Smith’s pretzel logic confuses

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith had both sides of her mouth working overtime on Aug. 30, when she spoke at an event in Calgary to commemorate Alberta Day, the annual celebration of the province’s entry into Confederation in 1905 (officially Sept. 1, it was celebrated on the weekend).

Smith’s comments — and the things she did not say — revealed a lot about the political tightrope the premier is trying to walk over the challenges currently faced by her province. At the top of that list of challenges is a persistent campaign to separate Alberta from the aforementioned Confederation. A campaign that Smith appears to both support and oppose, depending on which day of the week it is.

Her Alberta Day remarks were an excellent case in point.

Smith has decided that on Oct. 19, Albertans will vote on a series of non-binding propositions in a province referendum. One of those questions will ask Albertans whether they want to hold a referendum on separation, thus making this fall’s vote a “referendum on whether to hold a referendum,” as some observers have dubbed it.

How to make National Day for Truth and Reconciliation personal

It’s September — the month that culminates in the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

For Indigenous communities, the last day of September used the be the day the Indian agent, the priest or the RCMP arrived to remove children from their homes and take them to residential school.

Nowadays, Sept. 30 is the day Canadians show up to prove that history will never be repeated.

This is the fifth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and the annual event has quickly become one of the most important and highly participatory days in the country.

Federal Tories launch ‘Conservatives for Canada’ campaign ahead of Alberta referendum

OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives have launched a campaign to engage their supporters and encourage them to vote to stay in Canada in the upcoming Alberta referendum.

Albertans are set to vote on Oct. 19 on whether they want to remain a province or begin the legal process to hold a binding referendum on leaving the country.

In a speech he delivered in Calgary this summer, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called for Albertans to stay united and argued that separatists have a problem not with Canada but with the Liberal government.

"We don't need a different country in Alberta, we need different government policies in Ottawa," Poilievre said on June 8.

Gander, N.L., defends invitation to U.S. ambassador Hoekstra to 9/11 commemoration

ST. JOHN'S - The Town of Gander, N.L., says its invitation to United States Ambassador Pete Hoekstra to attend a 9/11 ceremony this month was protocol, not an endorsement.

Hoekstra is among a list of dignitaries attending the town’s commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.

News of his attendance prompted strong reactions online, as well as an article in satirical news site The Beaverton, titled “Come from Away sequel will see Newfoundlanders put the friggin’ boots to Pete Hoekstra.”

“Come From Away” is a hit musical about how the people of Gander fed, clothed and cared for more than 6,500 air passengers who were stranded there for days after the 9/11 attacks.

PQ leader says his immigration comments were ‘distorted’ by opponents in campaign

MONTREAL - Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said comments he has made about immigration have been "distorted" by his opponents as Quebec's political parties wrapped up the second week of the provincial election campaign on Friday.

Immigration and anglophone rights took centre stage over the week as leaders continued to campaign ahead of the Oct. 5 provincial election.

The Parti Québécois, which has maintained its lead in the polls despite growing support for the governing Coalition Avenir Québec, is facing criticism after St-Pierre Plamondon stirred up controversy with comments about immigrants in schools.

In recent days, the PQ leader has linked immigration to overcrowded schools and the decline of the French language. On Saturday, he held a press conference outside a Quebec City high school where modular classrooms are being used to accommodate students.

Manitoba association pitches CentrePort for national food terminal

A Manitoba association is vying for federal dollars to build a major food terminal as Ottawa unrolls its national food security strategy.

Michael Mikulak, head of industry advocate group Food & Beverage Manitoba, said he’s in talks with several federal departments.

He’s envisioning a 120,000-square-foot site at CentrePort Canada, the trimodal inland port spanning parts of Winnipeg and the Rural Municipality of Rosser.

About 15,000 sq. ft. would become a production-focused commercial kitchen for Manitoba companies to rent as they grow. A warehouse to store and distribute food — from Manitoba and elsewhere — would consume most of the building, Mikulak said.

Apple begins replacing Lake Ontario with ‘Lake America’ on maps app for U.S. users

WASHINGTON - Apple is changing its Maps app to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for users in the United States after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order to change the name of the Great Lake.

"Apple Maps has just announced that it has changed the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, so now that very important change of names, between Google Maps and Apple Maps, is complete, ratified, and binding" Trump posted on social media Wednesday. "Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told the Fox Business network Monday that Trump reached out directly to Apple to ensure the new name would be used on its service.

People in Canada who use Apple Maps still see the lake identified as Lake Ontario.

Élections Québec says it’s too late to print voter documents in English

MONTREAL - Élections Québec says it is too late to make changes to the unilingual French documents it is mailing to voters ahead of the Oct. 5 election despite facing backlash from the anglophone community.

The provincial elections authority was reacting to comments made by Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Fréchette, who said she is in discussions with Élections Québec to determine the next steps.

"We will see what our obligations are," Fréchette said.

The unilingual documents have prompted an outcry from advocacy groups representing anglophones in Quebec, who say they are creating an unnecessary barrier for voters.

Trump contacted Apple directly to change name of Lake Ontario to Lake America: Burgum

WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump contacted Apple directly to pressure the tech giant to change the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America," a top administration official said Monday.

U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told the Fox Business network the body of water's name might soon change on Apple maps.

Trump signed an executive order last week to rename the Great Lake as tensions between the United States and Canada escalated following a breakdown in trade talks.

Google Maps updated its service to identify the body of water as "Lake America" for users in the United States over the weekend. The company said in a post on its corporate website Saturday the change was made because the U.S. government's geographic names database had formally renamed the lake.

Knowing history — and not repeating it

Prime Minister Mark Carney summed up the current bilateral trade predicament nicely: “We cannot accept what they’ve offered and we will not give what they’ve asked.”

Candidates talk affordability on Day 4 of Quebec’s election campaign

Affordability and the economy took the spotlight on Sunday as Quebec's election campaign entered its fourth day, with party leaders unveiling their visions to ease financial pressures while grappling with the province's budgetary constraints.

The Quebec Liberal Party and Québec solidaire promised to make housing more affordable, while the Conservatives promised more tax cuts and the Coalition Avenir Québec released its full fiscal plan. Meanwhile, the Parti Québécois emphasized protecting the French language by proposing stricter immigration policies.

According to Quebec’s auditor general, the next government will face significant budgetary constraints. A pre-election report published earlier this month highlighted that Quebec’s multi-billion dollar deficit must be eliminated by 2029-2030 under the balanced-budget law, leaving little room for ambitious campaign promises.

The Coalition Avenir Québec called on the other parties Sunday to follow its lead and release their own fiscal blueprints.

Immigration board asks feds to better track temporary residents

OTTAWA - Canada needs to make further cuts to the number of temporary residents in the country and generate better tracking data when they leave the country, the head of an expert panel on immigration said.

Parisa Mahboubi chairs the C.D. Howe Institute's immigration targets council, which includes former immigration minister Jason Kenney and top academics in the field in its membership. The council is preparing a submission for the government's annual immigration levels consultation period.

The report comes two years after Canada began moving to cut down on the number of temporary residents, including foreign students and workers, as soaring immigration contributed to significant issues, including housing shortages and overburdened social services.

In July, Prime Minister Mark Carney said immigration was too high when he took office in 2025, and specifically blamed a loss of control of the intake of international students and temporary workers.

Separatists hold independence rally in lead-up to Alberta’s birthday bash

EDMONTON - Alberta separatists converged outside the legislature in Edmonton on Saturday afternoon ahead of the province's birthday, with many praying, listening to sermons and saying Alberta would be better off without Canada after having joined Confederation 121 years ago.

"It's the corruption, the lies from out east. I'm just tired of it," said Skip Macaulay, a rally attendee who lives in the central Alberta city of Lacombe. "I'm tired of being told how to live my life. I'm a gun enthusiast ... I want change."

"They don't listen to what Alberta wants and needs," said Jill Didow, an Edmonton resident who was also at the rally. "I believe in Alberta independence."

Alberta officially became a province on Sept. 1, 1905, and various festivities are planned this weekend to mark the anniversary on Tuesday.

U of M research role expands after $79-M federal injection

The University of Manitoba is playing in a new league.

A $79-million investment will bring five internationally recruited researchers to Manitoba to build “ambitious,” long-term research programs in areas of strategic national importance.

The five researchers will join the U of M thanks to the federal government’s $1.7-billion research talent initiative that’s designed to help Canadian universities compete globally for leading researchers.

The initiative’s flagship program, the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada, provides universities with the funding and resources to recruit world-class researchers, build research teams and pursue large-scale projects in fields considered important to Canada — from Arctic navigation and defence to sustainable mining, health equity and environmental law.

Carney’s defence of Lake Ontario carries enormous weight

Prime Minister Mark Carney's response to Trump's "Lake America" name change suggests something kind of new in the fight against the United States in this escalating trade war: pride in Canada’s Indigenity.

Trump’s tariff tantrum, geopolitical turmoil could be blessings in disguise for Manitoba’s diversified economy

It’s early July and Warren Luky’s second last day before he retires as president of United Steelworkers Local 6166. After a career at the bargaining table and in and around mineshafts, Luky speaks candidly as he fires up a barbecue at his Thompson home.

Luky, who represents 472 miners at Vale’s Thompson mining operation along with other northern labourers, is quite aware of the buzzwords currently attached to his trade and the region.

Phrases like “Arctic sovereignty,” “trade diversification,” “Indigenous-led” and “critical minerals” have caught on with politicians of all stripes over the past couple years as federal and provincial governments tout the need for greater Canadian sovereignty, with the push for major infrastructure projects declared a matter of national interest.

In light of the bitter collapse in trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. on Aug. 21 — a historic blow to cross-border relations — these phrases are bound to become more contagious.

Privacy watchdog takes Google to court in long-running ‘right to be forgotten’ case

OTTAWA - Canada's privacy commissioner is asking the Federal Court to order Google to de-list specific search results, after Google refused to comply with the watchdog’s recommendations.

Privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne's office said a year ago that Google wouldn't implement its recommendation to de-list specific articles in the search results for an individual's name.

The case, which has been ongoing since 2017, involves articles about a criminal charge that was dropped, which the individual said caused direct harm, including social stigma, lost job opportunities and physical assault.

The watchdog recommended Google de-list the articles for searches of that individual's name, though they would continue to be available online and appear in results for other search terms.

Premiers at odds over leveraging potash in Canada’s trade war with U.S.

OTTAWA - Premiers are sharply divided over whether to use Canada's natural resources as leverage in the trade war with the U.S., and potash has emerged as a key point of contention.

Canada is a major global supplier of potash, a key ingredient in fertilizers that are vital for the agricultural sector. The U.S. imports about 85 per cent of its potash from Canada.

While Ontario’s Doug Ford is pushing to pull the most damaging levers with the U.S., Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe and Alberta’s Danielle Smith are warning about a harmful long-term backlash.

Federal politicians are also weighing in. NDP leader Avi Lewis called for an export tax on "oil, gas, thermal coal, potash and other minerals to hit Trump where it hurts."

Interprovincial trade barriers falling but challenges remain: experts

The collapse of talks with the United States has added urgency to reducing trade barriers within Canada, but experts say it's not a simple fix.

Efforts to boost interprovincial trade have ramped up recently, including at a meeting this week of federal, provincial and territorial trade officials in Iqaluit.

In a communique released late Thursday, ministers agreed that the suspension of negotiations with the U.S. means it's more critical than ever to strengthen the economy at home.

As part of that push, nine provinces agreed last month to allow direct-to-consumer alcohol sales across provincial boundaries.

Ottawa funds sentencing program for northern Manitoba offenders

The federal government has put up $5 million for a Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak project to provide culturally connected sentencing options for First Nations offenders in northern Manitoba.

Discoverability, not French-language labels, the issue in’ trade talks: LeBlanc

OTTAWA - The United States has withdrawn demands that Canada shelve French language protections as part of future trade talks, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Thursday, as he also acknowledged demands to remove French language labels from products were not part of the latest round of negotiations.

In a social media post LeBlanc said "Canada welcomes that the U.S. is now withdrawing its positions on discoverability and labelling and is confirming that measures to promote French language and Canadian culture will not be subject to future U.S. trade actions," LeBlanc said on social media Thursday.

He said Canada looks forward to "further constructive U.S. clarifications on their other positions which would create the possibility of a mutually beneficial trade agreement that respects Canadian sovereignty."

The Liberal government cited French language protections as one of the reasons it ended trade talks with the Americans, with Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioning both the visibility of Canadian content on streaming services, and French-language product labelling, when he spoke on Aug. 22 about the trade talks dissolving.

Canada is bolstering its defense industry as US relations fray. A boom is on for local contractors

TORONTO (AP) — As Canada moves to reduce its dependence on American military suppliers, the push is on display inside a Toronto garment factory.

Hunched over sewing machines, two workers rapidly stitch together pieces of camouflage-patterned fabric and Velcro strips. In the next room, workers snip stray threads as they inspect the finished product: helmet covers for the Canadian military.

The factory is assembling uniforms for Wuxly, a luxury parka maker that is among a flurry of Canadian companies branching into defense contracting. As Canadian military spending surges, others are developing remote sensors for the country's vast Arctic region, making drones to resupply soldiers, and building autonomous robots.

The boom in the defense sector reflects Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's vow to strengthen the country's economic self-sufficiency amid fraying relations with Washington, including a fresh escalation this week with new rounds of tariffs.

Canadian Army looking for surveillance, cargo-drop drone suppliers

OTTAWA - The federal government has put out a small shopping list for new drones for the Canadian Army, which includes land and aerial drones that can deliver cargo and supply munitions to troops.

It's also looking for aerial surveillance and reconnaissance drones, including some specifically designed to operate in "extreme cold" Arctic environments.

Ottawa has issued a batch of five tenders under the army's Minerva initiative, a program designed to integrate drones into its operations.

“The Canadian Army soldier will face an increasingly complex and dangerous battlespace in the future," one of the drone tenders said.