'Chaos is part of his plan to gain leverage with International partners': Trade lawyer
Trade lawyer John Boscariol discusses Trump's tariffs, Canada's priorities before Aug. 1, and key sectors at risk.
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Canada News.Net
12 minutes ago
- Canada News.Net
Federal court upholds birthright citizenship, handing Trump a setback
CONCORD, New Hampshire: A federal judge in New Hampshire issued a crucial ruling on July 10 against President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at terminating birthright citizenship in the United States. Judge Joseph LaPlante granted a preliminary injunction that prevents the order from going into effect nationwide, thereby protecting the rights of many children. This injunction was part of a class action lawsuit that includes all children who would be affected by the executive order, which has sparked significant legal debate since its announcement. The ruling followed an hour-long court hearing and includes a temporary seven-day stay to facilitate an appeal process. The implications of this decision could lead the birthright citizenship matter back to the Supreme Court, where the justices may need to consider whether the executive order aligns with their recent ruling that limited judges' authority to issue nationwide injunctions. While the Supreme Court clarified that district judges generally could not issue universal injunctions, it did leave open the possibility for similar results through a class action. The class action certified in New Hampshire is somewhat narrower than the plaintiffs had hoped for, as they sought to include parents in the legal challenge. However, attorneys involved in the case noted that this distinction would not materially impact the case's overall intent. Cody Wofsy, one of the attorneys representing the plaintiffs, emphasized the ruling's broader implications, asserting it will safeguard all affected children across the nation from what he termed an unconstitutional executive order. A coalition including the American Civil Liberties Union and additional legal partners filed this lawsuit. It represents various plaintiffs, including a pregnant woman and parents with infants. The focus of the legal challenge revolves around the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which states that all individuals born or naturalized in the U.S. and subject to its jurisdiction are citizens. In its defense, the Trump administration interprets the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" as permitting the denial of citizenship to children of unauthorized immigrants. While Judge LaPlante noted that he found the government's arguments to be serious, he ultimately deemed them unconvincing. He stated that the threat of losing citizenship constitutes irreparable harm, emphasizing the significant value of citizenship itself. In contrast, a White House spokesman criticized LaPlante's ruling, suggesting it was an abuse of judicial process and pledging that the Trump administration would staunchly defend its immigration policies. Meanwhile, similar legal challenges are underway in various states from Washington to Maryland. Among the plaintiffs is a woman from Honduras, due to give birth soon, who fears for her family's safety due to potential immigration enforcement. Another plaintiff, a Brazilian man, and his wife are navigating their own immigration status as they prepare for their first child. "My baby has the right to citizenship and a future in the United States," he wrote.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Christopher Liew: When does it make sense to declare bankruptcy?
Christopher Liew is a CFP®, CFA Charterholder and former financial advisor. He writes personal finance tips for thousands of daily Canadian readers at Blueprint Financial. Filing for bankruptcy or a consumer proposal isn't something anyone wants to do, but for some Canadians, it can be the lifeline they need when their debt becomes unmanageable. So, how do you know when it's time to consider one of these legal options? Let's break it down. Signs your debt has become unmanageable Bankruptcy or a consumer proposal isn't a first resort, but for some, it's the most realistic way to stop the bleeding. If you're constantly missing payments, juggling credit cards, or can't even cover the minimums, you may already be insolvent. That means your debt is no longer manageable with your current income. Here are key warning signs: You owe more than you can repay in five years Collectors are calling or legal threats are piling up Your wages are being garnished You're thinking of draining your RRSP or TFSA to stay afloat You feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stuck If any of these sound familiar, it might be time to speak with a Licensed Insolvency Trustee. A bankruptcy or consumer proposal will hurt your credit in the short term, but it can also stop interest charges, end collection calls, and give you a structured plan to move forward. What happens when you declare bankruptcy? The concept of bankruptcy was first introduced in England in 1542 under King Henry VIII as a way of providing conditional forgiveness to merchants who may have lost valuable cargo due to shipwreck, piracy, or other mishaps. Before bankruptcy forgiveness, these merchants may have been forced into a position of indentured servitude to pay off their debts. Today, bankruptcy is considered a last resort that provides legal relief from most debts. However, it significantly impacts your credit score and your report will reflect the bankruptcy for six to seven years after your discharge (or longer if you've declared more than once). Lenders view bankruptcy as a major red flag, which can make it more difficult to qualify for new credit during that period. A consumer proposal, on the other hand, is a formal agreement to repay a portion of your debt over time. While it's less damaging than bankruptcy, it still stays on your credit report for three years after completion. During and after repayment, your credit score may remain low, but the damage is not permanent. Repairing your credit after bankruptcy or a consumer proposal New reports are showing that an increasing number of Canadians missed credit card or mortgage payments in the first quarter of 2025. While a few missed or late payments shouldn't drive you to bankruptcy immediately, these mishaps can lead down a slippery slope if you don't find a way to get back on top of your finances. That being said, if you do end up having to file for bankruptcy or a consumer proposal with a creditor, it can have a serious impact on your creditworthiness: Your credit cards may be cancelled You may become ineligible for new loans or lines of credit Your interest rates may increase You may find it harder to be approved for rental housing You may be denied for a mortgage loan With time and work, though, you can rebuild a positive credit profile. These are the first steps you should take. 1. Make sure your debts are discharged After your bankruptcy or consumer proposal is completed, make sure you obtain your credit reports from both Equifax and TransUnion (which you can get for free). While reviewing your report, check that all included debts are marked as 'settled,' 'included in proposal,' or 'discharged.' Mistakes on your credit report can delay your progress, so dispute any errors as soon as possible. 2. Start using a secured credit card After a bankruptcy or consumer proposal, you likely won't be eligible for a traditional credit card with a line of credit. Instead, you'll have to apply for a secured credit card that works like a prepaid debit card. Essentially, you pay your credit balance upfront and can use the card freely after. Each time you pay your credit balance, you'll have an on-time payment marked on your report. With enough time and use, you'll regain trust in the eyes of credit card companies. 3. Pay all future bills on time Bankruptcy and consumer proposals are a second chance - so don't mess it up. Missed payments can damage an otherwise pristine credit profile. Missed payments on a credit profile that's already gone through bankruptcy can have an even more severe impact since it shows you're a repeat offender who can't learn from your mistakes. 4. Keep your credit utilization low Once you're able to rebuild trust with creditors and receive a traditional line of credit, make sure that you keep your utilization rate on that card low - ideally under 30 per cent. This shows creditors that you're using your card responsibly, as opposed to maxing out your balance in a state of financial desperation or with irresponsible spending (both major red flags). 5. Limit new credit applications Whenever you apply for a new line of credit or a loan, you'll have a credit inquiry that will remain on your credit profile for two years. Too many inquiries on your credit profile can show desperation and can indicate that you're not in a financial position to be able to cover your basic expenses. Ideally, you want to limit your inquiries to less than one or two per year, especially during the fragile period while you're rebuilding your credit from the bottom. When can you apply for major credit again? If you've declared bankruptcy, it may take up to six years for the bankruptcy to fall off of your credit before lenders and creditors are able to trust you with major lines of credit. During this period, you'll need to be frugal and set up an emergency savings fund to cover unexpected expenses in cash. You may also have to be willing to continue driving and maintaining the same vehicle, as you may not be approved for a new auto loan. Rebuilding your credit is a process that requires time and patience. The good news is that you get a fresh start and your debts aren't held against you for the rest of your life. During these years, take the time to build good habits and lay a solid financial foundation for yourself, so you can come back stronger than ever. More from Christopher Liew:
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Q&A: Organizer talks planning Halifax Pride in light of rising discrimination, pulled funding
Halifax Pride kicks off next week and dozens of events are scheduled across the city, including the Pride parade on Saturday. This week, Fiona Kerr, the organizer of Halifax Pride, sat down with Information Morning Nova Scotia host Portia Clark to discuss what's on the radar for Pride this year. Their conversation touched on the effects of rising anti-queer rhetoric, political involvement and what's coming for Halifax Pride in the future. The following interview has been edited for clarity and length. What can people expect from Halifax Pride this year, aside from the parade? There's a ton of new events. I think we're doing 33 events this year, and about a third of them are new. We're hosting a 'gaylidh,' which is a gay ceilidh, at Neptune Theatre. There's new educational programming with the Wabanaki Two-Spirit Alliance. They're going to be hosting some programming on the festival site that's open to the public. So folks can come learn about the two-spirit identity and some of their Indigenous cultural practices. You left the Halifax Pride organization and came back. What do you think of the health of the organization now, Fiona? I think we're doing really great. Not to toot my own horn, but I've seen our organization go through a lot in the last 10 years and I think this is the best place we've ever been in. I think our board is really great and has done a lot of work over the last year to restabilize us. If anyone wants to join the board, there's a great foundation now. Our staff team is growing — things are really looking up. Our premier, Tim Houston, skipped the parade last year and said the RCMP told him it could be a security concern for him. Other provincial leaders attended. Are you expecting Mr. Houston this year? Not as far as I know. I will say the PC party did apply to be in the parade, but they missed our parade deadline. We filled out pretty quickly this year, so whether or not he intended to be there, I don't know. But they're on the waitlist with quite a few other groups who missed the deadline. There's a waitlist? Yeah. We usually get quite a few people who missed the deadline. We have a certain length for the parade, 2.5 kilometres. We know about how many entries, floats, people we can fit in those 2.5 kilometres. And, usually, we try to move queer groups up to the top of the waitlist because we do want to prioritize their presence. So there's quite a few in front of them, unfortunately. This year we had more interest than we've ever had in the parade and unfortunately the size of our parade can't grow very much because the size of the streets of Halifax are not growing. It's really great to see how much support people are showing. I think as things are shifting in the South very rapidly, more groups, people and companies are thinking about how they can show support. Some companies like Home Depot, Nissan, Clorox, Google have pulled funding for Toronto Pride and that's led to a $900,000 shortfall. Is there anything like that happening with Halifax Pride? We lost two longtime sponsors this year. They didn't give us an explicit reason, but we made the assumption because they're both American-owned. I won't name them because they didn't put their reason in writing. But I think we can read the room at this point. It wasn't a huge impact. Most of our sponsorships are not the same amount of money that some bigger Prides are bringing in. In total it was about $12,000 [lost]. Are you worried other American-owned sponsors will do the same? It's definitely a conversation we've been having, but it really hasn't come to fruition in the way we were worried about. We don't do business with a lot of companies who work over the border. Most of our sponsors are local or regional. A lot of them are small businesses. We have seen posts on social media from rural Pride organizers reminding people how to stay safe during Pride because anti-queer hate is on the rise. Is safety a concern for Pride events here in Halifax? I think it's a concern for everybody. We're very lucky here in Halifax that it is a relatively safe place. Our events are usually safe. We haven't encountered a lot of anti-queer rhetoric around our events. But it's something that's on everyone's minds, with anti-queer hate rising in the South and in bigger cities here. It's something everyone is talking about, but I wouldn't say it's a particularly large concern for us. The federal government announced $1.5 million for a community safety fund to help support 2SLGBTQ+ organizations such as Halifax Pride. How are you using that money? We mainly use it towards the increased costs of our existing safety measures, so we have some increased security. We've increased our first-aid presence at a lot of our events. And, the cost of everything is going up. So the funding is really great help with things like traffic control for our parade. It's mainly covering the cost of inflation. Halifax Pride is going to host Canada Pride, the national event, in 2027. What's that looking like? It's going to be amazing. We bid on that event last year after Vancouver hosted it, and we're just really excited to see it come to the East Coast. It's never been farther east than Montreal. We've got, tentatively, 50 events planned for it. So people will see some of our festival-standard events and lots of new partnerships. Lots of events are for tourists because we want to bring people here. We want people to come see Pride on the East Coast. So there will be something for everybody. How are you reflecting on the spirit and purpose of pride this year? I don't think pride has one single purpose. I think we all kind of struggle narrowing it down to one thing. Because when we narrow it down to 'just a party,' 'just a protest' or 'just educational,' we're only serving one faction of our community. Pride is very multifaceted. But it's rooted in political protest and we want everyone to remember that. I think creating queer spaces, wherever you are, is radical no matter what. Our city is gaining more queer spaces, more queer businesses. Creating space for queer people is what is most important.
