24.88^C Vancouver

News Entertainment Videos Shows Podcast Contact Us

Jul 3, 2026 5:55 PM - Connect Newsroom - Ramandeep Kaur with files from The Canadian Press

Carney to visit Saudi Arabia next week as rights concerns draw renewed attention

Share On

carney-to-visit-saudi-arabia-next-week-as-rights-concerns-draw-renewed-attention

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a bilateral visit to Saudi Arabia from July 8 to 10. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Saudi Arabia from July 8 to 10 for a bilateral visit, where he is scheduled to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The trip will mark the first official visit to Saudi Arabia by a Canadian prime minister in 26 years.

According to federal officials, the visit is aimed at strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between Canada and Saudi Arabia. However, officials have not confirmed whether Carney will raise concerns about human rights during his meetings with Saudi leaders.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated in 2018 after the Trudeau government called for the release of detained human rights activists in Saudi Arabia, triggering a diplomatic dispute. Bilateral relations have gradually improved since 2023.

Foreign affairs experts say the visit could help advance Canada's trade and investment interests in the region. At the same time, human rights organizations are urging Carney to raise concerns about political prisoners and civil liberties during his talks with the Saudi leadership.

Latest news

b-c-conservatives-slam-eby-cabinet-shuffle

B.C. Conservatives Slam Eby Cabinet Shuffle

B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad and Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Eleanor Sturko have sharply criticized Premier David Eby’s latest cabinet shuffle. Rustad described the new appointments - including Josie Osborne as finance minister and Ravi Kahlon as health minister - as little more than a “musical chairs” exercise. He argued that replacing ministers will not address the province’s growing tax burden and large deficits, saying the Eby government has no concrete plan to bring spending and finances under control. Sturko, meanwhile, accused the NDP government of failing to address hom

shots-fired-at-abbotsford-home-while-family-was-sleeping

Shots Fired at Abbotsford Home While Family Was Sleeping

A shooting at a home in Abbotsford is under investigation after several bullets were fired at the residence early Sunday morning. Police say they were called around 1 a.m. on August 16 to a home in the 2100 block of Enderby Street, near McMillan Road, after receiving reports of gunfire. When officers arrived, they found that the home had been struck by multiple bullets. Family members were inside the residence and asleep at the time of the shooting. Fortunately, no one was injured. The Abbotsford Police Major Crime Unit has taken over the investigation. Based on the initial findings, police do

bjp-announces-major-organisational-reshuffle-ahead-of-2027-punjab-assembly-polls

BJP Announces Major Organisational Reshuffle Ahead of 2027 Punjab Assembly Polls

Ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has carried out a major organisational reshuffle, handing key responsibilities to two prominent leaders associated with Punjab. Under the new appointments announced by BJP national president Nitin Nabin, former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal has been appointed as the party’s National Vice-President. Meanwhile, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh has been given the additional responsibility of being in charge of the party’s national headquarters. The appointments give Punjab representation at

historic-energy-deal-reached-between-quebec-and-newfoundland-and-labrador

Historic Energy Deal Reached Between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a historic energy agreement between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, raising hopes that the decades-old dispute between the two provinces over the Churchill River hydroelectric projects will finally come to an end. The energy projects, worth approximately $70 billion, will also receive significant support from the federal government. Ottawa has announced $10 billion in financial assistance for the expansion of the Churchill Falls power projects, the Gull Island hydroelectric project and a 2,000-megawatt onshore wind energy project in Labrador. Prim

edmonton-teen-girl-dies-after-weekend-shooting

Edmonton Teen Girl Dies After Weekend Shooting

Police in Edmonton are investigating a weekend shooting that claimed the life of a 16-year-old girl. Officers were called to an area in northeast Edmonton on Sunday morning, where they found the teenager suffering from serious injuries. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene. The Edmonton Police Service said homicide investigators have taken over the investigation.

Related News

post card alt

Historic Energy Deal Reached Between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a historic energy agreement between Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, raising hopes that the decades-old dispute between the two provinces over the Churchill River hydroelectric projects will finally come to an end. The energy projects, worth approximately $70 billion, will also receive significant support from the federal government. Ottawa has announced $10 billion in financial assistance for the expansion of the Churchill Falls power projects, the Gull Island hydroelectric project and a 2,000-megawatt onshore wind energy project in Labrador. Prim

post card alt

Applications for Canadian Citizenship Certificates Surge, Driven by Thousands of Americans

Applications for Canadian citizenship certificates from around the world have increased sharply, with American citizens accounting for a significant share of the rise. The Bill C-3 legislation, implemented by the federal government late last year, opened a pathway to citizenship for people with Canadian ancestry, including those whose ancestors left Canada several generations ago. According to the latest figures from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), 6,100 citizenship certificates were issued between the implementation of Bill C-3 in mid-December and May 31. Nearly half of t

post card alt

Canada’s proposed under-16 social media ban likely to face Charter challenge

Experts say Canada’s proposed ban on social media access for children under 16 could face a constitutional challenge under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The issue has gained attention after France’s top court recently struck down a similar ban for children under 15, ruling that the measure was too broad and infringed on freedom of expression. Dalhousie University associate law professor Michael Karanicolas said a Charter challenge to Canada’s legislation is “almost inevitable.” He argued that social media has become an important platform for young people to participate

Legals

Journalism code of ethics

© 2024 AKASH BROADCASTING INC.

MANAGED BY STRATWIT

useful links

BC Children's Hospital