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Globe and Mail
41 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Letters to the editor, Aug. 10: ‘Canada should now take all concessions off the table … it is time to be tough against a tyrant'
Re 'Poilievre says Carney has failed with Trump, urges narrow countertariffs' (Aug. 8): I worry that Canada might capitulate to bullying from Washington like so many other countries have done. From my perspective, Canada should now take all concessions off the table, including elimination of the digital services tax. Canada should also impose tariffs on non-USMCA-compliant vehicles and other goods from the United States. Hit back on any other items that can generate revenue to compensate our people from the impact of tariffs, including energy and oil and gas. Perhaps Canada and Britain can reach a deal on steel. Both countries export to the U.S; if what each country makes complements the loss of U.S. trade, it could be win-win. It is time to be tough against a tyrant. Bullies are encouraged by acquiescence. Fawning is disgusting and encourages him. Janet Henley St. John's Re 'Carney announces $1.2-billion in lumber industry supports' (Report on Business, Aug. 6): Get around U.S. softwood tariffs by going metric. Years ago, we went metric for weights and measurements at great expense, for little payback. There would certainly be costs involved, but if we went metric on softwood manufacturing, then the world would be our market and not just the United States. We would lose the U.S. market, but then, as Donald Trump said, they 'don't need anything Canada has.' Frank Best Collingwood, Ont. Re 'Trump's firing of economic data collector raises alarm' (Aug. 4): Examples from Greece, China, and Argentina of the disastrous results of political interference in non-political institutions are helpful. But we don't have to look far to see similar examples much closer to home. Not long ago, the Harper government didn't seem to like the policy implications of demographic information, so the long-form census was cancelled; for similar reasons, scientific input into public discourse was silenced. And there are more current provincial examples of attacks on public institutions and processes. Institutional interference that serves only political purposes is always corrosive. It is well and good to be reminded of this by observing the international experience. However, that does not obviate the need to be aware of the same phenomena, past and present, occurring right here. Kent Sargeant Calgary Re 'How Norway cracked the electric-vehicle code' (Aug. 1): Here's one way to shift to more electric vehicles. Fully charged EV batteries should be modular and available for exchange at gas stations. It should take less than one minute when all EVs are designed for quick battery replacement. The removed batteries should then be sent to large central facilities that refurbish and recharge them, then send them back to services stations. Motorists don't own the batteries; the cost could be added to monthly electricity bills. This method would require little new infrastructure and no need for motorists to replace expensive long-term batteries. 'Refuelling' times would be faster than filling a tank with gasoline. Frank Foulkes Professor emeritus, department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, University of Toronto Re 'What's in a number?' (Letters, Aug. 2): Several correspondents have argued strongly for lowering the voting age to 16. That, by lowering the voting age, democracy is strengthened. That, in particular, it is our youth who will have to live with the downstream results of today's political decisions. And, at present, the future has no vote. So why stop at 16? Since those under 16 have even more riding on the future, their votes should be cast by their mothers, acting on their behalves. I guarantee child poverty and related issues would be cleared up within a couple of election cycles. Just look at what the senior vote did for my demographic. Here is an opportunity for Canada to show the world we take the future of our youngsters very seriously. Allan Portis Toronto Re 'A long ballot satire within satire' (July 30): So the Longest Ballot Committee believes that election laws would be better made by a citizens' assembly. Why stop there? Given the issues with electoral politics on every file, why not turn Parliament itself into a citizens' assembly – that is, appoint members by random lottery? (The modern term for this is sortition.) If they want real democracy, regardless of leaning left or right, return democracy to its roots: This is how officials were appointed in ancient Athens, where elections were deprecated by Aristotle as a recipe for oligarchy. People on juries act seriously. It can work in Parliament, too. Mark Tilley Middlesex County, Ont. Re 'Vancouver mourns the loss of its iconic Kitsilano Beach log' (Aug. 2): While I understand the city's concern for safety, the removal of the beloved giant driftwood from Kitsilano Beach without thought for the community has truly left us saddened. For generations, this magnificent piece served as a play area for children, a sunset gathering spot for friends and families and no less a peaceful place for meditation for many of us. It wasn't just a piece of wood, it was a keeper of memories and a symbol of community connection. It's not too late to commemorate this driftwood's profound impact. I urge Vancouver officials to work with residents to create a meaningful legacy, be it through an art installation, a memorial plaque, poetry embedded nearby or ultimately a safe, remodelled structure that pays tribute to the original. Beryl Woodrow Vancouver Re 'Cleaning after my mother's death taught me about what can't be replaced' (First Person, Aug. 1): I, too, despaired at the task of cleaning out my mother's home after she died almost two years ago. My mom was also an organized 'keeper.' When I would gently chastise her for the multiple accumulated notepads, or stacks of balls of wool we'd come across while valiantly searching for some other crucial item, she'd smile and say, 'I will use them one day!' I'm now ashamed that this occasionally annoyed me. (I did, surreptitiously, do away with my childhood Encyclopedia Britannica set. I'm sure she noticed, but didn't say a word.) The smallest things made my heart skip a beat when I came across them after her death: her favourite lipstick tucked in the back of a drawer, a delicate and frayed silk scarf not worn for years, a copy of a note to a dear friend. I carry one of her many handwritten shopping lists-bookmarks in my wallet. Andrea Cooper Murphy Toronto Letters to the Editor should be exclusive to The Globe and Mail. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. Keep letters to 150 words or fewer. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. To submit a letter by e-mail, click here: letters@
CBC
41 minutes ago
- CBC
Carney says Canada's trade with U.S. is mostly tariff-free. But that's not the whole story
It's become a common refrain when Canadian politicians are asked about retaliatory measures or negotiations in the ongoing trade war: 85 per cent of Canada's trade with the U.S. is "tariff-free." Prime Minister Mark Carney said as much on Tuesday and again on Friday, when pressed for information about his next salvo in the dispute with the U.S. after President Donald Trump imposed 35 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods that aren't compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). "We're in a situation right now where 85 per cent of our trade with the United States is tariff-free," Carney told reporters at a news conference in Trenton, Ont., on Friday. But "85 per cent" only roughly describes Canada's exports to the U.S. which have the potential to qualify for exemptions under CUSMA — not the proportion of exports that is actually spared from Trump's tariffs. Citing that percentage alone understates the costs Canadian businesses are facing as Trump imposes more tariffs, argues Tyler Meredith, founding partner of the policy-based public affairs firm Meredith Boessenkool & Phillips. U.S. Census Bureau data shows that last year, only about 38 per cent of U.S. imports from Canada were traded under CUSMA provisions. Data on how many Canadian companies are CUSMA-compliant is not readily available. An analysis of the effect of tariffs by the Yale Budget Lab published on Thursday assumed that 50 per cent of Canada's exports to the U.S. are now certified. Meredith says applying for CUSMA exemptions can be a daunting process for small businesses. But he said that faced with higher tariffs, they may be considering either taking on the costs of certification — or looking at markets beyond the U.S. "We are one of the most trade-dependent on the United States of any developed country," said Meredith, a former economic adviser to the Trudeau government. "If the consequence is that trade overall falls, as we are seeing now in the data, that's going to be a cost that we disproportionately bear relative to other countries." Prior to Trump's tariffs, Canadian exporters could trade with the U.S. under Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status. That allowed them to trade with very low tariffs — or none at all — without registering for preferential treatment under CUSMA. All World Trade Organization (WTO) members, such as Canada, have MFN status when trading with each other. How do Canadian goods get preferential treatment? Products are certified CUSMA-compliant if they meet the agreement's rules of origin. Their eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis since they must meet product-specific requirements. A certain amount of the product needs to be made in Canada with Canadian inputs to qualify for an exemption. Steve Mallia, owner of Starfield Optics, a Toronto-based manufacturer of telescopes and accessories, said registering his small business for CUSMA benefits "wasn't a priority" until Trump began threatening Canada's sovereignty and economy in January. "We saw our orders dry up literally overnight so we knew we had to make a change," said Mallia, who runs the business with his wife Natalie. His only other employees are a part-time bookkeeper and a chartered accountant, he said. In the past eight months, Mallia has been researching the process for claiming preferential treatment under CUSMA — without the same legal resources as a large corporation. The experience has made him feel that "the little guy" is being forgotten by the Canadian government during the trade war, he said. "This is the part that takes up a lot of time and costs money," Mallia said. "The last thing I want is to ship something and then, you know, customs gets ahold of [the product] and they go, 'You know what? He didn't use the right colour ink.'" Since March, more Canadian exporters reported that they would absorb tariff costs or raise prices than apply for relief through Canada's remission program, according to a report published in July by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). In exceptional circumstances, the federal program grants companies relief from the payment of tariffs applied as of March 4 on products from the U.S. or issues refunds for tariffs already paid. The federation, which advocates for the interests of small businesses, surveyed its members about the actions they have taken to mitigate risks during the trade war. Why not fire back with more counter-tariffs? Carney was asked on Tuesday whether he would retaliate against the U.S. with a new tariff rate, days after failing to reach a deal by the Aug. 1 deadline. "We've always said we will apply tariffs where they had the maximum impact on the United States and minimum impact in Canada," he said. Unlike most countries subjected to Trump's tariffs, Canada has a comprehensive trade agreement with the United States in CUSMA. U.S. tariffs kick in for dozens of countries, sparking protests, outrage 2 days ago More than 60 countries were hit with U.S. President Donald Trump's latest wave of tariffs on Thursday. Despite global backlash and signs his own economy is taking a hit, Trump continues to promise even steeper tariffs ahead. The country is also one of few to have retaliated against the U.S. in response to Trump's economic disruption, a step Canada took before the U.S. targeted virtually all of its global trade. Wednesday, Trump threatened to hit goods imported from India with a total of 50 per cent tariffs, citing New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil. And Trump imposed tariffs on dozens of countries' exports last week through an executive order. Tariffs now vary between 10 per cent for the U.K. and 41 per cent on war-torn Syria. That same order brought the total tariff rate of Brazil — Latin America's largest economy — to a staggering 50 per cent.
CBC
41 minutes ago
- CBC
Afghan Canadian fears mother may be sent back into Taliban's hands after they nearly killed her
An Afghan Canadian man is calling on the federal government to speed up the refugee sponsorship process for his mother, who fled Afghanistan after she was beaten by the Taliban and is now hiding in Tajikistan to avoid deportation back to Kabul. Noorullah Hakemi, who lives in Ottawa and came to Canada in 2019, said his mother, Bibi Khatoon Yaqoubi, 57, remains in danger because the authoritarian government in Tajikistan has ordered the deportation of Afghan refugees. "She is living in a good condition for now from the health perspective, but it's not a good condition from the safety perspective," Hakemi told CBC News. He served as an adviser in the Afghan government before the Taliban took power. "There is huge human rights violation [in Tajikistan]. They're arresting people, they're beating people, they're torturing people," said Hakemi. English-language media reports from the region in June said that authorities in Tajikistan had launched sweeping immigration raids targeting Afghan refugees. Rafi Ferdous, a founding member of the Afghanistan-Canada Council, said an estimated 3,000 Afghan refugees in Tajikistan were awaiting the processing of their sponsored refugee cases to come to Canada. He said Ottawa needs to prioritize these cases. "We want the government [of Canada] to process the cases waiting in Tajikistan," said Ferdous. Ottawa trying to 'protect' refugees destined for Canada Canada allows community groups, organizations, corporations and groups of citizens to bring in refugees through a sponsorship program. Under the program, sponsors are responsible for providing refugees with living and financial support, and help them find work and arrange for schooling. Throughout the late 1990s and into the early 2000s, Tajikistan was one of the main corridors Afghan refugees used to travel to Canada. The country has traditionally been hostile toward the Taliban, said Ferdous. "They [the Tajikistan government] changed their behaviour …and this is new and this is kind of strange," he said. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said in an emailed statement to CBC News that it was "deeply concerned about reports" of Afghan refugee deportations by Tajikistan authorities. The statement said the government was working with the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to liaise with authorities in Tajikistan to "protect and support Afghans destined for resettlement in Canada." WATCH | Canada denies permit for Afghan refugee facing deportation from U.S.: Canada denies permit for Afghan refugee facing deportation from U.S. 29 days ago Global Affairs Canada said in an emailed statement that Canada does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan and that the group remains listed as a terrorist entity. The statement said Canada was monitoring the treatment of Afghan refugees in Tajikistan, as well as in Pakistan and Iran. Helen Thibault, an associate professor of political science at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan, said there may be several factors behind the Tajikistan's government decision to send Afghan refugees back into the arms of a Taliban government they have historically opposed. Thibault said Tajikistan may be following the lead of Russia, which has recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate rulers. "Whenever Russia does something, Tajikistan is one of the first countries of Central Asia to follow," she said. 'Copycat effect' The Tajikistan government may also be feeling a strain on resources from hosting about 10,000 Afghan refugees in a small country, she said. The majority of refugees are in the poorer, more rural southern region that borders Afghanistan, said Thibeault. "It could be that Tajikistan is seeing what is happening in the U.S. and says, 'Oh, well, you know, this is an acceptable practice now. We can deport anybody that is allegedly violating our migration laws.' It's like a copycat effect," she said. For Hakemi, the motives don't change the fear he faces every day knowing his mother could be grabbed and deported back to a country under a regime that nearly took her life. "Of course I'm afraid, she is not where she is supposed to be," he said. 'Where she is living is not stable. If she goes back to Afghanistan, I don't know what will happen with the Taliban there." Hakemi said his mother's sponsorship was arranged through an Afghan women's immigration group in Toronto. He said his mother fled to Tajikistan in December 2024 after recovering from a beating at the hands of Taliban officials that left her with two fractured legs and a fractured left hand, along with other injuries, according to a report submitted to Canadian immigration officials that included medical records and photographs. She was dragged into the street, whipped and beaten in front of a crowd during Aug. 15, 2024, celebrations marking the Taliban's return to power, according to the report. "There were two other women. I told them that the Taliban are murderers and all that," said Yaquobi in an audio statement she recorded for CBC News describing her ordeal. "Those women told the Taliban what I said. The Taliban pulled me out of the car and beat me. I was unconscious and ended up in the hospital … When I regained consciousness, I realized my arms and legs were broken." Yaquobi's case has been filed with the office of Richard Bennett, the UN's special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.
