Canada Herald, 158 Douglasview Rise SE, Calgary, AB (2026)

08/16/2026

With the Aug. 19 tariff deadline closing in, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is drawing a clear line: Canada’s auto sector cannot be left behind in any agreement with Washington.

“I hope we can get a trade deal but my understanding is that the U.S. side, the Trump side has tried to put forward proposals that don’t include the auto sector and so no deal is better than a bad deal,” Brown said.

His warning comes as Unifor says Stellantis is strongly considering moving future Jeep Compass production planned for Brampton to the United States, potentially leaving the assembly plant “idling indefinitely.” Stellantis, however, says its focus remains on finding “a sustainable manufacturing solution for Brampton Assembly.”

And even if Canada and the U.S. reach a deal, sources say some tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and lumber are expected to remain. One proposal under discussion could reduce tariffs on CUSMA-compliant autos and parts from 25 per cent to somewhere between 10 and 15 per cent — something Canadian auto industry insiders say they still would not support.

Unifor president Lana Payne argues Canada should not surrender its leverage:

“We shouldn’t be offering any concessions to the United States right now.”

Meanwhile, Washington is also insisting American alcohol return to provincial store shelves as part of the negotiations.

For Brampton, this isn’t an abstract trade dispute. It’s about whether Canadian manufacturing, investment and jobs remain on this side of the border.

💬 If a trade agreement still leaves tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles — while production and jobs risk moving to the U.S. — should Canada sign it at all? Or is Brown right that no deal is better than a bad deal?

Source: Global News 🇨🇦

08/15/2026

What was supposed to be a happy summer beach day became every parent’s nightmare in a matter of seconds.

On Aug. 3, nine-year-old Paul-Angelo Warren of Calgary was swimming in the Shuswap River near Enderby, B.C., when his mother suddenly saw only his hand before he disappeared beneath the water.

The current had pinned him against fallen deadwood. For an estimated five to 10 minutes, family members and strangers desperately searched the murky river.

Then came an extraordinary stroke of luck.

Among the people at the beach that afternoon were several off-duty health-care professionals. After Paul-Angelo was pulled from the water, nurses and doctors immediately began CPR, with an AED also available to assist in the resuscitation.

His father Matthew still struggles to comprehend the timing:

“How does that even happen? Having a whole hospital team sitting right there.”

Paul-Angelo was rushed to hospital in critical condition and is now being cared for at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. He has been kept in a medically induced coma while doctors assess his recovery. Early tests have reportedly been encouraging, although his family says his lungs suffered serious damage.

His mother Maria rarely leaves his side.

“I always, always stay with him because I want to make sure that when he opens his eyes, he will see me right away and hear my voice.”

The family’s ordeal is far from over. Maria has stopped working to remain beside her son, while the family faces accommodation, travel, meals, lost income and eventual medical transportation costs back to Calgary. A GoFundMe has been created to help the Warren family, and anyone wishing to support them can contribute through the fundraiser.

For now, one little boy is surrounded by family, medical staff and the hopes of countless strangers who want to see him open his eyes and go home.

🙏 Wishing Paul-Angelo strength, healing and a full recovery. Canada is rooting for you, little man.

Source: Vancouver Island Free Daily

08/15/2026

Ashley Callingbull says she has faced death threats, racist slurs, and messages telling her to k*ll herself after publicly criticizing costumes worn during this year’s Miss Universe Canada competition.

Callingbull, the first First Nations Miss Universe Canada, said she became concerned after seeing two contestants wearing outfits featuring elements of traditional Indigenous dress.

“It felt like a slap in the face to the Indigenous community,” she told PEOPLE.

Miss Universe Canada later apologized, saying: “If any costume caused offense, hurt, or misunderstanding, please know that it was never our intention.”

The organization has since announced a new Costume Guide aimed at preventing similar controversies, while both contestants involved have apologized.

But Callingbull decided the issue needed to be addressed publicly.

During the live final, after the teleprompter unexpectedly stopped working, she went off-script and told the audience:

“It’s 2026, we should know better, but most importantly, a part of reconciliation is that we educate and learn and understand and move on from these things in a good way.”

She says the response afterward included strong support — but also severe abuse.

“I think this is why we need to speak up is after I spoke up, I experienced so much racism and hate,” she said.

Despite the backlash, Callingbull says she does not regret speaking out.

“I’m glad people are finally listening,” she said. “It sucks that I’m taking so much heat from it. I’ll take it, but people need to learn.”

💬 Was Callingbull right to stop the live pageant and address the issue publicly — or should concerns like this have been handled privately? And regardless of where you stand, has online disagreement now gone far beyond acceptable debate?

Source: People·com

08/15/2026

Your grocery cart can help keep a Canadian farm moving. 🇨🇦

08/14/2026

With Donald Trump’s new 50 per cent tariffs potentially hitting Canadian goods on Aug. 19, Canada’s largest private-sector union is urging Ottawa not to buckle under pressure.

Unifor national president Lana Payne says Canada has already built valuable leverage and should use it rather than surrender more at the negotiating table.

“We shouldn’t be offering any concessions to the United States right now.”

Her argument is straightforward: the U.S. depends on Canadian energy, potash and aluminum — resources that give Canada bargaining power.

Sources told Global News the two countries remain far apart, despite Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer meeting four times in just three weeks. Ottawa wants to prevent the new tariffs while addressing existing duties on sectors including steel, aluminum and autos.

Washington, however, is also warning Canada against fighting back. Greer said the U.S. would not tolerate retaliation and could take further action.

Canada is reportedly prepared to make additional concessions involving U.S. alcohol restrictions and dairy, although the government is willing to walk away if tariff relief is insufficient.

And the stakes extend beyond this deadline: one report cited by Global News warns that a breakdown of CUSMA could cost more than 100,000 Canadian jobs and more than twice that number in the U.S.

💬 Is Unifor right that Canada has enough leverage to stop making concessions and stand firm?

Source: Global News 🇨🇦

08/14/2026

Ontario has changed its social assistance rules so people who are in Canada illegally — as well as those authorized to stay only temporarily, including some student and work permit holders — are not eligible for Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program.

Premier Doug Ford first promised the change after reports of a tribunal ruling that awarded Ontario Works payments to a man who originally entered Canada decades ago on a temporary work permit that had since expired.

Ford said his government would continue supporting people who fall on hard times, but added:

“that doesn’t include people living in Canada illegally.”

Children, Community and Social Services Minister Michael Parsa said the changes are intended to ensure taxpayer dollars are directed toward people facing financial hardship who are legally entitled to live in Canada.

The amended rules now explicitly state that people without legal status, along with people in Canada only on a temporary basis, are not eligible for provincial social assistance.

💬 Do you agree that taxpayer-funded social assistance should be reserved for people who are legally entitled to live in Canada — or should temporary residents also have access when facing hardship?

Source: CityNews Toronto 🇨🇦

08/14/2026

With an Aug. 19 tariff deadline approaching, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has delivered a blunt message to Canada: if Washington imposes new tariffs and Canada retaliates, the U.S. is prepared to respond again.

“For us, this is not a trade war. We have domestic supply chains we're trying to protect,” Greer said.

“If a country retaliates against us, we're not going to tolerate that. We'll take action.”

The warning comes as President Donald Trump threatens 50 per cent tariffs on hundreds of Canadian goods, on top of existing sectoral levies.

Greer said talks with Canada have been “constructive,” but made Washington’s priority clear:

“At the end of the day, we're going to do what's best for America. If there's a way to bring Canada along with that, we're happy to do that.”

Canada, meanwhile, is pushing not only to stop the new 50 per cent tariffs, but also for relief on existing measures affecting sectors such as autos and steel.

Greer also criticized Canada’s alcohol bans and retaliatory tariffs, comparing them to “the kind of things that China would do.”

Former Canadian ambassador Frank McKenna strongly rejected that framing:

“All we are guilty of is standing up for ourselves, retaliating [against] the unfair measures, illegal measures that they've imposed on us.”

He added:

“So essentially what the United States is saying is we can do anything that we want to anybody in the world, and you can't do a thing in your own defence, because might is right.”

💬 If the U.S. can impose tariffs to protect its own interests, should Canada be expected to simply accept them without retaliating? Or does Canada have every right to push back just as hard?

Source: CBC News 🇨🇦

08/14/2026

A petition calling on Canada to declare U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra persona non grata and request his removal has now crossed 150,000 signatures.

The petition is expected to be presented in the House of Commons this fall by Green Party Leader Elizabeth May.

With many Canadians now putting their names behind the petition, the question is becoming harder to ignore: Has Pete Hoekstra crossed the line expected of a foreign ambassador?

08/14/2026

The Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal are selling jointly owned Moneris to U.S. private equity firm Francisco Partners for $2 billion.

That matters because Moneris is responsible for roughly one in three payment transactions in Canada, servicing more than 325,000 points of commerce and processing more than $5 billion in transactions annually.

The banks stand to gain substantially from the deal — RBC expects about $475 million after tax, while BMO expects roughly $600 million.

But privacy experts are asking a much bigger question: what happens to Canadians’ data once ownership moves south of the border?

“Canadians should be concerned because this is their information,” said Sharon Polsky, president of the Privacy and Access Council of Canada.

“We're now going to have what has been a Canadian data-processing company that has access to everybody's purchasing habits ... available to other governments.”

Polsky even raised the possibility of U.S. authorities accessing transaction information in certain circumstances:

“Will you be stopped at the border because your purchase records indicate that you bought something with THC?”

“It's possible these days, much more possible than ever before.”

Independent Senator Colin Deacon also warned:

“[Data] under force and under request from the U.S. government could be then shared on an individual basis.”

Moneris says its “commitment to serving Canadian businesses will remain unchanged,” while Ottawa is moving ahead with Bill C-36, which would strengthen privacy protections and require assessments before personal data is transferred outside Canada.

Polsky, however, says the country is still “behind the eight ball.”

The sale still requires regulatory approval and is expected to close in early 2027.

💬 Should a company handling such a huge share of Canadians’ payment data be allowed to fall under foreign ownership — or should digital sovereignty be treated as a national security issue?

Source: CBC News 🇨🇦

08/13/2026

As Canada and the U.S. approach another major tariff deadline, a surprising debate is emerging inside the wine industry: should American wines return to Canadian shelves if it helps reduce trade tensions?

Some Ontario wineries say yes.

Norman Beal, president of Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery, said restoring U.S. wine access could be worth considering if it helps protect the broader economy.

“As much as it’s being a benefit to us, the damage to our overall economy is much worse,” he said.

The restrictions began in March 2025 after Canadian provinces and territories removed American alcohol products from shelves in response to U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

But not everyone wants the shelves reopened.

Aaron Dobbin, president and CEO of Wine Growers Ontario, said Canadian producers have gained from the shift toward local products.

“Ontarians have embraced buy local, buy Canadian, buy Ontario across all of their purchases, including wine.”

He said many consumers discovered Canadian wines during the restrictions and may continue supporting local producers.

Meanwhile, American wine producers say they have suffered major losses.

Michael Kaiser of Wine America said Canada is the largest international market for American wines and warned:

“We haven’t fully tabulated the numbers, but there’s millions in lost sales.”

He also said some American producers fear losing Canadian customer loyalty permanently.

“Some have frankly said that they would never consume a US product again, or never buy a U.S. product again.”

With a 50 per cent tariff deadline approaching, the debate is no longer only about wine — it has become a question about trade strategy, economic pressure and consumer choices.

💬 Should Canada bring U.S. wines back if it helps secure tariff relief — or should the country continue supporting Canadian producers who gained new customers during the ban?

Source: Global News 🇨🇦

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