Defence Minister Bill Blair says Canada is working hard to accelerate its defence spending to get to the two per cent threshold that it has committed to as part of NATO. The minister is in Brussels to meet with NATO allies and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. U.S. President Donald Trump has complained that Canada is not meeting its NATO spending commitments and talked about Canada becoming the 51st state. Blair called the 51st state comments "disrespectful and concerning." The minister pointed to Norad as an example of how Canada and the U.S. work together on continental defence. He says Nor

Alberta's health minister says a third party has been called to help investigate reports of government interference in medical contracts. The third-party will assist in a review being conducted by Alberta Health Services, but the government says it retains overall control of the investigation. Reviews by A-H-S and the province's auditor general were launched after the former head of the health-care body claimed she was fired for raising the alarm on overpriced contracts with private surgical centres and suppliers. A-H-S has said it will suspend awarding contracts to firms at the centre of it

Canada’s premiers are in Washington today to meet with lawmakers, business groups and lobbyists in a joint effort to push back on U.S. President Donald Trump's plans for devastating duties. It is the first time all 13 premiers have travelled to the American capital together. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, chair of the Council of the Federation, appealed to members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Tuesday to send a message to Trump that tariffs would hurt both the American and Canadian economies. Since his return to the White House last month, Trump has taken rapid actions to reshape global trade

While Canada is preparing to address a 25 percent US tariff on steel and aluminum, President Donald Trump has stated that he is considering imposing additional tariffs on Canadian-made cars, potentially ranging from 50 to 100 percent. In an interview with Fox News, Trump claimed that Canada has a large car industry which, in his view, was "stolen" from the United States. He further said that if a deal is not reached with Canada, heavy tariffs will be imposed on their cars, as he prefers cars to be manufactured in Detroit rather than in Canada. It is important to note that the automobile manuf

Former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, a contender for the leadership of Canada’s Liberal Party, has unveiled a policy to exempt first-time home buyers from GST on homes worth up to $1.5 million if she becomes Prime Minister. The plan could save buyers up to $75,000. Freeland’s announcement comes ahead of the Liberal leadership race conclusion on March 9, positioning it as a direct challenge to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. In October, Poilievre pledged to exempt new homes worth up to $1 million from federal sales tax if the Conservatives form a government, estimating savings

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed a strong response to President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum. During an international summit in Paris, Trudeau told reporters that his government plans to engage with the US administration before the tariffs take effect. The aim is to highlight the negative impact such measures could have on jobs and businesses in both countries. However, he assured that Canada will deliver a “strong and clear” response if necessary. Trudeau emphasized Canada’s role as America’s closest ally and the deep interconnection of their econ

Ottawa should block Donald Trump's chosen ambassador to Canada until the U.S. president stops questioning Canada's sovereignty, says one expert. "We could potentially use (this) as a way of signalling the seriousness with which the Government of Canada is viewing this unwelcome talk," said University of Victoria international relations professor Will Greaves. "It is an overt, aggressive policy that (Trump) seems to be shifting his administration to endorse. And if we are remotely serious as a country, we should regard that as a hostile action and embrace a wider array of tools in our response

Calgary, Saint John, N.B. and Windsor, Ont. are the Canadian cities that would be hit the hardest by U.S. tariffs, says new research by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. Using Statistics Canada trade data, the organization came up with a "U.S. Tariff Exposure Index" to look at the potential impact of threatened American tariffs on 41 Canadian cities. The research looked at Statistics Canada export data in light of U.S. President Donald Trump's initial threat to impose 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on all goods entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. Trump delayed those levies until at

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has called for a firm response to former President Donald Trump's threats, urging Canada to impose equal tariffs and launch a support program for Canadian workers. Singh proposed a 100% tariff on Tesla cars and suggested that the electric vehicle (EV) rebate program should be reinstated, with the rebate doubled to help Canadians purchase Canadian-made electric cars. Additionally, Singh emphasized that a relief plan for Canadians should be prepared in advance, rather than waiting for the tariffs to be implemented. It is important to note that the Canadian government's