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Jul 16 2025

The Roundup: Tariffs staying. Byrne staying. China surveillance.

WED JUL 16 2025
David Akin's Roundup
Tariffs staying. Byrne staying. China surveillance.
Canada
Mark Carney says tariff-free trade deal with US is unlikely
Prime Minister Mark Carney is now suggesting Canada may have to accept some tariffs in a potential trade deal with the U.S. Canada could be hit with new 35 per cent tariffs on all goods not covered in its existing free trade deal with the U.S. by August 1. Global's Mackenzie Gray explains how Carney’s messaging on a trade agreement has changed, what sectors could be hardest hit and how the federal government's efforts to appease U.S. President Donald Trump don't appear to be working. [Global National]

As federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre faces calls to make changes following his April election loss, the manager who ran that campaign -- Jenni Byrne -- remains an advisor, but is taking a less visible role, at least for now. [National Post]
Poilievre's time on stage was divided into two parts; in the first, he delivered a campaign-style speech lasting around 30 minutes, before transitioning into a question-and-answer format. Poilievre reflected on the April election, during which the party made gains nationally, though he narrowly lost his own seat in the Carleton riding. "It was a narrow loss," said Poilievre. "We fought for all the right things." [Red Deer Advocate]
The federal government is launching consultations to get Canadians' feedback on national security and the economy ahead of a fall budget. [Global]
MInisterial transition binder provided to Joanne Thompson in March, 2025. Thompson continued in that role when Carney formed his second cabinet after the election - DA  [Government of Canada]
Briefing materials prepared for Ali Ehsassi as he took on the role in March of Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada's transition binder That job was given to Joel Light bound after the election and Ehsassi returned to the backbench. - DA [Government of Canada]
The Provinces
Alberta premier's husband invited to passenger rail meetings as province mulls expansion plan
As Alberta’s transportation minister prepares to unveil a passenger rail strategy this summer, freedom of information documents obtained by CBC News show that Premier Danielle Smith’s husband, David Moretta, was invited to three meetings in 2023 about passenger rail and its potential expansion in the province. [CBC]

The event in Red Deer was the first in a series of town halls to address public concerns with the federal government. Some 450 people showed up to put questions to Smith and the 15 other members of her Alberta Next panel about the grievances inspiring separatist sentiment in the province. [CP]
Grace Hession David, Saskatchewan's newly hired information and privacy commissioner, brings experience in criminal law to the role. [Regina Leader Post]
Click through 👆 for the audio of BC Premier David Eby speaking about Trump's latest tariff letter to Canada.  -DA
Aurora
Elsewhere
China has long mastered what was once considered impossible: Completely controlling the internet within its borders. On Tuesday, Beijing will take another step toward centralizing its power over the web, introducing a government-run digital ID system that will enable it to even more closely censor and surveil the country’s 1 billion internet users. [WaPo] (🎁 link)

Earlier this month, the government websites that hosted the authoritative, peer-reviewed national climate assessments went dark. Officials say they're only obligated to give the reports to Congress. [NPR]
Media
Native American radio stations at risk as Congress looks to cut $1B in public broadcasting funding
Dozens of Native American radio stations across the country vital to tribal communities will be at risk of going off the air if Congress cuts more than $1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, according to industry leaders. [AP]
Two years in, Threads is starting to look more and more like the most viable challenger to X. It passed 350 million monthly users earlier this year and Mark Zuckerberg has predicted it could be Meta's next billion-user app. But Threads still isn't sending much traffic to other websites, which could make the platform less appealing for creators, publishers and others whose businesses depend on non-Meta owned websites.  [Endgadget]
Science and Technology
Scientists have detected the largest black hole merger yet. What it is and why it matters
the final merger produced something even more impressive: another black hole that is more than 225 times the mass of the sun, astronomers revealed today. Astronomers are excited about this merger because it's unusual. Most of these kinds of mergers detected thus far through gravitational waves have been between 10 and 40 times the sun. [CBC]
The Calendar
  • 0900 ET : Halifax, - LPC MP Darren Fisher marks the opening of a new CBSA facility.
  • 1000 ET : HoC Foyer - BQ Leader Yves-François Blanchet speaks to reporters.
  • 1035 ET : Hamilton, ON - PM Carney tours a steel mill and meets with workers.
  • 1130 ET : Hamilton, ON - PM Carney makes an announcement.
  • 1230 ET : Kelowna, BC - Housing, Infrastructure and PACIFICCan Min Gregor Robertson and Secy of State Stephen Fuhr make a funding announcement
  • 1330 ET : Hamilton, ON - PM Carney attends a community event with seniors.
  • 1900 ET : Harrison Hot Springs, BC - NDP Interim Leader Don Davies speaks at a CUPE BC event.
Issued this day ...
… in 1908: Sc 96. Quebec Tercentenary Issue: Prince and Princess of Wales. Design: José Antonio Machado.

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