Trump backs Burt Jones in Republican race for Georgia governor in 2026
Trump announced the nod Monday, noting that Jones was among the first Georgia Republicans to endorse Trump's first bid for the White House in 2016 and saying Jones 'worked tirelessly to help us win' in all three of Trump's bids.
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Toronto Star
18 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Sonya Massey shooting prompts Illinois law requiring disclosure of police recruits' backgrounds
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois law now requires that prospective police officers approve the release of personal background records in response to last summer's shooting of Sonya Massey, an unarmed Black woman, in her home by a sheriff's deputy who had responded to her call for help. Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed the legislation, which requires disclosure of everything from job performance reports to nonpublic settlement agreements. It resulted from indiscretions that came to light in the background of Sean Grayson, the ex-sheriff's deputy charged with first-degree murder in the case.
Vancouver Sun
18 minutes ago
- Vancouver Sun
Opinion: A treaty beats a handshake
After what, for now, has been the most tumultuous month in Canada-U.S. trade relations, Canada emerges in a unique place among its G7 counterparts. We are the only G7 country without a new Trump trade deal. We are the only G7 member that is still retaliating with reciprocal tariffs against U.S. exports. And we have the lowest average tariff rate on our exports to the U.S. — by a long shot. How can this be? At approximately six per cent, the average tariff rate applied to Canadian goods is roughly one-third of the rate agreed to by the European Union and Japan and one-half of the U.K rate in their recent handshake trade deals with the Trump administration. A daily roundup of Opinion pieces from the Sun and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Informed Opinion will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Amidst the confusion, the answer is clear. The rules-based trade framework embodied in the Canada-U.S. Mexico agreement (CUSMA) and its free trade predecessors (NAFTA, Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement) has, for now, held. Perhaps the most disturbing thing about Canada's inability to reach a bilateral deal with the U.S. last month was not the 10 per cent tariff bump on CUSMA non-compliant exports. It was the fact that Canada's negotiators did not find out until the very last minute that the CUSMA framework had survived President Trump's Sharpie in signing his July 31 executive order on Canada. In what is being called the 'CUSMA carve-out,' up to 95 per cent of Canada's non-energy exports face free or very low-tariff access to the U.S. market as long as they comply with CUSMA rules. There is a lot of confusion around CUSMA-compliant estimates at the moment, with some commentators saying the number is lower and others saying it might, in fact, go higher. The key variable at play here are CUSMA's rules-of-origin provisions. In a complicated set of rules, CUSMA accords duty-free status to exports that can demonstrate at least a majority of their content originates from one or more of the three CUSMA partners. However, compliance with these rules requires extensive paperwork and reporting. A year ago, some Canadian exporters of, say, widgets considered the expenses of complying with CUSMA's widget rules of origin to be greater than the cost of absorbing the minimal U.S. widget tariff applied to other countries shipping widgets to the U.S. This tariff, known in WTO terms as the most favoured nation rate, was on average less than two per cent for exports to the U.S. Now that this average tariff has soared to 35 per cent for Canadian widgets, exporters are reportedly scrambling to get inside the CUSMA-compliant tent to secure the duty-free access they had foregone before. The CUSMA carveout does not apply to extraordinary Trump tariff levies on key sectors of Canada's exports including automobiles (25 per cent on non-U.S. content) and steel, aluminum and copper (all at 50 per cent). Nor does it have bearing on the ever-growing levies on our softwood lumber exports which, through a process initiated under the Biden administration, is on track to face tariffs in the range of 35 per cent by the end of this year. In the topsy-turvy world of U.S. trade deals, several countries have agreed to accept tariffs at much higher levels with fewer carveouts and some extraordinary commitments. For example, at the end of July, the EU agreed to suspend over 93 million euros of retaliatory tariffs against U.S. imports in return for accepting a tariff of up to 15 per cent on its exports to the U.S. (The previous average rate had been 1.2 per cent). In addition, the EU has also agreed to buy an additional $750 billion in U.S. energy products over the next three years and make $600 billion in investments in 'various U.S. sectors' by 2029. These undertakings have been made with a handshake without any indication if the EU intends to press European enterprises that would actually be doing the business to meet these commitments. Several other handshake deals contain similar commitments — such as the U.S.'s deals with Japan ($550 billion US in investment commitments) and the Republic of Korea ($350 billion USD in investment commitments and $100 billion USD purchase of U.S. natural gas). So far, Canada has made no such commitments. Amidst the chaos of tariff changes and industry trade adjustment packages, it's sometimes hard to see Canada's CUSMA advantage. However, the advantage is real and is, for now, holding. CUSMA is a formal trade agreement not a handshake. The agreement, which came into effect in 2020, was the result of a negotiation initiated in President Trump's first term to replace NAFTA, which he had called 'the worst trade deal in history' We should be constantly reminding him that CUSMA is his agreement — the 'Art of the Deal' magician at the top of his game. Importantly, CUSMA was approved into law by the U.S. Congress in. As such, it cannot be simply torn up by a U.S. President in a foul mood — for now, at least. This shifts the focus to CUSMA's renewal, which is scheduled for a review in July 2026. At that time, the parties may recommend revisions to the agreement which, if agreed, would extend the agreement by another 10 years. If, however, any party wishes to withdraw from CUSMA they need only provide six months notice Despite being the author of the agreement, it's hard to believe that Mr. Trump will be in the mood to accept a few tweaks here and there as he arguably did in the conversion of NAFTA to CUSMA. Moreover, we are already hearing a slow and steady drumbeat that CUSMA renewal talks will be advanced — perhaps as early as the end of this year. What is apparent is that trade with our largest trading partner will be framed in the future by more complicated rules and restrictions. In addition to some tariffs, we can expect tighter rules-of-origin and more quantitative restrictions on our exports to the U.S., making trade more managed than free. The era of relatively friction-free trade and just-in-time supply lines is, for now, on a death watch. It is imperative that CUSMA can adapt to this new reality. Canada's trade negotiators will need to demonstrate a greater degree of creativity and resilience than has been needed in the ancient normal times. At the same time, we need to aggressively building a new trade profile that is more diversified and less dependent on our isolationist America First neighbour. CUSMA is Canada's most important economic agreement delivering significant benefits for an open economy such as ours. Over almost four decades of free trade, our exports to the U.S. have grown to constitute a full quarter of Canada's GDP. No small share. The world is changing rapidly and Canada needs CUSMA to safely evolve with it. We need agreed rules and commitments that can govern what will still be our largest trade relationship for a long time to come. As Prime Minister Carney is fond of saying 'A plan beats no plan' and, I might add, a treaty beats a handshake. Stuart Culbertson is a former deputy minister in the government of B.C. He served as B.C. trade representative during the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement negotiations
Winnipeg Free Press
18 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
White House orders a review of exhibits at Smithsonian museums ahead of nation's 250th birthday
WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is ordering a wide-ranging review of the Smithsonian museums and exhibitions ahead of the country's 250th birthday with a goal of aligning the institution's content with President Donald Trump's interpretation of American history. In a letter sent Tuesday to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, the White House laid out in detail the steps it expects the organization to take as part of the announced review. The examination will look at all public-facing content, such as social media, exhibition text and educational materials, to 'assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals,' according to the letter. 'This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President's directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,' the letter said. The Smithsonian said it remained committed to 'scholarly excellence, rigorous research, and the accurate, factual presentation of history.' 'We are reviewing the letter with this commitment in mind and will continue to collaborate constructively with the White House, Congress, and our governing Board of Regents,' it said in a statement. The review, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, is the latest attempt by the president to bring the country's cultural institutions in line with his vision. In March, Trump signed an executive order titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' which accused the Smithsonian of coming under the influence of a 'divisive, race-centered ideology' and called upon it to 'remove improper ideology' from the institution's museums. In February, Trump removed the Kennedy Center's Board of Trustees, replaced them with his supporters and named himself chairman. He vowed to end events featuring performers in drag, indicating he would take on a larger role in dictating the institution's programming schedule. The review of the Smithsonian will initially focus on eight museums — the National Museum of American History, the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. The letter said additional museums would be reviewed in subsequent phases. Civil rights leaders have criticized the administration's particular focus on the National Museum of African American History and Culture as efforts to minimize Black Americans' contributions to the country and to recast the obstacles they faced throughout history. The Smithsonian has repeatedly denied allegations that it has changed or removed exhibit details in response to pressure from the administration. Recently, the institution removed references to Trump's two impeachments from an exhibit on the American presidency. A spokesman for the museum said the references, which were added in 2021, were intended to be a temporary measure and said a future exhibit would include details on all presidential impeachments. The review ordered by the White House directs the museums to submit materials from exhibits and drafts for upcoming events within 30 days. Within 120 days, the letter said, museums will be expected to take corrective action, 'replacing divisive or ideologically driven language with unifying, historically accurate, and constructive descriptions.'
