Chinese-language media commentator condemns Paul Chiang's bounty comments
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Global News
11 hours ago
- Global News
Environment group warns against repealing federal electric vehicle mandate
An environmental think tank is warning the federal government against repealing its electric vehicle mandate, instead suggesting that politicians should be helping to put more EVs on the road. In a statement published Friday, Clean Energy Canada gave three recommendations to the federal government to help deliver affordable EVs to Canadians for less than $40,000. The group, based out of Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, said Ottawa should retool its EV mandate by revisiting its near-term targets to help the auto sector 'weather this temporary storm' of slumping EV sales. 'Any additional flexibility added in the regulation should be designed to achieve other EV-related goals, such as delivering more affordable EVs and building out Canada's charging network,' says the statement by executive director Rachel Doran and director of public affairs Joanna Kyriazis. The plea comes on the heels of auto manufacturing leaders meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney last week, in which the CEOs repeated their calls for the mandate to be repealed. Story continues below advertisement Starting next year, the mandate would require 20 per cent of all new light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be zero-emission vehicles. Those also include plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The target rises annually to 100 per cent by 2035. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Recent data from Statistics Canada suggests EVs accounted for 7.53 per cent of all new vehicles sold in April. Following the meeting, the head of an organization representing Ford Canada, GM Canada and Stellantis said he was 'cautiously optimistic' the government would take action on the mandate. Clean Energy Canada also called on Ottawa to re-fund the EV incentive program, but to be clearer as to when the program will be phased out. The government launched the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program in 2019, which gave car buyers up to $5,000 toward the cost of an electric vehicle. The program was abruptly suspended back in January when its funding ran out. It has left many dealerships on the hook for the rebate if they hadn't already sent in their claim before the program ended. The federal government put nearly $3 billion into the program during its lifespan. 'The rebate should start at $5,000 and decline by $1,000 each year, providing consumers and automakers with a well-communicated phaseout that avoids periods of artificially lowered EV sales as buyers await the return of rebates or at least clarity,' Clean Energy Canada says. Story continues below advertisement A similar policy is in place in Quebec. Federal ministers have said in recent months that the government was working toward bringing back consumer incentives on EVs. Those promises faced criticism from automakers themselves because, without implementing a rebate, EV sales are slumping further, as buyers wait for the rebates to come back. Clean Energy Canada also called on the federal government to reconsider its approach to cheaper EVs from China, which are subject to a 100 per cent tariff which took effect in October. Ottawa is scheduled to review the measure later this year. 'Allowing in a limited quota of these affordable vehicles while also recognizing EU-approved vehicles … would open Canada's vehicle market to fill important market gaps, drive innovation and ultimately make our auto sector more competitive,' the group says.
Toronto Star
12 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Mark Carney's economic agenda misses something vital
By Matthew Mendelsohn, Contributor Matthew Mendelsohn is the CEO of Social Capital Partners, a Canadian policy non-profit dedicated to tackling wealth concentration and to broadening access to wealth, ownership and economic security for workers. The Carney government's early economic growth priorities have been clear for months. The details can be found in the Building Canada Act, which makes way for big, national infrastructure projects, biased heavily toward natural resources and energy. This is perfectly reasonable for an early growth agenda, so long as Indigenous rights are respected. But it misses something important: how to increase Canadian ownership of Canadian assets and ensure that more Canadians stand to benefit. Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
How Canada's election may have left ‘gaps' in U.S. travel advice
Newly-released documents show Global Affairs Canada knew it was facing criticism from Canadians days into the federal election over a 'lack of information' on travel advice to the United States after the Trump administration launched a border crackdown, including enhanced security at ports of entry. But with Canada in a caretaker government at the time, bureaucrats weighed the potential 'sensitivities' of acting during a federal election campaign that revolved around U.S.-Canada relations. Documents obtained by Global News through access to information laws show the department was aware Canadians were concerned about visiting the U.S., but federal officials lagged non-governmental organizations in providing citizens with guidance on the risk of searches of electronics and the possibility of detention. 6:31 Canadian dies in ICE custody. What we know so far Prime Minister Mark Carney triggered a federal election on March 23. Story continues below advertisement Canada updated its travel advisory on April 4 urging Canadians to 'expect scrutiny' from U.S. border agents. The newly-released documents raise questions about whether Global Affairs should have updated that advice sooner, given concerns around U.S. travel and the high-profile detention of at least one Canadian by U.S. border agents last March. 'I think we're seeing here is that they were slow on this and you can't be slow. You have to do your job,' said immigration lawyer and founder of Jain Immigration Law in Toronto Ravi Jain. 2:05 What Canadians need to know about new U.S. travel rules Global Affairs Canada had considered how to respond, 'recognizing the requirement the department has to maintain accurate travel advice for Canadians, at the same time as any sensitivities to any communications during a writ period.' 'Canadians have been critical about the lack of information in the U.S. TAA [Travel Advice and Advisories] about the perceived risks of travelling to the U.S. at this time,' reads an email dated April 2, a week and a half after Carney triggered a federal election. Story continues below advertisement But federal officials acknowledged law firms and post-secondary institutions had already acted. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Bureaucrats noted 'leading migration lawyers and universities' had issued 'their own cautionary advice' to clients and staff by then, the documents obtained by Global News show. That advice often included warnings electronics could be searched. In a statement, Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod said the department provided 'up-to-date travel information that reflected publicly available information by U.S. government agencies and officials. The intent of the updates was to ensure Canadians have accurate information about traveling to the United States.' But MacLeod did not answer questions about whether the writ period affected how and when information was shared with Canadians. 1:46 Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' set to become law after it passes in US House Back in the spring, Jain was one of the lawyers urging the federal government to update its advisory: 'I understand the political sensitivities, but our first responsibility is to our citizens.' Story continues below advertisement Federal officials discussed closing 'information gaps' and updating Canadians on what they described as four 'themes': visa applications; enhanced security at border points, including electronics; new U.S. info for stays beyond 30 days; guidance on carrying ID and evidence of status in the U.S. in light of the risk related to ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) operations. On April 4 — two days after the email was sent to staff at Global Affairs — Ottawa made its updated U.S. travel advice public, warning Canadian citizens could be detained while awaiting deportation if they fail to meet entry or exit requirements. 'Individual border agents often have significant discretion in making those determinations. U.S. authorities strictly enforce entry requirements. Expect scrutiny at ports of entry, including of electronic devices.' The internal communication highlights the 'intricacies' the department faced during the writ period, as it tried to navigate U.S. President Donald Trump's ever-evolving policies and pronouncements and when to weigh into issues potentially at play during the election. Caught between a 'rock and a hard place' 'The department was really caught between a rock and a hard place,' said former foreign affairs minister Perrin Beatty. Story continues below advertisement Beatty says the caretaker government likely did not want to find itself in the middle of a 'heated' political debate. A caretaker government operates during this transition period and is expected to limit its actions to essential and urgent matters and avoid making major policy decisions. 'The Canada U.S.-issue was the number one partisan issue in the election they were wary about doing anything… (but) we were seeing developments taking place very rapidly with stories of people being detained at the border or changes coming by the day.' 6:43 Extended: B.C. woman detained in the U.S. returns home Jasmine Mooney, originally from Vancouver, tried to enter the U.S. from Mexico at the San Diego border, and was taken into custody on March 3. She spent nearly two weeks in ICE detention. Global Affairs was following public interest in her case. Story continues below advertisement 'Since March 13… we have received 16 media calls on the detention of Canadian citizen Jasmine Mooney,' read the documents. Federal officials also received more than 5,000 comments on their social media channels related to U.S. travel advice in March, 'the highest ever' received in a single month. An internal memo contained a 'sentiment scan of the comments' and included calls for Global Affairs Canada 'to update the risk level for travel to the U.S., questions about registration and ICE/Border Patrol (fear of detainment, phone searches.)' Jain would like to see more detailed advice in the current travel advisory to the U.S. 'We shouldn't be alarmist. Many Canadians are able to travel to travel to the U.S. and face no issues.' But the immigration lawyer adds federal officials' first obligation should always be informing Canadians as quickly as possible. '(Politics) shouldn't matter. There's politics to everything.'
