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Axios
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Axios
What to know about King Charles' Canada speech and how it relates to Trump
King Charles III will deliver a speech to Canada's Parliament on Tuesday, which is expected to support the country's sovereignty in the face of President Trump 's annexation threats. Why it matters: Charles' visit comes as American-Canadian relations have splintered because of Trump's repeated annexation threats and tariff policies. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the speech would outline, among other subjects, Canada's economic and security relationship with the United States. It will also show the shared history between Canada and England — in contrast to the relationship with the country along its southern border. State of play: This trip marks Charles' first visit to Canada as head of state. He'll deliver a "Speech from the Throne," which marks the start of a new session of Parliament. Though Charles will deliver the speech, it was actually written by the prime minister's office, as is tradition for commonwealth countries, per the New York Times. Charles' address will mark the third time that the British monarch has delivered the opening speech to Canada's Parliament. Queen Elizabeth II, Charles' mother and predecessor, gave the speech twice during her reign in 1957 and 1977. Trump's repeated threats to the U.S. prompted Carney to invite Charles to deliver the speech, per AP. Context: Marking the start of Parliament with a speech is a longstanding tradition, but it's uncommon for the monarch to deliver it. Usually, the king's representative in Canada, the governor-general, would speak on his behalf. Canada's House of Commons and Senate can't conduct any public business before the "Speech from the Throne" is delivered. What they're saying: "The Royal Visit is a reminder of the bond between Canada and the Crown – one forged over generations, shaped by shared histories, and grounded in common values," Carney said in a statement.
Winnipeg Free Press
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Opinion: Letters, May 8
Opinion Scheer the wrong pick Re: Conservatives choose Scheer as interim leader in House (May 7) I cannot imagine a worse choice for an interim Opposition leader. Anyone who doubts this needs to read Andrew Scheer's online bio which describes his dual American-Canadian citizenship. It is a big mistake to allow an American citizen this power at a time when Canada's very existence is being threatened by an American president. People holding American-Canadian citizenship should not be allowed to hold office in the Canadian government. In 2020 Scheer refused to renounce his American citizenship. His dual citizenship is far too close for comfort for a nation that has declared it is not for sale to the U.S. This is a very dangerous move. Ariel Lee Winnipeg Carney right for the job Watching the first part of the meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump was the first step toward a new beginning. Following that, Carney took questions from reporters from the roof top of the Canadian Embassy where all questions were answered. From the get-go, it was clear Carney was the right person to be dealing with Trump. Listening to the many political analyst, politicians of all stripes and reporters evaluating this meeting, they all came away with very positive reviews. It became very clear to me, and I am sure to a majority of Canadians, that Carney was by far the right person to be at the White House for this very important meeting. It also became abundantly clear that Pierre Poilievre would have been way over his head intellectually. Canadians needed an intellectual there and that was Carney. Ian MacLean Kelowna, B.C. Grading and motivation Re: Getting beyond just grading and tests (Think Tank, May 6) Ken Clark described grades as causing humiliation, disengagement and dispiritedness in students. However, Rethinking Assessment with Purposes in Mind (the same Manitoba Education document quoted by Mr. Clark in his article) recognizes that 'the relationship between grades and motivation is neither simple nor predictable. Grades have been found to be motivating for some students, and demotivating for others.' By adopting a mandatory ungraded assessment system at Glenlawn, the Louis Riel School Division removed the incentive for students who are motivated by grades, a benefit available to the vast majority of high school students across Manitoba. Mr. Clark also makes reference to parental concerns raised regarding Glenlawn's ungraded assessment system that are based on 'anecdotal comments from community members.' Unfortunately, due to the LRSD's deliberate choice not to provide applicable data to the public, this is the only way for parents to evaluate the effectiveness of Glenlawn's specific implementation of an ungraded assessment system. In fact, I have specifically asked the LRSD for the collection and public release of data-driven reports evaluating Glenlawn's assessment system, including aspects such as perceived fairness, student wellness, post-secondary outcomes and provincial exam performance. Until such data is available, I don't see how these discussions can be robust or productive. Celia Valel Winnipeg Industrial tax works Re: End the industrial carbon tax (Think Tank, May 6) Yet another article from someone calling for the end of carbon taxes. While there might be some doubt that the retail carbon tax was effective, the industrial carbon tax actually seems to be doing what it is designed to do. According to the research conducted by the Canadian Climate Institute, industrial carbon pricing is single largest driver of emissions reductions and is expected to be responsible for 20 per cent to 48 per cent of our emissions by 2030. Yes, there is a cost to industry, but those that beat the limits have credits they can sell, minimizing the cost to the business and to consumers. The research by the CCI shows that industrial carbon pricing has almost no effect on consumer pricing in 2025 and is forecasted to only increase to half a per cent by 2030. Furthermore, failure to collect carbon taxes would expose businesses to additional tariffs when those products are exported to countries that have a carbon pricing plan. That money doesn't go to our government for us to use, but goes to the benefit of our trading partner. We need to realize that pollution has a cost. Back when there were a few billion less of us, we could ignore the byproducts of industrialization and our ecological footprint. We can no longer do that, our impact on the planet and environment is slowly making the world uninhabitable. But this isn't about saving the planet. No matter what happens (including everything up to a full blown nuclear winter), the planet will be fine. In another 100 million years there would be almost no trace of whatever disaster occurred. This is about ensuring that we can still live here today and into the future. Maybe this is why we can't find a trace of other advanced civilizations. They progress to the same point we are at, then turn their planet into a Venus-like hellscape and disappear, leaving no trace. I know this is a hard problem for humanity to deal with because it's happening so slowly and we're not mentally geared for handling slowly approaching problems, but make no mistake, it is happening. We need to persevere and take the necessary steps to save ourselves. Will it be painful? Probably — there's a price to be paid for the damage we have already done. The industrial carbon tax has to stay, it's one of the few things that are actually working. Jean Neron Winnipeg On separation I am writing to acknowledge Alberta's right to hold a referendum with respect to separation from Canada. In the same spirit that negotiating parties review a contract, I would like to explore this in three dimensions: As reported widely in the media the first dimension is the requirement that Alberta negotiate with Canada and also with First Nations communities whose treaties are with Canada rather than Alberta. Secondly, in today's world, Alberta is rich in petroleum and its wildflower Prairie. In years to come, petroleum may not be as popular or the supply may be depleted. With expected global climate change, the Prairie may become a dust bowl. This would shift the balance of strength for the purpose of negotiating separation. Lastly, I propose a counter-offer, inspired by a potential response to a union's strike threat. The 'company,' in this case 'Canada,' should have the right to 'lock Alberta out.' If Alberta can hold a referendum to consider separation perhaps the rest of Canada should hold a referendum to decide if we still want Alberta in our ranks. Bob Steinberg Winnipeg
Local Spain
06-05-2025
- Business
- Local Spain
Spain slams 'insulting' claim that Beckham Law steals from foreigners
In recent months, the Spanish Tax Agency has been vilified in paid advertisements taken out in renowned newspapers in both the United Kingdom and the United States. In The Financial Times a full-page ad stated "WARNING: Spanish pickpockets operating in this area" on top of a plaque labelled 'SPANISH TAX OFFICE: EXPLOIT, PROFITEER, DISCRIMINATE'. Stateside, the giant message in The Wall Street Journal was 'Time won't be the only thing you waste when you move to Spain' with an image of a crumpled up dollar bill. In both cases, the call to action was 'if you're being exploited by the Beckham Law', 'you're not alone', 'you have rights', 'get in touch with us'. Similar ads and interview-based articles have appeared in other foreign publications, from the Daily Mail and the Daily Express, to the Irish Times and Switzerland's Le Temps and Berner Zeitung. They have even set up a website called The lawyer and law firm behind the eye-catching accusations is American-Canadian Robert Amsterdam, of Amsterdam & Partners LLP, which has offices in London and Washington DC. Writing in Sears, Robert Amsterdam argued that the Spanish authorities have "cynically weaponised a tax law whose original purpose was to attract foreign wealth" and that "high-earning foreign employees are now caught in the crosshairs of a systematic assault by the Spanish revenue authority." Amsterdam, who regularly writes in leading publications, was referring to The Beckham Law, which was first introduced in 2004 to attract talent and highly qualified workers to Spain with fiscal incentives. It was nicknamed after the footballer David Beckham as he was the first one to take advantage of it when he moved here to play for Real Madrid. It's taken several months for Spain's Hacienda tax office to respond to Amsterdam's "slanderous" accusations, no doubt because on Tuesday May 6th the international lawyer held a press conference in Madrid under the title "Hacienda vs The People: An initial report on Spain and the Beckham Law" (see here). Spanish tax authorities' counterargument is that over the last decade, nearly 37,000 taxpayers in Spain have opted for the Beckham Law tax regime, of which only 0.5 percent (less than 200 in total) have been subject to an inspection for possible non-compliance. The Beckham Law allows individuals and their family who acquire tax residency in Spain as a result of their relocation to the Spanish territory to pay Non-Resident Income Tax (IRNR in Spanish) in the tax period in which they acquire tax residency in Spain and the following five years. During this period, their tax rate in Spain on the first €600,000 of income will be lower than the rate applicable to personal income tax (IRPF in Spanish). Furthermore, unlike personal income taxpayers who pay taxes in Spain on their entire worldwide income, under this so-called special regime they don't pay taxes in Spain on income from overseas, except for employment income. According to Spain's Tax Agency, the criteria or goodwill when verifying the correct application of the Beckham Law regime has never changed, even after amendments were made to it. According to data obtained by Spanish left-leaning daily El Diario, a partner of The Guardian, of the completed inspections of the 200 foreigners who were subjected to inspection, 70 percent were resolved with a report of agreement or compliance, and only 30 percent were the subject of a complaint or appeal. Sources with knowledge of the matter told El Diario that the real reasons for Amsterdam's campaign are related to a British client who is currently in litigation with the Spanish treasury. In audits carried out by Spain's tax agency, cases have been detected in which the taxpayer goes against Beckham Law requirements by creating an artificial company in Spain without resources, which hires the person in question for work and then provides services to the foreign company, which actually carries out the activity. There are also allegedly more serious cases, where a fictitious company is directly created in Spain to apply the Beckham Law precisely the year in which a very large capital gain is received from abroad. The intention is not to pay tax in Spain since that capital gain originates abroad, but also not to pay tax in the other country either as the company is not a resident of that other state.
Arab News
11-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Turkiye aims to align with Damascus and Baghdad
US President John F. Kennedy once said of American-Canadian relations: 'Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. What unites us is far greater than what divides us.' This also describes the relationship Turkiye is cultivating with Syria and Iraq: they are becoming economic partners, and allies in the face of shared threats. With the collapse of the Assad regime, Ankara has intensified its efforts to build bridges between Damascus and Baghdad. Behind the scenes, Turkiye has been preparing for an important meeting between Syria's new leader Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Iraqi officials, possibly at the Antalya diplomacy forum this weekend. However, it is not clear whether Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani will meet Al-Sharaa. While Iraq initially took a cautious approach to Syria's new leadership, recent developments indicate a shift. Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani visited Baghdad last month, which helped in a change of heart in Iraq toward Damascus. In Ankara, there is an understanding that constructive relations between Baghdad and Damascus not only serve its interests — particularly counterterrorism efforts and economic cooperation — but also align with the broader regional interest. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan underscored this when he said: 'No power can overcome Turkiye, Syria, and Iraq when we unite.' Since last year, there has been remarkable progress in Ankara's relations with Baghdad. During President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Iraq, his first since 2011, 27 agreements were signed. Since then, dozens of meetings have taken place on water, energy, security, and trade. From Ankara's perspective, a cooperative relationship between Syria and Iraq is vital — not only for Turkish national security and economic interests but also for the broader region's stability Dr. Sinem Cengiz Turkiye's approach to Iraq rests on five strategic pillars: transforming Iraq into a regional cooperation platform, advancing the Development Road Project to boost economic connectivity, ensuring unwavering cooperation against terrorism, counterbalancing Iran's political influence in Iraq, and fostering a diplomatic bridge between Iraq and Syria's new leadership. This strategy also appears to align with Washington's objectives in the region. While Turkish-American relations have been strained in Syria, their interests in Iraq seem to converge. Washington seems keen to bring Iraq closer to the Gulf states and Turkiye, in a bid to contain Iran's influence. At the heart of the Turkish-Iraqi interests lies the Development Road Project — an ambitious regional infrastructure initiative designed to enhance economic integration. Ankara expects to finalize an agreement with Iraq on the project soon. With funding expected from Gulf partners such as Qatar and the UAE, Turkish officials anticipate that the first parts of the project could become operational by 2027. When asked about Syria's possible inclusion in the project, Fidan responded: 'I think it is possible. It would be good. I think Syria can be a part of this project with certain formulas.' There was a flurry of diplomatic activity last week between Ankara and Baghdad. An agreement was signed between the Iraq Development Fund and the Turkiye Wealth Fund on a strategic collaboration alliance. Iraqi officials noted that, for the first time, Iraq and Turkiye are going beyond mere trade to embark on long-term strategic initiatives. On the Turkish side, there is optimism about progress on two major projects — one involving Iraq and the other connecting Turkiye to Syria. Beyond the economic stakes, a significant shift in Turkiye's Iraq policy took place at the security level. One of Turkiye's long-standing goals has been to secure firm support from Baghdad in its fight against the Kurdish separatist PKK, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the US, and the EU. That goal was finally realized last year when Iraq banned the PKK. In return, Turkiye signed an agreement with Iraq to improve water management in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, committing to 'fairly and equally' allocate shared water resources between two neighbors. Turkiye and Iraq also signed an agreement on military and counterterrorism cooperation, focusing on eliminating the PKK threat. If all these stars align, Turkiye is also hoping to secure Iraq's support for a long-term Turkish military presence in northern Iraq to prevent PKK infiltration across the border. The Iraqi army also plans new bases near the Turkish border to enhance security, highlighting the close collaboration with the Kurdish Regional Government's peshmerga forces. The mountainous landscape has long posed a challenge to securing the border, making regional cooperation essential. In the broader perspective, Ankara is working to forge a regional security alliance that includes Jordan and Lebanon, along with Syria and Iraq, aimed at countering the Daesh threat, particularly along the Syrian-Iraqi border. For Iraq, pitching itself as a regional actor depends on getting its domestic political landscape in order. Turkish-Iranian rivalry plays a significant role in shaping Iraq's political landscape, which influences Turkish calculations. From Ankara's perspective, a cooperative relationship between Syria and Iraq is vital — not only for Turkish national security and economic interests but also for the broader region's stability. Turkiye's ability to bring Iraq and Syria together, if it succeeds in doing so, would certainly mark a fundamental shift in the three-way relationship. *Dr. Sinem Cengiz is a Turkish political analyst who specializes in Turkiye's relations with the Middle East. X: @SinemCngz
CBC
10-04-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Russian-American Ksenia Karelina released in prisoner exchange
Social Sharing Russia on Thursday released a dual citizen jailed for donating to a charity providing aid to Ukraine in a swap with the United States for a German-Russian citizen accused of exporting sensitive U.S. electronics for use in Russia's military. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Ksenia Karelina, who was found guilty last year of treason by a Russian court for donating money to a U.S.-based charity providing humanitarian support to Ukraine, was on her way home. Her lawyer confirmed to Reuters that Karelina had been released as part of a swap for Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen arrested in 2023 in Cyprus at the request of the U.S. for allegedly exporting sensitive microelectronics. The Wall Street Journal first reported the news. CIA Director John Ratcliffe and a senior Russian intelligence official conducted talks for the swap in Abu Dhabi, according to a CIA official quoted by the Journal. "Today, President [Donald] Trump brought home another wrongfully detained American from Russia," Ratcliffe said in a statement to the Journal. I'm proud of the CIA officers who worked tirelessly to support this effort, and we appreciate the government of U.A.E. for enabling the exchange." Imprisoned German-Russian part of the exchange Karelina left for the U.S. on a plane from Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning, her Russian lawyer, Mikhail Mushailov, said. Karelina was working as an aesthetician at a Los Angeles spa when she travelled to visit family in Russia. She was detained in January 2024. The U.S. Justice Department said last year that Petrov had participated in a scheme to procure U.S.-sourced microelectronics for manufacturers supplying weaponry and other equipment to the Russian military. The Justice Department said that Petrov had formed an elaborate tech-smuggling syndicate that spirited sensitive technology to Russia's military-industrial complex through a web of shell companies. Petrov was unavailable for comment. WATCH l American-Canadian Paul Whelan on Russian prisons, labour camps: 10 questions about life in a Russian prison 5 months ago Duration 4:57 It's the third notable prisoner exchange between the countries in less than a year. U.S. teacher Marc Fogel was released from a Russian prison in February during a visit by Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to Moscow. Russia and the U.S. in the final months of Joe Biden's administration finalized a large-scale exchange of prisoners, the biggest since the Cold War. The exchange saw American-Canadian citizen Paul Whelan, Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Russian journalist and dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza released from Russian prisons. Separately on Thursday, U.S. and Russian delegations arrived for talks. The focus, according to Moscow and Washington, is restoring the work of diplomatic missions after years of conflict, mutual claims of intimidation and even the freezing of diplomatic property complicated relations between the two nuclear powers, exacerbated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. "Ukraine is not, absolutely not on the agenda," State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on Tuesday.
