Canada taking review of immigration screening of terror plot suspects 'extremely seriously,' PM Trudeau says
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is taking an internal review into the immigration and screening of a father and son recently charged in connection to an alleged foiled Toronto terror plot "extremely seriously."
"This is obviously a very serious situation that the Minister of Public Safety is ensuring there [is] a full follow up and understanding on exactly how this happened. I know investigations are ongoing," Trudeau told reporters on Monday.
In July, the RCMP arrested Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, 62, and Mostafa Eldidi, 26, in Richmond Hill, Ont. The two — whom police initially said they understood both to be Canadian citizens— were "in the advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack in Toronto," authorities found.
The pair are facing a series of terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy to commit murder for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with the Islamic State.
Most of the charges stem from alleged activities undertaken in Canada. But the father was also charged with committing an aggravated assault outside the country in June 2015 for the benefit of the terror group.
Citing unnamed sources, Global News reported earlier this month that the father immigrated to Canada after allegedly being filmed taking part in ISIS violence overseas, and that his son does not hold Canadian citizenship. CTV News has not independently verified this reporting.
When pressed further by reporters on whether the federal government knows more about how the father and son immigrated to Canada, Trudeau would not specify.
"We are proceeding in a proper and thorough investigation on exactly how this happened. We will share with Canadians at the appropriate moment," Trudeau said.
The House of Commons Public Safety and National Security Committee will hold a rare summer meeting on Tuesday to discuss a request to call upon the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Immigration to answer questions on the issue.
Last week, the Conservatives called for hearings into how the two men were able to immigrate to Canada. The NDP later supported the call to allow the emergency meeting to move forward.
Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc told reporters last week that he would have more to say “at some future point” and “that work is ongoing” to review the father and son’s immigration and security screening.
"I think what Canadians have a right to know is that the security services are doing important work to protect them… and the fact that these two people are currently in jail facing serious criminal charges, should give Canadians confidence that the RCMP and their partners did good work in this case," LeBlanc said.
With files from CTV National Correspondent Rachel Aiello and CTV News Toronto’s Jon Woodward
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
After another Liberal loss, Trudeau says there are 'all sorts of reflections' to do
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he's going to 'stay focused' on governing after being handed his second byelection upset in recent months.
A wave of exploding pagers in Lebanon and Syria kills at least 8, including members of Hezbollah
Hundreds of handheld pagers exploded near simultaneously across Lebanon and in parts of Syria on Tuesday, killing at least eight people, including members of the militant group Hezbollah and a girl, and wounding the Iranian ambassador, government and Hezbollah officials said.
More non-smokers are getting lung cancer. Here's why and how you can protect yourself, according to a doctor
More people who have never touched a cigarette are getting lung cancer, but there are ways to prevent it, according to a doctor.
These people say they got listeria after drinking recalled plant-based milks
The Canadian Press spoke to 10 people, from the parents of a toddler to an 89-year-old senior, who say they became sick with listeria after drinking from cartons of plant-based milk stamped with the recalled product code. Here's a look at some of their experiences.
Canada's inflation cools to 2% in August, the smallest gain since early 2021
Canada's annual inflation rate reached the central bank's target in August at it cooled to 2 per cent, its lowest level since February 2021, data showed on Tuesday.
Ontario man who almost fell for text scam issues warning to others
An Ontario man thought he got some good news when he received a text message offering a $30 gift for being a loyal Giant Tiger customer. 'I do go to that store so I clicked on the link and it said it was a customer appreciation award they were going to give people,' Mark Martin, of Simcoe, Ont., told CTV News Toronto.
BREAKING Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been indicted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges
Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday.
'On the edge of life': Influencer has a close encounter with a bear after climbing into a den
Influencer Stefan Jankovic shared footage of a terrifying close encounter with a bear after climbing into a den in Bosnia and Herzegovia.
Instagram makes teen accounts private as pressure mounts on the app to protect children
Instagram is making teen accounts private by default as it tries to make the platform safer for children amid a growing backlash against how social media affects young people's lives.
Local Spotlight
'The gift they gave us was their service': 50 years since first female troop joined the RCMP
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
Young family from northern Ontario wins $70 million Lotto Max jackpot
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
'The right thing to do': Good Samaritan builds new bottle cart for Moncton man who had his stolen
A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.
Oppenheimer star David Krumholtz dishes on his time filming in Winnipeg
David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.
'Craziest thing I've ever seen': Elusive salamanders make surprising mass appearance in Edmonton area
Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.
'A nightmare': Nature-goers stranded in B.C. backcountry after bridge washes out
A daytrip to the backcountry turned into a frightening experience for a Vancouver couple this weekend.
B.C. woman reveals greatest life lesson after celebrating 100th birthday
If you take a look to the right of Hilda Duddridge’s 100th birthday cake, you’ll see a sculpture of a smiling girl extending her arms forward.
Sisters finally see the Canadian 'aviation artifact' built by their father nearly 90 years ago
Two sisters have finally been reunited with a plane their father built 90 years ago, that is also considered an important part of Canadian aviation history.
The debate over taking horns off Viking statue in Gimli
A Facebook post has sparked a debate in Gimli about whether to make a cosmetic change to its iconic statue.