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CUSMA Not Renewed: What the Trade Deal Impasse Means for Your Wallet

  July 2, 2026 | Trade & Economy The mandatory six-year review of Canada's most important trade agreement came and went this week — and it did not go the way Ottawa hoped. On July 1, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that the United States will not renew the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) in its current form, sending the deal into a more uncertain, year-by-year footing right as Canadians are already navigating tariffs, a soft labour market, and a technical recession. Here is what actually happened, why it matters, and what it could mean for your budget in the months ahead. The short version CUSMA isn't dead. It remains legally in force until 2036. But instead of locking in a fresh 16-year term, the deal now shifts into annual reviews, with existing tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and softwood lumber unresolved for now. What happened on July 1 CUSMA was built with a mandatory joint review every six years. If Canada, the U.S. and Mexico had a...
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Congress in Crisis: Scrambling to Avert Government Shutdown



In a dramatic turn of events, the U.S. Congress is racing against the clock to prevent a partial government shutdown. This urgency follows the rejection of a demand by President-elect Donald Trump to lift the nation's debt ceiling. The House of Representatives, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, is attempting to navigate a narrow path that can satisfy both the Republican-controlled House and the Democratic-majority Senate as the midnight Friday funding deadline looms.

Conservative Republicans recently dismissed Trump's call for a five-year suspension of the U.S. debt ceiling, which could have added trillions more to the government's $36 trillion debt. This rejection has left Congress without a clear plan to avoid the shutdown. The situation is further complicated by Trump's insistence on extending the debt ceiling to 2029, a demand that has not gained traction among lawmakers.

The failure of a hastily revised alternative bill, which aimed to keep the federal budget running at its current level through March and provide $100 billion in disaster relief, has added to the uncertainty. This bill was rejected by a vote of 174-235, highlighting the deep divisions within the Republican Party and the broader Congress.

As the deadline approaches, the pressure is mounting on Congress to find a solution that can avert the shutdown and ensure the continued functioning of the federal government. The stakes are high, with potential disruptions to government services and paychecks for federal workers hanging in the balance.

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