Trump’s return to the world stage – even though his official inauguration is on January 20 – is already claiming numerous victims. Arguably, even the fall of both the French and German government in recent months have been given some impetus by the political events in the US. But one of the clearest victims appears to be Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who resigned yesterday, citing differences with PM Trudeau’s Cabinet over how to prepare for a looming trade war with its big neighbour. Observers say her comments in her resignation letter on “eschewing political gimmicks” likely refer to the temporary tax cuts and pay-checks planned by the government to support consumption. She sees handing out money as fiscally imprudent. Given that she announced her decision just hours before she was due to speak in Parliament on the fiscal and economic outlook, markets reacted with a fall in the Canadian dollar (depreciating some 0.4% vis-à-vis the US dollar) and rising bond yields (some 7bp on the 10y note) https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trumps-return-world-stage-already-claiming-numerous-victims

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc has taken over the finance portfolio following Chrystia Freeland’s surprise resignation from cabinet. LeBlanc was sworn into the new role at Rideau Hall Monday afternoon shortly after the government tabled its fall economic statement, which Freeland was slated to present prior to her announcement Monday morning. https://tnc.news/2024/12/16/trudeau-to-name-leblanc-finance-minister2/

The federal government’s fall economic statement blows past the previously announced “fiscal guardrail” that was supposed to keep the deficit below $40 billion. The government’s revised deficit for the 2023-24 fiscal year is $61.9 billion – over 50% more than the limit Chrystia Freeland set out previously. https://tnc.news/2024/12/16/62-billion-deficit-no-balanced-budget/

Remember the saying, "Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see"? Well ... that's now changed. Now it's "Believe nothing you hear nor see." I've said this before and now it appears it's ready: holograms in the sky are going to be used against the world population. It may be an alleged alien invasion, or it could be the return of Jesus, but mark my words -- they WILL produce something so believable that the vast majority of the population will fall for it. As to the return of Jesus, those who know the Bible and it's prediction know that the world population will NOT see Jesus in the clouds as HE raptures believers before the Tribulation begins and the Beast shows itself so if this is what is used, do NOT believe it. Instead, read Revelation so you know what's coming . . .

Canadians are less proud of and less attached to their country than they ever have been, with levels plummeting in recent years. Poll results released by the Angus Reid Institute on Friday highlighted that the years following the pandemic have muddied the waters. In 1985, 78% of Canadians said they were “very proud” to be Canadian. This saw a slow but consistent fall between 1985 and 2003 to 68%. By 2016, the year after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took office, the percentage had fallen to 52%. By 2024, this value fell off a cliff, reaching a mere 34%. https://tnc.news/2024/12/15/canadian-pride-national-attachment-erode/

Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has announced her resignation from Justin Trudeau’s cabinet, taking aim at “costly political gimmicks” on the eve of the government’s fall economic update. In a letter to Trudeau posted on social media Monday morning, Freeland said rather than be shuffled to another cabinet position she will be resigning, claiming she and Trudeau have been “at odds about the best path forward for Canada.” There have been several reports that Trudeau is actively courting former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to join his cabinet. https://tnc.news/2024/12/16/freeland-resigns1/

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is holding a cabinet meeting this morning ahead of the release of his government’s fall economic statement. The meeting comes amid news that his federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser will not be seeking re-election. A government official, who is not authorized to speak publicly about the issue, confirmed that Fraser is stepping away from federal politics for family reasons. The Nova Scotia MP, who is expected to publicly disclose his plans this morning, held several parliamentary secretary roles before he was named immigration minister. https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/politics/2024/12/16/trudeaus-cabinet-meets-ahead-of-fes-fraser-wont-seek-re-election/

A devastating hurricane this fall has compounded the damage already inflicted by citrus greening disease, a bacterial infection that has decimated groves over the past decade. Orange juice futures have surged to $5 per pound, a staggering 433% increase from the Covid-era lows of around $1 per pound. Worsening supply constraints could squeeze prices even higher. https://activistpost.com/2024/12/citrus-crisis-floridas-orange-juice-production-slides-to-lowest-level-since-1930.html

Not too long ago, there were about 12 million job openings in the United States. Unfortunately, here in the second half of 2024 that figure has fallen below 8 million… Meanwhile, major employers continue to shed workers all over the nation. For example, the U.S. lost a total of 78,000 manufacturing jobs during a recent three month period… https://activistpost.com/2024/12/falling-off-a-cliff-this-chart-proves-that-we-are-in-a-major-economic-downturn-right-now.html

OTTAWA — With the fall economic statement to be presented just before they go back to their ridings for Christmas, some Liberal MPs are expressing concern that their government will be blowing past their self-imposed target of keeping deficits below $40 billion. “It’s not an unlimited pot,” said Liberal MP Wayne Long about the federal government’s financial means. “I think that we do need to show fiscal restraint.” https://windsorstar.com/news/liberals-concern-chrystia-freeland-40-billion-deficit/wcm/22528c4c-528c-48f4-a543-558aaa364943?__vfz=medium%3Dstandalone_content_recirculation_with_ads