Ottawa | Reuters — Chrystia Freeland will no longer be in charge of spearheading diplomatic relations with the United States now that she is Canada’s new finance minister, three government sources told Reuters Wednesday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had made Freeland his main U.S. go-between when he named her deputy prime minister after last year’s […] Read more
New finance minister Freeland no longer to spearhead U.S. relations
CERB plan, U.S. border closure both extended
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada will extend by eight weeks federal income support for those who lost their jobs amid the COVID-19 outbreak, and the border with the United States will remain closed to non-essential travel, the prime minister said on Tuesday. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which delivers $500 per week to those […] Read more
CEBA expanded to farms, other ‘owner-operated’ businesses
Program offers zero-interest, partly-forgivable loans
Farms and other “owner-operated” businesses with little or no payroll may soon be able to get in on a federal program offering zero-interest loans to businesses up against pandemic-related drops in revenue. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday announced an expansion of eligibility under the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) to also include “sole proprietors […] Read more
Canada, U.S. agree on extension for ban on non-essential travel
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada and the United States have agreed to extend a ban on non-essential travel between the two nations by another 30 days as part of the fight against the coronavirus, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday. U.S. and Canadian officials had said last week it was likely that the measure […] Read more
Joint U.S.-Canada border approach to pandemic seen as well-managed
Ottawa — The compromise between Canada and the U.S. to maintain the flow of goods between the two countries while limiting the trans-border flow of people during the COVID-19 crisis is a collaborative approach that serves as a global example, trade observers say. Alan Bersin, a global fellow at the Wilson Centre, said the border […] Read more
Federal carbon tax rises despite opposition, pandemic
Ottawa not backing away from scheduled increases
Ottawa — The federal government has pushed ahead with an increase to the carbon tax despite continued calls from the agriculture sector for reprieve from the program. The price on carbon rose from $20 per tonne to $30 per tonne effective April 1. The federal Liberal government is standing firm on its commitment to increase […] Read more
Trudeau demands rail blockades be lifted
Canadians' patience running out, PM says
Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday demanded aboriginal protesters lift rail blockades that are hurting the economy and made clear police should, if necessary, enforce injunctions to remove the obstacles. Trudeau also told a news conference that the Liberal government’s talks with various indigenous leaders over the last two weeks […] Read more
Passenger trains to run again, pipeline protests block freight
Ottawa | Reuters — Passenger rail operator Via Rail said Tuesday it would soon resume partial services between Quebec City and Ottawa while the government sought to end anti-pipeline protests that are blocking rail freight in Eastern Canada. Via said passenger services between the two cities would start on Thursday after it received a notification […] Read more
Canada rules out sending police in on rail protests
Superior Propane expects supply shortages soon
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s Liberal government said on Friday it was deeply concerned about protests by aboriginal activists that are blocking some key railway lines but rejected a call to send in the police. Indigenous communities opposed to the construction of a gas pipeline project in British Columbia started interrupting rail traffic last week. […] Read more
U.S. Senate passes CUSMA trade deal
Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Senate on Thursday approved a revamp of the 26-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement that includes tougher rules on labour and automotive content but leaves US$1.2 trillion in annual U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade flows largely unchanged. The legislation for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (CUSMA) passed on an 89-10 bipartisan vote, sending the […] Read more
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