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The World Cup Promised $3.8 Billion — Here's What Canada Actually Got

       Monday July 13, 2026 FIFA promised Canada a $3.8-billion economic windfall for hosting the 2026 World Cup. Two weeks into play in Toronto, the receipts tell a very different story — and there's a lesson in it for anyone thinking a "big event" boost is coming to their city, their rental property, or their business. The Billion-Dollar Bill Came First Before a single ball was kicked, Canadian taxpayers were already on the hook. According to the Parliamentary Budget Office, governments across the country will spend roughly $1.07 billion hosting the 2026 tournament. Toronto alone budgeted $380 million to host six matches at BMO Field. British Columbia's tab for Vancouver's seven matches at BC Place came in even higher, at about $578 million. Ottawa is chipping in $473 million of that total — including $220 million in direct grants to Toronto and B.C., plus another $145 million earmarked for security costs during the tournament. Net of federal help, Toronto and B...

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Armed Guard or Occupied City? Life Under Trump’s Washington Crackdown

    

National Guard stand guard at Paramount Business Center parking lot n the Los Angeles County city of Paramount, California.   


In Washington, D.C., the sight of National Guard troops patrolling iconic streets has become part of daily life. President Donald Trump’s declared “crime emergency” has brought nearly 2,000 Guard members — soon to be armed with M17 pistols or M4 rifles — alongside federal agents from the FBI, ICE, and Border Patrol.

Supporters say the surge is restoring order, pointing to Trump’s claims that the city is “safer than ever” under his intervention. Federal forces have been stationed at landmarks like the National Mall and Union Station, assisting with crowd control and, at times, performing small acts of kindness — from helping commuters with luggage to feeding squirrels.

But critics, including D.C. councilmembers, warn the move is an authoritarian overreach that invites unnecessary confrontation. In neighborhoods like Anacostia, reactions are mixed: some welcome the increased police presence, while others say it bypasses communities most in need and fuels anxiety among residents.

The crackdown has also sparked protests, with demonstrators decrying the militarized atmosphere and pop-up immigration checkpoints. Despite a reported drop in violent crime over the past year, Trump insists the data is misleading and has hinted at expanding similar operations to cities like Chicago and New York.

For now, Washington remains a city under watch — its monuments guarded, its politics polarized, and its residents caught between promises of safety and fears of control.


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