National

Anand returns from Ukraine talks without tank deal

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 20 Jan, 2023 10:41 AM

OTTAWA - Defence Minister Anita Anand is returning to Canada after a meeting in Germany today where allies failed to make much headway on providing battle tanks to Ukraine.

It was great to have you here, Minister! All of us @CanEmbUkraine are proud to represent a country that is contributing strongly to the efforts of brave and determined Ukrainians. With your leadership, I know that will keep up! https://t.co/oA1RyGMuvI
— Larisa Galadza - Лариса Ґаладза (@LGaladza) January 20, 2023

The question was at the top of the agenda as Anand and dozens of counterparts gathered to discuss and co-ordinate plans to provide Ukraine with new military aid.

The Ukrainian government says it needs tanks to protect its troops and launch counter-offensives against Russian forces, particularly in the eastern part of the country.

The Liberal government has not said whether Canada is open to sending some of its German-made Leopard 2 tanks.

But before Canada can even entertain the idea, it needs Berlin's sign-off to allow it to re-export the tanks.

That did not happen during today's meeting, with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius saying the matter remains unresolved.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

13 years for Amanda Todd's tormentor

Justice Martha Devlin of the B.C. Supreme Court says Aydin Coban's calculated conduct caused the girl mental anguish and social isolation, contributing to her suicide after he told Todd he would ruin her life. The sentence is longer than the 12 years suggested by the Crown, but Devlin said Coban's conduct calls for "sharp rebuke."

13 years for Amanda Todd's tormentor

Surrey RCMP locate a stolen motorcycle and illicit drugs, suspect in custody

Police located just under 600 grams of suspected methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl in a satchel believed to have been discarded by the suspect while he fled from police. Through additional investigative steps, it was determined that the motorcycle was stolen on September 20, 2022 while being test driven by a potential buyer.

Surrey RCMP locate a stolen motorcycle and illicit drugs, suspect in custody

Workers, employers want feds to pay off EI debt

The program, which is financed entirely through premiums paid by workers and employers, accumulated $25.9 billion of debt by the end of 2021, according to the Office of the Chief Actuary. The rise in debt comes after a staggering number of Canadians were unemployed during the pandemic and eligibility rules for the program were relaxed to ease access to jobless benefits.

Workers, employers want feds to pay off EI debt

How the B.C. drought benefits some farmers

British Columbia is enduring a record-breaking dry spell, but farmer Amir Mann says the drought is far preferable to other recent weather extremes. Mann and others involved in agriculture say the downside of the drought, which has required some crops to be irrigated, is offset by benefits such as a longer harvesting period and little rot.

How the B.C. drought benefits some farmers

Wildfire flares on Vancouver's North Shore

West Vancouver Fire Rescue duty chief Matt Furlot says crews responded at around 7 a.m. He said they were trying to pinpoint the exact location of the fire and the best way to access to the flames.

Wildfire flares on Vancouver's North Shore

VPD arrests suspect in two sexual assaults

At 7:30 p.m. on July 6, a 24-year-old woman reported she had been sexually assaulted while on the escalator at the Granville SkyTrain Station by a suspect who ran away. The investigation was completed by Metro Vancouver Transit Police. A second incident occurred the following day on West Broadway at Ash Street. Just before 2 p.m. a 38-year-old woman was sexually assaulted.