National

Prime Minister Trudeau calls for return of Ukrainian children deported to Russia

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 31 Oct, 2024 10:39 AM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on countries around the world to do everything possible to repatriate Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

Trudeau addressed delegations from more than 70 countries at a conference in Montreal this morning, as they prepare a joint declaration for the return of Ukrainian children, civilians and prisoners of war.

He said Ukrainians are looking to the international community to do everything it can to protect their country's people and its identity, after the Russian invasion that began in February 2022.

His speech followed video testimony from a Ukrainian teenager who recounted his kidnapping and the obligations imposed by his Russian guards before he could reunite with his family.

The Ukrainian government estimates that 19,500 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia and 1,800 civilians are unlawfully detained in the country, a senior Canadian official told The Canadian Press during a background briefing on Wednesday.

The two-day conference will wrap up with a press conference this afternoon hosted by Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Three B.C. school districts to launch fully integrated, daylong child care, says Eby

Three school districts in British Columbia will start one-stop child-care programs at local elementary schools this fall. Premier David Eby says offering parents before-and-after-school child care at the same location will save families time and money, create less stress for parents and is an efficient use of school space and resources.

Three B.C. school districts to launch fully integrated, daylong child care, says Eby

Poilievre targets illicit drugs in B.C. hospitals

Federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre says the Conservatives will put forward legislation that would forbid Ottawa from "ever" granting provinces exemptions to allow illicit drug use in hospitals. Poilievre made the announcement in Vancouver on Tuesday, saying the Conservatives will introduce a private member's bill in Parliament to end the federal health minister's power to grant exemptions that would allow the use of illicit drugs in a hospital setting.

Poilievre targets illicit drugs in B.C. hospitals

OPINION: Time For A Diverse Lieutenant-Governor For BC As The Term Comes To An End For Janet Austin

In this Op-Ed Senior Reporter with DESIBUZZCanada, PD Raj explores the dialogue of representation and inclusivity within the political arena as current Lieutenant-Governor Janet Austin's term comes to an end.

OPINION: Time For A Diverse Lieutenant-Governor For BC As The Term Comes To An End For Janet Austin

Wildfire growth prompts another evacuation order in northeastern B.C.

A wildfire just outside the community of Fort Nelson has grown as residents in British Columbia's northeast receive more evacuation orders. An updated estimate from the BC Wildfire Service says the blaze spans 84 square kilometres, a significant increase since Monday, when it was mapped at about 53 square kilometres in size.

Wildfire growth prompts another evacuation order in northeastern B.C.

Canadian short story legend, Nobel Prize winner Alice Munro has died

Short story legend Alice Munro, whose intricate tales depicting small-town southwestern Ontario earned her an international fanbase and the Nobel Prize in literature, has died at age 92. Penguin Random House Canada said Tuesday that Munro died Monday in her home in Port Hope, Ont.

Canadian short story legend, Nobel Prize winner Alice Munro has died

B.C. moves to cap rent hikes for those in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

The B.C. government has introduced legislation that would allow the City of Vancouver to limit rent increases for new tenants in its poorest neighbourhood, the Downtown Eastside. The rent cap is for those living in single-room occupancy buildings where the government says rents have increased from $800 a month to as high as $1,950 a month.