Chrystia Freeland: Canada's ties with the US need ``constant gardening'' to keep supply lines open

A wildfire has destroyed much of the seasonal camp at Whitewater Lake First Nation, located about 250 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, marking the second First Nation community in Ontario to suffer significant wildfire damage in less than a week. According to Chief Pauline Drake, the fire destroyed multiple buildings, personal belongings and critical infrastructure at the site. Whitewater Lake First Nation is used primarily as a seasonal camp and has no permanent residents. The community is accessible only by floatplane for about six months of the year. The latest damage follows wildfire destr

Canada’s annual inflation rate slowed to 2.8 per cent in June, down from 3.2 per cent in May, largely because of lower gasoline prices, according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency said a decline in fuel prices helped ease overall inflation pressures. Grocery prices also continued to rise, but at a slower pace, increasing 3.9 per cent year over year in June compared with 4.3 per cent in May. Despite the slowdown, grocery inflation remained above the overall inflation rate for a 17th consecutive month, highlighting the continued impact of higher food costs on Canadian households. The Ba

Mexico is not seeking a separate bilateral trade agreement with the United States that would exclude Canada, Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Velasco Álvarez said Friday, reaffirming his country's commitment to the trilateral Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Speaking alongside Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand at a joint news conference in Ottawa, Álvarez said Mexico remains committed to maintaining the existing three-country trade pact. He said ongoing bilateral meetings with the United States should not be interpreted as an effort to sideline Canada.

British Columbia Premier David Eby says he will urge Canada's premiers and Prime Minister Mark Carney to consider introducing federal anti-racketeering legislation similar to the United States' Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act in an effort to combat extortion and organized crime. According to Eby, he plans to raise the proposal during next week's Council of the Federation meeting and the First Ministers' Meeting. He said recent arrests in a U.S. law enforcement operation, in which charges were also laid against three British Columbia residents, highlight the need for s

Ontario's Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, Stan Cho, has resigned from cabinet after facing criticism over thousands of dollars in hotel expenses claimed while living in Toronto. According to reports, Cho claimed $16,203 in taxpayer-funded hotel accommodation expenses over the past three years, despite his home being only a few kilometres from Queen's Park. The expense claims were for stays at downtown Toronto hotels. In a statement, Cho described the claims as a "significant mistake" and confirmed he has repaid the full amount to the provincial government. The Ontario government has n