Today's News: Renewing CUSMA without losing our minds or our souls

Its getting real now, isn't it.

I mean Canada's attempt to renew CUSMA so we don't lose our minds or our souls doing it, so Trump will get a win without Canada getting a loss. And Mexico, too.
Carney has now set up an Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations and included in it some excellent people.
The CBC reports:

...The list includes experts, industry and union leaders and retired high-profile politicians such as former Quebec Premier Jean Charest, former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole and former Conservative cabinet minister Lisa Raitt....
The committee, which will meet for the first time on Monday, will be led by Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade. ..
The members of the committee include:
Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Darryl White, CEO of the Bank of Montreal.
Lisa Raitt, former Conservative cabinet minister.
Tracy Robinson, president and CEO of the Canadian National Railway.
Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association.
Ron Bedard, president and CEO of steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal Dofasco.
Ken Seitz, president and CEO of fertilizer giant Nutrien.
Dennis Darby, president and CEO at Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.
Lana Payne, national president of Unifor.
François Poirier, president and CEO of Calgary-based TC Energy.
Émile Cordeau, CEO of Agropur, the largest dairy co-operative in Canada.
Luc Thériault, CEO of Pulp and Wood Products, and president of Domtar Canada.
Magali Picard, president of the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec.
Jonathan Price, president and CEO at Teck Resources Ltd., a mining and resource company based in B.C.
Susan Yurkovich, president and CEO of Canfor, a large forest products company based in B.C.
Michael Harvey, executive director of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance.
Tabatha Bull, president and CEO of Canadian Council for Indigenous Business.
Cameron Bailey, CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival.
Valérie Beaudoin, expert in U.S. policy and politics at the University of Quebec.
Erin O’Toole, former federal Conservative leader.
Jean Charest, former Progressive Conservative leader and Liberal premier of Quebec.
P.J. Akeeagok, former premier of Nunavut.
Ralph Goodale, former Liberal finance minister and high commissioner to the U.K.

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Today's News: Carney is playing power forward now

I expect anyone who follows Canadian politics - and, hopefully, even some who don't - have watched Mark Carney's Forward Guidance video released on Sunday:

The video has had more than 430,000 views on YouTube, and 7,000 comments - no wonder Carney released it online rather than just doing a speech in the House of Commons as Dale Smith suggested .
But if 10 minutes is too long for you to watch, here are some good excerpts:

PM Carney on forward guidance: "I promise you, I will never sugarcoat our challenges. Instead, I will talk with you directly and regularly about our plan, why we're doing what we're doing, what's working, what isn't, and what we're going to do next."

- Scott Robertson

Read on Substack

Sunday Funday: Schrodinger's Blockade, Trump v Pope, plus other posts, sports stuff, musical notes, getting old(er), Carney hat trick, TrumpWatch, Animal Crackers

It's being called Schrodinger's Blockade tonight, because nobody knows anymore whether the Strait of Hormuz is open or closed or both at once.

"You put your blockade in You pull your blockade out You put your blockade in and you sail it all about Do the Hokey Trumpy cuz your brain is full of doubt That's what he's all about"

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— Wayne Exclaims (@waynesbrain.bsky.social) April 18, 2026 at 12:10 PM

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Noted in passing: comments about Poilievre v reality, the Canadian economy, and the Iran War

Comments about Poilievre v reality

Chantal Hébert: "The issue is not if the old Pierre Poilievre would be back, but when the old Pierre Poilievre would be back, and that is basically what everyone was watching this week."

- Scott Robertson

Read on Substack

Pierre Poilievre and Yankie Doodle Andy keep whining about Carney backroom deals to get a majority. Most conservatives are probably whining on how their leadership was so bad that 4 MPs were so unhappy that they took a deal. This majority is thanks to PP and nothing else.

— Dale Burnay (@daleburnay.bsky.social) April 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM

Today's News: Getting a grip - on the scattered complexity of US wars now, and on the impact of the Liberal majority

From Phillips's Newsletter 

Getting a Grip on all of Trump's Wars?

Our son follows a "This Week in World War 2" podcast and when I hear it I am struck by the scattered complexity of that war - events going on simultaneously in theatres in Europe, Ukraine, Greece, the Baltics, Libya, Africa, Europe, the Philippines, India-Burma, Hong-Kong, on the Atlantic and Pacific.
I'm feeling like that now -- we seem to be reaching a level of scattered complexity in today's conflicts too, where I find it all too nonsensical and its increasingly hard to keep track of how they affect Canada in some manner or that Canada is dealing with-- we have the Russia-Ukraine War, Israel-Hamas/Gaza War, Trump's tariff wars, US-Venezuela War, the US-Israel-Iran War, Lebanon-Israel War, and the US blockade of Cuba. 

I also think that America's ICE Gestapo are making war on the American people, with raids, arrests with no warrants, disappearances, and concentration camps now being built across the United States.

And Trump seems to be declaring war against the Pope now too.
So maybe its just me, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to get a grip on what is going on with all of Trump's wars -- I don't spend all day on social media, so when I open it up I often see that he has announced something, or lied about doing something else, then I realize it already got changed, or everybody just ignored it, or something just fell apart again.

When it comes to the Iran War, I can't follow whether Hormuz is open, or closed, or partly open, or closed for some countries, or open only for China, or something else. And I don't know if the Houthis are also blocking Red Sea shipping. According to Phillips P. OBrien - see the illustration above - the financial markets aren't taking Trump very seriously anymore.

Apparently Europe is due to run out of aviation fuel in six weeks. So what happens next?
Is Venezuela OK? Is anyone helping Gaza now? Is Cuba getting any supplies? Will American concentration camps be operational before the midterms or can individual communities stop them? Will American immigrants try to escape to Canada, and will the Carney government be merciful or cruel?
I just read in the New York Times that there is going to be a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon (gift link) and maybe also Hezbollah. And talks are on-going between the US and Iran, I guess, though Hegseth is still blustering about bombing.
I'm pretty sure Trump or Hegseth can screw this up somehow:

Via REUTERS: “A Pakistani security source told Reuters: A deal between the US and Iran is close, with talks in their final phase. Backchannel diplomacy via Pakistan is ongoing, alongside direct contact between technical teams. He said that next round will be more of a deal signing ceremony.”

- Yashar Ali

Read on Substack

And about those financial markets:

Apparently the dudes behind the biggest financial institutions in the world follow absolutely no news except the few Truth Social posts that make it to Fox.

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— 🗽LOLGOP🗽 (@thefarce.org) April 16, 2026 at 7:33 PM

Stock markets represent the combined judgements of millions of investors with a fearsome interest in being right. My judgement is just stuff I think. It is obvious that I should be extremely cautious in dismissing the judgements of markets. Which is why I say the following only a soft mutter not intended to be heard by others: The markets have lost their flipping minds.

- Dan Gardner

Read on Substack

Today's News: Carney and his majority know how to play this game

Cartoon by Greg Parry, The Tyee

I don't have a lengthy post tonight, but I saw some very good clips today about Carney and his new majority government so I thought I would share them.

First, Carney and Poilievre were jousting in the House on Wednesday and I think Carney unhorsed him.

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Good reads: about Carney, about Elbows Up, about Trump, about Iran, plus other interesting stuff like Bieber and cabbages and character and Google

The Bookworm Carl Spitzweg 1850 

I found several "good reads" today and a few good posts too, so I thought I would share them.

About Carney

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Today's News: Carney gets his majority, Mamdani does the right stuff, while Trump just trips over his own big mouth. Plus Epstein-Gate Update and Canada Good News

Mark Carney is showing the world how to do politics better:

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The CBC At Issue panel tonight couldn't find much to criticize about Carney's wins - except for their lingering regret that they won't have an election campaign to talk about for four more years! 

And they also couldn't resist speculating if Poilievre would wise up. 

My prediction: Not!

Sunday Funday: What a week, more funny stuff, Getting Old(er), Carney Hat-Trick, TrumpWatch, Animal Crackers

What a week

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A bit of humor for you to brighten your day.

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— Texas Paul (@realtexaspaul.com) April 11, 2026 at 11:41 AM

Today's News: Moon Joy comes down to earth, plus some good sports stories, Poilievre's political obit, and Canada Good News

They're back! Hooray!

They're back! Damn...
Because for a few days we had Moon Joy. But now that the astronauts are safely back, its back to doomscrolling I guess. When I saw this Finding Nemo photo 🠅 on Threads tonight, it really spoke to my mood right now.
But that said, everyone was glad to see them safe:

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Today's News: Whither the Liberals?, Melania talk, Trump talk, Iran War talk, Pope Leo talk, Artemis II Briefing, and Hot Daddy Summer

MP Gladu enters Liberal Party Conversion Therapy, by Graeme MacKay 

"Whither the Liberals?" after the Gladu crossing 

The At Issue panel tonight (with Rob Shaw from CHEK TV Victoria)

TLDW: "If Gladu is accessible to the Liberals, then who isn't?" 

But the CBC At Issue panel persists in discussing "whither the Liberals?" in an academic way - they still don't seem to where Carney is coming from or where he is going. He is saving Canada from Trump, and nothing else actually matters. To get a majority government so he can get his agenda passed without having to negotiate, then he'll do whatever it takes.

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Today's News: Comics roundup, Liberal majority nears, Iran ceasefire ceases, Pope Leo won't be silenced, plus Carney talks to Artemis II

Comic roundup
I found lots of good comics about Wednesday's events.

Today's News: It used to be called "brinksmanship" but now its just called TACO Tuesday. Plus Artemis II Briefing

It used to be called "brinksmanship"

What Trump did to the world on Tuesday used to be called "brinksmanship" during the Cold War.
Now its just called TACO Tuesday.
It was a stupid and dangerous tactic then, and its even more stupid and dangerous now - Trump is nuts himself and he is surrounded by sycophants whose actions he cannot anticipate or control. Iran is just as desperate.
It was a terrible, frightening day.

This post has plot twists, cliffhangers, and no adult supervision.

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— 𝕊𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕒𝕖 𝔾𝕦𝕣𝕝 (@sundaedivine.lol) April 7, 2026 at 6:46 AM

Today's News: Rumours of floor-crossings, plus Artemis II Briefing and Canada Good News

Rumours of floor-crossings 

Ten might be crossing the floor? Wow. I would expect that idiotic "justify your shadow cabinet job" email didn't go over very well.

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Sunday Funday: Happy Easter and other good stuff, plus posts about Getting Old(er), Artemis II Briefing, Carney Hat Trick, TrumpWatch, Animal Crackers

In honour of Easter weekend, a bunch of "Last Supper" pictures.

First, the original, by DaVinci:

Next, the tributes:

House MD

Mel Brooks:

Lost season 6 cast:

The Sopranos: