Welcome to The Feed, your weekly resource to Canadian politics and policies broken down into itty bitty (super witty) bite-sized knowledge by Apathy is Boring.
Pun intended.

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WHAT'S THE SCOOP? 

Plot twist: they're back at the table. Trade talks between Canada and the U.S. resumed last week, just after Canada hit pause on the digital services tax, aka DST — literally the night before collection was set to begin (now companies that have already paid up will have to wait for refunds, as the Canada Revenue Agency says Ottawa has to pass new legislation.) Why did Prime Minister Mark Carney backpedal on the tax? Listen to this pod for answers. And as negotiations continue before  the July 21 deadline, Canada’s Finance Minister says Canada can negotiate a better trade deal with the Trump administration than other countries have, while our International Trade Minister says Canada has a chance to build new trade partnerships. Plus, PM Carney recently met with auto industry leaders, speaking about how to make the sector more sustainable, as punishing tariffs continue. 

Promises, promises… PM Mark Carney came in hot with big pledges — from transforming the economy to fast-tracking nation-building projects and securing a U.S. trade deal. Some of those came with a Canada Day deadline. So… did he deliver? While PM Carney has eliminated internal federal trade barriers and cut taxes, other promises, like cutting red tape and joining ReArm Europe (which would change how Canada supplies its military), haven’t yet been met. Oh, and it turns out Carney also needs to work on his pancake flipping skills, which were on display during his recent visit to the Calgary Stampede. Side note: Remember the new spending plans for a much bigger defence budget? A new analysis from a think tank says the NATO pledge could push the federal deficit markedly higher in the coming years, and it recommends a modest increase in the federal goods and services tax. 

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NEWS NUGGETS

Return Run: PM Carney has announced the date of the federal byelection for the Alberta riding of Battle River–Crowfoot, which is where Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre will run in an attempt to return to the House of Commons. The byelection will be held on August 18, and the riding is considered one of the safest Conservative seats in the country. 

Visa Void: More than 70 Palestinian students say visa delays have left them stuck in Gaza or Egypt and Jordan, even as they’ve been admitted to Canadian schools and received scholarships. “Like so many other students, I become trapped with my dreams,” said Meera, an industrial engineering student, who has been unable to submit a completed visa application to the federal government.

Where’s the Water?: It’s 2025, and some First Nations in Canada don’t have access to safe drinking water. Now the ministers of environment from Alberta and Ontario are asking the federal gov to refrain from reintroducing legislation to ensure First Nations’ rights to drinking water. But the federal minister of Indigenous services says her gov will still reintroduce the legislation — which was not passed into law before Parliament was prorogued.

WHAT ELSE WE'RE NIBBLING ON

Rewind to 2004, when Usher's "Yeah!" was everywhere and the Super Bowl’s halftime show became infamous for a wardrobe malfunction.  That year also became the go-to benchmark for housing affordability in Canada, thanks to Canada’s national housing agency, aka the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation or CMHC. Back then, the economy was chill and housing costs actually made sense compared to incomes. Fast forward to now, and CMHC has ditched 2004 as the benchmark, switching to 2019’s benchmark instead — deeming it a more realistic target. So, will owning a house ever be in reach? Listen to this pod to get the lowdown on CMHC’s new take on affordability and what it means for rent prices.

CROSSWORD

And now it's time for dessert...your weekly crossword! A little hint for you: you can find all these words in last week's newsletter!

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