Trudeau unveils $6.28-billion in new spending on two-month GST break, stimulus cheques

The federal government unveiled its multibillion-dollar plan to alleviate pocketbook pressures for households, dropping the GST on a wide range of products for a two-month period and sending most working Canadians a $250 cheque in April.

The measures will cost the federal government $6.28-billion, according to the Finance Department – $1.6-billion for the sales tax break and $4.68-billion for the cheques.

Anything to win over voters.

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📊 More than half of Canadians say Trudeau should be replaced as Liberal Party leader, poll shows

Fifty-seven per cent of Canadians say the Liberal Party should be led by someone other than Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the next election, with only 24 per cent saying he should stay on.

Did we need a poll for that?
#Trudeau
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Mass riots engulf Montreal as an anti-NATO demonstration turns violent

Montreal is hosting the 70th annual session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly from Nov. 22 to 25.

According to police, at least three people have been arrested.

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At the same time, Justin Trudeau was spotted having a good time at a Taylor Swift concert.
#Trudeau
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🪖Blair defends Canada’s defence spending plan as ‘credible’ amid criticism

Defence Minister Bill Blair on Friday pushed back on U.S. critics of Canada’s defence spending, saying the eight-year plan to reach its NATO commitment was “credible and verifiable” despite reports saying otherwise.

Speaking to reporters at the opening of the Halifax International Security Forum, Blair said “nobody has to argue with me” that Canada needs to spend more on defence, and that the federal government was making the necessary investments, but more international and industry collaboration is needed to reach the NATO spending target.
#NATO
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🩺 Feds want $411 million to cover refugee health care as the number of new arrivals soars

The federal government is asking Parliament to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in new spending to cover the health-care costs of eligible refugees and asylum seekers.

How does that make you feel?
#healthcare #immigration
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Allowing homeless encampments to remain is no better than dispersing them.

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Canadian MPs among social media users pivoting from X to Bluesky in the wake of U.S. vote

What a soy move.

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💰🇺🇸Trump vows to impose 25-per-cent tariffs on all products from Canada, Mexico

Donald Trump has pledged to impose 25% tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico. He says these will remain until both nations take action against drug trafficking and illegal immigration into the U.S.

Could he possibly come up with an even more far-fetched excuse? If it's just a quick cash grab, just admit it.
#US
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🇺🇸Premiers call for urgent meeting with Trudeau to discuss Canada-U.S. relations

Canada's premiers, led by Ontario's Doug Ford, have requested an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss Ottawa's plans for managing Canada-U.S. relations as Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House.

My guess: Trudeau has nothing to offer.
#US
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🇺🇦🇷🇺 Trudeau opposes allowing Russia to keep ‘an inch’ of Ukrainian territory

Too bad no one intends to ask him.
#Trudeau #Russia #Ukraine
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💰Freeland says the two-month GST holiday is meant to tackle the 'vibecession'

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said there's a disconnect between recent good news on inflation and interest rates and how Canadians are feeling about the economy, something she said is being referred to as a "vibecession."

This government is a joke. If people are burdened by the rising cost of living, it’s not about vibes—it’s about your failed policies.

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Ontario investigating recruiter in Alberta who helps supply low-wage foreign workers to Canadian Tire stores

Ontario’s Ministry of Labour is investigating the Alberta-based recruiter who was involved in bringing in scores of temporary foreign workers to staff low-wage jobs at Canadian Tire stores across Canada.

Such incidents inevitably happen when there are loopholes for migrants to come and for businesses to profit.
#immigration #Alberta
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🏳️‍🌈💸Ontario town forced by Human Rights Tribunal to pay LGBTQ group $10,000 after not honoring Pride month

The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal is forcing the township of Emo and its mayor to compensate an LGBTQ activist group because elected officials refused to honor “Pride Month” in 2020. Borderland Pride asked Emo to proclaim June 2020 as Pride Month and fly a rainbow Pride flag for a week but the mayor and council turned down the request.

The tribunal, whose rulings are legally binding, has determined that the township must pay Borderland Pride $10,000 and Emo Mayor Harold McQuaker has to provide the group with $5,000 from his personal finances.
#Ontario
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Feds expect 4.9 million with expiring visas to 'voluntarily' leave Canada in next year

With almost five million temporary permits expected to expire over the next year, the feds expect them to leave voluntarily.

Yeah, 'cause that's what they usually do. Leave voluntarily.
#immigration
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Loonie tanks after Trump threatens tariffs on Canadian goods

The Canadian dollar fell to its lowest level since May 2020 after Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian goods shipped to the United States once he takes office in January.

The threat of tariffs added a further drag on the loonie, which has been moving lower against the U.S. dollar since September.

The loonie was at 71.07 cents US in late-morning trading after dipping below 71 cents US earlier in the day.

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🇺🇸Justin Trudeau calls Trump just two hours after president-elect threatens devastating sanctions against Canada, Mexico and China

Within two hours of Trump’s post about his plans to introduce tariffs on Mexican, Canadian, and Chinese goods, Trudeau reportedly called him at Mar-a-Lago.

You just know Trudeau doesn't stand a chance against Trump.
#US
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B.C. border officers intercept more than 200 bricks of cocaine

Border officers intercepted more than 200 bricks of cocaine during three attempted smuggling incidents in recent weeks at B.C.-Washington state crossings, officials said.

The 210 bricks of cocaine had a combined weight of 246 kilograms and an estimated street value of more than $6.6 million, the Canada Border Services Agency said in a news release on Monday.
#BritishColumbia
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❌Canada hints at fast-tracking refugee refusals

Canada's immigration minister says he plans to propose measures to reform the country's refugee system, potentially fast-tracking refusals of cases deemed to have little chance of succeeding.

I plan to put forward more measures. I want to reform the system. It's not working in the way it should.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller said.

Canada has seen its highest number of refugee claims ever in recent months. Although the monthly total has dropped to about 17,400 in October from about 20,000 in July, the number of claims pending is the highest ever – at more than 260,000 last month.

Thousands of the refugee claims are from international students filing refugee claims, whose veracity Miller has questioned.
#immigration
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Police chief says 'extreme left group' behind Montreal protest violence; Legault calls for more arrests

Quebec Premier François Legault is putting pressure on the Montreal police to arrest everyone involved in an anti-NATO protest that turned violent last week.

There must be a very clear message sent to these thugs that they will be punished, they will be arrested, there will be consequences for what they have done.

Asked if he has confidence in the Montreal police, Legault said he's expecting far more than the three arrests announced to date.

So until proven otherwise, we have confidence in the (police), but I expect there to be action in the coming days.

#Quebec #NATO
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💰Liberals’ ‘tax holiday’ bill put forward without $250 cheques

The Liberal government introduced a bill Wednesday to implement its GST “tax holiday,” but it excludes a proposed $250 rebate that faced calls for broader eligibility.

The bill aims to cut the goods and services tax (GST) or harmonized sales tax (HST) on items like certain groceries.

The original plan included a $250 rebate in April 2025 for those who worked in 2023 and earned up to $150,000. However, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Tuesday his party won’t support it unless it expands to seniors, students, people with disabilities, and those who couldn’t work.

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