Smarsh investigating 'security incident' of its TeleMessage product tied to Trump administration officials
Former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz went from using Signal to using a Signal-like product from digital archiving firm Smarsh.
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Politico
a day ago
- Politico
Ottawa's AI guy
Presented by The Canadian Medical Association Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Canada Playbook | Follow Politico Canada Thanks for reading Canada Playbook. In today's edition: → EVAN SOLOMON maps out his plan for Canada's AI future. → Canada's top judge totally wasn't subtweeting the U.S. in his annual presser. → The auditor general dropped her semi-annual headaches on the Liberals. THE FIRST THING MR. AI — Canada's first AI minister, EVAN SOLOMON, has been dodging Hill journalists since he got a Cabinet gig — and he owns it. 'It is significantly harder to have answers than it is to ask questions,' the former journalist told a Canada 2020 crowd in Ottawa Tuesday. 'Even if you use AI, it turns out it's a little trickier.' (Solomon's chief of staff, ANSON DURAN, has also lightheartedly flicked at using AI in his own social media comms.) — Into the limelight: In his first high-profile speech since his swearing-in nearly a month ago, Solomon revealed the Liberal government's sweeping vision: ensure Canada doesn't get left behind in the global AI race. 'Essentially we are at a Gutenberg-like moment,' Solomon said. He pointed to four pillars under Prime Minister MARK CARNEY's AI industrial policy. → Scale: Fund and champion Canadian AI companies. → Adoption: Encourage businesses to adopt AI, including by offering them tax credits, in an effort to turbocharge productivity. → Trust: Bring in regulations to protect Canadians' privacy and data. → Sovereignty: Build data centers and invest in quantum computing for national defense and security. — But first, context: AI is more than just a tool that brings our ideas to life, Solomon told the crowd. It's not all about planning vacations, writing resumes or meal planning. AI has the ability to shape culture, economies and warfare. — China vs. the West: On Tuesday, DONALD TRUMP's AI czar DAVID SACKS said China is three to six months behind the U.S. in artificial intelligence. In January, the sudden emergence of the China-based DeepSeek AI model R1 led to U.S. stocks dropping significantly — and gave Western governments a new sense of urgency to act. — Competitive spirit: As competition heats up, Canada wants in. Solomon said Canada is a leader in AI research, but has 'become the farm team for bigger places to take our best researchers and commercialize it.' Canada also lacks digital infrastructure, forcing governments and companies to rely on data storage in other countries, binding them to foreign laws — and preventing them from retaining full sovereignty over the data. — It's the economy, stupid: AI is viewed by the Liberal government as a 'key to our economic destiny.' — Problem is: Just 11 percent of Canadian firms are planning to integrate AI into their operations, Solomon said, creating a large barrier for economic growth. — Simply put: Economies that master AI will grow. Those that don't will fall behind, which is 'an existential threat to our future,' Solomon said. 'Canada cannot be left behind. We need to marshal our resources and advance our position in this high-stakes digital arena. So we've got to act now.' — Team player: Solomon has been meeting with AI firms and leaders such as NextAI co-founder AJAY AGRAWAL. He's also working with Government Transformation Minister JOËL LIGHTBOUND to boost productivity; Industry Minister MÉLANIE JOLY to attract investment; and Defense Minister DAVID MCGUINTY to integrate AI and quantum computing. Want more POLITICO? Download our mobile app to save stories, get notifications on U.S.-Canada relations, and more. In iOS or Android . For your radar 'DEMOCRATIC SUPERPOWER' — A year ago, Supreme Court Chief Justice RICHARD WAGNER used his annual press conference to chide the Trudeau government for judicial vacancies. Tuesday's presser brought a different vibe. Wagner reported back on what he's heard during a year's worth of cross-Canada travel meant to build awareness of the country's highest court among Canadians of all stripes. — 2025's angst: 'Throughout the world, autocratic regimes are attacking the media, judicial powers and national institutions. Canadians are seeing this regression in democracy, and are wondering if that could happen here,' Wagner told reporters. — Hmm, what about?: The CBC's OLIVIA STEFANOVICH was first out of the gate to ask what the elephant in the room was pondering. Was any of that angst tied to U.S. President DONALD TRUMP's attacks on the American judiciary? — Nice try: 'I will not aim at a specific country,' Wagner replied. 'When you see governments attacking the media, attacking the judges, attacking the lawyers and universities, of course, that means that there's a good chance that you are in front of a dictatorship, autocratic government.' — Not here: 'While Canada is not a superpower in [the] traditional sense of the word, it is a democratic superpower. In this country, the rule of law is non-negotiable,' Wagner said. THE ROOMS THAT MATTER — It's caucus day on Parliament Hill. — Prime Minister MARK CARNEY will attend caucus and question period. — Carney will join Press Gallery journalists at a garden party outside Rideau Cottage. — At 6 p.m., Navigator hosts its annual summer kickoff party at the Métropolitain. — Alberta Premier DANIELLE SMITH will deliver a keynote address at the Global Energy Show in Calgary. ON THE HILL — Liberal MP CHRIS BITTLE was elected chair of the Procedure and House Affairs Committee. The vice chairs are Conservative MP MICHAEL COOPER and Bloc Québécois MP CHRISTINE NORMANDIN. — The House voted down a non-binding Conservative opposition motion meant to shame the government into presenting a 'fiscally responsible budget' before the Commons rises for the summer. New Democrats joined the Liberals in voting against the motion. For your radar CHECKING THE BOOKS — Auditor General KAREN HOGAN dropped her spring reports Tuesday — a semi-annual batch of nearly guaranteed headlines. Here were the headaches she gave the Liberal benches, in order of attention from major newsrooms: — Canada's incoming fleet of CF-35 fighter jets will be more expensive than anticipated, efforts to build infrastructure required to support the aircraft are years behind schedule, and the Royal Canadian Air Force still faces a stubborn shortage of fighter pilots. Headline: F-35 program facing skyrocketing costs, pilot shortage and infrastructure deficit — The AG flagged serious concerns with contracts awarded to GCStrategies, the firm embroiled in the high-profile ArriveCAN scandal. Hogan pointed to a lack of security clearance documentation in 21 percent of cases, and a lack of records related to 'which contracted resources performed the work, what work was completed, and whether the people doing the work had the required experience and qualifications.' Headline: Feds awarded ArriveCan firm nearly $100 million in contracts, despite issues — Indigenous Services Canada is frequently missing a six-month target for processing applications for on‑reserve housing, financial aid for post-secondary education, and certain health benefits. Headline: Ottawa failing to meet timelines for First Nations registration: Auditor General — The federal procurement department has revised down a pledge to reduce office space by 50 percent — now on track for only 33 percent. Headline: The federal government has been slow to offload office space: auditor general MORNING MUST-CLICKS — Top of POLITICO this morning: GAVIN NEWSOM gains a step in brawl with DONALD TRUMP: 'It'll help Gavin — especially if he gets arrested' — PIERRE POILIEVRE's take on population growth, via Global News: 'We want severe limits … to reverse the damage the Liberals did to our system.' — The New Republic visits Point Roberts, Washington — aka 'The Tiny Border Town Getting Battered by Trump's Tariffs on Canada' — National Post's STEPHANIE TAYLOR poses a question with no obvious answer: In Carney's Cabinet, who's responsible for online harms? — From the Toronto Star: 'Toronto police turn to AI tool to investigate the murders of Barry and Honey Sherman' PROZONE Our latest Pro PM Canada subscriber newsletter by MIKE BLANCHFIELD: Ethical judges 'not the case in many countries'. Other headlines for Pro subscribers: — Lawmakers push Hegseth on Golden Dome plan. — US oil production will fall by end of 2026, EIA predicts. — International students contributed $44B to the US economy in 2023. — Trump energy adviser slams renewables, says focus is on fossil fuels. PLAYBOOKERS Birthdays: HBD to Ontario Cabmin CAROLINE MULRONEY, former Liberal MP MARIO SILVA, former NDP MP and current commentator FRANÇOISE BOIVIN, and McMillan partner TIMOTHY CULLEN and the Toronto Star's SUSAN DELACOURT. HBD+1 to Playbook trivia regular RODDY MCFALL (60!). Noted: Canadians driving to the U.S. dropped by about 38 percent in May compared to the same month last year, a new Statistics Canada report shows. It's the fifth-straight month of decline. — U.S. Secretary of State MARCO RUBIO condemned sanctions levied against Israeli government officials by Canada, the U.K., Norway, Australia and New Zealand. Spotted: Prime Minister MARK CARNEY, raising the Pride flag on Parliament Hill alongside MPs from all parties. Movers and shakers: Sen. MARY JANE MCCALLUM has joined the Senate Conservative caucus. Lobby watch: Agnico Eagle Mines posted meetings in May with Energy and Natural Resources Minister TIM HODGSON, Deputy Minister MICHAEL VANDERGRIFT, as well as senior political aides and public servants … The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada posted a May 23 meeting with Hodgson, Vandergrift and Liberal MP COREY HOGAN (now also Hodgson's parlsec). TRIVIA Tuesday's answer: Former NDP MP SVEND ROBINSON, who won seven elections — and was Canada's first openly gay MP — lost comeback bids in 2006 and 2019. Props to SVEND ROBINSON (the one and only), CHRISTINA DE TONI, BRENNAN GOREHAM, JOHN PEPPER, LUCAS MALINOWSKI, JOHN ECKER, ALEXIS CONRAD, CHRIS RANDS, JOSEPH PLANTA, TIM MCCALLUM, LORETTA O'CONNOR, BRANDON RABIDEAU, NANCI WAUGH, MARCEL MARCOTTE, ALEX BALLINGALL, PATRICK DION, MATTHEW DUBÉ, BARRY MCLOUGHLIN, DAVE PENNER, PAUL PARK, DAVID LJUNGGREN, MARC LEBLANC, MICHAEL POWELL, JOHN DILLON, MATT CONLEY, BOB PLAMONDON, SCOTT MCCORD, RAY DEL BIANCO, GREG MACEACHERN, MARJORY LEBRETON, DAN ALBAS, CULLY ROBINSON, ELIZABETH BURN, GREG LYNDON, RALPH LEVENSTEIN, SUSAN KEYS, MALCOLM MCKAY, RODDY MCFALL, BOB ERNEST, AVIGAIL RUCKER, COLIN MCKONE, JEFFREY VALOIS, CHRIS LALANDE, ANTHONY CARRICATO, EDDIE HUTCHINSON, ROBERT MCDOUGALL, DARRYL DAMUDE, YAROSLAV BARAN, STEPHEN HAAS, BOB GORDON, RONALD LEMIEUX, ANNE MCGRATH and FRANCIS DOWNEY. Wednesday's question: Which world leader delivered a speech in the House of Commons on this day in 1996? Answers to canadaplaybook@ Writing tomorrow's Playbook: NICK TAYLOR-VAISEY and MICKEY DJURIC. Canada Playbook would not happen without: Canada Editor Sue Allan, editor Willa Plank and POLITICO's Grace Maalouf.
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Scottie Scheffler getting Tiger-like odds at U.S. Open; just don't try to Venmo him
Scottie Scheffler getting Tiger-like odds at U.S. Open; just don't try to Venmo him PITTSBURGH – Nine years ago, Scottie Scheffler made his major championship debut at the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. He missed the cut but left more confident than ever that he would be back. 'It definitely made me excited to get out here for real because it was a pretty fun week,' he said. Scheffler, 28, arrived at Oakmont for this week's playing of the 125th U.S. Open as a three-time major winner and world No. 1. He's won three times in his last four starts dating to the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and counts wins at the PGA Championship and a successful title defense at the Memorial during that stretch. Is he the man to beat? It sure looks that way. Scheffler is a prohibitive favorite to win at +275 (via BetMGM), which are the shortest odds entering the U.S. Open since Tiger Woods was +175 in 2009. And rightfully so. Scheffler has been on a Tiger-like run since earning his first victory at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open. With 16 Tour titles to his credit, Scheffler has delivered bettors a better return on investment than the Dow Jones, Nasdaq or S&P 500. If you bet $100 on him for each tournament he's played, you would have wagers of $7,900 and banked $13,105 in winnings for a tidy profit of $5,205, or 65.9 percent. No wonder that several gamblers looked up Scheffler's Venmo account and sent him a thank you. 'Maybe a couple bucks here or there,' he said. But it turns out that didn't happen nearly as much as the requests when he failed to deliver for his bettors. 'I think everybody hears from fans whether they have a financial benefit or anything in their outcome. That's why I had to get rid of my Venmo because I was either getting paid by people or people requesting me a bunch of money when I didn't win. It wasn't a good feeling,' he said. But it sure will feel good to notch another win and claim his national open for the first time.
CNBC
2 days ago
- CNBC
In China, fears grow of an EV financial crisis amid pricing war
At a used car market in Beijing, salesman Ma Hui said he fears China's electric vehicle industry is in a race to the bottom. EV makers, led by the country's market leader BYD, have been engaged in a bruising price war, depressing profits for the brands, as well as sellers such as Ma. "All of us were losing money last year," Ma said about his fellow used car sellers in the market. "There are too many companies making too many new energy cars." China's trading partners have often accused the country of flooding the global market with cheap Chinese EVs. These days, similar accusations are flying within China, raising concerns about financial stress in the industry. The official Communist Party paper, the People's Daily, for example, published a commentary on Monday, titled "The 'Price War' In The Automotive Industry Leads Nowhere And Has No Future." "Disorderly 'price wars' squeeze profits across the chain, impacting the entire ecosystem and risking income declines for workers," the paper warned. "Long-term, this 'race to the bottom' competition is unsustainable." BYD is drawing the most fire after it announced price cuts in late May for many of its models. Some of the discounts are as steep as 34%. Its cheapest car, the Seagull mini hatchback, now costs only about $7,700, down from about $10,000. The intense price war has led high-profile auto executives to sound the alarm — with the head of Great Wall Motor calling the industry "unhealthy." In an interview with Chinese news outlet Sina Finance on May 23, chairman Wei Jianjun drew parallels to China's moribund property sector and its now defunct poster child, developer Evergrande. "An 'Evergrande-like' crisis already exists in the automotive industry," he said. "It just hasn't erupted yet." A government-backed industry group has also called on companies not to "dump" vehicles below the cost of production. In a statement, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers took a veiled swipe at BYD. "A certain automaker has taken the lead in launching significant price cuts and many companies have followed suit, triggering a new round of 'price war' panic," the group said. BYD dismissed Wei's comment as alarmist and said it believes in fair competition in response to CAAM's criticism. In a sign of further strain, sellers at the Beijing used car market told CNBC about a phenomenon known as "zero mileage used cars," which is meant to help auto manufacturers and dealers inflate sales volumes. This happens when cars are registered and plated and then marked as sold, but haven't ever been driven. Ma said he is worried about where the fierce competition leads. He told CNBC he sees the impact of the fierce competition on consumers who are already shy about spending in the down economy. "With the price dropping like this, a lot of buyers might wait," he said.
