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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has wrapped up his first official tour of the Indo-Pacific with a pointed message: Canada is done playing small. In a world fractured by geopolitical rivalries and global trade shocks, Carney unveiled a suite of new security, economic and technology partnerships -- signalling Ottawa’s strategic pivot away from its long-standing overdependence on U.S. trade. Image Source: CanadaPM During high-stakes talks on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea, Carney announced Canada’s intent to double non-U.S. exports within a decade, laying the groundwork for expanded defence and commercial cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.  From energy to submarines to cybersecurity, Carney’s new strategy repositions Canada in a fast-changing region defined by both economic ambition and military competition. The marquee announcement came alongside South Korean President Lee Jae-myung: the launch of the Canada–Republic of Korea Security and Defence Cooperation P...

Canada has announced a $3 million emergency aid package to support relief efforts in Afghanistan following a deadly magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck the country’s eastern provinces last week, leaving more than 2,200 people dead and thousands injured. Image Source: Canada PM The funding, confirmed by Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai, comes as humanitarian agencies struggle to reach survivors in remote and heavily damaged areas, particularly in Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces. The quake struck on August 31 in Kunar’s Nurgal District near the Pakistan border, with aftershocks and landslides continuing to hamper rescue and recovery operations.  The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that up to 10,000 deaths were possible, with nearly 900,000 people exposed to severe shaking. Entire villages were destroyed, and as much as 98% of structures in some districts were damaged. Canada’s financial commitment will be distributed through multiple internat...

Canada and India have moved to restore their strained relations with the mutual appointment of high commissioners, which ends nearly a year of deep freeze triggered by explosive allegations of state-sponsored violence.  On August 29, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand named veteran diplomat Christopher Cooter as Canada’s new high commissioner to India. Simultaneously, India announced the appointment of Ambassador Dinesh K. Patnaik as its next envoy to Ottawa. Image Source: Canada FM Anita Anand on X The reappointment of high-level diplomatic officials signals a thaw after bilateral ties hit a historic low following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s stunning allegation in September 2023 that agents of the Indian government were involved in the assassination of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Sikh separatist leader, and labelled a Khalistani terrorist in India, in British Columbia.  India, on its part, had strongly denied the claim, calling i...

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday announced the removal of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods covered under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), following a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.  Image Source: MarkNixon24 on X The move restores near-complete tariff-free trade for USMCA-covered goods and comes amid growing uncertainty over the pact’s long-term future. Beginning September 1, Canada will eliminate tariffs on American goods previously subject to retaliatory duties. “Canada and the United States have reestablished free trade for the vast majority of our goods,” Carney said in a press briefing.  “This is a strategic realignment to reflect ongoing discussions toward a broader trade framework.” LIVE: Update on Canada-U.S. trade • EN DIRECT : Mise à jour sur le commerce Canada-États-Unis https://t.co/gAgEzWJCss — Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) August 22, 2025 The decision comes after the Trump administration reaffirmed exemptions fo...

Tensions between Canada and the United States have intensified this week following the imposition of new 35 per cent tariffs by the US government, up from a previous 25 per cent, in what Washington described as a response to continued Canadian "inaction and retaliation."  The latest move by the White House comes after both sides failed to reach a new trade agreement by the August 1 deadline and amid growing concerns about the long-term future of bilateral economic cooperation. Image Source: SherlockEditor on X The increased tariff rate, which applies to goods not covered by the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), now affects key Canadian exports including steel, aluminum, and copper, with duty rates on these goods now standing at 50 per cent.  According to trusted local media, the Canadian prime minister stated that he would engage with the US president “when it makes sense,” while emphasizing that approximately 85 per cent of Canadian trade with the United States ...

Canada has strongly denied claims that its weapons or military equipment have reached Gaza, issuing a forceful statement that defends its export control regime and warns of legal consequences for any company that violates it.  The statement from Foreign Minister Anita Anand, released Thursday night, followed the publication of a report on July 29 accusing Canada of indirectly fueling the conflict through lax arms oversight.  Image Source: Basu Ashis on X That report, which triggered heated debate across political and activist circles, alleged that Canadian-origin military goods were found in use in the Gaza Strip, a claim Anand called misleading and based on factual misrepresentation. Anand clarified that Canada has refused every single permit request for controlled goods destined for use in Gaza since January 2024.  Not one has been approved. Moreover, all existing permits that could have enabled the export of military components to the region were frozen last year and ...