National

MONTREAL — A town near Quebec City declared a state of local emergency and other communities ordered preventive evacuations on Tuesday as torrential rain caused rivers across southern Quebec to burst free of their banks.

HALIFAX — The embattled former leader of the largest First Nations advocacy organization in Canada delivered a searing rebuke of its leadership, as chiefs rejected her pleas and voted in favour of a process to replace her Tuesday.

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle say they are growing concerned that ongoing efforts to fortify the U.S.-Mexico border are causing "disarray" along the 8,900-kilometre frontier with Canada. The management of the Canada-U.

VILNIUS, Lithuania — The leaders of NATO member countries have pledged to boost spending on national defence, even though Canada and other countries have for years failed to meet the alliance's previous target.

VILNIUS, Lithuania — A stark exhibition of war photographs lines the walls of a tunnel on the way into the NATO leaders' summit. Signs printed on shuttle buses read: "While you're waiting for this bus, Ukraine is waiting for NATO membership.

SURREY, B.C.

WINNIPEG — Former fashion mogul Peter Nygard faces new charges of sexual assault and unlawful confinement after Manitoba justice officials sought a second opinion of the evidence outside his home province.

MONTREAL — Quebec officials have dismantled a homeless encampment beneath an elevated Montreal highway ahead of a major roadwork project and following a months-long legal battle.

HALIFAX — The Nova Scotia government says a judge dismissed from leading a high-profile inquiry had rejected an offer for help, even though he had asked for four extensions to allow him to complete his final report.

OTTAWA — Four Canadian humanitarian aid groups are to use millions of dollars in new funding from the federal government to deploy response teams more quickly as climate change increases the demand on their services.