In the news: Meeting NATO targets, Rabbi mourned, Condo fire put out, Series on youth

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …

McGuinty ‘confident’ Canada will hit NATO spending targets

Defence Minister David McGuinty says he’s confident the federal government will hit its NATO defence spending commitment this year, and that Ottawa is moving quickly on the accounting.

McGuinty, in an interview, says national defence is taking a very disciplined approach to acquiring what it needs.

Canada is injecting billions of dollars into defence as it ramps up spending to levels not seen since the Cold War, but experts say it’s not yet clear whether Ottawa will hit the mark.

Canada became something of a pariah within NATO a little more than a year ago, when it was called out for failing to make good on a commitment to spend two per cent of GDP on national defence.

Rabbi killed in Australia Hanukkah attack was ‘very special,’ Toronto relative says

A rabbi killed in the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Australia is being remembered by family members in Toronto for his positivity and commitment to bringing Judaism to others. 

Eli Schlanger, an assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi, was one of at least 15 people killed Sunday at the Bondi Beach event he had helped organize. 

Estee Schlanger of Toronto, who is married to the rabbi’s older brother, remembers him as a very positive and happy person who was always encouraging others to do mitzvot, otherwise known as good deeds. 

She said Schlanger, who grew up in the United Kingdom and settled in Australia, leaves behind his wife and five children, including a newborn.

Fire at two Toronto highrises has been put out, no return date for residents

The fire that started late last month inside the walls between two Toronto highrise buildings has finally been put out.

The fire, which was burning the combustible particle board placed in an expansion joint between the two buildings, started Nov. 27.

A total of 408 units had to be evacuated, and the city has said 239 people from 119 households were staying in 131 hotel rooms.

Officials have not yet shared what caused the fire, but a statement from the City of Toronto says with the blaze now extinguished, full assessments of the buildings will be done.

Rising costs and dwindling opportunities have Canada’s youth feeling adrift

There’s a waning belief among Canadian youth that working hard will offer the same quality of life their parents and grandparents secured generations ago.

Jobs for young workers started ticking higher in October and November, but employment levels remain marginally above lows recorded over the summer. 

Lauren Hood of Aurora, Ontario, says she has received dozens of job rejection letters and that applying for more feels futile. 

Desjardins economist Kari Norman says several factors, including tariff-related uncertainty and imbalance in population growth and the rise of artificial intelligence, are weighing on the youth job market.

From sushi delivery to oat milk lattes, how ‘little treats’ provide sense of solace

In a part of what has been dubbed “little treat culture,” a pull of small indulgences appears to be keeping the blues at bay for Canadian youth.

Nicholas Schorn, a barista at the Foglifter café in Vancouver, says many customers come through in the run of a day to order goodies ranging from croissants to lattes — with many saying they’re getting a “little treat.”

While the range of potential little treats is broad, each serves as an everyday pick-me-up for young people grappling with mounting stresses, a sense of powerlessness and the unaffordability of long-term goals.

Catharine Winstanley, an expert in behavioural neuroscience, says spending on little treats is understandable in the current climate and gives people a boost of instant gratification.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2025.