G7 finance ministers to wrap up summit in Banff

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed...

Half of Canadians trust their governments: poll

Most Canadians feel attached to their country, province and municipality but only about half of them trust their governments, a new poll suggests.

The Leger survey, which polled 1,537 Canadians between May 16 and 18, suggests that 82 per cent of Canadians feel attached to their country.

Because the poll was conducted online, it can't be assigned a margin of error.

The poll suggests that 46 per cent of Canadians feel "very attached" to Canada, while another 36 per cent feel "somewhat attached." Twelve per cent feel "not very attached." Only four per cent said they're "not at all attached" to Canada.

A similar percentage of those polled — 80 per cent — said they feel attached to their province. While 42 per cent said they feel "very attached," 38 per cent said they're "somewhat attached," and 14 per cent are "not very attached."

G7 finance ministers to wrap up summit in Banff

Finance ministers from the G7 are wrapping up their summit in Banff, Alta., with discussions including the global trade system roiled by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. 

Other topics on the agenda are artificial intelligence and the war in Ukraine. 

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem were set to emerge later Thursday to take questions from reporters.

In an interview late Wednesday, Champagne was asked about the possibility of a joint communique being issued when the event wraps up.

"I've always said it is easier to predict the past than the future. We had a very good day of discussions, a very good engagement," he said, adding he was "very optimistic."

Western premiers to finish meeting in N.W.T.

Premiers from Western Canada are scheduled to wrap up a two-day conference in Yellowknife.

The annual meeting of leaders from British Columbia, the Prairie provinces and the northern territories comes two weeks before all Canada's premiers are to gather with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Saskatoon.

Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson's office has said the western premiers are talking about trade, Arctic sovereignty and energy security.

Also on the agenda are emergency preparedness, housing and economic corridors.

Postal union reviews deal as strike deadline nears

Canadians could soon find out if there will be another labour disruption at the national postal operator.

The union representing about 55,000 Canada Post employees has said it is reviewing a set of proposals for urban workers, along with rural and suburban carriers.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued a 72-hour strike notice on Tuesday, and the deadline is Friday at midnight.

Canada Post says the new offers address several concerns, and it is offering a wage increase of 13.59 per cent over four years.

The union says the Crown corporation is seeking to change some hard-fought collective agreement rights and methods, with a key sticking point being a proposal to add part-time workers that would allow for seven-day-a-week delivery.

If postal workers do walk off the job, it would be their second strike in less than six months.

Quebec LNG project a 'false solution': report

A shareholder advocacy group says reviving a liquefied natural gas export project in Quebec's Saguenay region would be costly and likely unprofitable.

Investors for Paris Compliance says demand for LNG in Europe dropped by 18 per cent between 2022 and 2024, and Canadian exports would have a hard time competing in Asian markets.

A report published this morning says gas production is expected to grow by 40 per cent from 2024 to 2028, driven by projects in the United States and Qatar, and demand is not expected to keep pace.

A project to transport natural gas from Western Canada to an export terminal in Quebec was cancelled in 2021 due to environmental risks and public opposition, but Quebec Premier François Legault has recently opened the door to pipeline development in the province.

Former residents remember 'Canada's smallest town'

A Newfoundland community that bills itself as the smallest town in Canada will soon be empty, and former residents say they'll never forget their joyful years living there.

Tilt Cove, N.L., was once home to a thriving copper mine that attracted workers and their families from all over Canada. Now the community is home to just four people, all of whom agreed earlier this year to relocate.

Shirley Severance was born in Tilt Cove in 1941. She watched the town grow when the Maritime Mining operation reopened in 1957, and she watched it shrink again in 1967 when the mine shut down for good.

"(The company) built houses and they had a recreation centre, a curling rink and a bowling alley," Severance said in an interview Wednesday. "There was a hall where we used to have dances. We were teenagers, and we would go there after supper and dance to the jukebox."

"I loved it there," Severance added. "I miss living there."

Pitcure Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson