Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …
Tariffs could permanently alter trade, expert says
A prominent U.S. investment strategist says the intensifying trade war between Canada and the U.S. could permanently alter cross-border trade.
Peter Schiff, chief economist and global strategist at Euro Pacific Asset Management, says new tariffs and the increasing unreliability of the U.S. as a trading partner is prompting Canadian companies to seek out different markets.
He says the new partnerships forged with other countries may not be easily unwound and could permanently affect the volume of trade between Canada and the U.S.
Schiff says once Canadian companies invest in the logistics and infrastructure needed to service new markets, it may be more lucrative to stay in those markets rather than return to the U.S. even once the trade dispute cools.
People participate in an independence march in Montreal, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, during an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Quebec referendum.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
U.S. trade war could impact sovereignty debate
Charles Rousseau says he’s always believed in Quebec independence, but it won’t be his top priority at the ballot box come Oct. 5, when the province chooses its next government.
In an interview outside a sovereigntist-themed coffee shop in Montreal on Thursday, the 27-year-old Masters’ student said he expects the tariff war and negotiations with American President Donald Trump to be top of mind for Quebecers during the electoral campaign.
“What has really dominated political discourse lately is inflation, the cost of living,” he said. “I get the impression that the sovereignty movement is losing some of its momentum as well. So, people are clearly concerned about this whole conflict.”
He added that despite having two parties making sovereignty a top priority, he’s “not interested in the proposals currently on the table.”
A worker rides on the outside of a rail well car as a CN Rail train moves containers from port, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Interprovincial trade barriers slowly coming down
The collapse of talks with the United States has added urgency to reducing trade barriers within Canada, but experts say it’s not a simple fix.
Efforts to boost interprovincial trade have ramped up recently. Nine provinces agreed last month to allow direct-to-consumer alcohol sales across provincial lines.
But even this kind of progress, dealing with a niche side of the booze industry, shows the challenges of opening up sales. Some provinces have added on extra charges and rules, on top of what producers face in their home province.
“Having to pay two wholesale markups — that’s just lunacy,” said Jeff Guignard, chief executive officer of Wine Growers British Columbia.
Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ont. on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn
StatCan set to report Q2 GDP results
Economists are expecting fresh data will show growth rebounded sharply in the second quarter of the year when Statistics Canada publishes new gross domestic product figures this morning.
StatCan is set to report updated GDP results for June and the second quarter overall.
A Reuters poll of economists expects the Canadian economy expanded at an annualized rate of 3.4 per cent in the second quarter, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
RBC economists also believe GDP will top three per cent for the second quarter as the economy bounced back from some temporary drags on growth in the previous three months.
Albertans protest a proposed Meta artificial intelligence data centre in Morinville Alta., on Sunday, August 2, 2026. Meta has proposed building a one-gigawatt artificial intelligence data centre in Sturgeon County.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amanda Erickson
Alberta’s Smith sees less rowdy AI town hall
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and three of her ministers spent an hour Thursday fielding calls and online questions from concerned residents about artificial intelligence data centres being built in the province.
The virtual town hall was tame compared to the two in-person events held earlier this month, where Technology Minister Nate Glubish was repeatedly hit with criticism, profanity and demands for additional safeguards.
For Thursday’s call, Albertans could either submit questions online or, if they registered in advance, over the phone. Moderator Justin Wright, the province’s primary care minister, said over 12,500 people had tuned in.
Smith’s government has been trying to position Alberta as an ideal destination for data centres, saying they could generate new jobs and billions in royalties and taxes for the province.
President Donald Trump meets with NASA’s Artemis II astronauts from left, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman and Jeremy Hansen in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, April 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Jeremy Hansen to receive U.S. Space Medal of Honor
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen is set to visit Houston with his Artemis II crewmates to receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to award them the medal in a ceremony at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
Hansen will become the first non-NASA astronaut to receive this medal.
The medal is awarded to astronauts who have distinguished themselves and contributed to the well-being of the world.
In total, 30 astronauts have received it, including 17 who received it after their death on a mission.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 28, 2026
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