iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I....don't know what prompted this from the president today, but StatCan reported JUST this morning that in the past year, Canada experienced its slowest population growth since 1916. The country's population is essentially stalled right now.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

With half the votes in, it looks very likely Carney’s Liberals will gain another Conservative seat. This one became vacant after Carney appointed Richard Martel to the Senate. CPC getting crushed, a distant third place.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The latest commentary from the President of the United States. (I'll add a Bloomberg factcheck: Canada's unemployment rate hit a two-year low of 6.4% in July, and GDP has been rebounding above expectations in the second quarter)

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

In a new post, Trump threatens to hike his autos and auto parts tariffs on Canada to 50% on Jan. 1, 2027.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Lutnick confirms that payments on Canada’s loan interest/principal is not included in the bridge’s operational expenses. It comes out of the leftover revenue Canada will now split with the US for 15 years.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Speaking in Calgary today Carney says the revenue split only happens after “paying the debt of the bridge.” It’s not totally clear what that means (interest or principal?) but if true, it seems Canada isn’t getting saddled with extra costs in this deal www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Here is the key section. Underlying toll agreement unchanged, but Canada will send half of toll *profits* to a US-controlled fund. Profits is key here, as those may be very small to non-existent for a while after the bridge opens.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

We shouldn't treat these figures too seriously, given all the unknowns about the routing, but the submission does float a capital cost figure for the pipeline of $35.2B -- if it gets final investment decision by early 2028.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

A more detailed map is in the full submission package. It appears they believe they can follow the TMX route quite closely, with a few deviations here and there. But that final part through the lower mainland may be quite tricky. open.alberta.ca/dataset/a529...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

The Alberta government's submission to the major projects office includes this map, and confirms it's proposed to end at Roberts Bank in the lower mainland. open.alberta.ca/dataset/a529...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

I am curious and a bit suspicious about the lack of details about what reforms and incentives are coming "to simultaneously grow production and build Pathways." Carney said they've come to terms, the Alberta release says they are "finalizing" the agreement

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

The text of the Canada-BC agreement does make it clear this rules out a northern pipeline route. It says the tanker ban will stay in place "without alteration, suspension, or narrowing of scope." www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/back...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

The G7 hot mics caught a Carney-Trump exchange that began as a joke about Macron's watch, then turned serious as Carney pitched Trump on Canada's deal on Chinese EVs. From our live blog: www.bloomberg.com/news/live-bl...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Gas prices in Canada are up about 45% in 2026, and up 27% since the start of the Iran war www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

ANOTHER Conservative MP has crossed the floor to the Liberals. Marilyn Gladu, who represents Sarnia. This...is an interesting one.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Comments from Flavio Volpe, who represents Canadian auto parts firms, just added to our story:

Flavio Volpe, president of Canada’s Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, said any Leapmotor production in Brampton “must be full vehicle assembly with local suppliers as has been the case since 1962 in that plant.”

“Chinese knockdown kits may be fine for Brazil, but they aren’t for the hundreds of Canadian auto parts suppliers who are waiting for that plant to reopen,” Volpe said in a text message. “We don’t need a bad deal, and we shouldn’t settle for one.”

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Mark Carney’s Liberals just got another floor-crosser, this time from the NDP: Nunavut MP Lori Idlout. Liberals now only need to win 2/3 byelections on April 13 to get majority.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 28/02/2026

Statement from Canadian PM Mark Carney and Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Iran. They express support for the US “acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security.”

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

From Bloomberg's live blog: Trump's late night tariff threats will be much more difficult to actually carry out now

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

A handy Bloomberg chart on Trump's options on replacing the tariffs just struck down: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

Statement on Matt Jeneroux's instagram. From what I understand, Jeneroux is no longer stepping down from parliament this spring.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 18/02/2026

The Liberals have gotten another floor-crosser from Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives, Mark Carney announces over on the other site. Matt Jeneroux changes sides

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

Leger has the Liberals out to a 9-point lead over the Conservatives now. The spring election speculation is not going away any time soon. leger360.com/wp-content/u...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 26/01/2026

Chart from Bloomberg Economics: Trump has fully followed through on only 27% of his tariff threats in his second term. And of those, only 20% are still in effect

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

In a speech to the World Economic Forum, Mark Carney says middle powers such as Canada must accept that the rules-based international order is effectively dead, and great power rivalry with is here to stay. Key excerpt:

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

Excited for the chance to see my dumb hockey team make me miserable in person

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Taylor Swift not touring in Toronto this year helped keep Canada's November inflation number lower www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Whoa, we have a floor crossing! Conservative MP Michael Ma is joining the Liberals. He’s in the Markham-Unionville seat, in the Toronto suburbs

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Regional breakdown in new Leger poll on support for a new bitumen pipeline running from Alberta to BC coast

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

If Mark Wiseman does get appointed as Canada's next US ambassador (which we've reported is likely), Carney will take some heat from Quebec on supply management, given USCMA talks are looming. Wiseman slammed supply management in a Globe op-ed last year: www.theglobeandmail.com/business/com...:

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

The BC Conservative leader has been declared "professionally incapacitated" by his caucus

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

NDP have put out a statement with this section explaining why they opposed the budget but let it pass anyway

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

The federal budget contains this comically vague paragraph that, as far as I can tell, effectively promises the oil and gas emissions cap will be scrapped

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Mark Carney, speaking before the start of a lengthy trip to Asia, said Canada can’t control US trade policy but is ready to negotiate any time. Said for now, he is focused on seeking new partnerships overseas and preparing the federal budget.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 21/10/2025

A delayed reaction from vacation in Europe, where I turned my phone off and watched the game this morning: WOW!!

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Canada’s population growth has stalled for two quarters now, after massive increases in the post-Covid years

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Arctic nations are racing to build heavy icebreakers as they compete for military and economic influence in the region. A long feature by colleague @daniellebochove.bsky.social: www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

Churchill Port expansion is included in the list of items the Major Projects Office will work on developing into a workable proposal. Here is the section in Carney’s speech on that:

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

Speaking at a Liberal caucus retreat in Edmonton, Mark Carney says the first tranche of major projects will be announced tomorrow. These are projects the government will aim to speed through regulatory approvals within 2 years.

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

Speaking in the White House just now, Trump praised Carney's move to drop counter-tariffs and said "We are working on something, we want to be very good to Canada. I like Carney a lot. I think he's a good, good person, and we had a very good talk yesterday." Full quote:

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

Our story now has some additional insight from the US side, including Lutnick's insistence that Canada drop its retaliation to clear the way for full trade talks to take place

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Our update on this, reported by intrepid colleague Josh Wingrove

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 11/07/2025

Trump’s letter promising to impose 35% tariffs on imported Canadian goods starting Aug 1

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Here are the details of Canada’s package to support steel/aluminum sector. Includes pledge to align Canada’s counter-tariffs with US levels on July 21, and to bring in anti-dumping tariffs on countries Canada doesn’t have a free trade deal with

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

Here is the full G-7 statement on the Middle East

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

Trump and Carney are meeting one-on-one right now at the G7 summit, before reporters are let into the room. Pic posted on X by Trump aide Margo Martin

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 09/06/2025

The government has released these details for the new military spending this year. The measures add up to a little over $9 billion. www.canada.ca/en/departmen...

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

Readout of Carney’s call with Modi and (very late) invitation to the G7. Includes this vague line: “Importantly, there was agreement to continued law enforcement dialogue and discussions addressing security concerns.”

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Brian Platt @brianplatt.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

Mark Carney spoke with a top Chinese official, Premier Li Qiang, and “exchanged views on bilateral relations, including the importance of engagement, and agreed to regularize channels of communication between Canada and China.” Also discussed trade irritants. Readout:

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