On the night of his election victory, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney outlined his vision to boost the country’s economy in response to President Donald Trump’s challenges.

“Build, baby, build!” Carney told a cheering crowd of Liberal Party supporters in April.

In the first weeks of his term, Carney’s plans have started to take shape, highlighted by the launch of the new “Major Projects Office” last month.

The office will oversee construction initiatives including ports, highways, mines, and potentially a new oil pipeline a move that has drawn scrutiny from environmental groups.

The office, which will soon announce its top priorities, was established after Carney’s Liberals gained cross-party backing for legislation allowing the government to fast-track “nation-building projects.”

“We are moving at a pace not seen in generations,” Carney said, stressing the urgency needed as Trump reshapes the global economy.

While Trump’s threats to annex Canada have eased, his ongoing trade war continues to impact the Canadian economy. U.S. tariffs on autos, steel, and aluminum have hit these key sectors, causing job losses.

Canada’s unemployment rate reached 7.1 percent in August, the highest level since 2016 outside the pandemic.

“That adds to evidence that the trade war is taking its toll on Canadian labor markets,” said RBC senior economist Claire Fan.

Economy in focus

Since entering politics earlier this year, Carney has emphasized that Canada must reduce its decades-long reliance on U.S. trade by boosting domestic commerce and exploring new markets in Europe and Asia.

During a visit to Germany last month, Carney highlighted that his government is “unleashing half a trillion dollars of investment” in infrastructure projects spanning energy, ports, and other critical sectors.

Jay Khosla, an energy expert at the Public Policy Forum, said the momentum to build would not have been possible without Trump.

“We know our economy is in peril,” he said, noting Canada was effectively “captured economically,” because of its closeness to the United States.

Energy superpower?

Canada is the world’s fourth largest oil exporter and its crude reserves are the world’s third largest.

Most of its resources are in the western province of Alberta, which exports almost exclusively to the United States, as Canada lacks the infrastructure to efficiently get energy products to other foreign markets.

Former prime minister Justin Trudeau, Carney’s predecessor, put climate change at the center of his political brand and faced criticism from some over his perceived lack of support for the energy sector.

In a shift from the Trudeau era, Carney’s Liberals now support exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe.

“What we heard loud and clear from German LNG buyers and LNG users is they believe there is demand and they want to buy our products” Energy Minister Tim Hodgson said in Berlin last week.

Carney has repeatedly said Canada “can be an energy superpower.”

But not everyone is enthusiastic about that plan.

Greenpeace has accused the prime minister of backing “climate-wrecking infrastructure” while ignoring clean energy.

Carney could likely press ahead despite concerns from pro-climate NGOs, but support from Indigenous leaders  for whom safeguarding the environment is top priority — is seen as essential.

Despite Carney’s efforts to secure Indigenous backing for his major projects push, their concern persists.

“We know how it feels to have Trump at our border. Let’s not do that and have Trump-like policies,” said Cindy Woodhouse, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, in a swipe at Carney’s backing for energy infrastructure.

“Let’s take the time and do things properly.”

DUBAI: In a historic first, Brigadier General Shariful M Khan, a Bangladeshi-born Muslim officer, has been appointed Director of Staff for the Golden Dome initiative at the Pentagon — a top-secret, high-tech missile defence program often called America’s version of the Iron Dome.

In this critical role, Brig Gen Khan will oversee strategy, policies, and partnerships with industry, universities, national labs, and government agencies to develop and deploy next-generation missile defence systems.

Brig Gen Khan’s appointment is a historic milestone for diversity in US defence, showing that a Bangladeshi-born Muslim officer is now leading one of America’s most crucial missile defence projects — safeguarding the homeland and its allies.

A 1997 graduate of the US Air Force Academy, Brig Gen Khan has vast experience in space systems, satellite operations, and national reconnaissance missions. He has commanded elite units, including the 379th Space Range Squadron and the 310th Space Wing at Colorado’s Schriever Space Force Base, leading nearly 1,500 personnel.

Khan has twice deployed to the Middle East, including Operation Silent Sentry in 2007, and has served in senior positions at the Pentagon, US Space Force, and Office of the Secretary of Defence.

His service has earned him top US military awards, including the Legion of Merit, Defence Meritorious Service Medal, and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

The US Air Force website highlights: “For 75 years, American Airmen have excelled as they execute the Air Force mission to fly, fight, and win — delivering airpower anytime, anywhere in defen[c]e of our nation. Airmen are called to Innovate, Accelerate, and Thrive.”

• Magnate becomes the kingdom’s third leader in two years.
• Tycoon ousts long-dominant Shinawatra dynasty.
• Coalition backs Anutin on condition of early elections.

BANGKOK: Thai tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul took office as prime minister on Sunday, with the cannabis-championing conservative ousting the nation’s dominant political dynasty and setting course for elections early next year.

Since 2023 elections, Thailand’s top office has been monopolised by the Pheu Thai party of the Shinatawatra dynasty — a populist force which has long sparred with the pro-monarchy, pro-military establishment.

But dynasty heiress Paetongtarn Shinawatra was last month sacked by court order, and Anutin rushed to piece together his own coalition government — winning a Friday parliament vote to shut Pheu Thai out of office.

Anutin previously served as deputy prime minister, interior minister and health minister — but is perhaps most famous for being the architect of Thailand’s 2022 cannabis decriminalisation.

The construction magnate becomes the kingdom’s third leader in two years, and will also serve as interior minister. But he has taken power with coalition backing conditional on dissolving parliament within four months to hold fresh elections.

“Though we do not have much time, I hope to receive cooperation from everyone,” Anutin told reporters after taking office.

“My government will work tirelessly,” he added. “We will dedicate ourselves to work because we only have four months.”

His term officially began after the royal endorsement of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, read aloud in a formal ceremony at Anutin’s Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok.

“His Majesty the King has endorsed Mr Anutin Charnvirakul to be prime minister from now onwards,” said secretary-general of the lower house of parliament Arpath Sukhanunth, reading out the royal command.

Dynasty in decline

Anutin is also known for managing tourism-dependent Thailand’s Covid-19 response and causing a backlash after accusing Westerners of spreading the virus.

He was once an ally of the Shinawatras — who have been a dominant force in Thai politics since the turn of the century, but are increasingly faltering after a succession of legal and political setbacks.

Anutin abandoned his coalition with their Pheu Thai Party this summer in apparent outrage over Paetongtarn’s conduct during a border row with neighbouring Cambodia.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court found on August 29 that conduct had breached ministerial ethics and fired her after only a year in power.

Thaksin Shinawatra, the dynasty patriarch, flew out of the kingdom in the hours ahead of the Friday parliament vote confirming Anutin — bound for Dubai, where he said he would visit friends and seek medical treatment.

The Supreme Court is due to rule on Tuesday in a case over Thaksin’s hospital stay following his return from exile in August 2023, a decision that could affect the validity of the former prime minister’s early release from prison last year.

While his guilt is not the subject of the case, some analysts say the verdict could see him jailed.

Thaksin on social media promised to return from Dubai to attend the court date “in person”.

“Me and my colleagues have faced legal bullying but the past is now behind us,” Anutin said on Sunday.

“My government will adhere to the law and will not interfere in the justice system, letting the law take its course.”