Latest news with #Conservative
Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Trump says he's 'terminating' trade talks with Canada over digital services tax
Article content Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre also shared his disappointment that trade talks between Canada and the U.S. have halted and expressed hope 'they resume quickly.' 'As always, Conservatives are ready to help get a good deal for Canada. We must put Canada First,' he wrote. Poilievre did not call for the government to repeal the DST, instead advocating for it to repeal the Impact Assessment Act, the industrial carbon tax, the electric vehicle mandate and a number of other laws that could prevent businesses from flourishing in Canada. Disappointed that trade talks have halted. Hopefully they resume quickly. As always, Conservatives are ready to help get a good deal for Canada. We must put Canada First. At the same time, the government must take emergency action to bolster Canada's economy: Fully repeal the… — Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) June 27, 2025
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Donald Trump says he's cutting off trade talks with Canada over Ottawa's digital tax
OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he is cutting off all trade talks with Canada over the federal government's digital services tax that would impact American tech giants, calling it a 'blatant attack' on the United States. Trump announced his plan to end trade talks in a social media post Friday afternoon, less than two weeks after he agreed with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 summit on June 16 to work toward a deal to end the ongoing trade war within 30 days . 'Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately,' Trump's post said. 'We will let Canada know the Tariff that they will be paying to do business with the United States of America within the next seven day period.' The Prime Minister's Office responded later Friday afternoon with a short statement that did not mention the digital services tax and expressed Canada's desire to continue the trade talks. 'The Canadian government will continue to engage in these complex negotiations with the United States in the best interest of Canadian workers and businesses,' the statement said. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said as recently as two weeks ago that Ottawa would press ahead with the tax, which is set to start collecting money on Monday. Prime Minister Mark Carney comments moments after U.S. President Donald Trump said that he was "terminating all discussions on trade with Canada" and threatened new tariffs over Ottawa's plans to push ahead with a digital services tax. Carney called the negotiations "complex." (June 27, 2025 / The Canadian Press) On social media, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he was disappointed to hear that trade talks have halted, and that he hopes they resume quickly. He also did not name the digital services tax, but pointed to changes his party has long argued will improve the Canadian economy, including the repeal of the existing federal project assessment regime and industrial carbon pricing. 'As always, Conservatives are ready to help get a good deal for Canada,' Poilievre's statement said. 'We must put Canada first.' Under Trump, the U.S. has imposed a series of tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, autos and other goods that Canada views as illegal and unjustified. Ottawa has responded with a raft of counter-tariffs in a trade war that Carney vowed during the spring campaign to 'win.' The prime minister has since embarked on talks with Trump, which Carney said are designed to renegotiate Canada's trade and security relationship with the economic and military juggernaut to the south. Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, was part of the prime minister's Canada-U.S. council that met virtually on Friday, just as Trump declared he would terminate trade talks. In an interview with the Star, Volpe said he remains cautiously optimistic, and that surprising twists have become an expectation since Trump returned to the White House in January. 'Is this a pressure moment in a negotiation, or is it really the end of the conversation? I don't know. But you know who does know? Donald Trump, who is, in this style of negotiation, a master,' Volpe said. 'Because the prime minister and the president are in direct communication, and have been for the last couple months, I will save my panic for … if the PM suggests we should panic.' Brian Clow, a former deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to prime minister Justin Trudeau, told the Star that it's not surprising Trump would target the tax, which was a trade irritant when Joe Biden was president as well. He urged the Carney government to stay calm and keep trying to talk to its American counterparts. He also said the government should not consider dropping the digital services tax unless the move is part of a broader trade deal with the Trump administration. 'To a certain extent, what we just saw from Donald Trump is exactly from his playbook. We've seen it so many times before,' Clow said. 'This is how he negotiates. He negotiates by threat, attempting to intimidate to yield more concessions from Canada. This is just a part of how it works and they've got to keep talking and hopefully come to some sort of deal.' The trade war has rattled businesses and workers across the country, with layoffs at auto plants and steel factory shutdowns in recent weeks. Trump doubled his steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 per cent against Canada on June 4, arguing the tariffs are needed to protect and promote a key American industry, as his broader policy of tariffs is designed to raise government revenues and overcome what the U.S. president argues is unfair commercial relations for his country. The Liberal government has long planned to impose a tax on digital services, which Trump views as an unfair trade practice that will hit American companies like Google and Meta. In his social media post Friday, Trump alluded to how the European Union is planning a similar digital services tax, and said Canada was 'copying' the bloc of states with 'a direct and blatant attack on our Country.' On Thursday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the G7 — a group of rich democracies that includes Canada — agreed to exempt American companies from certain taxes. In return, the Trump administration would remove a so-called 'revenge tax' from a sweeping bill in the U.S. Congress, which would have imposed taxes on investments from countries the U.S. deemed to be treating American firms unfairly. President Donald Trump said he's immediately suspending trade talks with Canada over its plans to continue with its tax on technology firms. Trump said the Canadians was sticking to its plan to impose the tax set to take effect Monday. (AP Video / June 27, 2025) Neither the PMO nor Champagne's office responded Friday when asked if that deal impacted Canada's digital services tax. The policy, enacted in 2024's Digital Services Tax Act , imposed a three per cent tax on revenue earned from online marketing and advertising, social media and some sales of user data. The tax applies to domestic and foreign businesses that reap more than $1.1 billion in global revenue and earn more than $20 million of revenue within Canada in a given year. The Liberals promised to introduce the tax in 2019, and argued hiking tax on big companies could help pay for social services and other public investments to spur the economy. The independent Parliamentary Budget Officer reported in 2023 that the tax would raise about $1.2 billion per year in government revenues. In a written statement Friday, the head of the Business Council of Canada said it has warned the government for the past three years that the digital services tax 'could risk undermining' Canada's economic relationship with the U.S. Goldy Hyder called on Canada to immediately propose to eliminate the tax, in exchange for the removal of American tariffs on Canadian goods. Catherine Cobden, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, said Friday that trade relations are so unpredictable and uncertain with the U.S. that even a new deal to remove current tariffs can no longer be seen as a guarantee. She called for stronger measures to encourage using domestically produced steel in Canada, and other steps to protect the sector. 'We are really under attack by the United States, so we are rapidly pivoting away from that market,' she said. Another business group that has opposed the digital services tax, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said Friday that 'surprises' should be expected in negotiations. 'The tone and tenor of talks has improved in recent months, and we hope to see progress continue,' said the chamber's president, Candace Laing. 'We respect that Team Canada is conducting these negotiations at the table, and we need to give them the space to navigate.'
Hamilton Spectator
5 hours ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Carney government's ‘nation-building' bill becomes law despite Senate criticism
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's controversial legislation to fast-track 'nation-building' development projects received royal assent and became law after the rushed passage of Bill C-5 through the Senate on Thursday. But the legislative accomplishment — the first government bill to pass in both chambers under the minority Liberal administration elected April 28 — was marred by expressions of outrage from some senators, who criticized the legislation's creation of 'so-called Henry VIII' powers that allow the federal cabinet to override laws and regulations to approve development projects. Some also condemned what they saw as the bill's lack of consultation and requirements to respect Indigenous rights, suggesting the new process could get bogged down in the very opposition and delay that it is designed to avoid. 'Bill C-5 is not reconciliation. It's a betrayal of it,' said Sen. Paul Prosper, a Mi'kmaq lawyer from Nova Scotia, who told the red chamber his office received a deluge of 'racist vitriol' after he spoke about his desire to slow down the legislation that sped through the House of Commons last week with the support of opposition Conservatives. Yet some in that party still had concerns about the legislation. Mary Jane McCallum, a Conservative senator from Manitoba, argued Thursday that the bill gives too much power to the federal cabinet to choose projects, and to decide which laws and regulations are relevant to how they are approved. 'Canada is not a dictatorship, yet the so-called Henry VIII clauses in Bill C-5 bring us dangerously close to the precipice,' she said. After two days of debate, the Senate voted down several amendments that would have sent the legislation back to the House, and passed it as written without a recorded vote Thursday afternoon. It received Royal Assent from Gov. Gen. Mary Simon a short time later. Since introducing and pushing to pass the bill before Canada Day, the Carney government has defended the legislation as a necessary framework to boost economic growth and reduce reliance on the United States that has imposed steep tariffs that Ottawa deems illegal and unjustified. Last week, Carney also promised to host summits with Indigenous leaders in July to ensure there is participation on which proposed projects — from pipelines to ports and mines — are chosen for the fast-track process under C-5. The legislation gives the cabinet wide latitude to fast-track a development project based on 'any factor' it deems relevant. Although it's not written in the legislation, the government has pledged to finish the approval of fast-tracked projects so construction can begin within two years, while the special powers the bill creates are set to expire after five years. On Thursday, Sen. Hassan Yusseff, a former labour leader who advocated for the bill in the upper chamber, echoed the government's rationale that the special process to fast-track major projects — and a separate, less contentious part of the bill to lift federal barriers to trade and labour mobility inside Canada — are necessary because of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war. His voice breaking with emotion, Yusseff made the case that the legislation is needed quickly to bolster the Canadian economy and help workers in the industries targeted by Trump's tariffs, from steel and aluminum to the auto sector. 'The men and women who build this country of ours are watching very closely,' Yusseff said. Throughout the day, senators debated the merits of the bill, with some arguing it forces Indigenous groups and environmentalists to trust the government to respect rights and standards, rather than force the government to do so. Some senators, however, said the bill's references to Indigenous rights in the Constitution, as well as the government's insistence it won't fast-track projects without provincial buy-in and Indigenous consultation, mean these concerns can't be addressed through amending the legislation. 'There's no bill we can pass that will guarantee the honour of the Crown,' said Alberta Sen. Patti LaBoucane-Benson. 'I don't think there's anything more we can do to the text of the bill to protect Indigenous rights.' Others, like Ontario Sen. Bernadette Clement, argued Parliament should take more time to improve the legislation and address concerns raised by environmental groups, Indigenous communities, and organizations like the Assembly of First Nations. 'Growing our economy, nation-building — yeah, that's urgent. It requires a timely an efficient response. But it doesn't require the trampling of Indigenous rights and our environmental protections,' Clement said. Marilou McPhedran, a senator from Manitoba, expressed shock that Conservatives and Liberals in the House voted en masse to surrender 'parliamentary sovereignty' to the cabinet under the bill. 'As we watch the results of the C-5 juggernaut roll out and roll over Canada, please remember this key question: are the constitutionally guaranteed rights to equality, to Aboriginal and treaty rights, the first to go with Bill C-5?' she said. The House of Commons made several amendments to the bill that some senators welcomed, including new reporting requirements on how projects are selected, and the creation of a parliamentary committee to oversee how the legislation is being used. The House also added a requirement to publish details of a project at least 30 days before it is named in the 'national interest,' and introduced limits so no projects can be added to the new process while Parliament is prorogued or dissolved. The legislation also requires the minister responsible for the law — currently Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc — to consult with provinces, territories and Indigenous Peoples whose rights 'may be adversely affected' by a project. The Commons inserted a clause that requires the government to get 'written consent' from a province or territory — but not an Indigenous community — if a project falls within an area of its 'exclusive' jurisdiction. Sen. Marc Gold, the government representative in the chamber, said the bill is 'fundamentally about trust' that all groups — including the government — will act in the best interests of Canadians during a time of crisis after an election he said gave the Liberal minority government a clear mandate to pursue rapid economic growth. 'C-5 is indeed extraordinary, and indeed it entails unprecedented trust,' Gold said. 'This is not about any partisan interest, but in the interest of our country.'
Glasgow Times
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Mobile phone use in East Renfrewshire schools could be restricted
Parents, carers and staff have raised concerns about the use of smartphones in schools, which can 'facilitate bullying', councillors have said. There are plans to hand out questionnaires from August, which will help to refresh guidance on how phones can be used while at school. Cllr Katie Pragnell, Labour, said she has been 'contacted by a number of parents, carers and staff who work within East Renfrewshire schools' and there are 'some concerns about the use of mobile phones in our schools'. She added: 'I think it's really important that we consider this issue fully as there is evidence emerging, particularly on the impact mobile phones have on young people's mental health, especially as they are going through a quite vulnerable stage of puberty and adolescence.' Cllr Kate Campbell, Conservative, added: 'I am very aware from what I've heard from parents and pupils, it's not just receiving and sending texts, smartphones facilitate bullying. READ MORE: 'Very sad': School announces death of 'loved & respected' teacher 'They are being used for bullying, so we must really look into how they are used.' At an education committee meeting earlier this month, councillors were updated on work around the use of mobile phones in schools. Consultation has already been carried out through pupil council and head pupil meetings, parent council chair meetings and staff forums. Education officials have also audited current practice in secondary schools. They reported: 'Our next step will be to design and implement a fuller consultation, which will involve designing a questionnaire which will be issued to parents/carers, pupils and staff in schools. 'The results of this consultation will inform how we update guidance for schools in East Renfrewshire.' READ MORE: Glasgow restaurant visited by Celtic & Rangers star to temporarily close An official told councillors that they would engage with stakeholders on the content of the questionnaires and aim to 'have it ready for launching early August when schools come back'. Cllr Gordon Wallace, Conservative, said one of four rules on smartphones suggested in the book 'The Anxious Generation' by Jonathan Haidt is phone-free schools. It proposes storing phones, smart-watches and other personal devices that can send or receive texts in phone-lock pouches during the school day, he said. Cllr Wallace added: 'I appreciate to suddenly fire that out to our youngsters who really spend an awful lot of their time on smartphones, that would be a big ask. 'I do appreciate the value of going out to consultation on this, but I don't think there's any question in anybody's mind, the impact that smartphones are having on our youngsters. 'That's not to say that we must do without them but we need to find a way through this for the benefit of our young people.'
Glasgow Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Plans to build dozens of new flats in Newton Mearns rejected
Planners at East Renfrewshire Council had recommended Westpoint Homes' proposal for the former Mearns Primary School site was given the go ahead. But the planning committee rejected the scheme amid concerns over the access road and the suitability of the site. The decision came after over 20 objections, many from residents in nearby Scholars Court, which raised a number of issues including overlooking, over-development and the height of the buildings. The overflow car park sits behind a Marks & Spencer foodhall and beside a Royal Mail sorting office and Mearns library. M&S had concerns about the impact on delivery and servicing access to its store while Royal Mail was worried about 'potential noise complaints' from new residents. Westpoint wanted to build two blocks of flats, each with a private balcony or terrace, to be marketed to over-55s due to pressure on school places in East Renfrewshire. A council report stated the owners of the site had monitored the demand for parking and confirmed the car park is 'surplus to requirements and that sufficient car parking within the remainder of the site can accommodate demand'. Planners added the site is 'considered to be a highly sustainable location for residential development' and the scheme was 'considered to be of a design, scale, height, massing and density that is in keeping with the buildings in the locality'. READ MORE: Here's when Paisley Museum is now expected to reopen after latest delay 'The height of the buildings has been reduced to 4 storeys which is more in keeping with the surrounding area and the neighbouring development at Scholars Court,' the report stated. 'Any potential adverse overlooking has been addressed by means of privacy screens.' They also reported the proposal would not be 'considered to give rise to significant additional overlooking' and the council's road service had no objection to the plan, subject to conditions which would have been attached to the planning permission. However, Cllr Andrew Morrison, Conservative, said he was 'still quite concerned about vehicle access to this, because the existing road is single track in parts'. He said while there was a proposal to widen the road, it is 'essentially going to be a shared space with a significant number of HGVs'. A council planner said there was an 'expectation' that the road would be widened. He highlighted there was no objection from the council's roads team. However, Cllr Morrison moved the application was rejected as he believed it would result in 'significant loss of character and amenity to the surrounding area' and wasn't 'appropriate to the location'. He added it did not provide safe access. 'There are complaints from residents already with respect to HGV movements in the goods yard which is from the residents of Scholars' Court and this application will be even closer to said yard.' His motion was seconded by Cllr Paul Edlin and permission was refused. Provost Mary Montague had been in favour of approving the application.
