CTV National News: U.S. senators visit Ottawa ahead of tariff deadline
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators were in Ottawa on Monday to address the ongoing tariff threats with the prime minister. Mike Le Couteur has more.
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CBC
6 hours ago
- CBC
In Winnipeg, U.S. ambassador to Canada issues warning not to overlook cross-border ties
The U.S. ambassador to Canada warned businesspeople and political leaders inside a Winnipeg auditorium Tuesday not to "bet against America" as group of demonstrators outside the venue protested his presence in the Manitoba capital. Days before a deadline to assemble a cross-border trade deal, U.S. ambassador Pete Hoekstra suggested Canada does not want to run the risk of missing out on economic opportunities provided by its neighbour to the south as it seeks to diversify its export markets. "Right now, I wouldn't bet against America. I wouldn't bet against Canada, either," Hoekstra said during an address to approximately 200 people at a Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce gathering at the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq's soft-seat theatre. The ambassador then issued a subtle warning in the form of a dry joke. "I know that the EU and Japan just really want to buy the cars that you make in Ontario," Hoekstra said. "I think there are certain things that absolutely Canada is positioned to open up global markets and you should take advantage of those, absolutely," he continued. "There are other markets where you're tied so closely to the U.S. that that may be a confining factor for you." Hoekstra, who was appointed an ambassador to Canada four months ago by U.S. President Donald Trump, made his comments while senior Canadian and U.S. trade officials are attempting to complete a trade deal in advance of an Aug. 1 deadline. Trump has suggested Canada could end up with tariffs instead of a trade deal. Earlier this month, he told Prime Minister Mark Carney the U.S. may apply a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian goods that don't comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, or CUSMA, up from 25 per cent right now. Separately, Canadian steel and aluminum face a 50 per cent tariff that the U.S. has imposed on all countries, while the U.S. tariff on Canadian energy and potash is set at 10 per cent. Trump has also slapped a 25 per cent tariff on non-U.S. content of automobile imports and threatened to impose levies on pharmaceuticals, lumber and copper. Despite these existing and potential tariffs, Hoekstra told his Winnipeg audience that the fabric trying the Canada and U.S. together remains strong, even as it has changed. "Let that fabric stretch, let it take a slightly different shape, but don't do anything to break it," he implored, referring to the cross-border relationship. "There's no reason why it can't continue to be the envy of the world." During a question-and-answer session with Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president Loren Remillard, Hoekstra declined to reveal the status of existing trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. "I'm not sitting in the room and if I were, I probably wouldn't be answering that question," he said. The ambassador also deflected a question about the pending CUSMA renegotiations. Winnipeg South Liberal MP Ben Carr, who chairs the House of Commons industry committee, said he was not surprised by the absence of candour from the U.S. ambassador about trade negotiations. "These things have to take place, as they should, between our senior officials who have a deep understanding about what's going on," Carr said following the speech. A senior executive with a major Winnipeg manufacturer said the ambassador was more candid during a meeting with about 20 business leaders and politicians prior to the speech. Winpak vice-president Randy Zasitko, whose packaging company exports about 80 per cent of its products to the United States, said Canada may end up with a trade deal similar one signed recently with European Union — and one the U.S. contends it has reached with Japan. "From his perspective, he says there is no reason why when you look at the agreements that have been achieved at the 10 and 15 per cent [tariff rate], there's no reason Canada can't be even lower than that," Zasitko said. "Now, he didn't promise that by any means." Despite the U.S. tariffs and the renegotiations of North American trade agreements, Hoekstra said a continent-wide free trade zone remains a possibility. He said the Trump administration sees no connection between the application of tariffs and rising U.S. inflation. He also praised administration policies such as increased border enforcement and insisted the president means what he says. "If you want to know where Donald Trump is going, listen to him," Hoekstra said. Outside the art gallery, several dozen protesters held up signs decrying U.S. support for the Israeli war on Gaza, U.S. efforts to isolate Cuba, U.S. policies limiting transgender rights and the U.S. insistence on increased military spending by NATO members, among other issues. "We just want to let him know that he's not welcome here," said Sarah Borbridge, a member of Peace Alliance Winnipeg, referring to the U.S. ambassador. "We don't want representatives of U.S imperialism and we also see the U.S. as descending into fascism." U.S. trade policy was also a focus for the demonstration. One sign read "tariff this, sphincter face." With protesters gathered outside, U.S. ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra spoke to an audience at Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq on Tuesday. Despite ongoing trade tensions, the ambassador advised Canada not to turn its back on its neighbour to the south.
Winnipeg Free Press
10 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Electoral reform, dinosaurs and ‘spite': the ‘Longest Ballot' protest, explained
OTTAWA – More than 200 candidates are running in the Battle River-Crowfoot byelection, though only a handful have the support of official parties. Most of the rest are linked to a protest movement that's looking to change the way elections are conducted in the country. The front-runner in the race, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, is seeking a path back to the House of Commons after losing his Ottawa-area riding in the last federal election. Poilievre has attacked the Longest Ballot Committee's efforts to stack the ballot with a large number of candidates as a 'blatant abuse' of democracy. Here's what the Longest Ballot Committee says it wants, what its opponents say needs to change and how Elections Canada is planning to handle the Aug. 18 vote. Why are these protests happening? The Longest Ballot Committee is pushing for electoral reform, arguing that Canada must move beyond the first-past-the-post system to something that would better reflect the wishes of voters. The Longest Ballot Committee was responsible for adding 85 of the 91 names on the ballot in Poilievre's former riding of Carleton in the last federal election. While Poilievre lost that seat to a Liberal after holding it for nearly two decades, none of the Longest Ballot candidates got more than 57 votes. The group says it's trying to draw the public's attention to the need for electoral reform and has run dozens of candidates in multiple byelections in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba since 2022. What do the Longest Ballot Committee candidates promise? The Longest Ballot Committee candidates are — no surprise — promising electoral reform. Some have been going off-script, however. One Longest Ballot Committee candidate in Battle River-Crowfoot has a website that simply says they're running 'out of spite.' 'If you only get to vote once, vote for the person who isn't a politician,' the website for Abel Erazo-Ibarra says. Another for Nicola Zoghbi promises 'dinosaurs for everyone.' 'My first move as MP will be to rename the electoral district Raptor River—Crowfoot, in honour of the velociraptors that once terrorized the Albertan plains,' Zoghbi's website says. Zoghbi — apparently a Spielberg fan — is also vowing to lobby Universal to open a Jurassic Park-style theme park in the riding where 'visitors from all over the world will flock — like pterodactyls' to 'relive the adventures of Dr. Alan Grant and the other poor souls who had the (mis) fortune of seeing the dinosaurs up close.' Lori Turnbull, a political-science professor at Dalhousie University, said that while electoral reform is a worthwhile cause, the long ballot protests are alienating voters. 'Federal elections are supposed to be serious events. It's a serious decision to decide who is going to represent you,' she said. 'These people aren't looking to get elected — they're looking to make a point. That's going to depreciate the integrity of democracy and the overall sense that the election is serious and it means something.' What does the legislation say? To run as a candidate in a federal election, one must be a Canadian citizen at least 18 years old on election day and must secure signatures from at least 100 people in the riding. If the riding is larger or remote, the minimum signature requirement drops to 50. What are people proposing to end long ballots? Poilievre and Conservative MP Michael Cooper are pitching changes to the elections rules that would increase the required number of nomination signatures to 0.5 per cent of the population in a riding, rather than 100 people. According to 2021 Census data, that means a candidate in Toronto Centre would need nearly 600 signatures, while a candidate in Malpeque, P.E.I. would need 192. Poilievre and Cooper are also proposing that each of those signatures be exclusive to a candidate, and that official agents be barred from representing more than one candidate at any given time. Asked whether the government is considering those changes, a spokesperson for House leader Steven MacKinnon said the government 'shares the concerns' about long ballots and is 'examining the issue.' Turnbull said that while long ballots may cause frustration for candidates and those working the polls, the solution isn't to rewrite Canada's election laws. She said Longest Ballot Committee candidates don't receive a large enough share of the vote to affect elections in any meaningful way, beyond the administrative burdens they impose on Elections Canada. She also worries that requiring candidates to collect a higher number of signatures might freeze out serious Independent challengers like Bonnie Critchley, who is running against Poilievre in Battle River-Crowfoot. 'That's not a reasonable test to put on a serious, Independent candidate,' Turnbull said. How is Elections Canada planning to handle the byelection? Voters in Battle River-Crowfoot will be using an 'adapted ballot' that will have a blank space where electors can write in the name of their preferred candidate, replacing the typical list-style ballot. Sixteen candidates on the ballot have last names that are the same or similar. Most of them are candidates associated with the Longest Ballot Committee. 'As long as the elector's intention is clear, their vote will be counted, even if they misspell the candidate's name,' Elections Canada says. 'The list of candidates will be available at every voting table so that electors can find the name of their candidate of choice.' Elections Canada says counting the ballots in Battle River-Crowfoot is likely to take longer than usual. The agency has said long ballots create accessibility barriers for some voters because the ballots become 'overwhelming and confusing.' In a briefing document posted on the Elections Canada website, the agency raised concerns about voters who use wheelchairs. It said it's difficult for them to reach past the middle of a long ballot without pulling it off the table, which risks damaging or spoiling the ballot. 'These visual and physical challenges impact the independence and secrecy of the voting experience since some voters with disabilities must resort to asking for assistance from an election officer to properly handle or mark the long ballot,' the document says. — With files from Sarah Ritchie This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2025.
Global News
12 hours ago
- Global News
Misspelling a name on the Alberta special ballot can still count. What won't?
Elections Canada says voters in the Battle River-Crowfoot byelection won't have to worry about a typo spoiling their adapted ballot as long as it's clear who they mean to vote for. The agency announced Monday it was changing how the Aug. 18 byelection will be conducted after more than 200 people registered to run. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is running for a second shot at getting elected to the House of Commons after losing the Ottawa-area seat he had held for 20 years in the federal election in April. To avoid another very long ballot form, an adapted ballot has been created. It is similar to the special ballots used by some Canadians in general elections, where people fill out the name of their preferred candidate to cast their vote. When asked if a spelling error might lead to a ballot being tossed out, Elections Canada referred Global News to its website guidance on the upcoming vote. Story continues below advertisement 'As long as your intention is clear, your vote will be counted, even if you misspell the candidate's name,' the agency writes in response to a frequently asked question on its information page for the byelection. To help Canadians when they vote, a complete list of candidates will also be provided to every voter. 1:55 Byelection called for Battle River-Crowfoot, Poilievre seeks path back to Parliament While a typo won't get your ballot tossed out, voters are still cautioned to only write the name of the candidate and not a political party in the space provided. 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 Voters who may need help, such as due to a disability or other reason, are asked to contact the Elections Canada office in the riding to discuss their needs. Those needing assistance can receive help from election workers at the polls or can bring a support person, such as a family member or personal support worker. Story continues below advertisement If you bring a support person, however, they will need to make a solemn declaration before voting to protect the secrecy of your vote. On election night, paid election workers will count the ballots in front of candidate representatives or other witnesses who don't work for Elections Canada. Each ballot will be shown to every person present, and the name will be read out loud for each ballot to be tallied. View image in full screen An example of the adapted ballot being used in the upcoming Battle River-Crowfoot byelection. The left shows a completed ballot with the name of the candidate, while the right shows a ballot with a political party filled in, which the agency says not to do. Elections Canada Due to the different ballot process and a longer list of candidates, Elections Canada says voting could take longer than usual. However, the agency adds that poll workers are being provided extra training and support to help complete the count as quickly as possible. The byelection was called last month after Conservative MP Damien Kurek, who won the riding in April with more than 80 per cent of the vote, stepped down so Poilievre could run. Story continues below advertisement Poilievre lost to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy in the April election. He will be joined on the ballot by Liberal candidate Darcy Spady, the NDP's Katherine Swampy, and dozens more that have been sponsored by the Longest Ballot Committee, a protest group bringing attention to the issue of electoral reform. — With files from The Canadian Press
