Politics, Canada Theo Edwards Politics, Canada Theo Edwards

In His Victory Speech, Mark Carney Warns Canadians That 'Trump is Trying to 'Break Us'

In a remarkable turnaround fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has won the federal election. In his victory speech, Carney emphasized the importance of unity in response to threats from Washington. He stated that the mutually beneficial relationship between Canada and the U.S. that has existed since World War II has come to an end. "We have moved past the shock of American betrayal, but we must never forget the lessons," he said. Carney warned that America desires our land, resources, water, and control over our country, adding that these are not mere idle threats.

"President Trump is attempting to weaken us so that America can dominate us. That will never happen," he declared. However, he acknowledged that our world has fundamentally changed.
 
 

In a remarkable turnaround fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has won the federal election. In his victory speech, Carney emphasized the importance of unity in response to threats from Washington. He stated that the mutually beneficial relationship between Canada and the U.S. that has existed since World War II has come to an end. "We have moved past the shock of American betrayal, but we must never forget the lessons," he said. Carney warned that America desires our land, resources, water, and control over our country, adding that these are not mere idle threats. "President Trump is attempting to weaken us so that America can dominate us. That will never happen," he declared. However, he acknowledged that our world has fundamentally changed.


 
April 28, 202510:32 PM ET | Heard on Morning Edition | Jackie Northam for npr

Canada's Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Mark Carney applauds at a victory party in Ottawa, Ontario on April 29, 2025 | DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images

Mark Carney stays on as Canada's prime minister, according to the projections of the national broadcaster CBC/Radio Canada, in one of the country's most consequential elections in decades.

But it's still not clear if his Liberal Party will win the 172 seats needed for an outright majority in Parliament. The full results will not be available until Tuesday.

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre lost his own Ontario seat to the Liberals, a seat he has held for 20 years. In a concession speech early Tuesday morning, Poilievre said that his party "didn't quite get over the finish line."

The vote was widely seen as a decision about which candidate could best handle President Trump, who helped spark a wave of nationalism across Canada by threatening to annex Canada and placing stiff tariffs on the country.

"As I've been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country," Carney told supporters Monday night. "These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so America can own us. That will never ... ever happen."

Carney now enters parliament for the first time after winning a seat in Ottawa's Nepean constituency.

The election results quickly drew international reaction. Ursula von der Leyen, the European Union's top official, quickly praised Carney. "I look forward to working closely together, both bilaterally and within the G7," she wrote on ‘X’. "We'll defend our shared democratic values, promote multilateralism, and champion free and fair trade."


 
 

Added Australian Prime Minister, also on X: "In a time of global uncertainty, I look forward to continuing to work with you to build on the enduring friendship between our nations, in the shared interests of all our citizens."

And after a rocky few years of Canadian-Chinese relations, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said "China is willing to develop China-Canada relations on the basis of mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit."

The 60-year-old Carney had a career in investment banking before becoming the governor of the Bank of England during the Brexit turmoil, and as the head of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 economic downturn.

Carney had never held political office before being named leader of the Liberal Party in March. His background in finance and his seemingly unflappable demeanor helped convince voters he was the candidate who could best tackle Trump and his sometimes erratic policies.

Carney beat out Pierre Poilievre, a 45-year-old career politician and head of the Conservative Party. It was a stunning reversal of fortunes for Poilievre, who for more than a year rode high in the polls, at one point with his Conservatives up 27 points over the Liberals.

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to his supporters after losing the Canadian Federal Election on April 29, 2025 in Ottawa, Canada.

Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Poilievre's momentum began to slip in January when former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned. The Liberal Party's Trudeau was widely disliked in Canada by the end of his decade-long tenure, and his resignation gave the Liberals a lift. Carney became Trudeau's successor.

But the real boost came when President Trump began targeting Canada's economy and its sovereignty. Many Canadians were outraged by Trump's threat to make Canada the 51st state — a threat he repeated in a post on social media on election day.

Many of Poilievre's positions and much of his rhetoric mirror Trump — albeit on a more moderate level. The Conservative leader has a "Canada First" slogan, he wants tighter borders, smaller government and to end what right-wing politicians consider "wokeness." While his proposals resonated with some voters early on, Poilievre's association with Trump ultimately ended up hurting him badly.

It is the fourth consecutive federal election the Conservative Party has lost, leading some analysts to believe the party will now go through a time of reckoning about its message and appeal.


 
 
Read More
Politics Theo Edwards Politics Theo Edwards

Trump Exempts Phone, Computers, Chips From 'Reciprocal' Tariffs

The exclusions apply to smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives and computer processors and memory chips. Those popular consumer electronics items generally aren’t made in the US.

The exclusions apply to smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives and computer processors and memory chips. Those popular consumer electronics items generally aren’t made in the US.

Bloomberg

Apple, Nvidia Score Reprieve from Trump Tariffs With Exemptions

Debby Wu, Josh Wingrove and Shawn Donnan | Sat, April 12, 2025 at 11:03 AM EDT 

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump’s administration exempted smartphones, computers, and other electronics from its so-called reciprocal tariffs, representing a major reprieve for global technology manufacturers including Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp. even if it proves a temporary one.

The exclusions, published late Friday by US Customs and Border Protection, narrow the scope of the levies by excluding the products from Trump’s 125% China tariff and his baseline 10% global tariff on nearly all other countries.

The exclusions apply to smartphones, laptop computers, hard drives and computer processors and memory chips. Those popular consumer electronics items generally aren’t made in the US.

The pause will be welcome news to consumers, some of whom rushed to buy new iPhones and other devices amid fears that the tariffs would send prices soaring. It’s also a big win for major technology companies that have presented massive US spending pledges for Trump in recent months. Trump’s tariffs upended global markets, triggered a selloff in stocks, and ignited a rapidly escalating trade war with China.



The move is the first significant softening of any kind in Trump’s conflict with China. It was backdated to April 5.

“Honestly, I’m very comfortable now” with the China tariffs, Trump told reporters earlier Friday on Air Force One, while touting his relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “And I think something positive is going to come out of that.”

The tariff reprieve may prove fleeting. The exclusions stem from the initial order, which prevented extra tariffs on certain sectors from stacking cumulatively on top of the country-wide rates. The exclusion is a sign that the products may soon be subject to a different tariff, albeit almost surely a lower one for China.

The products that won’t be subject to Trump’s new tariffs include machines used to make semiconductors. That would be important for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which has announced a major new investment in the US, as well as other chipmakers.

“All products that are properly classified in these listed provisions will be excluded from the reciprocal tariffs,” the notice said.

The move appeared to exclude the products from the 10% global baseline tariff on other countries, including Samsung Electronics Co.’s home of South Korea.

Bloomberg Reporting.

 

Excerpts from a China analyst interview with Channel 4 News, a British Broadcasting Service, on April 11, 2025, ‘China is determined to fight to the very end of the trade war.’

China is determined to fight to the very end of the trade war.
— Victor Gao, China analyst | April 11, 2025

‘China has been here for 5000 years. Most of the time, there was no United States, and we survived’ China analyst Victor Gao says that ‘China will fight to the very end’ in a trade war after President Trump hit China with 145% tariffs.

Scott Galloway breaks down how President Trump’s tariff war will affect American consumers.
— Source: The View

‘We have someone at the wheel of the global economy who is blackout drunk right now.’

 

Trump’s Trade War Will Hit US Prosperity Hard, IMF Warns.
— Source: Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s chief economist | April 22, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war will significantly impact the global economy and has increased the risk of a financial crisis, the International Monetary Fund warned.

Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s chief economist

"The uncertainty in trade policy, and policy generally right now, is a big drag on global activity," Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas told AFP ahead of Tuesday's publication of the IMF World Economic Outlook report. 

"And the sooner we can lift it, the better off everyone will be," he said, adding: "Bringing back stability, clarity, predictability to the trading system is the first order of business."

Trump's new tariffs contribute to nearly half of the significant reduction in the IMF's growth forecast for the US this year. Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF's chief economist, mentioned in a blog post that uncertainty surrounding policy has already weakened demand in the US, even before the recent announcements about the tariffs.

Gourinchas noted that the tariffs implemented by Trump have raised the U.S. tariff rate, in real terms, to a level higher than it was during the Great Depression in the 1930s. In response, major trading partners of the U.S. have also increased their tariffs, contributing to a significant rise in the global tariff rate. As a result, global trade, which has consistently supported growth rates and kept inflation in check for the past 35 years, is expected to grow this year at only half the rate that the Fund anticipated just three months ago.

The latest World Economic Outlook was compiled under “exceptional” circumstances, the IMF stated. Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs on April 2 “forced us to abandon our projections, which were nearly finalized at that point,” it noted.

 
 

DW News Africa with Michael Okwu.
— Source

Can Africans trust Trump to do a deal in ninety days? What's policy one day is postponed the next: After Liberation Day, it's Hesitation Day - the highest tariffs slapped on African nations, then slashed for a three month pause. South African farmers in Citrusdal export millions of oranges to US markets. They're worried that Trump's tariff uncertainty is putting thousands of African jobs at risk.

UPDATE: US lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5 percent excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. This proposal could significantly impact African countries that rely heavily on funds from their diaspora.
— Source: May 14, 2025

US lawmakers have introduced a draft bill proposing a 5 percent excise tax on all remittances sent abroad. This proposal could significantly impact African countries that rely heavily on funds from their diaspora. The bill, presented by House Republicans, specifies that the sender will be responsible for paying the tax, which will be collected quarterly by the US Treasury Department. This initiative is part of a series of stringent measures implemented under President Donald Trump's administration, which has recently intensified its immigration and trade policies. #DWAfrica

For more information on the "GOP Proposal to Tax Remittances," please refer to the key facts.

Diaspora-Dependent Economies at Risk

The proposed remittance tax has triggered alarm among African experts and governments, where diaspora remittances serve as a lifeline for millions of families. In countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Ethiopia, remittances account for a significant portion of GDP, often surpassing foreign direct investment and aid flows.

Policy in Line with Trump’s Tougher Agenda

The remittance tax proposal reflects a continuing trend under the Trump administration toward stricter border control, immigration limits, and transactional foreign policy. It comes on the heels of recent crackdowns on asylum seekers, expanded visa restrictions, and tariff-driven trade negotiations.

Read More
Politics, USA Theo Edwards Politics, USA Theo Edwards

The Impact of Tariffs: Global Trade War

Our country and its taxpayers have been taken advantage of for more than 50 years, but that is going to change, Trump stated on Wednesday during a ceremony in the Rose Garden.

On the same day, Trump declared a US economic emergency and announced tariffs of at least 10% on all countries. The rates will be even higher for 60 countries and trading blocs that have a significant trade deficit with the US.
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Our country and its taxpayers have been taken advantage of for more than 50 years, but that is going to change, Trump stated on Wednesday during a ceremony in the Rose Garden.

On the same day, Trump declared a US economic emergency and announced tariffs of at least 10% on imports from all countries. The rates will be even higher for 60 countries and trading blocs that have a significant trade deficit with the US. According to President Trump, "This is Liberation Day."

 
 

Some of the cost of the new taxes will likely be passed on to consumers, with low-income households expected to face the greatest impact, according to an analysis from Yale Budget Lab released on Wednesday.



Households earning an average disposable income of around $43,000—some of the lowest in the nation—are poised to face a significant 2.3% decline in their disposable income due to the tariffs announced on Wednesday. In stark contrast, those in the highest income bracket, with disposable incomes over $500,000, will only experience a minor decrease of 0.9%.

Looking ahead to all tariffs scheduled for 2025, the situation worsens for lower-income households, which could see their disposable income plummet by 4%. Meanwhile, the wealthiest households would face a mere 1.6% reduction. This disparity underscores the disproportionate impact of these tariffs on those who can least afford it.

A tariff is what we call a regressive tax because it pinches families at the bottom more than it pinches families at the top.
— Ernie Tedeschi; Director of economics, Yale Budget Lab

President Trump unveils his long-promised, sweeping set of tariffs on imports.

Including tariffs on all imported automobiles of 25% which went into effect at 12:01 am ET on Thursday.

According to the CIA World Factbook, other territories with no economy and no population were also impacted by the sweeping tariffs announced by President Trump.

Australian external territory in the southern Indian Ocean, Heard Island, and McDonald Islands slammed with a 10% tariff, and so are the Cocos Islands 600 inhabitants send 32% of its exports to the US, according to the CIA World Factbook, they now face a 10% tariff.

U.S. trading partners are anticipated to respond with retaliatory actions.

China, which faces a 54% import tax, intends to impose an additional 34% tax on US goods beginning next week.

India on tariffs! 'The era when a few powers underwrote the international system is over. The world is moving to an era of self-help. Every region needs to look out for itself' ~ The external affairs minister of India, S. Jaishankar.

The US Stock Market tumbles on its opening bell Thursday. After-hours stock trading coverage from CNN: Latest updates on post-market movers, S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures.

The universal 10% tariffs are scheduled to take effect on Saturday, April 5. Additionally, further duties—reciprocal tariffs will be imposed on approximately 60 countries starting on April 9.

Reciprocal tariffs are calculated as the tariff rate necessary to balance bilateral trade deficits between the U.S. and each of our trading partners, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. That means they do it to us, and we do it to them, Trump said.

YAME Digital reached out to government functionaries in Freetown to understand the impact of tariffs on Sierra Leone goods entering the United States and the broader implications of this trade war on Africa.

Based on our understanding, Sierra Leone has a small business entity that operates independently, resulting in minimal impact.

YAME Digital is currently gathering data that will be made available to the public soon. Stay tuned!

What online shoppers need to know about the sledgehammer hit to 'the led by direct-to-consumer retailers' such as Temu and Shein Fashion Industry.

Nothing comes cheap anymore! Imported goods sent through the postal network valued at or under $800 would now be subject to a duty rate of either 30% of their value or $25 per item. With the rate increasing to $50 per item after June 1.

The executive order signed on Wednesday closes a trade loophole known as "de minimis," which has allowed low-value packages from China and Hong Kong to enter the United States free of duties.

Temu and Shein imported goods from China and Hong Kong sent outside the international postal network and valued at or under $800 would now be subject to all applicable duties.

The trade surplus that Trump never mentions

The US has a trade surplus from export of services which are now vulnerable to tariffs from the world — Aljazeera

Ronald Reagan’s Radio Address on Tariffs.
— April 25, 1987

On April 25, 1987, President Ronald Reagan delivered a radio address from Camp David, Maryland, emphasizing the dangers of tariffs and protectionist trade policies. He warned that while tariffs might initially seem patriotic and beneficial for protecting American jobs and industries, they ultimately lead to negative consequences.

  • Industry complacency: Domestic industries begin relying on government protection instead of innovating and competing globally.

  • Retaliation and trade wars: High tariffs provoke other nations to impose retaliatory tariffs, escalating trade conflicts.

  • Economic decline: Artificially high prices caused by tariffs reduce consumer demand, shrink markets, collapse businesses, and result in widespread job losses.

Reagan drew parallels to the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which he argued worsened the Great Depression by stifling international trade and economic recovery. He criticized Congress members who prioritized short-term political gains over long-term economic prosperity, noting that millions of American jobs were tied to exports and imports.

In today's America, there is chaos and a lack of effective strategies. Trump's tariffs have caused significant uncertainty and the repercussions of his actions emphasize the enduring impact of his rhetoric.

Theo Edwards for YAME Digital
Read More