National News

THE HAGUE — Canada and its NATO allies agreed at their annual summit on Wednesday to substantially hike their defence spending target to five per cent of annual GDP by 2035, Prime Minister Mark Carney said.

MONTREAL — Tuesday's Fête nationale holiday was the hottest June day in Montreal since records started. Environment Canada says temperatures hit 35.6 C, breaking the all-time high for June set 61 years ago.

CALGARY — Whether Alberta should withhold social services from some immigrants is among the issues Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is tabling for debate this summer when she travels the province to consult citizens on potential referendum questions.

MONTREAL — A new Statistics Canada report says asking rent in Montreal has risen by nearly 71 per cent since 2019. Average asking rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $1,930 in the first quarter of 2025, up from $1,130 six years ago.

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed... Carney, NATO allies to debate new spending target NATO leaders are expected to decide today whether to more than double the alliance's defence spending target.

OTTAWA — The Liberal government will table a bill this fall introducing stricter bail conditions and sentencing for some crimes, particularly those involving organized crime, human trafficking, home invasion and car theft, Justice Minister Sean Frase

OTTAWA — The federal government has set a budget for Canada Day programming in the National Capital Region this year but is refusing to say what it is. The budget for Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa and across the river in Gatineau, Que.

OTTAWA — Global Affairs Canada says dozens of Canadians left the Middle East on a flight Ottawa chartered Tuesday.

The Alberta Next panel, chaired by Premier Danielle Smith, is holding town halls this summer to get feedback on how the province should stand up to Ottawa while building a "strong and sovereign Alberta within Canada.

OTTAWA — May inflation figures showed marginal improvements in some of the Bank of Canada's closely watched price figures — a step in the right direction, some economists say, but likely not enough to convince the central bank to cut interest rates.