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Omar Alghabra

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Feds Unveil More Details About Expanded Oceans Protection Plan

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Ottawa unveiled new details on Monday about its renewed and expanded Oceans Protection Plan.

Budget 2022 included a pledge of $2 billion over nine years, bringing the total investment to $3.5 billion.

It is described by the Liberals as the largest investment Canada has ever seen to protect our oceans.

Speaking in Saint John, N.B., on Monday, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said $447 million will be earmarked to further protect and restore coastal ecosystems.

“It will allow us to build on our existing work and invest in new areas,” Alghabra said while speaking at Port Saint John.

That includes restoring aquatic ecosystems, investing in measures to reduce marine shipping impacts on mammals, preventing the spread of invasive species, and banning the transport of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic.

Alghabra did not have details about specific projects, noting that many of them have yet to be finalized.

“We are announcing the envelope or the objective of these projects, so it’s going to include working with local communities, local organizations on learning more about how to restore and protect the ecosystems in our waterways,” he said.

Alghabra noted that more than 50 initiatives have been implemented under the Oceans Protection Plan since it was first launched in 2016.

Among those initiatives are opening six Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue stations in British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador, protecting more than 200 endangered species, and funding more than 500 projects to and dispose of abandoned vessels across Canada.

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Feds Announce $100M In Humanitarian Aid For Ukraine

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Canadian officials have announced $100 million for humanitarian assistance to aid Ukraine and a ban on Russian ships in Canadian ports and internal waters.

A pair of federal announcements on Tuesday are the latest actions to respond to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

At a briefing, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland did not mince words when addressing the matter.

“President [Vladimir] Putin has made a grave and historic error. This is not the behaviour of a superpower, this is the last gasp of a failing kleptocracy, and President Putin has now become an international pariah,” said Freeland, adding more sanctions will be announced in the days and weeks ahead.

International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan said the additional $100 million will support life-saving services such as shelter, water, sanitation, and food assistance. Ministers also announced 1600 fragmentation vests and nearly 400,000 individual meal packs to aid Ukraine.

Earlier in the day, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced Canada will ban Russian-owned or registered ships and fishing vessels in Canadian ports and internal waters. It’s expected this measure will come into effect later this week.

“Russia must be held accountable for its aggression in Ukraine. Canada will continue to do what is necessary to respond,” Alghabra said in a statement.

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Trudeau Shuffles Cabinet After Navdeep Bains’ Resignation

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Longtime Liberal MP Navdeep Bains is stepping down as minister of innovation, science and industry.

In a Facebook video, Bains said now is the time to put his family first — and he could not be happier.

The Ontario MP said his family has sacrificed so much for him over the last 17 years of his political journey.

“This last year has been hard on families,” said Bains. “My daughters, who are in grade five and grade eight, have needed me more in the last year, and I’ve needed them, too.”

“It is time for me to focus on the most important job I have in life — being a dad.”

Bains also said he will not be re-offering in the next federal election but will continue to serve as MP until then.

He said he is grateful for the trust his community has shown him and thanked the prime minister for giving him the opportunity to be a cabinet minister.

“Whether it was investing in Canadians’ innovation, building their skills or executing the Made in Canada Project, which helped Canadians make personal protective equipment here at home, for me, it’s always been about generating opportunities, investing in people and creating jobs,” he said.

The prime minister has named François-Philippe Champagne the next minister of innovation, science and industry.

Marc Garneau will take over Champagne’s role as foreign affairs minister, while Omar Alghabra becomes transport minister.