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Gas Prices Are Spiking Again — Here's How to Protect Your Wallet as the Iran Conflict Escalates

  Published July 20, 2026 If it feels like you're filling up more often for the same money lately, you're not imagining it. Oil markets jolted higher to start the week, and Canadian drivers are almost certain to see it at the pump in the next few days. What just happened Brent crude — the global benchmark that drives Canadian gas pricing — jumped nearly 4% on Monday to trade above US$90 a barrel, its highest level since mid-June, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate traded near US$84. The move came after the United States and Iran escalated hostilities over the weekend, including strikes on vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz and an attack on an oil facility in Kuwait. That strait matters enormously to your gas bill: roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply normally passes through it. When shipping through it slows or stalls, traders price in a "risk premium" almost immediately — and that shows up at Canadian pumps within days, not weeks. What it mea...

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Toronto Takes a Stand: Raptors Fans Reject “51st State” Notion with Anthem Booing

 

At Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, a surge of patriotic defiance was on full display as Raptors fans booed the U.S. national anthem during pre-game festivities against the Los Angeles Clippers. The protest unfolded in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of steep tariffs on Canadian goods—a move that many critics say is an effort to pressure Canada into economic alignment, with some even likening it to an attempt to turn Canada into the “51st state.” 

The incident began when a 15-year-old singer’s rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” was met with sustained boos from the crowd. In a striking reversal of sentiment, the arena erupted into cheers as “O Canada” was performed immediately afterward. Joseph Chua, a Toronto resident and game attendee, noted, “I’ve always stood for both anthems, but today we’re feeling a little bitter about things. It’s like we’re saying, ‘Canada is not for sale.’”

This display of discontent is part of a broader trend seen across Canadian sports arenas, with similar reactions reported at NHL games in Ottawa and Vancouver. While coaches and team officials have largely refrained from commenting, the sentiment among fans is unmistakable—a collective stand against policies that threaten to upend the longstanding U.S.–Canada trade relationship.

The tariffs, which target a range of Canadian imports, have already prompted retaliatory measures from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and provincial leaders, urging Canadians to buy local and support domestic industries. As the trade war intensifies, moments like these in Toronto not only capture the spirit of national pride but also serve as a potent symbol of resistance against what many see as unwarranted economic aggression.

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