U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum directing his administration to examine steps that could restrict the purchase of Canadian-origin goods and services for the operations of the U.S. federal government. The memorandum assigns the Office of Management and Budget director and the U.S. Trade Representative to identify Canadian-origin goods and services covered by government procurement rules. They have also been directed to take legally available steps to remove or restrict those products from the federal procurement system. The Trump administration has described the move as a re

A 31-year-old Calgary man accused of making death threats against Prime Minister Mark Carney has been identified as Jamie Da Costa, who will remain in custody. During a court hearing, defence counsel said Da Costa was ordered to remain in custody earlier this month. As of Tuesday morning, he was being held at the Calgary Remand Centre. According to the RCMP, police were notified on July 28 that threats had been posted from a YouTube account. Court documents allege the incident occurred between July 25 and 26. In addition to the alleged death threat, Da Costa faces charges including extortion,

The United Kingdom could join Canada-led Defence, Security and Resilience Bank, with reports indicating that high-level discussions are underway between the two countries. The financial institution is designed to provide long-term, low-cost financing for defence projects in allied countries. Canada has so far brought eight countries into the institution — Albania, Belgium, Greece, Latvia, Luxembourg, Romania, Türkiye and Ukraine, which is facing Russia’s invasion. The UK would be the first other G7 country to join the initiative. According to reports, Finance Minister François-Philippe C

Former Canadian Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper has praised Prime Minister Mark Carney’s efforts to diversify Canada’s trade during his closing remarks at the two-day Canada Investment Summit in Toronto. Harper supported the federal government’s decisions in the energy sector and said Canada had little choice but to step back from trade negotiations with the United States. He said reducing Canada’s dependence on the U.S. and redirecting trade toward other countries would bring challenges, but expressed confidence that Canadians would be able to manage them. Harper also prais

Canada’s Official Opposition Conservative Party has begun a two-day parliamentary caucus meeting in Penticton, B.C., under the leadership of Pierre Poilievre. The meeting comes ahead of the parliamentary session starting September 21 and is expected to give Poilievre an opportunity to rally his MPs, as the Conservatives are currently trailing the Liberals by double digits in the polls. According to reports, several Conservative MPs who have returned from working in their ridings during the summer break are increasingly concerned about potentially losing their seats in the next election. Cont

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed opening talks on making Canada the European Union’s first associate member. The proposal was made Wednesday during von der Leyen’s annual address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in attendance. Addressing Carney, von der Leyen said the EU wants to take its relationship with Canada “to the highest level.” She said the partnership extends beyond trade and is based on shared values, including cooperation on artificial intelligence, climate change, the Arctic and geopolitical i

Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that visa requirements for Canadians could be raised during his visit to Europe as Canada seeks to deepen its strategic and economic relationship with the European Union. Carney left Canada Tuesday for a three-day trip to Strasbourg, France, and Liverpool, UK. In Strasbourg, he is attending European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union address and will address the European Parliament on Thursday. During the trip, Carney is also expected to meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Liverpool for discussions on defence, s

Canada’s central bank could raise interest rates in the coming months as rising global crude oil prices increase inflationary pressures. Economists believe the Bank of Canada’s chances of raising rates by December are growing, despite Canada’s annual inflation rate remaining steady at 3% last month. Economists at Desjardins Group and RSM Canada say it may be difficult for Bank of Canada officials to ignore oil prices above US$100 a barrel, particularly if the increase persists. While core inflation remains under control for now, economists warn that continued oil price shocks could push

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a major tax break for companies making new investments in Canada. Under the new measure, businesses will be able to immediately claim 100 per cent of the cost of eligible new investments, including machinery, equipment and technology, as a tax deduction. Announced Tuesday, the measure is being called the “Productivity Mega Deduction” and is aimed at encouraging businesses to invest more in their operations. The government says making investments cheaper will give companies greater incentive to spend on expanding and improving their businesses, helpi