In the news today: Ontario woman says brother died hungry in Gaza, waiting on visa

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

Ontario woman says brother died hungry in Gaza, waiting for word on Canadian visa

A 62-year-old Ontario woman says her brother has died in northern Gaza after weeks spent searching for food and refuge while he waited for word from the federal government about whether he could come to Canada. Sawsan Karashuli says she found out through a Facebook post that her brother, Ismail Qarsholi had died on March 4th, about two months after she applied to a newly opened federal program to secure Canadian visas for him and his 25-year-old daughter. Karashuli says the visa application was confusing and costly, and that she ultimately heard nothing back from the federal government about whether her relatives would be granted a visa.

Uganda, Ghana LGBTQ+ activists urge Ottawa to step up action against homophobic laws

LGBTQ activists want Ottawa to put more action behind its condemnation of homophobic legislation in Uganda and Ghana, arguing that Canada is missing a pivotal moment to try to stop a human-rights rollback. Uganda put a law into force last spring that prescribes life imprisonment for homosexuality, and requires landlords to evict people they suspect of having gay sex. And Ghana’s parliament recently passed its own draft law that could mean decade-long prison terms for anyone promoting gay rights. If that law is ratified, people could also go to jail just for kissing someone of the same sex in public.

Feds eye ‘more responsive’ RCMP policing models

The Liberal government is looking for ways to improve policing services provided under contract by the RCMP across Canada. Internal Public Safety Canada notes say it is eyeing everything from overall cost and sustainability to stronger oversight and accountability. Among the possibilities are “more responsive” police service models that could involve closer integration of the RCMP and community social services.

Crown, defence to address jury in Umar Zameer case

Prosecutors and defence lawyers are expected to make their opening statements today in the murder trial of a man accused of killing a Toronto police officer. Umar Zameer has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Const. Jeffrey Northrup. Northrup, 55, died on July 2, 2021, after being struck by a vehicle as he was responding to a report of a robbery in an underground garage at Toronto City Hall.

Newfoundland and Labrador budget set for today

Newfoundland and Labrador Finance Minister Siobhan Coady is scheduled to release her 2024-25 budget today, with an expectation that the books will be balanced. The government has been working to whittle down its deficit, and it forecast last year that it would be eliminated by this year’s budget. However, the province is still expected to be carrying a substantial debt, with one of the country’s highest ratios of debt to gross domestic product.

Teachers to protest on Saskatchewan budget day

The Saskatchewan Party government is set to release its 2024 budget on a day that could be overshadowed by teacher protests. Premier Scott Moe says more dollars are to be spent on classrooms, health care and municipal revenue sharing. Meanwhile, thousands of teachers plan to descend on the legislative building and demand the province negotiate on classroom sizes and other supports.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2024.

The Canadian Press