In the News

After President Donald Trump railed on social media about Minnesota-based 3M exporting personal protective equipment to Canada and Latin America, the company has struck a deal with the White House that should resolve the issue. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said 06 April that that Canada had been having problems for weeks with incomplete or non-delivery of COVID-19 countermeasures.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been moved to intensive care in a London hospital after his COVID-19 symptoms worsened. While he has received “oxygen support,” Johnson was not on a ventilator, and his Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, is standing in.

At a time when tensions between Russia and its Arctic neighbours are increasing, its interests and ambitions in the region for at least the next 15 years are essentially unchanged. A new paper from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, comparing Russia’s latest policy framework with one published in 2008, indicates that the Arctic remains the main resource base for economic growth.

President Donald Trump has dismissed Michael Atkinson, the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community who first alerted Congress last year to the whistleblower complaint that led to Trump’s impeachment trial. Trump told Congress 03 April that he had lost confidence in the official, who was appointed in May 2018, and who was immediately put on administrative leave until his dismissal became official in 30 days.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it is “realistic” to expect that measures to control COVID-19 could remain in effect “for a number of more weeks, perhaps more months.” Government modelling suggests that a best-case scenario indicates that current measure continue “until at least July.” Trudeau says that while social distancing and self-isolation are effective, vigilance and more public cooperation are key to beating the pandemic.

The U.S. was warned in 2017 that it lacked adequate medical supplies and bedspace to deal with a novel corona virus outbreak. The Department of Defense predicted in a report that “the most likely and significant threat is a novel respiratory disease” of a type common around the world.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants Parliament recalled again to deal with proposed legislation which would provide for additional financial support for Canadians and businesses economically impacted by COVID-19. Meanwhile, Finance Department officials expect the support to be available in three to six weeks.

While NATO is not a humanitarian relief agency, Elisabeth Braw, who directs the Modern Deterrence program at the Royal United Services Institute in London, says it could play a key role in tacking the COVID-19. Although not the kind of “attack” foreseen in the alliance’s treaty, it is nonetheless the worst national security crisis to hit any of its member states. She suggests its “formidable” resources could play a pivotal role in not only dealing with this enemy while also proving NATO’s worth as a mutual defence alliance.

The growing uncertainty about the extent of the potential spread of COVID-19 has prompted the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries to cancel this year’s CANSEC trade show, scheduled for 27-28 May. CADSI President Christyn Cianfarani said 31 March the organization took the decision only after exploring “every possible option” with the City of Ottawa, the industry and contractors.

A federal wage subsidy announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is designed to cover 75 per cent of wages and salaries, is being made available to all employers which can demonstrate sharp drops in revenues attributable to the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the PM warned 30 March that while the program largely relies on an honour system for eligibility, there would be “serious consequences” for employers who try to “game” the program.

A formal framework for safeguarding 5G telecommunications in the U.S. has been released by the administration. Its seven-page policy document sets out President Donald Trump’s “vision for America to lead the development, deployment, and management of secure and reliable 5G communications infrastructure worldwide, arm-in-arm with closest partners and allies.”

The huge numbers of employees working from home due to COVID-19 concerns, away from their employers’ IT resources, evidently are being targeted anew by fraudsters. False messages about employment insurance claims or from bogus health-related companies and government agencies are being used to steal personal data or to spread malware.

With its "Foundations of State Policy in the Arctic to 2035", Russia is seeking to persuade more people to live in its energy-rich Arctic regions as part of a 15-year strategy plan signed by President Vladimir Putin.

Flooded with thousands of phone calls and emails from Canadians stranded abroad by governments’ border closures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Global Affairs Canada is operating around the clock with extended resources. Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne says that “on any given day we likely have somewhere around 200 to 250 people and volunteers from across the department who are contributing their time and their energy."

The Bank of Canada reduced its key lending rate to 0.25 per cent 27 March in what Governor Stephen Poloz described as a bid to cushion the economic shock of the COVID-19 outbreak. Now at its “effective lower bound,” the rate has been reduced three times from 1.75 per cent at the beginning of the month.

The prospect of U.S. troops being stationed at the border with Canada is constrained by an 1878 act of Congress. The original Posse Comitatus Act limited federal use of the Army to enforce domestic policies at home and a 1956 amendment added the U.S. Air Force. Last updated in 1981, it does not apply to the Navy or Marine Corps nor does it prevent state-level use of National Guard personnel on home soil.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was charged in absentia by the U.S. 26 March for alleged drug trafficking. Charges also have been laid against other members of his government as well as intelligence officials and members of the Colombia-based FARC rebel group.

The answer, apparently, is a lot. It’s being reported that U.S. insistence on calling COVID-19 the “Wuhan virus” scuttled plans for a statement by the G7 Economic Summit countries to issue a joint statement on their campaign against the novel corona virus. Other foreign ministers disagreed when Secretary of State Mike insisted the virus be referred to by the name of the Chinese city where the outbreak began.

Federal legislation designed to provide an array of financial support to companies and Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic received Royal Assent 25 March. The House of Commons had passed Bill C-13 earlier in the day after opposition concerns about government fiscal over-reach had been addressed. The Senate passed it a short time later before referring it to the Governor General for final approval.

The House of Commons has passed a bill to enact the government's $82-billion COVID-19 economic aid package and referred it to the Senate for approval. However, Bill C-13’s parliamentary progress wasn’t as smooth as the government had hoped because opposition parties objected to extraordinary powers it would have given the government through to 2021.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said 23 March that there is “a special place in hell” for hoarders and fraudsters capitalizing on the COVID-19 crisis. Calling it “completely un-Canadian,” he promised that offenders would “face the full force of the law.”

Chinese officials said 24 March that the COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan, the original epicentre for the global viral pandemic, will be partly lifted 08 April and that travel restrictions in the rest of Hubei province will be lifted earlier for demonstrably healthy residents.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said 23 March that Canadians should “go home and stay home” as well as practise social-distancing if they don’t want to contribute to the spread of COVIS-19. “If you choose to ignore that advice…you’re not just putting yourself at risk, you’re putting others at risk.” He also reiterated that nothing is “off the table” in terms of enforcement measures to curb large groups. “Enough is enough,” he said. “People need to stay at home as much as possible.”

The German government is prohibiting public “gatherings” of more than two people as it steps up efforts to contain COVID-19. Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a televised address 22 March that “our own behaviour” was the most effective way to slow the infection rate. The only exceptions to the are groups from the same household or the gathering is work-related.

President Donald Trump, scheduled to host a G-7 economic summit at Camp David in June, now says it will be a videoconference because of COVID-19. His spokesman also says other G-7 leaders’ virtual meetings, like one earlier this month, can be expected in April and May.

A former national security advisor to the British government is recommending that plans to complete an integrated review of defense, security, foreign policy and development should be put on hold. Peter Rickets echoes others in warning a parliamentary committee that the review, announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in December, will suffer from being rushed.

A quorum of approximately 30 Members of Parliament are being back to the House of Commons 24 March for a brief sitting to adopt a package of emergency measures designed to address the economic impact of COVID-19.

The Chief of the Defence Staff says the Canadian Armed Forces is preparing for continued outbreaks of COVID-19 for up to a year or more.  Gen Jonathan Vance says in a planning directive, which he calls a “worst-case scenario”, that calls for assistance will come from all levels of government and the private sector. He also says that rather than have the public think of armed troops during a crisis, “people need to see the response as more akin to a humanitarian response.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced 20 March that asylum-seekers trying to enter the country away from official border crossings will be returned to the U.S., part of a government-wide effort to contain COVID-19. Migrants have continued to arrive in a steady flow at one point in Quebec and Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said that although they do not represent a higher public health risk, monitoring and isolating them would be problematic. Trudeau said they are mostly persons who are legally in the U.S.

The U.S. has imposed additional economic sanctions on Iran even as it offers to help Tehran to do deal with COVID-19. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the U.S. will maintain efforts to choke off Iran’s oil and is blacklisting three Iranians and nine South African, Hong Kong and Chinese “entities” for trading in Iranian petrochemicals.

Effective 18 March at noon and with a few exceptions, Canada will permit entry only of citizens, permanent residents or their immediate families as part of a more restrictive approach to dealing with COVID-19. The exemptions confirmed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 16 March include air crews, diplomats and Americans. He also announced that arrivals from overseas will be processed only through Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver international airports.

The Bank of Canada reduced its benchmark interest rate 13 March by a further 50 basis points, to 0.75 per cent. An emergency measure designed to ease financial pressures resulting from concerns about COVID-19, it was announced just nine days after the rate was reduced to 1.25 per cent from the 1.75 per cent which had prevailed since October 2018.

Significant resourcing challenges” could compromise RCMP efforts to tackle terrorism and cybercrime, the force says in its latest annual planning report to Parliament. It also says the focus will be on high-priority investigations related to terrorism, foreign interference, organized crime, money laundering, and cybercrime.

No alternate date has been announced but the suspension of Parliament until 20 April due to the COVID-19 issue means that Finance Minister Bill Morneau will not be tabling his budget 30 March as scheduled. Details will follow as they become available.