Axing carbon tax 'a really good move,' agriculture minister says
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
a few seconds ago
- Global News
Police chiefs throw their weight behind Liberals' border and crime bill
Canada's 'top cops' are calling on Parliament to quickly pass the federal Liberal government's package of reforms to the Criminal Code, aimed at stiffening border security and expanding police powers. Police chiefs from across the country wrapped their four-day annual summit in Victoria on Tuesday, where they threw full support behind Prime Minister Mark Carney's proposed Bill C-2. Association of Chiefs of Police president Thomas Carrique told reporters that Canadian police are dealing with modern and international threats with 'tools and authorities built for a different era, guided by outdated and inadequate legislation.' 3:02 'Canada must be secure': New border bill gives new powers to CBSA officers, police, postal workers, Health Canada 'It's a public safety imperative. Geopolitical instability fuels transnational organized crime, whether it's human smuggling as well as illicit exportation and importation of drugs, precursors, and firearms,' he said. Story continues below advertisement 'Organized crime groups are taking advantage of systematic blind spots, outdated statutes, and digital platforms to victimize Canadians. And when these gaps go unaddressed, it is police who are left to manage the consequences.' Bill C-2, also known as the Strong Borders Act, proposes sweeping changes to Canada's immigration system, tightening timelines for migrants to make asylum applications and giving the government the power to suspend new applications and the processing of existing claims. The bill would also remove barriers that prevent police from searching mail to advance a criminal investigation, where authorized to do so under the law, and expand Canada Post's inspection authority to open mail. 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 The legislation would also make it easier for authorities to access information about internet subscribers, enable the health minister to more rapidly control precursor chemicals that can be used to produce illicit drugs and introduce new restrictions on large cash transactions. And ports of entry, transporters and warehouse operators will be required to allow Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officials to conduct export inspections, matching existing requirements for import inspections. 1:34 Coalition of civil society organizations call for government to scrap Bill C-2 The Canadian Civil Liberties Association joined 39 other organizations in July calling on Ottawa to withdraw the legislation. Story continues below advertisement 'The Bill's privacy eroding elements include a power to demand revealing information without independent authorization from any service provider, could pave the way to expanded international information-sharing agreements, and will empower the government to significantly expand the amount of data police and security agencies can access by compelling digital services to redesign their services,' the coalition said. The coalition says the legislation would allow public officials including police, CSIS and others to demand information from companies without judicial oversight and little proof. 'The government argues this information is innocuous and only includes general details about the nature of the services a company is providing. But in practice law enforcement officials will be able to extract highly revealing information about people with these demands, including whether they've purchased something at any company, interacted with any website, or stayed at any hotel,' the group said. Carrique downplayed those critiques on Tuesday. 'Police are not asking for nor will C-2 provide us with any authorities that we didn't have in a pre-digital world. So we are simply looking to ensure that we have legislation that aligns with technology today, so we can legally with judicial authorization require electronic evidence that has gone beyond our reach right now,' he said. 0:25 Anandasangaree introduces bill aimed at tightening border security, immigration system He further argued that police looking for fentanyl precursor chemicals and 3D printed gun parts are currently handcuffed by legal loopholes that prevent them from getting judicial authorization to search and seize mail sent through Canada Post. Story continues below advertisement Police chiefs Tuesday also called on Ottawa to go further with changes to the bail system. The association said it wants to see the Criminal Code changed to allow for the prolonged detention of chronic offenders who repeatedly commit petty crimes, in addition to similar changes for violent offenders. Outgoing Victoria Police Chief Del Manak said officers are frustrated with repeatedly arresting the same people only to see them released on conditions to offend again while on bail. 'What we're really asking for here is the criminal justice system needs to be strengthened, there must be consequences and a deterrence for those that are carrying out criminal activity every single day,' he said. 'And that's the confidence that we want to give to every citizen, and they deserve that.' In that message, the chiefs have added their voices to a growing chorus that includes B.C.'s own premier and attorney general, along with provincial and federal opposition politicians and numerous mayors. The earliest changes to the Criminal Code could come is the fall legislative sitting.
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
EDITORIAL: Federal bureaucracy is out of control
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks during a press conference after a Cabinet meeting to discuss both trade negotiations with the US and the situation in the Middle East, at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on July 30, 2025. Photo by DAVE CHAN / AFP via Getty Images If Prime Minister Mark Carney is going to meet his election promise of holding the annual increase in the cost of running the federal government to less than 2% annually, he's going to have to do a lot better than his election pledge of 'capping, not cutting' the size of the federal public service. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Capping the size of the federal bureaucracy would mean endorsing the record of his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, who increased those costs by almost 9% annually during his nearly decade in power. The number of civil servants hired during that period grew by 98,986 to 357,965. That was a 38% increase — more than triple the growth rate of Canada's population during the same period — accompanied by a 72.9% hike in the total federal payroll to $69.5 billion last year compared to $40.2 billion in 2016-17. While some of the increase was due to the pandemic, that was five years ago and the federal bureaucracy continued to increase every year after that, from 319,601 in 2020 to 357,965 at the end of the Trudeau era. During that same period, according to parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux, the cost of hiring outside consultants more than doubled to $21.4 billion from $10.4 billion. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More A recent Leger survey conducted for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation found that more than half of Canadians — 54% — want the federal bureaucracy cut, compared to only 4% who want it increased. It also found that despite the explosive growth in the federal bureaucracy, half of those surveyed said the quality of federal government services has deteriorated since 2016, with only 11% saying it had improved. A 2023 report by the parliamentary budget officer found that 'less than 50% of (performance) targets' set by government departments 'are consistently met within the same year.' While Carney recently instructed most federal departments to produce plans to cut their program spending by 15% by the 2028-29 fiscal year, his election platform declared 'federal workers deliver essential services to Canadians and are critical to helping Canada meet this moment of crisis,' referring to the ongoing trade war with the U.S. So we won't know until his first budget whether he's serious about cutting the federal bureaucracy or whether it was just political rhetoric to get elected. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto Blue Jays Opinion Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Sun
3 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
LILLEY: Canada playing small ball in trade talks with the United States
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney leaves after speaking during a press conference after a Cabinet meeting to discuss both trade negotiations with the US and the situation in the Middle East, in Ottawa, on July 30, 2025. Canada "intends" to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September, (DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images) Canada, under Mark Carney, continues to play small ball while the United States under Donald Trump keeps trying to score home runs. If this were a baseball game, we would have pulled the pitcher by now and tried to figure out which other players we could replace. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account While Canada got hit with more tariffs on Friday night, China received a 90-day extension on more tariffs on Monday. 'The United States and China have engaged in multiple rounds of productive negotiations to address trade reciprocity and national security concerns,' the statement from the White House read. You would think that if China could get a 90-day extension on further tariffs because talks were going well, Canada could do the same. After all, before the Aug. 1 deadline, Mexico was able to get a deal, as was every other G7 nation other than Canada. To Carney's 'Elbows Up Brigade' not getting a deal with Donald Trump is a badge of honour. The emails pour in fast and furious telling me to get behind the PM, to support whatever he wants to do, that he is the only one qualified to lead the country, that anything less than what they demand is treasonous. I don't criticize the PM's approach because I want Canada to fail. Rather, I want Canada to succeed and Carney's approach so far isn't working. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. When tariffs go up, not just with the United States but with other countries as well, when we can't get trade deals with countries like Britain due to our domestic policy, maybe we are the problem. Part of the issue, though, is that most Canadians won't know about these issues because most mainstream media outlets either won't report them or won't play them up. As Canadians from coast to coast call for international trade to be diversified, it would be headline news if the Harper government caused trade talks to break down with Britain over cheese imports. Recommended video Yet, under a Liberal government, the idea that Britain would walk away because of concerns over a small amount of cheese imports barely warrants a mention. But yes, let's diversify our trade to other countries who have the same issues with us as the Americans do. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. For the Elbows Up crowd, none of this makes a difference. We can alienate every trading partner in the world as long as we annoy the Americans. It's like Leafs fans who accept losing seasons as long as they beat the Habs. This is a loser mentality and one that we shouldn't accept. Right now we have Carney's proposal on the table for boosting Canada's economy and the plan from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. Both leaders want to head in the same direction, the difference is the speed and the success rate that they want to achieve. Carney's plan, exemplified by Bill C-5, looks like the kid who is trying to get a 51% to pass the class. It's not too ambitious and will do just enough to get a passing grade and not annoy the left flank of the Liberal Party which doesn't want Canada's economy to boom. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Poilievre's plan is that of the student who is trying to get an A-plus, but will settle for an A if that is what the teacher determines the case to be. He has called for a government policy that eliminates the capital gains tax if you sell your assets but reinvest them in the Canadian economy, a move that could unleash billions in domestic investment. His plan would reward provinces for dropping provincial trade barriers which cost the Canadian economy billions each year. Poilievre has encouraged the Liberals to back his bill; you could even say he's told them to steal his ideas. Given the current national state, we'd be smart to do so. We need to unshackle our economy to ensure we can compete with what Trump is doing south of the border. Simply focusing on tariffs isn't going to cut it. Read More Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA Canada Sunshine Girls Toronto Blue Jays
