#Ottawa announces another $51 million in aid programming for #Ukraine. The new measures come from a broader fund outlined in the 2025 budget, and $32 million of the money will go toward humanitarian aid through outside organizations, including the Red Cross, the United Nations Refugee Agency and the World Food Programme.

Another $5 million has been earmarked for programming to help veterans reintegrate into society.

Randeep Sarai, secretary of state for international development, said in a phone interview from the Kyiv Post newspaper office that Canada signed an memorandum of understanding with Ukraine a few years back on providing technical assistance to veterans.

The idea was to share with Ukraine’s government what Canada learned about helping veterans from the Afghanistan conflict with things like health issues, including PTSD, and finding skilled jobs. He said this new funding will help enable that work.

“Most countries don’t really think about this until after the conflict is over,” Sarai said. “I give them a lot of credit that they were starting this two years ago, which was really two years into the conflict.”

Another $6 million in funding is being set aside to help Ukraine prepare to eventually administer elections and educate voters about the process.

“How do you put up a polling station when there’s mines all around? And how do get people who are in displaced areas to be able participate?” Sarai said.

“How do you get people that are gone abroad, like those that are living in Canada and Poland and Germany and other parts of Europe, Australia, that are still citizens of Ukraine that want to come back and how will they participate?”

The funds also include $5 million for the organization UN Women, which will help Kyiv meet technical requirements to qualify to join the European Union. Those requirements include applying gender-based analysis to all of the legislation that gets passed through Ukraine’s parliament.

Sarai travelled to Poland and Ukraine this week and met with a range of Ukrainian cabinet ministers, including Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko.

This is Sarai’s first visit to the war-torn country. A trip planned years ago was cancelled due to the hostilities.

“You’re in a conflict where there’s missiles and drones and even fighter jets flying above you, and we heard air horns and had to go to a bunker one of the nights. Ukrainians go through this every day, and then they go back to work in the morning and they take their kids to school,” Sarai said, adding it was “very eye-opening” to see schools outfitted with shelters.

The federal government has come up with almost $26 billion for Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in 2022, a conflict that has stretched on for nearly 1,500 days now.

Demands on air traffic controllers in the spotlight after fatal Air #Canada crash.

Experts say it’s not uncommon for the same air traffic controller to handle both incoming aircraft and groundcrew movement, as appeared to be the case Sunday based on tower communications from LaGuardia.

But aviation accident lawyer Erin Applebaum says the fact that one controller seemed to be juggling a separate emergency with another plane while clearing aircraft for landing and groundcrews to cross active runways speaks to the demands of the role.

Shortly after 11:30 p.m., a green-lit Air Canada Express jet slammed into a fire truck that had been given the go-ahead to cross the runway, killing the two pilots and sending 41 people to hospital.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2026.

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press

Don't inherit a crisis: How to manage a parent's debt before they pass

For many families, the grief of losing a parent is compounded by a harsh and unexpected reality: a messy financial aftermath.

Amidst mourning, loved ones may suddenly find themselves facing a daunting array of bills, taxes, and legal duties they are unprepared to handle. The topic of inherited debt, often misunderstood, can turn a difficult time into a financial crisis.

Many people assume that debt simply vanishes upon death, but the reality is different. Experts say the key to navigating this challenge lies not in searching for legal loopholes after the fact, but in proactive planning, clear communication, and a solid understanding of the system before it becomes necessary.

Before diving into estate planning, it’s crucial for families to grasp a fundamental principle: in Canada, you do not personally inherit a parent’s debt.

“When an individual passes away, inherited debt usually ends up in the deceased’s estate with their assets, which the executor must administer in the best interest of all beneficiaries,” said Katie Kaplan, partner at BDO Canada.

“One of the biggest challenges with inherited debt comes when an individual dies with debt but without sufficient liquidity to satisfy the debt. Beneficiaries can accidentally be left with assets that have zero, or even negative value based on market conditions.”

Should this occur, Kaplan warns that assets may need to be sold quickly at a steep discount to cover debts, taxes, and administrative costs. This scenario can drastically affect what, if anything, remains for the beneficiaries.

A common oversight occurs with inherited properties.

“The biggest surprise can be the tax bill owing at the time of death. In Canada, your assets are deemed to be sold at the time of your death, so if your loved ones have investments or secondary properties like a cottage, this can trigger a massive tax bill,” said Erin Bury, co-founder and CEO of online estate planning company Willful.

“If your parent bought a cottage in the 1970s for peanuts and it’s increased significantly since then, this might mean the estate is on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes.”

According to the federal government, when a person dies, they are “considered to have sold all their property just prior to death, even though there is no actual disposition or sale.”

This is called a deemed disposition and may result in a capital gain or capital loss, unless the property or asset is transferred to a spouse, common-law partner or a beneficiary.

The proceeds of the deemed disposition are used to calculate the capital gain, which is the difference between the original purchase price and the market value of the property at death.

If there is a profit or capital gain, it is deemed taxable.

In the family cottage example, if it has gone up in value, this could force the children to sell it to pay the tax bill.

To avoid this, Bury said to consider ways to minimize those tax debts at death, such as donating to charity in your will or using trusts to bypass the estate.

“The key is that you have to plan for them now,” she said. “If you die without putting those plans in place, it’s too late.”

If your loved ones’ debts exceed their assets, their estate can be insolvent, which means that the legacy they worked so hard to build won’t materialize for their heirs.

William Chan, a certified financial planner with Modern Vision Planning, notes the exception is “horizontal relationships,” such as between spouses who hold joint debt. In these cases, the surviving partner is typically responsible for the entire amount. However, for children, the differentiation is clear.

“Collection agencies can come after you for the personal debt — myth!” Chan said. “Either the estate addresses the loan or it’s written off.”

Another common pitfall is underestimating the time it takes to settle an estate. “A common misconception is the speed which all of this can be handled,” Chan said. “Debt can still accrue during the administration process, so remember to pay the bills.”

Discussions around death and money can be uncomfortable, preventing families from planning effectively. However, these discussions are essential to avoid future conflicts and financial messes.

“My advice is to be as transparent as possible with your children,” said Kaplan. “No parent wants to leave a mess for their kids, and there is financial and tax planning that can be done to mitigate these types of issues before a loved one passes away.”

Starting these conversations can be challenging so Chan suggested leading by example.

“Simply mention you’ve been speaking with a certified financial planner or estate planner regarding how to best structure one’s finances and building an estate plan,” he said.

This can open the door to a broader family discussion without putting anyone on the spot. He also recommends avoiding high-pressure moments, such as holiday gatherings, and instead using a news story about a celebrity’s estate as a neutral conversation starter.

“If something recently happened in the media with a celebrity, it could bring to light how death and taxes are the two things in life that can’t be avoided forever,” Chan said.

Framing discussions in terms of legacy is also helpful, said Bury.

“Asking a loved one, ‘What do you want your legacy to be, and how can I help honour it?’ opens up a conversation about what’s important to them — how they want to be remembered, and what type of celebration of life they want,” she said.

Remind them that being proactive and putting a solid plan in place is the best strategy for securing their financial legacy.

'More work to do' to ensure agents of India are not threatening #Canadians: minister.

Anandasangaree stopped short today of agreeing with a federal official who said Wednesday that #Ottawa is confident people acting on behalf of India are not currently engaging in extortion or threats of violence in Canada.

Asked during a briefing with reporters on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s trip to India if agents of that country are currently involved in extortion or violent threats, a federal official said Ottawa has a very robust diplomatic engagement with India.

The official, who was speaking on background, said Canada is confident the activity isn’t continuing, and said if it was, Canada would not be having the types of discussion being held.

He said if Canada believed India was actively interfering in Canada’s democracy, Carney would not be taking this trip.

Anandasangaree says there are outstanding issues on the safety and security of Canadians that must be worked through with India.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2026.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

What to know about a mass shooter’s bid to undo his guilty pleas for the Christchurch mosque murders.


WELLINGTON, New Zealand — When the white supremacist who committed New Zealand’s deadliest mass shooting pleaded guilty six years ago, it was a relief for his victims and a justice system bracing for a high-profile trial that many feared could provide a platform for his racist views.

Many New Zealanders were determined to forget the face and name of Brenton Tarrant, who murdered 51 Muslim worshippers at two mosques in Christchurch in 2019. But he returned to national headlines this week with a bid in New Zealand’s Court of Appeal to recant his guilty pleas.

In the aftermath of Tarrant’s hate-fueled massacre, New Zealand sought to curb his influence by banning his racist manifesto and a video of the slaughter that he livestreamed on Facebook in an apparent attempt to perform the hateful crime for an online audience.

Tarrant previously expressed a desire to spread his ideology through the legal process, so it was a surprise in 2020 when he quietly admitted to all of the terrorism, murder and attempted murder charges he faced. Months later he accepted, without opposition, a record sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole.

Now his lawyers argue he made the admissions during a nervous breakdown induced by oppressive prison conditions, which made him temporarily doubt his identity and ideology.

If his bid to discard the guilty pleas is successful, the man described by one of his lawyers Thursday as “the most reviled person in New Zealand” would return to court for a full trial. The prospect is dreaded by his victims and a country that has tried to limit his notoriety.
Killer says his identity collapsed

Appearing from prison by video conference, Tarrant told the appeals court in Wellington he was “irrational” when he pleaded guilty and relinquished the opportunity for a trial at which he apparently wanted to mount a racist defense that was invalid under New Zealand law.

His former lawyers say his eventual acceptance that no judge would allow a jury to hear such a defense, combined with the overwhelming evidence against him, meant guilty pleas were inevitable.

Tarrant’s current lawyers reject that, saying he intended to represent himself at a trial and first entered not guilty pleas before changing his mind repeatedly, on his guilt and other legal matters, due to his mental health. The Australian, who migrated to New Zealand with a plan to amass semiautomatic weapons and carry out the killings, has not denied committing the attack.

But he now claims to have been “so eroded by the extreme conditions” in prison that he “lost his sense of self,” one of his lawyers told the court Thursday. The name of the lawyer has been suppressed because they said representing Tarrant could endanger their safety.

Tarrant’s claims of severe mental illness weren’t supported by evidence from mental health experts, his former lawyers or prison staff. The 35-year-old says he deliberately hid his symptoms.

Tarrant’s lawyers say his unusually lengthy isolation induced a state that made him feel unable to engage in the court process and willing to plead guilty in the hope of easing restrictions he faced.
Lawyers blame prison conditions

One of the shooter’s current lawyers said the “shocking and unprecedented” nature of his crimes, which included cold-blooded and racist murders of men, women and children as young as 3, resulted in Tarrant facing the harshest conditions of any prisoner in New Zealand’s modern history.

Tarrant admitted his crimes during the first year of incarceration spent entirely in solitary confinement, which is normally only permitted for up to two weeks at a time under New Zealand law. Tarrant experienced sleep and sensory deprivation and was given few clothes and little to occupy him, the lawyers said.

Prison standards, they added, must apply to everyone.

Those who survived Tarrant’s massacre took a dim view of such arguments.

“He got what he deserved,” Temel Ataçocuğu, who was shot nine times by Tarrant, told reporters outside a Christchurch courthouse where the bereaved and injured watched a livestream of this week’s hearing. “He has to deal with it as a man.”

Tarrant now resides in a facility built specifically to house him, which was lambasted in a 2024 prison watchdog report as falling short of New Zealand legal standards. But his lawyers said the unit, which houses other high-risk prisoners too, was an improvement on where Tarrant was kept earlier when he made the guilty pleas.
Security is strict for the hearing

Tarrant appeared pale, shaven-headed and bespectacled when he gave video evidence. Fears lingered that he might try to use the weeklong appeals court process as a political stage. But topics were limited during his questioning and courthouse security was so strict that almost nobody saw his evidence.

Crown lawyers were due to make their case Friday about why Tarrant shouldn’t be permitted to recant his pleas. Earlier, they put to the killer that he had many opportunities to raise concerns about his mental health or seek a trial postponement.

The three-judge panel is expected to release a decision later. If they deny Tarrant’s bid to discard his guilty pleas, another hearing will be scheduled to hear his request to appeal the life sentence.

Charlotte Graham-mclay, The Associated Press

Check your blood pressure medication after Health Canada announces recall.

A blood pressure medication mix-up has led to a nationwide recall.

According to Health Canada, two lots of MAR-Amlodipine 5 mg tablets are being recalled as some bottles may contain the wrong the drug.

MAR-Amlodipine is typically used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain. Health Canada says manufacturer Marcan Pharmaceuticals Inc. inadvertently put medication to treat low pressure in some MAR-Amlodipine bottles.

Finding out if you’ve been given the wrong medication is simple. The correct MAR-Amlodipine tablets have eight sides, are white to off-white and have the numbers “210” and “5” printed on them.

Midodrine 2.5 mg tablets, which were mistakenly put in the bottles, are round in shape and are marked with “M2.”

If you have high blood pressure, Health Canada warns that unintentionally taking midodrine could lead to serious side effects such as a dangerous increase in blood pressure, dizziness, fainting and even organ damage.

If your bottle of MAR-Amlodipine contains any round or unusual tablets, do not take them and return them to your pharmacy.

If you accidentally took the wrong medication, see a health-care professional or call 911 if you feel dizzy, have unusually high blood pressure or a slow heartbeat. Also seek immediate medical attention if you are experiencing chest pain, a sudden headache, impaired speech or are unable to move or feel part of your body.

What Trump’s aspiration to conquer #Greenland means for Canada.

NUUK — Canada’s closest physical neighbours are in an escalating dispute that risks breaking the military alliance that has protected the nations of the North Atlantic for decades.

U.S. President Donald Trump keeps talking about annexing Greenland, the Danish territory where Canada is about to open a diplomatic mission.

Here’s a look at why diplomacy, climate change and natural resources have put Greenland in the global spotlight — and what this war of words could mean for Canadian security.
Why is Greenland Danish?

Greenland is a mineral-rich island, 80 per cent of which lies above the Arctic Circle. It’s home to about 56,000 people, mostly Inuit. The island has a measure of autonomy within the Kingdom of Denmark, which handles its foreign policy.

Missionaries colonized the land mass in the 1700s when Denmark and Norway had a single monarch, and Greenland became Danish territory when the monarchy broke apart in 1814. It is a self-governing territory of Denmark — a longtime U.S. ally that has repeatedly rejected Trump’s talk of purchasing or even annexing the territory.

Greenland’s own government also opposes U.S. designs on the island, saying the people of Greenland will decide their own future.

In 2015, the Arctic Human Development Report found social issues in Greenland similar to those in Nunavut, such as a wide gap in health outcomes.
Why is Greenland strategic?

Greenland has been critical to the defence of North America since the Second World War, when the U.S. occupied the territory to ensure it didn’t fall into the hands of Nazi Germany. It’s also vital territory for the protection of North Atlantic shipping lanes.

Greenland guards part of what is known as the GIUK Gap, the area between Greenland, Iceland and the U.K. where NATO monitors Russian naval movements in the North Atlantic. Analysts have described the area as strategically important for shipping and an outer line of defence against threats to the U.S.

The U.S. Department of Defence operates the remote Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, which was built after the U.S. and Denmark signed the Defence of Greenland Treaty in 1951. The base supports U.S. and NATO missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance operations.

Thomas Crosbie, an associate professor of military operations at the Royal Danish Defence College, said an American takeover wouldn’t improve upon Washington’s current security strategy.

“There (are) no benefits to them because they already enjoy all of the advantages they want,” he told The Associated Press.

“If there’s any specific security access that they want to improve American security, they’ll be given it as a matter of course, as a trusted ally. So this has nothing to do with improving national security for the United States.”

Details of federal firearm buyback program to be announced Saturday,

#OTTAWA — The Liberal #government plans to announce details of its national program to compensate owners of banned firearms at a briefing in Montreal on Saturday.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Québec Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière and police representatives are set to take part.

Liberal MP and secretary of state for nature Nathalie Provost, who was shot by a gunman during a 1989 rampage, is also expected to be at the announcement.

Since May 2020, Ottawa has outlawed about 2,500 types of guns on the basis they belong only on the battlefield.

The federal government says the national buyback program, which could cost more than $700 million, will provide owners fair compensation for outlawed firearms.

Gun control advocates generally applaud the initiative, while Conservative MPs and some gun owners call it a wasteful plan that targets law-abiding citizens.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 16, 2026.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

#Orcas put on a show off Seattle. With breaches and tail slapping, a pod of orca whales put on a show near Seattle on Friday.

The close encounter attracted dozens of people to the shore of the West Seattle neighbourhood. #Whale watchers identified the pod as Bigg’s killer whales, a group that hunts sea mammals and lives in the Salish Sea. The pod was seemingly hunting.

Among the people watching from Alki beach was Summer Staley. She drove from across the city to catch the whales after seeing a post on the Orca Network’s Facebook page alerting of the pod’s arrival. The group tracks whales using reports from people on land and in the water.

Supreme Court Justice Sheilah Martin to retire May 30.

Martin says in a statement today she is deeply grateful for the opportunity to have served Canadians on the high court, calling it an honour and a highlight of her professional life.

Chief Justice Richard Wagner praised Martin as widely respected for the depth of her legal scholarship, commitment to fairness and principled approach to justice.

Martin, 69, was born and raised in Montreal and trained in both civil and common law before moving to Alberta to pursue work as an educator, lawyer and judge.

She served on the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta in Calgary until June 2016, when she was appointed as a judge of the Courts of Appeal of Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

She was named to the Supreme Court in 2017.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2026.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press