How Canada could respond to new U.S. tariffs; Why Carney’s Canada Strong Fund may be doomed to fail; and more

It’s Thursday, August 13. Here are the top stories we’re following today.

Several analysts the Post spoke to said Canada should have handed the U.S. a list of possible countermeasures as soon as Trump threatened the new tariffs. However, the analysts differ over what Canada should retaliate against, but also over whether retaliation would strengthen Ottawa’s hand or simply deepen the damage.

The Montreal Economic Institute says that Carney’s $25-billion sovereign wealth fund echoes the U.K.’s National Wealth Fund, which he helped create and hasn’t worked so far, and argues that the resemblance should be a red flag.

“There is no question that lightning strikes are not partisan occurrences… However, the choice not to expand airborne firefighting capacity, the treatment of wildfire fuels, and post-fire reconstruction are all political choices. If the Okanagan is going to burn, taking beloved homes and lives with it, there is responsibility that must be assigned,” Russ argues.

Ford said a fair deal would “protect our steel sector, our auto sector, our forestry sector, agriculture sector, manufacturing sector.” When asked for his response given that any agreement would still likely include some U.S. tariffs on those sectors, Ford replied, “We have to match tariff for tariff.” Scott Stinson also has news of a “spy” controversy involving the Ontario PC party and the government’s plan to prevent illegal immigrants from collecting social assistance .

While cabinet secretaries, dozens of reporters and numerous executive-branch staff members took off on Air Force One, ”Trump was, for a while, aboard a mystery plane over foreign soil, with the secretary of defence (Pete Hegseth), and almost nobody knew a thing about it,” Cosh writes. “Was the nuclear chain of command back in the U.S. fully aware of the switch, and of the use of the old Air Force One as a decoy?” he asks.

The Remote Area Border Crossing Program involves travel permits that allow travellers to enter Canada through remote areas that cross the Canada-U.S. border. However, a planned telephone reporting system meant to replace it has yet to be fully launched.