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USMCA Development – Canadian Prime Minister will Announce New Advisory Council for USMCA/CUSMA Negotiations

Somewhere along the path to the inevitable dissolution of the USMCA trilateral trade agreement, reality will set in for Canada.  Until then, denial is the preferred course of action from Prime Minister Mark Carney.  Not since COVID-19 have we witnessed an intellectual disassociation happening over such a large sector of a population.

According to the latest media reports, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to announce a new Canadian Trade Advisory Council that will strategize the best moves within each sector of the Canadian economy to deal with the United States USMCA renegotiations.  Even at this latest date, the Canadian government is still under the belief they can negotiate themselves into a position where their status within the USMCA (CUSMA) will be retained.

Simultaneous to this announcement, the one best hope the Canadians have relied upon is also evaporating.  However, before discussing that aspect, let’s first look at the advisory council.

CANADA – Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to unveil a new advisory council focused on Canada-US trade relations as Ottawa attempts to salvage Canadian-US trade amidst Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs. According to reports, the council will bring together major business leaders, labour representatives and former politicians to advise the federal government ahead of the scheduled review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

[…] While the entire list of figures present on the council has yet to be announced, the Government of Canada first announced the advisory committee in April 2026, and released a partial list of members. Members reportedly include Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, former Quebec premier Jean Charest, and other representatives from sectors such as energy, manufacturing and forestry. There are also multiple high-level Canadian executives present on the list released by the Prime Minister’s office on April 21. The committee will be chaired by Dominic LeBlanc, who currently serves as minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade and intergovernmental affairs. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the council’s role will be to provide strategic advice and industry expertise as Canada prepares for negotiations under the umbrella of Donald Trump’s renewed tariff threats.

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President Trump Delivers Remarks Following Castro Indictment

President Trump gives brief remarks following his arrival back at Joint Base Andrews following the DOJ announcement of an indictment against Raul Castro.  President Trump notes the Cuban regime is under a lot of pressure and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has specific expertise on the issues surrounding Cuba.  Expect more activity soon as their economic condition continues to put pressure upon them.  WATCH:

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Happening Quietly – Mexico Freezes Bank Accounts of Indicted Sinaloa Members and Collaborates with U.S. Intelligence Hub in Juarez

It is always a good idea to make note of things, put them into referenceable context, and then later tell the full story from background details that will surprise everyone else.

Two significant events have taken place within the last few days against the backdrop of Sinaloa government officials beginning to turn themselves in to U.S. federal authorities.

The first event is the Mexican government freezing the bank accounts and financial assets of those who have been named in the U.S. federal indictment.  Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says the seizures are out of her control, merely a process that takes place, yet the motives for her defensive protestations are more than a little transparent.

MEXICO – On May 18, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit froze the accounts of Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, his children, and senior aides. The action followed U.S. federal charges alleging they aided the Sinaloa Cartel through drug trafficking, weapons possession, and accepting multimillion-dollar bribes. Sheinbaum stressed the freeze was a technical, preventive step triggered by U.S. arrest warrants, not a domestic criminal finding.

The freezes come amid heightened U.S.-Mexico tensions over cartel corruption claims that have already strained security cooperation and political trust. Washington has broadened its anti-cartel strategy to target politicians accused of enabling organized crime, while Mexico remains sensitive to perceived foreign interference. Analysts warn the case could further erode institutional trust and complicate cross-border collaboration on security, trade, and migration.  (more)

The second event happened very quietly.

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Barbara Boyd Recaps Trump China Trip, Canada/EU Conflict and 2026 Midterm Positioning

Barbara Boyd from Promethean Action PAC gives her take on the current situation.

“Barbara Boyd argues the key outcome of Trump’s China visit was the personal trust between Trump and Xi, symbolized by Xi’s “secret garden” tour previously reserved for Putin, and framed as establishing guardrails for U.S.–China strategic and tech competition amid the Iran war and energy geopolitics. She says London and Democrats are “screaming” because Trump is reshaping global economic relationships while Treasury Secretary Bessent lifts U.S. sanctions on Russian exports. The episode targets Mark Carney and Keir Starmer as City of London figures who tried to capture China finance, advance BRICS as a dollar alternative, promote a synthetic reserve currency via CBDCs, and steer $130T through green finance—efforts Boyd says have failed as Trump reverses “Green New Deal” policies. She highlights DOJ election-rigging probes, renewed scrutiny of “Russiagate,” anti-fraud prosecutions, voter backlash, and insurgent politics in Los Angeles and London.”

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Gulf States Negotiating with Iran – President Trump Delays Further Military Strikes Pending Outcome

President Trump announced on Truth Social that he is delaying further strikes against Iran pending current negotiations with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.  According to the announcement the Gulf States are negotiating a ‘zero nuclear’ position.

This is an interesting development as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) were previously the ones urging President Trump not to halt the military pressure campaign.

PRESIDENT TRUMP – “I have been asked by the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to hold off on our planned Military attack of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which was scheduled for tomorrow, in that serious negotiations are now taking place, and that, in their opinion, as Great Leaders and Allies, a Deal will be made, which will be very acceptable to the United States of America, as well as all Countries in the Middle East, and beyond. This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN! Based on my respect for the above mentioned Leaders, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, The Chairman of The Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Daniel Caine, and The United States Military, that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow, but have further instructed them to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

~ President DONALD J. TRUMP

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Treasury Secretary Bessent Extends Russian Oil/Gas Sanctions Waiver Another 30-Days

I’m not going to spend too much time on this as I suspect most readers are well aware of my predictions on the matter.  Suffice to say Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has extended the sanctions waiver on Russian oil and gas for another 30-days. {citation}

[SOURCE]

The OFAC waiver targets Russian oil/gas that was loaded onto floating storage platforms as of April 17, 2026.  The destination of the oil/gas will primarily be China, India and Southeast Asia; westbound Arctic supply route. The general license means all of the ASEAN countries can purchase in dollars and provides Russia with an exchange for the same currency valuation.  Once again, Zelenskyy -and Europe- will not be happy.

There is a certain irony in Europe previously banning the import of Russian oil/gas (EU sanctions) and now, when they desperately need it, the supply is flowing in the opposite direction.  Both Russia’s Arctic I and Arctic II platforms are operating to produce the supply; however, as many readers here will note they coincidentally :::nudge, nudge – wink, wink::: started pumping supply to “on the water” storage for six months prior to the beginning of the Iran conflict.   This is the third U.S. waiver of sanctions.

Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday. {GO DEEP}

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IRS and DOJ Settle Lawsuit Filed by Trump Following 2024 Leak of IRS Files – $1.7 Billion in Compensation for Victims Harmed by IRS Targeting

In 2017 the DOJ and IRS settled a class action lawsuit filed by Tea Party groups for unlawful targeting by Lois Learner and the Cincinnati office of the IRS.  The DOJ paid over 400 lawsuit participants dating back to 2013 and the IRS apologized for the unlawful targeting based on political affiliation. {citation}

Between 2018 and 2020 former IRS contractor Charles Edward Littlejohn — who worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, a defense and national security tech firm — leaked President Trump’s tax returns to two news outlets.  In 2024, Littlejohn was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty. {citation}

President Trump filed a lawsuit against the IRS for $10 billion in compensation following the intentional IRS leaking of his tax returns.  Today, the IRS and DOJ settled with President Trump by establishing a $1.7 billion fund for victims of IRS targeting.

The Associated Press, mainstream media and leftist in congress are framing the settlement announcement as President Trump paying his allies and MAGA supporters.  However, the fund is set up to pay all victims of IRS targeting regardless of political affiliation.

If the media and democrats are correct that only President Trump supporters will benefit from the $1.7 billion IRS victim compensation fund, then by direct implication the media are asserting that only President Trump supporters were targeted by the IRS.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration on Monday announced the creation a $1.7 billion fund to compensate allies of the Republican president who believe they were mistreated by the Biden administration Justice Department.

The “Anti-Weaponization Fund” was announced by the Justice Department as part of a deal to resolve President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns.

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Sunday Talks – Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Discusses Conspiracy and 2020 Election Investigations

Appearing with Maria Bartiromo, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche answers questions about the ongoing conspiracy case against former government officials for targeting Donald Trump as well as investigations into the 2020 election outcome. {Direct Rumble Link Here}

In this interview it appears Ms. Bartiromo realizes she needs to convey a sense of frustration on behalf of her viewership who followed the arc of the targeting of Donald Trump for the past nine years, through the Horowitz investigation(s), through the Mueller investigation, through the John Durham investigation and into the Jack Smith investigation, yet none of the preceding investigations ever focused on the real problem: the government officials who conducted the targeting.  Corruption and unlawful conduct within Washington DC is a self-protecting enterprise.  WATCH:

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I can tell you from first-hand experience that one of the primary reasons we have not seen accountability is that most of the people with the authority to do something about it don’t know where to look to find the evidence, and when they do, they don’t know what it means in context.

Washington DC is a system of self-absorbed stakeholders who use isolating silos to preserve their interests.  Within the game everything has a political currency, including leverage and information – and everyone wants proprietary credit for their inventory.  Washington DC is a narcissist’s playground.

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Sunday Talks – Sanctimonious James Comey Sends Message to His Corrupt Allies in FBI, “I’m urging them, hang on”

Incapable of retaining a stiff upper lip since birth, the sanctimonious James Comey instead pontificates in his customary political fashion about how non-political he is; all the while remaining mounted on his high-horse.  If there’s one corrupt official who deserves to spend time behind cold bars, it’s this creature.

James Comey appears on NBC news to send a message to his remaining corrupt allies within the FBI and DOJ to hang on and retain their position within the Lawfare resistance. As a spineless and immoral creature, and in an absolute case study about how a narcissist projects his mindset, Comey shifts the blame for his current status to his wife and then blame-casts his former conduct to AG Loretta Lynch.   Video and Transcript Below:

[Transcript] – KRISTEN WELKER: Welcome back. And joining me now is former FBI Director James Comey, author of the new novel Red Verdict. Director Comey, welcome back to Meet the Press.

JAMES COMEY: Great to be with you.

KRISTEN WELKER: Great to have you here. Congratulations on your novel. We’ll talk about it in just a moment. I do want to start with this extraordinary moment in which you find yourself. You’re facing a second indictment by the Trump administration, trial in just a few weeks potentially. I know you’re not going to comment on the specifics of the case, but I want to ask you a big-picture question. The charges against you stem from this Instagram post of seashells that spelled out “86 47.” You see it right there. The indictment says it was, quote, “a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the president of the United States.” Has being under this microscope changed the way you live your life, Director Comey?

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Sunday Talks – U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer Discusses U.S-China Trade Status

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer appears on CBS Face the Nation to discuss current U.S-China trade relations on the heels of the recent Beijing summit.  Brennan in her customary passive-aggressive mode as a professional narrative engineer.  Video and Transcript Below:

[Transcript] – MARGARET BRENNAN: We begin this morning with a top member of the president’s economic team, United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Good morning to you, Ambassador.

JAMIESON GREER: Good morning. Good to be here.

MARGARET BRENNAN: It isn’t just a matter of sentiment. Gas is at an average of $4.51 a gallon. Americans have spent $45 billion more on fuel since the war began versus a year ago. The stock market is up, but lower-income Americans are pulling back on their spending. The New York Fed reports households earning less than $125,000 a year are fueling up their cars less often. How do you provide relief to the average American?

JAMIESON GREER: Well, we know that no one wants to see higher gas prices. At the same time, the president is balancing foreign policy considerations. We know that, in addition to wanting to have low gas prices, we don’t want our children or grandchildren to inherit a world where Iran has a nuclear weapon, so the president is focused on affordability in as many ways that he can- that he can. He’s bringing jobs back to America. We’re focused on getting wages up to offset any kind of increase in prices, and we’re seeing prices go down for staples like dairy, cheese, flour, etc. So we’re very focused on this. The president’s focused on it, and we look forward to seeing those prices come down soon as the operations wrap up in the Gulf.

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