In the news today: Carney at NATO summit, Senate voting on major projects bill

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.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is among the leaders around the table at the annual leaders’ summit in The Hague, where a proposal is being discussed to increase the target to five per cent of annual GDP, up from the current two per cent.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s proposal would break that into two parts. The first 3.5 per cent would be for core defence needs including jets and weapons, and the remaining 1.5 per cent on defence-adjacent investments including infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Carney told CNN International on Tuesday that Canada will reach the target in part by developing deposits of critical minerals and that some of the work will be done in partnership with the European Union, EU member states, the U.K. and other allies.

Major projects bill set for swift Senate vote

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s controversial major projects bill could be in for a speedy trip through the Senate this week.

Bill C-5 will be introduced at first reading in the upper chamber today after it was fast-tracked through the House of Commons and underwent a rare pre-study by the Senate.

A programming motion adopted by the chamber fixes the bill to a strict schedule, with a final vote that must take place by the end of Friday.

The politically charged legislation has upset Indigenous and environmental groups who criticize the government for rushing to grant itself sweeping new powers to fast-track project permits.

But Carney has said Canada is facing an economic crisis due to the trade war with the U.S. and the country urgently needs to approve new “nation-building” projects.

Crime bill coming this fall: justice minister

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 Fraser said in an interview.

“It’s perhaps obvious, given the tenor around the criminal justice system, that reforms are in order,” Fraser told The Canadian Press.

The government will consider including additional reforms but “at minimum” will implement the crime policies the Liberals promised during the spring federal election, Fraser said.

Fraser was named justice minister by Prime Minister Mark Carney in May, following an election campaign which saw Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre blame the Liberals for a wave of violent crime.

Ottawa won’t share Canada Day budget

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., typically ranges in the millions of dollars and pays for things like fireworks displays, performances and national broadcasts.

A spokesperson for Heritage Canada said in a statement that while there is a budget for the events, the department won’t provide the number until after the celebrations are over.

Neither Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault nor Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne responded to requests for comment about the budget for Canada Day this year.

Trump’s dislike of wind energy could benefit N.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s opposition to renewable energy could create a “golden opportunity” for Nova Scotia’s fledgling offshore wind energy industry, a leading international consulting firm says.

Aegir Insights, based in Denmark, recently presented a webinar that examined Premier Tim Houston’s 10-year plan to license enough offshore turbines to produce 40 gigawatts of electricity. Even though the province requires only 2.4 GW, Houston’s Wind West plan calls for selling excess power to the rest of Canada and, potentially, the United States.

Experts say such a project would require construction of about 4,000 offshore turbines that would generate as much electricity as China’s offshore turbines produced last year.

Scott Urquhart, co-founder and CEO of Aegir Insights, said Wind West has grabbed the attention of the global offshore wind industry.

Flin Flon wildfire evacuees set to return home

Thousands of residents from the northern Manitoba city of Flin Flon are expected to return home today after a menacing wildfire forced them to flee nearly a month ago.

The out-of-control wildfire is still burning, but officials say crews have been able to contain it to outside the community that sits on the Saskatchewan boundary.

Officials add disaster and recovery assistance will be available on site for returning residents, as will a food bank handing out perishable and non-perishable items.

About 5,000 Flin Flon residents, as well as roughly 1,000 from the city’s surrounding area, were displaced across Manitoba due to nearby blazes.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2025

The Canadian Press