Robertson defends position on housing prices in question period
Canada's new Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Gregor Robertson was pressed during question period in the House of Commons about his remarks on home prices, saying its 'not about reducing the value of an individual's home or a seniors' home.' He said the Liberal government was focusing on building more affordable housing and cutting the GST for first-time home buyers.
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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Market trader slams claims high street is a 'no go zone' for affecting footfall
A market trader has hit out at claims a Teesside town's high street is a 'no go zone' after online criticism he says is hitting footfall. John Buckle, known as John the Pie Man, has been selling his pastry-filled creations at Stockton High Street's market for 13 years. The high street has faced criticism in a handful of social media groups, with posts claiming the market area is a 'no go area' and pictures shared of alleged anti-social behaviour. But the 52-year-old pie man is determined to quash what he calls a 'false narrative' affecting footfall, insisting the high street is a good place to visit and work. "There have been quite a lot of negative posts about the high street," he said. "It's just not true. "I work there twice a week, and have done for years. "I love this town. I love the people, they are so down to earth, so honest. "We don't sugar coat stuff. We all say how we feel. "But people see stuff online that looks in all aspects like it's from a genuine verified news source. So they can't be blamed for believing the false negative narrative. "Obviously crime exists everywhere. I don't know the statistics for the town centre but it's never felt unsafe during the day. I'm there for 11 hours twice a week. I shop there regularly. John the Pie Man with his grandchild in Stockton. (Image: John the Pie Man) "It's all lies and affecting footfall for no reason." John has met with Stockton North MP Chris McDonald to discuss the issue and highlighted his work serving free pie and peas for homeless people in the town - something he has done for about four years. He hopes that his work will prove that 'Stockton High Street is a safe space to shop' and more people will come into the town as a result. Stockton Borough Council said efforts had been made in recent months to clean up the street and more police were visible throughout the town now. Chris McDonald MP said: "I've been contacted by many local residents who've raised concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour on Stockton High Street - and they're right to care deeply about their home town. "Fourteen years of cuts in Government funding have hit towns like Stockton hardest, stripping away vital services and undermining community safety. "We are turning a corner. Since being elected, we've committed to 13,000 new officers across the country. Stockton is getting its share of those new officers and we have secured 7-day-a-week policing in the town centre. "I won't pretend all the problems are solved, but confidence is growing. The High Street is safer, busier, and more vibrant - and we're only just getting started." Criticism of Stockton came to the forefront of the political world in 2023 when then Conservative home secretary James Cleverly was accused of calling the town a 's***hole' in the House of Commons. Mr Cleverly apologised at the time, insisting he called then-Labour MP Alex Cunningham 'sh**' instead. Councillor Norma Stephenson, Cabinet Member for Access, Communities and Community Safety at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: 'We want our town centres to be welcoming places, where residents and visitors can enjoy spending time and businesses can flourish. RAF warns of 'increased activity' in North East this week as advice issued The moment a wanted North East man was rugby tackled to ground by cop Baby left fighting for life after Darlington incident remains in critical condition 'Daily patrols take place by dedicated town centre civic enforcement officers but as part of Operation Shield, they are boosted by regular joint patrols with Cleveland Police. There is also targeted substance misuse support taking place for those needing it. 'Although crime is down in both Stockton Town Centre and the Ropner Ward, we have listened to both residents and businesses about their concerns around safety in the town centre, and how this affects people's perceptions and experience. "We hope Operation Shield provides further reassurance for members of the public who live, work and visit the town centre."
Hamilton Spectator
12 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump's ‘Liberation Day' tariffs back on after appeals court decision
OTTAWA - U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs are still hitting most countries around the world after a federal appeals court temporarily paused a decision from the U.S. Court of International Trade. The lower court's Wednesday decision found Trump's use of an emergency powers law to impose sweeping tariffs exceeded his authority. That lower court ruling says the Trump administration was not able to demonstrate how broad-based tariffs affected the fentanyl trafficking it used as justification for the tariffs. The ruling from the appeals court says that the Court of International Trade's injunction is stayed while the appeals court considers arguments. The plaintiffs have until June 5 to reply to the Trump administration's appeal of the lower court's decision. Hours earlier, Prime Minister Mark Carney said in the House of Commons that the original ruling was 'welcome' but Canada's trade relationship with the U.S. is still threatened. Carney added that Canada's 'trading relationship with the United States is still profoundly and adversely threatened' by 'unjustified' tariffs on steel, aluminum and the auto sector. 'It therefore remains the top priority of Canada's new government to establish a new economic and security relationship with the United States and to strengthen our collaboration with reliable trading partners and allies around the world,' he said. After question period, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said he hadn't seen the appeal court decision yet but the government's goal of fighting for Canadian industry and workers hadn't changed. Before the pause on the tariff injunction, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she expects the appeal will go all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and accused the federal court of 'judicial overreach.' She said the administration will abide by the federal court's ruling but noted that there are other legal avenues Trump can take to impose tariffs. 'The administration is willing to use those. As you know, the administration has already applied section 232 tariffs on specific industries,' Leavitt said at the White House press briefing Thursday before the appeals court decision. Section 232 is the portion of U.S. trade law Trump used to implement tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles, which remain in place. Candace Laing, Canadian Chamber of Commerce president, said 'the end of this trade war with the U.S. will not come through the courts.' 'It will come when we have negotiated a durable new agreement on trade that is trusted and respected by all involved,' she said in a media statement responding to the lower court's ruling. Leavitt said the Trump administration still plans to negotiate new trade deals even as the courts decide the future of what Trump has called 'Liberation Day' tariffs. '(Other countries) also probably see how ridiculous this ruling is, and they understand the administration is going to win and we intend to win,' she said. The original decision at the New York-based federal court was delivered by a panel of three judges. One was appointed by Trump during his first administration, another by former president Barack Obama and the third by former president Ronald Reagan. The ruling said 'any interpretation' of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that 'delegates unlimited tariff authority is unconstitutional.' The decision separately blocked the fentanyl tariffs because it said 'they do not deal with the threats' Trump cited to justify the duties in his executive order. Conservative MP Randy Hoback said this is a fluid file that 'changes all the time.' Hoback said it's important to be 'nimble and quick' and do what's possible to get the tariffs removed or reduced. He said conversations about how to do that are ongoing. 'I'd like to talk to some more of my friends down in the U.S. to see what they think and how they think it's going to lay itself out,' Hoback said. Mona Paulsen, an associate international economic law professor at the London School of Economics, said this was a straightforward question for the court to answer. 'They don't scrutinize the national emergency. They look at that reasonable relationship,' she said. 'They basically just find there's no direct link here between the imposition of tariffs and the unusual and extraordinary threat that the trafficking orders said it was trying to address.' Trump has said he imposed the duties to encourage other countries to make trade deals with the U.S. He's also claimed they'll bring manufacturing back to America and fill federal coffers. 'We actually see almost contradictory objectives sometimes being put into play, where it doesn't make sense that you would want a tariff to both increase revenue for the government and also be leverage,' Paulsen said. 'Because as leverage in negotiation, let's say with Canada, you would expect that in negotiations that the tariffs would go away, but not if they're source of government revenue. And you can't have it both ways.' The president relied heavily on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, better known as IEEPA, to implement many of his tariffs. While the national security statute gives the U.S. president authority to control economic transactions after declaring an emergency, it had never been used before to impose tariffs. Trump declared an emergency at the northern border to hit Canada with economywide tariffs in March. He partially paused those levies a few days later for imports that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade. The next month, he declared America's trade deficits also amounted to a national emergency in order to hit nearly every country with tariffs. The president walked back the most devastating duties a few hours later but left a 10 per cent universal tariff in place. Trump has continued to use IEEPA to threaten unpredictable increases to tariffs. After recently vowing to increase duties on the European Union to 50 per cent starting in June, he pushed the date back to July. — With files from Catherine Morrison in Ottawa. This report was first published by The Canadian Press on May 29, 2025.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
MSPs back tobacco ban plan for 'smoke free generation'
MSPs have given their consent to UK legislation which aims to create a "smoke-free generation". The Scottish Parliament passed a legislative consent motion, which means MSPs agree to Westminster passing a law which affects a devolved area. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is UK-wide legislation that would ban tobacco products for anyone born after January 1, 2009. It would also bring in restrictions on the advertising and sale of vapes, as well as reviewing the packaging of e-cigarettes. How many people still smoke in the UK? A quick guide to smoking bans across the world Public health minister Jenni Minto welcomed the "landmark legislation", with MSPs approving her motion unanimously. She said: "We have worked closely across the four nations to ensure a consistent approach and I am determined to ensure a tobacco-free Scotland, where people live longer and healthier lives, by 2034. "The Bill, once passed, will also ban vapes and nicotine products from being deliberately promoted and advertised to children, stopping the next generation from becoming hooked on nicotine." The legislation has passed votes in the House of Commons and is currently going through the House of Lords. It includes a ban on vape advertising and sponsorship, as well as powers to restrict the flavours and packaging of vapes in an attempt to reduce their appeal to children. It is part of a series of measures aimed at tackling the health effects of smoking, one of the UK's leading causes of preventable death, disability and ill health. Smoking rates have fallen in recent years but vaping rates have risen sharply, especially among under-35s and those who have never used cigarettes.
