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Premiers Split on Using Potash as a Trade Weapon — What It Means for Your Grocery Bill

  Published August 31, 2026 Canada's premiers can't agree on how far to take the trade war with the United States — and this week, the fight is over a grey mineral mined almost 2,000 kilometres from Ottawa: potash. The disagreement matters well beyond provincial politics. Potash is the "P" and "K" of fertilizer economics — a key ingredient in the blends that grow the wheat, canola, and corn that eventually show up as bread, canola oil, and everything fed to livestock. Canada supplies about 85% of the potash the U.S. uses, which is exactly why some premiers see it as leverage — and why others are warning that pulling that lever could backfire on the very provinces pushing for it. Ford wants to pull the lever. Moe and Smith are warning not to. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing for the toughest response available, including resource-based leverage. Saskatchewan's Scott Moe and Alberta's Danielle Smith are pumping the brakes, warning that squeezing po...

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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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