Good morning. This is Hanna Lee.
As we enter the busy holiday season, you likely have a million things going through your mind. Is buying Canadian one of them?
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'Tis the season for holiday shopping. But are Canadian-made products on the list?
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(Ben Nelms/CBC)
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Ahead of the busy holiday season, recent data suggests the Buy Canadian movement is losing steam.
What's happening: Nearly 70 per cent of businesses didn't see an increase in Canadian product sales over the last six months, according to Statistics Canada. Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada found that most people weren't willing to pay more than an additional 10 per cent for Canadian-made products. Experts say inflation and the removal of some Canadian counter-tariffs on U.S. products may be to blame.
What else: Without more divisive comments from south of the border over the next few weeks, François Neville of McMaster University is uncertain whether the movement will take priority this holiday season. Often, these gifts are made in China, not Canada, he said. But anecdotally, some businesses still say they've seen steady support. Julie Brown of the clothing retailer Province of Canada says sales have nearly doubled compared to last year.
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Why the White House blames the National Guard shooting on program that brought in Afghan nationals
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(Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images)
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The Biden administration had a program that brought in thousands of Afghan nationals to the U.S. Now, the Trump White House is blaming it for the arrival of the man suspected of shooting two members of the National Guard in Washington on Wednesday.
What's happening: The suspect is 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national who arrived in the U.S. in 2021. Though he applied for asylum under Joe Biden, it was approved this April under Donald Trump. The U.S. government has now stopped processing immigration applications from Afghanistan, saying they previously had received little to no vetting.
Worked with the CIA: The program through which Lakanwal arrived is called Operation Allies Welcome. It was meant to help Afghan nationals who were U.S. allies leading up to the country's withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's takeover. Lakanwal worked with the U.S., including with the CIA, as a "member of the partner force in Kandahar," CIA Director John Ratcliffe said. At the time of Afghan nationals' arrival to the U.S., the program's vetting process was criticized, with some fearing those who may pose a security risk were let in as well. The vetting process included biometric data and two rounds of inspections conducted by officials in intelligence, law enforcement and more. |
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BEHIND THE SCENES
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Inside the battle over the lobster fishery in Nova Scotia
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(Jonathan Castell/CBC)
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Steven D'Souza, co-host of the fifth estate for CBC News |
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My very first on-air assignment was on P.E.I., where lobster is a big industry. I was surprised when folks there told me the history of something we now consider a luxury. In the old days, the stories went, lobster was so plentiful it was considered a poor man’s food and used as fertilizer.
Today, lobster is one of Canada’s most lucrative fisheries. It’s also one of the most controversial.
We heard from First Nations fishers who say every time they go on the water in the summer, they face the possibility of arrest or having their gear seized. We spoke with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which says it's enforcing the law as written. A Supreme Court decision 26 years ago should have smoothed the waters, but — as we’ll see — it has instead created uncertainty that persists to this day.
Then, there are the allegations of crime and overfishing, with commercial fishers saying lobster stocks are under threat. Our documentary gets to the heart of the accusations and reveals why peace on the water has yet to be achieved.
Watch “Trapped on the Water,” part of season 51 of the fifth estate, right now on YouTube or tonight at 9 p.m. on CBC-TV or streaming on CBC Gem.
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