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How U.S. border state midterm races are shaping up amid ‘insane tariffs’
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-11-02 20:12:12.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Industry]U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has implemented sweeping 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, impacting cross-border supply chains and becoming a central issue in the U.S. Senate midterm elections across seven border states. In Michigan, Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers have both addressed the economic fallout of the trade war on integrated auto and steel manufacturing with Ontario. Meanwhile, Maine incumbent Senator Susan Collins wrote to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warning of higher costs and uncertainty for families and businesses, though she successfully lobbied to exempt road salt from the tariff list.
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Commonwealth secretary-general pitches group as 'alternative' to U.S. trade
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-11-02 09:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Industry, Resources, Mining]Prime Minister Mark Carney is attending the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda to promote closer economic cooperation and middle-power trade partnerships as an alternative to U.S. markets. Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey announced a goal to double intra-Commonwealth trade from $900 billion to $2 trillion. Canada currently conducts approximately $100 billion in annual trade with Commonwealth partners, which include 56 member states representing a market of 2.7 billion people.
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‘Associate’ EU membership for Canada not a ‘short-term’ project: expert
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-31 14:54:14.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Industry, Defence]Prime Minister Mark Carney and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen concluded a summit in Montreal outlining a timeline to negotiate a new "Canada-EU Alliance for the Future" by the 2027 EU-Canada Summit. Ottawa and Brussels are working toward establishing Canada as the European Union's first "associate member," pursuing deeper economic, industrial, supply chain, and defense integration. The joint statement includes plans to create a new Canada-EU business council, study how to increase liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe, and develop a transatlantic data cable. While top EU officials aim to conclude negotiations during European Council meetings in June 2027 following upcoming European elections, the initiative faces political friction from member states such as Germany and requires ultimate approval from all 27 EU member states as well as the House of Commons.
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Canada finding 'solutions' on EU carbon tariff threat: Carney
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-30 21:41:25.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Environment, Climate, Industry]Prime Minister Mark Carney announced progress at the Canada-EU summit in Montreal regarding the European Union's pending carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which threatens an estimated $2.8 billion in annual Canadian energy-intensive exports like iron ore, steel, aluminum, and cement. Canada's ambassador-designate to the EU, Jonathan Wilkinson, confirmed that diplomatic negotiations are advancing toward having the European Union officially recognize Canada's national and industrial carbon pricing systems. Full implementation of the EU tariff is scheduled for 2034, with compliance reporting requirements slated to take effect by September or October 2027.
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Staring down a $40M tariff bill, this American importer is suing Trump to end some tariffs on Canada
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-30 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Agriculture, Industry]The U.S. food distributor Gellert Global Group is suing the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade to overturn a 50 per cent tariff bill estimated at $40 million US on Canadian dairy and food imports. Filed by the Liberty Justice Center, the lawsuit challenges the administration's reliance on Section 338 of the U.S. Tariff Act (Smoot-Hawley Act), arguing the executive branch lacks the statutory authority to impose sweeping punitive tariffs under the guise of foreign trade discrimination. The disputed trade actions affect approximately $80 million US in annual Canadian cheese imports, including products from Mariposa Dairy in Lindsay, Ontario, while domestic dairy processors face supply shortages and potential permanent loss of commercial shelf space.
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Stelco must recall laid off workers ‘immediately,’ Joly says in new letter
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-29 14:04:23.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Industry, Labour, Trade]Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly issued a letter on October 29, 2026, demanding that parent company Cleveland-Cliffs and Stelco immediately recall approximately 500 workers laid off at the Hamilton steel plant, or face potential legal action under Section 39 of the Investment Canada Act that could lead to forced divestiture. Joly rejected an interim compliance report submitted by Stelco on October 26 as unsatisfactory. Stelco initiated the layoffs in early October due to reduced operations, offering alternative positions at its Lake Erie facility, which the United Steelworkers union notes has only accommodated about 40 of the affected employees.
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Joly says she will meet with Stelco owner if company gives 'concrete' plan to bring workers back
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-29 13:55:47.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Economy, Trade, Labour, Industry]Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly issued a letter to Paul Simon, president of Stelco, stating she will only meet with the company and its American parent firm, Cleveland-Cliffs, if they provide a concrete plan to immediately recall 300 to 350 laid-off workers at the Hamilton steel plant. The dispute follows recent layoffs and public remarks by Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves regarding the rationale behind the 2024 acquisition. Minister Joly is evaluating potential legal action for non-compliance with undertakings under the Investment Canada Act, which require maintaining unionized employee levels at 2024 figures through 2029.
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U.S. steel CEO's 'confessions' for buying Stelco prompted government to call its lawyers: industry minister
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-28 16:11:32.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Industry, Labour, Trade, Economy]Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly stated that department lawyers were consulted following public comments by Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves regarding the acquisition of Hamilton-based steelmaker Stelco. Goncalves admitted in a media interview that Cleveland-Cliffs purchased Stelco in 2024 specifically to prevent it from undercutting U.S. production facilities, prompting Ottawa to review potential legal consequences under the Investment Canada Act. The federal government previously issued a 15-day ultimatum to Cleveland-Cliffs demanding the reversal of announced layoffs at Stelco to maintain unionized employment levels agreed upon through 2029, threatening court action that could include financial penalties or forced divestment.
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Canada not near trade deal with U.S. before midterms, Carney says
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-28 15:11:10.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Industry]Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that the federal government is not close to reaching a trade agreement with the United States ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Talks recently resumed at the political level led by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, following an August breakdown when negotiations collapsed after the U.S. pushed for restrictions on Canada's trade independence, French language requirements, and its auto sector. In response to stalled talks, U.S. President Donald Trump implemented 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian products, prompting dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs from Ottawa, though discussions are now focusing on easing duties on steel and autos.
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Stelco owner says he could sell plant next year after becoming 'persona non grata in Canada'
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-27 23:34:42.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Trade, Labour, Industry]Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves announced that he is willing to sell the Hamilton-based steel plant Stelco next year following a legal dispute with the federal government over Investment Canada Act obligations. Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly threatened legal action and potential monetary penalties or divestment after Stelco announced 300 to 350 layoffs in September, violating undertakings to maintain unionized staffing levels at 2024 baselines through 2029. While Cleveland-Cliffs maintains it is in full compliance and that the cuts are necessary due to U.S. steel tariffs, Minister Joly stated that potential buyers are already interested in Stelco's Canadian assets.
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United Arab Emirates, Canada to share details of strategic partnership today
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-27 12:29:28.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Industry]Prime Minister Mark Carney hosted Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, in Ottawa to finalize details of a strategic partnership and cement trade ties between Canada and the United Arab Emirates. The countries previously concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement in a record 47 days, following an earlier visit by Prime Minister Carney where the United Arab Emirates pledged approximately $70 billion in investments in Canada.
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Cleveland-Cliffs says Stelco in 'full compliance' with commitments to Ottawa, wants to meet with Joly
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-27 12:14:41.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Trade, Labour, Industry, Economy]Ohio-based parent company Cleveland-Cliffs announced that Stelco is in full compliance with its 34 undertakings under the Investment Canada Act, following a demand letter from Industry Minister Mélanie Joly giving the company a 15-day deadline to reverse 300 to 350 layoffs in Hamilton and 50 layoffs at the Lake Erie Works in Nanticoke. Despite Cleveland-Cliffs citing U.S. tariffs and the need to ensure company survival for the cutbacks, Joly rejected the rationale and stated that market changes do not relieve the company of its binding commitments. Cleveland-Cliffs requested a meeting with Minister Joly and CEO Lourenco Goncalves to discuss resuming full employment for the affected workers, though the minister has not yet responded.
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Canada-U.S. trade talks ‘moving quickly’ at political level ahead of midterms: sources
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-26 20:43:28.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Industry]Canada-U.S. trade talks led by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc are moving quickly at the political level ahead of the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, 2026, though sources express skepticism regarding a finalized deal. Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canada maintains strict red lines regarding sovereignty over independent trade agreements and auto/steel tariff structures, declining the previous August proposal. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has adjusted specific tariffs—lifting duties on corrugated paper, plastic boxes, and certain agricultural machinery requested by U.S. Senator Susan Collins while imposing new 50 per cent tariffs on sewage sludge and municipal waste alongside duties on cocoa powder, paints, and vinyl flooring.
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Canada-U.S. trade talks intensifying but wide gap remains, sources say
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-26 17:30:50.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Trade, Economy, Industry]Trade discussions between Canada and the United States have intensified amid the U.S. midterm elections, though Canadian government sources and chief trade negotiator Janice Charette emphasize that a deal is not imminent and a wide gap remains on key elements. U.S. President Donald Trump and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett have suggested that progress is being made toward an agreement, while the White House recently removed certain tariffs on Canadian goods to assist U.S. Senator Susan Collins' campaign in Maine. Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated that a fair deal protecting steelworkers, autoworkers, and manufacturing workers would prompt him to restore American alcoholic beverages to Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) shelves.
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Carney’s Turkish defence tango: A dance of dollars, drones and overcoming distrust
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-25 20:01:24.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Defence, Industry, Technology]Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a new strategic trade and defence partnership between Canada and Turkey during a visit to Istanbul and Ankara, aiming to reduce Canadian procurement reliance on the United States. The agreement follows the 2024 lifting of a de facto Canadian arms embargo—which had been imposed after Wescam camera equipment meant for NATO operations in Syria was illicitly diverted to Azerbaijan—and establishes that future military exports will undergo strict case-by-case permit reviews. Turkish officials and private companies, including drone manufacturer Baykar, have also expressed interest in making direct investments in Canada's aerospace and defence manufacturing sectors.
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Trump to exempt some Canadian products from tariffs amid midterm pressure
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-23 18:44:33.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Agriculture, Industry]U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is poised to lift 50 per cent tariffs—originally imposed in August in retaliation for Canadian countermeasures—on specific Canadian products, including paper and plastic items, refrigeration and packaging equipment, agricultural machinery, and seaweed and algae products. U.S. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine announced the impending exemptions following intense lobbying by border-state businesses and agricultural producers, such as Maine blueberry growers reliant on Canadian harvesting boxes and cardboard totes, who faced acute supply shortages and political pressures ahead of the November U.S. midterms. Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that Canada remains open to a mutually beneficial trade agreement with the U.S. that protects Canadian interests, noting the government is under no deadline to rush a deal.
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Ottawa gives Stelco 15 days to reverse Hamilton layoffs or face lawsuit
Source: Global News Politics
Date: 2026-10-22 14:16:39.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Industry, Labour, Trade]Federal Industry Minister Melanie Joly issued a 15-day ultimatum to Stelco's U.S. parent company, Cleveland-Cliffs, demanding the reversal of layoffs affecting up to 500 workers at the Hamilton steel plant or face federal legal action. The government asserts that the layoffs violate a 2024 binding agreement stipulating that the average aggregate annual full-time equivalent employment of unionized employees in Canada would remain at 1,766 (100% of the baseline level ending June 30, 2024) through 2029. While court action could potentially force the company to sell its Canadian operations, senior government sources acknowledge that judicial timelines may be too slow to immediately protect current staffing levels in Hamilton.
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Minister giving Stelco owner 15 days to reverse layoffs before turning to the courts
Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-10-22 14:15:00.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Industry, Trade, Labour, Economy]Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly issued a 15-day demand letter to Ohio-based parent company Cleveland-Cliffs, threatening legal action under Section 40 of the Investment Canada Act if it does not reverse planned temporary layoffs of up to 500 workers at the Hamilton-based Stelco steel facility. The federal government asserts that the layoffs violate binding commitments made during Cleveland-Cliffs' 2024 acquisition of Stelco to maintain unionized and non-unionized employment levels through 2029. While Cleveland-Cliffs blamed the workforce reductions on U.S. steel tariffs aimed at ensuring the company's survival, Minister Joly dismissed market conditions as a valid reason to break binding investment commitments and warned that legal proceedings could include monetary penalties and a forced divestment from Stelco.
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Premier Ford and Prime Minister Carney Launch New Action Plan to Protect Workers from Tariffs and Strengthen Ontario Industries
Source: Ontario - Premier's Office
Date: 2026-10-21 19:30:00.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Economy, Trade, Labour, Industry, Infrastructure, Mining, Energy]The Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada announced a combined $8.7 billion action plan to protect workers and industries from U.S. tariffs. The package includes the Joint Steel Action Fund with $3.55 billion from the federal government and $1.67 billion from Ontario, an additional $2.5 billion over two years for large-scale automotive capital projects (up to $1.5 billion federal and $1 billion provincial), and a federal commitment of up to $1 billion over three years for essential road infrastructure in Northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire region. Additionally, light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas regulations will be maintained at 2026 levels (172 grams per mile) through 2029 to provide trade-related relief to the automotive sector.
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Premier Ford and Prime Minister Carney Launch New Action Plan to Protect Workers from Tariffs and Strengthen Ontario Industries
Source: Ontario - Premier's Office
Date: 2026-10-21 19:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Ontario, Economy, Trade, Labour, Industry, Mining, Infrastructure]Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney announced an $8.7 billion joint action plan to protect workers and industries from U.S. tariffs and global uncertainty. The initiative establishes a $5.22 billion Joint Steel Action Fund ($3.55 billion federal, $1.67 billion provincial), a $2.5 billion automotive manufacturing capital upgrade fund ($1.5 billion federal, $1.0 billion provincial), and a $1 billion federal matching investment for road infrastructure in Northern Ontario's Ring of Fire region. Furthermore, the plan creates bilateral task forces for steel, automotive, and critical minerals, implements tighter trade remedies through the Canada Border Services Agency, and leverages Buy Canadian and Buy Ontario procurement policies.
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