Canada needs a ‘good mix’ of new tech like drones, AI: NATO commander

This article is new today!

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-30 18:50:51.0
Tags: [National, Defence, Technology, Finance]

As Canada prepares to detail its defence spending plans in the upcoming federal budget to meet NATO's 2% GDP target this year and a 5% GDP target by 2035, senior NATO officials emphasize integrating a mix of advanced technologies like AI targeting and drones. Admiral Pierre Vandier, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, noted during exercises in Latvia involving Canadian Armed Forces personnel from Operation Reassurance that unmanned systems enhance the lethality and survivability of traditional military assets. The Department of National Defence recently launched the Defence Drone Initiative (DDI) to supply new drone tech to the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian Coast Guard while bolstering domestic manufacturing. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Budget Office analysis indicates core defence spending would need to scale significantly from $95.7 billion in 2030 to $163.7 billion in 2035–36 to meet long-term alliance commitments.

Canada-European Union summit in Montreal concluding with digital trade on agenda

This article is new today!

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-30 11:44:47.0
Tags: [National, Quebec, Trade, Culture, Technology, Education]

Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa at the Canada-European Union summit in Montreal, which concluded with announcements concerning digital trade agreements, scientific research partnerships, and university student exchanges. Culture Minister Marc Miller discussed cross-border regulatory convergence with European counterparts regarding streaming services, online child safety, and co-productions like the television series Vikings and the documentary Villeneuve: The Rise of a Legend. Discussions also explored making Canada an 'associate member' of the European Union, though some member states and domestic critics raised concerns regarding ratification hurdles and terminology.

Experts highlight the 'double-edged nature' of Starlink in the North

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-29 20:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Technology, Infrastructure, Indigenous]

The federal government is pursuing made-in-Canada satellite alternatives to Starlink amid network sovereignty concerns and geopolitical risks highlighted by Prime Minister Mark Carney. Ottawa-based satellite communications company Telesat plans to deploy 225 low Earth orbit satellites to compete with Starlink, utilizing a $1-billion launch contract with SpaceX. Meanwhile, academic studies of Northern communities—where Starlink provides download speeds averaging over 100 megabits per second—warn of a 'double-edged' social impact, including accelerated online harms like cyberbullying, gambling, and scams.

Canada to invest up to $1.6B in Toronto-based AI company Cohere

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-29 17:12:24.0
Tags: [National, Economy, Technology, Industry, Infrastructure]

The federal government of Canada announced an equity investment of up to $1.6 billion in Toronto-based artificial intelligence company Cohere as part of a broader $7 billion funding round led by Germany's Schwarz Group. The funding will support model development, products for regulated industries, and computing infrastructure, with Cohere committing to invest at least $1.7 billion in new computing infrastructure in Canada by 2030. Additional participants in the funding round include Nvidia and BCE subsidiary Bell Canada, ensuring Cohere's incorporation and headquarters remain in Canada.

EU chief continues to push making Canada an associate member despite objections

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-29 15:14:58.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Technology, Economy, Governance]

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen continued to champion making Canada an associate member of the European Union during a two-day summit in Montreal, despite objections from several member states within the 27-member bloc over the specific terminology. Prime Minister Mark Carney and EU officials advanced negotiations on a deeper strategic association focusing on policy alignment in artificial intelligence, climate, energy, and security, alongside the Prime Minister's announcement of a $1.6 billion federal investment in the Toronto-based generative AI company Cohere. The framework also encompasses efforts to deepen trade environments, Arctic collaboration, and negotiations for Canadian participation in the Erasmus student exchange program.

Canada welcomes EU leaders to Montreal for talks on next steps in relationship

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-29 11:47:19.0
Tags: [National, Quebec, Trade, Economy, Technology, Energy]

Prime Minister Mark Carney is hosting European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen and EU leaders in Montreal for bilateral talks aimed at forging closer strategic and economic ties. While full European Union membership is off the table, officials are negotiating an "alliance for the future" partnership focused on business, technology, clean energy, and critical minerals. The high-level summit has also sparked domestic political tension, with Quebec Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon pressing the federal government to secure a speaking role at the event.

Privacy commissioner investigating provider behind Crime Stoppers data breach

Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
Date: 2026-10-28 14:44:48.0
Tags: [National, Public Safety, Justice, Technology]

Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne has launched an investigation into Navigate360, the U.S.-based commercial provider managing the P3 tip platform used by Crime Stoppers programs across Canada, following a cybersecurity breach. The breach, which occurred between November 21, 2025, and March 5, 2026, compromised 176,859 tips submitted to the software, exposing sensitive personal details including names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, phone numbers, and email addresses. In response, several Canadian police forces, including Toronto Crime Stoppers—where 12,392 of the affected submissions potentially contained personal information—have temporarily suspended their use of the platform pending security assessments and regulatory compliance checks under federal private-sector privacy law.

Privacy commissioner to investigate Canadian Crime Stoppers breach

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-27 20:18:31.0
Tags: [National, Public Safety, Justice, Technology]

Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne has opened an investigation into Navigate360, a U.S. third-party vendor hired by Crime Stoppers chapters worldwide, following a data breach that compromised over 1.5 million Canadian tips spanning 25 years. Approximately 850,000 of the leaked tips included personally identifiable information. The probe will examine the security safeguards Navigate360 had in place to determine compliance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), while highlighting a legal gap regarding the law's applicability to not-for-profit organizations like the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association.

Canada receives first F-35 jets from U.S., as full order remains under review

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-26 13:54:58.0
Tags: [National, Defence, Trade, Technology]

The Royal Canadian Air Force has accepted delivery of its first two Lockheed Martin CF-35A Lightning II fighter jets at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona. Prime Minister Mark Carney has paused the broader planned acquisition of 88 stealth fighter jets amid a federal review prompted by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade and annexation threats. The ongoing defense review is considering potential alternatives, including a mixed fleet incorporating Saab Gripen jets, as questions persist regarding American control over F-35 software and capabilities.

Carney’s Turkish defence tango: A dance of dollars, drones and overcoming distrust

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-25 20:01:24.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Defence, Industry, Technology]

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a new strategic trade and defence partnership between Canada and Turkey during a visit to Istanbul and Ankara, aiming to reduce Canadian procurement reliance on the United States. The agreement follows the 2024 lifting of a de facto Canadian arms embargo—which had been imposed after Wescam camera equipment meant for NATO operations in Syria was illicitly diverted to Azerbaijan—and establishes that future military exports will undergo strict case-by-case permit reviews. Turkish officials and private companies, including drone manufacturer Baykar, have also expressed interest in making direct investments in Canada's aerospace and defence manufacturing sectors.

Canada needs concrete results from EU summit this week, former envoy says

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-25 17:58:19.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Defence, Technology, Governance]

Ahead of the Canada-European Union summit in Montreal, former special envoy to the EU Stéphane Dion emphasized the necessity of achieving concrete results across trade, science, defence, security, and artificial intelligence, rather than issuing a routine status communiqué. Prime Minister Mark Carney and European leaders are negotiating a new alliance that includes potential participation in the European Erasmus+ mobility program and resolving the ratification status of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which currently remains unratified in nine EU member states including France, Italy, and Poland. Additionally, incoming Canadian Ambassador to the European Union Jonathan Wilkinson and bilateral officials are advancing negotiations on a digital trade agreement to govern e-commerce, electronic transmissions, and secure cross-border data flows.

Carney says 'direct casualties' are result of Ukraine's restricted access to Musk's Starshield

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-23 19:16:05.0
Tags: [National, Defence, Technology, Governance]

Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly criticized restrictions placed on Ukraine's access to Elon Musk's military-grade satellite network, Starshield, stating that the limitations have resulted in direct civilian casualties and compromised Ukraine's defence capabilities. Speaking from Istanbul, Carney highlighted Canada's vulnerability to foreign-controlled single-provider infrastructure and emphasized the necessity of diversifying sovereign defence and communications partnerships. The restrictions, which U.S. and Ukrainian officials indicate originated from the White House or SpaceX operations, have limited Ukraine's ability to track incoming Russian missiles and jet-powered drones traveling faster than 160 kilometres per hour.

C-28 (45-1) - Canadian Space Launch Act

Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
Date: 2026-10-23 09:34:19.0
Tags: [National, Technology, Defence, Transportation, Governance]

Bill C-28, titled the Canadian Space Launch Act, was introduced in the House of Commons by Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, aiming to amend the Aeronautics Act and other Acts to establish sovereign space launch capabilities in Canada. The legislation underwent debate at second reading on October 23, 2026, following its initial introduction and first reading on April 21, 2026. The bill is part of a broader federal push complementing a $200 million investment by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency to position the Nova Scotia spaceport as a cornerstone of national defence and commercial launch capabilities.

Miller says government moving quickly but no timeline for new digital regulator

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-22 21:58:39.0
Tags: [National, Technology, Public Safety, Governance]

Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller announced that the federal government is moving as quickly as possible on digital safety bill C-34, which proposes a social media ban for minors and the creation of the Digital Safety and Data Protection Commission of Canada. The proposed legislation would establish a five-member regulator appointed by the cabinet, equipped with the authority to issue binding orders, levy fines, and oversee age-verification compliance. Although government officials initially estimated an 18-month timeline to operationalize the regulator following the bill's introduction in June, Minister Miller was unable to provide a specific implementation date. The legislation is currently up for second reading in the House of Commons, facing calls from stakeholders such as Canadian Medical Association head Alex Munter for accelerated action against platform algorithms and malicious compliance.

Ottawa ‘not responsible’ for regulating AI data centre electricity use: minister

Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-22 17:21:43.0
Tags: [National, Nova Scotia, Technology, Energy, Infrastructure]

Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon stated before the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology that the federal government is not responsible for regulating electricity usage by AI data centres, noting that power regulation falls under provincial jurisdiction. Solomon revealed that the federal government has received over 160 proposals for data centre developments and signed memorandums of understanding with approximately four companies. The discussion highlighted a specific $10-billion AI data centre project in Point Tupper, Nova Scotia, being developed by EverWind Fuels with a 20-year lease signed by U.S. AI firm Anthropic, which is slated to draw 95 megawatts in its first phase and expand to 420 megawatts by mid-2028.

Electronic tabulators meant fast, and initially confusing, results in Yellowknife election

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-22 11:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Governance, Technology]

Following territorial legislative changes permitting the use of voting tabulators, the City of Yellowknife partnered with Elections N.W.T. to use electronic tabulators for the first time in the municipal election held on October 19, 2026. The technology allowed the city to process and post preliminary election results significantly faster than in previous years, electing Melissa Syer as mayor and eight councillors. However, because the results were published by individual voting station without accumulated totals, city manager Stephen Van Dine acknowledged that the reporting format was not intuitive and required the public to perform manual calculations.

Carney appoints astronaut Jeremy Hansen to advise government on new space strategy

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-21 22:01:14.0
Tags: [National, Technology, Infrastructure, Defence, Trade, Governance]

Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen as a special adviser on space strategy to counsel the Prime Minister and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly on national sovereignty, security, and global contributions. The appointment coincides with Canada shifting its space partnerships toward the European Space Agency and away from American private firm SpaceX, drawing commentary from U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. Additionally, Defence Minister David McGuinty announced a $20-million agreement for a space launch complex in southern Newfoundland to ensure independent and reliable orbital access during geopolitical tensions.

N.W.T. gov't websites taken offline as a precaution due to global security concern

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-21 21:47:25.0
Tags: [National, Technology, Public Safety, Governance]

Following guidance from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security under Federal Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon, the Government of Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and the Government of Nunavut temporarily took select websites and online services offline or deployed patches. The widespread disruptions were initiated as a precautionary measure to address a newly disclosed global cybersecurity vulnerability identified in PHP, an open-source programming language utilized by websites worldwide. Affected jurisdictions are assessing systems individually and applying security updates to protect government networks and citizens' information before restoring services.

Anonymous attendee prompts new rules for Haines Junction online council meetings

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-10-21 18:16:10.0
Tags: [National, Governance, Technology]

The Village of Haines Junction council has advanced a proposed procedural bylaw to second reading that permits officials to ask online meeting attendees to verify their presence by raising a hand, speaking briefly, or turning on a camera. Under the draft rules, individuals who fail to respond to two requests face removal from the virtual session, though users are not required to provide their names. The regulatory update was prompted by an unidentified, silent online account—noted under the name "Michael Miller" across multiple Yukon municipalities including Haines Junction, Carmacks, Teslin, Faro, and Dawson City—attending council proceedings.

C-34 (45-1) - Safe Social Media Act

Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
Date: 2026-10-21 12:39:49.0
Tags: [National, Technology, Public Safety, Governance]

Bill C-34, titled the Safe Social Media Act, was introduced in the House of Commons by the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages on June 10, 2026. The legislation seeks to enact the Digital Safety Act and the Digital Safety Commission of Canada Act to establish federal regulatory frameworks making social media services and artificial intelligence chatbots safer for children and addressing online harms. The bill progressed to second reading debate in the House of Commons on October 21, 2026.