U.S. President Donald Trump is imposing a new 50 per cent tariff on some Canadian goods, including wine, hockey sticks, and cement after signing a new executive order. The new tariffs are retaliation for what his administration characterized as Canada’s discriminatory trade policies. Specifically, the U.S. is taking issue with provincial bans on American alcohol, supply management on dairy, and certain tariffs and quotas on cars imported to Canada from the U.S. In a background briefing, a senior administration official said the president is using a section of the Tariff Act of 1930, which is an emergency trade authority that gives the U.S. president the ability to impose additional duties of up to 50 per cent on countries that discriminate against U.S. commerce. The new tariffs are expected to go into effect on August 19.
The City of Ottawa is encouraging federal public workers to linger around downtown after they clock out to help ease congestion during the afternoon rush. A new ad campaign from the city is set to launch later this summer, with the goal of relieving pressure on OC Transpo buses, the O-Train, and roads across the city. OC Transpo is anticipating an additional 65,000 trips a week into the downtown area this fall, with federal public servants required to be in the office a minimum of four days a week. The campaign isn’t strictly about spacing out the rides of commuters heading back home, but also to promote downtown events, restaurants, shops, cultural attractions, and new public spaces.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford doesn’t have a clear idea about the future of former cabinet minister Stan Cho. Cho stepped down from his role as minister of tourism, culture, and gaming last week, after promising to reimburse more than $16,000 in hotel expenses. New reporting shows Cho had also billed his riding association for thousands of dollars in meals, flights, limo rides, and hotel rooms over the last three years. Speaking at an unrelated news conference yesterday, the premier described Cho’s actions as “unacceptable,” but he did not say whether Cho would remain in caucus.
