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JAPA: Residents Live In Cemetery, Streets As Rents Soar In Canada

Published

2 years ago

October 10, 2023

Editor

Many people are experiencing homelessness as housing prices and rents have increased in Canada’s real estate markets.

Reports said tens of thousands have started living on the streets of Canada, which remains a top destination for immigrants and refugees.

According to a new study in September, one in two homeless people in Quebec can be located in rural areas of the eastern province rather than primarily in Montreal, as was previously the case.

India Times reported that in a Quebec government assessment, nearly one in every four homeless people ended up on the street after being evicted from housing.

The number of homeless people in Quebec rose by 44 per cent between 2018 and 2022, reaching 10,000 last year.

It said indigenous people, who make up 5% of the Canadian population, are overrepresented in the streets, particularly Inuit, according to a director of a local anti-poverty organisation, Karine Lussier.

“In Granby alone, we need at least 1,000 affordable housing units,” Lussier said.

The report revealed that some people have been living in a temporary camp in a cemetery in Granby, a town of 70,000 people 80 kilometres (50 miles) east of Montreal.

One of the affected persons, Danny Brodeur-Cote has been living in a temporary camp in a cemetery in Granby, for months after being evicted from an apartment he shared with his girlfriend in June.

“I work five days a week,” he said. “What little housing there is is much too expensive,” he stated.

Mayor of Granby, Julie Bourdon said, “Visible homelessness did not exist three years ago in Granby, [but] rents are very high now compared to two years ago.”

Rather than destroying the camps and transferring the residents, the city chose to keep what it called “places of tolerance.”

According to France Belisle, Mayor of Gatineau, a city of over 300,000 people across a river from Ottawa, the issue could simply be the tip of the iceberg because these are “the figures compiled a year ago.”

While the costs of living soar in Canada, the government data said there are around 235,000 homeless people in Canada, but this only includes people who use shelters.

This was revealed by the University of Western Ontario professor Cheryl Forchuk, who, like Belisle, believes the true picture is significantly worse.

“We are largely underestimating the number… we could probably triple the current federal estimates,” she stated.

“We now find ourselves in a situation where even well-off people have difficulty with housing,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admitted in September.

Despite the housing and rent challenges confronting Canadians, the North American country is still receiving immigrants from across the globe including Nigerians.

Recently, the Canadian federal government announced an aggressive plan to take in 500,000 immigrants a year by 2025, with almost 1.5 million new immigrants coming to the country over the next three years.

In 2022, the country landed 437,120 permanent residents, a nearly eight percent increase from the total number of PRs in 2021.

“The immigration levels plan will help businesses find the workers they need,” Sean Fraser, Canada’s immigration minister said in a statement.
VANGUARD

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Taliban Attacks Kill 23 In Northwestern Pakistan

Published

36 minutes ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The Pakistani Taliban on Saturday claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in several northwestern districts that killed 20 security officials and three civilians.

The attacks, which included a suicide bombing on a police training school, were carried out on Friday in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that borders Afghanistan.

Militancy has surged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the withdrawal of US-led troops from neighbouring Afghanistan in 2021 and the return of the Taliban government in Kabul.

Eleven paramilitary troops were killed in the border Khyber district, while seven policemen were killed after a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into the gate of a police training school, which was followed by a gun attack.

Five people, including three civilians, were killed in a separate clash in Bajaur district, security officials told AFP on Saturday.

The Pakistani Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attacks in messages on social media. The group is separate from but closely linked with the Afghan Taliban.

The attacks came hours after Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused Pakistan of “violating Kabul’s sovereign territory”, a day after two explosions were heard in the capital.

Pakistan did not say if it was behind the blasts in Kabul, but said it had the right to defend itself against surging border militancy.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to expel militants using Afghan territory to launch attacks on Pakistan, an accusation that authorities in Kabul deny.

The TTP and its affiliates are behind most of the violence — largely directed at security forces.

Including Friday’s attacks, at least 32 Pakistani troops and three civilians have been killed this week alone in the border regions.

AFP

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US Threatens To Sanction Countries That Vote For Shipping Carbon Tax

Published

43 minutes ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The United States on Friday threatened to impose sanctions and take other punitive action against any country that votes in favor of a carbon tax on maritime transportation to be implemented through a UN agency.

“We will fight hard to protect our economic interests by imposing costs on countries if they support” the Net Zero Framework, said a joint statement by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his counterparts at the departments of energy and transportation.

Members of the London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) are set to vote next week on the adoption of the Net Zero Framework (NZF) agreement aimed at reducing global carbon emissions from the shipping sector.

Washington, however, described the proposal as imposing “a global carbon tax on the world.”

Since returning to power in January, US President Donald Trump has reversed Washington’s course on climate change, denouncing it as a “scam” and encouraging fossil fuel use by deregulation.

In the statement, Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the Trump administration “unequivocally rejects” the NZF proposal.

They threatened a range of punishing actions against countries that vote in favor of the framework, including: visa restrictions; blocking vessels registered in those countries from US ports; imposing commercial penalties; and considering sanctions on officials.

“The United States will be moving to levy these remedies against nations that sponsor this European-led neocolonial export of global climate regulations,” the statement said.

Headline

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries In The World In 2025 And Why

Published

1 hour ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

Power in the global arena is no longer measured by military strength alone; for powerful countries, it encompasses economic resilience, political influence, technological advancement, cultural impact, and the ability to shape international alliances.

A new ranking by US News, developed in partnership with the BAV Group (a division of WPP) and Professor David Reibstein from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, highlights the countries that command the greatest global influence in 2025.

How the Rankings Were Compiled
The Power Sub-Ranking by US News was determined based on an equally weighted average of five key attributes that signify a country’s global might:

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries in the World (2025)

United States – With a GDP of $30.34 trillion and a population of about 347 million, the U.S. remains the world’s most powerful nation, driven by its unmatched military, technological innovation, and global leadership.

China – The Asian powerhouse holds the second spot with a $19.53 trillion GDP and 1.415 billion people, maintaining significant influence in global trade, manufacturing, and diplomacy.

Russia – Despite economic challenges, Russia retains its strategic importance and military dominance, with a GDP of $2.2 trillion and a population of 143.8 million.

United Kingdom – The UK’s global clout stems from its strong economy ($3.73 trillion GDP) and active role in international politics and defense alliances.

Germany – As Europe’s largest economy, Germany boasts a GDP of $4.92 trillion and a population of 83.9 million, solidifying its leadership in technology, industry, and diplomacy.

South Korea – With a $1.95 trillion GDP and a population of 51.6 million, South Korea’s rise reflects its technological innovation and growing military strength.

France – A key European player with a $3.28 trillion GDP, France continues to wield influence through its diplomatic reach, defense capabilities, and global culture.

Japan – Boasting a $4.39 trillion GDP and 123.7 million people, Japan remains a technological and economic force in Asia.

Saudi Arabia – The kingdom’s $1.14 trillion economy and control over global energy markets reinforce its growing geopolitical importance.

Israel – With a $550.91 billion GDP and a population of 9.38 million, Israel earns its place among the top 10 thanks to its advanced military and leadership in innovation and technology.