Today in the news: PM joins Biden for NATO dinner, AFN deal on child welfare

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press, intended to keep you informed…

Biden hosts NATO leaders for dinner at summit

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau heads to a dinner at the White House tonight as the US president hosts NATO leaders.

Joe Biden’s health has been under international scrutiny since his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump last month.

Biden’s team has said the president is most alert earlier in the day and is trying to avoid events after 8 p.m., which is when dinner begins.

Trudeau dodged a question from reporters on Tuesday about whether he was concerned about the president’s health.

The prime minister is in Washington for the three-day NATO summit, which will focus on the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

AFN chief estimates child welfare deal at $47.8 billion: source

The chair of the Assembly of First Nations has told tribal leaders that a draft agreement with Ottawa on child protection reforms is worth $47.8 billion, a source at the meeting said, more than double what was originally promised.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak announced that number to chiefs and their deputies Tuesday afternoon, said the source, who asked not to be identified because she was not authorized to release the details.

She also cited the political risks if the deal on the table is not accepted, the source said, confirming she wanted leaders to be able to discuss the offer before voting on it at a special meeting this fall.

The closed meeting, which media representatives were not allowed to attend, was part of the AFN’s annual general meeting held this week in Montreal.

Aviation regulator wants statements to remain secret

A consumer rights group says the Canadian Transportation Agency is pressuring passengers to remain silent about its response to their complaints. The country’s airline regulator says the move falls squarely within the mandate of the law.

The agency has asked at least one complainant who posted a decision on the Air Passenger Rights Facebook page to remove his post, said Gabor Lukacs, president of the advocacy group.

“The decision was posted in the group by one of the passengers involved in the decision, who has since deleted the post at our request,” reads an email from an agency executive to Lukacs posted online.

The message asks Lukacs to “work together with his group to prevent future public sharing of confidential information.”

Lukacs called the measure “unconstitutional” and said it restricts freedom of expression.

Rain warnings in Ontario, Quebec

Environment Canada is warning of “torrential” rainfall expected from the remnants of Hurricane Beryl across southern Ontario and Quebec, with downpours likely to continue into Thursday.

The weather bureau has issued rainfall warnings for the regions. The amounts may vary, but some places could see as much as 80 millimeters.

Authorities said conditions should improve on Thursday, but flash flooding on roads and localized flooding is possible.

The weather pattern comes as a scorching heat wave, caused by a high pressure area in Northern California, slowly moves across Western Canada.

Doctors say ‘bed blocking’ is causing emergency room deaths

Emergency room doctors in Atlantic Canada say bed blocking and patients presenting with advanced disease that has not been previously detected or treated is leading to high death rates.

Emergency department deaths in 2023 reached a six-year high, with 666 deaths compared to 558 the year before, according to the Nova Scotia Health Authority.

Newfoundland and Labrador saw a slight decrease in emergency department deaths, from 326 in 2022, a five-year high, to 297 in 2023. However, last year’s figure is still higher than in the years before and during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Retired physician Robert Martel, who worked in emergency rooms in Nova Scotia for decades, says many emergency room beds are blocked because they are occupied by patients who cannot get into long-term care or who need community care.

Israeli arms company takes Canada to court

An Israeli defense contractor is taking the Canadian government to court after the company says it was removed from the running for a multi-million dollar military equipment contract without explanation.

Elbit Security Systems Ltd. alleges in a filing last month in the Federal Court that Public Services and Procurement Canada has refused to explain its “alleged disqualification” of a contract for portable laser rangefinders for the Canadian Armed Forces.

Elbit says the government’s refusal to provide its reasons until the contract is awarded prevents the company from having “a full and fair opportunity to compete.”

The company says it cannot “meaningfully participate” in the tender process because the federal government is “wrongfully” withholding information about why it rejected Elbit’s bid.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2024

The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau heads to a dinner at the White House tonight as the U.S. president hosts NATO leaders. Trudeau walks past North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and U.S. President Joe Biden as he heads to his spot for a family photo of the leaders during a ceremony marking NATO’s 75th anniversary, in Washington, Tuesday, July 9, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

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