U.S. President Donald Trump is once again dangling the threat of withdrawing from his country’s free trade deal with Canada and Mexico, even though his trade officials are in talks on renewing it. Speaking in the Oval Office on Wednesday, Trump said he is ‘not looking to renew’ the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) when it comes up for a review on July 1, six years after it took effect. While the agreement doesn’t actually expire until 2036, any country can withdraw from it by giving six months’ notice, Trump signed the deal,known as USMCA south of the border—during his first term as president.

Trade Deal Serious to Canadian Economy

CUSMA is central to the Canadian economy because it covers some $1.3 trillion in cross-border trade with the U.S. and shields roughly 90 per cent of Canada’s exports from Trump’s tariffs. When Trump signed the deal in 2018, he boasted of it as ‘the most modern, up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country.’ Canada and Mexico have both formally declared they want the deal extended, but have also said they’re prepared to negotiate improvements. Trump’s top trade official, Jamieson Greer, has not made the U.S. position public.

Pilot Faces Charges for Flying Without License

A former Air Canada pilot has been charged with flying commercial flights for nearly 17 years without the proper license, according to police. Geoffrey Wall. 59. From Barrie near Toronto. Is accused of flying Boeing 767s, 777s, and 787s without an Airline Transport Pilot License for Aeroplanes (ATPL-A), which is required to captain such aircraft. Wall retired in 2025 before the regulatory and criminal investigation, dubbed ‘Project Icarus,’ was launched in January, Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Milinovich likened the situation to a doctor practicing brain surgery without the proper qualifications.

Wall earned nearly $3 million Canadian dollars (more than $2 million US dollars) during his 27-year career with Air Canada, the allegations echo the 2002 film ‘Catch Me If You Can,’ where a teenager talks his way into flying for PanAm. Air Canada stated that Wall was a licensed commercial pilot and regularly showed he was capable of safely flying large planes, the airline noted that safety was never compromised, as pilot refreshers and annual flight exams with certified examiners were part of the routine.

Central Bank Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged

The Bank of Canada kept its policy interest rate unchanged for the fifth consecutive meeting at 2.25%, according to a report from the Japanese business daily Nikkei. The decision was made amid concerns over inflation and the impact of U.S. tariff policies; the central bank stated that monetary policy may need to respond swiftly, particularly to assess the short-term inflationary effects of the Middle East situation. The central bank emphasized that uncertainty remains at an unusually high level due to global economic conditions.