This article covers recent developments in Canadian and international news, including President Trump's potential imposition of tariffs on Canadian imports, the shifting stance of Liberal leadership candidates on carbon pricing, and a new study highlighting the increasing release of greenhouse gases from thawing permafrost in the Arctic tundra.
Trump signaled that 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports could be imposed as early as February 1st. This announcement came during a signing ceremony of unrelated executive orders at the White House. Earlier, anonymous Trump administration officials suggested the president would only issue a memorandum directing federal agencies to study trade issues, including unfair trade and currency practices allegedly employed by Canada , Mexico, and China.
However, an executive order issued by the president on Monday set an April 1st deadline for these reports, contradicting his February 1st tariff suggestion.Federal and provincial officials in Washington expressed relief that tariffs on Canadian goods were not included in Trump's inaugural address. However, they acknowledge that Canada cannot afford to be complacent in light of the potential economic repercussions. Meanwhile, the three leading contenders in the Liberal leadership race have distanced themselves, to varying degrees, from the Liberal government's flagship climate policy, carbon pricing. This move is seen as an attempt to neutralize a key line of attack from the Conservative party. Introduced in 2008 and implemented in 2019, carbon pricing has been a central element of the federal climate plan and a frequent target of Conservative criticism. Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould, and Mark Carney, the three frontrunners, have all softened their stance on consumer carbon pricing in recent weeks. Despite this, a March 2024 analysis by the Canadian Climate Institute found that Canada's carbon price could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 100 million tonnes annually by 2030. However, only about one-fifth of this reduction would result from the consumer carbon price.Statistics Canada is expected to release its December consumer price index report today. Economists surveyed by Reuters anticipate the annual inflation rate for December to remain unchanged from the previous month at 1.9 percent, according to LSEG Data & Analytics. Some economists predict the headline inflation rate could even reach as low as 1.5 percent due to the federal government's GST tax holiday, which commenced in mid-December. Inflation has considerably moderated from its recent peaks and is currently stabilizing around the Bank of Canada's two percent target.Following aggressive interest rate cuts to 3.25 percent, the Bank of Canada may consider further reductions later this month. A recent study suggests that certain regions of the Arctic tundra are now releasing more heat-trapping gases than they absorb, reversing a trend that has persisted for millennia. Published in the academic journal Nature Climate Change, the study indicates that many tundra regions may have transitioned to emitting more carbon dioxide than they absorb, characterizing this as a 'noteworthy shift in carbon dynamics.'The study attributes this shift primarily to thawing permafrost, a frozen layer covering nearly half of Canada's landmass and remaining below zero Celsius for hundreds of thousands of years in some areas. As permafrost thaws, long-decayed organic matter begins to decompose, releasing planet-warming CO2 and methane back into the atmosphere. This creates a positive feedback loop that can further contribute to global warming.The study reveals that while the region encompassing the boreal forest and the Arctic increased its carbon storage capacity in plants and soils between 2001 and 2020, roughly one-third of the region has become a net source of carbon dioxide due to thawing permafrost and drying soils. However, when factoring in emissions from wildfires, the study suggests that the Arctic-boreal zone, as a whole, no longer absorbs a statistically significant amount of carbon emissions.A group advocating for seniors has urged the adoption of smaller homes for long-term care. Allan Dugas, who had previously lived in a traditional long-term care facility, expressed his initial apprehension about being placed in a shared bedroom within a large, impersonal institution where a rigid schedule would dictate his daily activities. After being hospitalized following a fall, he opted to be discharged to a smaller care home in Digby, Nova Scotia, consisting of 10 houses, each accommodating nine residents and a small team of dedicated staff. Dugas described his last four years at Tideview Terrace as 'wonderful,' highlighting the benefits of having his own private bedroom and bathroom, as well as the autonomy to sleep and wake up at his leisure
CANADA TRUMP TARIFFS CARBON PRICING CLIMATE CHANGE PERMAFROST
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