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☆ Western Canada covered in smoke as wildfires loosen grip on Quebec
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Smoke billows upwards from the Donnie Creek wildfire (G80280) south of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada June 11, 2023. Wildfire Service/Handout via REUTERSOTTAWA, June 12 (Reuters) - Smoke shrouded Western Canada on Monday as wildfires flared again in the main oil-producing province of Alberta, while firefighters in Quebec doused some of the worst early season blazes, allowing thousands of evacuees to return home. "If you look at western Canada, it's completely covered by the smoke and that continues into Tuesday," federal meteorologist Gerald Cheng told reporters on Monday. "The risk for smoke is very high because the winds are really transporting the smoke throughout Alberta today and even into Tuesday." (Click here to read what health experts say about wildfire smoke.)

Persons: it's, Gerald Cheng, Cheng, Anita, Ismail Shakil, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Wildfire Service, REUTERS OTTAWA, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, TC Energy, Health, U.S ., Canadian Defence, Thomson Locations: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, Alberta, Quebec, Netherlands, Europe, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Edson, Edmonton, McMurray, U.S . East Coast, Alberta , Nova Scotia, Ottawa

REUTERS/Carlos OsorioOTTAWA, June 10 (Reuters) - The Canadian province of Quebec says rain and outside help could help win the fight against more than 100 forest fires producing plumes of smoke that have left cities on the Atlantic seaboard gasping for breath. "Some rain is forecast ... in the next few days there is a risk the situation will stay critical. But the arrival of French firefighters is really going to help," forestry minister Maite Blanchette Vezina told reporters on Friday. By late Friday there were 422 fires across Canada, 125 of them in Quebec. Please use caution so that we can try our best to avoid a catastrophic fire season," British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters on Friday.

Persons: smokey, Carlos Osorio, Maite Blanchette Vezina, Gerald Cheng, Columbia Premier David Eby, Vezina, Francois Bonnardel, David Ljunggren, Matthew Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Carlos Osorio OTTAWA, Authorities, Columbia Premier, Thomson Locations: Ontario, Quebec, Toronto , Ontario, Canada, Canadian, France, Germany, Spain, Federal, Pacific, British Columbia, Ottawa

☆ Trudeau announces military aid, addresses Ukraine parliament
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV, June 10 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $500 million in new military aid for Ukraine during an unannounced trip to war-time Kyiv on Saturday, as Ukraine girds for a counteroffensive against Russian forces and grapples with regular air strikes. Trudeau paid his respects at a memorial to Ukrainian soldiers killed fighting pro-Russian forces since 2014, met President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and addressed Ukraine's parliament. [1/5] Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with Ukrainian soldiers as he visits the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to killed Ukrainian soldiers, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 10, 2023. Trudeau was applauded at length as he spoke in parliament for 25 minutes, denouncing the Russian invasion and praising Ukraine's democratic development. The Canadian prime minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, a Ukrainian speaker.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Valentyn, Melanie Joly, Chrystia Freeland, Tom Balmforth, Mike Harrison, Alex Richardson, Ron Popeski, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Canadian, Ukraine, Russian, Kyiv, NATO, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Canada, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Russia, Vilnius, Toronto's, Moscow

[1/2] David Johnston, special rapporteur on foreign interference, holds a press conference about his findings and recommendations, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Blair GableOTTAWA, June 9 (Reuters) - A special investigator named by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to probe alleged election interference by China on Friday said he would quit, citing widespread opposition to his appointment and work. Last month he said Trudeau's government had not ignored evidence of Chinese meddling and recommended against an official public inquest. Following Johnston's appointment, three opposition legislators said Canada's spy agency told them they had been the target of Chinese interference. Last month Trudeau's government expelled a Chinese official after it emerged that he had sought information about the family of one of the legislators.

Persons: David Johnston, Blair Gable OTTAWA, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau's, Johnston, Trudeau, Dominic LeBlanc, LeBlanc, David Ljunggren, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Canadian, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, China, Beijing

Around 2,500 people were told to evacuate the community of Tumbler Ridge in northeastern British Columbia on Thursday. A video distributed by the British Columbia fire service showed deserted streets in Tumbler Ridge, while nearby forests were ablaze. Smoke rises from a wildfire in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, in this screen grab taken from a video, June 8, 2023. Temperatures in parts of British Columbia soared to more than 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) this week, nearly 10 C above the seasonal average. Additional reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa, Nia Williams in British Columbia and Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Stephen Coates, Jane Merriman, Chris Reese and Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Darcy Dober, Maite Blanchette Vezina, Gerald Cheng, Hicham Ayoun, Ismail Shakil, Nia Williams, Allison Lampert, Stephen Coates, Jane Merriman, Chris Reese, Frances Kerry Organizations: OTTAWA, British Columbia, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Canadian Broadcasting Corp, BC Wildlife Service, REUTERS, Environment, Transport Canada, Thomson Locations: Canadian, British, Quebec, North, Canada, Tumbler, British Columbia, Dawson Creek, Ridge, Ontario, Environment Canada, Alberta, Ottawa, Toronto , New York, Washington, New York, Montreal

The economy shed a net 17,300 jobs in May, entirely in full-time work, while the jobless rate inched up to 5.2%, Statistics Canada said. Analysts surveyed by Reuters had forecast a net gain of 23,200 jobs and for the unemployment rate to edge up to 5.1% in May after staying at 5.0% since December. A series of surprisingly strong economic data and stubbornly high inflation led the Bank of Canada to raise its overnight rate to a 22-year high of 4.75% on Wednesday. "While this is an ugly set of jobs data, the labour force survey is notoriously volatile," said Royce Mendes, head of macro strategy at Desjardins Group. Reports on jobs, inflation and gross domestic product are due out ahead of the next policy announcement on July 12.

Persons: Andrew Grantham, Paul Beaudry, Beaudry, Royce Mendes, Ismail Shakil, Steve Scherer, Fergal Smith, Dale Smith, Susan Fenton, Nick Macfie, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: OTTAWA, Statistics, Reuters, Bank of Canada, Bank of, CIBC Capital Markets, Desjardins Group, Canadian, Thomson Locations: Canada, Statistics Canada, Bank of Canada, Ottawa, Toronto

BRITISH COLUMBIA/OTTAWA, June 9 (Reuters) - Wildfires spread in the western Canadian province of British Columbia on Friday, while hundreds of fires continued to burn on the other side of the country in Quebec, sending wildfire smoke billowing across North American cities. Around 2,500 people were told to evacuate the community of Tumbler Ridge in northeastern British Columbia on Thursday afternoon. Temperatures in parts of British Columbia soared to more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) this week, nearly 10 degrees above the seasonal average. [1/2] Smoke rises from a wildfire in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, in this screen grab taken from a video, June 8, 2023. Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia; Editing by Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Albertans, François Legault, Nia Williams, Stephen Coates Organizations: British Columbia, BC Wildlife Service, REUTERS, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Thomson Locations: BRITISH COLUMBIA, OTTAWA, Canadian, British, Quebec, North, Tumbler, British Columbia, Peace, Alberta, Ridge, Canada, United States, Ottawa, Toronto , New York, Washington, Ontario, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, U.S

☆ Quebec allows sick patients to request assisted death in advance
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, June 8 (Reuters) - Quebec is expanding its program of assisted medical death and will become the first Canadian province to allow sick people to put in an advance request for help in dying before they become incapacitated. The move could set up a clash with the federal government, which drew up the law on medical assistance in dying. People deemed admissible can request an assisted death up to 24 months in advance. The federal government, already under criticism over how broad the law is, has moved to exclude people suffering solely from mental illness from pursuing assisted death for an additional year. Canada's assisted dying framework is under fire from disability advocates who say it has become easier to access assisted death than it is to access resources or supports that would make life more bearable.

Persons: Sonia Belanger, David Lametti, Diana Ebadi, Georges L'Esperance, Canada's, David Ljunggren, Chris Reese, Deepa Babington Organizations: OTTAWA, Ottawa, Quebec, Quebec Association for, Thomson Locations: Quebec, Canadian

☆ Bank of Canada hiked rates over alarm at household spending, stubborn inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

By Steve Scherer and David LjunggrenOTTAWA, June 8 (Reuters) - Surprisingly strong household spending in the first quarter and stubbornly high core inflation were among the top reasons the Bank of Canada hiked rates after a four-month pause, a senior official said on Thursday. The Bank of Canada (BoC) on Wednesday hiked its overnight rate to a 22-year high of 4.75%, and markets and analysts forecast yet another increase next month after the policy announcement declared monetary policy was not sufficiently restrictive. Speaking to business executives in Vancouver in the BoC's first remarks since raising rates, Beaudry singled out unexpectedly strong household spending, a rebound in the housing market, a tight labor market, and sticky core inflation as the main factors behind the latest move. Core inflation measures "seem to have lost their downward momentum", he said. There is a greater risk of higher rates in the future, so "it's important to think ahead", Beaudry said, and "be better prepared in the eventuality that we have entered a new era of structurally higher interest rates".

Persons: Steve Scherer, David Ljunggren OTTAWA, Paul Beaudry, Beaudry, David Ljunggren Organizations: Bank of Canada, Wednesday, BoC, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Vancouver, Reuters Ottawa

☆ Wildfires burn across Canada with little relief in sight
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 8 (Reuters) - Forest fires continued to burn across Canada on Thursday as the country endured its worst-ever start to wildfire season, forcing thousands of people from their homes and sending a smoky haze billowing across U.S. cities. Hundreds of U.S. firefighters arrived in Canada to help and more were on their way. "These fires are affecting everyday routines, lives and livelihoods, and our air quality," Trudeau said on Twitter. Smoke-forecasting website BlueSky Canada showed wildfire smoke spreading across much of the country on Thursday. Reporting by Nia Williams in British Columbia; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bill Blair, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Rob Schweitzer, Nia Williams, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Twitter, BC, Thomson Locations: Canada, U.S, Quebec, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Pacific, British Columbia, Ottawa, Toronto, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, United States, New York

OTTAWA, June 7 (Reuters) - The Bank of Canada on Wednesday hiked its overnight rate to a 22-year high of 4.75%, and markets and analysts immediately forecast yet another increase next month to ratchet down an overheating economy and stubbornly high inflation. Noting an uptick in inflation in April and the fact that three-month measures of core inflation remained high, the Bank of Canada (BoC) said that "concerns have increased that CPI inflation could get stuck materially above the 2% target." However, Canada Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said the economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been stoking price increases. "To bring demand lower, which is the bank's goal to achieve their 2% inflation target, we just simply need more tightening." The BoC said it would continue to assess economic indicators going forward to see if they "are consistent with achieving the inflation target."

Persons: Derek Holt, Paul Beaudry, Canada's, Pierre Poilievre, Justin Trudeau, Chrystia Freeland, Andrew Kelvin, Steve Scherer, David Ljunggren, Fergal Smith, Divya Rajagopal, Nivedita Balu, Mark Porter Organizations: OTTAWA, Bank of Canada, Wednesday, Canadian, Scotiabank, BoC, Conservative Party, Liberal, Canada Finance, TD Securities, Thomson Locations: British Columbia, Ukraine, Canada, Toronto

☆ From British Columbia to Nova Scotia, Wildfires Spread Across Canada
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Dan Bilefsky | Vjosa Isai | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The danger of wildfires, which over the past few weeks have stretched from British Columbia on the west coast to Nova Scotia, nearly 2,900 miles away in the east, was brought home on Tuesday to the political heart of the nation. A thick haze hovered over Parliament Hill and the soaring Gothic Revival building that houses Canada’s Parliament in Ottawa. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada said that hundreds of soldiers were deployed across the country to help with firefighting efforts. Bill Blair, the emergency preparedness minister, told reporters last week that over the month of May an area of roughly 2.7 million hectares, or about 6.7 million acres, of forest in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and the Northwest Territories had been scorched. “The equivalent of over 5 million football fields has burned in Canada so far this year,” he wrote on Twitter.

Persons: Hill, Justin Trudeau, Mr, Trudeau, Bill Blair, ” Organizations: Northwest, Twitter Locations: Canada, United States, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ottawa, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia , New Brunswick, Ontario, Northwest Territories

☆ Canadian wildfires prompt new evacuations, alarm over air quality
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Maye-E WongOTTAWA, June 7 (Reuters) - Firefighters battled hundreds of forest blazes on Wednesday as Canada's worst-ever early season wildfires prompted the evacuation of thousands and a blanket of smoky air wafting over U.S. cities. There are fires in nearly all of Canada's provinces and territories, with the eastern province of Quebec among the worst affected. The province, Canada's second-most populous, has suffered four times its 10-year average of wildfires so far this year. In neighboring Ontario province, Canada's most populous, deteriorating air quality has been forecast this week in cities including Ottawa and Toronto due to smoke plumes. Wildfires are common in Canada's western provinces, but this year flames have mushroomed rapidly in the country's east.

Persons: Wong OTTAWA, Francois Legault, Legault, Ismail Shakil, David Ljunggren, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Firefighters, Residents, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, Canada, New York City , New York, U.S, Quebec, Canada's, New York, New Brunswick, France, United States, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Chibougamau, Ontario, Ottawa, Toronto

☆ Google, Meta using 'bullying tactics' against Canada's news bill, says PM Trudeau
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, June 7 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.O) and Meta Platforms (META.O) are using "bullying tactics" against a Canadian push aimed at ensuring financial support for news publishers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday. The proposed legislation is designed to compel internet giants like Google and Meta's Facebook to negotiate commercial deals and pay publishers for their content. The U.S. firms say proposals in the bill, dubbed the "Online News Act," are unsustainable for their businesses. The legislation passed Canada's House of Commons in December and is in the unelected upper chamber of the parliament, which rarely blocks legislation cleared by the lower house. "The various internet giants like Meta are posting every year record profits while at the same time local independent news is struggling across this country," Trudeau said.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Shay Purdy, Meta, Ismail Shakil, David Ljunggren, Daniel Wallis Organizations: OTTAWA, Google, Facebook, Commons, Meta, Thomson Locations: U.S, Canada, Ottawa, Australia, Europe

REUTERS/Blair GableOTTAWA, June 7 (Reuters) - Hundreds of uncontrolled forest fires blazed across Canada on Wednesday, threatening critical infrastructure, forcing evacuations and sending a blanket of smoky air wafting over U.S. cities. Quebec Premier Francois Legault earlier said the province was able to fight 40 fires at the same time. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden by phone on Wednesday to thank him for "critical support" in tackling the blazes. These fires are affecting everyday routines, lives and livelihoods, and our air quality," Trudeau said in a statement on Twitter. We will be facing more and more extreme weather events that will cost us a lot more," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the briefing.

Persons: Blair Gable OTTAWA, Bill Blair, Blair, Quebec Premier Francois Legault, Justin Trudeau, Joe Biden, Trudeau, Legault, Ismail Shakil, David Ljunggren, Nia Williams, Deepa Babington, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Quebec Premier, Canadian, U.S, Twitter, Residents, Thomson Locations: Centennial, Township, Greater Madawaska , Ontario, Canada, Quebec, U.S, New Brunswick, France, United States, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Chibougamau, Ontario, Canada's, Ottawa, Toronto, British Columbia

☆ Wildfire Smoke Blankets the East With Unhealthy Air
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Matthew Cullen | Justin Porter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Millions of people in the U.S. and Canada awoke this morning in a world of haze. Smoke from an outbreak of intense wildfires in Canada has been billowing south, polluting the air from Minnesota to Massachusetts and causing dangerous breathing conditions, especially in and around New York State. In New York City, where plumes of smoke cast an eerie orange blur over the streets, the air quality was the worst it had been in decades. Commuters donned Covid masks, schoolchildren were kept indoors at recess and doctors urged people to avoid going outside. In Syracuse, the air quality index surpassed 400 (100 is considered unhealthy, and 300 is hazardous).

Organizations: ” Locations: U.S, Canada, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York State, New York City, Syracuse, Binghamton, New York, Ottawa

☆ Bank of Canada hikes rates to 4.75%, highest in 22 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Bank of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Thursday, May 18, 2023. The BoC on Wednesday hiked its key rate to 4.75%, the highest level in 22 years. The Bank of Canada on Wednesday hiked its key overnight benchmark rate to 4.75%, the highest level in 22 years, on increasing concerns that inflation could get stuck significantly above its 2% target amid persistently strong economic growth. The central bank had been on hold since January to assess the impact of previous hikes after raising borrowing costs eight times to a 15-year high of 4.50% - the fastest tightening cycle in the bank's history. About two-thirds of economists polled by Reuters last week expected the central bank to keep rates on hold through to end-2023.

Organizations: Bank of Canada, BoC, Wednesday, Reuters Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada

☆ North American lobster industry confronts 'ropeless' traps after whale entanglements
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Lauren Owens Lambert | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

That is a large number, given there are fewer than 350 North Atlantic Right Whales remaining, including just 70 breeding females, say regulators, researchers and conservationists. North Atlantic Right Whales who live off the eastern North American coast stretching from Florida to the Canadian Maritimes provinces are now on the verge of extinction. Traditional lobster fishing uses traps that sink to the ocean floor and are connected by a rope to a buoy floating at the surface. Ropeless gear, by contrast, only deploys a rope and buoy to the surface when its owner activates a release trigger by remote control. When the 2,100 square-kilometer zones are shut, only harvesters with ropeless gear are allowed to fish there, Gilchrist said.

Persons: Matt Weber, lobsterman, Lauren Owens Lambert, ”, Charles Mayo, Rob Morris, “ We’re, Edgetech, lobsterman Kyle Murdock, Weber, Brett Gilchrist, Gilchrist, “, Michael Moore, Lawrence, Richard Valdmanis, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Seafood Watch, Atlantic, U.S ., Atlantic Right Whales, National Oceanographic, Atmospheric Administration, Whales, Canadian, Center for Coastal Studies, NOAA, Canada’s Fisheries, Reuters, Fisheries, Oceans, Oceanographic, Thomson Locations: Monhegan, Maine, U.S, MONHEGAN, Monterey, U.S . East Coast, North Carolina, Florida, Cape Cod , Massachusetts, ” Washington, Ottawa, England, Massachusetts, Canada’s Gulf, St, Lawrence, Fundy, Oceans Canada, Gulf

☆ Toronto, Ottawa covered in smoke from wildfires
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, June 6 (Reuters) - Smoke from wildfires in eastern Canada has polluted the air over Toronto and Ottawa and triggered health alerts from Environment Canada on Tuesday. The national capital of Ottawa, which borders Quebec, was covered in haze on Tuesday morning, with air quality in category 10+, the worst level on Environment Canada's Air Quality Health Index, indicating "very high risk". "Smoke plumes from local forest fires as well as forest fires in Quebec have resulted in deteriorated air quality," Environment Canada said in an air quality alert for Ottawa. The air over Toronto was also polluted due to Quebec fires and conditions could persist through most of this week, the government run weather agency said. Wildfires are common in Canada's western provinces, but this year flames have been mushrooming rapidly in eastern Canada, forcing home evacuations and the federal government to send in the military.

Persons: Justin Trudeau, Ismail Shakil, Ed Osmond Organizations: OTTAWA, Environment Canada, Canada's, Health, Ottawa, Thomson Locations: Canada, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec

In Ontario, a layer of haze blanketed parts of Ottawa and Toronto, where Canadian officials warned residents about the poor air quality, as smoke floated over portions of New York State and Vermont. All of New York City was under an air quality alert on Tuesday because of the smoke; by the afternoon, the Manhattan skyline was obscured by hazy skies. In eastern Canada, Quebec was most affected by wildfires as of early Tuesday afternoon, with more than 150 active blazes across the area, according to the fire agency. Weather officials warned that people more sensitive to poor air quality, such as people with lung disease and heart disease, children and older adults, should limit certain activities outdoors. Air quality alerts were also in place in New York City and in multiple counties in upstate New York through midnight.

Persons: Jiménez, Derrick Bryson Taylor, Bill Blair, ” Mr, Blair, Eric Adams Organizations: New York, New, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire, Residents, U.S . National Weather Service, Weather Service, Weather, Twitter, New York State Department of Environmental Locations: United States, Canada, Minnesota, Massachusetts, In Ontario, Ottawa, Toronto, New, New York State, Vermont, New York City, Manhattan, Quebec, Lake Superior, New York, “, Connecticut , Massachusetts

☆ Canada on track for its worst-ever wildfire season
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Smoke billows upwards from a planned ignition by firefighters tackling the Donnie Creek Complex wildfire south of Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada June 3, 2023. OTTAWA, June 5 (Reuters) - Canada is on track for its worst-ever year of wildfire destruction as warm and dry conditions are forecast to persist through to the end of the summer after an unprecedented start to the fire season, officials said on Monday. "The rate of increase of area burned is also high ... if this rate continues, we could hit record levels for area burned this year," he said. "Over the last 20 years, we have never seen such a large area burned so early in the season," said Yan Boulanger, a researcher with Natural Resources Canada. "Partially because of climate change, we're seeing trends toward increasing burned area throughout Canada."

Persons: Michael Norton, Norton, Yan Boulanger, Justin Trudeau, Trudeau, Ismail Shakil, Alistair Bell Organizations: Wildfire Service, REUTERS, Natural Resources, Flames, Wallbridge Mining Company, Thomson Locations: Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, OTTAWA, Quebec, Atlantic, of Nova Scotia, Natural Resources Canada, Alberta, United States, Ottawa

☆ Analysis: Strong economy puts Bank of Canada's 4-month rate hike pause in doubt
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Inflation, which peaked at 8.1% last year, accelerated for the first time in 10 months in April to 4.4%, more than double the Bank of Canada's 2% target. The recent recovery in Canada's housing market is also putting pressure on prices, analysts say. "The Bank of Canada's penchant for surprising traders means that nothing can be ruled out," said Royce Mendes, head of macro strategy at Desjardins Group. Mendes said there could be more than one rate hike in the cards, and Canadians should "brace themselves for a further tightening in financial conditions this summer". "The latest round of data adds weight to our view that the Bank will need to conduct an insurance rate hike at either of its next two meetings," said Jay Zhao-Murray, FX analyst at Monex Canada.

Persons: Stephen Brown, Royce Mendes, Mendes, Macklem, Jay Zhao, Murray, Steve Scherer, Fergal Smith, Denny Thomas, Daniel Wallis Organizations: OTTAWA, Bank of Canada, BoC, Bank of Canada's, North, Capital Economics, Reuters, Federal Reserve, Desjardins Group, Monex Canada, Thomson Locations: North America, United States, States

MEXICO CITY, June 2 (Reuters) - Mexico said on Friday it would counter U.S. arguments over agriculture biotech measures, including plans to limit its use of genetically modified (GM) corn, in trade dispute settlement consultations requested by Washington earlier in the day. If the consultations fail to resolve disagreements within 75 days, Washington can request a dispute settlement panel to decide the case. The United States requested formal trade consultations in March over objections to Mexico's plans to limit imports of GM corn and other agricultural biotechnology products. The new decree eliminated a deadline to ban GM corn for animal feed and industrial use, by far the bulk of its $5 billion worth of U.S. corn imports, but maintained a ban on GM corn used in dough or tortillas. Some sector experts have expressed concern that the move could set a precedent among other countries, which would disrupt the global corn trade.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, February's, Tom Haag, Cassandra Garrison, Adriana Barrera, Kylie Madry, Dave Graham, Ismail Shakil, Leslie Adler, William Mallard Organizations: MEXICO CITY, Washington, U.S, Trade Ministry, United, U.S . Trade, U.S ., Corn Growers Association, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, Mexico, Canada, U.S, Washington, United States, Mexican, Mexico City, Ottawa

☆ US blocks ex-Haitian PM Lamothe from entering country, citing corruption
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PORT-AU-PRINCE, June 2 (Reuters) - The United States on Friday blocked former Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe from entering the United States over what Secretary of State Antony Blinken said was his "involvement in significant corruption." "This action renders Lamothe generally ineligible for entry into the United States," the State Department said. In its statement, the State Department accused Lamothe of misappropriating "at least $60 million from the Haitian government's PetroCaribe investment and social welfare fund for private gain." Canada sanctioned Lamothe last November alongside Martelly and another former prime minister, Jean Henry Ceant, as part of measures targeting alleged backers of armed gangs in the country. The current caretaker government of Prime Minister Ariel Henry requested last October an international strike force to help restore order.

Persons: Laurent Lamothe, Antony Blinken, Lamothe, Michel Martelly, Jean Henry Ceant, Ariel Henry, Harold Isaac, Sarah Morland, Eric Beech, Costas Pitas, Tim Ahmann, Leslie Adler Organizations: PORT, Haitian, State Department, U.S ., Miami Herald, Lamothe, Martelly, United Nations, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, Miami, Venezuelan, Canada, Ottawa, Haiti

MEXICO CITY, June 2 (Reuters) - The U.S. is escalating its conflict with Mexico over agriculture biotech measures, including the stance on genetically modified (GM) corn, by requesting dispute settlement consultations, senior officials of the U.S. Trade Representative's office said on Friday. If the consultations announced on Friday fail to resolve disagreements within 75 days, Washington can request a dispute settlement panel to decide the case. The United States requested formal trade consultations in March over objections to Mexico's plans to limit imports of GM corn and other agricultural biotechnology products. Earlier this week, Mexico's agriculture minister expressed confidence in an interview that the dispute with the U.S. would not escalate to a dispute settlement panel. The new decree eliminated the deadline to ban GM corn for animal feed and industrial use, by far the bulk of its $5 billion worth of U.S. corn imports, but maintained a ban on GM corn used in dough or tortillas.

Persons: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Tom Vilsack, Tom Haag, Cassandra Garrison, Adriana Barrera, Ismail Shakil, Leslie Adler Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Trade, U.S, Trade Ministry, United, Economy Ministry, Agriculture, U.S ., Corn Growers Association, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, U.S, Mexico, Canada, Washington, United States, Mexico City, Ottawa

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