Global getaways: Maritimers look to European travel destinations
While travel to the United States has dipped, European trips are poised to soar for Maritimers.
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National Post
16 minutes ago
- National Post
Opinion: Mixed fleet of fighter jets not the answer for Canada's Air Force
By Alexander Lanoszka, Richard Shimooka and Balkan Devlen Article content The proverbial canary in the mine of U.S.-Canada defence co-operation is grey, flies as fast as Mach 1.6, and has a very low radar signature. Article content Article content Canada has named the F-35 — Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation multipurpose fighter jet — not once, not twice, but thrice as the CF-18s' intended replacement. Alas, the stealth fighter's procurement has come under scrutiny again in view of U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated wish to see Canada become the 51st state. Article content Hence, in his first days on the job, Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered yet another review. However, there was a ray of hope on June 10, when David McGuinty, Carney's new defence minister, issued a statement that made no mention of reviewing the contract. Instead, he said, 'this project will provide Canada with an invaluable air defence capability … well into the future.' Article content Article content Let's hope the government sticks with that plan. Given the history of this procurement, it continues to merit close scrutiny. Article content Politicians and international security analysts from across the political spectrum have supported Carney's temporizing. From their perspective, the U.S. now represents at best an unreliable ally and at worst a territorial menace. Canada would thus be better off acquiring other aircraft made by purportedly more trustworthy European allies. Recognizing that it may be too late to cancel, some propose Canada should acquire a mixed fleet — with either French-made Rafales or Swedish-made Gripens — so as not to rely exclusively on the U.S.-produced aircraft. Article content As Ottawa considers the implications of the June 10 auditor general's report, which found the estimated cost of replacing the F-18s has ballooned to $27.7 billion, it should note that a mixed fleet of fighter jets remains a terrible idea. Much of the costs are exogenous to the F-35 (like rebuilding dilapidated infrastructure), and would be borne by any fighter selected. It further underestimates the complex technologies involved, and takes too optimistic a view of what European defence contractors can provide. Tens of billions of public money could be wasted if Canada chooses a mixed fleet. Article content Article content The idea may sound reasonable. By many attributes — speed, payload, range — the Rafale and Gripen seem comparable to the F-35, thereby making them appear interchangeable. Moreover, diversity in suppliers makes sense to provide resilience over matters related to sovereignty. Article content First, despite overlapping capabilities, these aircraft have become so technologically complex that they have little interchangeability. Each aircraft has its own training program: F-35 pilots and support personnel cannot simply operate Gripens. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) would have to offer two distinct training pipelines. Considering it already suffers from a severe pilot shortfall, a bifurcated training regime would further strain personnel capacity. Similarly, each aircraft requires its own logistical supply chain. Aircraft inevitably suffer from wear and tear, even in benign conditions, and their components are not interchangeable between fleets.
Globe and Mail
25 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
How Canadian women entrepreneurs are flipping the script on global trade
Barb Stegemann was at a party in the U.S. earlier this year where talk turned to cross-border relations. 'We're going to make you the 51st state,' one partygoer said to her, jokingly. The president and founder of Halifax-based perfume company The 7 Virtues riffed back, 'We're going to make you the 11th province!' She then lauded Canada's Charter of Rights, explained that women in Canada were being well protected as a result of the charter, and listed other benefits of being Canadian. 'I felt really empowered; I felt good. I wondered how I could translate that into a perfume that makes you feel good.' Now, she and her team of 35 employees – the majority in Canada, but some based in the U.S. – have a wait list for Oh Canada and Eau America, two scents they're launching on July 1 and July 4, respectively. The former includes the aromas of maple, aged leather and smoky bacon while the latter has notes of apple pie and bourbon. 'Whether they barely break even or are a runaway hit, it's something that makes people happy, and I think that's really our responsibility as businesses,' says Ms. Stegemann, who will sell the new products via the company's website and Halifax storefront, The 7 Virtues Perfume Atelier. She's not sure if they'll get picked up by Sephora, the company's main distributor. This is just one way The 7 Virtues is tackling the state of global trade. Ever-changing tariffs from the U.S., and an overall sense that globalization is transforming, has many companies changing tack. With those shifts comes interesting opportunities as well. Production costs for The 7 Virtues have risen by 20 to 30 per cent because of tariffs affecting ingredient suppliers and direct sales; some of its products are made in Canada, and some in the U.S., while ingredients come from all over the world. While some aspects of the company are in a holding pattern, Ms. Stegemann says it will not slow plans to go from selling in 1,550 Sephora stores worldwide to 1,700 by fall. 'I think what most companies should be doing is to continue as planned,' she says. In January, just before inauguration day in the U.S., Toronto-based skincare company Three Ships made a bold move, sending a full quarter's worth of stock to its Chicago warehouse. 'It would give us enough time to be able to respond if tariffs went into place without having to take that immediate hit,' says Laura Thompson, who launched the Toronto-based company along with Connie Lo in 2020. Skincare retailers require three months' notice for price hikes, so the stockpile gave the Three Ships founders and their 20 employees some breathing room. 'We've talked to other companies, and we haven't met anybody else who's been as prepared,' says Ms. Thompson, who tracked other companies moving stock in February and March. Around the same time, ahead of the curve again, Three Ships told retailers – it sells in Whole Foods and other stores – about a price increase of about 10 per cent that would come into effect at the end of April. However, while many of the company's international suppliers were being hit with tariffs, the cost changes to Three Ships didn't end up being brutal. So, it reversed the price increase in Canada. Ms. Lo says that decision has had positive ripple effects. 'Canadians are really excited about supporting Canadian brands. This showed them that, hey, this company is not just taking an opportunity to do a price increase and blame it on tariffs.' While the beauty brand already touted its mostly made-in-Canada status – two of its 20-plus products are manufactured in South Korea – it's now leaning into its homegrown appeal. 'We've cancelled all of our marketing activations planned for the U.S., and we've reallocated those dollars to events in Canada because 'made in Canada' is such a big angle,' says Ms. Thompson. As well, Three Ships has paused its plan to increase U.S. sales to 50 per cent of total sales, says Ms. Thompson. 'Let's invest dollars here. Let's focus on our made-in-Canada angle, and supporting our Canadian consumers, and grow where we're seeing success already, without trying to force things when there's all this chaos.' In Vancouver, pet grooming product company Drby Pet Co. has similarly reconsidered Stateside expansion. Founder Wenny Chiu previously planned to make a big U.S. push in 2025. Her line of four natural and eco-friendly products – Natural Pet Toothpaste is a top seller – sells in B.C., Alberta and Ontario retailers, online, and via In January, Ms. Chiu opened up an store and started reaching out to independent U.S. retailers. But by March, she paused the online store and slowed her outreach efforts. With her costs rising and feeling that a price increase was unwise, Ms. Chiu pivoted to focus on her company's core identity. 'I want to put more into marketing and tightening up, refining ourselves a bit more before we go farther out. We want to build a solid foundation.' She's investing in website SEO (search engine optimization) and attending more in-person events – since both drive sales and allow her to build stronger customer relationships. These women entrepreneurs agree that new international trade costs have caused them concern, but they've seen worse, including the supply chain challenges during the pandemic. Things are different, things keep changing, but currently it's nothing that a little strategy, a focus on strengths and creativity can't work around. 'You don't want to hurt your bottom line or your customer loyalty. The last thing I want to do is lose customers because of these tariffs,' says Ms. Chiu. 'Being able to show that our product is worth it is more important than expansion at this moment.'
CTV News
25 minutes ago
- CTV News
Kananaskis: An explainer on Alberta's cherished park and G7 host location
A road sign warning of no access to the site of the G7 leaders' summit is pictured in Kananaskis, Alta., Monday, June 2, CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh CALGARY — For the next week, Derek Ryder will be temporarily divorced from his favourite mountain range and beloved trails in Kananaskis, Alta., so the world's most powerful people can safely gather for the G7 leaders summit. The spokesman for Friends of Kananaskis Country, an environmental stewardship group for the region, has been trekking in Kananaskis Country, informally known as K-Country, since 1976. 'I've been basically everywhere,' says Ryder, who added he's traversed more kilometres in Kananaskis than he can count. As the G7 leaders prepare for the annual meeting in Kananaskis, which first hosted the summit in 2002, the world's eyes will be on the region's dense forest and jagged alpine. What is Kananaskis? Comprising several provincial parks, Kananaskis was created by former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed in 1978. The Alberta Parks website says Lougheed was convinced to establish the park after a single helicopter ride over the jagged mountains. From above, the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge — chosen as the leaders' residence for the summit — is a mere pinprick surrounded by over 4,000 square kilometres of Rocky Mountain wilderness abutting Banff National Park. Unlike past summits in urban centres, the leaders are to be cordoned off from the outside world. Kananaskis has a small local population of 156, according to the most recent census. 'Block one road on two ends, and you pretty much have an isolated world in K-Country,' Ryder says. Who will be at the G7? Prime Minister Mark Carney will chair the summit. He is to be joined by: U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The presidents of the European Council and European Commission usually represent the European Union. A prominent group of invited non-G7 leaders are also to attend, including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The late Pope Francis was at last year's G7, becoming the first pontiff to address the forum. There's been no public chatter about whether Pope Leo XIV might be in Kananaskis. The three-day summit starts Sunday. How do you get to Kananaskis Village? Kananaskis Village is roughly 75 kilometres southwest of Calgary. It has two entry points. The first is off the Trans-Canada Highway en route to Canmore and Banff. Drivers can otherwise enter through a rural road. Other sections of the park, mostly south of the village, are still set to be open during the summit. Is it similar to Banff? Though it shares a mountain range with Banff National Park, Ryder says the wilderness in Kananaskis has a unique feel that separates itself from the national parks. 'To me, it feels less like a museum,' he says. The area's popularity has increased over the past decade, adds Trevor Julian, executive director of Friends of Kananaskis. But its relatively quieter trails are alluring to some hikers, he says. Banff, meanwhile, attracts more than four million people every year. 'I find there's so many hidden pockets of Kananaskis where you can go for the day — or days — and not see people.' Julian says. Are bears a risk? Kananaskis is native bear territory, Ryder says, and the animals happily traverse through Kananaskis Village on any given day. Two layers of fences line the perimeter of the village. Ryder doesn't believe that will keep them out. 'Fences, unless they're electrified, don't stop bears from doing anything,' Ryder says. But bears are more interested in eating plants than wreaking havoc on talks between prime ministers and presidents, he says. During the 2002 summit in Kananaskis, a bear climbed a tree near the site and, as conservation officers tried to lure it down, the animal fell and died from its injuries. 'There's no magic in this,' Ryder says. 'There's only really good people doing the best job we can.' What else should I know about Kananaskis? In 2013, Kananaskis saw hundreds of kilometres of trails washed away by sudden flooding, which also forced out 110,000 people downstream in Calgary. The historic flood wiped out much of the picturesque 36-hole golf course at Kananaskis and took five years to rebuild. Darren Robinson, general manager of Kananaskis Country Golf Club, says a few employees stayed on during the closure. Ryder, who has written a book about the flood, says it 'massacred' trails and the road winding through Kananaskis. In some areas, the flood redirected water flows in such a way that former ponds are now dry pits. 'It was pretty traumatic,' he says. Ryder was among an army of volunteers who helped rebuild trails, bridges and boardwalks, though many trails have permanently disappeared. 'In restoring K-Country, I think in a lot of ways, we restored ourselves,' he says. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025. Matthew Scace, The Canadian Press
