RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday rejected Chinese criticism of Australia's new nuclear submarine alliance with the United States and said he doesn't mind that U.S. President Joe Biden might have forgotten his name.
China reacted angrily when Biden, Morrison and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson used a virtual news conference this week to announce a trilateral defense alliance that will provide Australia with a fleet of at least eight nuclear-powered submarines.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian said it was "highly irresponsible" for the U.S. and Britain to export the nuclear technology.
Morrison said Australia wanted to boost peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
"Everything we've done with the United States is consistent with the partnerships and relationships and alliances we've already had with the United States," Morrison said.
Australia's nearest neighbor after Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, was "deeply concerned over the continuing arms race and power projection in the region," the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
News of the alliance received a positive response in Singapore. The city state's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Morrison in a phone call he hoped the nuclear deal would "contribute constructively to the peace and stability of the region and complement the regional architecture," Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
French leaders and the European Union are angered at being excluded from the alliance that scuppers a contract with France to build 12 conventional diesel-electric submarines for Australia.
Observers say Biden appeared to have forgotten Morrison's name during Thursday's news conference, which was televised from three countries. The president referred to the Australian as "pal" and "that fellow Down Under."
Biden didn't use Morrison's name, while he referred to Johnson as "Boris."
It reminded Australians of when then-President Donald Trump's spokesman Sean Spicer repeatedly referred to Morrison's predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, in 2017 as "Mr. Trumble."
Morrison laughed off what some have described as an awkward exchange with Biden that undermined Australia's significance to the United States.
"Usually when we speak privately, he refers to me as 'pal,"' Morrison said.
Morrison said he and the president enjoyed a great working relationship.
"Oh, I didn't pay much attention to it. I mean, these things happen. They happen frequently," Morrison said. "From time to time, you know, I've been known to let the odd name slip from my memory -- that's pretty normal in our line of work, I've got to be honest."
Morrison said he referred to Biden as "Mr. President" or "mate" in private conversations.
Morrison will visit the United States next week for the first time since Biden became president. They will be joined by the leaders of India and Japan for a meeting of the Quad security dialogue.
The RCMP says it has uncovered a plot by two men in Montreal to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
A group of demonstrators were kicked out of the legislature after a second NDP motion calling for unanimous consent to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh failed to pass.
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
A 35-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of Toronto resident 29-year-old Sharmar Powell-Flowers nine months ago has topped the list of the BOLO program’s 25 most wanted fugitives across Canada, police announced Tuesday.
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Police in the U.K. are searching for a group of suspects seen on video using a forklift to steal a cash machine from a bank.
A tower crane operator alerted emergency crews after noticing a fire on a construction site in Halifax Tuesday morning.
There is a swaying sea of colour in some cities across Canada, and it's a sure sign of spring: cherry blossoms are in bloom.
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.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly Knight, a Grade 4 student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.