Bloomberg: Canada strikes back at Trump, and condo buyers will pay the price. Condo buyers in Canada’s already pricey markets may be the next to pay up as the trade battle with the U.S. radiates through the construction industry. Canada imposed a 25 percent tariff on U.S. steel imports on July 1, retaliating against levies President Donald Trump slapped on goods from its northern neighbor a month ago. Steel fabricators and metal importers say the tariffs will jack up prices for everything from rebar used in high-rise condos to structural steel for industrial builds in a market already facing shortages and soaring prices. Job losses and stalled projects are likely, they said. By Natalie Wong.
TIME: Canada begins imposing tariffs on U.S. goods from ketchup to lawn mowers. Canada began imposing tariffs Sunday on $12.6 billion in U.S. goods as retaliation for the Trump administration’s new taxes on steel and aluminum imported to the United States. Some U.S. products, mostly steel and iron, face 25% tariffs, the same penalty the United States slapped on imported steel at the end of May. Other U.S. imports, from ketchup to pizza to dishwasher detergent, will face a 10% tariff at the Canadian border, the same as America’s tax on imported aluminum. By Paul Wiseman and Tracey Lindeman.
The Washington Post: Canada’s indigenous population is overrepresented in federal prisons — and it’s only getting worse. For more than two decades, Canada’s crime rate has been steadily declining. And since hitting an all-time high in 2012, Canada’s incarceration rate is slowly trending downward, too. But a report released June 19 from Statistics Canada, the country’s national statistics agency, paints a grim picture of a trend that has for decades bedeviled politicians and that was earlier this month described as “unacceptable” by the chief justice of Canada’s Supreme Court: the increasing overrepresentation of indigenous people behind bars. B Amanda Colettay.
Houston Chronicle: Canada becomes competitor to Gulf Coast petrochemical industry. Even a short drive east from Houston toward Baytown shows how the U.S. shale boom is transforming the Gulf Coast. Dense clusters of petrochemical plants, with their towering chemical reactors and mazes of pipes, line roads busy with semi-trucks hauling the goods needed to keep the industry running. Construction cranes promise more development to come. Not so in Canada, where petrochemicals investments have slowed in recent years despite the country’s vast reserves of low-cost natural gas feedstock for plastics and other products. The reason is obvious: Compared to the Gulf Coast, Canada has limited port access, higher costs of building and carbon taxes in its four most populous provinces. But Canada is pushing to change that dynamic, vying to become more competitive with its neighbor at a time when U.S. trade policy and tariffs threaten to increase the cost of building and expanding Gulf Coast petrochemical plants. By Katherine Blunt.
The Guardian: Inside Tuscan: the other no-fly list Canada didn’t tell you about. Revelations by the Guardian that the Trudeau government is quietly expanding its use of an American anti-terrorism database have critics worried about Canadian sovereignty, privacy and civil liberties. Last week, the Guardian reported that Canada uses Tuscan, a vast repository of at least 680,000 names – 40% of which have “no recognized terrorist group affiliation” – to screen all travellers coming into Canada from anywhere in the world. Tuscan is generated and maintained entirely by the US, but if you’re included on the list you could be refused entry to Canada, or have your Canadian visa or immigration application denied. And, unlike Canada’s official no-fly list, Tuscan offers no clear process to remove your name if you think you have been added in error. Tuscan stands for “Tipoff US/Canada”, and dates back to 1997.
Emarat Alyoum – United Arab Emirates: Dubai Ports World to expand Canadian Fairview Container Terminal. Dubai Ports World (DP World) and Port of Prince Rupert have agreed on terms of a project development plan that outlines the next phase of expansion for the DP World Prince Rupert Fairview Container Terminal. The Phase 2B expansion will increase annual throughput capacity at Canada’s second largest container terminal to 1.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) when complete in 2022. Construction on Phase 2B will begin in mid-2019. The project will also expand the container yard from its current 32 hectares to 41 hectares. The project will have significant economic impact on Prince Rupert and the surrounding region, creating approximately 300 additional full-time equivalent positions at Fairview Container Terminal. DP World has acquired Fairview Container Terminal in August 2015 through a concession contract which expires in 2034, with possible extension to 2056.
Libya Akhbar – Libya: Canada supports Paris talks outcomes on Libya. Troy Lulashnyk, Director General for the Middle East and Maghreb at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada, affirmed his country’s support for the outcomes of talks in Paris on conflict resolution in Libya. In his meeting with Libya’s Minister of Foreign Affairs in Tripoli, Lulashnyk expressed Canada’s willingness to offer training programs in capacity building to Libya, and said that he looks forward to working towards achieving stability in Libya and North Africa. The meeting was attended by Canada’s Ambassador to Libya, Hillary Childs-Adams, and Political Advisor at the Canadian Embassy, Kevin Gilhooly, along with a host of Libyan diplomats.
Asharq AlAwsat – United Kingdom: Tunisia and Canada seek agreement on investment promotion. The Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Canadian Minister of International Trade, François-Philippe Champagne, have met and agreed to commence negotiations on bilateral agreement to promote and protect investments. The Minister’s consultations in Canada set the stage for strategic partnerships in high-return and high value-added sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced tech, higher education, scientific research, and tourism. Two Canadian-financed projects were also announced: one concerned with local governance and women’s participation in municipalities, and another with security and border control. The two projects are valued at $6.8 million. Trade between the two countries (totaled $212 million in 2016) is considered weak and in need for more incentives to reach its potential given the capabilities of the two nations.
Hespress – Morocco: The Moroccan Chamber of Commerce & Industry in Canada (CCIMC) demands protection of property. The Chamber demanded the Moroccan government to interfere and protect property owned by members of the Moroccan community in Canada from appropriation – a phenomenon the Chamber’s President, Abderrahim Khouibaba, described as worrying. The Chamber noted that the law requires property owners to verify their ownership every four years at specific governmental agencies in Morocco, which makes it particularly difficult for community members in Canada comply with the law via regular travel. In that vein, the Moroccan government has recently approved a bill that proposes to amend the penal procedure and fill legislative gaps concerned with the powers of specialized judiciary, all with the aim of preventing fraud or forgery in property management.
Palestine News Network – Palestine: Canadian trade delegation heads to Palestine. The delegation, consisting of 10 Canadian business people and lead by Sam Bouji, Chairman of the Canada Arab Chamber of Commerce, will seek to boost cooperation and trade. Akram Al-Aidy [sic], an advisor to the Chambre, stated that the visit aims to support the Palestinian economy and its independence, and will witness the signing of several memorandum of understandings with various Palestinian organizations, including the Palestinian Trade Centre, Palestine Engineers Association, the Higher Council for Innovation & Excellence (a department of the Ministry of National Economy), and the Palestine Standards Institution, among others in the trade sector and industry unions.
Lebanese National News Agency – Lebanon: Canadian Ambassador to Lebanon celebrates Canada Day with the Lebanese Canadian Association of the North. Ambassador Emmanuelle Lamoureux attended the celebration along with the Canadian community in Tripoli and northern Lebanon. At the ceremony, she said that Canada has supported Lebanon in various areas and files, and continues its support with the Syrian refugee crisis, whereas 50,000 have been admitted to Canada; 20,000 of whom came through Lebanon in 2015. More than a million Syrian refugees currently reside in Lebanon. She also said that Canada has spent a billion dollars to support stability and security in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, $220 million of which went to Lebanese programs in development, building, and education files; that, in addition to refugee relief.
Dot Emirates – United Arab Emirates: Canada offers $228 million in climate change aid to developing countries. The Canadian Minister of International Development, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced that Canada is committed to offering the aid to help vulnerable countries face climate change and its harmful effects. Bibeau stated in a release that developing countries are faced continuously with instability caused by climate change, and that women and children are particularly at a disadvantage. Canada works with its global partners to address environmental issues and support sustainable development, including reduction of poverty and gender equality, she added.
Al-Jazirah Online – Saudi Arabia: Cultural Attaché in Canada discusses new medical examination requirements. The Saudi Cultural Attaché in Canada has met in Ottawa with Ian Bowmer, Executive Director of the Medical Council of Canada and discussed several issues related to the new qualifying examination entering into effect beginning next year. The meeting discussed the possibility of organizing collaboration examination in Saudi Arabia, as well as increasing the number of test centres in leading universities in the Kingdom; two steps which shall facilitate the process for Saudi doctors wishing to pursue fellowship or specialization in Canada.
Alghad Press – Iraq: Iraq seeks further cooperation with Canada. The Secretary General of the Iraqi Council of Ministers stated that Iraq is keen on further developing cooperation with Canada on all fronts. He lauded Canada’s role in supporting Iraq. The Secretary General had previously met with Canada’s Chargé d’Affaires in Iraq, Andrew Turner, and Executive Director for Middle East Relations at Global Affairs Canada, Sean Boyd, and discussed various files. A release issued by the Council stated that Turner revealed Canada’s strategy to support education, health, policy and security in Iraq by means of construction and investment projects, humanitarian and refugee relief, and women’s empowerment and participation. The Government of Canada had previously decided to offer Iraq $200 million in loan and $400 million in humanitarian aid to reinforce stability, and recently began the execution process.
Masrway – Egypt: University of Canada in Egypt-Administrative Capital campus postpones its inauguration ceremony to Monday. The ceremony will be attended by the Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, along with a host of Ministry leading figures, Canadian delegation, and partners in the project. Inauguration speeches will be made by Sonny Gallant, Minister of Workforce and Advanced Learning at the Government of Prince Edward Island, Jesse Dutton, Ambassador of Canada to Egypt, Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President of the University of Prince Edward Island, and Debbie McClellan, President of the University of Canada in Egypt.
Le360 – Morocco: Quebec to open representative office in Morocco. The agreement to open the office in Rabat was signed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Morocco and the Minster of International Relations of Quebec, Christine St-Pierre. The Secretary General affirmed Morocco’s continuous promotion of its relations with Quebec and their cooperation in various sectors, including higher education, renewable energy, entrepreneurship, science and innovation, foods manufacturing, and aerospace industries. He added that the establishment of a Bombardier facility in Morocco is a proof that Canada is keen on strengthening its partnership with Morocco. On her part, St-Pierre said that the Rabat office will be the 30th representative office worldwide and 3rd in Africa after Dakar and Abidjan. The signing ceremony was attended by Canada’s Ambassador to Morocco, Natalie Dubéh, and Secretary General of the Quebec Ministry of International Relations, Alain Olivier, who will be assigned Director of the new office.
