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Christopher Skeete, Quebec’s minister delegate for the economy.

OTTAWA – Quebec is joining the Canadian internal trade party. One of the most regulated provinces in the country has introduced “the most ambitious bill in Canada” aimed at removing its trade barriers.

“We are sending a signal that Quebec is open to interprovincial trade,” said Christopher Skeete, Quebec’s minister delegate for the economy. “We must accept to open our market.”

Quebec is yet another Canadian province to remove such barriers, along with Nova Scotia, Ontario and New Brunswick. Nova Scotia was the first province to pass a new law encouraging reciprocity between provinces and territories earlier this year.

“For me, reciprocity is not the answer. Our solution has been to open for everybody regardless, and we believe if everybody does that, we each achieve the same goal,” Skeete said in an interview with National Post.

With Prime Minister Mark Carney scheduled to meet with his provincial counterparts in the coming days, Quebec announced it wants to open its market to other provinces by allowing any of their products to be marketed, used or consumed without any other requirement.

The idea is to facilitate trade in goods by adopting the principle of automatic recognition applicable to all Canadian products. Exceptions will be announced later, but alcohol is not among them. Though, it will be treated “separately” due to its specific characteristics.

“If it’s good for somebody in Ontario, it should be good for Quebecers, unless we have a reason to say otherwise,” Skeete said. The reasons may be related to the protection of human safety, health, or the environment, for example. The construction sector is not included because the Quebec Building Code and the sector are different from those in the rest of the country.

According to the government, 60 per cent of Quebec businesses have no activity in the Canadian market. However, since 2018, domestic trade has increased by 34 per cent to reach nearly $200 billion. Quebec businesses currently export goods and services worth $108 billion and import $96 billion.

“In Quebec, we have our Civil Code… so it creates a little bit of a difference in the way that we write laws here, said Skeete. We had to do more work to make sure that we harmonize a little bit more with the rest of Canada.”

Skeete denied that Quebec is the most protectionist province in the country, nor the most regulated, even though it has the most trade exceptions. He admits that his province is “unique” and “different” from others.

The legal traditions are different, there is a minority language to protect, and supply management in the dairy, egg, and poultry sectors is a top priority.

A 2023 study

by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) concluded that Quebec was the most isolated province and, more recently, that it could add up to

$70 billion to Canada’s GDP

if it abolished its trade barriers.

Skeete said the new law could add $10 billion to $25 billion to the province’s GDP. “These are the preliminary figures we have. I’m comfortable with them,” he said.

The MEI, a free market think tank often critical of the Quebec government, welcomed the bill, calling it “a major step in the right direction to liberalize interprovincial trade.”

“(An) area of concern is the mention of a list of exemptions that will be coming later. While this is not unusual for such bills, it’s important to recognize that the longer that list becomes, the smaller the gains will be,” said Gabriel Giguère, senior policy analyst at the MEI.

In Ottawa, Internal Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland praised the “great leadership from Quebec” and Minister Skeete.

“As our economy is battered by U.S. tariffs, we can work together to make Canada stronger and more resilient by building one Canadian economy, instead of 13,” she wrote

on social media

.

However, the National Assembly unanimously rejected the notion of “one Canadian economy, instead of 13”.

In a motion, Quebec’s MNAs reaffirmed Quebec’s right “to protect its own interests, particularly economic, cultural, and linguistic, based on its distinct priorities and social values, while working to reduce barriers to interprovincial trade.”

Skeete said that he agrees with the federal government’ “objective” which is to facilitate trade between the provinces. Though, he disagrees with the “one entity”.

“We’re not the same. And we are federated states, a group of federated states, each with our own concerns and particularities, and that must continue going forward,” Skeete said.

National Post

atrepanier@postmedia.com

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Loblaw Corporate Limited headquarters in Brampton, Ont.

Canadians who bought packaged bread in the past two decades may be eligible for a cash payout from a $500-million

bread-fixing class action settlement

.

Earlier this month, the Ontario Superior Court approved the national

 
settlement
of

 a lawsuit that accused Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., of participating in an industry-wide scheme to fix the price of bread.

The Quebec Superior Court still needs to approve a second agreement applicable to residents of that province, during its next hearing on June 16.

Seventy-eight per cent of the

funds are allocated

to the Ontario class (covering all of Canada except Quebec), and 22 per cent to the Quebec class.

What type of bread purchase will qualify for making a claim?

Eligible bread includes most packaged bread products found in grocery store aisles (e.g., sliced sandwich bread, buns, rolls).

Ineligible items generally include bread baked fresh in-store, artisan loaves or frozen bread.

Who is eligible to make a claim?

Eligible claimants include individuals or businesses who purchased

packaged bread

, produced or distributed by one of the defendants, in Canada between Jan. 1, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2021.

Claimants to the Ontario settlement who bought the product for personal use must have resided in Canada (excluding Quebec) as of Dec. 31, 2021.

A claimant who received a

$25 Loblaw gift card

in 2018–2019 will still be eligible, but the gift card amount will be deducted from any payout.

Defendants and related parties are excluded.

How can a claim be made?

Once both settlements are approved, an online claims process will be established on the official

Ontario

and

Quebec

settlement websites.

Eligible individuals and businesses are

automatically included

in the class action. They will need to submit a claim online once the process opens.

For updates and to submit your claim, monitor the official settlement websites.

What about proof of purchase?

If you have kept grocery receipts from the eligible period, look for packaged bread products from major brands or store brands associated with the named companies.

If you do not have receipts, you can still file a claim. The settlement does not require proof of purchase for claims up to a certain amount (typically $25), but you may be asked to provide details about where and when you usually bought bread.

Higher claims or business claims

may require documentation.

How much will be paid out per claim?

The exact payout has not yet been determined and will depend on the number of approved claims and the net settlement amount after legal and administrative fees.

Most eligible claimants who did not previously receive a Loblaw gift card could receive up to $25.

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Community members in Pickering are reeling after a 14-year-old boy was arrested following the fatal stabbing of an elderly woman outside her home. A small memorial is seen in Pickering on May 30, 2025.

A teenage boy has been charged with first-degree murder after a woman was fatally stabbed in Pickering, Ont.

Police received a call to a residential area of the Southern Ontario city around 3 p.m. on Thursday, Durham Regional Police said in

a news release

. A passerby had noticed an elderly woman lying on the ground outside of a home near Lynn Heights Drive and Fairport Road. The victim was brought to a Toronto-area trauma centre where she was pronounced dead.

On Friday, the 14-year-old suspect appeared in court via video from the Durham Regional Police Division 17 for a hearing in Oshawa,

CBC News reported

. He said he understood the charges against him and confirmed he had the chance to speak with a lawyer.

In an update to media on Friday morning, acting staff Sgt. Joanne McCabe said police are investigating reports of the suspect allegedly looking at homes in the area weeks before the incident. Although the attack appeared to be random, she said the victim and the suspect had a brief conversation before the woman was stabbed.

A neighbour told CBC she saw the suspect walk toward the woman’s house, but couldn’t see the stabbing from where she was sitting in her bedroom.

“It seems like a lot of people have seen him walking around that day, around that time, just because he stood out quite a bit,” said Pickering resident Gabriela Fredericks.

After watching video footage of the area,

police said

the woman was outside of her house when a suspect approached her. There was a brief encounter and then the woman was attacked. She was stabbed “multiple times,” police said.

A shelter in place was in effect while police conducted a search, and the Ontario Provincial Police issued an Alert Ready notice.

The search team included officers from multiple units, including Air1, Drone, K9 and Tactical Support, according to Durham Regional Police.

The suspect was discovered by police at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evening and taken into custody without incident.

A press conference was held after the arrest on Thursday. Durham Regional Police Service Chief Peter Moreira told media that authorities would not be revealing details about the arrest,

CP24 reported

. He said the investigation was “in its infancy” and those details “may form part of the evidence.” He said the investigation would also uncover if the victim and suspect knew each other in any way.

Moreira said the victim was stabbed “in a sadistic and cowardly unprovoked attack that was captured on video.”

Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe posted on X on Thursday, giving his “thoughts, prayers, and sympathies” to the victim and her family.

Ashe also thanked the Durham police “for their efforts in bringing this to a quick resolution.” He later confirmed the woman was in her 80s.

The woman, whose identity has not been made public by police, was a retired teacher, according to neighbour Laurie Deoliveira.

“We live in a safe community. It’s not a normal thing to happen,” she said.

Deoliveira, along with others from the community, have laid flowers at the woman’s home.

Brian Fredericks, who lives across the street from the victim, called her a “lovely lady” whom he had known for 32 years.

A candlelight vigil was set for Friday evening, although its organizer John Meloche later cancelled the event. He said in a Facebook post that it was due to the family’s wishes to have privacy “during this incredibly difficult time.”

The 14-year-old will not be named, as the Youth Criminal Justice Act in Ontario prohibits the identification of minors in such cases.

He is due back in court on June 20, CBC reported.

With additional reporting by The Canadian Press.

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Member of Parliament for Battle River—Crowfoot, Damien Kurek, right, with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

OTTAWA — With a wave of his black cowboy hat and a call for all Parliamentarians to “fight for Canada,” Alberta Conservative MP Damien Kurek made a heartfelt final address in the House of Commons Thursday before stepping aside for leader Pierre Poilievre.

Flanked by a few dozen of his Conservative colleagues after question period, the MP for Battle River—Crowfoot said that politics had been a “wild, wild ride” for him and his family as he called on his constituents to support Poilievre in the upcoming byelection.

During his 10-minute speech, he called on MPs to fight together for Canada, argued that Alberta deserves a “fair voice” within the federation, threw the occasional barb at the Liberals and joked that stepping down was a more complicated process than expected.

“I didn’t know it would be quite so much work to resign,” the hulking Kurek said with his emblematic booming voice, earning laughs from MPs in the chamber.

Kurek was first elected in the rural Alberta riding in 2019 and was handily re-elected in April with over 80 per cent of the vote. But when Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre lost his longtime Ottawa riding of Carleton, Kurek announced he would step aside to allow the party head to run in his stead.

Kurek said he will resign as soon as House of Commons rules allow it, likely meaning in late June. He’s also promised to run again in Battle River—Crowfoot in the next federal election.

“I don’t plan to retire from politics, but I am stepping aside to ensure that this byelection is triggered,” he said.

The reason why Kurek is the Conservative MP stepping aside for Poilievre appeared to come from NDP MP Gord Johns, who expressed his condolences to Kurek for his father’s passing in the last year and wishing him well in taking over the family farm.

“He’s going to do well with it, and we wish him well as a farmer, supporting Canadians so we get our food, and the work that he does around his farm,” Johns said.

“I thank the member for the very kind words,” Kurek replied. “And I think it emphasizes that in this place, we can trade passionate partisan barbs, we can passionately disagree, but that doesn’t mean that there’s hatred toward each other.”

His farewell speech was briefly heckled by Liberal MPs, one of which loudly booed his announcement that he was resigning to allow Poilievre to run and another who loudly lamented the cost of a byelection (estimates vary from $1.7 million to $2 million).

The comments pushed Conservative MP Michael Barrett to cross the aisle and apparently scold them before Johns and some Liberal MPs jumped in to lower the temperature.

While responding to later well-wishes from the Liberals, NDP, Bloc Québécois and Greens, Kurek acknowledged that he was excited to be back on the family farm — and far from opposing party benches.

“I look forward to being able to spend a little bit more time in a tractor cab. The good thing about being in a tractor cab, Mr. Speaker, is that it doesn’t heckle you,” he said.

Kurek also repeatedly thanked his wife Danielle, who was watching from the visitors’ gallery, for supporting his time in politics and noted that he looked forward to spending more time with his three sons.

He then finished with a call to action for all MPs.

“As Danielle and I move on to what is a bit of an unexpected chapter of our lives, I would ask each and every person in this House: fight for Canada, fight for what’s right, and do so boldly and strongly, because that’s the least we can do for the people that send us here.”

“I plan to be back, God willing, but in the meantime, I look forward to being the best husband, the best dad and the best rural farmer that I can possibly be,” he added.

He then stood up, waved his trademark black cowboy hat in the air, and walked out of the House of Commons.

National Post

cnardi@postmedia.com

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Braydon Bretzer is shown in this photo. He was last seen swimming in the waters of Zicatela Beach, Mexico, known for its massive waves and rough waters.

A 31-year-old Canadian man has been found dead at Mexico’s Zicatela Beach in Puerto Escondido.

Braydon Bretzer was reportedly with American citizen Chris Ankele when the pair were last seen swimming in the water on Sunday, May 25,

according to Mexican publication Ahora Oaxaca Noticias

. Authorities said witnesses saw a current pulling them away and they drifted out to sea before disappearing,

Daily Mail reported

.

Ankele has been missing since Sunday, Mexican publication

Milenio reported

. Search and rescue efforts began

later that evening

.

The beach is a well-known surfing spot, per travel website

Lonely Planet’s review

of the location. “Nonsurfers beware: the waters here have a lethal undertow and are not safe for the boardless, or beginner surfers either,” the site warns. According to authorities, Zicatela is not suitable for swimming, “especially during swells, which cause dangerous currents and waves up to three meters high,” local publication

El Tiempo reported

.

In a statement to National Post, Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod said the agency “is aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in Mexico” and “extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.”

“Consular officials are in contact with local authorities and are providing consular assistance,” said MacLeod, adding that no more information can be disclosed at this time due to privacy considerations.

On May 26, Puerto Escondido Lifeguards said there were two people missing at sea in a social media post. They cautioned beach-goers against walking along Zicatela Beach and said to avoid getting into the water. Videos shared by the account on Instagram showed white-capped waves slamming down onto the shore.

The Municipal Government of San Pedro Mixtepec said a search for the tourists was underway in the area, in

a post on Facebook

on May 27 around noon. It urged “tourist service providers to stay informed about the weather conditions.” It also said that locals should “avoid entering the sea” and listen to instructions from lifeguards.

Later on May 27, Mexican publication

El Tiempo reported

that the body of Bretzer was found at the beach. A video circulating online showed the moment his body was located by a search team,

per Daily Mail

.

Local authorities said search efforts for Ankele are ongoing.

Graeme Bouvier organized a

GoFundMe

on behalf of the Bretzer family.

“Braydon’s sudden passing has left a deep hole in the hearts of all who knew and loved him,” says the webpage.

“Braydon lived life to the fullest. He had a contagious energy, and a heart that made space for everyone. He was loved by many — he made people feel seen, valued, and cared for.” Bouvier did not immediately respond to National Post’s request for comment.

Funds are being raised to help support Bretzer’s family, going towards costs such as travel and memorial expenses. On May 30, more than $20,000 had been donated. The family said that excess funds will go to charities that Bretzer loved, such as Street Cat Rescue Program Inc., the webpage says.

A LinkedIn page for a Canadian man from Saskatoon with the same name as Bretzer shows that he was working as a marketing consultant. He attended Athabasca University, earning a bachelor’s of business degree in 2016. In his bio, he said his interests included soccer, basketball, golf and hiking. Another interest he listed was travelling, having been to “25 countries and counting.” He also said he was a “huge cat guy.”

Under a section for water activities, the Canadian federal government’s travel advisory for Mexico states: “Coastal waters can be dangerous. Riptides are common and powerful waves make swimming and water sports dangerous. Several drownings occur each year. Many beaches don’t have warning flags to indicate unsafe conditions and they don’t always have lifeguards on duty.”

There have been other fatalities at the popular Puerto Escondido beach. In April, Miguel Angel Robles, 22, drowned there, Daily Mail and news site

24.Noticias reported

.

In 2019, Brazilian bodyboarder and kitesurfer Rafael Piccoli died while surfing the waves during a large swell,

Surfline reported

. He reportedly hit the bottom of the ocean floor, which knocked him unconscious before he drowned. Similarly, in 2021, Spanish surfer Oscar Serra also died while surfing after reportedly falling from a top wave and hitting the bottom of the sea,

per Duke Surf

. In 2023, 33-year-old Romanian tourist Andra Kitsu drowned,

The U.S. Sun reported

.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.


Prime Minister Mark Carney claps after King Charles III delivers the speech from the throne during the opening of the first session of the 45th Parliament in Ottawa on May 27.

This week’s throne speech had a particulary royal twist with King Charles in Canada to deliver the breakdown of the government’s agenda.

The speech highlighted a number of issues, many relating to Canada’s sovereignty, in the wake of annexation talk from U.S. President Donald Trump.

National Post politics reporter Catherine Levesque joins me to discuss what King Charles brought to the speech in terms of message, what the main priorities of the Mark Carney government will be, and what we can expect from a short spring session of parliament.

Background reading:
‘The True North is indeed strong and free!’: Throne speech read by King Charles III sparks rounds of applause

Subscribe to 10/3 on your favourite podcast app

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Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives to Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

OTTAWA

— Think of it like the premiers’ edition of Dragon’s Den. 

When provincial and territorial leaders meet in Saskatoon next week, each will arrive armed with a list of projects they want fast-tracked and are seeking federal money to get off the ground.

While Prime Minister Mark Carney has not signalled that he plans to act like a venture capitalist to finance these endeavours, he has promised to speed up the timeframe from five to two years for massive infrastructure and energy projects to secure the necessary approvals by creating a new major projects office.

Doing so would happen through legislation planned to be tabled by the end of June, expected to be combined in a bill to fulfill Carney’s other promise of eliminating federal trade barriers. He has said he wants that to happen by July 1.

A background document, titled “major projects and proposed national interest legislation,” prepared by the Privy Council Office and obtained by National Post, outlines how Carney’s government intends to fulfill his federal campaign promise to “build, baby, build.”

“The legislation would be designed to enable upfront decision-making on a small number of projects,” it reads.

“Once a project is determined to be in the national interest, federal reviews will shift from ‘whether’ to build these projects to ‘how’ to best advance them. It will streamline multiple decision points for federal approval and minimize the risk of not securing project approval following extensive project work.”

It goes on to highlight how the forthcoming legislation would lay out the factors that would be used to determine how a project would be considered to be in the “national interest.”

“Projects will also be assessed against Indigenous and provincial (and) territorial interests and their clean growth potential.” It adds that leaders have asked that mines, nuclear facilities and ports be prioritized along with “other infrastructure.”

According to the document, the legislation would include a list of “national interest” projects, adding that the government could add to that list through various orders.

“Once determined to be in the national interest, a project would be prioritized and benefit from a seamless, single point of contact — the major federal projects office.”

“This will include coordinating Crown consultation processes and ensuring federal resources are prioritized to the most important projects.”

It goes on to describe that a regulatory order stating a project was in the national interest would allow the legislation “to provide that all subsequent federal regulatory requirements are deemed to have been satisfied” and that a “conditions document” would be issued to address impacts of the project, which could include “mitigation measures.”

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson is slated to be on hand for the upcoming first ministers’ meeting to discuss the efforts around project building.

 Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources at the Fairmont Palliser in Calgary on Friday, May 23, 2025.

In anticipation of the premiers’ gathering with Carney, provincial and territorial leaders have submitted lists of projects they hope will be selected for speedier approvals.

It was an ask Carney made to the leaders following a meeting held back in March as a way to bolster Canada’s economic power against U.S. President Trump’s tariffs.

In the lead up to the upcoming meeting, National Post contacted every premier’s office about their requests.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has named the Ring of Fire, a long-dreamed-of mining project in the mineral-rich Hudson’s Bay lowlands.

Recently, his Progressive Conservative government’s efforts to name the area as a “special economic zone”

— a

power it was seeking to grant itself through a controversial piece of legislation known as Bill 5

was met with backlash from environmental and First Nations’ groups.

They voiced concerns that it weakened environmental protections in the name of cutting red tape, and threatened First Nations’ constitutional rights to be consulted on major projects on their territories.

In response, his government said it would amend the bill to affirm its “duty to consult” First Nations as outlined under section 35 of the Constitution.

The background document on the proposed federal legislation said it would reflect the duty to consult Indigenous rights holders, adding that obligation, as well as existing environmental protections, “will be respected while balancing the economic growth agenda.”

However, environmental groups like Greenpeace Canada have already raised concerns about potentially bypassing environmental rules and stated that clean energy projects ought to be prioritized over expanding fossil fuels.

 Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak listen as King Charles III opens the 45th Parliament of Canada on May 27, 2025, in Ottawa.

Ahead of his meeting in Saskatoon, Carney met on Thursday with Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak. He also met with Natan Obed, president of

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national Inuit organization. 

Woodhouse Nepinak has said she understands the frustration some First Nations chiefs have been expressing about the government’s approach to fast-track projects, saying they need to be at the table when decisions are being made.

Carney told CBC in an interview aired this week that when the leaders gather in Saskatoon, “we are going to name specific projects to which these fast-track approvals apply so that the country can get moving.”

As for projects provinces and territories have been pushing, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew is asking for federal support to build a “one Canada trade corridor” through its Port of Churchill, located on Hudson’s Bay.

In a letter sent to Carney this month, Kinew says the project would also need federal money for icebreakers to create a longer shipping season in the Arctic waters of Hudson’s Bay, and for new energy transmission and generation for power.

Meanwhile, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston plans to advocate for federal support to develop offshore wind energy and export it west by building a cable across the country, a project he calls “Wind West.”

In a slickly-produced yet-to-be-released video, Houston says Nova Scotia has the potential to power up to 27 per cent of the country’s electricity and that it could make the province an “energy superpower.”

“Canada would be even stronger with Energy East and Wind West,” he says in the video.

TransCanada announced back in 2017 that it was cancelling its proposed Energy East pipeline that would have carried oil from Western Canada to New Brunswick and Quebec.

Both Alberta and Saskatchewan have called on Carney to repeal laws critics say have been hostile to pipeline development, namely the Impact Assessment Act and tanker ban off of British Columbia’s northern coast, which were ushered in under his predecessor, former prime minister Justin Trudeau, and have long been a source of contention.

In this week’s throne speech, read by King Charles III, Carney’s government outlined how it wants to make Canada an “energy superpower” both through clean and conventional energy.

While Premier Scott Moe’s office says Saskatchewan has submitted a list of projects ranging from conventional energy to mining and critical minerals, a spokesman for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she provided “a list of Alberta’s priorities,” including “a clear commitment to work with Alberta to build an oil pipeline to the northwest B.C. coast.”

Other priorities listed include repealing the impact assessment act, tanker ban, emissions cap, as well as net-zero electricity regulations.

Speaking to reporters on May 16, Smith said she plans to push for the Northern Gateway pipeline to be revived, a project which Enbridge had proposed but was ultimately cancelled following pushback from Indigenous communities voicing concerns about the risk of it running through B.C.’s northern coast.

The Privy Council Office has not yet responded about which provinces and territories have submitted lists of projects to be considered.

staylor@postmedia.com

National Post

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Michael Deluce, president & CEO of Porter Airlines.

OTTAWA — Porter Airlines’ CEO is fighting the CRA over a six-figure tax bill linked to an unsuccessful incursion into “high risk” trading in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic that cost him over $5.7 million.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Canada in March 2020, Porter’s top executive Michael Deluce saw opportunity. As economies suddenly shuttered and investors scrambled to grapple with the global pandemics, markets experienced some of the

largest one-day swings in nearly four decades

.

According to a document filed to the Tax Court of Canada, Deluce noticed market volatility and decided to liquidate an investment portfolio containing low-risk investments that would generate capital, but only in the long-term.

Instead, Deluce put the funds into a self-managed investing account and swung for the stars.

According to an appeal he filed in court, the airline executive thought he could make significant amounts of money by investing in high-risk exchange-traded funds (ETF).

He tried to short the S&P 500 index because he had a “very pessimistic view” of the market’s reaction to the pandemic and thought he could “profit off a potential fall of the stock market”.

On March 20 — the same day Porter suspended all flights for what would become 18 months — Deluce invested in an ETF focused on the price of futures contracts on crude oil, the document shows. His bet was that oil prices would rise within days after plummeting in early March amid a sharp dip in demand in the U.S. (they did not).

“(Deluce) traded high-risk investment products with the intention of capitalizing on the volatility of the market caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, and to realize significant short-term profits,” reads his appeal.

But Deluce’s gamble did not pay off. His appeal states that he incurred “significant losses” in his attempt to bet against the S&P 500, and losses in the four days he bet on oil prices rising starting March 20, 2020, but some gains from purchasing and selling units of a third ETF on March 26, 2020.

After eight months of trading, he had accrued nearly $5.8 million in investment losses as well as interest fees on the loans he took out to fund his trades, according to his filing.

Deluce is the son of Robert Deluce, who founded Porter Airlines in 2006 after a lengthy battle with the City of Toronto about development at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport where the airline is headquartered. Michael Deluce was named CEO of Porter Airlines in 2019 and Robert Deluce assumed the role of executive chairman.

Because he believed he was acting as a trader, Deluce claimed the amount as a business loss on his 2020 income tax filing as well as some retroactive amounts going back to 2017, reads his appeal. The losses generated over $800,000 in retroactive refunds for 2017 to 2019 and contributed towards generating a $13,000 refund for the 2020 tax year.

But years later, CRA reviewed his claim and decided that Deluce was not acting as a trader, so his losses didn’t qualify as business losses but instead as capital losses.

“We are of the view that you did not behave in a commercial manner of conducting a business, like a day trader would do. (limited number of transactions, long period of ownership, etc.),” reads an excerpt of the government’s reassessment notice quoted in Deluce’s appeal.

“If your intention was to earn business income, you should seek daily goals and should have not be expected to track the underlying index over periods longer than one day… Therefore, the loss was capital in nature and not on account of business.”

The different is financially significant. If the losses are considered to be from a business, Deluce could claim them against any revenue he made. But if they are capital losses as CRA says, he could only claim 50 per cent of them and only apply them against income from capital gains.

As part of its reassessment, CRA claimed over $900,000 in additional income tax, arrears interest and refund interest from Deluce.

In his appeal of that decision, Deluce argued that the losses were incurred in the course of an adventure in the nature of trade and that he “acted in the same way as a trader would.”

“The operating motivation of (Deluce) was not to pursue long-term capital appreciation,” reads he document. “Deluce completed a significant number of transactions within a short period of time. He made trading decisions based on research, market trends and his own knowledge and professional experience.”

In a statement, Porter Airlines spokesperson Brad Cicero said the issue was a personal matter for Mr. Deluce and “unrelated to Porter and its business activities.”

In a separate statement, Deluce’s counsel Ed Kroft said the same: “this tax matter is strictly a personal matter and has no relationship to any Porter activities.”

In an interview, veteran tax lawyer David Rotfleisch said Deluce’s battle with CRA is one of the most common types of appeal to be litigated in the tax court.

“The case will come down to, does he have the ability and the fact that will persuade a judge that, yeah, this guy did this as a trading transaction, not with an intention to buy an asset, sit on it and sell it down the road,” Rotfleisch said, noting that courts look at intention, expertise and sources of financing in these cases.

“The guy has got a background in business. He worked for Scotia capital. He was a trader. These were short transactions. He borrowed money, he bought on margins. These are all (indications) of an

adventure in the nature of trade

,” he added.

The CRA declined to comment while the case is in front of the court. The agency has not filed a response to Deluce’s appeal.

cnardi@postmedia.com

National Post

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The Canadian Dental Care Plan is expanding this month. (Stock Photo)

The Canadian Dental Care Plan is undergoing an expansion this month.

As of May 2025,

all remaining eligible adults

aged 18 to 64 can apply for dental coverage, with benefits beginning as early as June 1.

Since its launch, 3.4 million Canadians were approved to be part of the plan, and 1.7 million have already received care,

Ottawa says

. The program initially prioritized seniors, children, and people with disabilities, notes the

Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario

.

Applications are now being accepted throughout the month of May based on age: ages 55 to 64 since May 1, ages 35 to 54 since May 15, and ages 18 to 34 as of May 29.

How do you qualify?

To qualify, applicants must be Canadian residents for tax purposes, not have access to private dental insurance (for example, through employer or pension plans), have filed their 2024 tax return (and partner’s if applicable) and have a net income less than $90,000.

These criteria aim to make dental care more affordable for people without access to private insurance, particularly

targeting low- and middle-income Canadians

, Ottawa says.

What does the plan do?

The CDCP reduces or eliminates

out-of-pocket costs

for essential dental services. This could be beneficial for families and individuals who have delayed or avoided dental visits due to cost, enabling them to receive regular check-ups and timely treatments.

With the expansion, more Canadians will be able to access

preventive services like cleanings and check-ups

, which help reduce the risk of severe dental issues and improve long-term oral health outcomes.

While the plan covers many essential services, not all treatments are included, and some patients may still face balance billing if the cost of care exceeds the plan’s reimbursement rates, says the

RCDSO

. However, the

expansion is expected

to make dental care more affordable and accessible for eligible Canadians.

What are the coverage limits?

The

annual reimbursement limit

has increased from $2,500 to $3,000 per year as of Jan. 1, 2025, with further increases planned by 2027.

Coverage for major restorative services (such as complete or partial dentures and crowns) has increased to 65 per cent for eligible individuals aged 23 and above, up from previous levels.

Several new dental services are now covered, including tomography, oral surgery anesthesia, injections and assessments for temporomandibular joint (jaw) disorders, and orthodontic services (covered only in cases of strict medical need and with pre-authorization; subject to a maximum spending limit).

Some services, especially those beyond established frequency limits, require preauthorization by the CDCP.

Not all requests will be approved

, and patients may still choose to pay out of pocket for non-covered procedures.

How do you maintain coverage?

Current CDCP members

must renew their coverage

for the upcoming period. Renewal applications must be submitted by June 1, 2025, to avoid any interruption in benefits.

Coverage will end on June 30, 2025, for people who do not renew, and any dental services received during a lapse will not be reimbursed.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.


Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announces proposed changes to several pieces of democratic process legislation, in Edmonton on Tuesday April 29, 2025.

OTTAWA — Separatist winds are lifting the political sails of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, according to a study from an Alberta pollster.

The provincewide poll

, taken this month by Calgary’s Janet Brown, found that Smith’s popularity has ticked upward from the same time last year, giving her a double-digit edge over rival Naheed Nenshi.

Brown told the National Post that the perception that Smith is better at dealing with Ottawa is part of what’s giving her a boost in popularity.

“Right now… the thing that we see that’s most strongly correlated with (Smith’s) support numbers, is the relationship with Ottawa,” said Brown.

Brown noted that Smith is doing especially well with the “middle third” of Albertans who identify strongly as Canadians, but still think that the province is being treated unfairly by Ottawa.

“They don’t necessarily want to separate, but they don’t want the status quo either… and the NDP hasn’t really been speaking to this group,” said Brown.

Brown noted that,

on the question of identity

, Albertans were split neatly into thirds, with 32 per cent saying they felt most attached to Alberta, 34 per cent saying they felt more attached to Canada, and 33 per cent saying they were attached to both equally.

Smith spoke directly to this third, ambivalent group in a livestreamed address to Albertans earlier this month.

“And then there are hundreds of thousands of Albertans that probably feel a lot like I do

that are deeply frustrated with the way our province has been mistreated (but) still believe there is a viable path (for Alberta) to succeed and prosper within a united Canada,” Smith told viewers.

Nenshi, by contrast, has staked out a hardline position as a staunch federalist and defender of Canadian identity, accusing Smith of

playing “stupid separatist games

” and calling Alberta separatism an “extremist fringe agenda.”

Nenshi’s Alberta NDP has also launched the website

separatistsmith.ca

to mobilize opposition to the premier.

Brown added that Albertans are currently giving Prime Minister Mark Carney “the benefit of the doubt” and holding out to see if he and Smith are able to strike a deal on national unity.

“Albertans tend to have a fairly positive impression of Carney, considering how few voted for (the Liberals),” noted Brown.

The survey showed Smith’s United Conservative Party leading across all age demographic and on-track to win a commanding 17-seat majority in the next provincial election.

The poll was taken between May 7 and 21, using a random sample of 1,200 Albertans contacted by phone (40 per cent landline, 60 per cent cell phone), carrying a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2.8 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

National Post

rmohamed@postmedia.com

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Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.