Ottawa’s new foreign influence registry is now live, requiring anyone working on behalf of a foreign government or agency to influence Canadian politics to register within 60 days, but critics say the rules are both too broad and too toothless. Plus, Canada is sharply cutting back its UN peacekeeping commitments, withdrawing troops from missions in Congo, South Sudan, Cyprus, and Kosovo as NATO defence priorities take precedence over a core part of the country’s foreign policy identity.
And in The Big Picture: Moderna begins Canadian trials for a Bundibugyo Ebola vaccine, Canada-U.S. trade talks continue ahead of a tariff deadline, wildfires destroy hundreds of homes in B.C., Canadian VC firms do fewer but bigger deals, and Canada’s trade surplus hits a four-year high.