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WHAT’S THE SCOOP?
Surprise! More tariffs! U.S. President Donald Trump recently signed orders to impose tariffs of 50 per cent on a wide swath of Canadian exports, ranging from hockey sticks to envelopes, Christmas decorations and cement. Why? While Trump initially threatened to tariff Canada in response to wildfire smoke crossing the border, he now says the latest tariffs, scheduled to take effect August 19, are about Canada discriminating against American exports of autos, alcohol and cheese. So what will Canada do? After meeting with Canada’s premiers in Charlottetown last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney said “everything is on the table” when considering retaliation against the United States. Canada’s premiers say they’re behind the federal gov, although some are floating their own ideas on how to hit back. Listen to this pod for more on the latest tariff threat and why it’s happening now.
Extreme heat waves and record-breaking dry conditions are fuelling one of the most intense wildfire seasons in Canada’s history, says a statement from PM Carney. Evacuation orders or alerts remain in effect across the country, with B.C. and northern Ontario particularly hard hit. Ontario politicians continue to defend the province’s wildfire response — including Ontario Emergency Preparedness Minister Jill Dunlop, whose staff abruptly cut an interview short after she was asked to respond to criticism from community leaders. Meanwhile, smoke from the fires is still affecting air quality across Canada, and as it drifts into the U.S., President Donald Trump continues to complain. The latest? He shared an AI-generated image of a giant air filter barrier along the U.S.-Canada border. Scientists are saying please be serious; they’re decrying President Trump’s blame game over wildfire smoke. Plus, meet the First Nations firefighters racing towards Canada’s biggest blazes.
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NEWS NUGGETS
Cheers Canada: There’s been a big step forward in breaking down interprovincial trade barriers preventing the free movement of alcohol across Canada. Nine premiers are updating rules to allow more Canadian brewers, wineries and distillers to sell alcohol directly to consumers outside their home provinces. Cheers! But the deal leaves out Quebec and Yukon (which say they may sign later on) and Nunavut and the Northwest Territories (which say they won’t sign it).
Fast Tracks: A reminder that Canada is, in fact, very large. We know that two of the first three major infrastructure projects that could be fast-tracked under the Building Canada Act are northern highways. “If you’re reading this anywhere south of sixty, this might sound like a colossal “meh” moment,” writes Yellowknife-based writer Pat Kane. “But I can assure you that this is a huge deal for Northerners — and a potentially big deal for the country.” Find out why here.
Whale Watch: Remember how Marineland Canada, an Ontario amusement park, faced the question of what to do with 30 beluga whales, after the federal gov denied its request to export the whales to a theme park in China? A wholesome update for you: Six whales are settling into new homes, complete with smiles and hugs from aquarium staff, after the U.S. government formally approved an emergency rescue. The remaining 24 belugas are expected to be relocated in the coming weeks to four U.S. locations and one site in Spain.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE NIBBLING ON
PM Carney has called three byelections, all to be held on August 31. They’re for the B.C. riding of North Vancouver-Capilano (where Liberal MP Jonathan Wilkinson is now Canada’s EU ambassador), the Ontario riding of Beaches-East York (where Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith chose to leave federal politics) and the Quebec riding of Chicoutimi-Le Fjord (where PM Carney appointed Conservative MP Richard Martel to the Senate earlier this month). The Liberals need to win one of the races to maintain control of the House of Commons. And expect more byelections: there’s a vacant seat in Quebec that PM Carney hasn’t yet called a byelection for, and former Liberal cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault is expected to step down later this summer. Grab your calculator and head here for more on the seat count math.
CROSSWORD
And now it’s time for dessert...your weekly crossword! A little hint for you: make sure you review last week’s edition to complete the crossword:
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