Announces climate change strategy
Trudeau announces to global leaders at the United Nations climate change conference, that Canada “is back” on the world stage with a new climate change strategy.
People want to do more, but they want to know that what they do fits into a bigger picture, because there is no point in bending over backwards if your neighbour or your government is not also doing its part to ensure that we all have the maximal impact together
Although there has been no set time for when the strategy will be released, the government says that within 90 days of the conference, Trudeau will meet with all provinces to work out a “pan-Canadian framework” which will include a $20 billion dollar fund for green infrastructure over the next ten years, as well as a $2 billion ‘Low Carbon Economy Trust” that aims to help projects in reducing carbon emissions.
Canada takes refugees
Prime Minister Harper pledges Canada will take an additional 10,000 refugees from Iraq and Syria over the next four years if the Conservative government is re-elected in October. Canada has already settled roughly 20,000 Iraqi refugees and 2,500 Syrians. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada website shows it finalized 19,900 refugee claims from all countries in 2014. Harper:
We must stop ISIS
Canada ‘Most Admired’ country
Canada is the “most admired” country with the “best reputation” in the world, according to the 2015 annual report released by the Reputation Institute based on a variety of environmental, political, and economic factors. Institute:
We all love Canada because of several things. Overall, Canada is a country that can offer something good in all different aspects.
Canada suspends visas
Canada becomes the second developed nation after Australia to close off immigration channels to people from the three Ebola-affected west African countries. Work on permanent-resident applications is also suspended. An immigration ministry spokesman says the measures are different from Australia’s.
We have instituted a pause, but there is room for discretion if we can be assured that someone is not infected with Ebola.
Soldier dies after attack
Vincent, 53, dies
of his injuries. The second soldier, who is not identified, is recovering in hospital. Vincent was a 28-year veteran of the Canadian Forces who had been stationed at bases across Canada. He was posted in North Bay, Ont., until 2012 as a refrigeration and mechanical technician wing construction engineer, and had also served as a military firefighter. He loved cycling. Dwayne MacIntosh, who worked with Vincent for three years on HMCS St John’s:
He was very friendly, very compassionate individual. He would do everything for you and always went out of his way.
‘Died like he wanted to’
A friend of Couture-Rouleau says that he planned the attack as a suicide mission.
It was a terrorist attack and Martin died like he wanted to.
Shot dead by police
Couture-Rouleau is shot dead by Royal Canadian Mounted Police after fleeing the scene. His car hits a spike strip laid by the officers and flips into a ditch. A witness says he charges the police with a large knife:
I heard [the police] shout several times, ‘Get out of the car, get out of the car and raise your hands.’ The man got out and charged towards the policewoman. Then that’s when we heard seven gunshots, then the man was on the ground.
911 call
Couture-Rouleau calls 911 after running down the two soldiers and fleeing the scene. He says that he carried out the act in the name of Allah.
Runs down two soldiers
Couture-Rouleau strikes the two soldiers in his car in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, not far from Montreal. He flees the scene.
Relatives, police tried to intervene
Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman Supt. Martine Fontaine says the department cooperated with Couture-Rouleau’s family to confiscate his passport in the weeks prior to the killing. She says they also met with his imam to change his way of thinking. The last time the police met Couture-Rouleau himself was Oct. 9, and he showed willingness to change his ideology:
We also used our police officers from the outreach program to help him to see his thoughts were not the right ones
Arrested
Couture-Rouleau is arrested on suspicion of planning terror actions abroad. He is preparing to leave Canada to travel to Turkey. He is released after questioning. Federal police spokesman:
We weren’t able to determine that he wanted to commit an act abroad. If we had had reasons to believe that Mr. Rouleau would commit a terrorist act or a criminal act, we wouldn’t have let him go.
Investigated for radicalization
Couture-Rouleau is investigated by Mounties after Facebook posts indicate that he is becoming increasingly radicalized. His user name for the account (now inactive) is Ahmad LeConverti (Ahmad the Converted). Posts include propaganda videos and other materials admiring jihad, including a video featuring the logo for ISIS. Federal police spokesman Supt. Martine Fontaine:
There was no indication then of his intentions. On the contrary, he seemed open to the idea of maybe taking measures to change his ways. We couldn’t arrest someone for having radical thoughts. It’s not a crime in Canada.
Canada imposes sanctions
Canada imposes sanctions on Syria in reaction to the ongoing government crackdown on pro-democracy activists. Foreign Affairs Minister Baird says four more senior officials of Assad’s regime are banned from travelling to Canada. In addition, the assets of the Commercial Bank of Syria and telecom company SyriaTel are frozen, and Canadians are prohibited from making transactions with these companies.
To isolate the Assad regime, Canada is taking measures to extend its existing sanctions against the regime and its backers. The Assad regime has lost all legitimacy by killing Syrian men, women and children just to stay in power. This campaign of terror must stop.