Canada, India both want free-trade deal, according to Champagne
BNN Bloomberg
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says the federal government is once again “exploring” a formal free-trade deal with India, and that the South Asian country also sees “a lot of benefit” to deepening ties with Canada.
In an interview with CTV Question Period airing Sunday, host Vassy Kapelos asked Champagne directly whether he, as finance minister, wants a formal free-trade deal with India.
“We’re exploring,” he said. “I’m smiling because I was trade minister 10 years ago when this discussion started.”
“So, one thing that I can say is that Prime Minister (Mark) Carney wants to go much faster,” Champagne said, pointing to the number of trade agreements signed with other countries in recent months.
Champagne is joining Carney this week on a trip to India, as the prime minister works to reset relations after years of tension.
Canada and India have been at odds since 2023, when the federal government first levelled allegations of both foreign interference and transnational repression, including crimes such as murder and extortion.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei says that the leverage of closing the Strait of Hormuz should be used and that Iran’s attacks on Gulf Arab neighbours will continue. His first statement since his appointment was read on state television Thursday by a news anchor.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is again heading overseas, this time to Norway to observe NATO Cold Response exercises as Canada deepens ties with Nordic countries.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service says the threat level in Canada from Iran or its proxies has not changed since the war in Iran began nearly two weeks ago, while adding that threat-related activities are “likely to continue.”
Ottawa is letting an unnamed automaker import a higher quota of U.S.-made vehicles without tariffs because the company is selling and making more cars in Canada than first expected.
World shares tumbled on Monday, with Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index plunging more than 5%, after oil prices spiked at nearly $120 a barrel, casting a shadow over economies heavily dependent on imports of oil and gas from the Middle East.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Sunday the date for three upcoming byelections.
The price of oil surged higher and showed no signs of halting its rapid climb a week after the U.S. and Israel launched major attacks on Iran that escalated into a war in the Middle East.
Scott Moe says Canada needs to separate its trade talks from its national security concerns when dealing with certain countries if it is serious about diversifying trading partners beyond the United States.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has landed in Japan on the final stop of a 10-day trip that also included Australia and India.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has landed in Japan on the final stop of a 10-day trip that also included Australia and India.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has landed in Japan on the final stop of a 10-day trip that also included Australia and India.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has landed in Japan on the final stop of a 10-day trip that also included Australia and India.
As Iran continued to exchange airstrikes with Israel and U.S. bases on Thursday, Canada’s top military commander said its Armed Forces are in talks to possibly help defend Persian Gulf states against bombing from Iran.