the world, thank you for being here.  It makes a big difference.
    A couple of years ago, a father who I got to meet from a small town here in the United States wrote me a letter about his daughter.  Her name was Courtney.  She was bright and smart, she had a laugh that was contagious, and wanted to travel the world.  But in high school, she became addicted to pills. 
    Her father eventually brought her to a treatment facility, but his insurance company wouldn’t cover the cost.  They said, quote, “It wasn’t a matter of life and death.”
    A month later, Courtney died from a fe- — fentanyl overdose.  She was just 20 years old — 20 years old. 
    In his letter that he wrote to me, he described life without his child.  He said, and I quote, “There is no greater pain.”  “There is no greater pain.”
    I told him I know what it’s like, having lost several children myself — two children.  There is no greater pain.  They still live in your heart, but there’s no greater pain.
    Ladies and gentlemen, that’s why we’re here. 
    Too many people all across our nation have stories like this.  Too many families have suffered unbearable pain and unbearable loss. 
    Opioids are the deadliest drug threat in our history.  I’ve been working on drug control for a long, long time — since the days I was a senator, but this is the deadliest of them all.
    For years, too little has been done to beat this threat here at home and around the world. 
    In fact, before I came to office, overdose deaths in our country were increasing by more than 30 percent year over year. 
    But when I became president, I made beating the opioid endemic [epidemic] a central part of the Unity Agenda, something that our entire nation could rally around and has. 
    For over the last four years, we’ve turned that agenda into action.  My administration made Nal- — excuse me, Na- — made Naloxone, a lifesaving overdose reversal medicine, available over the counter.  You can purchase it over the counter for the first time.  We invested over $80 billion across 50 states to expand access to addiction treatment and support.  I issued an executive order that cut cartel leaders off from fina- — our financial system, including issuing 300 sanctions.  And I’ve deployed hundreds of advanced X-ray ou- — machines to stop the threat of pills and powder coming across our border. 
    Because I want to be clear: This is — this is a national security threat. 
    In July of this year, I signed a national security memorandum.  It officially recognized that fact, that it is a national security threat.  It calls on every part of our government to do more to stop fentanyl and protect our homeland from this threat. 
    But as all of you know, this a global challenge and it requires a global solutions. 
    So, we established the Tri- — the Trilateral Fentanyl Committee with Canada and Mexi- — and Mexico to stop narcotics from crossing our border. 
    I reignited counternarcotics cooperation with China to increase law enforcement cooperation and tackle the supply chains of precursor chemicals and pill presses. 
    And I directed my team to build this coalition — this Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drugs.  As all of you here know, this coalition now has, as the secretary of State said, 150 nations as part of it. 
    The result of these efforts: More fentanyl has been seized at our border in the last two years than the previous five years combined — in the previous five years combined.  Nearly 60,000 pounds of fentanyl have been seized.  That’s enough to kill every single American many times over. 
    Dozens of major cartel leaders and traffickers are now behind bars. 
    And I’m proud to announce, for the first time in five years, overdose deaths are actually coming down across America.  The latest data shows a 10 percent drop.  That’s the largest decrease on record. 
    Folks, this matters.  These aren’t just facts and figures.  They’re families — families who don’t have to bear the loss of a child, a parent, a spouse — families who are kept whole. 
    But there are too many that are still dying.  There’s so much more that needs to be done. 
    So, my message today is very simple: We can’t let up.  We cannot let up.
    Drug manufacturers and cartels continue to adapt their practices, develop new chemicals, move fast to evade our efforts.  We have to move faster.
    They continue to exploit the global supply chains to expand their networks.  We’ve got to cut them off. 
    They continue to fuel violence, corruption, and instability.  We’ve got to protect our people and our communities. 
    So, that’s why I’m calling on every nation here to commit to our new global coalition pledge.  This lays out the action we must all take to seize more drugs, stop more cartels, save more lives. 
    I also want to thank the leaders here who are stepping up and launching a new initiatives today to advance coalition efforts all across three key — key areas.  First, disrupting supply chain, including production and distribution of illicit — of illicit drugs.  Secondly, detecting emerging drug threats and increasing information sharing across all our countries.  And thirdly, preventing more deaths by treating more people through public health interventions, increased access to lifesaving medications.
    It’s possible.  It’s about disrupt, detect, prevent, and treat. 
    Together, we’re making it clear: Enough is enough is enough. 
    Let me close with this.  As leaders, we all have one solemn responsibility: protect our people from harm. 
    Together, through this coalition, I believe we can do just that.  We can disrupt the cycle of violence and instability that drug cr- — traffickers create.  We can get our people the care they need and deserve.  We can save lives, but only — but only if we come together and work together.  The choice is ours. 
    And I believe there can be only one answer: We can, we will, and we must. 
    So, thank you all for being here.  Let’s get to work.
    And I want to — you to hear from other leaders in this room as well. 
    So, thank you, thank you, thank you.  (Applause.)  
    2:04 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investing in public transportation in the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, September 24, 2024 — Residents in the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s will have access to a new transportation service following an investment of $234,548 from the federal and provincial governments.

    This funding is supporting the establishment of SMART-GO: St. Mary’s Association for Rural Transit, a bookable transit system that will provide a dependable and low-cost transportation option for those in the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s.

    Quotes

    “Public transit is an invaluable tool in helping people get around their communities easily and conveniently. SMART-GO will do just that for the residents of the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s, and I’m incredibly proud that our government could support it.

    The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Everyone deserves access to transportation so they can get to medical appointments, work, see family and friends and do everyday activities that improve our quality of life. In our rural communities there are often less options for transportation and that’s why I’m proud to support SMART-GO as they will make a huge difference in Guysborough County.”

    The Honourable Kim Masland, Nova Scotia Minister of Public Works

    “SMART-GO is thrilled and incredibly grateful to receive government funding, which allows us to bring our much-needed transportation service to the St. Mary’s community. By providing accessible and convenient door-to-door transit, we aim to enrich the lives of our residents, ensuring they remain connected to essential services and fostering a deeper sense of unity within our community. This invaluable support from the government will empower us to make a positive difference in the daily lives of those who call St. Mary’s home, and for that, we extend our heartfelt thanks.”

    Heather Kreffer, Executive Director, SMART-GO

    Quick facts

    • The federal government is investing $187,638 in this project through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF), and the provincial government is contributing $46,910.

    • The RTSF helps Canadians living in rural and remote areas get around their communities more easily. It supports the development of rural transit solutions, including new transit service models that could be replicated or scaled up.

    • The RTSF’s Capital Projects stream helps cover capital costs like the purchase of vehicles or digital platforms, as well as support for the purchase of zero-emission vehicles. This stream closed on February 28, 2024.

    • The RTSF’s Planning and Design Projects continuous intake remains open. Through this stream, eligible applicants can receive a grant up to $50,000 in support of a communities’ projects to plan and design a new or expanded transit solution for their communities. Some examples of eligible Planning and Design Projects activities are assessment of routes and modes of travel, feasibility studies, public and stakeholder engagement and surveys.

    • A minimum of 10% of RTSF’s funding is allocated to projects that benefit Indigenous populations and communities.

    • One in five Canadians live in rural communities. Rural communities in Canada account for nearly 30% of the nation’s gross domestic product.

    • The RTSF complements Canada’s strengthened climate plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. Through the plan the federal government has committed to providing federal funding for public transit in support of making clean and affordable transportation available in every community.

    • The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) will provide an average of $3 billion a year of permanent funding to respond to local transit needs by enhancing integrated planning, improving access to public transit and active transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive communities. 

    • The CPTF meets the needs of communities of all sizes, from large metropolitan areas, to mid-size and smaller communities, including rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities. 

    • Since 2015, the federal government has committed over $30 billion for public transit and active transportation projects. These historic investments have resulted in close to 2000 projects across the country.

    • The funding announced today builds on the federal government’s work through the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create well-paying jobs and strengthen local economies.

    • Federal funding is conditional on the signing of the contribution agreement.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information (media only), please contact:

    Sofia Ouslis
    Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
    Sofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Media Relations
     Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
    613-960-9251
    Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
    Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
    Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
    Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Blaise Theriault
    Communications Advisor,
    Nova Scotia Department of Public Works
    902-476-5092
    blaise.theriault@novascotia.ca

    Heather Kreffer
     Executive Director,
    SMART-GO: St. Mary’s Association for Rural Transit 
    902-522-2000
    info@smart-go.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitobans Asked to Help Select Design for Province’s New Health Card

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    September 24, 2024

    Manitobans Asked to Help Select Design for Province’s New Health Card

    The Manitoba government is following through on its commitment to deliver a new and modernized health card this year and as part of the next step in the process, Manitobans are invited to help choose the design of the new card, Premier Wab Kinew announced today.

    “The initial response to our new health card designs was amazing,” said Kinew. “However, we want to make sure that all Manitobans have the opportunity to provide feedback on which card best reflects our unique province and people. Let us know and have a say about our province’s new health card.”

    Manitobans can view and vote for their favourite Manitoba health card design at EngageMB. The designs feature iconic Manitoba symbols such as a bison, a polar bear and the northern lights.

    The premier noted that all Manitobans can also help ensure a smooth transition to the new health card by reviewing their current health card and ensuring that all information is accurate and up to date. This includes making sure the card accurately reflects everyone in the household who is eligible for health-care coverage in the province and the mailing address is current.

    To make updates to Manitoba health cards and changes to personal information visit: www.gov.mb.ca/health/mhsip/updatehealthcard.html.

    To view and vote for Manitoba’s new health card design, visit https://engagemb.ca/health-cards. This engagement is open until midnight on Sunday, Sept. 29.

    – 30 –

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitoba Celebrates 10 years of Farm and Food Awareness Week with Support to Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    This year’s theme is ‘Sustainable Agriculture: Feeding the Future’

    September 13, 2024 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    The governments of Canada and Manitoba are encouraging all Manitobans to learn more about the important role that agriculture producers play in ensuring that our agri-food system remains diverse, safe and sustainable by attending at least one of the many events around the province celebrating the 10th annual Farm and Food Awareness Week, September 16th-20th, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced today.

    To support K-12 teachers and students in learning about the importance of agriculture in Manitoba, through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable-CAP), the governments of Canada and Manitoba have provided $400,000 to Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba. Funding will be used for the Amazing Agriculture Adventure Program, which helps students and teachers learn about Manitoba agriculture, eating local, and opportunities in Manitoba’s agriculture sector.

    As a part of the celebrations minister Kostyshyn has proclaimed Wednesday, September 18 as Local Veggie Day to celebrate Manitoba vegetable farmers, local vegetables and initiatives across the province that nourish and support families and communities.

    This year’s events include:

    • The launch event, Discover Agriculture on the Farm, is a family friendly event at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre on Sunday, September 15 where urban and rural communities can come together to discover where our food comes from.
    • Manitoba Agriculture has also launched the ‘selfie challenge’ on X (formerly known as Twitter) to highlight the diversity of the province’s agri-food industry. Manitobans are encouraged to follow @MBGovAg and share their passion for the industry by posting photographs of themselves at farms or enjoying meals made with Manitoba foods, accompanied by #FacesofMBAg and #FarmFoodAwarenessWeek.
    • In conjunction with Farm and Food Awareness Week, Manitoba’s Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) program, has launched a video to demonstrate Manitoba producers’ ongoing commitment to sustainability.

    The Sustainable CAP is a 5-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

    Quotes

    “Farm and Food Awareness Week is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the vital contributions our farming communities make. This funding for Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba will help students right across Manitoba learn more about how their food is produced and grow their passion for agriculture.”

    – The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

    “Manitoba’s farmers and producers play a critical role in feeding our province and the world, and growing our economy. Celebrating and learning about the many people who ensure our food goes from farm to table in the safest, most efficient and sustainable way possible is an important way for agricultural producers get the recognition they deserve.”

    – Ron Kostyshyn, Manitoba Minister of Agriculture

    “We are incredibly grateful to the governments of Canada and Manitoba for their visionary support, which has been vital to the success and growth of Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba. This partnership not only demonstrates the province’s confidence in our mission but also highlights the government’s strong commitment to the future of agriculture. By investing in our programs and resources, the Manitoba government is ensuring that our students and educators, especially in rural, remote, Francophone and Indigenous communities, have the tools they need to understand and engage with our province’s vibrant agri-food sector. Together, we are laying the groundwork for a thriving agricultural industry supported by future generations of informed and inspired Manitobans.”

    – Katharine Cherewyk, Executive Director, Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba

    Quick facts

    • Over 48% of Manitoba farms have participated in the EFP since the program began and remains the primary tool to guide Manitoba producers in best practices ensuring sustainability on the farm.

    • Nearly 40,000 Manitobans work in the agricultural industry, contributing significantly to Manitoba’s economy.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Annie Cullinan
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
    annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    Ottawa, Ontario
    613-773-7972
    1-866-345-7972
    aafc.mediarelations-relationsmedias.aac@agr.gc.ca
    Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
    Web: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    Manitoba media requests for general information, contact Communications and Engagement: newsroom@gov.mb.ca.

    Manitoba media requests for ministerial comment, contact Cabinet Communications: cabcom@manitoba.ca.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Parks Canada and Alberta unveil new plaques commemorating the Alberta section of the North Saskatchewan River as a Canadian Heritage River

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    This section of the river was officially designated in March 2024

    September 13, 2024                         Smoky Lake, Alberta              Parks Canada

    Heritage places reflect the rich and varied stories of Canada and provide an opportunity to learn more about our diverse history.

    Yesterday, a celebration was held at the Victoria District National Historic Site to unveil new Canadian Heritage Rivers System plaques to commemorate the official designation of the Alberta section of the North Saskatchewan River as a Canadian Heritage River. Flags of Treaty 6 and the Otipemisiwak Métis Nation in Alberta were also installed and raised to commemorate the occasion. 

    The North Saskatchewan River is a traditional gathering place, travel route, and home to Indigenous peoples including the nêhiyawak (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Ktunaxa, Métis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibwe, Saulteaux, Anishinaabe, Inuit, and Assiniboine. For centuries, the river was a transportation and trade route, first for Indigenous peoples, then settlers and explorers coming from the east to the Rocky Mountains and to the west coast. It played a pivotal role in the fur trade, early scientific expeditions, human settlement patterns and agriculture. Today, the river continues to provide an important source of drinking water, habitat for plant and animal species, and support for the tourism and recreation industries. 

    A 49-kilometer segment of North Saskatchewan River within Banff National Park was designated as a Canadian Heritage River in 1989. The final remaining 718 km section of the North Saskatchewan River within Alberta was initially nominated by Smoky Lake County in 2019 for its outstanding cultural and recreational values. The designation was accepted and officially announced on March 22, 2024 (World Water Day).

    This initiative was made possible by many partners working together. The designation document identifies ongoing calls to action related to air and water quality, land use planning, and inter-sectoral/jurisdictional collaboration.

                                                                                                      -30-

    Additional multimedia

    Caption: Plaque unveiling celebration at Métis Crossing. Photo credit: Parks Canada
    Logo of the organizations that participated in yesterday`s announcement.

    Quotes

    “Congratulations to everyone involved in the designation of this section of the North Saskatchewan River as a Canadian Heritage River. With this designation and with the installation of these new plaques, people from near and far will be able to learn more about this magnificent river’s contributions to Canada, both historic and contemporary.”

    The Honourable Steven Guilbeault
     Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

    “The North Saskatchewan River has contributed to the foundation of the Canada we know today. It has provided a means of transportation and recreation for millennia and as such is worthy of this designation. The installation of these plaques signifies the importance of this river to the Indigenous peoples of the area, Albertans, and Canadians. Congratulations and thank you to everyone involved.”

    The Honourable Randy Boissonnault
     Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages

    “Smoky Lake County is thrilled to share in the unveiling of these commemorative plaques, which recognize the iconic cultural, environmental, and recreational heritage of this place. These NSR plaques join the existing commemorative plaque-site that celebrates this river as the spiritual center of the more than 10,000-acre Victoria District National Historic Site of Canada (VDNHSC) which was designated in 2001. Earlier this year, the County also shared in receiving an elusive ‘Award of Excellence’ from the Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI) for this work.”

    Jered Serben
     Reeve & Division 5 Councillor, Smoky Lake County

    “As a Provincially designated Watershed Planning and Advisory Council (WPAC), the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance welcomes this occasion as an opportunity to continue the work of Truth and Reconciliation, as well as highlight many historical and ongoing efforts for stewardship of the river’s main-stem and indeed the entire basin.”

    Scott Millar
     Executive Director, North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance

    “Today, as we unveil these commemorative plaques, we honour the North Saskatchewan River across Alberta not just as a Canadian Heritage River, but as a lifeline woven into the very fabric of Métis history and culture. This river was an important trade route for Métis fur traders, where York boats transported goods and furs. The river remains a symbol of our enduring connection to this land. Up and down the river and at Metis Crossing, we celebrate this river’s role in shaping our past and guiding our future.”

    Andrea Sandmaier
     President, Otipemisiwak Métis Government

    “The North Saskatchewan River is, and always will be, a vital part of Alberta. Many municipalities and Indigenous communities requested this designation as they have a long and deep relationship with this beautiful river and our growing province relies on it for drinking water, a dynamic ecosystem, and many recreational and tourism opportunities.”

    The Honourable Rebecca Schulz
    Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta

    Quick facts

    • The North Saskatchewan River flows within the North Saskatchewan watershed across central Alberta and into Saskatchewan. The river travels 1,287 km from its origin in the Columbia Icefield in the Rocky Mountains of western Alberta to the ‘Forks’ within the province of Saskatchewan. This route transects four of Alberta’s six natural regions: Rocky Mountains, Foothills, Boreal Forest, and Parkland.

    • Besides the Clearwater/Christina rivers near Fort McMurray (designated in 2003), the North Saskatchewan is the second river in Alberta outside of a national park to be recognized in the Canadian Heritage Rivers System.

    • The Canadian Heritage Rivers System is a collaboration between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. It gives national recognition to Canada’s outstanding rivers and encourages long-term stewardship of their natural, cultural, and recreational values for the benefit and enjoyment of Canadians, now and in the future.

    • There are currently 42 rivers or river segments designated under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System, totalling just over 10,000 kilometers across the country.

    • Parks Canada represents the Government of Canada on the Canadian Heritage Rivers Board and provides secretariat services, policy guidance, and financial support for the designation and commemoration of Canadian Heritage Rivers.

    Related products

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Oliver Anderson
    Director of communications      
    Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
    819-962-0686
    oliver.anderson@ec.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Parks Canada
    855-862-1812
    pc.media@pc.gc.ca

    Kyle Schole
    Vice Chair, Board of Directors
    North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance
    780-650-2059
    kschole@outlook.com

    Jordan Ruegg
    Planning and Development Manager
    Smoky Lake County
    jruegg@smokylakecounty.ab.ca

    Kyla Blumentrath
    Executive Assistant to the President
    Otipemisiwak Métis Government
    kblumentrath@metis.org

    Ryan Fournier
    Press Secretary
    Alberta Minister of Environment and Protected Areas
    780-232-2213
    ryan.fournier@gov.ab.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Investing in Public Transit in the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Press release

    Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, September 24, 2024 — Residents of the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s will have access to a new transportation service thanks to an investment of $234,548 from the federal and provincial governments.

    This funding supports the creation of SMART-GO: St. Mary’s Association for Rural Transit, an on-demand transportation system that will provide residents of the Municipality of the District of St. Mary with a reliable, low-cost transportation option.

    Quotes

    “Public transit is an invaluable tool that helps people move around their communities easily and conveniently. That is exactly what SMART-GO will provide to residents of the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s, and I am incredibly proud that our government is supporting this project.”

    The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Everyone deserves access to transportation services to get to medical appointments, go to work, see family and friends, and do the everyday activities that improve our quality of life. There are often fewer transportation options in our rural communities, which is why I am proud to support SMART-GO, which will make a huge difference in Guysborough County.”

    The Honourable Kim Masland, Nova Scotia Minister of Public Works

    “SMART-GO is thrilled and incredibly grateful to receive funding from the government, which allows us to provide a much-needed transportation service to the St. Mary’s community. By providing accessible and convenient door-to-door transportation, we aim to improve the quality of life of our residents by allowing them to maintain their access to essential services and thereby fostering an even greater sense of unity within our community. This invaluable support from the government will allow us to make a positive difference in the daily lives of St. Mary’s residents, and for that, we sincerely thank you.”

    Heather Kreffer, Executive Director, SMART-GO

    Quick Facts

    The federal government is investing $187,638 in this project through the Rural Transit Solutions Fund (RTSF), and the provincial government is investing $46,910.

    The FSTCR helps Canadians living in rural and remote areas move more easily within their communities. It supports the development of rural transit solutions, including new models of transit services that could be replicated or expanded.

    The FSTCR Capital Projects component helps cover investment costs, such as purchasing vehicles or digital platforms, as well as supporting the purchase of zero-emission vehicles. This component ended on February 28, 2024.

    The FSTCR Planning and Design Projects stream is accepting submissions on an ongoing basis. Under this stream, eligible applicants may receive a grant of up to $50,000 to support community projects to plan and design a new or expanded transit solution for their community. Eligible activities under the Planning and Design Projects include route and mode assessments, feasibility studies, public and stakeholder engagement, and surveys.

    A minimum of 10% of FSTR funding is allocated to projects benefiting indigenous people and communities.

    One in five Canadians lives in a rural community. Canada’s rural communities generate nearly 30% of the country’s gross domestic product.

    The Rural Transit Solutions Fund complements Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. Through this plan, the federal government is providing federal funding for public transit to ensure clean and affordable transportation solutions are available in all communities.

    The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CCTF) will provide an average of $3 billion per year in permanent funding to address local transit needs by strengthening integrated planning, improving access to transit and active transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable and inclusive communities.

    The FTCC serves the needs of communities of all sizes, from large metropolitan areas to mid-sized and smaller communities, including rural, remote, northern and Indigenous communities.

    Since 2015, the federal government has committed more than $30 billion to public transit and active transportation projects. These historic investments have enabled nearly 2,000 projects to be completed across the country.

    The funding announced today builds on work the federal government is doing under the Atlantic Growth Strategy to create well-paying jobs and strengthen local economies.

    Federal funding is conditional on the signing of the contribution agreement.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Sofia OuslisCommunications AdvisorOffice of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Media RelationsHousing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada613-960-9251Toll free: 1-877-250-7154Email:media-medias@infc.gc.caFollow us onTwitter,Facebook,InstagramAndLinkedInWebsite:Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Blaise TheriaultCommunications AdvisorNova Scotia Department of Public Works902-476-5092blaise.theriault@novascotia.ca

    Heather KrefferExecutive DirectorSMART-GO: St. Mary’s Association for Rural Transit 902-522-2000info@smart-go.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: South Uniacke — Missing person: Help the RCMP find Erika MacLeod

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Missing person: Help the RCMP find Erika MacLeod

    September 24, 2024, South Uniacke, Nova Scotia… East Hants District RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 37-year-old Erika MacLeod aka Erika MacCormac. She was last seen at approximately 11:30 p.m. on September 18, 2024 in South Uniacke.

    MacLeod has brown hair and hazel eyes. She’s approximately 5’4, 100 lbs. It is unknown what she was wearing when last seen but it is believed that she could be driving a 2014 Chevrolet Traverse, Nova Scotia licence plate HGA 519.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Erika MacLeod is asked to contact East Hants District RCMP at 902-883-7077. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.

    File #: 2024-1406857

    Note to media: A photo of Erika MacLeod is attached.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Remarks by President  Biden Honoring the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League Champions, NJ/NY GOTHAM FC | (September 23,  2024)

    Source: The White House

    10:38 A.M. EDT

    THE PRESIDENT:  Hey, guys.  How are you doing?  (Laughter.)  Holy mackerel.  I like your tie.  (Laughter.) 

    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Can you guys say thank you?

    THE PRESIDENT:  “Dad, you didn’t tell me the president was going to talk to me.”

    Please, have a seat. 

    Well, good morning.  For the first time — for the first time in National Women’s Soccer League history, welcome to the White House to the 2023 championships [champions] the Gotham F.C.  (Applause.)  
    It’s so good to be joined by so many friends from New York and New Jersey — (applause) — team owners, the Tisch family — 

    AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes!

    THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  God love you.  We go back a long way.  (Laughter.)  Led by Carolyn.  

    And — and the team — the fellow team governors and investors, Ed, as well as the great Sue Bird — (applause) — was here a few years ago to celebrate the Seattle Storm’s WNBA championship, and she’s simply incredible.  No, you are.  I tell you what, man.  (Applause.) 

    I also want to thank the founding team owners, and good friends of mine, the Murphys and, particularly, Tammy, to continues the — to be the champions for women’s sports.  They couldn’t be here today because they are representing the great state of New Jersey on a trade mission abroad.  

    But I also want to thank New Jersey’s newest United States senator, George Helmy.  Where — where are you, George?  (Applause.)  There you are, George.  George, you don’t get to take the trophy home.  (Laughter.) 

    And, of course, a special thanks to the incredible players.  You know — (applause) — one thing is clear: This organization is no stranger to adversity.  In 2022, Gotham placed last in the entire league.  There were doubts about turning things around.  But you never gave up.  You never gave up.  And you kept the faith, as my mother would say.  You retooled the roster, hired a new coach.  Something clicked.  

     And after a tough season, you were in — the final team to make the playoffs.  But as the saying goes, winners simply win.  Back-to-back playoff wins holding North Carolina and Portland scoreless and then beating Seattle to win it all.  The new Tiffany trophy is one at — new home now in Gotham.  

    Look, just yesterday, you clinched the playoff spot, so maybe you’ll be back here next year.  (Applause.)  Now, if you are, I won’t be president but ask if I can come and listen.  (Laughter.) 

    What’s really important is your championship win also set an attendance record.  I think it’s fair to say everyone — everyone watches women’s sports.  (Applause.)  It’s about time.   

    I got some All-State soccer players as well as — a goalie as well as lacrosse champions in my family.  And, by the way, in my family, we have a — an advantage: All the women are smarter than all the men — (laughter) — including me. 

    Look, and when fans watch you play, they also see the power of the example off the field as well.  It matters.  And I really mean it.  You lead the way in providing sports medicine and health care focused on women.  My wife is deeply involved in trying to make sure there’s enough attention paid and research done on women’s diseases as men.  As a matter of fact, we’re going to the United Nations after this to make that very case.

    You helped establish the Players Association fighting for the dignity of work all across the league.  And most powerful — I’m — you know, I get — I get categorized as the most pro-union president in American history.  I am, and I approve of what you’re doing, man.  (Laughter.)    

    You know, and your teammate Midge came to the White House with the U.S. Women’s National Team to highlight the campaign and equal — for equal pay.  That’s happening too.  Matter of fact, it’s going to get unequal here; you’re going to be paid a hell of a lot more, I think (inaudible).

    But let’s be clear.  And I mean this sincerely.  I was raised by my best friend in the world, who is my sister.  She — she — anyway.  I won’t get into all that, but — (laughter) — you know, I mean this sincerely: A woman can do anything a man can do — anything a man can do, including being president of the United States.  (Applause.)  

    Let me close by thanking you all.  You really represent our nation with such dignity.  You inspire all of us — and you really do; you’re an inspiration.  Think — I bet you wh- — you can’t walk down the street in your hometown without some young girl coming up to you just wanting to talk to you, just wanting to touch you, just wanting to hold your hand.  It’s amazing.  

    And congratulations to the Bats of Gotham.  You like being called the “Bats of Gotham”?  (Laughter.)

    GOTHAM FC PLAYERS:  Batties.  

    MS. PURCE:  The Batties.  

    THE PRESIDENT:  (Inaudible.)  

    MS. KRIEGER:  Batties.

    MS. PURCE:  The Batties.  

    THE PRESIDENT:  I like that.  (Laughter.)

    Look, I’m going to turn it over to the top Bat — no, the top — (laughter) — to Ali, last year’s team captain, who, by the way, I watched in 2015 win the World Cup in — when I was vice president — in Canada.  Ali, it’s great to see you again, kiddo.  (Laughter.)  The floor is yours.  (Applause.)

    MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  

    THE PRESIDENT:  I like your kicks.

    MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  They’re — I wore them for you, so — (laughter).  Yeah.

    Mr. President and esteemed guests, thank you for hosting Gotham FC, the reigning NWSL champions.  (Applause.)  

    We are deeply honored to be the first NWSL team to receive this recognition, marking a pivotal moment for women’s sports.  

    Firstly, I have to thank my teammates for their grit and perseverance to enable us to be the champions standing here today.  (Applause.)

    Starting the 2023 season, coming off of the last place finish — from worst to first — (laughter) — nobody backed this team to do what we did.

    Reflecting on my career, I recall times when women’s soccer lacked coverage and support.  Our progress since those days have been remarkable, from our humble beginnings to becoming champions.  

    Both Gotham and the NWSL have seen tremendous growth with more fans, greater engagement, and increased recognition.  

    Yet, despite these strides, we are reminded that our work is far from over.  

    Every time we step on the field, we think of young girls who dream the future in sports.  This moment is not just about titles or trophies, it’s about paving the way for them.  Being the first is historic, but it’s even more important that we ensure we are not the last.  

    We all know that we are committed to build on this momentum for future generations. 

    As a token of our appreciation and commitment to advancing women’s sports, we are delighted to present you with a Gotham FC jersey.  (Applause.)

    We expect you to be wearing that under the suit soon, okay?  (Laughter.)

    THE PRESIDENT:  I’ll wear it over it.

    MS. KRIEGER:  Yeah, great.  (Laughter.)

    On behalf of my exceptional teammates and the entire organization, thank you again for this incredible honor, for sup- — and for supporting the growth of women’s sports.  

    THE PRESIDENT:  All right.

    MS. KRIEGER:  Thank you.  (Applause.)

    THE PRESIDENT:  You know, I thought when I got to be president, I’d get to do things that I wanted to do, but my staff tells me what I can’t do.  (Laughter.)  But I’m going to do it anyway.  All the young women — young kids out there that are wa- — are out there, come on up and do this when we — stand behind me when we do this.  Come on.

    AUDIENCE:  Aww.  (Applause.)

    THE PRESIDENT:  And the guys.  Come on.  (Applause.)  

    (The president greets children coming to the stage.)

    THE PRESIDENT:  All right.

    MS. KRIEGER:  So, our head coach, Juan Carlos Amorós, and the — the championship 2023 MVP, Midge Purce.  (Applause.) 

    (The president is presented with a Gotham FC jersey.) 

    THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you. 

    10:49 A.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister advances progress and prosperity at the United Nations General Assembly and the Summit of the Future

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Progressive leadership is driven by a shared belief that we cannot falter – on rights, on equality, and on an economy that works for everyone. We must keep moving forward.

    That’s the message the Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, delivered as he concluded his participation in the 79th Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (UNGA) and the Summit of the Future, in New York City, United States of America. During UNGA, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to advancing progress, prosperity, and fairness for every generation.

    Prime Minister Trudeau joined global leaders at the Summit of the Future, which concluded with the adoption of the Pact for the Future – an ambitious pact that will see countries work together to tackle shared challenges. At the Summit, the Prime Minister delivered a statement affirming Canada’s support for the Summit of the Future, its call for nations to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and its commitment to investing in our workers, our communities, and our future.

    Building on the progress made at the Summit of the Future, Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders and prominent advocates at UNGA to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He emphasized Canada’s commitment to unlocking increased financing to achieve the SDGs globally, particularly through his role as Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders group. He also underscored the central role of gender equality as a pathway to achieving sustainable development, and made clear that women and girls must be able to make choices about their bodies, their lives, and their own futures. Canada announced over $112 million to help protect the comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls worldwide. We will also invest $58 million in projects that empower women and promote gender equality, particularly in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. With this funding, Canada will fulfill its $100 million commitment to address issues in unpaid and paid care work in low- and middle-income countries.

    For tens of millions of people across the globe, including in Canada, climate change is not an abstraction. It is real, it is costly, and it does not stop at our borders. To successfully tackle climate change, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of global, collective climate action. He highlighted industrial decarbonization as one such approach to fight climate change, including through innovative tools such as carbon pricing. He also welcomed six new members to Canada’s Global Carbon Pricing Challenge, which calls on countries to put a price on carbon to cover 60 per cent of global emissions by 2030. The Prime Minister also announced $3.9 million to be delivered through Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program so we can more effectively respond to wildfires and advance international leadership on sustainable forest management.

    Prime Minister Trudeau, alongside the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, convened a High-Level Meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to strengthen efforts to restore democracy, security, and stability in Haiti. The Prime Minister highlighted ongoing work to respond to the humanitarian needs of the Haitian people and Canada’s continued support of the Multinational Security Support mission in the country. He emphasized the criticality of Haitian-led solutions to the conflict. He announced over $16 million to support the transitional government’s election preparedness, increase humanitarian aid, reduce gang violence, and expand access to justice for women and youth detainees while supporting their reintegration into society. These measures will make a meaningful difference in helping Haiti address its immediate needs and create a better, more prosperous future for its people.

    At UNGA, the Prime Minister also announced $3.6 million in new wide-ranging investments to strengthen global peace and security, including on land mine clearance, and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly women affected by conflict. He emphasized the role of UN agencies in accomplishing this important work, announcing a $9 million investment to support the UN’s efforts to strengthen development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding assistance in countries across the globe.

    The Prime Minister participated in a leaders’ roundtable titled In Defense of Democracy: Fighting Against Extremism, where he engaged with world leaders on challenges facing democracies, such as inequality, polarization, disinformation, and violent extremism, including online. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order and multilateral institutions, like the UN.

    Throughout his visit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with international counterparts to discuss pressing geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine and its global impacts, as well as the evolving situation in the Middle East. He emphasized the importance of protecting democratic institutions from emerging threats, including misinformation and election interference, and safeguarding peace and security around the world.

    At UNGA, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, and the Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, among others. 

    In the face of global economic and social insecurity, Canada chooses to invest in our country. Whether it’s national $10-a-day child care, an ambitious housing plan, a national dental care program, or an industrial strategy that creates good-paying jobs while fighting climate change – these are choices that will make a positive difference in the lives of Canadians and help solve global challenges.

    Quote

    “Canada chooses to invest in our people, in our future, and in progress. That was my message at UNGA and at the Summit of the Future. Our government is taking action to fight climate change, break down barriers, solve the world’s most pressing challenges, and deliver fairness for every generation.”

    — The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

    Quick Facts

    • While in New York City, Prime Minister Trudeau had bilateral meetings with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, the Prime Minister of Japan, Kishida Fumio, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, the Mayor of Kitchener, Berry Vrbanovic, the Governor of New York State, Kathy Hochul, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, the President of Kenya, William Ruto, and Malala Yousafzai.
    • The Prime Minister also had interactions with other leaders, including the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Jens Stoltenberg, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo, the Taoiseach of Ireland, Simon Harris, the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, the President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, and the President of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
    • As a founding member of the UN since its creation in 1945, Canada has actively contributed to the organization, playing a key role in drafting the UN Charter, the treaty that is the cornerstone of the rules-based international order.
    • Canada is the sixth-largest donor to the UN, including voluntary and assessed contributions totalling over US$2 billion in 2022.
    • In 2015, Canada joined all UN Member States in adopting ambitious goals for sustainable development, as outlined in Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda centres on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encompassing the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Taken together, the SDGs aim to improve the lives of all people, while protecting the planet.
    • Released in 2021, Moving Forward Together: Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy builds upon 30 actions and five core principles to create and foster an enabling environment for ongoing dialogue and participation to encourage Canadians to take action to realize the SDGs.
    • In 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau was named Co-Chair of the UN SDG Advocates group by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, alongside the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley. SDG Advocates work to raise global awareness of the SDGs and of the need for accelerated action by using their respective platforms.
    • Prime Minister Trudeau is also Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders group alongside the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness. The group advocates for equipping developing countries with the financial resources to invest in the 17 SDGs and secure a more just and equitable future for all people.
    • At the Summit for the Future, global leaders enhanced co-operation on critical challenges and addressed gaps in global governance. They reaffirmed existing commitments – including to the SDGs and the UN Charter – and moved toward a modernized UN system that can effectively tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow.
    • At the Summit, leaders adopted the Pact for the Future  and its annexes – the Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations. The Pact is a global framework to bolster global co-operation and address critical challenges facing the world, such as climate change, global inequality, and the need for stronger multilateral co-operation, for the benefit of all and for future generations.
    • In 2021, Canada launched the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. This partnership aims to expand the use of pollution pricing by strengthening existing systems and supporting emerging ones. The Challenge, which has a collective goal of covering 60 per cent of global emissions by 2030, also serves as a forum for dialogue and co-ordination to make pricing systems more effective and compatible while supporting other countries in adopting carbon pricing and cutting emissions on the path to net-zero by 2050.

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to WHO data on adolescent social media use and gaming

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Data published by the World Health Organisation looks at adolescent social media use and gaming.

    Prof Ben Carter, Professor of Medical Statistics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King’s College London, said:

    “The authors provide a useful snapshot of the evidence and whilst again the study includes cross sectional data- it is large and has collected very pertinent data throughout Europe. 

    “However, they offer an unvalidated tool for problematic social media use. Whilst better than merely ‘screentime’, it isn’t entirely based on the DSM-V criteria for defining a behavioural addiction. Again, this is a useful starting point for measuring potential harm.

    “Their findings suggest approximately 1 in 10 are at risk of problematic use and are consistent with other studies (Carter et al, 2024) which state problematic smartphone usage slightly higher, but when focusing on social media alone offer utility in understanding the problem. 

    “Including Social media and gaming together is not a convincing argument as they are not the only forms of harm adolescents are at risk from- but the findings showing the difference between genders are well established. However, this is a very new and emerging field. 

    “The authors draw distinctions to the long periods of time spent gaming and the risk of harm is at odds with the incredibly helpful quote from the boy highlighting that the time spent isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The boy clearly shows insight highlighting the need to understand the underlying use (e.g. when and what) rather than just the time. This is consistent with the literature 

    “I welcome these finding and thank the authors for the valid contribution to the evidence base.”

    ‘A focus on adolescent social media use and gaming in Europe, central Asia and Canada’ by the World Health Organisation was published at 00:01 UK time on Wednesday 25th September.

    Declared interests

    Prof Ben Carter: No declarations.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Prime Minister advocates progress and prosperity at UN General Assembly and Future Summit

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Prime Minister of Canada – in French

    Progressive leadership is driven by the belief that we cannot turn back the clock on rights, equality, and an economy that works for everyone. We must keep moving forward.

    This was the message delivered by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the conclusion of his participation in the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Future Summit in New York, United States of America. At the UNGA, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to progress, prosperity and equity for all generations.

    Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders at the Future Summit, which concluded with the adoption of the Compact for the Future, an ambitious agreement that will inspire countries to work together to address shared challenges. At the Summit, the Prime Minister issued a statement indicating Canada’s support for the Future Summit, calling on countries to deliver on the2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developmentand intended to invest in its workers, in its communities and in its future.

    Building on the progress made at the Future Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau joined world leaders and prominent human rights advocates at the UNGA to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He signalled Canada’s commitment to finding new sources of financing to achieve the SDGs globally, particularly as co-chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders Group. He highlighted the fundamental role of gender equality as a means to achieve sustainable development and made clear that women and girls must be able to make choices about their bodies, their lives and their futures. To this end, Canada announced more than $112 million in support to protect access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services for women and girls around the world. Canada will also invest $58 million in projects that empower women and promote gender equality, particularly in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. With this funding, Canada will deliver on its $100 million commitment to address issues related to paid and unpaid care work in low- and middle-income countries.

    For tens of millions of people around the world, including in Canada, climate change is not an illusion: it is real, it is costly and it knows no borders. To effectively combat this threat, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of collective action on a global scale. He highlighted decarbonizing the industrial sector as one solution to combat climate change, including through innovative tools such as carbon pricing. He also welcomed six new members of theGlobal Carbon Pricing Challenge launched by Canada, which calls on countries to set a price on carbon to cover 60% of global emissions by 2030. The Prime Minister also announced $3.9 million through Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program, so we can better fight wildfires and advance international expertise in sustainable forest management.

    Prime Minister Trudeau, together with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Garry Conille, convened a High-level Meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to strengthen efforts to restore democracy, security and stability in Haiti. The Prime Minister highlighted the work being done to address the humanitarian needs of the Haitian people and Canada’s continued support for the Multinational Security Support Mission in the country. He emphasized the critical importance of Haitian-led solutions to the conflict. In this regard, he announced more than $16 million to support the transitional government’s electoral preparations, increase humanitarian assistance, reduce gang-related violence, and increase access to justice for women and youth detainees, while supporting their reintegration into society. These measures will go a long way to helping Haiti address its immediate needs and create a brighter, more prosperous future for its people.

    At the UNGA, the Prime Minister also announced $3.6 million in major new investments to strengthen global peace and security, including mine clearance, and to protect the rights of indigenous peoples, particularly women affected by conflict. He highlighted the role of the United Nations in this important work, and announced an investment of $9 million to support United Nations initiatives to increase the effectiveness of development, humanitarian and peacebuilding assistance in countries around the world.

    The Prime Minister participated in a leaders’ roundtable entitled “Defending Democracy: Combating Extremism,” where he spoke with world leaders about the challenges facing democracies, such as inequality, polarization, disinformation and violent extremism, including online. He reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the rules-based international order and multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations.

    During his visit, Prime Minister Trudeau met with his international counterparts to discuss priority geopolitical challenges, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its global implications, as well as developments in the Middle East. He also stressed the need to protect democratic institutions from emerging threats, including disinformation and election interference, and to preserve peace and security around the world.

    At the UNGA, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz and Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio, among others.

    In the face of economic and social insecurity around the world, the Government of Canada is choosing to invest in our country. From a $10-a-day national child care program to an ambitious housing plan, a national dental care plan, and an industrial sector strategy that creates well-paying jobs – not to mention fighting climate change – these choices will have a positive impact on the lives of Canadians and help address global challenges.

    Quote

    “Canada is choosing to invest in its people, its future and progress. This is the message I wanted to bring to the UNGA and the Future Summit. Our government is taking action to fight climate change, break down barriers, address the world’s most pressing challenges and give every generation a fair chance.”

    Highlights

    During his trip to New York, Prime Minister Trudeau held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Garry Conille of Haiti, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic of Kitchener, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York, Senior Advisor to Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus, President William Ruto of Kenya, and Malala Yousafzai. The Prime Minister also held discussions with other leaders, including North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, International Monetary Fund President and Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and Spanish President Pedro Sánchez. As a founding member of the United Nations since its creation in 1945, Canada has actively contributed to the organization, including playing a key role in drafting the UN Charter, the cornerstone treaty of the rules-based international order. Canada is the sixth largest donor to the United Nations, with voluntary contributions and assessed contributions totaling more than US$2 billion in 2022. In 2015, Canada joined all UN Member States in adopting ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, as outlined in theTransforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda focuses on a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that address the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Together, the SDGs aim to improve people’s lives, but also protect the planet. Released in 2021, theCanada’s National Strategy for the 2030 Agenda: Moving Forward Togetheris based on 30 actions and 5 core principles to create and foster an environment for ongoing dialogue and engagement to encourage Canadians to take action to implement the SDGs. In 2022, Prime Minister Trudeau was appointed Co-Chair of the SDG Advocates Group by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, alongside Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados. Through their respective platforms, the members of the SDG Advocates Group aim to raise global awareness of the SDGs and the need to accelerate action to achieve them. Prime Minister Trudeau also serves as Co-Chair of the SDG Stimulus Leaders Group, alongside Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica. The Group advocates for developing countries to have the financial resources they need to invest in the 17 SDGs to ensure a just and equitable future for all people. At the Future Summit, world leaders strengthened cooperation on major challenges and addressed gaps in global governance. They renewed existing commitments, including to the SDGs and the Charter of the United Nations, and undertook to modernize the United Nations system to effectively address the challenges of today and tomorrow. Also at the Summit, leaders adopted the Deal for the Future and its annexes, the Global Digital Deal and the Declaration on Future Generations. The Deal for the Future is a comprehensive framework to promote global cooperation and address critical challenges facing the world, such as climate change, inequality, and the need for strong multilateral cooperation, for the benefit of all and future generations. In 2021, Canada launched the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. This partnership aims to scale up the use of pollution pricing by strengthening existing systems and supporting new ones. The Challenge, which collectively aims to cover 60% of global emissions by 2030, also serves as a forum for dialogue and coordination to improve the effectiveness and compatibility of pricing regimes, while helping other countries adopt carbon pricing and reduce emissions towards the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

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    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Thompson — Thompson RCMP searching for missing male

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On September 21, 2024, at 3:15 am, Thompson RCMP received a request to check on the wellbeing of a male who had left on foot from an address located on Nelson Road in Thompson.

    Officers attended to the location and learned that the male had entered the woods. Patrols were made in and around the wooded area without success in locating the individual.

    RCMP have been attempting to locate Terrance Campbell, 24, in order to ascertain his wellbeing.

    He’s described as being 6’0″, 230 lbs with black hair and brown eyes. No clothing description is available.

    If you’ve seen Terrance Campbell or have any information on his whereabouts, please call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909/6911, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LaLota Passes Amendment to Combat Pine Beetle Infestation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nick LaLota (NY-01)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Nick LaLota(R-Suffolk County) successfully passed his amendment to H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act, focusing on the devastation caused by the southern pine beetle in the Northeast, particularly within Long Island’s Pine Barrens. LaLota’s amendment directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a comprehensive study on the causes, effects, and solutions for the infestation of pine beetles in the Northeastern United States, ensuring that the problem is addressed with targeted actions.

    “This tiny pest, no larger than a grain of rice, has wreaked havoc on over 5,000 acres of forest in my district alone, threatening our ecosystem and critical natural resources. The southern pine beetle infestation has put immense pressure on Long Island’s Pine Barrens, which serve as a vital habitat for wildlife and play a crucial role in protecting our water supply,” said LaLota. “My amendment is not just about studying a pest; it’s about taking proactive measures to protect our environment, safeguard the drinking water of millions, and ensure that our forests’ rich biodiversity and natural beauty remain intact for future generations. Without intervention, the consequences for our ecosystem and local economy could be severe so we must take action now.”

    LaLota spoke on the House floor ahead of the amendment’s passage, click HERE to watch.

    To read the full text of the amendment, click HERE.

    Background:

    The Pine Barrens, crucial for preserving clean drinking water and home to endangered species, have suffered significant damage from the pine beetle infestation. LaLota’s amendment will enable federal, state, and local officials to better understand and mitigate the pine beetle’s impact, fostering resilient forest ecosystems across the region.

    Along with this amendment, LaLota has fought to preserve the abundant natural environment Long Island is blessed with.

    Earlier this year, LaLota announced he had secured $40 million in federal funding for the Long Island Sound Program. This funding for the Sound is provided by the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill LaLota helped pass, which was signed into law in March.

    In January, LaLota testified at a Natural Resources Committee hearing in support of his Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act. The same month, LaLota testified at the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in support of including a reauthorization of the Long Island Sound Program in the biannual Water Resources Development Act.

    The Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Act would reauthorize the Long Island Sound Program through 2028. In 1985, Congress created the Long Island Sound Study (LISS) to identify and address the major environmental problems affecting the Long Island Sound. The LISS brings together the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York State, Connecticut, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions to help restore and protect the Long Island Sound, including the watershed, which spans up towards New Hampshire and Vermont into Canada.

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    MIL OSI USA News –