Carney, Poilievre Spar in Heated Commons Exchange on Canada’s ‘Technical’ Recession Prime Minister Mark Carney defended his government’s economic track record in the House of Commons as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pressed for an answer on whether Canada is in a real or “technical” recession. In his response, Carney argued his government is laying the groundwork for an economy that will be “stronger, more resilient, more […] View article →

California Man Arrested for Allegedly Supplying Technology for Iran’s Nuclear Program Federal authorities have started the process of seizing Jamshid Ghomi's assets, including his $35 million coastal mansion. View article →

Ottawa to Extend Steel Tariff Quotas, Remission Program for 1 Year The federal government plans to extend measures to support the domestic steel and aluminum industry through tariff headwinds for another year. Finance Canada says a remission program that pays back certain firms for Canadian tariffs on steel and aluminum from the United States will be extended until the end of June 2027. Steel imports from [...] View article →

Alberta to Roll Out Combined ID Cards in July The Alberta government has announced plans to roll out three-in-one identification cards, eliminating the need for citizens of the province to carry multiple forms of ID to access programs and services. Alberta will begin issuing driver’s licences and ID cards that feature an individual’s identity information, personal health number, and a citizenship marker beginning July 2, Premier Danielle Smith said in a social media post. The change will eliminate the province’s paper health cards and will consolidate all essential information onto an individual’s driver’s licence or an Alberta ID card for those who do not drive. “Albertans can get a new driver’s licence or ID card that includes their healthcare number and proof of citizenship, all on one secure card at no additional cost,” Smith said in the June 3 post. “No more flimsy paper cards. No more carrying multiple pieces of ID. Just a common-sense change that makes life easier.” View article →

‘Biggest Canadian Flag’ Unfurled in Vancouver for World Cup, but May Breach Etiquette A Metro Vancouver ski resort has unveiled what it says is the largest Canadian flag ever made as it showcases its support for Canada’s team in the World Cup. The flag is spread out on The Cut, a ski run on Grouse Mountain, and is clearly visible from across Burrard Inlet in Vancouver. Blast Media […] View article →

US Ambassador Hoekstra Explains Repost of Trump’s ’51st State’ Comment U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said he amplified a post by U.S. President Donald Trump calling again for Canada to join the United States because he wanted to present the president’s viewpoint. “As the president’s representative to Canada, I present the president’s views, the United States’ views to Canada,” Hoekstra told reporters in Quebec City on June 3. Trump made a post on Truth Social on June 1 that simply read “51st State!” alongside a link to a Bloomberg article about Canada hitting a technical recession. Statistics Canada reported on May 29 that Canada’s GDP declined for the past two consecutive quarters on an annualized basis, meeting the common definition of a technical recession. View article →

House Passes Resolution to Block Military Action Against Iran Lawmakers voted 215–208 for the Democrat-led measure to remove U.S. troops from armed hostilities with Iran. View article →

Carney Says New US Forced Labour Tariffs Will Not Impact Majority of Canadian Trade Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to Washington’s proposal to introduce 10 percent tariffs on countries that allow in goods produced by forced labour, saying most Canadian exports would remain exempt under the country’s trade agreement with the United States. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer proposed the new tariffs on June 2, which would apply to dozens of countries that have allowed products made using forced labour into their supply chains. For Canada, the 10 percent tariffs would only apply to goods that don’t comply with the rules of origin in the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Carney told reporters in Parliament that the new tariffs are “not a surprise,” as the United States has been planning to announce them for several months. Carney said with the continued CUSMA exemption, Canada would continue to “have the best trade deal of any of the U.S. trade counterparts.” View article →

What Led Findlay to Win the BC Conservative Leadership Race Despite Setbacks? News Analysis Long-time Conservative MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay overcame a number of setbacks, including a campaign defection, unsubstantiated media allegations late in the race, and a high-profile, organized opposition campaign, to win the B.C. Conservative leadership race. Her victory and ability to mobilize the grassroots is a continuation of the legacy that helped transform the B.C. […] View article →

Oversight Body Opens Inquiry Into CRA Treatment of Taxpayer Complaints Canada’s taxpayers’ ombudsperson is opening an investigation into the complaint management practices of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) due to concerns about fairness and efficiency. Ombudsperson François Boileau announced on June 2 that preliminary research conducted by his office revealed a lack of clarity for taxpayers about where to seek help when they encounter a problem, potentially leading to delays in resolving their issues. View article →

Mounties in Saskatchewan Resume Hunt for Suspect in Deadly Shooting The hunt is back on for a suspect in a deadly shooting this week on a remote northern Saskatchewan First Nation, Mounties said Wednesday. It began Monday after a shooting at a home in Pelican Narrows, 500 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. A woman, identified as being 28, died at the scene, and a man was […] View article →

US Inspectors General Start Iran War Oversight, Saying Hostilities Have Passed 60 Days The 1973 War Powers Resolution prohibits a president from keeping troops in active hostilities for more than 60 days without congressional approval. View article →

WHO Calls for Travel Restrictions on Ebola-Affected Countries to Be Lifted, Days After Canada’s Comes in Effect The World Health Organization is calling on countries to remove any travel restrictions recently imposed on people coming from Ebola-affected countries. The request comes days after Canada stopped approving visas for Congolese nationals as part of what the federal government said was a temporary measure to reduce the risk of the virus entering and spreading … View article →

Canada Confirms $2.6B Purchase of 26 HIMARS Rocket Launchers From US Canada has ordered 26 HIMARS launchers from the United States in a $2.6 billion deal, with the Department of National Defence calling it the “only solution” capable of meeting the military’s needs. Ottawa and Washington have finalized an agreement under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program to acquire the launchers, the department said in a June 2 news release. View article →

Ebola Response Catching Up as Confirmed Cases Rise: World Health Organization 'The outbreak had a big head start, and we're still behind,' the organization's chief said. View article →

One Month to CUSMA Review, Ottawa Has 30 ‘Technical’ Issues to Resolve News Analysis The review of the North American free trade deal is less than a month away, and Canada and the United States have yet to schedule formal bilateral talks. The deal saw some movement this week after months of quiet, however. Canada formally told the United States and Mexico it wants to renew the […] View article →

Allies to Reinforce Air Defenses Along NATO Eastern Flank After Russian Drone Incident, Says Romania Last week, a Russian drone strayed into Romanian territory while conducting missions in Ukraine, hitting a block of flats and injuring two people. View article →

Public Safety Minister Says He Won’t Split Lawful Access Bill Following Tory Request Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree says his government will not split its lawful access bill into two parts after the Conservatives filed a motion to divide the bill, arguing the most controversial provisions need greater scrutiny. Anandasangaree told reporters on June 3 that the Liberals are “very comfortable” with the balance between the two sections [...] View article →

European Court Rules Serbia Illegally Banned Peaceful Falun Gong Rally During Xi Jinping’s Visit This is not the first time that Serbian authorities detained Falun Gong practitioners when CCP officials visited the country. View article →

Slashing Development Fees Is Not a Cure-All for Housing Affordability: CMHC Slashing municipal development charges could help spur building in some of Canada’s most expensive markets but those cuts wouldn’t be enough to fix the affordability gap on their own, according to a new analysis from the federal housing agency. Development charges are fees cities impose on developers that are mainly used to pay for infrastructure […] View article →