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U.S. Targets 60 Nations in Global Forced‑Labour Crackdown, Canada Included

The U.S. government has initiated a broad series of Section 301 investigations into 60 countries—ranging from major trading partners like Canada, the European Union, China, Mexico, Japan, and the U.K. —to determine whether they have failed to curb the use or import of goods produced with forced labour.  U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced that the probes will examine whether foreign policies and enforcement efforts sufficiently prevent forced‑labour‑linked products from entering global supply chains. If violations are confirmed, the U.S. may impose tariffs or other trade restrictions without requiring additional congressional approval. The move follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down parts of the administration’s previous tariff strategy, prompting a shift toward other trade tools. Canada, now under scrutiny, could face new economic pressures depending on the investigation’s outcome. Officials say the reviews will be completed “in a matter of mo...

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NATO head pushes Canada to meet 2% defence spending target

 

Speaking in Ottawa on Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg urged Canada to meet the target agreed upon by members of the military alliance: spending at least two percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. 

While Canada has made commitments in this regard, Stoltenberg expects all allies to do more and follow through on their pledges. Notably, in 2023, there was an unprecedented 11% increase in defense spending across European Allies and Canada, with 18 Allies expected to meet the 2% GDP target in 2024—a significant rise since 2014 when only three Allies achieved it. 

Canada’s current forecasted defense spending is around 1.36% of GDP, projected to reach 1.43% by fiscal year 2024-25. 

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