Justin Trudeau wrapped up a surprise trip to war-torn Ukraine with a blistering attack on Vladimir Putin, calling the Russian leader a “weakling” who uses police and the military to crush his opposition.
Speaking with reporters at the end of his visit to the capital Kyiv, Trudeau accused Putin of "executing" opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died unexpectedly a week ago in the Arctic penal colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence.
Navalny, 47, was roundly considered Putin’s greatest political foe. The Kremlin has rejected allegations that Putin was involved in Navalny's death, calling them “absolutely unfounded, insolent accusations about the head of the Russian state.”
"I think we know, we've seen, repeatedly, the extent to which any opposition in Russia is either marginalized or, quite frankly, executed," Trudeau said Saturday.
"What happened to Alexei Navalny demonstrates that for all that Putin pretends to be strong, he's actually a coward," he continued.
"To execute one's political opponents, to quash dissent by using police and military, to make sure there is no opposition is the mark of a weakling, not a mark of someone who is confident in his own position."
Putin is running for a fifth term as president next month in an election he is all but certain to win. Trudeau launched into his attack on the Russian leader when he was asked whether he would recognize the results of that election.
The prime minister's remarks were the culmination of a day designed to mark the second anniversary of Russia's 2022 invasion on Ukraine.
Trudeau signed a new security agreement with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as world leaders gathered in the capital Kyiv.
The agreement is aimed at fortifying both the Ukrainian military and the country's struggling economy.
It includes some $320 million in new military spending, which is due by the end of the year, and $2.4 billion in loans for Ukraine, to be administered through the International Monetary Fund.
"War isn’t just experienced on the battlefield, it's lived every day, by everyday people," Trudeau said of the loans at a news conference in the Ukrainian president's official residence.
"This money allows roads to be repaired after a bombing. It pays nurses and doctors who keep people healthy, and it supports Ukrainians as they fight back against Russia."
Trudeau also announced $75 million to help finance the country's demining efforts and intelligence gathering.
The prime minister spent the day in Kyiv alongside leaders from the European Commission, Italy and Belgium. Absent countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Poland, signalled their allegiance through public statements on social media.
It was part of a global campaign to showcase a politically important display of international solidarity with Ukraine in the face of a plodding, bloody conflict that experts say has no end in sight.
"There will also be ongoing support, over several years, because we are here for the long-term to help Ukraine win a decisive victory against Putin’s unprovoked invasion," Trudeau said in prepared remarks.
The prime minister also promised $15 million to help complete the Ukrainian National Museum of the Holodomor-Genocide in Kyiv.
Putin launched his long-feared invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, an incursion that soon evolved into a grinding, bloody, full-scale conflict that now has no end in sight.
As he has done from the outset, Trudeau again vowed to ensure Canada stands with Ukraine for as long as it takes to secure victory. But the federal government has yet to deliver all military aid it has promised, prompting critics to accuse the prime minister of going back on his word.
Despite similar sentiments from across the global coalition of support, European countries are struggling to find enough stocks to send to Kyiv, while $60-billion worth of U.S. help is stalled over political differences.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listens as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a ceremony at Hostomel Airport in Kyiv, Ukraine on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024.
The delays have frustrated Zelenskyy, who fears — like others — that such delays and domestic political conflict are playing right into the hands of an ever-patient Putin.
Just last week, Russia took complete control of the city of Avdiivka, about 706 kilometres east of the capital, where troops had battled fiercely over the local chemical plant for weeks.
And a Russian drone attack late Friday struck a residential building in the southern city of Odesa, killing at least one person and injuring several others.
Zelenskyy himself warned allies just last week that an "artificial deficit" of arms risks giving Russia a dangerous advantage.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden has been cajoling and criticizing Republicans in Congress to help pass legislation to keep the support flowing.
"The failure to support Ukraine at this critical moment will not be forgotten. Now is the time for us to stand strong with Ukraine and stand united with our allies and partners," Biden said in a statement.
"Now is the time to prove that the United States stands up for freedom and bows down to no one."
Biden has chided his political opponents, including former and would-be future president Donald Trump, for inflamed rhetoric around Ukraine and a lack of support that borders on what the current commander-in-chief calls "criminal neglect."
Trudeau has reached for similar reprovals when it comes to Canada's Opposition Conservatives and their recent decision to vote against a modernized free-trade deal with Ukraine.
But in contrast to the U.S., both parties have tried to position themselves domestically as the more committed ally: Canada is home to the world's second-largest Ukrainian diaspora population, after Russia.
"It's been two years since Ukraine woke up to the evil of an unprovoked full-scale invasion from Vladimir Putin," Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted Saturday on X, formerly Twitter.
"Canada will always stand with Ukraine in the fight for freedom and democracy against Putin’s tyranny."
The prime minister's show of solidarity in Kyiv also provides an opportunity to help restore the relationship's lustre after a gaffe during Zelenskyy's visit to Ottawa last fall set off an international embarrassment.
With the Ukrainian president in the House of Commons, members of Parliament paid a war hero's tribute to a Ukrainian-Canadian veteran who turned out to have fought for the Nazis in the Second World War.
The incident made headlines around the world, prompted a prime ministerial apology, cost former House Speaker Anthony Rota his job and provided ample fodder for Russia's propaganda machine.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2024.
Three women diagnosed with HIV after getting 'vampire facial' procedures at an unlicensed medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles.
All 79 locations of pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs are shut down Sunday, and there is no estimate on when they will be back open.
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Vancouver Canucks when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series Sunday.
U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin likely didn't order the death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny in February, according to an official familiar with the determination.
Tornadoes killed four people in Oklahoma and left thousands without power Sunday after a destructive outbreak of severe weather flattened buildings in the heart of one rural town.
One person has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a man who fell from a balcony following an altercation inside a Toronto apartment building.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for a specific chocolate brand sold in Ontario and Quebec.
All 79 locations of pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs are shut down Sunday, and there is no estimate on when they will be back open.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
Punjabi music star Diljit Dosanjh took the stage in front of more than 54,000 fans at BC Place on Saturday, making history by doing so.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews has been sidelined by a "lingering illness" as Toronto stares down playoff elimination.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for a specific chocolate brand sold in Ontario and Quebec.
Actor and activist Elliot Page offered a parent some guidance and blasted the Alberta government Sunday at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.
About 300 people laced up their runners and tackled the McHugh Bluff staircase to help bring an end to homelessness in Calgary.
Calgary police are investigating after a hit-and-run Saturday afternoon in Bridgeland that left a pedestrian hospitalized with serious, life-altering injuries.
While food banks across Ontario continue to experience a surge in use, one Ottawa community group is working to fight food insecurity. The Food for All Ottawa Facebook page has been bringing in 150 to 200 new members a month, connecting food donors directly with people in need.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Ottawa police say officers responded to a call for a collision involving a pedestrian and a vehicle on 8th Line Road, near Walker Road, just after 2:30 a.m.
Quebec is investing $603 million over the next five years to counter what its French-language minister describes as the decline of the French language in the province.
Hundreds of students are still camping out on McGill's University's campus this weekend in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Quebecers could soon see more homegrown content on streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. The provincial government announced that it plans to introduce a new bill within the next year to force online streaming giants to add more made-in-Quebec media on their platforms.
A man is dead after he reportedly lost control of his motorcycle in Strathcona County Saturday night.
A woman was killed after crashing into a water truck near the Fort McMurray International Airport Saturday morning.
An Edmonton man spent his birthday Sunday pushing himself to the limit to try and help others.
Anyone who has a Gen-Z person in their life is likely familiar with the popular social media app TikTok, but a new bill in the U.S. may soon take it off of the American market.
Dozens of people across Nova Scotia came together at Province House on Sunday for National Day of Mourning, an annual day that remembers those who have died of or were injured because of a workplace accident.
Over 150 residents flocked to Rockwood Park in Saint John on Sunday to pay their respects on the National Day of Mourning, which honours workers who have been killed or have suffered a workplace related injury while on the job.
The trial for the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg is set to get underway on April 29.
The Jets will look to avoid elimination in Game 5 on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre.
A Winnipeg-based non-profit organization is hoping to tackle chronic homelessness in the city with a newly launched housing strategy.
The Regina Rebels made history over the weekend — taking home gold for the first time ever at the U-18 women's hockey national championships.
Regina's fire service is investigating following a significant house fire in the North Central area.
'Feel through the Deepness to see,' an art installation by artist Rita McKeough, will be calling the Dunlop Art Gallery home for the next two months.
A ransom for a stolen laptop, a parking dispute at a Kitchener apartment building, and a five-cent property tax bill round out the most-read stories of the week.
Waterloo Region residents, workplace safety advocates, and politicians all gathered at the Worker’s Monument in Cambridge’s Riverside Park for the National Day of Mourning.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
Workers at group homes run by LutherCare Communities in Saskatoon are escalating their strike action.
On Saturday, in a display of cross-cultural solidarity, members of the Indigenous and Palestinian communities gathered in Saskatoon for an event steeped in prayer and dance.
The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) and Saskatchewan Coroners Service are investigating after a woman’s body was found at a recycling facility Friday morning.
Environment Canada has lifted the thunderstorm watches issued on Saturday for northeastern Ontario – however, has since issued special weather statements warning of freezing rain from Chapleau, Ont. to Sturgeon Lake, Ont. beginning Monday.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Impaired drivers recently kept a northern Ontario Provincial Police detachment busy this weekend. The Temiskaming detachment charged three people with impaired driving in only 13 hours.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
The London Knights have taken a 2-0 series lead on the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL Western Conference Final after a 3-1 win Sunday. The 10-0 start to the playoffs is the best in franchise history during the internet era.
It’s been 25 years since Kevin Jones was injured while employed at a factory building transport trailers. 'There was repetitive strain, motion muscles, skeletal tearing, and nerve pain in my neck, shoulders and upper back,' explained Jones, 51, of London, Ont.
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Police and search and rescue crews in Gravenhurst are trying to locate a man after reports of a possible drowning.
The Barrie SPCA is taking inspiration from a traditional baby shower with its latest event this weekend to prepare for an influx of cats this summer.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Since 2014, the Rotary Club of LaSalle Centennial has been holding its annual Big Hats and High Tea Social. The fundraising event returned Sunday at the Essex Golf and Country Club.
Rain couldn't stop an annual charity 5K run from taking place in Lakeshore this weekend. In fact, running in the rain has practically become a tradition at this point.
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.
All 79 locations of pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs are shut down Sunday, and there is no estimate on when they will be back open.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Vancouver Canucks when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series Sunday.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
The Brooks Bandits got down to business Friday, defeating the Okotoks Oilers 8-2.
An Alberta political scientist said the NDP leadership hopefuls remained fairly even following the first of the party’s debates.
It was a busy Wednesday evening for fire crews in Lethbridge County after multiple grass fires were sparked near the Kipp rail yard.
St. Joseph’s General Hospital Elliot Lake says it is moving towards “normalcy” by transitioning to a mask-friendly policy.
Environment Canada has lifted the thunderstorm watches issued on Saturday for northeastern Ontario – however, has since issued special weather statements warning of freezing rain from Chapleau, Ont. to Sturgeon Lake, Ont. beginning Monday.
About 100 delegates from around the province travelled to Timmins, Ont., for its annual general meeting and convention at Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa.
Legendary sportscaster Bob Cole was a Newfoundlander through and through, and his daughter says his connection to the province was 'everything' to him.
Cenovus Energy has been ordered to pay a $2.5-million fine for its role in the largest offshore oil spill ever recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador.
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
As if a 4-0 Edmonton Oilers lead in Game 1 of their playoff series with the Los Angeles Kings wasn't good enough, what was announced at Rogers Place during the next TV timeout nearly blew the roof off the downtown arena.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country talking up the Liberals' latest budget, which he's pitching as a plan to inject more economic fairness into society for those under 40 — a cohort that has kept Trudeau in power since 2015 but is increasingly turning to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Quebec is investing $603 million over the next five years to counter what its French-language minister describes as the decline of the French language in the province.
Three women diagnosed with HIV after getting 'vampire facial' procedures at an unlicensed medical spa are believed to be the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for a specific chocolate brand sold in Ontario and Quebec.
The number of measles cases around the world nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023, researchers say, presenting a challenge to efforts to achieve and maintain elimination status in many countries.
Anyone who has a Gen-Z person in their life is likely familiar with the popular social media app TikTok, but a new bill in the U.S. may soon take it off of the American market.
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
TikTok is in the crosshairs of authorities in the U.S., where a new law threatens a nationwide ban unless its China-based parent ByteDance divests. Here are the places that have partial or total bans on TikTok.
Actor and activist Elliot Page offered a parent some guidance and blasted the Alberta government Sunday at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.
Quebec singing star and cultural icon Jean-Pierre Ferland died on Saturday at the age of 89.
Morgan Freeman spoke the words, but pretty much everyone who took the stage at the presentation of the AFI Life Achievement Award agreed: "Nicole Kidman. She makes movies better."
All 79 locations of pharmacy and retail chain London Drugs are shut down Sunday, and there is no estimate on when they will be back open.
The rise of remote and hybrid work has made it harder to justify a full office, so more are leaning on co-working spaces that they share with many others for convenience and cost savings. The choice, however, comes at the expense of privacy and control.
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce 'halal mortgages' as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Employees increasingly find that robust workplace volunteer programs meet their desires for in-person connections, professional growth and altruistically inclined employers — career objectives that might be missing in conventional corporate atmospheres.
Take an illustrated look back at the culinary history of Winnipeg.
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.
Three-time WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Candace Parker announced on social media that her career was over on Sunday after 16 seasons.
Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews has been sidelined by a "lingering illness" as Toronto stares down playoff elimination.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Vancouver Canucks when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series Sunday.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Ford’s electric vehicle unit reported that losses soared in the first quarter to US $1.3 billion, or US$132,000 for each of the 10,000 vehicles it sold in the first three months of the year.
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
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