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David Harmes

@davidharmes.bsky.social
161 followers 106 following 208 posts

Issues of public concern. 🇨🇦

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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
“The Cuban people are largely abandoned in a sea of global turbulence.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: How much longer can the U.S. justify its campaign against Cuba?
Innocent Cubans are being harmed because of the ramped-up pressure tactics used against the island state
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
“Forget the shiny clean image Silicon Valley nurtured for years. Not only is the industry now steeped in oil, gas and coal, we are witnessing a dangerous and novel symbiosis between the two most powerful and profitable sectors in history.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Big Tech and Big Oil have fused into an entity we might think of as Fossil Tech
With dizzying speed, Silicon Valley’s tech barons have tossed out their climate idealism
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
“The company, founded in 2016 and based in Brampton, already has a 400,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Brampton, and another plant in Shelby Township, Mich. It has supplied armoured vehicles to police forces in the U.S. and Canada.”
apple.news
Stellantis agrees to sell Brampton plant to armoured vehicle maker Roshel — Toronto Star
The assembly plant has been idle since December 2023, when it shut down for retooling to produce a new version of the Jeep Compass.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
“The restructuring is part of a long-term effort by the Canadian Armed Forces to expand its ranks and prepare for the possibility of major conflict.”
theglobeandmail.com
Canadian Army reorganizes to better prepare for possibility of major conflicts
Centralized operations will feature three divisions focused on foreign combat, home defence and infrastructure support
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
“Amerigo Vespucci was a one-hit wonder, the Right Said Fred of the cartography world, and he has been quietly dining out on his royalties ever since.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Before renaming Lake Ontario, America should take a look at the history of its own name
Etymologically, it’s time to poke a hole in the inflated state of America
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
“This is a harder road than the established U.S.-centric trade model, requiring significant reform and sacrifice. But, when the old path disappears, the only option is to change direction.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: With this trade war, Canada faces its Singapore moment
When the old path disappears, the only option is to find a new direction
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
“People who live in the same city increasingly occupy separate worlds. They may live in different neighbourhoods, work in different places, and socialize on their phones. Public space gives people a place to meet across lines of geography, background and class.”
theglobeandmail.com
Globe editorial: The lingering importance of public spaces
Parks are not just the leftover gaps between buildings, but a place for citizens to encounter one another
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
“Grading novels the way we do meat thermometers or winter tires erases the incongruence, wildness, and uncountability that define an artwork.”
apple.news
Abolish the Top Ten Books List — The Walrus
Rankings are a capitalist scheme. Just tell me about the text
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Reposted by David Harmes
Justin Ling @justinling.ca · 31/08/2026
Quitting Twitter and Facebook has to become an imparative for Canada. (and, obviously, everyone else.) www.thestar.com/opinion/star... Gift link: www.thestar.com/opinion/star...
thestar.com
Justin Ling: It’s time Canada logged out of tech platforms owned by Donald Trump toadies
If our institutions acted, they could hasten the ongoing exodus from services peddled by allies of the Trump administration.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
“Tooling companies rely upon inputs such as steel to make their products and sectors such as automotive or consumer goods to buy them.”
theglobeandmail.com
Hit by tariffs, Canadian tool and die makers eye opportunities in defence industry
Growing sector is seemingly flush with federal funds, already has well-established presence in areas such as Southern Ontario through major contractors
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
“Belledune has been identified as a favourable location for the facility due to its proximity to roads, rail infrastructure and the Port of Belledune.”
theglobeandmail.com
New Brunswick site picked for new Canadian explosives factory as NATO demand grows
New Brunswick government provides Nalagx Corp. with a commitment letter to provide Crown land in Belledune
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
“Maps are storytelling tools, and they always told a story that marginalized Africa’s role in the world, pushing it to the edges of the global imagination.”
theglobeandmail.com
World maps have underestimated Africa’s size for centuries. Activists hope to change that
A U.S. official recently used a map that mislabeled of the continent, reigniting a campaign for a new world map that shows Africa’s true dimensions
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
“Canadian defence companies are eyeing idle automotive plants and laid-off workers for their expansion plans as vehicle makers grapple with trade friction and uncertainty about the future of the industry in Canada.”
theglobeandmail.com
Canadian defence companies eye idle auto plants for growth plans
Dominion Dynamics and Roshel are among the firms working on bids to take over unused auto manufacturing spaces
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
“The fundamental point is that any review of Canada’s national security needs to consider the value of UN peacekeeping missions in Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere that are challenging, difficult, but in some form necessary.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Canada must not withdraw from peacekeeping
The end of various missions is a sorry sign for this country on the international stage
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
“Cuba is no threat to the region, no matter what America says, but it has kept its own people under heel for too long. Canada should push much harder to expand political rights and civil liberties in Cuba, with an eye to ending one-party rule and releasing its numerous political prisoners.”
apple.news
Opinion | Trump's White House is spinning a wild conspiracy tale about this country. Canada needs to step in to defend it — Toronto Star
Canada should try to alleviate Cuban suffering.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
“Executives from Canada’s venture-capital and private-equity communities who were left out made a flurry of calls and knocked on doors in Ottawa, making the case that the middle-market investment community should have seats at the table.”
theglobeandmail.com
The 24 hours that could change Canada’s economic trajectory
Mark Carney’s September investment summit will gather elite global investors with $120-trillion under management
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
“The disclosure, in a letter to the federal court of Appeal, represents the latest sign that Canada is reversing a decade of Canadian policy focused on ensuring big foreign-based digital platforms make financial contributions to help keep the domestic television and film programming system afloat.”
apple.news
Canada to Cease Compelling U.S. Streamers to Help Finance Domestic Broadcasting — The Wall Street Journal
The disclosure represents the latest sign that the country is reversing nearly a decade of Canadian policy
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
O’Gorman said radio shows encouraging listeners to call in created an “important aspect of community cohesion” while offering a variety of perspectives that you wouldn’t otherwise hear by people the community trusts — like Farwell.
therecord.com
‘Significant loss for our region’ as 570 NewsRadio goes silent
“570 had been a key part of our local media landscape for many decades and, in particular, over the last number of years with its focus on local news and local sports.”
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
More local media closures announced. 😢
therecord.com
570 NewsRadio in Kitchener, 5 other stations closed by Rogers media
570 NewsRadio in Kitchener closed by Rogers Sports and Media, along with five other stations, including Sportsnet stations in Vancouver and Calgary.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 03/07/2026
“Fans jammed downtown Montreal last weekend to see the band perform a free show for the city’s jazz festival, which organizers described as the biggest crowd they had seen since Stevie Wonder played to 200,000 people in 2009.”
theglobeandmail.com
Quebec indie duo Angine de Poitrine moved to Ottawa Bluesfest’s main stage
Festival organizers make more room for microtonal band as they ride wave of popularity
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
“Created by five Canadian co-founders who grew frustrated with the flood of trolls, disinformation and divisive content they experienced on other platforms, Gander is positioning itself as an alternative to billionaire-backed social media giants.”
theglobeandmail.com
Canadian social-media platform Gander officially launches this week, promising data sovereignty
Born out of the country’s ‘elbows up’ movement, the app aims to evoke the old days of social media
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
"We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honor, and leave with ​dignity."
apple.news
Iran leave note of thanks in LA locker room after draw with Belgium — Reuters
Iran left a message in their SoFi Stadium locker room on Sunday thanking Los Angeles for its hospitality ​during the World Cup and saying they are leaving ‌with dignity after a 0-0 draw with Belgium k...
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
“This year marks the 30th iteration of the biennial RIMPAC exercise, with Canada participating in all instances as a founding member alongside the U.S. and Australia.”
apple.news
Canadian military to send warships, aircraft and 800 personnel to U.S. RIMPAC exercise — CTV News
Canada will send two warships and a long-range patrol plane to Hawaii for next month’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) war games, the world’s largest multinational naval exercise, which is expected to dra...
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
“Researchers said the findings provide strong evidence that community broadcasting should be recognised as essential infrastructure within Australia’s creative industries sector, calling for long-term strategic investment from government and industry bodies.”
themusicnetwork.com
Community Radio Drives $153 Million Into Australia’s Music Economy Annually
Australian community radio stations contribute more than $153 million annually to the national music economy, according to a landmark new study.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
“Chatting on the phone provides the bliss of unreviewable, unforwardable, unsearchable speech.”
theatlantic.com
Talk to People on the Telephone
It’s time to start calling your friends again.
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Reposted by David Harmes
InkStainedCamp @inkstainedcamp.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
THANKS @farwell570.bsky.social for chatting about 🇺🇳 #WorldPressFreedomDay & journalismfilmfestival.com, this year in collab with Midtown Radio @davidharmes.bsky.social & Waterloo Region Community FDN. #SDG16 #community #democracy 30/04/26 — starts at 1:26:54 www.seekyoursounds.com/podcasts/the...
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Reposted by David Harmes
InkStainedCamp @inkstainedcamp.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Always a pleasure to chat with @craignorriscbc.bsky.social at @cbckw.bsky.social! Here's today's interview about 🇺🇳 #WorldPressFreedomDay & our collab with Midtown Radio @davidharmes.bsky.social on journalismfilmfestival.com on Tues May 5. www.cbc.ca/listen/live-... #SDG16 #community #democracy
cbc.ca
© CBC/Radio-Canada 2026. All rights reserved.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
“While not always mentioned by name, we see local media as the glue that holds much of that system together, enabling people to learn about their community, connect with one another, and develop a sense of shared identity and belonging.”
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
“It allows me to deepen a practice rooted in slow storytelling, where photography holds power to account while centring the lived experiences of those most affected.”
theglobeandmail.com
Canadian photojournalist Kiana Hayeri becomes first Sir Harry Evans Global Fellow in Photojournalism
The fellowship is a year-long mentorship position at Reuters and The Globe and Mail
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
“The drug crisis seems to be getting worse. Along with fentanyl, the synthetic opioid that has been the main killer for years, today’s drug supply contains additives such as medetomidine, a potent veterinary tranquillizer.”
theglobeandmail.com
Kitchener witnesses full impact of drug crisis one year after supervised use site closed
Overdose rates are down since the city’s consumption site closed, but new drugs are bringing fresh dangers
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Reposted by David Harmes
West End Phoenix @westendphoenix.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Broadcasting from the 3rd floor of Hart House, CIUT-FM is as anti-establishment as it was the day it launched in 1987. A handful of its staff & on-air volunteers explain why working at the station, & listening to it, still feels like a radical new experience. www.westendphoenix.com/stories/sign...
westendphoenix.com
Signal Boosters, CIUT-FM — West End Phoenix
Broadcasting from the third floor of Hart House, CIUT-FM is as anti-establishment as it was the day it launched in 1987. A handful of its staff and on-air volunteers explain why working at the station...
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
“Within 48 hours of the first U.S.-Israeli strikes, war-risk premiums for a large crude carrier surged from roughly US$150,000 to US$3.6-million per transit.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Why insurance shut down the Strait of Hormuz before the admirals could
Freedom of navigation is no longer guaranteed by naval power alone – now, it depends on insurance infrastructure
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
“Above all, there’s the priceless prize of showing that there is a path out of deep populism. Hungary was one of the first European countries to escape from communism in 1989. It was absolutely the first to fall into democracy-eroding populism in 2010.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: In a joyful Budapest, I see the chance of an unprecedented transition
With Trumpian hero Viktor Orbán toppled, Europe must support post-populist system change
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
"A new model of warfare ​is being introduced, drone-assault units that ​combine aerial and ground unmanned systems with infantry into a single integrated system.”
apple.news
Ukraine says it is employing new integrated drone-infantry warfare system — Reuters
Ukraine's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday it was introducing a ​new model of combat operations integrating ‌drone warfare with infantry and pointed to successes it said had been ​achieved in retaki...
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
“Either option leads to a significant international partnership between Canada and the country or countries behind the winning bidder – a de facto alliance – that will last more than 50 years.”
theglobeandmail.com
Ottawa gives South Korean, German submarine builders opportunity to revise bids
South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and Germany’s TKMS have until April 29 to include industrial components to bids
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
“Make no mistake: the deal seals the strategic defeat of the U.S.-Israel alliance in Iran. This war will be remembered as yet another episode of powerful countries falling into the trap of asymmetric warfare.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: The U.S. and Israel have already lost the war in Iran
The alliance’s tactical victories are not translating to strategic ones. Now, the U.S. is eager to cut its losses, and Israel’s democracy may be doomed
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
“The Iran war has laid bare a new geopolitical reality. America’s adversaries are becoming more coordinated, sharing resources and capabilities in ways that amplify their power, while America’s global alliances, long its greatest asset, are neglected and fragmenting.”
apple.news
A New Geopolitical Reality Is Here — The Atlantic
America’s adversaries are uniting as its own coalition falls apart.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
“The ads will seem relatively benign at first: paid promotions set apart from organic responses, with commitments that ads will be helpful to people. But if these first tentative moves avoid significant backlash, things likely won’t stop there.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Ads are coming to AI chats. Behold as the Internet is ruined all over again
Once the advertising seal is broken, the lucrative revenue spigot will be hard for other AI companies to resist
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
“Around the world, governments and investors are looking for stable partners. They are looking for countries that combine economic openness with political reliability.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Why Canada must go global – to China and beyond
Governments and investors are searching for stability in an increasingly unpredictable world. In that search, Canada stands out
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
“Orion, now parked in high-Earth orbit, is circling the planet as the crew tests equipment on board. If everything checks out, the crew will set off for the moon Thursday night in a manoeuvre called translunar injection.”
apple.news
Artemis II launches into orbit with Canadian Jeremy Hansen on board for historic flight to moon — Toronto Star
Now in high-Earth orbit, the capsule Orion is circling the planet as the crew tests equipment before setting off for the moon Thursday on the first lunar voyage in more than half a century.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
“Lewis's fiery advocacy for issues like rent control, workers' health and safety and the environment helped the NDP rise to official opposition status for Ontario in the 1970s. He went on to become a major human rights advocate, representing Canada at the United Nations.”
apple.news
Stephen Lewis, longtime Ontario NDP politician and diplomat, dies at 88 — Toronto Star
The New Democratic stalwart's death was announced on Tuesday, just days after Lewis's son Avi was elected leader of the federal NDP.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
“The wealth gap in Canada is long-standing, but in recent years it has widenined in a worrying way.”
apple.news
Opinion | A small group of Canadians are living it up. The rest of us are struggling. Welcome to the K-shaped economy — Toronto Star
Canadians have emerged from the pandemic into a troubling K-shaped recovery in which the wealthy prosper and millions of Canadians increasingly struggle.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
“The buildup of troops is a drastic escalation in the U.S.-Israel war against the Iranian regime and heightens the possibility that American servicemembers will go into Iran.”
apple.news
Pentagon prepares to send another 3,000 troops to Middle East — POLITICO
The decision to move the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the region heightens the possibility U.S. troops will enter Iran.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
“For the wealthy countries on the opposite bank of the strait from Iran, the bigger threat is a shortage of food and the soaring costs that could trigger.”
apple.news
The Iran War’s Next Threat Is to Food and Water — The Atlantic
A prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz could unleash a humanitarian crisis.
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
“Ottawa is buying more than 65,000 new assault rifles from Kitchener, Ont.-based Colt Canada through an expedited procurement process that’s setting the standard for the government’s new Defence Investment Agency.”
theglobeandmail.com
Colt Canada to deliver more than 65,000 rifles to Canadian troops in sped-up procurement process
Contract of around $307-million part of first wave of procurements delegated to Canada’s new Defence Investment Agency
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
“Canada is quickly ramping up its defence spending, focused on high-priority sectors such as drones, ammunition and space technologies, as part of its goal to spend 5 per cent of gross domestic product on defence by 2035.”
theglobeandmail.com
Ottawa spending $1.4-billion to ramp up domestic ammunition production capacity
Funds will be divided between IMT Precision and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
“The Weston-funded effort joins a number of digital publications launched in recent years to compete with mainstream media outlets. Those newcomers include The Logic, The Hub, The Peak and several titles owned by Overstory Media Group.”
theglobeandmail.com
Weston family funding launch of a national digital-media startup, sources say
The non-profit online publication, being developed under the working title Be Giant, is preparing to debut this spring
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
“The death of video stores reveals a broader social dilemma. As convenience increases, the pressure to confront the unfamiliar diminishes, and with it our capacity for growth.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: Video-rental stores were a source of productive frustration. Streaming services took that away
The world of streaming presents us with the illusion of choice, but actually returns us to what we already know
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
“As Gulf Arab oil producers from Saudi Arabia to Iraq cut production and scramble for new routes that bypass the strait, Iran is conducting business as usual.”
apple.news
Iran’s Control of Hormuz Means It’s Exporting More Oil Today Than Before the War — The Wall Street Journal
Tehran is letting ships carrying its crude go through the strait, while it scares off others
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David Harmes @davidharmes.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
“At the very time Canada is searching for new markets and trying to develop new products to sell, it will become harder to do so. Any wins in the energy sector will be offset by losses elsewhere in the economy.”
theglobeandmail.com
Opinion: In the Iran war, good news is bad news for oil, Canada and our future
The longer the conflict continues, the more it’s looking like an act of economic self-harm by the U.S., and Canadians will be collateral damage
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