Canada commits $1M to probe sexual violence by Russian troops in Ukraine
Canada is committing an extra $1 million to help the international community investigate sex crimes by Russian troops in Ukraine.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Canada would give the extra funds to the International Criminal Court to help it investigate sexual violence toward women, and also crimes against children.
Ten RCMP officers, and Canadian civilian law enforcement experts, are helping to investigate war crimes in Ukraine, including sexual violence by Russian troops.
Global Affairs Canada said the extra money could be used to help fund specialist sexual violence investigations and to protect victims who may be witnesses in war-crimes cases.
The funds may also be used to provide psychological support for victims.
- Complete coverage of the war in Ukraine
- Chelsea football club sale by sanctioned oligarch approved by U.K.
- WATCH: Kevin Gallagher on more bodies being uncovered in Ukraine
Joly said it was important that Russian troops who have used sexual violence against Ukrainians be brought to justice.
"Canada condemns in the strongest terms the use of conflict-related sexual violence and we will continue to work with partners such as the ICC to end impunity for these heinous crimes," she said in a statement.
"Those who commit sexual violence in conflict situations must be held to account."
At a meeting in Ottawa earlier this month with Ann Linde, Sweden's foreign minister, Joly discussed the need to treat Russian troops using sexual violence as a weapon as war criminals.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Joly said 10 RCMP officers would help gather evidence of rape and sexual violence by the Russian military.
Linde said Sweden has also sent "experts on investigating sexual and gender-based crime" to help the ICC with its war crimes investigation. They are interviewing refugees — "mainly women and girls and children," she said — as witnesses.
Ukraine's ambassador designate to Canada told members of Parliament earlier this month that Russia is using sexual violence against women and children as a weapon of war.
Yulia Kovaliv told the House of Commons foreign affairs committee on May 2 that Ukraine is compiling "horrific documented evidence" of war crimes.
"The horror is that children are victims of these sexual crimes, which are done (before) the eyes of their parents," Kovaliv said. "Sexual crimes is part of the Russian weapon (against) Ukraine."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published 26, May, 2022.
___
Get in touch
Do you have any questions about the attack on Ukraine? Email dotcom@bellmedia.ca.
- Please include your name, location, and contact information if you are willing to speak to a journalist with CTV News.
- Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Be prepared for delays at any point': Canada not flying alone in worldwide travel chaos
As Canadian airports deal with their own set of problems amid the busy summer travel season, by no means are they alone.
3 dead, 3 critically wounded in shooting at Denmark mall
A gunman opened fire inside a busy shopping mall in the Danish capital Sunday, killing three people and critically wounding three others, police said.
Shooting at Williams Lake, B.C. stampede injures 2, forces evacuation
Two people are injured and a third is in custody after what RCMP describe as a 'public shooting' at a rodeo in Northern B.C. Sunday.
Dog left with lost baggage at Toronto Pearson Airport for about 21 hours
A Toronto woman says a dog she rescued from the Dominican Republic has been traumatized after being left in a corner of Toronto Pearson International Airport with baggage for about 21 hours.
Alpine glacier chunk detaches, killing at least 6 hikers
A large chunk of an Alpine glacier broke loose Sunday and roared down a mountain in Italy, sending ice, snow and rock slamming into hikers on a popular trail on the peak and killing at least six and injuring nine, authorities said, warning that the toll might climb.
Blue Jays mourn death of first base coach Mark Budzinski's daughter
First base coach Mark Budzinski is taking a leave of absence from the Toronto Blue Jays following the death of his daughter.
'There should have been one': N.S. mother drives son to ER after waiting nearly an hour for ambulance
A Nova Scotia mother says she had to drive her son to hospital herself on Canada Day when no ambulance showed up after more than 40 minutes.
Ohio man shot was unarmed when shot by officers: police
A Black man shot and killed by Akron, Ohio police officers in a hail of bullets following a vehicle and foot pursuit was unarmed at the time of the shooting.
'Cold-adapted' dinosaurs survived mass extinction event to achieve dominance, study finds
A new study has offered what it says is the first physical evidence showing dinosaurs from the Triassic period regularly endured freezing conditions, allowing them to survive and eventually supersede other species on the planet.
W5 HIGHLIGHTS
Families falsely accused of child abuse call for mandatory medical second opinions
Families across the country tell W5 they were falsely accused of child abuse after bringing their sick or injured child to the hospital. Some parents are calling for mandatory medical second opinions when it comes to cases flagged in hospitals.
Lisa Raitt shares the pain behind her husband's devastating diagnosis
Former Deputy Leader of the Conservatives Lisa Raitt shares the pain behind her husband's devastating diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's and the story of their enduring love, in a candid and revealing interview with CTV W5.
W5 INVESTIGATES | Viral Facebook post sparks criminal investigation into pediatric dentist
W5 investigates disturbing allegations against a pediatric dentist in Nova Scotia whose treatment of children over five decades is now an alleged crime.
Did politics muzzle a doctor who spoke out about the Ontario government's COVID-19 response?
CTV W5's latest investigation: For a year, Dr. Brooks Fallis ran the Critical Care unit at a Brampton Hospital. He openly criticized Premier Ford’s COVID-19 response and was warned by his bosses there could be consequences.
Exclusive: Doctors tell W5 why they spoke out during the pandemic
For the past two years, a number of doctors across Canada have advocated for their patients and questioned the role of politics in the handling of COVID-19. To explore the issues, W5 convened a group of seven physicians from across the country.
W5 Investigates | Canadian doctors decide whether Indigenous women are fit to be mothers
W5 investigates Canadian doctors performing the irreversible procedure of forced sterilizations on Indigenous women.
Prescription drug side-effects: How they're vastly under-reported and one man's tragic, cautionary tale
An Ontario man shares his horrifying story of murder as W5 investigates the widespread under-reporting of serious side-effects from prescription drugs.
A rare look at Canada's growing demand for medical assistance in dying
CTV W5 investigates the growing demand for medically-assisted death, and reveals stories of those determined to die with dignity.
Toronto
-
Dog left with lost baggage at Toronto Pearson Airport for about 21 hours
A Toronto woman says a dog she rescued from the Dominican Republic has been traumatized after being left in a corner of Toronto Pearson International Airport with baggage for about 21 hours.
-
2 men arrested in Montreal in connection with fatal Toronto shooting on Father's Day
Two men have been arrested in Montreal in connection with a fatal shooting in North York on Father's Day.
-
Two people dead and baby injured in pair of crashes in Peel Region
Two people died and four others including a nine-month-old baby were injured in a pair of crashes that occurred two hours apart in Peel Region overnight.
Ottawa
-
'He was a hero': Family says Ottawa man killed in fatal collision sacrificed himself
The family of an Ottawa man killed in a Canada Day crash in the west end says Tom Bergeron died exactly as he lived: selflessly thinking of others before himself.
-
121 vehicles towed from downtown Ottawa control zone over Canada Day weekend
Ottawa Bylaw officers issued 30 parking tickets and had eight vehicles towed out of the downtown core on Sunday, the final day the motor vehicle control zone remains in effect.
-
Captain and his dog escape boat fire southwest of Ottawa
Emergency crews responded to reports a 30-foot vessel was on fire in the Rideau Ferry area on Saturday.
Barrie
-
Firefighters battle blaze at two Barrie homes
Firefighters battled a large house fire in Barrie's north end that spread to a second home.
-
-
New Wasaga Beach sign vandalized one week after it was unveiled
New signs unveiled in Wasaga Beach last week have already been vandalized.
Kitchener
-
Driveway paved without permission needs to be ripped up, says Puslinch, Ont. homeowner
A Puslinch, Ont. woman says her driveway will need to be repaved less than month after she came home to find strangers working on it without her prior consent.
-
Justin Bieber's family member allegedly involved in fiery Stratford crash
A fiery crash shut down a Stratford street on Tuesday and witnesses tell CTV News one of Justin Bieber's family members was allegedly involved.
-
Gun call prompts police response at Kitchener encampment
Police were called to a Kitchener encampment on Saturday after they received a report of a disturbance involving a gun.
London
-
Five transported to hospital after car rollover on Chester Street
Five people were sent to hospital as a precaution after a vehicle they were travelling inside rolled onto its roof in south London early Sunday afternoon.
-
Justin Bieber's family member allegedly involved in fiery Stratford crash
A fiery crash shut down a Stratford street on Tuesday and witnesses tell CTV News one of Justin Bieber's family members was allegedly involved.
-
London home blaze originated near fire pit: Investigators
The London Fire Department tackled a blaze at a home in south London early Sunday morning, which claimed the lives of three pets and resulted in approximately $250,000 in damages.
Windsor
-
'We’ve lost the summer season': Windsor-Essex tourism sector laments extension of border restrictions
Tourism officials and business leaders in Windsor-Essex are frustrated and worried about how the sector will handle another summer of border requirements to enter Canada.
-
Chatham-Kent police searching for suspects after $85,000 in vehicles stolen
Chatham-Kent police are looking for suspects after a UTV and two SeaDoos worth $85,000 were stolen from a business in Tilbury, Ont. on Saturday.
-
McDonald's Canada to end 'free hot drink' stickers on cups
The days of collecting stickers from cups and claiming a hot drink after purchasing six will soon be a thing of the past at McDonald’s Canada locations as of December 2023.
Montreal
-
Experts warn new Quebec tenants to check for bed bugs and other infestations
At this time of year, when many Quebecers move into a new home, there may be an increase in infestations of invaders such as bed bugs. Anyone can be affected by these unwanted pests and it is important to report cases.
-
Montreal conservation group angered after Monarch fields mowed
A Montreal conservation group is baffled and frustrated after a field of shrubs, flowers, and, importantly, milkweed was mowed.
-
Parks Canada cancels camping event in Montreal amid criticism over unhoused people
Advocates for Montreal's homeless residents ramped up critiques of Parks Canada over the weekend, saying a series of local camping events the agency has scheduled throughout the summer set a double standard between those with financial means and those without.
Atlantic
-
'There should have been one': N.S. mother drives son to ER after waiting nearly an hour for ambulance
A Nova Scotia mother says she had to drive her son to hospital herself on Canada Day when no ambulance showed up after more than 40 minutes.
-
'I think they should be regulated': Dog owner shares thoughts on private fireworks after dog dies
Canada Day weekend fireworks have sparked more calls to either regulate or ban backyard fireworks displays in Nova Scotia.
-
'Incompetent': New Brunswick cabinet minister blasts Air Canada for cancellation
New Brunswick's education minister is lashing out at Air Canada, saying the airline is incompetent because it decided on the weekend to cancel a Monday flight that would have taken him and four officials to a meeting in Regina.
Winnipeg
-
Victim of stabbing at The Forks had just moved to Winnipeg from Ukraine
A Ukrainian refugee living in Winnipeg for two weeks was the victim of a Canada Day stabbing at The Forks.
-
Ukrainian refugee family ready to start new life in Manitoba
A Ukrainian refugee is excited to begin a new life in Manitoba after escaping the war in Ukraine with her family and reuniting with her sister in Winnipeg Sunday.
-
‘We’re totally overlooked’: Northwestern Ontario fishing resorts hit hard by flooding
Vacation resort owners near Minaki, Ont., are drowning, both literally and financially, after flooding has left them operating below capacity or unable to open at all.
Calgary
-
Vancouver police service dog named after Calgary police officer
A Vancouver Transit Police service dog has a special connection to the Calgary Police Service.
-
Airdrie girl with life-threatening illness heartbroken to miss Monday concert by her idol Shawn Mendes
All a 14-year-old Airdrie girl named Kaley Biggar wanted was to see Shawn Mendes sing on Monday, but then she received a life-threatening diagnosis.
-
Calgary man charged after Saturday incident with stolen vehicle
A Calgary man faces multiple charges following an incident Saturday in which a firefighter was injured when a stolen vehicle fled from the scene of a collision.
Edmonton
-
'It went through my daughter's room': Bullets hit southeast Edmonton home
A southeast Edmonton family is stunned after two bullets hit their home Saturday, with one narrowly missing a young girl's bedroom.
-
Beehives and goat farms: Alberta school shortlisted in global environmental contest
Taylor Perez says she learned more about her passions while tending beehives, goats and fruit trees at her central Alberta high school than sitting through lessons in a classroom.
-
Cyclist sent to hospital in serious condition after hit and run
Parkland County RCMP are asking for the public’s help to identify the vehicle involved in a hit and run on Sunday morning.
Vancouver
-
Shooting at Williams Lake, B.C. stampede injures 2, forces evacuation
Two people are injured and a third is in custody after what RCMP describe as a 'public shooting' at a rodeo in Northern B.C. Sunday.
-
TransLink adopts 10-year priorities, emphasizes Bus Rapid Transit
Metro Vancouver's regional transit provider adopted its priorities for the next 10 years last week. An emphasis on Bus Rapid Transit was one of them.
-
Drivers on Coquihalla southbound warned to expect hours-long delays
Drivers travelling on the Coquihalla southbound between Merritt and Hope are being warned to expect lengthy delays Sunday.
Politics
-
Anti-Taliban law could be tweaked to get more humanitarian aid to Afghans: minister
A law outlawing any dealings with the Taliban, which charities complain is impeding their ability to help needy Afghans, could be adjusted by the federal government to give more flexibility to aid agencies.
-
In Canada Day message, Trudeau says Canadian flag represents promise of a better life
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on Canadians to recommit to the country’s values, including respect, hope and kindness, in his official Canada Day message.
-
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon calls on Canadians to work toward inclusive society
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon says Canadians should work together to build an inclusive society in her official message to the nation to mark Canada Day.
Health
-
After abortion ruling, U.S. clinic staff grapple with trauma
Nationwide, U.S. workers at clinics that shuttered abortion services are feeling fear and stress as they try to pick up the pieces and chart a path forward. At the Women's Health Center of West Virginia, the days following the historic court ruling brought on a different kind of grief for staff as their new reality set in.
-
Infection with HIV can accelerate aging within the first two to three years of infection, study says
Living with HIV may have an immediate effect on how your body ages, according to new research which showed that cellular aging was sped up within two to three years of infection.
-
Medication abortion is common. Here's how it works
Medication abortions became the preferred method for ending pregnancy in the U.S. even before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. These involve taking two prescription medicines days apart -- at home or in a clinic.
Sci-Tech
-
Dwindling salmon stocks mean endangered B.C. orcas are going hungry, researchers say
Researchers in British Columbia say the province's endangered southern resident orcas have not been getting enough food for years, with some of the worst bouts of hunger occurring since 2018.
-
'Ghost genes' from coyotes could help save critically endangered red wolves, study says
Scientists are hopeful that the key to reviving red wolves, which are on the brink of extinction, may lie in the genes of coyotes that have significant red wolf ancestry.
-
Russian laser scientist dies two days after arrest for state treason
A Russian scientist who was arrested in Siberia last week on suspicion of state treason and flown to Moscow despite suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer has died, lawyers and a family member said on Sunday.
Entertainment
-
Ricky Martin denies restraining order allegations
Representatives for Ricky Martin have denied allegations that led to a restraining order against the Puerto Rican superstar, who has not been charged with any crime.
-
'Minions' set box office on fire with US$108.5-million debut
"Minions: The Rise of Gru " brought in an estimated US$108.5 million in ticket sales from 4,391 screens in North America, Universal Pictures said Sunday. By the end of the Monday's July Fourth holiday, it will likely have earned over $127.9 million.
-
British theatre, film director Peter Brook dies at age 97
Peter Brook, a British theatre and film director known for an influential and distinguished career which saw him garner worldwide acclaim, has died. He was 97.
Business
-
Retailers grapple with soaring fuel surcharges to ship online orders
Canadian retailers are struggling with higher shipping costs as couriers tack hefty fuel surcharges onto shipping rates to recoup record gas prices. The additional charge is sending the cost of shipping goods within Canada higher, topping 40 per cent for some carriers.
-
Stuck bags add to tangles at Paris airports amid travel boom
Airlines worked Saturday to deliver luggage to passengers around the world after a technical breakdown left at least 1,500 bags stuck at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, the latest of several tangles hitting travellers this summer.
-
Holiday getaway pushes U.S. airport traffic to pandemic high
The Fourth of July holiday weekend is jamming U.S. airports with their biggest crowds since the pandemic began in 2020.
Lifestyle
-
Antique vampire-slaying kit sparks international bidding war at auction
A vampire-slaying kit once owned by a British aristocrat sparked an international bidding war before selling for six times its estimated price, according to Hansons Auctioneers.
-
'Ungrading': How one Ontario teacher is changing her approach to report cards
An Ontario high school teacher plans to continue with an alternative method of grading her students after an experiment last semester in which students proposed a grade and had to justify it with examples of their work.
-
Rescued Afghanistan dogs arrive at Toronto sanctuary
Ten dogs who were evacuated from Afghanistan by the animal welfare group No Dogs Left Behind arrived in Toronto during the long weekend.
Sports
-
Zhou involved in frightening 1st-lap crash at British GP
Zhou Guanyu was involved in a frightening first-lap crash Sunday that brought the British Grand Prix to an immediate halt as safety crews attended to the only Chinese driver in Formula One.
-
Tsitsipas calls Kyrgios bully after Wimbledon hubbub, loss
Nick Kyrgios cursed at the Wimbledon chair umpire and asked, 'Are you dumb?' He demanded to see a Grand Slam supervisor after questioning why his opponent, Stefanos Tsitsipas, didn't forfeit their ever-contentious, never-boring match for angrily hitting a ball into the stands after dropping the second set.
-
Jakobsen overtakes Van Aert on line to win Tour stage 2
Dutch rider Fabio Jakobsen overtook Wout van Aert right on the line to win the second stage of the Tour de France while Van Aert took the yellow jersey on Saturday.
Autos
-
B.C. judge dismisses realtor's claim dealership misled him about Ford Mustang
A Vancouver Island real estate agent has lost his bid to recover a deposit he made on a new Ford Mustang that he intended to offer as a prize in a year-long contest in 2020.
-
Tesla's second quarter sales drop amid supply chain, pandemic problems
Tesla's sales from April through June fell to their lowest quarterly level since last fall as supply chain issues and pandemic restrictions in China hobbled production of its electric vehicles.
-
Sainz takes 1st pole, Verstappen booed at British GP
It took 151 attempts for Carlos Sainz to earn his first Formula One pole. Now he'll chase that elusive first win. But starting alongside Sainz on the front row Sunday at the British Grand Prix will be defending F1 champion Max Verstappen, a year removed from the crash with Lewis Hamilton that turned their title fight into a bitter rivalry.
