In the news: G7 discusses U.S. moves in Venezuela, RCAF growing despite challenges

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …

Anand says Rubio wants elections in Venezuela

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says her American counterpart finds it important that Venezuelans have a chance to elect their own leader, after the ouster of President Nicolas Maduro.

Anand says U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio took part in a call with his G7 colleagues Tuesday, and spoke of the importance of democracy in Venezuela, as well as the release of political prisoners.

The views Anand attributed to Rubio differ from U.S. President Donald Trump’s focus on economic gain and intervening in drug trafficking, which he has stated as the reason for the U.S. capturing Maduro.

Trump has had Maduro’s vice-president installed as leader, and he dismissed the leader of Venezuela’s opposition, against the advice of countries like Spain and Colombia that said the opposition that won Venezuela’s 2018 election should form government.

RCAF is on a ‘path of growth,’ says commander

The head of the Royal Canadian Air Force has only been in the job for half a year — but it’s been an eventful period as the force has worked to rapidly overhaul its fleets and turn a corner on persistent personnel shortages.

In a wide-ranging interview, Commander Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet told The Canadian Press that while change is happening incrementally behind the scenes at the RCAF, it will amount to a dramatic makeover of the force within a decade.

“There’s so many things that are changing at once,” she said. “Overall, we’re trying to make sure that we maintain a realistic vision on what we can achieve with limited resources.

“So, yes, we are absolutely on a path of growth, but not everything can grow immediately, so I want to make sure that we’re doing things iteratively.”

Canadian security agencies embracing AI tools

The national spy watchdog is reviewing the use and governance of artificial intelligence by Canada’s security agencies.

The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency has written to key federal ministers and organizations to inform them of the study.

Here’s a look at how some federal organizations are putting AI tools to work to support national security, intelligence and risk assessment operations.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

CSIS works to protect Canada from espionage, terrorism and foreign interference. The spy service will initiate a pilot project early this year to assess AI tools for use in the transcription of audio content, translation of materials and examination of documents to assist analysts, said spokesman Eric Balsam.

CSIS will also test a chatbot-style tool to help write, edit and summarize documents.

Hearings begin on NS Power rate increase proposal

A provincial energy board hearing on Nova Scotia Power’s application to raise residential electricity rates begins today.

Political leaders have slammed the privately owned utility over the proposed hikes, with Premier Tim Houston calling on Nova Scotia Power to withdraw or “significantly reduce” its application.

The province’s largest power utility has proposed rate increases of 3.8 per cent this year and 4.1 per cent on Jan. 1, 2027.

Houston has said the utility is “out of touch” for requesting a rate hike in the aftermath of a massive data breach that may have affected all 550,000 of its customers.

Leaders to visit First Nation hit by power outage

Federal, provincial and Indigenous leaders are expected to travel today to a beleaguered Manitoba First Nation that has been crippled by a frozen water system due to a days-long power outage.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, federal Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs Rebecca Chartrand and Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak are scheduled to be part of a delegation that visits Pimicikamak Cree Nation to survey damage that has prompted the community to declare a state of emergency.

Damage to critical infrastructure has forced thousands out from the nation, about 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg, with no timeline on when they can return.

Novo Nordisk may compete with generics through renamed Ozempic

Novo Nordisk Canada is considering competing with generic versions of its brand-name Ozempic and Wegovy drugs by introducing renamed, lower-priced copies of the medications.

Health Canada approved the company’s submissions for Plosbrio and Poviztra on Dec. 22.

In an email, Health Canada spokesperson Mark Johnson said the diabetes and weight-loss drugs are identical to Ozempic and Wegovy, respectively.

The only differences are the product names and packaging, “with no changes to the formulation or how the drugs work,” he said.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2026

The Canadian Press