🇨🇦🤝🇩🇪 Canada, Germany Launch LNG Talks

Canada is opening discussions with German buyers on potential shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as demand continues to grow across the European Union.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the issue during talks in Berlin, alongside cooperation on critical minerals and defense procurement.

Carney said Ottawa is preparing to support billions in infrastructure investments, with new port expansion plans in Montreal, Churchill (Manitoba), and other east coast sites expected to be announced within two weeks.

While no east coast LNG projects are currently close to commercial readiness, Canadian officials noted that several companies are exploring options, including via Churchill. Berlin views natural gas as a transition fuel, and Energy Minister Tim Hodgson said the goal is to begin shipments to Europe within five years.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦 LeBlanc Meets Lutnick in Washington; Key Tariffs Remain in Place

Canada’s Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc held a “lengthy and constructive” meeting in Washington on Tuesday with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, according to both governments.

The talks come days after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Ottawa would lift many of its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods covered under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), effective September 1.

However, LeBlanc confirmed that Canada’s counter-tariffs on U.S. steel, aluminum, and automobiles will remain in effect. These measures were introduced in response to U.S. trade actions and are aligned with Washington’s own tariff levels.

Officials said discussions focused on advancing bilateral trade ties, while both sides emphasized areas of cooperation despite ongoing disputes in the metals and auto sectors.

📌 Context:
• The removed tariffs applied to billions of dollars’ worth of U.S. exports such as household goods and agricultural products.
• By keeping the steel, aluminum, and auto tariffs in place, Ottawa is signaling that those sectors remain strategic flashpoints in Canada-U.S. trade.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🍁 Ontario Stands Firm: No Plans to Restock U.S. Booze Despite Tariff Shift

The Ontario government says it has no plans to put American spirits back on LCBO shelves, despite calls from the U.S. distilling industry to end the boycott.

The response came after Distilled Spirits Council President Chris Swonger praised Ottawa’s recent move to drop a 25% tariff on American-made liquor, but warned the impact will be limited unless provinces allow sales to resume.

“The unfortunate decision to remove American spirits from Canadian retail shelves is not only harming U.S. distillers, but it’s also needlessly reducing revenues for the provinces, and placing unnecessary burdens on Canadian consumers and hospitality businesses,” Swonger said.

Most provinces — with the exception of Alberta and Saskatchewan — pulled U.S. alcohol from stores in March, as the trade spat escalated. According to the council, Canada was the second-largest export market for U.S. spirits in 2024.

Premier Doug Ford’s office confirmed to CP24 that Ontario’s boycott remains “until further notice.” Ford previously said the LCBO would wait until tariffs “come off the table” before reconsidering.

The standoff continues even as Prime Minister Mark Carney removed counter-tariffs on American goods covered by CUSMA earlier this month. Ford has urged Ottawa to push harder for relief in steel, auto, forestry, and copper sectors — or else reinstate dollar-for-dollar retaliation.

📌 Bottom line:
• Tariffs may be easing in Ottawa, but U.S. spirits remain locked out of Ontario stores.
• For consumers and the hospitality sector, the wait for American liquor could stretch on indefinitely.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦 Carney Extends Canadian Mission in Latvia to 2029

Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking in Riga on Tuesday alongside Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa, confirmed that Canada will extend its military mission in Latvia until 2029.

The deployment, known as Operation Reassurance, is Canada’s largest overseas mission. There are currently 2,000 Canadian Armed Forces personnel in Latvia, with Ottawa planning to maintain a persistent cadre of 2,200 troops by 2026.

“We must deter and fortify, and that is the way that we can provide true reassurance,” Carney said.

Canadian troops have been stationed in Latvia since 2017, coordinating with forces from about ten other NATO countries. The mission is intended to reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank and train local forces.

📌 Context:
• The current mandate was due to expire in March 2026, but Carney has extended it by three years.
• Infrastructure expansion at the Ādaži base near Riga is underway to accommodate the full brigade.
• Analysts note Canada is taking on a role similar to the U.K. in Estonia and Germany in Lithuania, and wants to be perceived as “punching above its weight” within NATO. Despite not meeting NATO funding targets.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦 Canada Extends Latvia Mission — But Scrambles to Fill Equipment Gaps

Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed Canada will keep troops in Latvia until 2029, extending Operation Reassurance, the country’s largest overseas mission. Roughly 2,200 Canadian troops are deployed at Camp Ādaži alongside 1,300 NATO allies.

But even as Ottawa extends the mission, the Canadian Armed Forces are struggling to modernize. Many of the Leopard 2A4 tanks on site date back to the late 1980s and 1990s, with commanders warning of spare-part shortages.

“Peace can only come through strength… Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine shattered any previous assumptions that many others held of European post-Cold War security,” Carney told troops in Riga.

Defence Minister David McGuinty, traveling with Carney, said the government is committed to a “major reboot” of the military, pointing to $9.3B in additional defence spending this year.

📌 Equipment challenges:
• Ottawa has rushed anti-drone, anti-tank, and short-range air defence systems into Latvia.
• A small number of RQ-21 Blackjack surveillance drones are in use, but commanders say more are urgently needed.
• New barracks and tank sheds have been built at Ādaži to ease overcrowding.

Brigade commander Col. Kris Reeves said the long-term extension provides certainty but underlined the pressure to adapt:

“Just turn on the news and you see how important drones are in the Ukraine fight. We need those pieces of equipment here in Latvia.”

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦 Canadian Ministers Meet U.S. Attorney General in Washington

Two Canadian cabinet ministers met with U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in Washington on Tuesday, as Ottawa seeks deeper cross-border cooperation on security, trade, and law enforcement.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Justice Minister Arif Virani led the delegation, holding what LeBlanc described as “frank and productive” discussions with Garland and senior officials at the Department of Justice.

Talks focused on cross-border crime, money laundering, cyber threats, and organized crime networks, which both countries say are increasingly operating across shared borders.

📌 Key points:
• The ministers emphasized the need to align efforts against transnational organized crime and cybersecurity threats.
• Both sides highlighted ongoing cooperation through joint task forces and intelligence sharing.
• The meeting followed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent European trip, underscoring Ottawa’s push to bolster alliances on multiple fronts.

LeBlanc said afterwards that Canada and the U.S. “face common threats that no country can address alone,” adding that the partnership remains “essential to protecting our citizens and strengthening the rule of law.”

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦 Poilievre Says Temporary Foreign Workers Taking Jobs from Young Canadians

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused the Liberal government Wednesday of allowing temporary foreign workers to displace Canadian youth in the labour market.

“As our young people have a quarter-century high in their unemployment, Mark Carney this year is expected to bring in a record number of temporary foreign workers to take the jobs of Canadian youth,” Poilievre said at a news conference in Prince Edward Island.

Youth unemployment reached 14.6% in July, the highest since 2010 outside of the COVID-19 period.

📌 Key points:
• Poilievre cited federal data showing 105,000 visas issued under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in the first half of 2025. He argued this exceeded Ottawa’s target of 82,000 for the year.
• Immigration officials countered, saying the figure included renewals for workers already in Canada, with only 33,722 representing new arrivals.
• A further 302,000 visas were issued under the International Mobility Program, which operates outside the labour market test requirement.

Government officials note the overall number of temporary foreign workers entering Canada has declined to 119,000 in the first six months of 2025, down from 245,000 in the same period last year.

Analysts say Poilievre’s focus on immigration underscores a political vulnerability for the Carney government. Opinion polls have shown rising concerns about immigration’s impact on housing and affordability, even as economists stress Canada’s low birthrate means immigration is essential for labour market growth.

The federal government is expected to release an updated immigration levels plan this fall, aiming to reduce the share of temporary residents from 7.1% of the population to 5%.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🔥 Canada’s 2023 Wildfires Pushed Air Pollution to Decade-Level Highs

Canada’s record-breaking 2023 wildfire season burned 42 million acres of forest and pushed air pollution to levels not seen in Canada since 1998 — and in the United States since 2011 — according to new analysis by the University of Chicago’s Air Quality Life Index.

Researchers found that more than half of Canadians breathed air that exceeded national clean air standards, a dramatic jump from less than 5% in the previous five years. The report says wildfire smoke erased much of the progress made in reducing air pollution, with fine particulate matter now once again at levels that directly threaten human health and life expectancy.

Globally, particulate pollution in 2023 was nearly five times the World Health Organization’s recommended level. University of Chicago professor Michael Greenstone, co-creator of the AQLI, said:

“We’re now stuck living with air pollution concentrations that are the dangerous ghost of the fossil fuels burned since the Industrial Revolution. Even countries that have earnestly spent decades cleaning up their air can’t escape these ghosts and the shorter and sicker lives that they deliver.”

The study warned that air pollution has become the greatest external threat to human life expectancy, comparable to smoking, with reductions to WHO guideline levels estimated to add 1.9 years of life for the average person.

Beyond climate dynamics, a growing number of analysts argue that decades of poor forest management have compounded the wildfire problem. Critics note that thinning programs, controlled burns, and investment in firebreaks have lagged, leaving forests overstocked with fuel. The result: hotter, faster, and more destructive fires.

Others point to the “green agenda” pursued for decades — including strict restrictions on logging and land-use practices — as well-intentioned but poorly balanced. Instead of healthier ecosystems, some experts say these policies have created conditions where wildfires spread unchecked, undermining the very environmental goals they sought to achieve.

The 2023 wildfire season now stands as the most destructive in Canadian history. 2024 ranks second, underscoring that these events are no longer outliers but part of a troubling new baseline, with consequences for Canada, its neighbors, and far beyond.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦 Quebec to Table Bill Banning Public Prayer

The Quebec government says it will introduce legislation this fall to ban prayer in public spaces, citing the “proliferation of street prayer” as a challenge to the province’s secular framework.

Secularism Minister Jean-François Roberge announced Thursday that Premier François Legault had given him a mandate to strengthen Quebec’s secular laws.

“The premier of Quebec has given me the mandate to strengthen secularism, and I am determined to fulfil this mandate diligently,” Roberge said.

Legault has previously signaled support for restrictions on public prayer, stating in December:

“Seeing people praying in the streets, in public parks, is not something we want in Quebec. When we want to pray, we go to a church, we go to a mosque, but not in public places.”

The bill follows months of debate after images of Muslims praying in Montreal went viral online, and after a video of worshippers outside the Notre-Dame Basilica drew wide attention. Other public religious events, including Catholic processions, are also common in Quebec.

Reaction has been swift. The Canadian Muslim Forum said street prayer falls under freedom of expression and warned a ban would “stigmatize communities and undermine social cohesion.” The group added the government should focus on “solving real problems” such as health care, housing costs, and the SAAQclic digital platform overrun.

The announcement also comes as Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec faces political headwinds. The party has recently lost three consecutive byelections to the Parti Québécois and the premier is scheduled to testify next week at a public inquiry into the half-billion-dollar cost overrun of the SAAQclic system.

PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said he is not opposed to restrictions on public prayer but criticized Legault for delays:

“The premier tells us that he has been thinking about the issue of street prayers for a year. Why has he done nothing?”

An advisory committee on secularism released a 300-page report earlier this week recommending Bill 21 be expanded to include daycare educators wearing religious symbols. It did not recommend banning public prayer, suggesting municipalities already have the power to regulate it.

Despite that, Roberge said the report influenced the government’s decision to move forward with legislation, noting caucus discussions had advanced “reflections on several aspects of secularism.”

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦 Convoy Figure James Bauder Wanted on Canada-Wide Warrant After Missing Court Date

James Bauder, a central figure in the 2022 Freedom Convoy, is now the subject of a Canada-wide warrant after failing to appear in court in Ottawa earlier this week.

Bauder, who left Canada this summer and is currently seeking asylum in the United States, faces charges including mischief and intimidation related to his role in the protest that gridlocked downtown Ottawa for more than three weeks. A Superior Court judge ordered his arrest after his absence in court.

The Calgary resident has long argued he is the victim of “political persecution,” raising nearly $13,000 online for legal fees. He previously attempted to move his case out of Ottawa, claiming the city — home to thousands of federal employees — could not provide him with an impartial jury. A judge dismissed that request, calling it “baseless in fact.”

📌 Background:
• Bauder led a smaller convoy to Ottawa in 2021, presenting a “memorandum of understanding” to the Senate and Governor General demanding an end to COVID-19 mandates and the resignation of then-prime minister Justin Trudeau.
• He later joined with other convoy leaders including Tamara Lich, Pat King, and Chris Barber to organize the 2022 protest.
• Bauder is also a defendant in a class action lawsuit by Ottawa residents seeking millions in damages from the "occupation".

Since relocating to the U.S., Bauder has appeared alongside Donald Trump allies Roger Stone and Wayne Allyn Root, who have publicly pledged support for his asylum bid. His trial in Canada is set for November and December, with other convoy leaders already found guilty for their roles.

📦 Canada to End Duty-Free Online Shopping from U.S.

The federal government will eliminate the duty-free exemption on U.S. online purchases under $40 CAD, bringing an end to a policy that has allowed Canadian consumers to buy lower-value goods across the border without paying duties or sales tax. The change takes effect October 15, 2025.

Ottawa says the move will create a fairer marketplace for Canadian retailers, who have long argued that the exemption gave U.S. e-commerce giants an unfair edge. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland framed the decision as part of a broader push for economic fairness, noting that Canadian businesses have been losing ground to cross-border platforms that could ship goods into Canada more cheaply.

The so-called “de minimis” threshold dates back decades, initially set at just $20 CAD. It was raised during the renegotiation of NAFTA into the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), when Ottawa agreed to set a higher level for U.S. shipments, allowing goods under $40 CAD to enter duty-free. Purchases under $150 CAD were exempt from customs duties, though taxes still applied above the $40 mark. American negotiators had pushed for much higher thresholds — closer to U.S. standards of $800 USD — but Canada resisted, citing the risk to domestic retail.

📌 Under the new policy:
• The $40 exemption for U.S. goods will fall to zero.
• All shipments from the U.S., regardless of value, will now face duties and GST/HST.
• Exemptions for other countries remain unchanged, though Ottawa has signaled future reviews of those thresholds.

The change comes as a “buy Canadian” movement is gaining traction, with both consumers and businesses placing new emphasis on sourcing domestically. Analysts say the removal of the U.S. duty-free carve-out dovetails with this shift, reinforcing efforts to strengthen local supply chains and keep spending at home.

Industry groups in Canada, including small business associations, have welcomed the measure, arguing it will level the playing field after years of pressure from American online retailers. Consumer advocates, however, warn that shoppers could see higher prices and longer shipping delays, particularly in border regions where cross-border commerce is part of everyday life.

The U.S. has signaled concern that the measure could create new trade friction under CUSMA. Washington has previously accused Ottawa of protectionist tendencies in retail, dairy, and digital services, and analysts say the duty-free rollback could become another irritant in bilateral trade talks.

Ottawa says it expects to collect hundreds of millions in new annual revenues from the change.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦🏗️ Trans Mountain Chair to Lead Ottawa’s New Major Projects Office

The federal government is set to name Dawn Farrell, current chair of the Trans Mountain Corporation’s board of directors, as CEO of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Major Projects Office, according to senior government sources.

Farrell, who previously oversaw the completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, will lead the new Calgary-based office designed to fast-track major infrastructure projects across the country. With nearly four decades of energy sector experience — including roles at BC Hydro and as CEO of TransAlta, one of Canada’s largest wind power producers — Farrell is seen as a figure capable of bridging Ottawa’s ambitions with Alberta’s energy priorities.

Reports say that Carney wanted someone skilled at managing projects spanning multiple provinces and navigating complex regulatory environments. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is also reported to have a good working relationship with Farrell, a detail expected to ease federal-provincial ties.

The appointment comes after Bill C-5, Carney’s “nation-building” legislation, passed Parliament in June. The law allows the federal cabinet to hand-pick projects, override federal laws and environmental reviews, and cut approval times from five years to two under a “one-project, one-review” framework. Not every project greenlit by the office will receive federal financing, but it will serve as the central hub for proposals and complaints.

Carney has already hinted that the first wave of projects will include new port infrastructure. On a trip to Germany this week, he cited potential investments at Montreal’s Contrecoeur port, as well as a new facility in Churchill, Manitoba, which could open up opportunities for LNG exports and critical minerals. He described the infrastructure push as part of a half-trillion-dollar federal investment program.

Background:
• The Port of Churchill is North America’s only deepwater Arctic port with rail access. Owned by the Arctic Gateway Group, a partnership of First Nations and Hudson Bay communities, it operates seasonally due to ice conditions.
• Ottawa has pitched Churchill as a potential export hub linking Canadian resources to Europe, bypassing more congested southern routes.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

📚 Alberta Teachers in Strike Position as Talks Break Down

Contract negotiations between the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and the provincial government have collapsed just days before students return to classrooms, putting more than 51,000 teachers in a legal strike position.

At a joint news conference Friday, Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides and Finance Minister Nate Horner said mediated talks had reached an impasse, blaming the union for walking away. Horner said the government’s proposal included a 12% salary increase over four years and funding to hire 3,000 additional teachers, with a total cost of $750 million.

“The bargaining team walked away from this offer. That’s why I’m disappointed to be here today,” Horner said, adding the province is grappling with a $6.5 billion deficit.

Nicolaides accused the ATA of shifting demands, claiming the union initially sought more classroom resources but is now pressing for “higher wages and fewer teachers.”

“I can’t understand why Alberta’s generous and competitive proposal was declined,” he said.

The government said no counteroffer was made by the ATA before talks broke down. Nicolaides emphasized that officials hope to avoid disruption when schools reopen next week:

“I think we’re very, very close. I would encourage union leadership to come back to the table.”

The ATA, which rejected a mediator’s recommendations earlier this summer, is holding its own news conference Friday morning. In June, nearly 95% of teachers voting supported taking strike action, citing wages, classroom crowding, and inadequate resources as key issues.

ATA president Jason Schilling has previously said teachers have been “propping up a system that is under-resourced and overburdened,” adding that conditions in schools are unsustainable without significant changes.

Parents across Alberta are bracing for possible classroom disruption as both sides remain at an impasse with the new school year set to begin Tuesday.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

📉 Canadian Economy Contracts 1.6% in Q2 as U.S. Tariffs Weigh on Exports

Canada’s economy shrank 1.6% on an annualized basis in the second quarter of 2025, a much steeper drop than expected, according to Statistics Canada. The contraction was driven primarily by a 7.5% fall in exports, the sharpest decline in five years, as U.S. tariffs tightened pressure on cross-border trade.

The quarterly decline follows a downward revision of first-quarter growth to 2%, leaving the economy with just 0.4% growth in the first six months of 2025. It is the first quarterly slowdown in seven quarters.

Key details:
• Exports fell 7.5%, led by reduced demand for goods and energy products.
• Business investment in machinery and equipment slipped 0.6%, the first drop since the pandemic.
• Domestic demand grew by 3.5%, with household spending up 4.5%, residential investment rising 6.3%, and government spending up 5.1%.

Markets had expected a smaller contraction of 0.6%. The sharper slowdown has increased speculation that the Bank of Canada could cut interest rates at its next meeting in September. The central bank has held rates steady at 2.75% for three consecutive meetings.

Economists warn the data points to weak momentum heading into the third quarter.

“The most concerning aspect of today’s report is the seemingly weak momentum that the economy still had towards the end of the quarter and into the start of Q3,” said Andrew Grantham, senior economist at CIBC Capital Markets.

Still, analysts noted that robust household and government spending helped soften the blow, though questions remain about whether that strength is sustainable.

“It should come as no surprise that the Canadian economy struggled in Q2 as tariffs ramped up. However, the domestic strength is somewhat comforting, although the sustainability of that momentum is an open question,” wrote Benjamin Reitzes, macro strategist at BMO.

Statistics Canada also reported that GDP contracted by 0.1% in June on a monthly basis, largely due to declines in goods-producing industries, which make up a quarter of the country’s output.

The Bank of Canada projected in July that GDP would shrink by about 1.5% in the second quarter, suggesting the economy is evolving largely in line with its forecast. Policymakers are now weighing the balance between trade pressures, weakening exports, and still-resilient domestic spending ahead of the September decision.

🍁 Maple Chronicles

🇨🇦🏰⚖️ Poilievre Calls for Stronger Legal Protections in Home Defence Cases

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on Ottawa to amend the Criminal Code so that the use of force is presumed reasonable when a person defends their home against an intruder.

Speaking in Brampton, Ont., on Friday, Poilievre unveiled what he calls the “Stand on Guard” principle, which he says would give clarity to Canadians acting in self-defence.

“Canadians who are defending their homes don’t have time to think about nine conditions. It’s wrong for the law to apply a complicated, indecipherable legal doctrine when you were only doing what is right,” he said.

Under current law, Canadians can use force if they believe on reasonable grounds it is necessary to protect themselves or others, but courts weigh nine factors, including the threat, the history of the parties, and whether weapons were involved, to determine if the action was “reasonable.”

Context:
• The existing framework was created in 2013, when Stephen Harper’s Conservative government passed reforms clarifying self-defence laws. Poilievre supported that legislation at the time.
• The castle doctrine, often summarized as “your home is your castle” underpins Poilievre’s new proposal.

The Conservatives cited the case of Cameron Gardiner of Collingwood, Ont., who in 2019 shot two masked intruders who zip-tied him and held him at gunpoint. Gardiner was initially charged with manslaughter, but the Crown withdrew charges in 2021.

More recently, the case of Jeremy David McDonald in Lindsay, Ont., has renewed public debate. McDonald faces charges after injuring a man who allegedly broke into his home with a crossbow. The incident sparked widespread calls for clearer protections for those defending their families.

Justice Minister Sean Fraser responded by saying self-defence is already legal in Canada under existing laws, accusing Poilievre of “chasing a photo op.”

Poilievre said if the federal government does not act, the Conservatives will table legislation through a private member’s bill.

“Your home is your castle. Canadians deserve to know the law will protect them when they protect their families.”

🍁 Maple Chronicles