‘Very worrisome': Ontario loses 33,000 manufacturing jobs in April
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Globe and Mail
22 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Carney's G7 invitation list continues to expand, despite concerns about India's presence
Prime Minister Mark Carney continues to expand the invitation list for the coming Group of Seven summit, as he seeks to build new economic partnerships, though some of his caucus members are raising concerns about India's presence at the table. The Globe and Mail has learned that Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will not attend next week's G7 gathering in Kananaskis, Alta. – a development that may ease some of the tension inside Mr. Carney's Liberal caucus, as some MPs were also upset about Mr. bin Salman's invitation. The MPs say India and Saudi Arabia are in violation of Mr. Carney's own G7 priority of 'countering foreign interference and transnational crime,' and therefore should not have been invited. A list of attendants of the June 15-17 summit, issued Wednesday by the Prime Minister's Office, includes the leaders of Brazil, South Africa, India, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Mexico, Ukraine and Australia; the presidents of the European Commission and World Bank; and the NATO secretary-general. More leaders may still be confirmed. The members of the G7, an informal grouping of some of the world's most advanced economies, are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States. The country hosting each year's summit often invites non-member states to attend in recognition of other major economies and the need for global collaboration on major policy priorities. Mr. Carney announced Wednesday that, ahead of the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will come to Ottawa for bilateral talks. 'Prime Minister Starmer's visit will strengthen the long-standing economic and security partnership between the two nations – and deliver growth and prosperity for our peoples,' Mr. Carney's office said in a statement. The two men previously met in March, on Mr. Carney's first trip abroad as Prime Minister. Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal criticizes Modi's G7 invitation in meeting with Carney The G7 summit will mark U.S. President Donald Trump's first visit to Canada since his re-election and imposition of tariffs on this country. Ottawa and Washington continue to negotiate toward a new trade and security deal. Mr. Carney has said the priorities guiding the summit are 'anchored' in building stronger economies. He will be seeking co-ordinated action in three areas: 'protecting our communities and the world,' 'building energy security and accelerating digital transitions,' and securing economic partnerships. Under that first heading, he specifically described tackling foreign interference and transnational crime – a priority that Liberal MPs said Wednesday is out of step with inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. bin Salman. In 2023, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh-Canadian advocate for the carving out of an independent state of Khalistan in India, was killed in B.C. Mr. Carney's predecessor, Justin Trudeau, publicly accused India of orchestrating the slaying, though New Delhi has denied the allegation. Four Indian nationals have been charged in the case. The foreign-interference inquiry also cited instances of Indian-state meddling in Canadian democratic processes. Opinion: Carney should know it's way too soon to invite Modi to Canada In 2018, Ottawa imposed sanctions on 17 Saudis for the slaying of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Turkey. U.S. media later reported that the CIA believes Mr. bin Salman, the Saudi Crown Prince, ordered Mr. Khashoggi's killing – contradicting Riyadh's assertion that he was not involved. Gurbux Saini, a B.C. Liberal MP, said the G7 invitations of Mr. Modi and Mr. bin Salman undermine Canada's reputation. 'It is a damaging thing because we have been known in the world as caring and compassionate people who love human rights, and this is something the Prime Minister is aware of and it has been brought to his attention,' Mr. Saini said on his way into the party's weekly caucus meeting Wednesday. Mr. Carney did not answer questions from reporters Wednesday about the invite to Mr. bin Salman. But last week, Mr. Carney said it made sense for India to be at the table, as it is one of the largest economies in the world and central to global supply chains. He wouldn't comment on the allegations levelled by his predecessor against India, saying 'the rule of law is proceeding as it should,' and that he wasn't going to comment. But he said the invitation to Mr. Modi was extended in the context of continuing dialogue between law enforcement in both countries. Some MPs said Wednesday that, while they understand the imperative of engaging economically and diplomatically with India and Saudi Arabia, there has to be a wider discussion of the issues. 'These are important economic relationships to have,' said Karina Gould, who ran against Mr. Carney for Liberal leadership earlier this year. 'But that being said, as Canada, we also have certain values that are important to us, and when it comes to human rights, when it comes to standing up and protecting Canadian citizens on our soil, but also ensuring that freedom exists around the world, that that's a message that we should be passing along to both Prime Minister Modi as well as the Crown Prince.'
CTV News
29 minutes ago
- CTV News
Business is bleak: Urgent calls to resuscitate downtown Victoria
The annual report from the Downtown Vancouver Business Association is calling for urgent action from all three levels of government. Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual Loading the player instance is taking more time than usual It's not pretty, but it's predictable. The Downtown Victoria Business Association's annual report is highlighting myriad issues in the core of B.C.'s capital city, finding hundreds of business owners are interested in setting up shop elsewhere. Of the 627 business owners who responded to a DVBA survey, roughly 300 – or 48 per cent of respondents – said they'd consider closing if they weren't tied to a lease. 'Businesses are in a difficult situation and are no longer able to wait for long-term solutions,' DVBA executive director Jeff Bray said during a press conference on Wednesday. 'This really serves as a wake-up call for all three levels of government to take immediate action.' The challenges raised in the annual report are crime, homelessness, and parking. That won't come as a surprise to many, as downtown businesses have been flagging those issues for years. Oh Sugar, a candy shop on lower Johnson Street, is one of the businesses considering bidding downtown adieu. 'Post-pandemic, we've noticed a lot more… street disorder, crime, mental health issues,' Oh Sugar co-owner Keith Johnson said. 'It doesn't necessarily make financial sense to keep operating in the downtown core with just so much activity happening that's in a negative perspective.' When it comes to cash, about 39 per cent of DVBA survey respondents reported a decline in their net profits. Roughly 27 per cent of respondents saw an improved economic performance and 21 per cent had no change. Possible solutions in the works The DVBA wants the province to provide immediate access to addictions and mental health treatment, potentially using portable trailers as temporary service spaces. 'Get on with not only saving our downtowns but saving lives and providing humane care for people who are clearly struggling on our streets,' Bray said. B.C.'s Health Ministry said it's working urgently to expand mental health and addictions care. The DVBA is advocating for involuntary care for those who are extremely sick, which the province announced it was expanding last fall. It has opened 10 involuntary care beds at the Surrey Pretrial Services Centre and another 18 at Alouette Homes, a mental health facility in Maple Ridge. Also on the DVBA's wish list: increased funding for the justice system. '(A) small number of people (are) committing the majority of the crimes. If they were actually held in custody, you would see an immediate reduction in crime,' Bray said. Last month, the province launched a public safety program aimed at reducing robbery, shoplifting, vandalism, and other non-violent street crimes in high-traffic business areas. The province also noted it has increased the budget for the B.C. Prosecution Service and has funnelled money toward court service enhancements. As for the city's part in all of this, the DVBA is asking for an increased police presence downtown. It also wants to see sidewalk bylaws enforced more strictly, preventing people from camping along city streets. Victoria's mayor said the city is launching a community safety plan soon, which will address both of those concerns. 'I'm not particularly surprised and I'm actually pleased to see that we're sort of harmonious on the fact that we do want to have additional policing,' Marianne Alto said. 'Although I'm not at liberty to go into the details of it yet, you would not be surprised to see some similar concepts in the community safety plan when it's finally released.' The bright side Eleven per cent of downtown storefronts are vacant, up from about 3 per cent in 2019, the DVBA says. That doesn't mean downtown is without new additions. The owners of the Little Plant Shop moved their business from Edmonton to downtown Victoria a year-and-a-half ago. 'We're still building our following here, so we've been making money, but we could definitely be busier. Now that the locals are discovering us, it's picking up,' co-owner Eric Gibson told CTV Vancouver Island. He and his partner were drawn to the core because they wanted to be surrounded by local shops and take advantage of foot traffic. Much of that traffic comes from tourists – an industry that's been thriving in recent months. Depending on the day, Gibson sees between 20 to 200 customers come into the store on Johnson and Broad Street. 'If there were more free parking days, I think we would see more local traffic,' he said. Still, he's optimistic about the future of the business. 'There is a lot of support so far. I think everybody here… loves plants and we have a lot of unusual plants and our expertise kind of sets us apart from the other shops,' he said.
Winnipeg Free Press
42 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Critical minerals give China an edge in trade negotiations
GANZHOU, China (AP) — China's dominance over critical minerals in global supply chains was a powerful bargaining chip in trade talks between Beijing and Washington that concluded with both sides saying they have a framework to pursue a deal. China has spent decades building the world's main industrial chain for mining and processing such materials, which are used in many industries such as electronics, advanced manufacturing, defense and health care. Mines and factories in and around Ganzhou, a key production hub for rare earths, underpin China's control over the minerals. Many residents grew up collecting rocks containing the valuable minerals from the forested hills surrounding the southern city and today make a living from mining, trading or processing them. Critical minerals as a trade issue Responding to ever higher tariffs and other controls on advanced technology, China told exporters of certain key rare earths and other critical minerals to obtain licenses for every shipment abroad. Approvals can take weeks, leading to supply chain disruptions in the U.S. and other countries. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that China would make it easier for American industry to obtain much-needed needed magnets and rare earth minerals, clearing the way for talks to continue between the world's two biggest economies. In return, Trump said, the U.S. will stop efforts to revoke the visas of Chinese nationals on U.S. college campuses. But details remain scarce. Beijing has not confirmed what the negotiators agreed to, and Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump himself have yet to sign off on it. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said Saturday it had approved a 'certain number' of export licenses for rare earth products, apparently acknowledging Trump's personal request to Xi during a phone call last week. And on Wednesday, the Ganzhou-based rare-earth conglomerate JL MAG Rare-Earth Co. confirmed it had obtained some export licenses for shipments to destinations including the U.S., Europe and Southeast Asia. Experts say, however, Beijing is unlikely to do away with the permit system enabling it to control access to those valuable resources. The only scenario in which China might deregulate its critical minerals export is if the U.S. first fully removes tariffs imposed on Chinese goods as part of the trade war, said Wang Yiwei, a professor of international affairs at Renmin University, echoing the Chinese government's earlier stance. 'Without that,' he said, 'it will be difficult to blame China for continuing to strengthen its export controls.' An industry built over decades with government support In 1992, Deng Xiaoping, the leader who launched China's ascent as the world's biggest manufacturing power, famously said 'the Middle East has oil, China has rare earths,' signaling a desire to leverage access to the key minerals. Several generations later, Beijing has made its rich reserves of rare earths, a group of 17 minerals that are abundant in the earth's crust but hard, expensive and environmentally polluting to process, a key element of China's economic security. In 2019, during a visit to a rare earth processing plant in Ganzhou, Xi described rare earths as a 'vital strategic resource.' China today has an essential monopoly over 'heavy rare earths,' used for making powerful, heat-resistance magnets used in industries such as defense and electric vehicles. The country also produces around 80% of the world's tungsten, gallium and antimony, and 60% of the world's germanium -– all minerals used in the making of semiconductors, among other advanced technologies. The risks of dependency on Chinese suppliers first came into focus in 2010, when Beijing suspended rare earths exports to Japan due to a territorial dispute. The ban was lifted after about two months, but as a precaution, Japan invested in rare earths processing plants in other countries and began stockpiling the materials. Beijing's across-the-board requirement for export licenses for some critical minerals has put pressure on world electronics manufacturers and automakers. Some auto parts makers in Europe have shut down production lines due to delays in supply deliveries, according to the European Association of Automotive Suppliers. In the U.S., Tesla CEO Elon Musk said a shortage of rare earths is affecting his company's work on humanoid robots. China's critical minerals resources are dwindling In the drab industrial hub of Ganzhou, cradled by the scenic Dayu Mountains, the U.S.-China trade war is still a distant stressor. Miners and small mineral traders interviewed by The Associated Press said they are more concerned about depleting the mountains' once-abundant resources. Zhong, a tungsten factory manager in Ganzhou who would only give his last name, worked his way up to manager from a miner, but he's unsure there is a future for him and others in the industry. 'I find growing difficulties to source tungsten these days,' he said, adding that smaller mines and trading companies are slowly disappearing as the resources are dwindling. Tungsten is an ultra-hard metal used in armor-piercing ammunition, nuclear reactors and semiconductors. At least five tungsten mines have closed in the area in recent years, according to state media. Remaining reserves are deeper and harder to extract and process after decades of exploitation, said Li Shangkui, chairman of the Ganzhou-based Jiangxi Yuean Advanced Materials Co., Ltd. Processing factories in Ganzhou now routinely source materials from other provinces or other countries. Zhong's plant imports some raw materials from places like Africa and Cambodia. Major state-owned and private companies in Ganzhou are also ramping up investments abroad. Tungsten producer Ganzhou Haisheng, for instance, announced last year a $25 million investment in a new tungsten plant in Thailand. Whatever the challenges in procuring raw materials, China likely will seek to maintain its dominance in critical minerals, said Fabian Villalobos, an engineer and critical minerals expert at the RAND think tank. The U.S. lags far behind China on critical minerals Between 2020 and 2023, the U.S. imported at least 70% of the rare earth compounds it used from China, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It has diversified its sources in recent years, but still mainly relies on China. Since beginning his second term in office, Trump has made improving access to critical minerals a matter of national security. But the U.S. has an incredibly long way to go to catch up with China, experts say. The sole operational U.S. rare earths mine, in Mountain Pass, California, is unable to separate heavy rare earths. It sends its ore to China for processing. The U.S. Defense Department has provided funding to the mine's owner, MP Materials, to build new separation facilities. It will take months to build and still only produce a fraction of what is needed. Friction over the issue has opened the way for government-backed financing that was unavailable before, said Mark Smith, who ran the Mountain Pass mine in the early 2010s and now leads NioCorp. It's seeking about $780 million in financing through the U.S. Export-Import Bank to build a processing facility in Nebraska for critical minerals including rare earths. The Defense Department has committed $439 million to building domestic rare earth supply chains, but building a complete mining and processing industrial chain like China's could take decades. 'There are going to be some real issues here unless we can figure out how to get along with China for a period of time while we're developing our own resources and our mainstream processing,' Smith said. The spotlight on critical minerals also provides opportunities for smaller miners to invest in extracting and processing some critical minerals, such as tungsten, considered 'niche' because they are needed in relatively small amounts in key industries, said Milo McBride, an expert on sustainability and geopolitics at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 'For many of these companies, the business strategy hedges on a scenario where the U.S. and China become more confrontational and where trade relations become more uncomfortable,' McBride said. 'And all of a sudden, what was once an uneconomic project somewhere outside of China starts to make more sense.' ___ Associated Press news researcher Shihuan Chen contributed to this story.
