Original date of publication: August 24th, 2096
As the global recession (nicknamed the 3rd Great Depression) continues to wreak havoc on the economy, the federal government is working to mitigate its impact on Canadians. Most recently is the renewal of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, The United Imperium, and Mexico in order to increase economic integration between the 3 countries. The agreement was drawn up during a meeting in Toronto attended by the Presidents and Finance Secretaries of their respective countries. NAFTA has officially come into full effect with the Canadian, American, and Mexican legislatures voting to ratify the agreement last week. According to now public documents released in compliance with the 2031 Improved Government Transparency and Federal Accountability Act (IGTFAA), this version of NAFTA is largely similar to its predecessor with only one notable difference. Article 24 which permits Canada and TUI to host each other's military bases, marking the first time Toronto will allow foreign military bases on Canadian soil.
Despite such efforts however, many Canadians are feeling the weight of the recession as the cost of living continues to rise, most notably in major cities. Toronto in particular has seen increasing rent which has caused many Torontonians to choose between housing and other necessities, in response the city has petitioned the province for financial aid. Proposed tax increases in Sioux Plains and Nova Scotia are up for vote, the taxes will target business and property owners in an attempt to combat inflation. However several special interest groups have argued the logic behind the proposal is shaky and would end up further hurting residents.
While reported as similar to the rest of Canada the recession has caused a unique problem in British Columbia, a rise in hate crime. Recent Uniform Crime Reporting Surveys (UCR) from the BCPP (British Columbia Provincial Police) and other agencies have shown hate crimes against RoDevian Canadians by Cascadian Canadians are increasing. According to police statements this stems from Cascadian Canadians resentment over the annexation of Cascadia and forced reintegration into Canada. BCPP Commissioner Richard Kent has promised the creation of a task force between the BCPP and municipal police to crackdown on offenders.
Despite the problems many provinces are facing, the nation as a whole is fairing the recession better than some other countries. As of this month unemployment has risen 1% since the recession began and the national GDP is down $400 billion. The dollar has seen a decrease of 0.17% although economists believe the economy will continue to get worse before it improves.
Additionally, the Department of Wildlife and Natural Resources (DWNR) has released its findings of the MOZAC investigation, clearing them of all wrongdoing. This was meet with anger from many environmental activists who saw this as a pro-oil administration turning a blind eye to misconduct, ALP (Alberta Labour Party) leader Alex Kendall decried the finding on Twitter,
“So the feds cleared MOZAC and we're supposed to believe that means they're innocent? The President has bent over backwards for big oil even before she got into office, let's not forget she was behind the Economic Revitalization Act, a major part of the reason MOZAC is as big in Canada as it is. People need to realize the only Canada Lauren Smith cares about is the present, we need a government that will care about this nation's future just as much.”
The “Economic Revitalization Act” mentioned by Kendall is a Conservative bill passed under the NDP’s governance during the early 80’s focusing on rebuilding the Prairies and Maritimes with a core point being growth in the oil sector. That was outlined in Section. 7 which granted sweeping tax cuts for oil companies that employed 300,000 additional people by 2090, which was capitalized by companies like Enbridge and paved the way for MOZAC. Despite the fact MOZAC's arrival was the result of a negotiated lower version of Sec. 7 many activists see the ERA as responsible and blame it for the return of Canada's oil industry.
Other articles you may be interested in:
- British Columbian officials discuss future of Alaskan Panhandle as a separate province.
- Ontario becomes first province to mandate dashcams on all emergency vehicles.
- Armed Forces see decrease in enlistment as people exit service.
- Winnipeg police investigates shooting in upscale neighbourhood.
- Canada and Britain sign Optional Defence Pact.
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