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🏗️🇨🇦 Housing Starts Jump 14% — But the Boom Masks a Deeper Strain

Canada’s new home construction surged 14% in September, according to fresh data from CMHC, with 279,234 new units breaking ground nationwide — far above economists’ forecasts.

The rebound was led by Ontario, Quebec, and the Prairies, driven mainly by rental apartment construction. Toronto and Montreal alone accounted for over a quarter of all new builds. BMO’s Robert Kavcic called it “resilience despite tough resale conditions.”

But beneath the upbeat numbers lies a delayed echo of past optimism. As CMHC’s Tania Bourassa-Ochoa noted, most of these projects were greenlit months or years ago, “when investor confidence was higher than it is today.”

In reality, Ontario’s housing starts have hit their lowest 12-month average in a decade, even as rental builds now outpace ownership and condo projects combined — a sign that Canada’s housing engine is being kept alive by developers chasing rent revenue, not homeownership dreams.

So while the cranes are still moving, the question remains: are we witnessing a genuine housing recovery — or just the final gasp of momentum from a market running on borrowed time?

#Canada

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🇨🇦 India-designated terrorist group “Sikhs for Justice” threatens Indian mission in Ottawa as tensions deepen

The group “Sikhs for Justice” (SFJ) — which India designates as a terrorist organization — has announced plans for a 12-hour picket outside the residence of Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik in Ottawa on October 18, followed by a rally at the Indian Consulate in Vancouver.

New Delhi has long accused SFJ of promoting a violent separatist agenda and of receiving backing from Pakistan’s intelligence services. The group, for its part, continues to frame its actions as part of a so-called “referendum” campaign for an independent Khalistan.

India’s government has condemned the latest move as a provocation and an attack on diplomatic norms, warning that Ottawa’s inaction risks emboldening extremists. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration, however, has so far avoided direct intervention — maintaining that Canada’s laws protect freedom of expression, even in politically charged demonstrations.

The tensions come amid a pattern of violence targeting the Indo-Canadian community. In Surrey, B.C., a café owned by Indian actor Kapil Sharma was riddled with bullets this week — the third shooting since July — heightening fears among local residents of escalating intimidation tied to transnational rivalries.

Critics say Canada has become a reluctant stage for such confrontations, offering safe havens and platforms that blur the line between political activism and extremism. The result is a growing sense of unease — both among Indian diplomats and within the wider Indo-Canadian community — as geopolitical tensions spill further onto Canadian soil.

#Canada #India

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📉🇨🇦 Bank of Canada braces for tariff turbulence — “We’ll need to be humble,” says Macklem

After a volatile week on global markets, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem signaled a cautious tone as the central bank prepares to release its first economic forecast since early 2025.

Speaking from Washington during IMF meetings, Macklem said the Bank must remain “humble” as trade uncertainty — driven by U.S. tariffs and looming CUSMA renegotiations — continues to cast shadows over the Canadian economy.

He noted that while “the worst-case scenarios have been avoided,” global risks remain high, particularly if U.S.–China tensions reignite. At home, the review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement next year poses fresh uncertainty for exports and investment.

The central bank’s challenge now is balancing softening labour markets against lingering inflation. September saw 60,000 new jobs, but that follows losses of over 100,000 in July and August — evidence of an economy still struggling for traction.

Macklem highlighted artificial intelligence as both a “tailwind” for productivity and a “risk” to labour markets, acknowledging that policymakers are still grasping its macroeconomic implications.

With the next rate decision due October 29, Macklem kept the Bank’s direction deliberately vague, emphasizing that officials will review all data before charting the course. But the subtext is clear — Canada’s economy, bruised by tariffs and trade friction, is still walking a tightrope between resilience and recession.

#Canada

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🇨🇦🛂 Canada plans to hire 1,000 border workers

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says the federal government plans to beef up border security and says both Canada and the U.S. should focus on “making sure any goods coming through are free of fentanyl.”

#Canada

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🇨🇦 Fifth Estate Investigation: Canadian Charities Accused of Funding Illegal Israeli Settlements

A Fifth Estate investigation has uncovered that several Canadian-registered charities are funneling millions of tax-deductible dollars into organizations supporting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank — activities that contradict both Canadian foreign policy and charity law.

Despite Ottawa officially condemning settler violence and sanctioning extremist entities, money from Canadian donors continues to reach groups tied to the Israeli military and settlement expansion. These settlements are considered illegal under international law and have been linked to rising violence against Palestinian civilians.

The investigation found that groups such as Mizrachi Organization of Canada and the Canadian Zionist Cultural Association have sent tens of millions of dollars to Israeli entities — including some sanctioned by Canada for promoting or financing settler activity. Critics warn this effectively allows Canadians to claim tax breaks for donations that fuel human rights abuses.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne defended the system, saying Canada’s charity laws are “stringent,” but activists argue the CRA is turning a blind eye while Canadian money props up a violent occupation.

Former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert told Fifth Estate that the violence in the West Bank “leaves Israel with no defence” and could eventually bring war crimes charges at The Hague.

As settler attacks rise — and Palestinian families in places like Khirbet Susiya live under constant threat — the revelations raise an uncomfortable question:
Is Canada quietly complicit in funding the very human rights violations it claims to oppose?

#Canada #Israel

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🌲🇨🇦 Finally—Canada takes proactive steps to prevent wildfires, not just react to them

Parks Canada has confirmed it will continue large-scale forest thinning near Banff, Harvie Heights, and Canmore as part of its long-term wildfire management plan — an approach that experts say could have prevented several catastrophic fires in recent years if adopted sooner.

The Tunnel Toe Wildfire Risk Reduction Project, underway since 2020, aims to mechanically thin dense forests and restore more open, natural meadows — a critical buffer that helps stop fire spread and protect nearby communities.

For decades, Canada focused heavily on firefighting rather than fuel management, leaving forests overloaded with combustible material. Now, Parks Canada says its strategy is to “create landscapes that are more resilient to climate change” while protecting both communities and ecosystems.

The agency is also enforcing strict safety closures in affected areas, warning violators they could face fines up to $25,000 under the Canada National Parks Act. Controlled burns will follow only under ideal venting conditions to minimize smoke.

Common sense forestry is finally taking root. If this kind of preventive action had been the norm years ago, Canada might have avoided billions in damages and the loss of entire towns like Lytton.

#Alberta

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"I kissed a girl and I liked it "

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🇨🇦 Carney Cracks Joke About Trump — But the Timing Feels Off

At a Diwali celebration Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney mixed humour with politics — and took a light jab at Donald Trump:

“I can’t control Donald Trump, I’ve got to tell you. Actually, I can’t let him think I’m controlling him,” Carney joked. “You never know what’s gonna come next. But he did upgrade me to President — so I am okay. Don’t tell the Governor General, don’t tell King Charles, but keep that going,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Carney then pivoted to unity, urging Canadians to “focus on building strength at home… one Canadian economy, millions of new homes, nation-building projects, and new trade corridors.”

But the optics aren’t lost on anyone: while the PM jokes about noscripts and Trump upgrades, the country faces layoffs, tariffs, and a looming recession.

Sometimes the punchline writes itself.

#Canada #USA

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🇨🇦🤖💧The Hidden Cost of Canada’s AI Boom: Data Centres vs. Water Security

As Ottawa and provincial governments race to attract AI investment — offering cheap hydro power and cool climates — a quieter crisis is emerging beneath the surface: water.

Massive data centres powering the AI revolution are becoming voracious consumers of Canada’s most precious resource. Microsoft’s new facility in Etobicoke, for instance, was approved to draw up to 1.2 billion litres of municipal drinking water per year — enough to fill 500 Olympic swimming pools.

In Nanaimo, B.C., where droughts are becoming more frequent, residents like retired professor Kathryn Barnwell are asking uncomfortable questions. “Life on this planet is sustained by water,” she said. “It’s not sustained by data.”

Ottawa touts data centres as engines of growth, but critics warn that few regulations exist to measure or limit their water use. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre calls it “a race ahead without guardrails.” Meanwhile, companies like Amazon and Google — some operating without even basic water meters — insist they’re “building sustainably.”

The problem isn’t the technology itself; it’s the imbalance. While Canadians are urged to conserve, multinational firms are given access to billions of litres of potable water to cool server racks that power AI chatbots and cloud platforms.

As former Amazon water scientist Nathan Wangusi put it bluntly:

“We should be disclosing how much water we are using. Hoodwinking the public is not good practice. It’s not good for business.”

Canada’s strength lies in its natural abundance — but abundance is not immunity. If the AI revolution is to have a truly Canadian character, it must be built on sustainability, not secrecy.

#Canada

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🇨🇦🇮🇳 “I should not be under protection in a country like this.”

India’s new High Commissioner to Canada, Dinesh Patnaik, says relations are “resetting,” but he’s blasting past allegations from Trudeau and the RCMP linking Indian diplomats to homicides and extortion as “preposterous and absurd” — and claims India is “still waiting for any evidence.” He also says he’s under protective detail in Ottawa and argues Canada must treat pro-Khalistan activism here as a Canadian law-and-order problem, not just an Indian one.

Ottawa’s line remains: public safety first, independent investigations must run their course, and anyone responsible will be held to account. Meanwhile, Sikh organizations warn that expanding ties with New Delhi while activists report threats looks like trading off community safety for diplomacy.

What to watch:
• Anand’s new Canada–India roadmap (trade, AI, critical minerals) alongside security talks.
• Whether RCMP or Public Safety provide more detail to substantiate last year’s claims.
• Concrete steps to protect all Canadians — including Sikhs — while Canada pushes India to cooperate on any criminal probes.

Bottom line: Rekindling ties with India might be strategically wise, but credibility now hinges on two things in tandem — real protections at home and evidence-based accountability if lines were crossed.

#Canada #India

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🇨🇦🇮🇱 Netanyahu Adviser: Carney ‘Betraying Israel’ by Backing ICC Arrest Warrant

A senior adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Mark Carney of “betraying Israel” after the Canadian leader reaffirmed that he would honour the International Criminal Court’s warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest if he set foot in Canada.

Ophir Falk, Netanyahu’s foreign policy adviser, said Carney should “welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu, the leader of the lone Jewish state and only democracy in the Middle East, to Canada,” instead of standing by what he called a politicized overreach by the ICC.

Falk defended Israel’s two-year war in Gaza as “a just war by just means against a genocidal terrorist organization,” while dismissing mounting international outrage over the death toll — now above 68,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. More than half are women and children.

Carney, for his part, told Bloomberg that Canada’s recognition of a Palestinian state was prompted by Netanyahu’s policies, which he said were “explicitly designed to end any possibility of a state of Palestine.” Canada, he added, acted because “the prospect was receding.”

The move — supported by France, Spain, and the U.K. — put Ottawa at odds with Washington, though Carney insisted it was the “least Canada could do” in defense of international law.

Falk warned that Carney’s position “poured fuel on the antisemitic fire” and claimed that antisemitism in Canada is now among the worst in the West.

Human rights advocates counter that such framing conflates legitimate criticism of Israeli policy with prejudice. “Holding Israel accountable for conduct in Gaza is not antisemitism — it’s upholding international law,” said Michael Bueckert of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East.

The clash underscores a deeper shift: Carney’s Canada is aligning more with Europe’s emerging stance on Palestinian statehood, while Netanyahu’s camp is urging Ottawa to fall back in line with Washington and Tel Aviv

#Canada #Israel

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🇨🇦 BREAKING: Poilievre Accepts RCMP Invitation Over Trudeau SNC-Lavalin Case

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says he’s ready to meet with the RCMP and hand over all evidence related to Justin Trudeau’s alleged criminal code violations in the 2019 SNC-Lavalin affair.

The move reignites one of Ottawa’s darkest scandals — where Trudeau’s government was accused of pressuring then–Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould to intervene in a corruption case against the Montreal engineering giant.

The RCMP previously said its investigation was limited by cabinet secrecy. Now, with new cooperation and mounting public pressure, the question returns:

⚖️ Will Canada finally see accountability at the highest level?

#Canada

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🇨🇦⚖️ It was December 2018 — and Canada’s Attorney General pressed record. Turn up volume (audio recording)

Jody Wilson-Raybould, standing alone for the rule of law, captured a moment that would define a decade of Liberal corruption.

On the line: Michael Wernick, the most powerful public servant in the country — the Clerk of the Privy Council — carrying the Prime Minister’s message about the SNC-Lavalin criminal case.

“The Prime Minister is in a pretty firm frame of mind about this,”
Wernick warned. “I think he’s going to find a way to get it done, one way or another.”

That “this” was pressure — plain and simple, on Canada’s top law officer to interfere in a criminal prosecution against a Liberal-connected corporation accused of bribing Libyan officials.

Wilson-Raybould refused.
She was demoted. Then exiled.

Her sin? Believing the justice system should stand above political convenience.

Six years later, as the RCMP re-examines Trudeau’s SNC-Lavalin affair, that audio still echoes — the sound of a Prime Minister’s will colliding with the rule of law.

A reminder that in Ottawa, corruption isn’t always shouted. Sometimes, it’s whispered — in a firm frame of mind.

#Canada

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🇨🇦🇮🇳 ‘Not yet reliable.’
India’s new High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik says Canada isn’t a dependable supplier of oil & gas — yet. He wants economic ties “firewalled” from politics and hints India will buy from partners who don’t wobble when the winds change.

Here’s the rub: India is a hungry, fast-growing market. They’re open to Canadian energy — LNG, light crude, even critical minerals — but we’ve spent years tying ourselves in knots: pipeline paralysis, a (still-contested) tanker ban, slow LNG build-out, and mixed signals on caps and permits. Meanwhile, U.S. producers, the Gulf, and Russia fill the gap.

Ottawa says Canada is a “very reliable supplier.” If so, prove it: lock in a Canada-India energy track alongside any trade framework; publish a concrete export plan (volumes, terminals, dates); fast-track LNG and pipeline capacity to tidewater; give investors regulatory certainty that survives cabinet shuffles.

Patnaik’s message is blunt but fixable. Reliability isn’t a press release — it’s molecules on ships, on schedule, at scale. If we want India’s business (and to diversify away from a tariff-happy U.S.), we need fewer speeches and more steel in the ground.

Bottom line: Make Canada bankable again — then “not yet” becomes “absolutely.”

#Canada #India

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🇨🇦🌲Softwood, Hard Truths

The lumber war is back — and this time, it’s testing the glue that holds Team Canada together.

After Washington piled another 10% tariff on Canadian softwood — now 45% total — B.C. Premier David Eby called it what it is: an economic emergency.

“Canadian lumber now faces higher tariffs going into the U.S. than lumber from Russia,”
Eby warned.

Yet instead of fighting fire with fire, Ottawa is choosing “dialogue.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters:

“There’s time to hit back and there’s time to talk. Right now, it’s time to talk.”

So while mills shutter and shifts vanish, Canada’s West waits — again — for action that never quite comes.

Eby refuses to “strike out on his own,” keeping token counter-measures like banning U.S. booze from B.C. liquor stores. But it’s small comfort to loggers watching their livelihoods burn at the altar of “negotiation.”

Ontario’s Doug Ford says he’s “sick and tired of sitting and rolling over.”
In B.C., they’d call that the sound of a tree falling — and no one in Ottawa hearing it.

Canada built itself on forests, not photo-ops. At what point does “Team Canada” stop talking and start swinging an axe of its own?

#BC

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