In the news today: Trudeau in Poland to discuss Ukraine, NATO commitments

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/02/2024 (767 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed on what you need to know today…

Trudeau meets with Poland’s president, PM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw for the first time since a political sea change in Poland ended eight years of national conservative rule.

Trudeau, who spent Saturday in Kyiv reaffirming Canada’s support for Ukraine, is meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Andrzej Duda.

The talks are likely to focus on the Russian threat to Ukraine and the NATO alliance, the primary bulwark that stands between Russia and the rest of Europe.

Canada is under renewed pressure to spend two per cent of its gross domestic product on defence — a NATO-mandated target most other allies are expected to hit by the end of the year.

Liberals to table online harms legislation today

The federal government is expected to introduce legislation against online harms today, which the Liberals have promised will tackle issues such as online child endangerment and non-consensual sharing of intimate images.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week his government’s upcoming bill will focus on making the internet safer for minors, while not censoring it for the rest of Canadians.

Trudeau first promised the measure during the 2019 federal election campaign, but a bill targeting online hate speech died on the order paper when he triggered an early election in 2021.

Here’s what else we’re watching …

Inquest into mass killer’s death set to begin

A coroner’s inquest into the in-custody death of a man who killed 11 people and injured 17 others in a mass stabbing in Saskatchewan is scheduled to begin today.

Myles Sanderson had been on the run for several days when police caught up to him on Sept. 7, 2022.

During a pursuit, the 32-year-old drove a truck into a ditch on a highway near north of Saskatoon.

Police said he collapsed while being arrested and died.

Nunavut MP showcases territory’s housing crisis

Nunavut MP Lori Idlout says she sometimes wonders whether Canadians are really in a cost-of-living crisis.

During a recent ride along in Iqaluit, Idlout says she’s watching as the country’s concerns around affordability are drowning out the experiences of Inuit who have for years lived in a housing crisis.

Idlout says when she travels to cities like Edmonton, Winnipeg and Ottawa, she still sees people walking around malls making expensive purchases.

She says the lack of proper housing across Nunavut affects nearly every decision a person makes.

Halifax encampment closure deadline arrives

Five homeless encampments in Halifax must be vacated today after the municipality removed the special designations that allowed people to set up tents in those locations.

The city had asked earlier this month that unhoused people staying in tents at five of 11 authorized encampments leave by Feb. 26.

It said the encampments, including one at the downtown Grand Parade, pose a safety risk and that better options are available.

How personalized offers shape grocery shopping

Grocery stores are increasingly courting shoppers with personalized offers, but many consumers still find the logic behind the incentives a mystery.

Toronto deal hunter Diana Skakavac says the personalized offers grocers present her with mirror her shopping habits pretty closely but some products she buys regularly never figure into the promotions she receives.

The apps can learn how price sensitive you are, how likely you are to try something new or switch to a competitor brand — and even whether you have moved in with a partner or are expecting a baby.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2024.