Maple Express Evening Edition | September 7, 2026: Why this could be the 'most important' week of the Canada-U.S. trade war

1. Why this could be the 'most important' week of the Canada-U.S. trade war

Source: CP24

With Canadian counter-tariffs set to take effect just after midnight Tuesday, Canada and the United States could be entering the most critical week of their now 18-month trade dispute. Lachlan Wolfer, national leader of KPMG law in Canada, told CTV News Channel on Monday that this week may be the most important of the entire trade war, given the potential for further escalation.

Trade talks between Ottawa and Washington broke down on Aug. 21, prompting 50 per cent U.S. tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Canadian goods. In response, Ottawa announced dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on roughly 700 American imports worth $27.6 billion, set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday.

Wolfer said Canada's counter-tariffs are deliberately targeted to shield Canadian consumers while influencing voters in November's U.S. midterm elections. He also noted that further escalation could include a ban on Canadian steel exports, worth roughly $7 billion to $8 billion a year. Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a Labour Day message, called the U.S. tariffs "unjustified and unprovoked."

Over the long weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a series of social media messages targeting Canada, including a map covered by a U.S. flag and a declaration of "NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!" Dalhousie University professor Lori Turnbull suggested the trolling could backfire and influence U.S. voters.

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2. Police investigate shooting in Richmond Hill

Source: CP24

York Regional Police are investigating after a person was shot at a home near Yonge Street and Weldrick Road in Richmond Hill on Monday.

The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Police remain on scene and have not released further details.

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3. Suspect wanted after victim stabbed during attempted vehicle theft in Brampton

Source: CP24

Peel Regional Police are searching for a suspect linked to several attempted vehicle thefts, one of which left a vehicle owner stabbed in Brampton on Sunday evening. Around 10 p.m., police say the suspect tried to steal a car near Clockwork Drive and Creditview Road while the owner was still inside.

The suspect stabbed the owner before fleeing on foot; the victim was taken to a local trauma centre with non-life-threatening injuries. Police say the suspect then kicked in the front door of a nearby home and demanded car keys but left empty-handed, before attempting to steal two other vehicles in the area.

Police describe the suspect as a South Asian male between 25 and 30 years old, with a slim build and a possible neck tattoo. He was last seen wearing a grey sweater, light-coloured pants, black Crocs, a blue-and-white Toronto Blue Jays cap and a black messenger bag. Police warn the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous, and the public should not approach him.

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4. GO Transit and UP Express fare evasion penalties set to increase tomorrow

Source: CP24

Metrolinx has announced steeper penalties for fare evasion on GO Transit and UP Express, with the new fines taking effect Sept. 8. The decision, approved by Metrolinx's board in August, will make penalties progressively higher for repeat offenders.

A June report estimated the increased fines could generate roughly $6.79 million to $10.18 million in additional annual revenue, based on the assumption that only 40 to 60 per cent of fines will be collected.

The report said graduated penalties signal proportionate consequences and encourage early compliance.

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5. Laval, Que., mayor announces he has a brain tumour

Source: CP24

Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer announced Monday that he has been diagnosed with a brain tumour. He plans to remain in office while scaling back his public activities, though he is waiting for more information on what comes next.

In a social media post, Boyer said he had been experiencing headaches and visual disturbances for several months, which led to an MRI. "The diagnosis is in: a meningioma, a brain tumor," he wrote, noting that most such tumours are benign but that he must wait for appointments with a neurosurgeon.

Boyer said he will reduce his public activities this fall but will continue his duties as mayor. He has led Laval since 2021, was elected at 33 as the city's youngest-ever mayor, and was re-elected in 2025 with 59 per cent of the vote.

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6. Here's how much school supplies have gone up in the last decade

Source: CP24

Statistics Canada data shows the price of school textbooks and supplies rose 24 per cent from June 2015 to June 2026, while other reading material rose more than 25 per cent.

A Boston Consulting Group Canada poll of 1,200 Canadians found 56 per cent of parents say back-to-school spending does not fit within their normal household budget.

Retail analyst Bruce Winder said prices can rise three to five per cent each year, compounding over time. He pointed to pressures including the U.S. trade war and the war in Iran pushing up production and transportation costs. Concordia University economics professor Moshe Lander added that a lack of competition gives some industries pricing power, citing the Hilroy notebook brand.

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7. Oil prices rise to six-week highs on worsening Middle East conflict

Source: CP24

Oil prices climbed to a six-week high on Monday after Iran vowed to strike energy infrastructure across the Middle East in response to further U.S. attacks on its assets. Brent crude futures rose 85 cents, or 0.9 per cent, to US$97.13 a barrel, after touching their highest point since July 24.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.3 per cent, or $1.15, to $92.63 a barrel. Brent gained about 8 per cent last week and WTI nearly 10 per cent. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said: "Strike our assets and you get struck."

Goldman Sachs said oil could rally as high as $120 a barrel if attacks on shipping rise. Data from Kpler showed an average of just 10 commodity ships a day transited the Strait of Hormuz over the past 10 days, the lowest since May.

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8. Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week

Source: CP24

Canada's counter-tariffs on nearly $28 billion worth of U.S. products take effect Tuesday. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the measures after trade talks with the U.S. broke down last month.

Scotiabank holds its annual global banking and markets summit starting Wednesday. Transat A.T. Inc. releases third-quarter results Thursday morning, and grocer Empire Co., whose banners include Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and Farm Boy, reports first-quarter results and holds its annual meeting Thursday.

Unifor has set Friday as an internal deadline to reach a tentative agreement with Stellantis. The union is worried about the automaker's Brampton, Ont., assembly plant, which has been idled since 2023.

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9. U.S. investigators probe Amazon cargo jet's fiery runway crash that killed 5 in Miami

Source: CP24

U.S. investigators probing why an Amazon cargo jet overran the runway at Miami International Airport and struck vehicles, killing at least five people, are likely to focus on whether the plane touched down too late to stop safely.

Video shows the Boeing 767 floating well down the runway before landing. The National Transportation Safety Board has sent a team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to Miami. The plane overran the runway around 2 p.m. Sunday after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Officials said five people died, three were critically injured and two others were hospitalized. The flight was operated by 21 Air, a North Carolina cargo carrier; the 32-year-old 767 was converted to a cargo plane in 2015. Two of the airport's four runways remained closed Monday, with 160 cancellations and more than 300 delays Sunday.

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10. Jaguar Land Rover to cut 4,000 jobs as European car sector hits skids

Source: CP24

Jaguar Land Rover said Monday it would cut around 4,000 roles over the next two years, or about 10 per cent of its global workforce, in another blow to Europe's auto industry. The voluntary redundancy plan came days after Volkswagen announced 50,000 new job cuts.

Chief executive PB Balaji said the industry faces significant challenges, including technological change amid intense competition and geopolitical uncertainty. The company is targeting cost savings of £1.7 billion (US$2.3 billion).

The company, owned by India's Tata Motors, has about 34,000 employees in the U.K., and most of the cuts are expected to fall on management roles. A cyberattack halted production last year, and the carmaker posted a loss of £244 million for its fiscal year ending in March, versus a net profit of £1.8 billion the prior year.

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