Canada Tech Leaders Launch Group to Influence Political Upheaval
A group with the backing of top Canadian tech entrepreneurs has launched an effort to promote policies ahead of a general election this year.
The 'Build Canada' website appeared on Tuesday with a list of supporters featuring several members of the executive team at Shopify Inc., venture capitalist and entrepreneur Anthony Lacavera, as well as the co-founders of AI startup Cohere Inc. and fintech startup Wealthsimple Inc. Its core team includes former Shopify Vice President Daniel Debow and former government official Lucy Hargreaves, now head of corporate affairs at tech company Patch.
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Business Wire
26 minutes ago
- Business Wire
Université de Moncton and Dassault Systèmes Partner to Solve Urban Development Challenges in Canada with Virtual Twins
VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, and the Université de Moncton, Canada's largest French-language university outside Québec, today announced the launch of a new project aimed to solve housing, urban densification and ecological conservation challenges in the southeastern region of New Brunswick, Canada. The partnership was signed at VivaTech 2025 in Paris. The six-month project will develop collaborative virtual environments to model, analyze and plan sustainable urban development in the cities of Dieppe and Moncton - two of Canada's fastest growing metropolitan areas in the last 20 years - all while establishing a protected wildlife corridor in the southeastern part of New Brunswick. In addition to the Université de Moncton and Dassault Systèmes, the project brings together several Canadian partners: the cities of Dieppe and Moncton, the Southeast Regional Service Commission, Collège Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, and the New Brunswick-based businesses Black Arcs and Remsoft. Dassault Systèmes will use its 3DEXPERIENCE platform to create, maintain and analyze a virtual twin of a zone in New Brunswick measuring approximately 386 miles² (1,000 km²). This virtual twin is enriched with territorial data on buildings, zoning, mobility, biodiversity and more, provided by the partners. Stakeholders will use this virtual twin to share information, test and evaluate different planning scenarios, evaluate the impacts of urban densification, and make informed decisions to optimize housing planning and preserve ecological corridors that are essential to the region's environmental wellbeing. 'Our partnership will enable the Université de Moncton to benefit from a large-scale territory virtual twin that is delivered quickly through a managed solution that reduces costs and risks. Local stakeholders will be able to simulate what-if scenarios, evaluate options and take informed decisions – all on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform – to solve complex real-life challenges and optimize quality of life in the region of New Brunswick,' said Josephine Ong, Vice President, Cities and Public Services Industry, Dassault Systèmes. 'This partnership with Dassault Systèmes positions the Université de Moncton at the forefront of digital innovation applied to urban and environmental issues. We are proud to put our expertise at the service of a project with strong regional and international impact,' said Francis LeBlanc, associate vice-rector for research and dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, Université de Moncton. This collaboration was made possible thanks to the support of Opportunities New Brunswick (ONB), which played a key role in fostering the connection between Dassault Systèmes and the Université de Moncton. 'New Brunswick is truly a hub of innovation and collaboration. This partnership demonstrates the strength of the connections between research, industry, and regional development. Together, we are creating solutions that have a real local impact and significant global potential,' said Luke Randall, minister responsible for Opportunities New Brunswick. This project represents an important step forward for urban development in New Brunswick. By combining Dassault Systèmes' technology with local expertise, it will help plan city growth more effectively while protecting the environment. The approach could also serve as a model for other regions in Canada and beyond. ### About Dassault Systèmes Dassault Systèmes is a catalyst for human progress. Since 1981, the company has pioneered virtual worlds to improve real life for consumers, patients and citizens. With Dassault Systèmes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 370,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, can collaborate, imagine and create sustainable innovations that drive meaningful impact. For more information, visit: About the Université de Moncton Founded in 1963 in New Brunswick, the Université de Moncton is the largest French-language university in Canada outside Quebec, with three campuses in Edmundston, Moncton and Shippagan. Its mission is to transmit knowledge, advance research and contribute to the development of its community, by training committed, creative people who are open to the world. The Université de Moncton also plays an important role in the development of the Acadian and francophone community, regionally, nationally and internationally. For more information, visit: About Opportunities New Brunswick Opportunities New Brunswick is a Crown corporation and the lead economic development agency for the Government of New Brunswick, Canada. It seeks to attract and support opportunities to stimulate the economy and create jobs by providing support services for businesses. For more information, visit:
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
G7 leaders gather in Canada for a summit overshadowed by Israel-Iran crisis and trade wars
KANANASKIS, Alberta (AP) — Leaders of some of the world's biggest economic powers arrived in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday for a Group of Seven summit, overshadowed by an escalating conflict between Israel and Iran and U.S. President Donald Trump's unresolved trade war. Israel's strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliation, which appeared to catch many world leaders unawares, is the latest sign of a more volatile world. Trump in recent days vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a U.S. official told The Associated Press, in an indication of how far Israel was prepared to go. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had discussed efforts to de-escalate the crisis with Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as other world leaders and said he expected 'intense discussions' would continue at the summit. As summit host, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has decided to abandon the annual practice of issuing a joint statement, or communique, at the end of the meeting. With other leaders wanting to talk to Trump in an effort to talk him out of imposing tariffs, the summit risks being a series of bilateral conversations rather than a show of unity. Trump is the summit wild card. Looming over the meeting are his inflammatory threats to make Canada the 51st state and take over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron visited Greenland on Sunday for a highly symbolic stop on his way to Canada. Macron warned that Greenland is 'not to be sold' nor 'to be taken.' 'Everybody in France, the European Union thinks that Greenland is not to be sold, not to be taken,' he said during a news conference, applauded by the local crowd. 'The situation in Greenland is clearly a wakeup call for all Europeans. Let me tell you very directly that you're not alone,' Macron added. Trump's plane landed in Alberta late Sunday. He will have a bilateral meeting with Carney on Monday morning before the summit program begins. Leaders who are not part of the G7 but have been invited to the summit by Carney include the heads of state of India, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, Australia, Mexico and the UAE. Avoiding tariffs will continue to be top of mind. Asked if he planned to announce any trade agreements at the G7 as he left the White House on Sunday, Trump said: 'We have our trade deals. All we have to do is send a letter: 'This is what you're going to have to pay.' But I think we'll have a few, few new trade deals.' Bilateral meetings with the American president can be fraught as Trump has used them to try to intimidate the leaders of Ukraine and South Africa. Former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien told a panel this week that if Trump does act out, leaders should ignore him and remain calm like Carney did in his recent Oval Office meeting. 'He tends to be a bully,' Chrétien said. 'If Trump has decided to make a show to be in the news, he will do something crazy. Let him do it and keep talking normally.' Last month Britain and the U.S. announced they had struck a trade deal that will slash American tariffs on U.K. autos, steel and aluminum. It has yet to take effect, however, though British officials say they are not concerned the Trump administration might go back on its word. Starmer's attempts to woo Trump have left him in an awkward position with Canada, the U.K.'s former colony, close ally and fellow Commonwealth member. Starmer has also drawn criticism — especially from Canadians — for failing to address Trump's stated desire to make Canada the 51st state. Asked if he has told Trump to stop the 51st state threats, Starmer told The Associated Press: 'I'm not going to get into the precise conversations I've had, but let me be absolutely clear: Canada is an independent, sovereign country and a much-valued member of the Commonwealth.' The war in Ukraine will be on the agenda. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to attend the summit and is expected to meet with Trump, a reunion coming just months after their bruising Oval Office encounter which laid bare the risks of having a meeting with the U.S. president. Starmer met with Carney in Ottawa before the summit for talks focused on security and trade, in the first visit to Canada by a British prime minister for eight years. German officials were keen to counter the suggestion that the summit would be a 'six against one' event, noting that the G7 countries have plenty of differences of emphasis among themselves on various issues. 'The only the problem you cannot forecast is what the president of the United States will do depending on the mood, the need to be in the news,' said Chrétien. ____ Lawless reported from Ottawa, Ontario. AP writers Josh Boak in Calgary, Alberta, Aamer Madhani in Washington, Sylvie Corbet in Paris and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
UPI
3 hours ago
- UPI
President Donald Trump heads to Canada for G7, says 'we have our trade deals'
June 15 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump departed the White House on Sunday en route to Western Canada for the annual G7 summit, promising to secure trade deals weeks ahead of a tariff hike deadline. Speaking to reporters ahead of his departure, Trump appeared confident he'll "have a few new trade deals" during the three-day summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Newsweek reported. "Look, we have our trade deals," he said, according to CNN. "All we have to do is send the letters: 'This is what you are gonna have to pay.'" The annual Group of 7 brings together some of the world's largest economies, including Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the European Union. Several other countries also were invited. Trump was expected to arrive at the G7 venue in the Canadian Rockies on Sunday evening. He was scheduled to meet privately with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday morning. Last month, Trump agreed to delay imposing a 50% tariff on goods from dozens of European countries, allowing them more time for trade negotiations with the United States. He offered no details Sunday about which countries he expects to secure deals with during the summit. In April, the Trump administration announced plans to have trade deals with 90 countries within 90 days. So far, the United States has secured deals with China and Britain. Trade isn't the only topic expected to be on the docket at this year's G7 summit. The countries are expected express support for Ukraine in its war against Russia; address the Israel-Gaza war; and discuss immigration, security, energy, technology, the environment and job creation. Israel's airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities Friday and Tehran's retaliatory attacks are also likely to be addressed. This week in Washington
