📊 Mark Carney is more likely to expand the Liberal Party’s voter pool than Chrystia Freeland

Mark Carney stands out with stronger impressions than Chrystia Freeland and Karina Gould. He enjoys a better overall rating among the general public—33% positive vs. 20% negative (for a net +13)—and he’s also viewed most favourably by current Liberal supporters.

Chrystia Freeland is more widely known but has higher negative ratings, which drags down her net impression to about -1. Among Liberal supporters, she remains popular, though she trails Carney in terms of net favourability.

Karina Gould is less well-known to Canadians: most haven’t formed a strong opinion about her yet, and nearly half say they don’t know enough to comment. This leaves her with lower positives than the other two.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🏦 BoC cuts key interest rate to 3% as tariff threats loom

Canada’s central bank has cut interest rates for a sixth consecutive time as inflation remains around two per cent and the threat of U.S. tariffs looms.

The 25-basis point cut comes as the Bank of Canada forecasts GDP growth will strengthen in 2025 if there is no trade war with the United States.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

💰🛢Trump says Canada tariffs coming Saturday, ‘may not’ include oil

U.S. President Donald Trump said he would likely decide by the end of the day Thursday whether to put a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian oil imports that he confirmed will take effect on Saturday.

We may or may not. We’re going to make that determination probably tonight on oil. We’ll see. It depends on what the price is. If the oil is properly priced, if they treat us properly – which they don’t.

#US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇺🇸🪖Canada and U.S. should establish a joint Norad base in Arctic, Alberta premier proposes

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is calling for a joint Canada-U.S. Norad military base in Northern Canada, expanding the organization’s aerospace and maritime defence efforts.

In a Thursday statement, Smith said she pitched the idea at a meeting on Wednesday with fellow premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Smith has been urging more collaboration with the U.S., as President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods starting Saturday.
#Alberta #US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

NDP again pledges to defeat the government in March

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has again pledged to defeat the government by the end of March, as the Liberals tried to make the case for the New Democrats to give them a lifeline through to the fall to strike pharmacare agreements.

I’m demanding that the Liberal government call back Parliament. Let’s put before Parliament a package to protect workers, support workers that are impacted by these tariffs.

Singh said.

The Conservatives have also requested a return of the House before prorogation ends on March 24. A government official said Thursday there is no plan to recall the House earlier.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

Canada launches fentanyl crackdown to convince Trump tariffs aren't necessary

Public Safety Minister David McGuinty said the federal government will launch this week a new regulatory process to increase the control and oversight of precursor chemicals in Canada, which are used to produce synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

He also said the government is currently negotiating with American authorities to stand up a joint North American fentanyl strike force targeting organized crime, including cartels.

McGuinty also pointed to the training and deployment of "new border detector dog teams, specialized 100 per cent in fentanyl detection."
#US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

💰🇺🇸After Trump tariffs, Trudeau reveals $155B counter-tariffs on U.S.

Canada is hitting back against U.S. President Donald Trump‘s tariffs with counter-tariffs worth $155 billion.

Tonight, I am announcing Canada will be responding to the U.S. trade action with 25 per cent tariffs against a $155 billion worth of American goods.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday.

Trudeau said this will include immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods as of Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion worth of American products in 21 days’ time to “allow Canadian companies and supply chains to seek to find alternatives.”
#US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇺🇸 Ford 'ripping up' Ontario's $100M contract with Elon Musk's Starlink

Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is "ripping up" Ontario's $100 million contract with Elon Musk's Starlink in the wake of U.S. tariffs on virtually all Canadian goods, he said in a statement Monday.

The contract, signed in November, was meant to provide high-speed internet access through Starlink's satellite service to 15,000 eligible homes and businesses in rural, remote and northern communities by June of this year.
#US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

Loonie falls to lowest level since 2003 after tariffs announced

The Canadian dollar fell to its lowest level in more than two decades after U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs to be enacted Tuesday.

The loonie was trading for 68.13 cents US, its lowest level against the U.S. dollar since 2003, compared with 69.04 cents US on Friday.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

💰Trump wants U.S. banks in Canada, he says after speaking with Trudeau

Donald Trump is making fresh demands for Ottawa to allow American banks greater latitude to operate north of the border, following the first of two phone calls scheduled with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Monday.

Canada doesn’t even allow U.S. Banks to open or do business there. What’s that all about?

Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday morning.
#US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

⏸️ Trump hits pause on trade war after Trudeau vows new border measures

Canada obtained a one-month reprieve from U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened steep tariffs Monday after promising to invest $200-million more in fighting organized crime and drugs, with additional pledges to appoint a fentanyl czar and designate drug cartels as terrorists.

Under the terms of a deal struck by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mr. Trump, Canada also agreed to launch a new joint strike force to combat organized crime, and illegal production and distribution of the deadly opioid fentanyl.
#US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

💰Trump tariff threat reignites push to slash barriers to trade inside Canada

The now-delayed but still looming threat of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods has reignited the debate about removing barriers to trade within Canada.

Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre seized on the issue Monday, releasing a seven-minute video claiming “it’s actually easier for our businesses to sell to other countries than to other Canadian provinces” and that eliminating interprovincial trade barriers could boost family incomes by $6,000 a year.

The federal government’s own 2024 fall economic statement, citing International Monetary Fund data, acknowledges the impact, arguing the country could boost its GDP by as much as 4 per cent, or $2,900 per capita, by liberalizing internal trade.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

Quebec holds off on retaliatory measures as Trump pauses U.S. tariff threat

Premier François Legault said promising tariffs and then suddenly pausing that threat at the last minute hurts Trump's credibility. He said the incertitude has already hurt the economy.

He confirmed late Monday afternoon that, for now, Quebec is pausing its retaliatory measures. But the provincial government is planning various ways to hit back.
#Quebec #US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

At least CNN is right about how overblown this whole situation is.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

B.C. fast-tracking 18 resource projects to reduce reliance on United States

B.C. Premier David Eby's office has shared a list of 18 resource projects that he says the province will be fast-tracking in order to reduce its reliance on trade with the United States.

They are a blend of energy, mining and critical mineral projects that are already on the books, but which the government says it will be working to expedite through the approval process.
#BritishColumbia #US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

📝 Quebec premier says North American free-trade agreement should be reopened now

Talks should begin as soon as possible on renegotiating the North American free-trade agreement, Quebec Premier François Legault said Tuesday in the legislature, as he and other leaders pondered how to respond to the major economic threat south of the border.

The premier said the uncertainty that is being created by the constant threats of U.S. tariffs is like injecting “poison” into the economy. If Trump is unhappy with the North American free-trade agreement, then the U.S., Canada and Mexico should begin talks immediately instead of waiting for a scheduled review in 2026, Legault said.
#Quebec #US #Mexico
🍁 Maple Chronicles

💊Poilievre would impose life sentences for trafficking over 40 mg of fentanyl

Pierre Poilievre says a Conservative government would bring in mandatory life sentences for those convicted of trafficking, production and distribution of over 40 mg of fentanyl.

The Conservatives also want traffickers caught with between 20 mg and 40 mg of the drug to be sentenced to 15 years in prison.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

Doug Ford downplays hot mic comments saying he was pleased Trump won

PC Leader Doug Ford is downplaying some hot mic comments he made to supporters Monday, saying he was pleased when Donald Trump won the U.S. election in November.

On Election Day, was I happy this guy won? One hundred per cent I was. Then the guy pulled out the knife and F***ing yanked it in us.

Ford told supporters at a campaign stop Monday.

Ford said that while many Canadians might have been excited about the change Trump could bring, he’s been “a disaster” and “so disappointing.”
#US
🍁 Maple Chronicles

🚙 Chrystia Freeland says Canada should target Elon Musk’s Tesla in a tariff fight

Chrystia Freeland says Ottawa should target Tesla vehicles and U.S. alcohol as part of its tariff retaliation package to send a message that an attack on Canadian trade would not be cost-free for Trump’s allies.

In an interview, Freeland said there should be a 100 per cent tariff on all U.S. wine, beer and spirits, and on all Teslas.

We need to be very targeted, very surgical, very precise. We need to look through and say who is supporting Trump and how can we make them pay a price for a tariff attack on Canada.

#Freeland #US
🍁 Maple Chronicles