🇨🇦 Carney’s $500M Lumber Diversification Plan Faces Steep Uphill Battle
With U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber now pushing 35% under Trump’s escalating trade war, PM Mark Carney has pledged $500 million to help the sector break its 90% dependence on the American market. But history — and industry voices — suggest it won’t be easy.
B.C. Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar says shifting just 10% of exports away from the U.S. would be a win. Yet decades of attempts to diversify — into Japan, China, and Europe — have mostly fizzled. Industry insiders admit Canada’s forestry sector has done a “miserable job” diversifying, lured back every time by the proximity and scale of U.S. demand.
The new plan targets mass timber as a growth area — a high-value, eco-friendly product for prefab housing — with Europe and Asia as potential buyers. But challenges remain: most Canadian lumber is cut to imperial sizes, incompatible with global standards, and needs upgraded machinery and market-specific investment.
Markets like Vietnam, South Korea, India, and the Middle East are in focus, but insiders warn success demands long-term commitment, custom strategies per country, and supply-chain overhauls — not just one-time PR splashes.
For now, the Carney government’s push is a bold start. But whether it rewrites Canada’s lumber future or just repeats past failed attempts depends on execution — and how far Ottawa’s really willing to go to escape the U.S. stranglehold.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
With U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber now pushing 35% under Trump’s escalating trade war, PM Mark Carney has pledged $500 million to help the sector break its 90% dependence on the American market. But history — and industry voices — suggest it won’t be easy.
B.C. Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar says shifting just 10% of exports away from the U.S. would be a win. Yet decades of attempts to diversify — into Japan, China, and Europe — have mostly fizzled. Industry insiders admit Canada’s forestry sector has done a “miserable job” diversifying, lured back every time by the proximity and scale of U.S. demand.
The new plan targets mass timber as a growth area — a high-value, eco-friendly product for prefab housing — with Europe and Asia as potential buyers. But challenges remain: most Canadian lumber is cut to imperial sizes, incompatible with global standards, and needs upgraded machinery and market-specific investment.
Markets like Vietnam, South Korea, India, and the Middle East are in focus, but insiders warn success demands long-term commitment, custom strategies per country, and supply-chain overhauls — not just one-time PR splashes.
For now, the Carney government’s push is a bold start. But whether it rewrites Canada’s lumber future or just repeats past failed attempts depends on execution — and how far Ottawa’s really willing to go to escape the U.S. stranglehold.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
👍5😁2🤡2❤1
🇨🇦 Canada’s New Immigration Bill Grants Sweeping Powers to Cancel Applications — No Appeal Needed
Canada’s immigration system may never look the same again.
A newly proposed federal bill gives the Immigration Minister unilateral power to suspend or cancel immigration applications, visas, and even already-issued documents — without proof of fraud, misrepresentation, or legal wrongdoing. All that’s needed is the minister’s belief that it’s in the “public interest.”
Legal "experts" are warning this could mark a dangerous shift from due process to discretionary fiat, with no automatic right of appeal or independent oversight. Entire categories of migrants — including refugees, students, or family reunification cases — could be frozen or rejected based on opaque criteria. But shouldn't immigration be viewed as a privilege, needing to serve the public interest?
Former immigration judges are sounding the alarm, calling the bill a “power grab” that risks violating international refugee protections and undermining Canada’s legal obligations under the UN Refugee Convention. Others argue this is long overdue and that Canada must prioritize Canada's security and national interest over perceived obligations under the UN Charter.
The bill also raises the possibility of retroactive revocation — meaning individuals who already received status could be stripped of it if the government changes its mind.
Ottawa claims the bill is aimed at national security and system integrity, but critics say it could be weaponized against those from sanctioned countries, politically sensitive regions, or anyone caught in the crosshairs of geopolitical pressure.
With public opinion turning against high immigration numbers and housing markets under stress, many see this as long over due, but perhaps too little, too late.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Canada’s immigration system may never look the same again.
A newly proposed federal bill gives the Immigration Minister unilateral power to suspend or cancel immigration applications, visas, and even already-issued documents — without proof of fraud, misrepresentation, or legal wrongdoing. All that’s needed is the minister’s belief that it’s in the “public interest.”
Legal "experts" are warning this could mark a dangerous shift from due process to discretionary fiat, with no automatic right of appeal or independent oversight. Entire categories of migrants — including refugees, students, or family reunification cases — could be frozen or rejected based on opaque criteria. But shouldn't immigration be viewed as a privilege, needing to serve the public interest?
Former immigration judges are sounding the alarm, calling the bill a “power grab” that risks violating international refugee protections and undermining Canada’s legal obligations under the UN Refugee Convention. Others argue this is long overdue and that Canada must prioritize Canada's security and national interest over perceived obligations under the UN Charter.
The bill also raises the possibility of retroactive revocation — meaning individuals who already received status could be stripped of it if the government changes its mind.
Ottawa claims the bill is aimed at national security and system integrity, but critics say it could be weaponized against those from sanctioned countries, politically sensitive regions, or anyone caught in the crosshairs of geopolitical pressure.
With public opinion turning against high immigration numbers and housing markets under stress, many see this as long over due, but perhaps too little, too late.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
❤18👍11🎉5👎2👏1
🇨🇦 CARNEY TELLS ANGLO: MOVE HQ TO CANADA—OR NO TECK DEAL
So much for “free markets.” PM Mark Carney reportedly gave Anglo American an ultimatum: relocate its global headquarters to Canada—or forget about acquiring Teck Resources in a US$20B takeover.
The London-based mining giant shockingly agreed, announcing plans to move its top brass—including the CEO, CFO, and deputy CEO—to Vancouver. A massive concession. And yet… the company will still be domiciled in London, keep its primary stock listing in the UK, and remain very much British in structure.
Meanwhile, the firm will slap a maple leaf on the logo—rebranding to “Anglo Teck”—and call it Canadian. Globalist sleight of hand? You bet.
Why is this allowed? Because Carney and Ottawa want the illusion of Canadian control over critical minerals while still handing the reins to foreign multinationals.
Teck’s coal business already went to Glencore. Now Carney is paving the way for another transfer of power—under the guise of “economic nationalism.” As always, the Canadian public gets symbolism. The City of London gets substance.
#Canada #UK
🍁 Maple Chronicles
So much for “free markets.” PM Mark Carney reportedly gave Anglo American an ultimatum: relocate its global headquarters to Canada—or forget about acquiring Teck Resources in a US$20B takeover.
The London-based mining giant shockingly agreed, announcing plans to move its top brass—including the CEO, CFO, and deputy CEO—to Vancouver. A massive concession. And yet… the company will still be domiciled in London, keep its primary stock listing in the UK, and remain very much British in structure.
Meanwhile, the firm will slap a maple leaf on the logo—rebranding to “Anglo Teck”—and call it Canadian. Globalist sleight of hand? You bet.
Why is this allowed? Because Carney and Ottawa want the illusion of Canadian control over critical minerals while still handing the reins to foreign multinationals.
Teck’s coal business already went to Glencore. Now Carney is paving the way for another transfer of power—under the guise of “economic nationalism.” As always, the Canadian public gets symbolism. The City of London gets substance.
#Canada #UK
🍁 Maple Chronicles
🤡13👏5🤬4❤2👍1🔥1
🇨🇦 Canada’s Inflation Creeps Back Up as Economy Slows — Rate Cuts Expected
Canada’s annual inflation rate nudged up to 1.9% in August, a modest rise from 1.7% in July, largely due to slower declines in gas prices, according to Statistics Canada. While fuel costs are still falling — helped by April’s carbon tax removal — the pace of decline has cooled, pushing the overall inflation number higher. Stripping out gas prices, core inflation actually dipped, revealing softer underlying pressures.
The real story, though, is what’s happening behind the scenes: a sluggish economy, rising joblessness, and slowing demand. With the Bank of Canada set to make a rate decision tomorrow, most economists now see a 25 basis point cut as a lock — the first since March — and more could follow if the economic drag persists.
Economists like BMO’s Douglas Porter called the inflation readout a “low-drama affair,” adding that it gives the central bank no reason to delay stimulus. CIBC’s Andrew Grantham echoed the sentiment, saying Canada has “avoided a worst-case scenario,” but desperately needs a boost, with high unemployment and weak growth creating ample slack to keep inflation contained.
Still, for everyday Canadians, the price of living hasn’t eased much where it hurts: groceries. Food inflation clocked in at 3.5%, with meat prices soaring 7.2% year-over-year — driven by higher costs for fresh beef and processed meats. That’s far outpacing wage growth in most sectors.
Some relief came in the form of fruit prices, which dropped 1.1% year-over-year, thanks to lower prices for grapes and berries. But those savings were offset by higher cellphone bills, as companies jacked up prices on back-to-school plans — even though smartphones and tablets dropped in price overall.
Meanwhile, travel services prices fell 3.8%, due to cooling demand for trips to the U.S., but hotel prices spiked in parts of Atlantic Canada, especially Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, which hosted the Canada Games in late August.
Bottom line: inflation may be “under control” on paper, but Canadians are still getting squeezed at the checkout — and the rate cut expected tomorrow may be too little, too late for many families already feeling the pinch.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Canada’s annual inflation rate nudged up to 1.9% in August, a modest rise from 1.7% in July, largely due to slower declines in gas prices, according to Statistics Canada. While fuel costs are still falling — helped by April’s carbon tax removal — the pace of decline has cooled, pushing the overall inflation number higher. Stripping out gas prices, core inflation actually dipped, revealing softer underlying pressures.
The real story, though, is what’s happening behind the scenes: a sluggish economy, rising joblessness, and slowing demand. With the Bank of Canada set to make a rate decision tomorrow, most economists now see a 25 basis point cut as a lock — the first since March — and more could follow if the economic drag persists.
Economists like BMO’s Douglas Porter called the inflation readout a “low-drama affair,” adding that it gives the central bank no reason to delay stimulus. CIBC’s Andrew Grantham echoed the sentiment, saying Canada has “avoided a worst-case scenario,” but desperately needs a boost, with high unemployment and weak growth creating ample slack to keep inflation contained.
Still, for everyday Canadians, the price of living hasn’t eased much where it hurts: groceries. Food inflation clocked in at 3.5%, with meat prices soaring 7.2% year-over-year — driven by higher costs for fresh beef and processed meats. That’s far outpacing wage growth in most sectors.
Some relief came in the form of fruit prices, which dropped 1.1% year-over-year, thanks to lower prices for grapes and berries. But those savings were offset by higher cellphone bills, as companies jacked up prices on back-to-school plans — even though smartphones and tablets dropped in price overall.
Meanwhile, travel services prices fell 3.8%, due to cooling demand for trips to the U.S., but hotel prices spiked in parts of Atlantic Canada, especially Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, which hosted the Canada Games in late August.
Bottom line: inflation may be “under control” on paper, but Canadians are still getting squeezed at the checkout — and the rate cut expected tomorrow may be too little, too late for many families already feeling the pinch.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
💯8🤯5🔥2❤1
B.C. Developers Skeptical of Carney Government’s $13B ‘Build Canada Homes’ Push
A panel of B.C.-based developers voiced growing concerns Monday over Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recently announced $13-billion Build Canada Homes program, warning that the ambitious initiative could overlap with existing federal housing agencies, disproportionately benefit a few well-connected firms, and fail to address the unique realities of urban development.
“I think a lot is still unclear … in terms of what is going to be Build Canada’s domain versus CMHC’s domain,” said Cyrus Navabi, president of Qualex-Landmark Living Inc., referring to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which already provides affordable housing financing tools. “I’m personally very skeptical about prefab and modular homes being a panacea for the country. I’m skeptical about the ability of government to efficiently deliver hundreds of thousands of homes. But mostly, I’m surprised that they are diverting energy away from CMHC.”
The panel, hosted by housing data firm Zonda Home in Vancouver, included developers and analysts from across the province. Moderator Jon Bennest, Zonda’s VP of product development, echoed Navabi’s concerns about potential overlap and confusion within Canada’s housing strategy. “To be kind of shifting your focus away from that [CMHC] to something else is kind of interesting to me,” he said. “We talk to clients out there on the rental side or doing advisory, and it’s the same where you hear, ‘Oh, it’s a challenging project but because we have CMHC, we’re good.’”
Bennest added that prefabricated homes may be ill-suited to dense, urban environments where high-rise towers and infill projects are more common. “We’re typically dealing with urban infill sites, and I don’t think that you can get those same efficiencies for a 100- or 200-unit highrise tower.”
Brad Jones, chief development officer with Wesgroup Properties LP, acknowledged the importance of expanding below-market housing, but raised questions about the delivery method and who might ultimately profit. “How they are going about it, I think it’s too early to tell. I have a lot of questions about how they are going to do it, and there might be a few modular groups that make a lot of money,” he said. “Somebody at a press conference described it to me as likely the next ArriveCAN,” he added, referencing the COVID-era app mired in procurement controversy.
Neil Chrystal, president and CEO of Polygon Realty Ltd., pointed to the need for demand-side policies as well, especially those that support buyers returning to the market. “Most governments, they seem to be afraid of demand, because they are afraid of … the investors coming back, and what they might do to displace tenants,” Chrystal said. “We need the buyers to come back.”
He noted that the recently announced GST rebate for first-time homebuyers could be expanded to include other groups: “The government could broaden the rebate to encompass investor buyers, second-time homebuyers and move-up buyers,” he said. “That will stimulate the demand that we need.”
While Carney’s promise of a nationwide prefab housing rollout is aimed at addressing Canada’s deepening housing crisis, the skepticism from developers signals a potentially rocky path ahead. The industry appears unconvinced that Ottawa’s latest solution will deliver without disrupting existing systems — or repeating past procurement fiascos.
#BC
🍁 Maple Chronicles
A panel of B.C.-based developers voiced growing concerns Monday over Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recently announced $13-billion Build Canada Homes program, warning that the ambitious initiative could overlap with existing federal housing agencies, disproportionately benefit a few well-connected firms, and fail to address the unique realities of urban development.
“I think a lot is still unclear … in terms of what is going to be Build Canada’s domain versus CMHC’s domain,” said Cyrus Navabi, president of Qualex-Landmark Living Inc., referring to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which already provides affordable housing financing tools. “I’m personally very skeptical about prefab and modular homes being a panacea for the country. I’m skeptical about the ability of government to efficiently deliver hundreds of thousands of homes. But mostly, I’m surprised that they are diverting energy away from CMHC.”
The panel, hosted by housing data firm Zonda Home in Vancouver, included developers and analysts from across the province. Moderator Jon Bennest, Zonda’s VP of product development, echoed Navabi’s concerns about potential overlap and confusion within Canada’s housing strategy. “To be kind of shifting your focus away from that [CMHC] to something else is kind of interesting to me,” he said. “We talk to clients out there on the rental side or doing advisory, and it’s the same where you hear, ‘Oh, it’s a challenging project but because we have CMHC, we’re good.’”
Bennest added that prefabricated homes may be ill-suited to dense, urban environments where high-rise towers and infill projects are more common. “We’re typically dealing with urban infill sites, and I don’t think that you can get those same efficiencies for a 100- or 200-unit highrise tower.”
Brad Jones, chief development officer with Wesgroup Properties LP, acknowledged the importance of expanding below-market housing, but raised questions about the delivery method and who might ultimately profit. “How they are going about it, I think it’s too early to tell. I have a lot of questions about how they are going to do it, and there might be a few modular groups that make a lot of money,” he said. “Somebody at a press conference described it to me as likely the next ArriveCAN,” he added, referencing the COVID-era app mired in procurement controversy.
Neil Chrystal, president and CEO of Polygon Realty Ltd., pointed to the need for demand-side policies as well, especially those that support buyers returning to the market. “Most governments, they seem to be afraid of demand, because they are afraid of … the investors coming back, and what they might do to displace tenants,” Chrystal said. “We need the buyers to come back.”
He noted that the recently announced GST rebate for first-time homebuyers could be expanded to include other groups: “The government could broaden the rebate to encompass investor buyers, second-time homebuyers and move-up buyers,” he said. “That will stimulate the demand that we need.”
While Carney’s promise of a nationwide prefab housing rollout is aimed at addressing Canada’s deepening housing crisis, the skepticism from developers signals a potentially rocky path ahead. The industry appears unconvinced that Ottawa’s latest solution will deliver without disrupting existing systems — or repeating past procurement fiascos.
#BC
🍁 Maple Chronicles
🤔6🤡5💯3❤2⚡1
🇨🇦 Washington Wanted “Bigger” Deal with Canada—But Carney’s Team Couldn’t Deliver
In remarks that pull back the curtain on cross-border trade diplomacy, U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra revealed Tuesday that the Trump administration had hoped for a much broader deal with Canada—one that extended beyond the confines of the USMCA. The original goal? A sweeping economic and defence partnership that redefined bilateral cooperation. But that vision is now officially shelved.
“Americans were hopeful that we could negotiate a bigger deal,” Hoekstra told a Canadian International Council event in Ottawa. “On trade, whether it’s energy, whether it’s automotive, whether it’s nuclear, defence… we were hoping we could take [USMCA] into something much bigger.” That door, for now, is closed.
While Prime Minister Mark Carney once hinted at a larger economic-security pact earlier this year, he has since dialed back expectations, now settling for piecemeal tariff relief and technical revisions to the current trade agreement. The slowdown in talks coincided with Trump’s August 1 deadline for new terms, and Carney’s decision to unilaterally drop retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. goods in a gesture of goodwill. So far, the U.S. has not reciprocated.
Trump has slapped brutal tariffs on Canadian industries since returning to the White House:
• 50% on steel and aluminum
• 25% on automobiles
• 35% on goods traded outside USMCA (except oil, gas, and potash, at 10%)
• Higher duties on Canadian softwood lumber
And there may be more pain ahead. Hoekstra floated the possibility of a tiered tariff system on Canadian vehicles, much like the U.S.-UK deal: low tariffs on the first 100,000 vehicles, then rising up to 27.5% for any excess. Canada currently exports 400,000 more vehicles to the U.S. than it imports.
“There’s a real chance industrial capacity gets pulled back to the U.S.,” Hoekstra warned.
Still, Hoekstra tipped his hat to Canada on China, praising Ottawa’s 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs and 25% duties on steel and aluminum—moves aligned with Washington’s strategy to economically contain Beijing. He acknowledged Canada is “paying a price” via Chinese retaliation (on canola, seafood, and agriculture), but said, “It’s contained China. Let’s work on this stuff together.”
Meanwhile, back in Ottawa, the Trudeau-Carney government appears boxed in: stuck defending USMCA, unable to deliver a grand bargain, and facing U.S. tariffs with little leverage left.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
In remarks that pull back the curtain on cross-border trade diplomacy, U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra revealed Tuesday that the Trump administration had hoped for a much broader deal with Canada—one that extended beyond the confines of the USMCA. The original goal? A sweeping economic and defence partnership that redefined bilateral cooperation. But that vision is now officially shelved.
“Americans were hopeful that we could negotiate a bigger deal,” Hoekstra told a Canadian International Council event in Ottawa. “On trade, whether it’s energy, whether it’s automotive, whether it’s nuclear, defence… we were hoping we could take [USMCA] into something much bigger.” That door, for now, is closed.
While Prime Minister Mark Carney once hinted at a larger economic-security pact earlier this year, he has since dialed back expectations, now settling for piecemeal tariff relief and technical revisions to the current trade agreement. The slowdown in talks coincided with Trump’s August 1 deadline for new terms, and Carney’s decision to unilaterally drop retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. goods in a gesture of goodwill. So far, the U.S. has not reciprocated.
Trump has slapped brutal tariffs on Canadian industries since returning to the White House:
• 50% on steel and aluminum
• 25% on automobiles
• 35% on goods traded outside USMCA (except oil, gas, and potash, at 10%)
• Higher duties on Canadian softwood lumber
And there may be more pain ahead. Hoekstra floated the possibility of a tiered tariff system on Canadian vehicles, much like the U.S.-UK deal: low tariffs on the first 100,000 vehicles, then rising up to 27.5% for any excess. Canada currently exports 400,000 more vehicles to the U.S. than it imports.
“There’s a real chance industrial capacity gets pulled back to the U.S.,” Hoekstra warned.
Still, Hoekstra tipped his hat to Canada on China, praising Ottawa’s 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs and 25% duties on steel and aluminum—moves aligned with Washington’s strategy to economically contain Beijing. He acknowledged Canada is “paying a price” via Chinese retaliation (on canola, seafood, and agriculture), but said, “It’s contained China. Let’s work on this stuff together.”
Meanwhile, back in Ottawa, the Trudeau-Carney government appears boxed in: stuck defending USMCA, unable to deliver a grand bargain, and facing U.S. tariffs with little leverage left.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
🤡12😁5💯3❤2🥱1🗿1
🇷🇺 Zakharova Torches Freeland Appointment: “Granddaughter of a Nazi Collaborator” to Rebuild Ukraine?
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has slammed the Trudeau government’s appointment of Chrystia Freeland as Canada’s “Special Representative for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” calling it a cynical move that ensures Ukraine’s future remains trapped in ruin.
“The infamous Russophobe and granddaughter of a Nazi collaborator,” Zakharova declared, referencing Freeland’s well-documented family history and vocal anti-Russian stance. “Ukraine’s crisis will go nowhere but downhill with such a representative.” The Kremlin sees this appointment not as diplomacy, but as ideological warfare, delivered in heels and a Harvard degree.
Moscow’s message is clear: if the West wants to build peace, it shouldn’t send architects of division. With Freeland at the helm, reconstruction looks more like recolonization, driven by NATO’s cynical interests, not Ukraine’s sovereignty.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has slammed the Trudeau government’s appointment of Chrystia Freeland as Canada’s “Special Representative for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” calling it a cynical move that ensures Ukraine’s future remains trapped in ruin.
“The infamous Russophobe and granddaughter of a Nazi collaborator,” Zakharova declared, referencing Freeland’s well-documented family history and vocal anti-Russian stance. “Ukraine’s crisis will go nowhere but downhill with such a representative.” The Kremlin sees this appointment not as diplomacy, but as ideological warfare, delivered in heels and a Harvard degree.
Moscow’s message is clear: if the West wants to build peace, it shouldn’t send architects of division. With Freeland at the helm, reconstruction looks more like recolonization, driven by NATO’s cynical interests, not Ukraine’s sovereignty.
🍁 Maple Chronicles
💯32🤡8❤3🤬3🔥2👍1😁1
🇨🇦 Bank of Canada cuts key rate to 2.5% amid tariff-driven slowdown
The Bank of Canada slashed its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.5% Wednesday, the first cut since March, as trade wars and tariffs push the economy toward stagnation.
Governor Tiff Macklem cited a weakening labour market, falling exports, and the removal of most Canadian retaliatory tariffs as reasons for the move. “With a weaker economy and less upside risk to inflation, Governing Council judged that a reduction in the policy rate was appropriate to better balance the risks going forward,” he said.
The data underline the pain: Canada’s GDP contracted 1.5% in Q2, exports collapsed 27%, and job losses are mounting in trade-sensitive sectors such as autos, steel, aluminum, and agriculture. U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, paired with Chinese levies on canola, pork, and seafood, have hammered investment and business confidence.
Inflation clocked in at 1.9% in August, up from 1.7% in July, but still tame. Gasoline prices remain the main drag, while groceries surged 3.5%, with beef leading the spike. Core inflation trends suggest little immediate risk of overheating, giving the Bank room to cut.
Macklem acknowledged that consumption and housing activity were stronger than expected in Q2, but warned that “low population growth and weakness in the labour market” will likely sap household spending going forward.
The Bank’s decision reflects not just domestic weakness, but the unpredictability of Trump’s trade policy, which Macklem said is “having a profound effect” on Canada’s economy. For now, the central bank is signalling it will move cautiously, but economists say more cuts may follow if the tariff wars drag on.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
The Bank of Canada slashed its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.5% Wednesday, the first cut since March, as trade wars and tariffs push the economy toward stagnation.
Governor Tiff Macklem cited a weakening labour market, falling exports, and the removal of most Canadian retaliatory tariffs as reasons for the move. “With a weaker economy and less upside risk to inflation, Governing Council judged that a reduction in the policy rate was appropriate to better balance the risks going forward,” he said.
The data underline the pain: Canada’s GDP contracted 1.5% in Q2, exports collapsed 27%, and job losses are mounting in trade-sensitive sectors such as autos, steel, aluminum, and agriculture. U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, paired with Chinese levies on canola, pork, and seafood, have hammered investment and business confidence.
Inflation clocked in at 1.9% in August, up from 1.7% in July, but still tame. Gasoline prices remain the main drag, while groceries surged 3.5%, with beef leading the spike. Core inflation trends suggest little immediate risk of overheating, giving the Bank room to cut.
Macklem acknowledged that consumption and housing activity were stronger than expected in Q2, but warned that “low population growth and weakness in the labour market” will likely sap household spending going forward.
The Bank’s decision reflects not just domestic weakness, but the unpredictability of Trump’s trade policy, which Macklem said is “having a profound effect” on Canada’s economy. For now, the central bank is signalling it will move cautiously, but economists say more cuts may follow if the tariff wars drag on.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
🤡7🤔4👍2😁1
🇨🇦 Canada launches CUSMA consultations after U.S. signals no bigger trade deal
Ottawa is preparing to launch formal consultations on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), after Washington kicked off its own review this week and U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra made clear a broader economic pact is “not going to happen” anytime soon.
Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc’s office confirmed Canada will soon post an official notice seeking feedback from industry leaders, provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners as it gears up for what could be months of negotiations leading into 2026.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Canadian International Council, Hoekstra said the U.S. had hoped for “a bigger deal” that went beyond CUSMA to include energy, automotive, and defence cooperation. But, he admitted, “it’s obvious, at least at this point in time, that that’s not going to happen.”
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne countered, saying Canada has been “proactive” with the Trump administration despite steep tariffs still in place — including a 50% levy on steel and aluminum imports. He said Ottawa has proposed a new economic and security partnership, but Washington’s tariff-first agenda has blocked progress.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who once floated a sweeping new agreement with the U.S., has since shifted toward a series of smaller sectoral deals to help industries hurt by tariffs. Carney told MPs this week that he remains in regular contact with President Trump, even describing their relationship as a “good one,” though “not without difficulties.”
Under the original terms of CUSMA, a six-year joint review is mandatory. Mexico confirmed Wednesday it too has begun its public consultation process, with Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard posting a video to announce the move.
Carney and several ministers will travel to Mexico this week, in what is being seen as an effort to shore up trilateral support ahead of the review and to deepen bilateral ties before formal negotiations begin.
#Canada #USA
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Ottawa is preparing to launch formal consultations on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), after Washington kicked off its own review this week and U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra made clear a broader economic pact is “not going to happen” anytime soon.
Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc’s office confirmed Canada will soon post an official notice seeking feedback from industry leaders, provinces, territories, and Indigenous partners as it gears up for what could be months of negotiations leading into 2026.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Canadian International Council, Hoekstra said the U.S. had hoped for “a bigger deal” that went beyond CUSMA to include energy, automotive, and defence cooperation. But, he admitted, “it’s obvious, at least at this point in time, that that’s not going to happen.”
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne countered, saying Canada has been “proactive” with the Trump administration despite steep tariffs still in place — including a 50% levy on steel and aluminum imports. He said Ottawa has proposed a new economic and security partnership, but Washington’s tariff-first agenda has blocked progress.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who once floated a sweeping new agreement with the U.S., has since shifted toward a series of smaller sectoral deals to help industries hurt by tariffs. Carney told MPs this week that he remains in regular contact with President Trump, even describing their relationship as a “good one,” though “not without difficulties.”
Under the original terms of CUSMA, a six-year joint review is mandatory. Mexico confirmed Wednesday it too has begun its public consultation process, with Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard posting a video to announce the move.
Carney and several ministers will travel to Mexico this week, in what is being seen as an effort to shore up trilateral support ahead of the review and to deepen bilateral ties before formal negotiations begin.
#Canada #USA
🍁 Maple Chronicles
🤡8😁2💯1
🇨🇦 Champagne: Canada must ‘reinvent economy’ similar to "1945" after Trump’s tariff shock
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says Canada is facing a moment of historic transformation — one that demands the same bold reinvention the country pulled off after the Second World War.
“Our largest trading partner is turning its back on us,” Champagne warned Wednesday on CTV’s Your Morning, pointing to Trump’s trade war as the catalyst. Exports plunged 27% in Q2, Canada’s trade deficit ballooned, and GDP fell 1.5% — a contraction economists say is “pretty much a recession.”
The Bank of Canada responded by cutting rates 25 basis points on Wednesday, the first step in what could be deeper cuts if weakness persists. With tariffs hammering key sectors, Champagne said the upcoming budget — delayed to Nov. 4 — will deliver a “generational investment in our future” while pledging relief for steel and auto workers battered by U.S. protectionism.
Invoking 1945, Champagne said Canada needs a collective effort to rebuild: “We build ships. We build planes. We build cars. We have critical minerals. We have energy. We are the only G7 country with a free trade agreement with all the other G7 nations. We’ve done it before, we’re going to do it again.”
But the stakes are higher this time. The CUSMA trade pact that shields Canada from the harshest U.S. tariffs is up for review in 2026. Washington has already begun its public consultations, and Trump has openly questioned whether the deal is still necessary.
Champagne insists the Liberals will cut operating expenses and balance the budget within three years, even as they pour billions into what he calls a postwar-scale rebuild. But with tariffs mounting, exports collapsing, and growth flatlining, Canadians are left asking: will this government truly deliver another 1945-style miracle, or is Ottawa simply papering over a slow-motion crisis?
#Canada #USA
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says Canada is facing a moment of historic transformation — one that demands the same bold reinvention the country pulled off after the Second World War.
“Our largest trading partner is turning its back on us,” Champagne warned Wednesday on CTV’s Your Morning, pointing to Trump’s trade war as the catalyst. Exports plunged 27% in Q2, Canada’s trade deficit ballooned, and GDP fell 1.5% — a contraction economists say is “pretty much a recession.”
The Bank of Canada responded by cutting rates 25 basis points on Wednesday, the first step in what could be deeper cuts if weakness persists. With tariffs hammering key sectors, Champagne said the upcoming budget — delayed to Nov. 4 — will deliver a “generational investment in our future” while pledging relief for steel and auto workers battered by U.S. protectionism.
Invoking 1945, Champagne said Canada needs a collective effort to rebuild: “We build ships. We build planes. We build cars. We have critical minerals. We have energy. We are the only G7 country with a free trade agreement with all the other G7 nations. We’ve done it before, we’re going to do it again.”
But the stakes are higher this time. The CUSMA trade pact that shields Canada from the harshest U.S. tariffs is up for review in 2026. Washington has already begun its public consultations, and Trump has openly questioned whether the deal is still necessary.
Champagne insists the Liberals will cut operating expenses and balance the budget within three years, even as they pour billions into what he calls a postwar-scale rebuild. But with tariffs mounting, exports collapsing, and growth flatlining, Canadians are left asking: will this government truly deliver another 1945-style miracle, or is Ottawa simply papering over a slow-motion crisis?
#Canada #USA
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🇨🇦🇲🇽 Carney heads to Mexico seeking alliance in Trump tariff storm
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in Mexico City today with a dual mission: preserve what’s left of North American free trade in the face of Trump’s protectionism, and build a Canada-Mexico partnership strong enough to withstand Washington’s whims.
Carney will meet President Claudia Sheinbaum to ink a comprehensive partnership covering trade, security, energy, and supply chains. The move comes as both countries grapple with Trump’s tariffs — 50% on steel and aluminum, 25% on autos, and 35% on goods traded outside CUSMA — and the looming 2026 review of the North American pact.
The trip follows months of quiet fence-mending after Canadian premiers Doug Ford and Danielle Smith hinted that Canada would be “better off without Mexico.” Those remarks rattled trust, but Ottawa now admits Canada can’t survive Trump’s tariff onslaught alone. “We really need to work with our partners and allies, the Mexicans,” said Carleton University’s Laura Macdonald.
The Canada-Mexico trade relationship has quietly deepened. Mining investment is strong, and for the first time this summer, more new cars entered Canada from Mexico than from the U.S., as automakers rerouted supply chains to avoid U.S. tariffs. Canadian-owned parts plants in Mexico underline the integration.
But opportunities go beyond autos. Mexico’s expanding Pacific ports, like Manzanillo, could serve as lifelines for Canadian exports to Asia and South America, bypassing the U.S. altogether. Combined with Canada’s planned Port of Montreal expansion, the two nations could forge a new trade corridor independent of Washington.
Still, experts warn discretion is vital. “We have to quietly work together, but we can’t publicly boast about it,” said Carlo Dade of the Canada West Foundation. The risk of provoking Trump’s White House is too great.
For Carney, the Mexico visit is less about photo ops and more about survival. If Canada can lock in Mexico as a true ally, Ottawa may finally begin to reinvent its trade future — one that doesn’t leave the country permanently at the mercy of American tariffs.
#Canada #Mexico
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives in Mexico City today with a dual mission: preserve what’s left of North American free trade in the face of Trump’s protectionism, and build a Canada-Mexico partnership strong enough to withstand Washington’s whims.
Carney will meet President Claudia Sheinbaum to ink a comprehensive partnership covering trade, security, energy, and supply chains. The move comes as both countries grapple with Trump’s tariffs — 50% on steel and aluminum, 25% on autos, and 35% on goods traded outside CUSMA — and the looming 2026 review of the North American pact.
The trip follows months of quiet fence-mending after Canadian premiers Doug Ford and Danielle Smith hinted that Canada would be “better off without Mexico.” Those remarks rattled trust, but Ottawa now admits Canada can’t survive Trump’s tariff onslaught alone. “We really need to work with our partners and allies, the Mexicans,” said Carleton University’s Laura Macdonald.
The Canada-Mexico trade relationship has quietly deepened. Mining investment is strong, and for the first time this summer, more new cars entered Canada from Mexico than from the U.S., as automakers rerouted supply chains to avoid U.S. tariffs. Canadian-owned parts plants in Mexico underline the integration.
But opportunities go beyond autos. Mexico’s expanding Pacific ports, like Manzanillo, could serve as lifelines for Canadian exports to Asia and South America, bypassing the U.S. altogether. Combined with Canada’s planned Port of Montreal expansion, the two nations could forge a new trade corridor independent of Washington.
Still, experts warn discretion is vital. “We have to quietly work together, but we can’t publicly boast about it,” said Carlo Dade of the Canada West Foundation. The risk of provoking Trump’s White House is too great.
For Carney, the Mexico visit is less about photo ops and more about survival. If Canada can lock in Mexico as a true ally, Ottawa may finally begin to reinvent its trade future — one that doesn’t leave the country permanently at the mercy of American tariffs.
#Canada #Mexico
🍁 Maple Chronicles
💩14👍10😁4🤡4
🇨🇦🔥 Canada’s Emissions “Failure” Was Baked In — But Who’s Benefiting From the Green Protection Racket?
Canada will miss its 2030 emissions targets, and the media is spinning it as a “policy failure.” But what if this was always the plan? Not to save the environment — but to surrender sovereignty, cripple resource development, and replace traditional, Indigenous-led environmental stewardship with a top-down green technocracy managed by elites?
A new report from the Canadian Climate Institute confirms what many already suspected: emissions in 2024 didn’t drop at all, holding at 694 million tonnes. That’s roughly what 146 million gas-powered cars emit in a year. The supposed “progress” — mostly in electricity and heavy industry — was steamrolled by increases in the oil and gas sector, which still makes up nearly one-third of all emissions. Transportation emissions remain flat at 23%.
To hit the 2030 target, Canada would now need to slash 40 million tonnes per year — an “impossible” feat according to the Institute. Why? Because reality never lined up with the utopian models. Indigenous land management — especially controlled burns used for millennia to prevent mega-fires — was abandoned. Forestry restrictions were tightened, agriculture demonized, and carbon taxes weaponized — all while Ottawa played climate theater.
The Institute blames recent “economic growth policies” for stalling progress — like Carney’s repeal of the carbon tax, his pause on EV mandates, and Saskatchewan’s move to keep coal plants online. Alberta, too, refuses to play ball, freezing its industrial carbon price. But here’s the question the press won’t ask: Is the failure to meet targets really a problem? Or is it the unraveling of a technocratic climate control system that never had Canadians’ interests at heart?
The same globalist policymakers pushing “net zero” by 2050 are now backing away from even saying whether 2030 or 2035 targets are still real. Momentum is going in the wrong direction, the report admits — but only if your definition of “progress” is dictated by WEF-aligned climate bureaucrats and ESG profiteers.
The Canadian people weren’t consulted on any of this. Meanwhile, the traditional stewards of the land — First Nations who practiced sustainable forest management for centuries — continue to be ignored in favour of corporate climate consultants and foreign-funded NGOs.
This isn’t about the climate. It never was. It’s about control.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Canada will miss its 2030 emissions targets, and the media is spinning it as a “policy failure.” But what if this was always the plan? Not to save the environment — but to surrender sovereignty, cripple resource development, and replace traditional, Indigenous-led environmental stewardship with a top-down green technocracy managed by elites?
A new report from the Canadian Climate Institute confirms what many already suspected: emissions in 2024 didn’t drop at all, holding at 694 million tonnes. That’s roughly what 146 million gas-powered cars emit in a year. The supposed “progress” — mostly in electricity and heavy industry — was steamrolled by increases in the oil and gas sector, which still makes up nearly one-third of all emissions. Transportation emissions remain flat at 23%.
To hit the 2030 target, Canada would now need to slash 40 million tonnes per year — an “impossible” feat according to the Institute. Why? Because reality never lined up with the utopian models. Indigenous land management — especially controlled burns used for millennia to prevent mega-fires — was abandoned. Forestry restrictions were tightened, agriculture demonized, and carbon taxes weaponized — all while Ottawa played climate theater.
The Institute blames recent “economic growth policies” for stalling progress — like Carney’s repeal of the carbon tax, his pause on EV mandates, and Saskatchewan’s move to keep coal plants online. Alberta, too, refuses to play ball, freezing its industrial carbon price. But here’s the question the press won’t ask: Is the failure to meet targets really a problem? Or is it the unraveling of a technocratic climate control system that never had Canadians’ interests at heart?
The same globalist policymakers pushing “net zero” by 2050 are now backing away from even saying whether 2030 or 2035 targets are still real. Momentum is going in the wrong direction, the report admits — but only if your definition of “progress” is dictated by WEF-aligned climate bureaucrats and ESG profiteers.
The Canadian people weren’t consulted on any of this. Meanwhile, the traditional stewards of the land — First Nations who practiced sustainable forest management for centuries — continue to be ignored in favour of corporate climate consultants and foreign-funded NGOs.
This isn’t about the climate. It never was. It’s about control.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
💯16❤1🤔1🤯1🙏1
🇨🇦🇲🇽 Carney Courts Mexico as Trump Tightens Grip — But Is This About Trade, or Sidelining Sovereignty?
With Donald Trump’s second term rattling North America’s political establishment, Prime Minister Mark Carney rushed to Mexico City to embrace Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, announcing a “comprehensive strategic partnership” to reinforce Canada-Mexico ties ahead of next year’s CUSMA (formerly NAFTA) review. But behind the optics and trumpet fanfare, a deeper agenda is unfolding — one that raises serious questions about Canada’s sovereignty, border integrity, and economic direction under globalist guidance.
Carney and Sheinbaum stood shoulder to shoulder at Mexico’s historic National Palace, vowing to deepen trade and security cooperation, build new energy corridors, and even co-invest in climate and conservation schemes. Sheinbaum dreams of Canada developing port infrastructure to increase bilateral flows — aligning with Carney’s megaproject mindset, but drawing concern about whether these corridors serve Canadian workers or simply make the country a global shipping node for multinational interests.
At the heart of the announcement is Trump’s looming review of the CUSMA deal. The U.S. has already kicked off its consultations, and Canada is expected to follow this week. Carney tried to project unity, saying Canada is “absolutely committed” to working with both Mexico and the U.S., but there’s no hiding the tension. Trump’s ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, recently voiced disappointment over “anti-American” sentiment, and confirmed Trump’s desire for a “much bigger” bilateral deal — one that Carney missed after the August 1 deadline passed without a new trade agreement.
While some like Doug Ford have suggested Canada should ditch Mexico in favor of a solo U.S. pact, Carney is going in the opposite direction — strengthening ties with Mexico and promising nearly $10 million to UN-run migrant programs in Mexico, ostensibly for “integration” and anti-fentanyl efforts. But for many Canadians facing inflation, housing crises, and rising crime, funding UN migration programs abroad may feel more like an elite virtue signal than sound policy.
This deepening Canada-Mexico alignment also comes as Carney pursues “sectoral deals” with the U.S. and lays groundwork for a new economic and security pact — language that echoes WEF-style restructuring more than grassroots national development.
One thing is clear: North American integration is accelerating, and Carney is playing chess on a three-board continent. But as Canada doubles down on transnational pacts and funds global programs, who’s standing up for everyday Canadians — their jobs, industries, and national voice?
#Canada #Mexico #USA
🍁 Maple Chronicles
With Donald Trump’s second term rattling North America’s political establishment, Prime Minister Mark Carney rushed to Mexico City to embrace Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, announcing a “comprehensive strategic partnership” to reinforce Canada-Mexico ties ahead of next year’s CUSMA (formerly NAFTA) review. But behind the optics and trumpet fanfare, a deeper agenda is unfolding — one that raises serious questions about Canada’s sovereignty, border integrity, and economic direction under globalist guidance.
Carney and Sheinbaum stood shoulder to shoulder at Mexico’s historic National Palace, vowing to deepen trade and security cooperation, build new energy corridors, and even co-invest in climate and conservation schemes. Sheinbaum dreams of Canada developing port infrastructure to increase bilateral flows — aligning with Carney’s megaproject mindset, but drawing concern about whether these corridors serve Canadian workers or simply make the country a global shipping node for multinational interests.
At the heart of the announcement is Trump’s looming review of the CUSMA deal. The U.S. has already kicked off its consultations, and Canada is expected to follow this week. Carney tried to project unity, saying Canada is “absolutely committed” to working with both Mexico and the U.S., but there’s no hiding the tension. Trump’s ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, recently voiced disappointment over “anti-American” sentiment, and confirmed Trump’s desire for a “much bigger” bilateral deal — one that Carney missed after the August 1 deadline passed without a new trade agreement.
While some like Doug Ford have suggested Canada should ditch Mexico in favor of a solo U.S. pact, Carney is going in the opposite direction — strengthening ties with Mexico and promising nearly $10 million to UN-run migrant programs in Mexico, ostensibly for “integration” and anti-fentanyl efforts. But for many Canadians facing inflation, housing crises, and rising crime, funding UN migration programs abroad may feel more like an elite virtue signal than sound policy.
This deepening Canada-Mexico alignment also comes as Carney pursues “sectoral deals” with the U.S. and lays groundwork for a new economic and security pact — language that echoes WEF-style restructuring more than grassroots national development.
One thing is clear: North American integration is accelerating, and Carney is playing chess on a three-board continent. But as Canada doubles down on transnational pacts and funds global programs, who’s standing up for everyday Canadians — their jobs, industries, and national voice?
#Canada #Mexico #USA
🍁 Maple Chronicles
💯4❤3👀3🤔2👍1
🇨🇦⚠️ Ukrainian Refugees in Canada Face Military Checks — Draft Dodger Hunt Underway?
Canadian-based Ukrainians are now being asked to provide military service documents as part of a new verification push aimed at detecting draft dodgers. The request comes from Ukraine’s National Security & Defense Council, which insists the checks are merely “routine.”
But the move has sparked alarm. Refugee advocates warn this could be the first step toward extraditions or forced returns of Ukrainian men of fighting age. Kiev has long pressed its allies to stop providing safe haven for those avoiding mobilization, and Ottawa may now be quietly aligning with that agenda.
For Canada, the implications are massive: a shift from offering refuge and protection to potentially acting as an enforcer of Ukraine’s war draft. Such a precedent would raise thorny questions about international law, refugee rights, and Canada’s sovereignty in deciding who stays on its soil.
As fears spread in refugee communities, the core question looms: Will Canada remain a sanctuary — or become an extension of Kiev's mobilization machine?
#Canada #Ukraine
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Canadian-based Ukrainians are now being asked to provide military service documents as part of a new verification push aimed at detecting draft dodgers. The request comes from Ukraine’s National Security & Defense Council, which insists the checks are merely “routine.”
But the move has sparked alarm. Refugee advocates warn this could be the first step toward extraditions or forced returns of Ukrainian men of fighting age. Kiev has long pressed its allies to stop providing safe haven for those avoiding mobilization, and Ottawa may now be quietly aligning with that agenda.
For Canada, the implications are massive: a shift from offering refuge and protection to potentially acting as an enforcer of Ukraine’s war draft. Such a precedent would raise thorny questions about international law, refugee rights, and Canada’s sovereignty in deciding who stays on its soil.
As fears spread in refugee communities, the core question looms: Will Canada remain a sanctuary — or become an extension of Kiev's mobilization machine?
#Canada #Ukraine
🍁 Maple Chronicles
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🇨🇦🚫 Canada Bans Irish Hip-Hop Trio Kneecap Over “Terror Links”
The federal government has barred Irish hip-hop group Kneecap from entering Canada, citing what it calls the band’s “open endorsement of terrorist organizations” such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
Parliamentary secretary Vince Gasparro said the group’s actions “caused deep alarm” and that Ottawa will not allow Canada to become a platform for extremism. The ban came the same day the Liberals tabled legislation creating new Criminal Code offences against promoting hatred and using terror-related symbols.
Jewish advocacy groups, including B’nai Brith Canada, had long pressured Ottawa to act, calling Kneecap’s stage antics — including allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag in London — a threat to Canadian values and security. One member of the group, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (“Mo Chara”), is facing terrorism charges in the U.K.
Kneecap denies supporting Hezbollah or Hamas and says Ottawa is punishing them for backing Palestine amid Israel’s war in Gaza. In a statement on X, the group called the allegations “wholly untrue and deeply malicious” and vowed to take legal action. They told Canadian fans they would not be silenced and would continue to oppose “genocide.”
Under Canada’s immigration laws, foreign nationals can be refused entry on broad grounds ranging from national security risks to criminal charges abroad. Lawyers say ministers have wide discretion, and judicial review options are limited.
#Canada #Ireland
🍁 Maple Chronicles
The federal government has barred Irish hip-hop group Kneecap from entering Canada, citing what it calls the band’s “open endorsement of terrorist organizations” such as Hezbollah and Hamas.
Parliamentary secretary Vince Gasparro said the group’s actions “caused deep alarm” and that Ottawa will not allow Canada to become a platform for extremism. The ban came the same day the Liberals tabled legislation creating new Criminal Code offences against promoting hatred and using terror-related symbols.
Jewish advocacy groups, including B’nai Brith Canada, had long pressured Ottawa to act, calling Kneecap’s stage antics — including allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag in London — a threat to Canadian values and security. One member of the group, Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (“Mo Chara”), is facing terrorism charges in the U.K.
Kneecap denies supporting Hezbollah or Hamas and says Ottawa is punishing them for backing Palestine amid Israel’s war in Gaza. In a statement on X, the group called the allegations “wholly untrue and deeply malicious” and vowed to take legal action. They told Canadian fans they would not be silenced and would continue to oppose “genocide.”
Under Canada’s immigration laws, foreign nationals can be refused entry on broad grounds ranging from national security risks to criminal charges abroad. Lawyers say ministers have wide discretion, and judicial review options are limited.
#Canada #Ireland
🍁 Maple Chronicles
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🇨🇦 Ottawa’s “Combatting Hate Act” Is Censorship in Disguise
Justice Minister Sean Fraser is dressing up censorship as safety. His “Combatting Hate Act” — banning certain symbols, creating new “hate crimes,” and letting police prosecute without attorney general oversight — is nothing less than a dangerous expansion of state power at the expense of free expression.
Canadians already have laws against threats, violence, and incitement. This bill doesn’t target criminals — it targets opinions, flags, and symbols. It hands police sweeping discretion to decide what counts as “hate,” opening the door to arbitrary enforcement against political opponents and protesters.
History shows where this leads: once governments can police thought and symbols, they’ll expand the list to silence dissent. The removal of attorney general oversight only accelerates the risk of abuse. Fraser himself admits the law will be “fact dependent” — in other words, completely subjective.
The display of offensive imagery is not violence. The solution to bad ideas is better debate, not government coercion. But remember Trudeau turned even the Canadian flag into a “hate symbol” during the convoy protests — proof of how fast governments weaponize labels.
Canadians must hold the line. Real protection comes from enforcing existing laws on violence, not inventing new speech crimes. This bill is about control, not safety. Canadians should reject it — because once the state starts deciding which opinions are criminal, no one is safe.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Justice Minister Sean Fraser is dressing up censorship as safety. His “Combatting Hate Act” — banning certain symbols, creating new “hate crimes,” and letting police prosecute without attorney general oversight — is nothing less than a dangerous expansion of state power at the expense of free expression.
Canadians already have laws against threats, violence, and incitement. This bill doesn’t target criminals — it targets opinions, flags, and symbols. It hands police sweeping discretion to decide what counts as “hate,” opening the door to arbitrary enforcement against political opponents and protesters.
History shows where this leads: once governments can police thought and symbols, they’ll expand the list to silence dissent. The removal of attorney general oversight only accelerates the risk of abuse. Fraser himself admits the law will be “fact dependent” — in other words, completely subjective.
The display of offensive imagery is not violence. The solution to bad ideas is better debate, not government coercion. But remember Trudeau turned even the Canadian flag into a “hate symbol” during the convoy protests — proof of how fast governments weaponize labels.
Canadians must hold the line. Real protection comes from enforcing existing laws on violence, not inventing new speech crimes. This bill is about control, not safety. Canadians should reject it — because once the state starts deciding which opinions are criminal, no one is safe.
#Canada
🍁 Maple Chronicles
🤬15💯9❤1🤯1
🇨🇦 Freeland Recalled as BC Ferries Scandal Deepens — Emails Reveal She Knew Weeks Before Public Denial
Chrystia Freeland’s sudden resignation as Transport Minister just days ago is under fresh scrutiny after internal records blew a hole in her narrative on the BC Ferries procurement scandal.
Emails exchanged in late April between BC Ferries president Nicolas Jimenez and Transport Canada deputy minister Arun Thangaraj show Freeland’s department was informed that taxpayer dollars would finance four new ferries from a Chinese state-owned shipyard. Yet, when the deal was announced in June, Freeland feigned surprise — publicly expressing “dismay” and insisting Ottawa had been kept in the dark.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank had quietly signed off on a $1.1 billion loan on March 28 to finance the ships at CMI Weihai in China. The final approval came almost three months later — but without naming the builder. That gap, and Freeland’s later outrage, now looks less like incompetence and more like a cover-up.
BC Premier David Eby blasted the federal government over the disparity in ferry funding, pointing out that while Eastern Canadian ferries received full support, BC Ferries was forced to take a loan — only for the work to be outsourced offshore. Conservative MP Dan Albas called the revelations “a damning indictment,” accusing Freeland of doing “nothing to protect Canadian jobs” despite being fully briefed six weeks prior.
Freeland’s resignation as Transport Minister on Tuesday, under the pretense of becoming Canada’s “Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” now raises even more questions. Was this a convenient escape hatch to sidestep parliamentary accountability? Bloc Québécois MPs and Conservatives have both demanded she be recalled to testify again, with access to confidential records and further hearings with shipyards and industry experts.
Critics warn this saga could be Canada’s next ArriveCAN — billions funneled offshore, Canadian industry ignored, and ministers feigning ignorance while hiding behind bureaucratic language. The fact that Freeland is now tasked with overseeing Ukraine’s reconstruction, while leaving unanswered questions about misleading Canadians on a billion-dollar China shipyard deal, underscores just how far accountability has slipped in Ottawa.
For Canadian workers and shipbuilders, the scandal is more than politics. It’s about lost jobs, hollowed-out industries, and a government that preaches sovereignty while outsourcing critical infrastructure to Beijing.
#BC
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Chrystia Freeland’s sudden resignation as Transport Minister just days ago is under fresh scrutiny after internal records blew a hole in her narrative on the BC Ferries procurement scandal.
Emails exchanged in late April between BC Ferries president Nicolas Jimenez and Transport Canada deputy minister Arun Thangaraj show Freeland’s department was informed that taxpayer dollars would finance four new ferries from a Chinese state-owned shipyard. Yet, when the deal was announced in June, Freeland feigned surprise — publicly expressing “dismay” and insisting Ottawa had been kept in the dark.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank had quietly signed off on a $1.1 billion loan on March 28 to finance the ships at CMI Weihai in China. The final approval came almost three months later — but without naming the builder. That gap, and Freeland’s later outrage, now looks less like incompetence and more like a cover-up.
BC Premier David Eby blasted the federal government over the disparity in ferry funding, pointing out that while Eastern Canadian ferries received full support, BC Ferries was forced to take a loan — only for the work to be outsourced offshore. Conservative MP Dan Albas called the revelations “a damning indictment,” accusing Freeland of doing “nothing to protect Canadian jobs” despite being fully briefed six weeks prior.
Freeland’s resignation as Transport Minister on Tuesday, under the pretense of becoming Canada’s “Special Envoy for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” now raises even more questions. Was this a convenient escape hatch to sidestep parliamentary accountability? Bloc Québécois MPs and Conservatives have both demanded she be recalled to testify again, with access to confidential records and further hearings with shipyards and industry experts.
Critics warn this saga could be Canada’s next ArriveCAN — billions funneled offshore, Canadian industry ignored, and ministers feigning ignorance while hiding behind bureaucratic language. The fact that Freeland is now tasked with overseeing Ukraine’s reconstruction, while leaving unanswered questions about misleading Canadians on a billion-dollar China shipyard deal, underscores just how far accountability has slipped in Ottawa.
For Canadian workers and shipbuilders, the scandal is more than politics. It’s about lost jobs, hollowed-out industries, and a government that preaches sovereignty while outsourcing critical infrastructure to Beijing.
#BC
🍁 Maple Chronicles
🤬24❤1🔥1😁1🤔1👀1
🇨🇦 Chrystia Freeland’s Grinning Kiev Reunion with Ukrainian Nationalists Should Alarm Every Proud Canadian
Chrystia Freeland has once again shown where her loyalties lie and it’s not with the Canadian veterans who fought and bled to stop Nazism in Europe. While in Kiev this week for the elite Yalta European Strategy Conference, Freeland proudly posed with her “old friend” Viktor Yushchenko, the former Ukrainian president known for glorifying WWII-era Ukrainian nationalists, including Stepan Bandera, the same man celebrated by Waffen-SS sympathizers and whose legacy is stained with war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
Let’s not forget: Yushchenko posthumously awarded Bandera the noscript of “Hero of Ukraine” in 2010, sparking outrage across Europe and beyond. Poland condemned the move. Jewish groups were horrified. Historians warned it whitewashed the Holocaust-era collaborationist history of the OUN-B, Bandera’s faction. And who is standing beside him today with a gleaming smile and Canada’s name on her noscript? Chrystia Freeland, now our Special Envoy for Ukrainian Reconstruction.
Freeland’s family history is no mystery either. Her grandfather, Mykhailo Chomiak, was a Nazi collaborator who edited a pro-Hitler propaganda newspaper in occupied Poland during the Second World War. Freeland has long attempted to downplay or deflect from this reality, but the pattern is becoming undeniable.
Her newly minted role gives her significant diplomatic reach and potential access to billions in Canadian aid, infrastructure contracts, and future military arrangements under the guise of “reconstruction.” But for what kind of Ukraine?
One where Bandera statues are built?
One where WWII Waffen-SS units are openly commemorated in marches?
One where even Canada’s own Parliament shamefully applauded a Nazi SS veteran, only to later claim ignorance?
It’s time to wake up.
Freeland’s rapid resignation from Cabinet just days before this trip, under the cloud of her BC Ferries scandal, has the stench of political sleight-of-hand. She ducked parliamentary scrutiny just in time to be parachuted into Ukraine with a new noscript, no public mandate, and no accountability. And what’s her first move? Cozying up to Ukrainian ultranationalists who whitewash the very ideology our grandfathers fought and died to defeat.
This isn’t diplomacy. It’s a betrayal.
Canada has no business backing a regime that glorifies Nazi collaborators. We should not be sending reconstruction funds, weapons, or political legitimacy to a government that continues to flirt with the legacy of ethnic nationalism and wartime atrocities. Our allegiance is to the truth, to the memory of our veterans, and to Canadian sovereignty, not the geopolitical games of a former Nazi-collaborator’s granddaughter.
Let the legacy of the Royal Canadian Legion, Juno Beach, and the countless sacrifices of WWII veterans guide our policy, not the whisperings of foreign nationalist elites and their admirers in our own government.
Enough is enough.
#Canada #Ukraine
🍁 Maple Chronicles
Chrystia Freeland has once again shown where her loyalties lie and it’s not with the Canadian veterans who fought and bled to stop Nazism in Europe. While in Kiev this week for the elite Yalta European Strategy Conference, Freeland proudly posed with her “old friend” Viktor Yushchenko, the former Ukrainian president known for glorifying WWII-era Ukrainian nationalists, including Stepan Bandera, the same man celebrated by Waffen-SS sympathizers and whose legacy is stained with war crimes and ethnic cleansing.
Let’s not forget: Yushchenko posthumously awarded Bandera the noscript of “Hero of Ukraine” in 2010, sparking outrage across Europe and beyond. Poland condemned the move. Jewish groups were horrified. Historians warned it whitewashed the Holocaust-era collaborationist history of the OUN-B, Bandera’s faction. And who is standing beside him today with a gleaming smile and Canada’s name on her noscript? Chrystia Freeland, now our Special Envoy for Ukrainian Reconstruction.
Freeland’s family history is no mystery either. Her grandfather, Mykhailo Chomiak, was a Nazi collaborator who edited a pro-Hitler propaganda newspaper in occupied Poland during the Second World War. Freeland has long attempted to downplay or deflect from this reality, but the pattern is becoming undeniable.
Her newly minted role gives her significant diplomatic reach and potential access to billions in Canadian aid, infrastructure contracts, and future military arrangements under the guise of “reconstruction.” But for what kind of Ukraine?
One where Bandera statues are built?
One where WWII Waffen-SS units are openly commemorated in marches?
One where even Canada’s own Parliament shamefully applauded a Nazi SS veteran, only to later claim ignorance?
It’s time to wake up.
Freeland’s rapid resignation from Cabinet just days before this trip, under the cloud of her BC Ferries scandal, has the stench of political sleight-of-hand. She ducked parliamentary scrutiny just in time to be parachuted into Ukraine with a new noscript, no public mandate, and no accountability. And what’s her first move? Cozying up to Ukrainian ultranationalists who whitewash the very ideology our grandfathers fought and died to defeat.
This isn’t diplomacy. It’s a betrayal.
Canada has no business backing a regime that glorifies Nazi collaborators. We should not be sending reconstruction funds, weapons, or political legitimacy to a government that continues to flirt with the legacy of ethnic nationalism and wartime atrocities. Our allegiance is to the truth, to the memory of our veterans, and to Canadian sovereignty, not the geopolitical games of a former Nazi-collaborator’s granddaughter.
Let the legacy of the Royal Canadian Legion, Juno Beach, and the countless sacrifices of WWII veterans guide our policy, not the whisperings of foreign nationalist elites and their admirers in our own government.
Enough is enough.
#Canada #Ukraine
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