Bank of Canada appoints two deputy governors, dropping 'external' title for one
OTTAWA -- The Bank of Canada is filling two vacancies on its governing council with a pair of economists who are already well known at the central bank.
Craig Lord
While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Craig Lord.
Inflation expected to jump in March as Iran oil shock enters price data
OTTAWA -- Statistics Canada will reveal the early impacts of the Iran war's oil price shock on inflation when the agency reports its consumer price index for March on Monday.
Poilievre blasts Carney, Liberal economic record in Canadian Club speech
OTTAWA -- Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says a new Liberal majority government means Prime Minister Mark Carney no longer has any excuse for failing to deliver on his economic promises.
Liberals to table spring economic statement on April 28
OTTAWA -- Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says the federal government will table its spring economic update on April 28.
Liberals plan to suspend federal fuel excise tax until Labour Day
OTTAWA -- The Liberal government will suspend the excise fuel tax on gasoline and diesel until Labour Day as the Iran war sends energy costs surging, Prime Minster Mark Carney announced Tuesday.
Liberals plan to suspend federal fuel excise taxes until Labour Day
OTTAWA -- The Liberal government will suspend the excise fuel tax on gasoline and diesel until Labour Day as the Iran war sends energy costs surging, Prime Minster Mark Carney announced on Tuesday.
CP NewsAlert: Liberals suspend federal fuel excise taxes until Labour Day
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will suspend the excise fuel tax on gasoline and diesel until Labour Day as the Iran war sends energy costs surging.
Liberals plan to suspend federal fuel excise taxes until Labour Day
OTTAWA -- The Liberal government will suspend the excise fuel tax on gasoline and diesel until Labour Day as the Iran war sends energy costs surging, Prime Minster Mark Carney announced on Tuesday.
Jobs minister urges youth to pursue skilled trades despite generational stigma
OTTAWA -- Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu says Canada must break the stigma around careers in the skilled trades if the Liberals want to achieve their infrastructure and homebuilding agenda.
Canada condemns Israel for Lebanon strikes, calls on Hezbollah to disarm
OTTAWA -- Canada is condemning Israel for striking Lebanon hours after an apparent ceasefire was struck in the Middle East conflict and is calling on Hezbollah to disarm in favour of diplomatic solutions.
Carney says Canada not considering sanctioning Israel over Lebanon strikes
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday Canada is not considering sanctions on Israel after it attacked Lebanon this week and appeared to violate a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East.
Tax cuts not the only way to help Canadians as gas prices rise: economists
OTTAWA -- The federal Conservatives are calling on Ottawa to return some of the revenue from higher gasolines prices to give Canadians a break at the pumps but some economists say cutting gas taxes isn't the only way to deliver relief.
Union claims airlines are 'flying the plane' in Ottawa's unpaid work probe
OTTAWA -- The Canadian Union of Public Employees says the federal government's probe into allegations of unpaid work in the airline sector is not taking workers' arguments seriously.
Bank of Canada relying on 'judgment' to steer policy rate through Iran war shock
OTTAWA -- Monetary policy-makers at the Bank of Canada are relying more heavily on their own reasoning to chart a course for the policy interest rate through conflicting economic signals tied to the war in the Middle East.
Ottawa's fiscal year shaping up better than budget forecasts: BMO economist
OTTAWA -- The federal government's annual deficit for the fiscal year ending today is tracking below Ottawa's own expectations set out the 2025 budget, despite increased spending.
Ottawa extending 2% alcohol tax hike cap for another 2 years
OTTAWA -- The federal government is set to extend its cap on an annual alcohol tax increase for another two years in a bid to rein in costs facing Canada's brewers, wineries and distilleries.
Feds, Ontario pool $8.8B for housing infrastructure to cut development fees
OTTAWA -- The federal and Ontario governments said Monday they will together invest billions of dollars in local infrastructure spending to help cities cut costly development fees and get more homes built.
Carney's budget bill becomes law after passing final Senate hurdle
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Mark Carney's first budget bill is now law, marking a milestone for the minority Liberal government.
Ottawa proposes $1.7B fund to help provinces lower cost of homebuilding
OTTAWA -- The federal government is proposing a $1.7-billion fund to help provinces and territories lower the cost of homebuilding.
Key figure in Phoenix public service pay transition says he's leaving the team
OTTAWA -- The public servant leading the transition away from the federal government's error-prone Phoenix pay system says he is stepping down because the team no longer needs him.
Budget watchdog nominee promises 'pointy analysis' as MPs question independence
OTTAWA -- Ottawa's choice for the next federal fiscal watchdog promised not to go lightly on the federal government if she is confirmed for the post.
Budget watchdog nominee promises 'pointy analysis' as critics question independence
OTTAWA -- Ottawa's choice for the next federal fiscal watchdog promised not to go lightly on the federal government if she is confirmed for the post.
Budget watchdog nominee Annette Ryan set to testify at finance committee
OTTAWA -- Ottawa's choice for the next federal fiscal watchdog is set to face questions from MPs before she can be confirmed as the next parliamentary budget officer.
PBO nominee Annette Ryan enters spotlight at a pivotal time for federal finances
OTTAWA -- Ottawa's nominee for federal fiscal watchdog will face questions from members of Parliament on Monday after a turbulent period for the budget office.
Inflation cooled in February before oil price shock; last data ahead of BoC rate call
OTTAWA -- Inflation was showing signs of easing in February but economists warn price relief will be short lived as the war in the Middle East fuels surging energy costs.
Annual inflation cools to 1.8% in February, StatCan says
OTTAWA -- Statistics Canada says the annual rate of inflation dipped below two per cent in February as the end of last year's federal "tax holiday" helped take some steam out of the yearly price comparisons.
Automaker allowed more tariff-free U.S. imports due to higher Canadian production
OTTAWA -- Ottawa is letting an unnamed automaker import a higher quota of U.S.-made vehicles without tariffs because the company is selling and making more cars in Canada than first expected.
Liberals nominate Fintrac official Annette Ryan as new budget watchdog
OTTAWA -- The Liberal government has nominated a senior official from the national financial intelligence agency as Ottawa's next fiscal watchdog.
CP NewsAlert: Liberals nominate Fintrac official Annette Ryan as budget watchdog
OTTAWA -- The Liberal government has nominated a senior official at the national financial intelligence agency as Ottawa's next fiscal watchdog.
Rising foreign investment in Canada doesn't tell the whole story, economists say
OTTAWA -- Statistics Canada says the flow of foreign direct investment into the economy came close to a two-decade high last year, while economists caution the volume of capital entering Canada isn't the only metric that matters.
There's no PBO: Ottawa fails to appoint new fiscal watchdog as interim term expires
OTTAWA -- There is currently no parliamentary budget officer scrutinizing federal finances in Ottawa as the interim fiscal watchdog's term expired Monday without a successor in place.
OECD criticizes Ottawa over 'persistent delays' in appointing new budget officer
OTTAWA -- An international economic group is criticizing the federal government over "persistent delays" in appointing new parliamentary budget officers, just as the current officer's interim term is set to expire on Monday with no successor named.
Number of Canadians registered in Mexico rising as airlines resume flights
OTTAWA -- The number of Canadians in Mexico who have registered with Ottawa continued to rise Tuesday, even as airlines resumed flights in and out of Puerto Vallarta and the Global Affairs Canada registration system experienced more delays.
Anand won't say if Canadians should cancel Mexico trips as airlines resume flights
OTTAWA -- Canadian airlines resumed flights in and out of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on Tuesday after widespread violence led them to temporarily suspend service on the weekend.
Liberals accept Conservative budget amendments on 'regulatory sandboxes'
OTTAWA -- The federal Liberals accepted a Conservative proposal Monday to put guardrails around proposed new cabinet powers as they debated the government's omnibus budget bill.
MPs settle in for marathon meeting to amend Liberal budget bill
OTTAWA -- Members of Parliament could be in for a marathon day of debate as the federal finance committee faces a tight timeline to amend the Liberals' omnibus budget implementation bill.
Five things Canadians should know about the U.S. Supreme Court tariff ruling
OTTAWA -- The U.S. Supreme Court struck down a set of President Donald Trump's tariffs in a landmark ruling Friday -- but that decision didn't affect all duties on Canadian goods entering the United States.
Finance minister unveils Ottawa's 'follow the money' plan to tackle extortion
OTTAWA -- The federal government is bringing law enforcement and financial institutions together to fight extortion operations targeting Canadian businesses and households.
Food inflation spiked 7.3% in January. Here's what's driving the increase
OTTAWA -- Statistics Canada reported an easing in the headline inflation rate Tuesday but a jump in the pace of food inflation amid tax changes and lingering pressures at the grocery store continue to put the squeeze on consumers.
Canada's provinces contend with fresh shocks ahead of 2026 budget season
OTTAWA -- The outlook for Canada's provinces is difficult to chart but some surprising resilience to U.S. trade pressures and historical revisions to economic data have most provinces on better footing heading into the 2026 budget season, argues a new analysis from Desjardins.
Food inflation expected to jump in January amid tax changes: economists
OTTAWA -- Economists expect tax changes from a year ago will result in a year-over-year surge in food prices when Statistics Canada reports January inflation figures later this week.
Fact File: Why it's tough to verify some of Carney's claims about 'protected' jobs
Prime Minister Mark Carney has made a series of claims recently about how much the federal government's support for tariff-stricken industries has protected jobs in Canada.
Airlines say federal probe disproves unpaid work claims, but Ottawa wants more data
OTTAWA -- Major airlines are claiming the initial findings of a federal probe clear their industry of allegations of unpaid work, but Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu says investigators need more data before the issue is settled.
Advocates urge Ottawa to extend 'no-brainer' tax incentive for employee ownership
OTTAWA -- It took Peter Deitz eight years to figure out the best way to sell his business. But it wasn't until the federal government opened up a new option for succession planning that he found the right buyer: his own employees.
Carney says 'inequalities persist' in speech marking Black History Month
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Mark Carney says the history of Black Canadians is one of "injustice met with resilience."
Conservatives, Poilievre seek to carry convention momentum back into Parliament
OTTAWA -- Political analysts say the federal Conservatives and leader Pierre Poilievre have momentum coming off a unifying convention in Calgary but the party still has a hill to climb in Parliament to one-up Prime Minster Mark Carney and the Liberals.
Ottawa wants to get banks, pension funds involved in affordable housing: minister
OTTAWA -- The federal housing minister says he wants to ramp up the lagging pace of homebuilding in some provinces by bringing developers off the sidelines and into Ottawa's affordable housing projects.
Robertson calls on provinces to boost funding for transitional housing
OTTAWA -- The federal housing minister says he wants to see the provinces step up their support to get people off the street and into long-term homes.
Ministers defend 'great sacrifices' after Trump downplays NATO role in Afghanistan
OTTAWA -- Liberal cabinet ministers and former Armed Forces members are defending the sacrifices Canadian soldiers made in Afghanistan after U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed NATO troops' contributions in the war.
Five things to know about Canada's new 'strategic partnership' with China
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Mark Carney secured what he called a "landmark" deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, ending a three-day visit aimed at "recalibrating" strained relations between Canada and China.
Bank of Canada's Macklem backs U.S. Fed chair Powell amid DOJ probe
OTTAWA -- Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem is coming to the defence of his U.S. counterpart Jerome Powell as the chair of the Federal Reserve faces a criminal investigation from President Donald Trump's justice department.
Canada co-signs pact to help secure Ukraine after an eventual peace deal
PARIS -- Canada and Ukraine's other allies in the "coalition of the willing" signed a statement Tuesday pledging to help secure Ukraine from further Russian invasions if there is a viable peace deal.
Canada co-signs pact to help secure Ukraine after an eventual peace deal
PARIS -- Canada and Ukraine's other allies in the "coalition of the willing" signed a statement Tuesday pledging to help secure Ukraine from further Russian invasions if there is a viable peace deal.
Prime Minister Carney says Canada will build up military to support peace in Ukraine
PARIS -- Canada will continue to build up its military might, in part to be able to play a role in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday ahead of a meeting with allies in Paris.
Prime Minister Carney says Canada will build up military to support peace in Ukraine
PARIS -- Canada will continue to build up its military might, in part to be able to play a role in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday ahead of a meeting with allies in Paris.
Carney arrives in Paris for talks with Ukraine's allies about security guarantees
PARIS -- Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Paris Monday ahead of a meeting with Ukraine's allies to pursue security agreements to prevent Russia from repeating its invasion if a ceasefire deal is reached.
Carney will meet with Ukraine's allies in Paris as ceasefire talks intensify
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to France next week to meet with Ukraine's allies as talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Russia's war intensify.
Carney will meet with Ukraine's allies in Paris as ceasefire talks intensify
OTTAWA -- Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to France next week to meet with Ukraine's allies as talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Russia's war intensify.
Jobs, economy top voters' priorities at the end of a turbulent 2025: Nanos poll
OTTAWA -- A year-end poll from Nanos suggests Canadians will want to see action from the Liberal government on major economic files in the new year.