In the news: Carney in Canberra, Canada and the Mideast, knitting popularity booms

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

Carney continues middle power pitch in Australia

Canada and Australia have a “rare” ability to help convene a coalition of middle powers because their allies know they can be trusted, Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a speech to Australia’s Parliament on Thursday.

Carney’s words built on the headline-grabbing speech he delivered in January at the World Economic Forum, in which he said the old world order had been ruptured and calling on middle powers to unite to prevent hegemons from dictating how the world is going to work.

“In a post-rupture world, the nations that are trusted and can work together will be quicker to the punch, more effective in their responses and more proactive in shaping outcomes, and ultimately those countries will be more secure and prosperous,” he said in Australia Thursday.

“Middle powers like Australia and Canada hold this rare convening power. Because others know we mean what we say and we will match our values with our actions. Canada and Australia have earned this trust throughout our history. The question now is what we do with it.”

PM can’t rule out role in Mideast conflict

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada can’t rule out military participation in the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking to reporters at a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra, Carney said the question around Canada’s potential future involvement is a “fundamental hypothetical,” adding the conflict can spread very broadly.

“One can never categorically rule out participation,” he said.

“We will stand by our allies, when it makes sense. There’s a distinction between the offensive actions that were taken and are being taken by the United States and Israel, that were taken by them without consultation with Canada, with other allies, and we’re not party to those actions.

“But we will always defend Canadians, we will always stand by and defend our allies when called upon.”

Search for mental health answers in Tumbler Ridge

The metal-clad portable classrooms are arranged in a semicircle on a snowy sports field at Tumbler Ridge Elementary.

It’s a 15-minute walk from the community’s secondary school, where five students and a teacher’s aide were shot dead about three weeks ago and B.C.’s infrastructure minister calls the new buildings “an important step toward restoring routine & connection for students & staff” of the secondary school.

While some mental health experts say they understand the “knee-jerk reaction” to move the students, they warn of risks associated with “avoidance” and the unintended long-term impacts that may ensue.

Dr. Arash Javanbakht, a psychiatrist and the founding director of the Stress, Trauma and Anxiety Research Clinic at Wayne State University in Michigan, said there is a high likelihood of PTSD, depression or anxiety in the aftermath of such an event.

Canadian women facing career stagnation: study

Many younger women in Canadian workplaces are facing career stagnation, according to new data, with a vast majority reporting no clear path to advancement and the need for upskilling.

Data from Fora: Network For Change, a nonprofit group focused on gender equity in the workforce, found that 93 per cent of Canadian women and gender-marginalized workers between the ages of 18 and 29 see no clear pathways to a promotion at their workplace. Additionally, 85 per cent said they do not feel professionally challenged or stimulated.

“These are the individuals that are being significantly impacted by the state of the economy, particularly around underemployment,” said Emma Asiedu-Akrofi, CEO of Fora.

According to Fora, the findings show that workforce participation rates alone do not comprehensively detail the health of the labour market for younger workers. Other preliminary findings showed that respondents expressed desires for career-specific training and mentorship, as well as referral pathways, clear advancement structures and living wages.

Dairy group seeks status for Quebec poutine cheese

A group representing Quebec’s dairy industry says it’s eyeing a special designation — similar to the one applied to Bordeaux wine or champagne — for the squeaky cheese curds best known as a key ingredient in poutine.

The Conseil des Industriels laitiers du Québec is seeking a protected geographical indication — a status similar to a trademark that links products to a specific region — for “Quebec poutine cheese.”

A protected indication “is a public intellectual property right that is defended by the state,” explains Marjolaine Mondon, a project coordinator at the Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants — CARTV — a group that oversees product designations in the province.

Currently, products that have the designation include Quebec icewine, Neuville sweet corn and Charlevoix lamb.

Young Canadians drive knitting, crochet revival

Kevin Yee says the repetition of crochet has helped him release a lot of anger in a creative process he calls “cro-raging.”

“You really can get a lot of angst out of crochet because it is about tying knots,” laughed Yee, who said it makes his chest feel lighter.

The actor, artist and TV writer’s new passion began during the 2023 Hollywood writers’ strike as his work dried up.

Yee, 43, moved back to Vancouver from Los Angeles to navigate his “big millennial unemployment” period, and stumbled onto a small crochet kit while visiting the craft aisle of what he calls the “mecca of artists,” otherwise known as Dollarama.

From there, he taught himself to crochet by watching YouTube videos.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2026

The Canadian Press