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U.S. Threatens Harsher Economic Pressure on Iran as Mediators Rush to Secure Second Ceasefire Talks

  A woman walks past a digital screen displaying news of US-Iran peace talks along a road in Islamabad on April 10, 2026 The United States has warned it will step up economic pressure on Iran while mediators race to arrange a second round of ceasefire talks before the fragile truce expires on April 22, 2026 — a standoff that risks higher oil prices, tighter global markets, and direct costs for Canadian households and investors.   Background and diplomatic timeline A two‑week ceasefire that paused nearly seven weeks of fighting was brokered to create a narrow diplomatic window for talks between Washington and Tehran. The first round of face‑to‑face negotiations in Islamabad lasted more than 20 hours but ended without an agreement, leaving the truce set to expire on April 22, 2026 unless mediators secure a follow‑up session.  Mediators led by Pakistan, with active roles from Turkey, Egypt and other regional actors, have been shuttling between capitals to bridge the remaini...
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E‑mails Reveal Ottawa Knew of BC Ferries’ China Deal Weeks Before Public Rebuke


Internal government e‑mails show senior federal officials were aware of BC Ferries’ controversial $1‑billion contract with a Chinese state‑owned shipyard weeks before Transport Minister Chrystia Freeland publicly condemned the deal.

The correspondence, obtained by a House of Commons committee, indicates staff in the Prime Minister’s Office and Freeland’s office discussed the project in mid‑June, including its link to a pending Canada Infrastructure Bank loan that would help finance the vessels. One aide warned the project was “likely not viable without our loan” and flagged political risks if the Conservatives tied the financing to the Chinese contract.

On June 20, Freeland issued a sharply worded letter to B.C.’s transportation minister, expressing “consternation and disappointment” over the decision to award the work to China Merchants Industry Weihai Shipyards, citing security and economic concerns. At the time, she said the federal government had no jurisdiction over BC Ferries’ procurement choices.

The e‑mails suggest Ottawa’s involvement was deeper than publicly acknowledged, fuelling opposition claims the Liberals sought to manage optics rather than intervene in the deal.

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