💰📈Canada posts first trade surplus in 10 months of $708 million

Canada in December posted its first trade surplus in 10 months as exports expanded faster than imports, led by a push by U.S. businesses to build up inventory ahead of potential tariffs on Canada and generally strong U.S. demand, data showed.

The December trade surplus was at $708 million ($496 million), compared with a revised deficit of $986 million the prior month, helped by an 4.9 per cent growth in exports.

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📊 A Nanos Research poll claims people would pick Mark Carney over Pierre Poilievre and Chrystia Freeland to negotiate with Donald Trump. Smells like BS, eh?

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Quebec man extradited to U.S. over fatal border crossing

A Quebec man, Jhader Augusto Uribe-Tobar, has been extradited to the U.S. to face charges related to the death of Ana Karen Vasquez-Flores, a pregnant migrant who died while attempting to cross the Great Chazy River from Canada into the U.S. in December 2023.

U.S. authorities allege Uribe-Tobar used TikTok to advertise his smuggling services, charging $2,500 for the dangerous journey. Uribe-Tobar faces charges that could lead to a life sentence if convicted.
#Quebec #immigration #US

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🇮🇳🎓 20,000 Indian students didn't show up to class after arriving in Canada

Well, can't expect them to have time for both criminal activity AND classes.
#India #immigration
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1 dead, 15 taken into custody after 3 incidents at the Canada-U.S. border: RCMP

Fleeing the U.S. in search of a better life?
#immigration
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Quebec government open to rekindled LNG project to ship energy from Alberta overseas

The Quebec government says it would be open to reviving a liquefied natural gas project in the Saguenay region to transport Alberta energy overseas, as a way to reduce the country’s reliance on the United States as an export market.

Quebec refused to authorize GNL Québec Inc.’s proposed liquefaction facility and export terminal in 2021 and Ottawa followed suit in 2022, with both governments citing environmental and other concerns.
#Quebec #Alberta
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🇺🇸Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe heads to Washington amid tariff concerns

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is heading to Washington, D.C., to address tariffs, border security, and economic cooperation between Canada and the U.S. With $40 billion in annual trade at stake, Moe is pushing for a tariff-free environment to strengthen North American economic ties.
#Saskatchewan #US
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🇪🇺Trudeau heads to Europe to shore up alliances in face of Trump threats

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is heading to Paris and Brussels for five days to meet with European allies and strengthen trade ties.

Very presumptuous for a man who has pledged to step down as Prime Minister and basically has no say in anything.

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Federal Liberals announce dates for leadership debates

The Liberal Party of Canada has announced the dates for debates ahead of the vote to decide its next leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s successor.

One French and one English debate will be held in Montreal on Feb. 24 and 25, respectively.
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🗳🏈 Ontario Liberals launch Super Bowl ads to challenge Doug Ford ahead of early election

Ontario Liberals have made a bold move by purchasing airtime during the Super Bowl to target Premier Doug Ford.

The two 30-second ads take aim at Ford’s policies and leadership. One highlights his past support for Donald Trump and questions his commitment to Ontario's economy amid U.S. trade tensions. The other features Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie criticizing Ford’s handling of the province’s healthcare system, promising to redirect funds to address critical issues like doctor shortages.
#Ontario #election
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🏥 Alberta Premier denies wrongdoing amid health contract controversy

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has denied any wrongdoing amidst allegations of improper handling of health contracts. The controversy centers on claims that former Alberta Health Services (AHS) CEO Athana Mentzelopoulos faced pressure to approve contracts for private surgical facilities despite concerns over costs and potential conflicts of interest.

Smith has called for an expedited review by the province's auditor general, describing the allegations as "troubling" and pledging full cooperation.

Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi has demanded Smith's resignation, calling the situation a "scandal" and advocating for a judicial public inquiry.
#Alberta #healthcare
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🪖Poilievre pledges Arctic military base, naval icebreakers if party forms government

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is pledging, if his party forms government, to build a military base in Canada’s Arctic, buy two polar icebreakers for the Royal Canadian Navy and double the size of the Canadian Rangers patrol group responsible for upper reaches of the North.

Mr. Poilievre is pledging to fund his promises by making significant cuts to foreign aid.
#Poilievre
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💉💊Alberta Premier issues ultimatum on drug prosecution policies

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has issued a stern ultimatum to the federal government, demanding it either repeal its lenient drug prosecution policies or grant the province control over drug-related prosecutions.

Smith criticized the 2020 directive diverting drug cases from criminal courts and Bill C-5, which eliminated mandatory minimum sentences for drug convictions, arguing these policies have worsened drug-related crime.
#Alberta
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🇺🇸Carney blames U.S. aggression toward Canada on social inequality down south

Mark Carney blamed U.S. aggression toward Canada on social inequality and suggested some Americans back Trump’s tariffs out of envy for Canada’s health care. He also likened Donald Trump’s annexation remarks to Voldemort from the Harry Potter series.

When you think about what's at stake in these ridiculous, insulting comments of the president, of what we could be, I view this as the sort of Voldemort of comments. Like I will not even repeat it, but you know what I'm talking about.

I can't believe there's a chance this man could soon become our Prime Minister.
#US
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🚙 NDP wants tariffs on Teslas and a $10K made-in-Canada EV rebate

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told reporters that if Trump follows through with his threat to apply a tariff to all Canadian goods, a New Democrat federal government would slap a 100 per cent trade tax on all Tesla products.

We have heard such suggestions somewhere before. And one thing is clear: the NDP is nowhere near forming a government.
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🚙 Trump threatens Canadian cars with tariffs up to 100%

As Canada braces for 25 per cent U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum, U.S. President Donald Trump says he is considering an additional tariff on Canadian-made cars, which could be as high as 50 to 100 per cent.

If you look at Canada, Canada has a very big car industry. They stole it from us. They stole it because our people were asleep at the wheel. If we don’t make a deal with Canada, we’re going to put a big tariff on cars. Could be a 50 or 100 per cent because we don’t want their cars. We want to make the cars in Detroit.

#US
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As Canada’s tax ‘holiday’ ends, small businesses say it was a ‘flop’

Canada’s tax “holiday” is set to end on Friday, but new numbers show a majority of small businesses in the country saw little change in sales. Just five per cent of small businesses said they saw stronger sales compared to the same period in 2024.

And the economic 'genius' who came up with this has not only resigned from her post but now also wants the Prime Minister’s seat.

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📊 Liberals would be tied with Conservatives with Carney as leader: poll

A Leger survey suggests a Carney-led party would boost Liberal support by six points to 37 per cent, putting them in a dead heat with the Tories.

The poll says the Liberals are currently at 31 per cent support, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives are still riding high in majority territory at 40 per cent and Jagmeet Singh’s New Democrats are trailing far behind at 14 per cent.

No wonder the Liberals did everything they could to avoid an early election.

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🇨🇦 5 former prime ministers say fly the maple leaf on Saturday to stand up to Trump

All of the country's living former prime ministers are asking Canadians to fly the red maple leaf this weekend in a huge display of national pride.

Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper have jointly written an open letter, telling Canadians to "show the flag as never before" as the country contends with "threats and insults from Donald Trump."

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💊Former RCMP deputy commissioner Kevin Brosseau is Canada's new 'fentanyl czar'

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office announced that former RCMP deputy commissioner Kevin Brosseau will be taking on the job of working with Canada’s law enforcement agencies and their U.S. counterparts to eradicate the “scourge of fentanyl.”

Trudeau promised to appoint a fentanyl czar last week amongst a slew of measures meant to reinforce the Canada-U.S. border in exchange for a 30-day reprieve on U.S. tariffs.

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💸 Canadians expect they will need $1.54M to retire, BMO survey finds, amid inflation pressures

A majority of Canadians are worried they will not have enough money to retire because of inflation, a new survey from BMO has found, with respondents on average expecting they will need $1.54 million to retire.

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