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Jun 28 2025

The Roundup: Tax talks. BC explosion. Ukrainian diary.

SAT JUN 28 2025
David Akin's Roundup
Tax talks. BC explosion. Ukrainian diary.
Canada
Canada’s digital services tax helps push Trump to axe trade talks
A dramatic reversal from the U.S. president could have major implications for Canada. Donald Trump has broken off trade talks, blaming Canada’s plan to impose a digital services tax on big American tech companies starting on Monday. And he’s threatening new tariffs as well. Trump’s decision breaks a commitment he made to Prime Minister Mark Carney at the G7 Summit to work towards easing a series of punishing tariffs by mid-July. David Akin reports. [Global National]
Help Make Heather McPherson the Next Leader of Canada's NDP. I asked MP McPherson about this site and she replies: "I appreciate all of the support and encouragement I’ve been getting to run for leader. I didn’t ask for this site, but the show of support means a lot." [Heather4leader.ca]
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The Provinces
Explosion prompts closure of BC NDP MLA’s office, unclear if targeted
“Thankfully, nobody was injured, but incidents like this can be quite frightening,” Ma said in a statement. “I appreciate the concern expressed by community members. I am grateful to serve such a caring and compassionate community. I’d also like to thank the officers who responded for their diligence and professionalism. Due to the active police investigation, I will not be able to provide more details at this time.” [Global]

New polling by Pollara on national unity finds at least one-in-five adults in Quebec (29%), Alberta (22%), and Saskatchewan (20%) would vote to separate if an independence referendum were held today. While these figures are still low, this marks a new high in separatist sentiment in Alberta. [Pollara]

New provincial surveys propose either massively expensive Alberta agencies, or huge reforms that impact federal government and other provinces. [CBC]
Mike Pemberton told a crowd after the ceremony in Whitehorse that he wants to set out a new framework for mineral legislation in partnership with First Nations, and the work needs to continue "to clean up the mess at Eagle Gold" to protect the environment. [CP]
Aurora
Elsewhere
'We Have Nowhere To Retreat': Diary Of Ukrainian Soldier Under Siege For 49 Days
A Ukrainian soldier recorded a video diary when his unit on the Donetsk front found itself pinned down and cut off during winter in the shattered city of Toretsk. Facing constant Russian attacks, Yuriy and two comrades endured freezing temperatures and minimal supplies dropped from drones. [Radio Free Europe]

A new Trump presidency and a war on European soil have pushed Germany — a country that for the better part of the past two decades has spent between 1% and 2% of its gross domestic product on its beleaguered military — to take the big step of changing its constitution to free up the money to spend more. [NPR]
With their decision, the justices appeared to upend the ability of single federal judges to freeze policies across the country. The powerful legal tool, known as a nationwide injunction, had been used frequently in recent years to block policies put in place by Democratic and Republican administrations and gave rise to charges of judge shopping. But the immediate effect of the 6-to-3 decision, which was written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett and split along ideological lines, was to give Mr. Trump a major if perhaps temporary victory in his efforts to redefine citizenship in the United States.[NYT] (🎁 link)
Media
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is suing Fox News for $787 million, accusing the media outlet of defamation in its coverage of a recent phone call between him and President Donald Trump. [CNN]
Science and Technology

Google Search no longer saves backup copies of web results, but you have other options for unearthing web page archives. These are my go-to tools. [PCMag]
The Calendar
  • 1630 : Stephenville, NL - CPC MP Carol Anstey campaigns in support of NL PC leader Tony Wakeham.
Issued this day ...
… in 1991. Sc 1316. Canada Day. Design: Jean-Pierre Veilleux, Lisa Miller and Roger Séguin.

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