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5 Things to Know Today: Canada Enters Recession, Oil Slips on Iran Ceasefire Talk

Saturday, May 30, 2026 — Your quick-hit Canadian financial briefing for the day. 1.Canada Officially Meets the Definition of a Technical Recession Statistics Canada confirmed Friday that real GDP contracted 0.1% on an annualized basis in Q1 2026 — following a revised 1.0% drop in Q4 2025 . That's two straight quarters of negative growth, which meets the technical definition of a recession. The miss was a big one: economists had forecast growth of 1.5% . The main culprits were a surge in imports (up 2.9%, largely gold), declining business capital investment (down 0.7% — its fifth consecutive quarterly drop ), and weakness in resource extraction and construction. On a per-capita basis, GDP actually edged up 0.2% as Canada's population shrank for the second quarter in a row. Not everyone is ready to call it a full recession: some economists note that three of the four weak months were isolated, and early April data points to a sharp 0.4% rebound . Still, the numbers ...

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Biden and Trump Agree to Two Presidential Debates Ahead of 2024 Election

 

In a surprising turn of events, U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to participate in two general election debates. The first debate is scheduled for June 27, hosted by CNN, and the second will take place on September 10, hosted by ABC. This sets the stage for their first presidential face-off, just over a month away.

The quick agreement on the debate timetable followed Biden’s announcement that he would not participate in the fall presidential debates sponsored by the nonpartisan commission that has organized them for more than three decades. Instead, Biden’s campaign proposed that media outlets directly organize the debates between the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees.

The unusually early timing of the first debate means that neither Biden nor Trump will have formally accepted their party’s nomination. Hours after Biden’s announcement, he accepted an invitation from CNN, playfully adding, “Over to you, Donald.” Trump, who had previously insisted he would debate Biden anytime and anywhere, confirmed his participation on Truth Social, saying, “Let’s get ready to Rumble!!!” Soon after, they agreed to the second debate on ABC.

The swiftness with which these debates were arranged reflects each candidate’s strategy. Trump and his team believe the debates will highlight voters’ concerns about Biden’s age and competence, while Biden’s team aims to remind voters of why they voted Trump out of the White House four years ago. These debates are particularly crucial in a year when voters express underwhelming enthusiasm for their choices and have concerns about the candidates’ advanced ages—Biden is 81, and Trump is 77.

As the election season heats up, all eyes will be on these debates, where the two candidates will face off in a high-stakes showdown. The outcome could significantly impact the trajectory of the 2024 election, making these debates a critical moment on the political calendar.

Stay tuned for more updates as the candidates prepare to spar on the national stage! 

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