At a Glance
* Tariffs on EV components raised costs for manufacturers and slowed infrastructure development nationwide
* Federal EV tax credits terminated in September 2025 reducing consumer purchase incentives significantly
* NEVI charging program froze approvals delaying corridor fast-charging station deployment across states
Exactly one year ago today, Donald Trump was inaugurated as US President for the second time. One year on, it’s worth noting how his 2025 policy reset has reshaped the US EV landscape. Tariffs lifted costs across vehicles, batteries, and charging hardware. Federal infrastructure momentum stalled. Regulatory drivers that encouraged EV adoption were weakened. And incentives that helped close price gaps for consumers and fleets were curtailed or timed out.
In aggregate, these moves narrowed near‑term competitiveness for domestic EV makers as Chinese OEMs continued scaling volumes and cutting costs abroad—pressuring US incumbents at precisely the moment the global market is accelerating.
Here is the timeline of eleven specific government actions undertaken last year that worked against the interests of EV developers and customers.
1. January 20, 2025: Day‑One executive order reorients energy and EV policy
2. February 6–7, 2025: FHWA freezes NEVI plan approvals and new obligations
3. Early March 2025: Federal fleet retreat from EVs; charger deactivations
4. April 2, 2025 (effective April 5): Global “reciprocal” tariff regime
5. April 18, 2025 (effective May 19): FHWA repeals highway GHG performance measure
6. June 11, 2025: NHTSA “resets” CAFE, excluding EVs and credit trading
7. June 12, 2025: CRA resolutions target California’s EPA waivers
8. July 4, 2025: “One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act” curtails EV credits; removes CAFE penalties
9. July 30, 2025 (effective August 29): De minimis duty‑free entry suspended
10. August 1, 2025 — EPA Proposes to Rescind the Endangerment Finding and Tailpipe GHG Standards
11. December 5, 2025 — NHTSA Proposes SAFE Rule III, Weakening Light‑Duty CAFE and Ending Credit Trading
2026: The rest of the world moves forward as US automakers navigate constraints
The 2025 data paint a clear gap: EVs were roughly 11% of U.S. new‑car sales versus nearly one in four across Europe (EU BEV share 16.9% year‑to‑date by November) and about 60% in China—evidence that mainstream adoption is advancing faster abroad. Charging infrastructure tells the same story: China added hundreds of thousands of public fast chargers in 2024–2025, lifting public charging capacity per EV above 3 kW, while the US reached only about 65,000 DC fast‑charging ports by November 2025. And mature markets such as Norway are already near‑fully electric—95.9% of new‑car sales in 2025—underscoring how much ground the US must make up.
And just this week, Canada signed a strategic agreement with China that opens the door to higher-range, lower‑cost Chinese‑made EVs entering the Canadian market under a 6.1% MFN tariff, with an initial quota of 49,000 vehicles and an affordability target that reserves half of the quota for EVs priced under CAD $35,000 by 2030. This development increases competitive pressure at America’s doorstep.
The race for EV market share was never going to be easy for US automakers. It’s too bad the federal actions of 2025 make it even harder for them to keep pace.
French-speaking candidates made up 42 per cent of the people invited for permanent residence last year via Canada’s flagship skilled immigration selection system, which favours applicants fluent in French and is upsetting those who aren’t.
In total, 48,000 of the 113,998 applicants picked under the Express Entry system were chosen for their ability in French. They were selected in periodic draws from the talent pool where candidates post their profiles, and are awarded points out of a 1,200 maximum and ranked based on age, education, work experience and other attributes.
The deliberate effort is in part to redress the decline in the demographic weight of French-speaking Canadians outside Quebec — down from 6.1 per cent in 1971 to about four per cent today — and ensure the long-term vitality of these minority communities that are key to “Canada’s bilingual and multicultural character.”
Ottawa has reduced its permanent resident intakes from 485,000 in 2024 to 380,000 in 2026, while raising the portion of the French-speaking newcomers outside Quebec in the mix from six per cent to nine per cent, and to 12 per cent in 2029.
“We have an ambitious francophone immigration plan, which we will attain,” Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab told a news conference in November on new funding to support francophone immigration.
JNS.org: Protesters ‘demand intifada’ at Toronto mall
NOW Toronto: Boxing Day Pro-Palestine protest at Toronto's Eaton Centre raises questions about where protests belong
National Post: Matthew Taub: Eaton Centre mob wasn’t a protest. It was a warning
TorontoToday.ca: Pro-Palestine activists return Indigo books en masse at Eaton Centre in economic protest
THEJ.CA: Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Disrupt Boxing Day Shopping At Toronto Eaton Centre
Toronto Sun: LILLEY: Hamasniks disrupt Boxing Day shopping at Eaton Centre
VINnews: Pro-Palestinian Protest Disrupts Boxing Day Shopping at Toronto Eaton Centre
Richard Falk, a prominent international legal scholar and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, was invited to Ottawa last week to speak at a “people’s tribunal” on Canadian complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
A longtime advocate for Palestinian human rights, Falk is no stranger to hostility from Israel and its allies against his work. But what he and his wife and fellow scholar Hilal Elver experienced upon their arrival at Toronto Pearson Airport on November 13 was a first.
The couple were detained and questioned by Canadian border agents for approximately three hours. One immigration officer told Falk that he needed to determine whether or not Falk posed a national security threat to Canada.
November 13 also happened to be Falk’s ninety-fifth birthday.
Eventually, Falk and Elver were released and continued their journey to the conference in Ottawa.
Asked about the incident, a Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson said they could not comment on specific cases, citing privacy legislation, but went on to say that all travellers entering Canada are subject to “secondary inspection.”
“This is a normal part of the cross-border process and should not be viewed as any indication of wrongdoing,” the spokesperson said.
“There are many reasons why a border services officer may determine that an individual, or the goods they are carrying, require further processing or inspection.”
But based on the questions he was asked, Falk said he suspects he was detained because of his participation in the event. Falk was there to speak about the relevance of international law in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
“It's disappointing that Canada — after having acknowledged Palestinian statehood — would take such a hostile attitude toward a very forthright conference that really explained to a public, that hasn't been so well-informed, the nature of the objections to what Israel has been doing,” he said.
“One expects Canada to be a model of free speech and liberal democracy and it's not as bad as the U.S., but it's not as good as I would hope.”
That hospital – once the home of a Scottish shipping magnate – would be her home for a month in April 1958, after a judge ordered the then-16-year-old to undergo treatment for "disobedient" behaviour.
It was there that Ms Ponting became one of thousands of people experimented on as part of the CIA's top-secret research into mind control. Now, she is one of two named plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit for Canadian victims of the experiments. On Thursday, a judge denied the Royal Victoria Hospital's appeal, paving the way for the lawsuit to proceed.
According to her medical files, which she obtained only recently, Ms Ponting had been running away from home and hanging out with friends her parents disapproved of after a difficult move with her family from Ottawa to Montreal.
"I was an ordinary teenager," she recalled. But the judge sent her to the Allan.
Once there, she became an unwitting participant in covert CIA experiments known as MK-Ultra. The Cold War project tested the effects of psychedelic drugs like LSD, electroshock treatments and brainwashing techniques on human beings without their consent.
Over 100 institutions – hospitals, prisons and schools – in the US and Canada were involved.
1776: 3,000 Black Loyalists, among them freemen and slaves, fled the oppression of the American Revolution and came to Canada.
1781: Butler’s Rangers, a military unit loyal to the Crown and based at Fort Niagara, settled some of the first Loyalist refugees from the United States in the Niagara peninsula, along the northern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
1783: Sir Guy Carleton, Governor of the British Province of Quebec, and later to become Lord Dorchester, safely transported 35,000 Loyalist refugees from New York to Nova Scotia. Some settled in Quebec, and others in Kingston and Adolphustown in Ontario.
1789: Lord Dorchester, Governor-in-Chief of British North America, gave official recognition to the “First Loyalists” – those loyal to the Crown who fled the oppression of the American Revolution to settle in Nova Scotia and Quebec.
1793: Upper Canada became the first province in the British Empire to abolish slavery. In turn, over the course of the 19th century, thousands of black slaves escaped from the United States and came to Canada with the aid of the Underground Railroad, a Christian anti-slavery network.
In a land crowned cold and vast
Old riches whisper through the past
A mirror hides what veins once bore
The verdigris behind the lore
Beyond the clouds where glaciers reign
Gold sighs beneath the mountain’s strain
Yet peaks mislead with gilded hue
The path lies where the birch trees grew
Salt air once bore a copper song
But brittle roots don’t guide for long
The brine remembers, but forgets
The current pulls where moss still wets
Where fire stitched a northern name
And red seams sparked a fleeting flame
No ember now ignites the track
The phoenix flew and won’t look back
A giant coin reflects the sun
But circles lead where none begun
Its gleam is but a siren’s light
No miner’s truth is held in sight
Where chalco fever gripped the east
Where Flinty’s claim once never ceased
The water hums an ancient code
But silence marks the current road
The Shield bends low through sleeping trees
Where sunken whispers told of ease
But breaks don’t speak nor faults confess
What roots may hold in quiet press
Where iron sings and cedars lean
The northern call remains unseen
A truth not loud, but forged to be
The strong, the silent, and the free
One marker stands, by shore and pine
Its message dulled by passing time
What once declared, now disappears
Beneath the weight of growing years
Where warm the zinc-toned waters fell
And Bathurst rang its deepest bell
The sounds now fade but echo trails
In folds where even memory pales
Where suits and stones have struck accord
And Bay Street crowned the mining hoard
No gilded desk nor numbered share
Will point to where the birches stare
Step not in haste where paths align
But where the trail forgets design
Beyond the mark the tall grass grows
And buried speaks what no one knows
Not marked by gold but core alone
A sliver rests in overgrown
Look past the script, behind the brush
The compass turns, and all is hush
1. Recognition and adoption of a definition of Anti-Palestinian Racism at all levels of government alongside related curriculum development, training and education.
2. Clear denunciation of APR, AAR and Islamophobia by political and institutional leaders and strengthening commitments to the rights and freedoms of impacted individuals and communities.
3. Address foreign interference and political disinformation by the Israeli government.
4. The Office of the Ethics Commissioner should develop a clear and enforceable policy on how parliamentarians are to be held accountable when they disseminate disinformation targeting marginalized communities.
5. Establish APR Advisory Tables at university and college campuses.
6. Independent reviews of post-secondary institutional responses to APR.
7. Initiate proceedings for the extradition of the London, Ontario arson suspect currently believed to be in Israel.
8. Create a National Victims of Hate Support Fund to provide emergency support for victims of hate-motivated crimes.
9. Establish hate crime accountability units to provide an avenue for complainants who believe that law enforcement agencies have mishandled their cases. Establish a dedicated, independent Hate Crime Accountability Unit across provinces to which complainants can report directly about the mishandling of hate-motivated crime cases by law enforcement agencies.
10. Implement recommendations from Patrick Case’s “Final report on the review of the Toronto District School Board’s excursions policy and procedure” related to the TDSB’s Grassy Narrows field trip.
11. Province-wide reviews of how schools and school boards have handled reports of APR in schools.
12. Affirm Palestinian identities and histories by recognizing May 15 as “Nakba Day” at all levels of government.
13. Independent review of implementation of Canadian Broadcasting Company’s journalistic standards as they relate to coverage of Palestinian perspectives.
14. Develop tort to protect against doxing.
15. Canada must keep its promises to Gazan refugees.
Some senior officials in Canada say it’s time to repair trade relations with China, arguing US tariff policy is pushing them to deal with Asia’s largest economy.
Last year, the Canadian government put tariffs of 100% on Chinese-made electric vehicles and 25% on steel and aluminum products, aligning with what the Biden administration had done. The move also protected [Ontario] Canada’s auto industry.
China struck back with retaliatory 100% tariffs on Canadian [Western provinces] canola oil and pea products, and a 25% levy on pork and seafood — a move that underscored the sharp deterioration in ties between Beijing and Ottawa in recent years.
Dr. Johnson, of St. John, who had now arrived, made a careful examination of our patient, and ordered him a little brandy and water, and directed that hot bottles should be put to his feet.
Dr. MacLaren also shortly came to us, and, taking out his lancet, he opened a vein in each arm. But for a considerable time the blood would scarcely flow, and it became obvious that poor Renforth was sinking fast. After a brief consultation, the two doctors gave us all to understand that our countryman was dying
In our neck of the woods, summer months are the best time of the year to spend time outdoors recreating, enjoying time with family, and creating new memories, but this wildfire smoke makes it difficult to do all those things
Work actively towards an immediate, permanent ceasefire and the release of all Israeli and Palestinian captives.
Insist on full humanitarian access to Gaza and demand that the Israeli ban on the UN Relief and Works Agency be completely lifted.
Publicly support the role of and fully comply with international courts in holding to account those who violate international law.
Pursue all possible domestic measures, including immediately withdrawing from the free trade agreement between Canada and Israel, imposing sanctions on Israeli leaders, initiating investigations under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, enforcing a full and comprehensive two-way arms embargo, and stripping charitable status from organizations found to be complicit in crimes under international law.
Without further delay, join the 149 states who recognize the State of Palestine and support all efforts for Palestine to be admitted as a full member of the United Nations.
request the RCMP to launch investigations into allegations that Canadian citizens and organizations incorporated in and based in Canada have committed, or aided and abetted the commission of genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity in Israel or Palestine, including while serving with the Israel Defense Forces, with the specific aim of prosecuting alleged perpetrators;
"Recognizing a Palestinian state now is about sending a message of hope and commitment to Palestinians and sending a clear message to Israel and others that simply managing the conflict, Israel's policy for the last 17 years, is not an option and never was."
Allen told the committee that he and his wife are Jewish and he has a sister who lives just south of the Lebanon-Israel border with his nieces and nephews, where they are within the range of Hezbollah rocket fire.
He said he strongly supports Israel's right to exist in peace and security but he believes that can only happen if Palestinians have "a horizon for peace" and a clear path forward.
Recognizing a Palestinian state, Allen said, also would demonstrate that Canada and the international community do not believe all Palestinians are Hamas supporters or terrorists.
"Hope and a path forward to end the conflict can do much to reduce violence and offer the next generation of Palestinians and Israelis an alternative future," he said.
Allen said Canada also needs to signal that while Israel should have a strong voice, it does not have a veto over the future of Palestine.
"Hamas does not want to see the existence of Israel. Recognition of two states is contrary to what Hamas, and contrary to what radical right ministers in Israel, want," he said. "They both want one state: their own."
There was an interesting CBC oped a few days ago about Canada's Indian Act. The list:
In light of recent events and general quality of service, two provinces are exploring their options re: establishing their own provincial police to supplant the RCMP despite their 20-year contracts that expire in 2032 (but only need two year notice to cancel): NB and NS. Only Ontario and Quebec currently have a provincial police force and AB (since 2019 going as far as costing it and issuing a final report) and SK (since late 2021) are exploring this route as well. It should be noted that both AB between 1917 and 1932 and SK between 1917 and 1928, used to have a provincial police force and NL's ranger force got absorbed into RCMP in 1949 when it joined the federation.
MB is contemplating significant changes to its Provincial Police Act (although none that would impact its RCMP contract).
In 2020, BC established a committee to reform its Police Act (and the effort has not generated any output since April 2021).
Building on my 2011 Canadian federal election script and elections.ca's raw election data, I calculated various combined ticket scenarios for all elections between 2006-2019. Not surprisingly, an LP+NDP coalition would have won every time (with majority governments save for 2004 and 2006 elections when they would have won only minority governments). Interestingly, in 2006 a LP+NDP+GP coalition would have won a majority government.
Wikipedia live entry: Freedom Convoy 2022.
* Organizers: JAMES BAUDER, TAMARA LICH, BJ DICHTER, CHRIS BARBER
* Influencers: BRIAN PECKFORD, ROGER HODKINSON, RANDY HILLIER, PAUL ALEXANDER
* Ops: TOM QUIGGIN, DANIEL BULFORD, PAT KING, BRIAN DENISON
Miscellaneous news: honking stop order lead plaintiff, residents flee downtown Ottawa, protester wood shack tow trucker getting death threats, Mark Carney thinks protest has evolved into "sedition" at this point.
I only work from the waist up
Psychological epidural
Numb
I was entered too young
We were entered too young
Cast in a pit of tar
We sink
We sink
We sink
Take me back up
And then take me back
To that time I could protect myself
Take care of your children
They can't protect themselves
We were taken too young
I was entered too young
Get out, get out
Get out, get out
Get out, get out
Get out, get out
Protect me
I need help
I'm unravelling
I'm afraid
Forgive me
Forgive myself
Forgive them, they say
Forgive those that have hurt you
Don't hang on to the past, they say
You will only hurt yourself
I was entered too young
The past has birthed the bricks that build my bones
The past divided all my cells into this muscle I flex
Into this muscle I flex
Into this skin that I've stretched
The past is the house of these breaths
The past is the house of these breaths
I was entered too young
I do not forgive and forget
I protect and prevent
I protect and prevent
Make them eat shame and repent
I was entered too young
Source: Musixmatch
I wonder what the full connection is between the SNC-Lavalin affair and the Huawei executive detention. The timing overlapped enough that the blowback from the SNC-Lavalin affair would have severely hampered the PMO's efforts to intervene in the Huawei case if inclined to do so. Also, the conclusion of the Huawei affair days after the election reeks of political timing. The fact that the release was done through a DPA with the US AG raises additional questions.
So the election changed nothing: the Liberals will still form a minority government. More interestingly, the major party leaders are more disliked than liked save for NDP's Jagmeet Singh:
Abacus Data, too, in their final poll, had Trudeau actively disliked by more Canadians than liked him (44 per cent negative impression to only 39 per cent positive), a margin of unpopularity exceeded by O’Toole (43 per cent negative to 31 per cent positive) [...]. Jagmeet Singh, the most well-liked of the major national party leaders (a net 21 per cent positive) was on track to place a distant third in the voting. Of course.The only real change was Bernier's People Party getting 6+% of the vote (compared to <2% in 2019), but should not be a shocker given that he was the only one courting the anti-vax, climate change deniers, anti-LGBTiQ, anti-multiculturalists and the MAGAts. To be fair, they picked on some worthy causes not championed by others: equalization payments, public finance.
Interesting find about Canadian history, re: the Fenian Raids:
Nevertheless, the raids had an important effect on all Canadians. Ironically, though they did nothing to advance the cause of Irish independence, the 1866 Fenian raids and the inept efforts of the Canadian militia to repulse them helped to galvanize support for the Confederation of Canada in 1867. Some historians have argued that the affair tipped the final votes of reluctant Maritime provinces in favour of the collective security of nationhood, making Ridgeway the "battle that made Canada."
Wild turkeys, once extirpated, now go one-on-one with suburban pedestrians in what biologists call misguided efforts to establish their dominance in a pecking order.
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