National

Joly to plead for humanitarian pauses as she says time is running out to help in Gaza

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 30 Oct, 2023 10:24 AM

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says time is running out to help people in Gaza.

At this moment of global crises and deep uncertainty, Canada can make significant contributions to meet this challenge.

To do so, our foreign policy will be guided by two principles:

Vigorously defending our sovereignty.

Using pragmatic diplomacy.
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) October 30, 2023

In a speech to the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto this afternoon, Joly is expected to plead for humanitarian pauses in the Israel-Hamas conflict to allow more aid to get into the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which is home to more than two million Palestinians.

Joly's speech will also urge that the more than 200 Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza must be released.

Her call comes as the Canadian Armed Forces confirms it has sent special forces to Canada's embassy in Tel Aviv, after Global Affairs Canada requested military support to help prepare for the possible escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.

The fears of a broader conflict have been exacerbated by clashes at the Israeli-Lebanese border, which officials say might lead to the need for an evacuation of Canadians from Lebanon.

The latest conflict began when Hamas militants launched brazen attacks on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, and Israel responded with force, showering Gaza with rockets and in recent days launching a ground offensive.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

BC United takes aim at Province over high cost of living for BC residents

The opposition says a new report by accounting firm M-N-P shows 52 per cent of British Columbians are just 200 dollars away from insolvency in a province with some of the highest rents and gas prices in North America.

BC United takes aim at Province over high cost of living for BC residents

Pair arrested for gun and drug offences

North Vancouver R-C-M-P say they stopped a Volkswagen after officers spotted it travelling the wrong direction on a one-way road at one A-M last Friday. Police say they stopped the vehicle and the driver got out and ran away before being arrested after a 10-minute chase.

Pair arrested for gun and drug offences

Thousands of B.C. families will see an increase in government family benefit plan

The monthly benefit payment from the province goes to families with annual earnings below $106,908 for those with one child and $143,783 for a three-child family. Funding goes up this month by $250 a year for a two-parent family of four and as much as $750 for a single-parent family with two children.

Thousands of B.C. families will see an increase in government family benefit plan

Inflation rate fell to 2.8 per cent in June

The inflation rate fell to 2.8 per cent in June, but Statistics Canada is also reporting grocery prices shot up 9.1 per cent from year-ago levels. That's even more than prices rose in May.

Inflation rate fell to 2.8 per cent in June

Record wildfire season in B.C. for area burned with almost 400 fires in the province

The B.C. Wildfire Service website says 13,935 square kilometres have been burned since April 1, surpassing the previous record of 13,543 square kilometres set in 2018. But there are still months to go in this year's season and the service says there are almost 400 fires currently burning.

Record wildfire season in B.C. for area burned with almost 400 fires in the province

Municipal police chief casts doubt on effectiveness of B.C. drug decriminalization

Delta Police Chief Constable Neil Dubord says in the letter that while he agrees with "the underlying principles of decriminalization," an early evaluation shows that the policy has not led to "the desired outcome." Dubord says there were 791 overdose deaths in the province between then and May, which "closely mirrors" the 772 deaths recorded during the same period last year.