Category: Mélanie Joly

Foreign Minister Joly Says She Was ‘Unequivocal’ With Chinese Counterpart on Interference Concerns

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says she was “unequivocal” with her Chinese counterpart that Canada will not tolerate foreign interference amid recent reports on Beijing’s alleged election meddling. “Canada will never tolerate any form of foreign interference in our democracy and internal affairs by China,” Joly said in a March 3 statement that was also posted…


NATO Expansion Focus of Parliamentary Committee Trip to Europe to Study Ukraine

Expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has become a major focus of Parliament’s foreign affairs committee as it tours several European countries to study the impact of the war in Ukraine, the committee chair said in an interview in Warsaw Sunday. The committee members started their journey in Sweden last week and will end in…


Ottawa Increases Funding to Ukraine With $32 Million Pledge

Exactly one year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, the federal government is increasing its funding to the war-torn country with a pledge of $32 million for demining and “accountability” efforts, and also for countering “nuclear threats.” The new funding brings the amount of Canada’s total contributions to Ukraine since February 2022 up to $5 billion, which…


Joly Ends Ukraine Visit Pledging Support for War-Crime Tribunal, Cash to Local Groups

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has ended a two-day visit to Ukraine where she met with senior officials to assess Canada’s response to Russia’s invasion. Ottawa tried to keep the visit under wraps for security reasons, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a video Tuesday of his meeting with Joly. Joly met with her Ukrainian…


Liberals Appoint Former Broadcaster Tom Clark as Canada’s Envoy in New York City

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has appointed former television journalist Tom Clark as Canada’s envoy in New York City. Clark will be Canada’s consul general in New York, putting him in charge of Ottawa’s efforts to sow cultural and economic ties in the Big Apple, as well as in neighboring American states and in Bermuda. Clark…


Ottawa Summons Russian Ambassador Following Missile Strikes on Ukrainian City

Ottawa has summoned Russia’s ambassador to Canada to answer for recent Russian missile strikes on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, who called the attacks “sheer brutality.” “We will ensure that those responsible for the horrific scenes and crimes in these cities and those across Ukraine answer to their crimes,” said…


Foreign Affairs Department Alumni Call for ‘Major Restructuring’ of Federal Office: Report

Alumni of the Foreign Affairs Department are calling for a “major restructuring” of the federal office due to unnecessarily high numbers of employees, many of whom do not speak a foreign language, says a report submitted to a parliamentary committee. “The current situation in the department is dire,” wrote retired staff of the department, who…


Ottawa Move to Seize Millions From Russian Oligarch Could Test Charter: Trade Lawyer

Canada’s attempt to seize and forfeit a Russian oligarch’s holdings could be a major test of how Ottawa balances sanctions and Charter rights. This week, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said she plans to use a new law to confiscate and divert assets held by people who have been sanctioned. The first case involves Roman Abramovich,…


Ottawa Hasn’t Been Upfront in Past About China Risks for Businesses: Joly

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Monday that Ottawa has not been clear with the Canadian business community about the risks they face operating in China. In a discussion with the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations, Joly said it’s still up to industry to choose how much they invest in China, but she argued the…


Ottawa to Attempt Confiscating Russian Oligarch Assets, a First in Sanctions Regime

The federal government says it plans to target a Russian oligarch using a law to confiscate and divert assets held by people who have been sanctioned. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says Canada will try to seize and forfeit US$26 million, or about C$36 million, from a firm owned by Roman Abramovich. Abramovich is close…