Vassy Kapelos

While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Vassy Kapelos.

Former Trump trade rep says Canada will have ‘happy’ outcome from U.S. tariff policy

Former Trump trade rep says Canada will have ‘happy’ outcome from U.S. tariff policy

U.S. President Donald Trump’s former trade representative Bob Lighthizer says Canada will “benefit” from the United States’ current attempt to overhaul trade around the world – while also claiming the relationship between the two countries “is not fraught,” despite trade tensions. “If the president is right, and if it works out the way it should work out, we will find...

More Brookfield business entities registered to Bermuda building that houses bike shop

More Brookfield business entities registered to Bermuda building that houses bike shop

Several entities of global investment giant Brookfield Asset Management’s core business are registered to an address in Bermuda that also houses a local bike shop, CTV News has learned. Liberal Leader Mark Carney previously served as chair of Brookfield’s board, from August of 2022 until mid-January of this year, when he resigned to run for the party leadership. Last week...

Conservative candidate booted after CTV News uncovers audio of him joking Trudeau should receive death penalty

Conservative candidate booted after CTV News uncovers audio of him joking Trudeau should receive death penalty

A Conservative candidate who once voiced his support for “public hangings” – even joking that former prime minister Justin Trudeau should receive the death penalty – will no longer be running to represent the party after CTV News first obtained audio of his comments. “The comments are clearly unacceptable. Mr. McKenzie will not be the Conservative candidate,” a Conservative campaign...

The campaign of a lifetime is upon us

The campaign of a lifetime is upon us

I was seven years old the last time an election in this country centered around a single issue. Then, it was free trade; nearly four decades later – almost my entire lifetime – it’s about freedom. Freedom from Donald Trump. Let’s just lay it all out there. I have never seen anything like this. Not politically, or otherwise. Would you...

Toronto MP and former Liberal cabinet minister Marco Mendicino won't seek re-election

Toronto MP and former Liberal cabinet minister Marco Mendicino won't seek re-election

Marco Mendicino, a prominent Toronto Member of Parliament and former minister of public safety and immigration, won’t run in the next federal election, CTV News has learned. In a lengthy written statement, Mendicino, who has represented the riding of Eglinton-Lawrence since 2015, said it’s “the right time, for me and my family” to step away, and that he will serve...

Prime minister's team blindsided by Freeland's resignation: source

Prime minister's team blindsided by Freeland's resignation: source

The first time anyone in the senior ranks of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office got any indication Chrystia Freeland was about to resign from cabinet was just two hours before she made the announcement on social media, a senior government source tells CTV News. Freeland learned she was losing the finance portfolio in a Friday morning Zoom call with the...

Ottawa has sold its stake in Air Canada: sources

Ottawa has sold its stake in Air Canada: sources

Two senior federal government sources have confirmed to CTV News that the federal government has sold its stake in Air Canada.

Group of Liberal MPs plan to verbally ask Trudeau to step down next week

Group of Liberal MPs plan to verbally ask Trudeau to step down next week

Liberal MPs who have spent the last 10 days organizing to formally ask Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step aside from the leadership of the Liberal Party plan to plead their case directly to him at next Wednesday’s caucus. Multiple sources familiar with the plan told CTV News the overarching objective is to be direct with the prime minister and...

Prime minister faces mounting pressure to step aside from inside caucus

Prime minister faces mounting pressure to step aside from inside caucus

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will face mounting pressure from his caucus this week to step down from the leadership of the Liberal party. A group of backbench MPs, primarily from Atlantic Canada and southwestern Ontario, are in discussions to formally release an ask for the prime minister to consider the future of the Liberal party in making a decision about...

Liberals still believe time is on their side: Is it?

Liberals still believe time is on their side: Is it?

Exactly a year ago in P.E.I. following the Liberals' federal cabinet retreat(opens in a new tab), I wrote that ministers believed they could counter growing support for Conservatives with the passage of time.Today, a year later, they still believe that, despite multiple indicators in the interim that the opposite is happening.

What a Kamala Harris presidency means for Canada

What a Kamala Harris presidency means for Canada

They say a week is a lifetime in politics, but wow — what a month. Leaving the RNC in Milwaukee just weeks ago, it felt like the U.S. election was Donald Trump's to lose. After the last four days in Chicago, I don’t think anyone can say what will happen with any certainty. The Democrats’ new candidate is Kamala Harris...

No guarantees for Canada if Trump is president again

No guarantees for Canada if Trump is president again

The most striking thing about walking the floor of the Republican National Convention (RNC) is seeing just how much this is Donald Trump’s party. You can read about how that’s the case, you can listen to pundits say it — but to see it up close is something different. There is no ideology the 56,000 people here subscribe to, they...

High-profile Liberal minister to announce he is not running in next election, quitting cabinet: sources

High-profile Liberal minister to announce he is not running in next election, quitting cabinet: sources

Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan is set to announce as early as Thursday that he will not run in the next federal election, and will be quitting his cabinet position, multiple Liberal sources tell CTV News. The announcement comes amid the federal Liberals’ sustained slumping in public opinion polls, and as speculation grows about a potential cabinet shuffle this summer. Prime...

Trudeau cabinet to meet Friday as speculation around a shuffle swirls

Trudeau cabinet to meet Friday as speculation around a shuffle swirls

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet is expected to meet on Friday, CTV News has learned.The agenda sets aside 30 minutes for ministers to meet virtually Friday morning, to talk about "appointments."The meeting comes amid speculation around the prime minister shaking up his inner circle, in an effort to satiate Liberals looking for a refresh.

RCMP is investigating ArriveCan app, commissioner Duheme confirms

RCMP is investigating ArriveCan app, commissioner Duheme confirms

The RCMP is investigating allegations of fraud associated with the development of the pandemic-era border app ArriveCan, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme has confirmed to CTV News."I can confirm with you Vassy we've received multiple referrals to investigate on ArriveCan, and we are investigating," Duheme said in an interview with CTV News Channel’s Power Play.

DND suspends contracts with ArriveCan contractor after learning CEO is a DND employee

DND suspends contracts with ArriveCan contractor after learning CEO is a DND employee

Just a day after the federal government announced a review of its program to support Indigenous contractors, CTV News has learned the CEO of a company that prompted the review is an employee of the Department of National Defence (DND).David Yeo is the CEO of Dalian Enterprises, which received $7.9 million for its work on the ArriveCan app.

Canada given 5 days to reduce diplomatic staff in India, majority evacuated: sources

Canada given 5 days to reduce diplomatic staff in India, majority evacuated: sources

The Indian government has given Ottawa until Oct. 10 to reduce Canadian diplomatic staff in that country to a level on par with the number of Indian diplomats in Canada, sources tell CTV News.