Liberal candidate Paul Chiang withdraws from race after suggesting people claim China's bounty on Conservative

Embattled Toronto-area Liberal candidate Paul Chiang is dropping out of the race after suggesting people turn a Conservative candidate running in a nearby riding into the Chinese consulate to collect a bounty.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney said on Monday that Chiang could stay on after apologizing for his "deeply offensive comments" and "terrible lapse of judgment."

Pressure mounted from opposition parties and more than 40 organizations demanding Carney immediately drop Chiang and for police to investigate.

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🏠 Carney vows to revive Canada's wartime-era homebuilding strategy

Carney announced Monday that a re-elected Liberal government would create a new entity called “Build Canada Homes,” which would act as a developer to build affordable housing, including on public lands.

The entity would also provide more than $25 billion in financing to prefabricated-home builders in Canada, including those using Canadian technologies and resources, such as softwood lumber, Carney said at a campaign stop in the Toronto area. It would offer an additional $10 billion in low-cost financing and capital to affordable-home builders.
#Carney #housing
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🪖🇺🇸 Canadian generals discuss military co-operation with U.S.

Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Jennie Carignan met with Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Christopher Grady on March 20 in Washington to discuss defending North America as well as the Arctic.

Royal Canadian Navy Vice Adm. Angus Topshee also travelled to Washington on March 21 to meet with Acting Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James Kilby to discuss how to better integrate Canada’s maritime forces into American operations, particularly in the Arctic.
#US
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🪖🇺🇸📊 Majority of poll respondents support Ottawa cancelling contract for U.S. warplanes

A majority of Canadians support cancelling a $19-billion contract to buy American warplanes and instead opting for European alternatives, according to a new poll.

62 per cent of Canadians surveyed support, or somewhat support, scrapping a federal government deal to buy 88 F-35 Lightning planes from U.S. defence contractor Lockheed Martin. It also found 18 per cent oppose, and 3 per cent somewhat oppose, such a measure. Another 17 per cent were undecided.
#US
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💸 Carney pledges $150M boost to 'underfunded' CBC

Liberal Leader Mark Carney said on Friday that his government would provide an initial $150-million annual funding increase to CBC and Radio-Canada as part of a new mandate for the public broadcaster.

Who doesn't like government-funded propaganda?

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Canada loses 33,000 jobs, most since 2022

Canada’s labor market unexpectedly weakened in March, shedding the most jobs in more than three years.

Employment fell by 33,000 positions last month, pushing the jobless rate up 0.1 percentage point to 6.7%, Statistics Canada reported Friday.

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🇺🇸 Canada updates travel advice to warn of U.S. border officers' power to search electronic devices

The federal government has quietly updated its online travel advice to remind Canadians to "expect scrutiny" from border patrol officers if they travel to the United States.

A website with official advice for travellers heading south was updated with a paragraph about the "significant" discretion officers have when it comes to deciding who enters their country — including the power to search phones and laptops.
#US
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3 Ontario businesses fined for illegally employing hundreds of foreign workers, police say

Three Ontario businesses have pleaded guilty and been fined after a federal investigation into unauthorized employment uncovered more than 700 illegal foreign nationals.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirmed that CDA Landscape Services based in Ajax, Ont. was fined $400,000 after pleading guilty to 20 counts of employing foreign nationals without authorization.

The other businesses, TDA Landscape Services and SDA Services, pleaded guilty to two counts each and were both fined $25,000.
#Ontario
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Canada’s Joly aims for maximum pressure on Trump, Europe pivot

Canada is aiming to put maximum pressure on US President Donald Trump in response to his barrage of tariffs, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said, adding that it intends to pivot to Europe and Asia to find new markets.

We are putting maximum pressure on the Trump administration to pull back on any form of tariffs. We are looking to the European Union to be closer and we’re looking to partners in Asia.

#US #EU
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🪖🇺🇸Poilievre says Canada, not U.S., will set its own defence budget as Trump pushes for 5% NATO spending target

Pierre Poilievre said under a Conservative government Canada would make its own, sovereign decisions on increasing military spending as U.S. President Donald Trump once again puts pressure on NATO allies to boost defence budgets to 5 per cent of GDP.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a meeting of NATO foreign affairs ministers in Brussels said Washington expects all alliance members to commit to raising defence spending to 5 per cent of gross domestic product.

Canada currently spends about 1.37 per cent and has pledged to reach 2 per cent by 2030.
#Poilievre #NATO #US
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🇬🇧🇺🇸 Carney, Starmer discuss deeper trade ties in response to Trump's tariff war

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he spoke Sunday with his counterpart in the United Kingdom about the fallout from the United States’ global tariff campaign.

A readout from Carney’s office says he talked with U.K. Prime Minster Keir Starmer about the United States’ “unjustified trade actions” and the need to strengthen trade ties between Canada and the U.K.
#UK #US
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NDP faces possible collapse

A Global News seat projection model, based on an aggregate of polling done up to March 24, indicates the NDP may win just three seats.

To be recognized as an official party in the House of Commons — and qualify for more research funding and question period slots — a party must win 12 seats. The NDP won 24 in 2021.

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Alberta moves closer to creating optional provincial police force that could replace RCMP

Alberta’s government is taking another step toward giving municipalities the option of ditching the RCMP in favour of a new provincial police service.

If passed, a proposed bill would mean a new agency must operate under a Crown corporation that would be at arm’s length from the government.

An extra $6 million has been set aside for the agency’s leadership team, but Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis says if the province shifts about $136 million in annual Alberta Sheriffs funding for police work, there could be little startup costs.
#Alberta
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Ex-PM Stephen Harper endorses Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre

In his endorsement, Harper said Poilievre was the best candidate for a “better, stronger and more united future.”
#Poilievre #election
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🇺🇸 B.C. cancer patients will no longer go to U.S. for treatment, province announces

Cancer patients in British Columbia will no longer be referred to clinics in Bellingham, Wash., for care, Health Minister Josie Osborne announced Monday.

Osborne says the ministry's decision was not a result of the current U.S.-Canada trade war but due to declining participation in the program and shorter wait times for care in B.C.
#BritishColumbia #US
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Alberta premier suggests Mark Carney has issues with ‘strong conservative women’

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith responded Monday to Liberal Leader Mark Carney using her as a stump speech punchline, saying Carney has issues with assertive women of opposing ideologies.

I’ve noticed this with progressive men and how much they talk about how much they support women until they meet a strong conservative woman. The attitude is, ‘sit down and shut up.’ Well, I don’t shut up, I make sure that Albertans know exactly how I feel about issues — and I’m gonna continue advocating on behalf of my province, whether he likes it or not.

#Alberta #Smith #Carney
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Ontario announces $11-billion in promised tariff relief for businesses

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that his government was offering Ontario businesses six months of tax deferrals as the levies weighed on the province’s auto, steel and aluminum sectors.

The move suspends interest payments and penalties for a list of provincial taxes that businesses face, including a health tax and levies on insurance, gas, alcohol and tobacco, with the relief worth up to $9-billion. Those tax bills are now set to come due on Oct. 1.
#Ontario
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🇺🇸🚙 Canada to impose tariffs of 25% on vehicles imported from U.S. starting Wednesday

The federal government said its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. vehicles, which it announced last week with no implementation date, would take effect early Wednesday.

The countertariffs are the first imposed by Mark Carney since he became Prime Minister, and the first enacted during Canada’s 45th general election campaign, which ends with voting on April 28.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the retaliatory auto tariffs would apply as of 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday. The federal government had promised this response after Mr. Trump imposed tariffs on foreign-made automobiles, including from Canada, but had not yet followed through until Tuesday’s abrupt announcement.
#US
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🌲 B.C. premier urges Carney to prioritize forestry amid U.S. tariff hike

British Columbia Premier David Eby has urged Liberal Leader Mark Carney to prioritize the province's forestry sector following the U.S. decision to more than double tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber from 14.54% to 34.45%.

This move threatens thousands of jobs in B.C. Eby and Carney discussed a "Team Canada response" and explored using B.C. lumber in national affordable housing projects to offset trade losses.
#BritishColumbia #US
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