Jun 30 2025

The Roundup: Tax cancelled. Immigration attitudes. Anonymous sources.

MON JUN 30 2025
David Akin's Roundup
Tax cancelled. Immigration attitudes. Anonymous sources. 
Canada
Canada rescinds digital services tax in bid to advance U.S. trade talks
Canada scrapped its digital services tax targeting U.S. technology firms late on Sunday, just hours before it was due to take effect, in a bid to advance stalled trade negotiations with the United States. [BNN Bloomberg]

The tax was announced in 2020, but the legislation to enact it didn't pass until last year. While it has been in effect for a year, the first payment, retroactive to 2022, was to be submitted on June 30. The government intended it to overcome what Canada saw as a tax loophole, with big tech companies operating in Canada digitally, making money off Canadian users and data, but not paying tax on it in Canada. [CP]
Canada’s internal government polls reveal attitudes on immigration
A survey by the Alberta government is asking residents whether some immigrants should be denied access to social services. Now, David Akin reports on new insights about how people across the country feel about Canada’s immigration policies according to internal federal government polls obtained by Global News through access to information laws. [Global National]

Ottawa is being quietly overhauled under Mark Carney. The public service is shifting from compliance to delivery. [Policy Options]
Marilyn Elliott, who served on the national council from 2013 to 2021, told The Hill Times that a key motivation for her return would be to address widespread concerns amongst grassroots members over the candidate nomination process—particularly in Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia—where numerous potential candidates say the party did not hold fair contests. [Hill Times]
Voters will be called to elect their new MP on either August 11 or 18, according to a source familiar with the prime minister’s thinking who was speaking on background because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. [National Post]
MP Philip Earle said he has raised the importance of the base's strategic location, and that the prime minister is aware. "Goose Bay will continue to play the strategic role that it's played for more than 50 years," Earle said. "I think we'll see more investment here … fitting into that greater piece around Arctic sovereignty and Canada holding its place in the world." [Yahoo]

Gold reaches the Senate's mandatory retirement age of 75 on Monday. He was first appointed in 2016. He said he sought out the role because he wanted to help bring a sense of legitimacy back to the Senate after an expense scandal rocked the chamber of sober second thought. [CP]
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The Provinces
Here's how provinces are trying to remove Canada's internal trade barriers
Here's a look at some trade agreements, legislation and proposals among provinces and territories that are in addition to the New West Partnership between the four Western provinces that has been in place in some form since 2010. [CP]
B.C. organizers announced on Tuesday that the cost estimate of hosting the games increased to between $532 million and $624 million. That's up from a 2024 estimate of between $483 million and $581 million. B.C.'s government justified the cost increase, saying the matches — part of the tournament being co-hosted by the U.S. and Mexico — will lead to more than one million additional out-of-province visitors between 2026 and 2031, generating more than $1 billion in additional visitor spending. [CBC]
The October 20 municipal election will bring new triple ballots, big bucks for hand-counting, and potentially days instead of minutes for election returns. Spawned by the UCP government’s Bill 20, electoral changes like the banning of tabulators will cost Edmonton taxpayers $4.8 million more in 2025. [Edmonton Journal]
Aurora
Elsewhere
Denmark will start drafting women as its military investment grows
The Scandinavian country is seeking to increase the number of young people in the military by extending compulsory enlistment to women for the first time. Men and women can both still volunteer, and the remaining places will be filled by a gender-neutral draft lottery. [AP]
For the past eight months, thousands of Serbians, often led by student groups but increasingly joined by others, have taken to the streets in protest against Vucic and his government. The November 1 collapse of the Novi Sad Railway Station cement canopy that killed 16 people triggered one of the country’s largest protest movements in recent memory. [Radio Free Europe]
Media

Sometimes people with vital information face serious risks for speaking to a journalist. In those cases, NPR may consider granting the source anonymity. Here's how we think about it. [NPR]
Following the NPR story 👆, thought I'd provide the link to Global's policy on the same. It's very much in line with NPR (and most other news organizations I've worked for in Canada.)
Use confidential sources only when there is an overriding public interest and when sources legitimately require their identities be concealed When we do grant anonymity, we will disclose to the audience why we have done so. [Global]
Science and Technology
A neural brain implant provides near instantaneous speech
A team of scientists at the University of California, Davis has built a neural prosthesis that can instantly translate brain signals into sounds—phonemes and words. It may be the first real step we have taken toward a fully digital vocal tract. [Ars Technica]
The Calendar
  • 1415 : Ottawa, - PM Carney welcomes the FIFA World Cup Trophy to Canada.
  • 2200 : Sidney, BC - GPC MP Elizabeth May speaks at the opening of Sidney Days.
Issued this day ...
… in 1964. Sc 419. Floral Emblems and Coats of Arms of the Provinces and Territories: Québec. Design: Harvey Thomas Prosser.

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