Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday jointly announced a series of strategic industry support initiatives to support workers and businesses affected by U.S. tariffs and drive long-term economic growth.
According to a news release issued by the prime minister's office, the action plan, totaling 8.7 billion Canadian dollars (about 6.18 billion U.S. dollars), focuses on safeguarding Ontario's steel, automotive, and critical mineral sectors.
Key measures include establishing a joint steel action fund, supporting automakers in upgrading production lines to build future connected and electric vehicles, and building road infrastructure alongside streamlining approval processes to develop a critical mineral supply chain in the province's north.
As the heartland of Canada's manufacturing sector, Ontario boasts world-class automotive and steel industries as well as vast deposits of critical minerals. With an economy heavily reliant on exports to the United States, particularly in autos and steel, Ontario has been among the hardest hit by U.S. tariffs.
The Canadian government has provided over 25 billion Canadian dollars in assistance to Canadian workers and businesses affected by U.S. tariffs, according to the news release.
Canada announces strategic industry support plan to counter U.S. tariffs
Canada announces strategic industry support plan to counter U.S. tariffs
An evocative situational song and dance performance has vividly connected the Red Army's perilous crossing of a snow-capped mountain with a modern tunnel engineering marvel during a televised gala commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March on Thursday.
The Long March (1934-1936) was a defining military maneuver undertaken by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, symbolizing endurance and perseverance which ultimately paved the way for the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Titled "Ode to the Long March," the five-part gala broadcast by the China Media Group (CMG) centers on key historical junctures of the arduous 12,500-kilometer journey.
One of these performance segments sought to bring to life the Red Army's strenuous crossing of a snow-topped peak during the epic military trek. It weaves together two eras -- the soldiers' desperate climb through the blizzards and the modern-day construction of a tunnel through the same mountain -- to show how the spirit of perseverance endures across generations.
Through poignant dialogue and an enchanting song, the piece shows soldiers supporting one another through a fierce snowstorm, culminating in a young soldier's dream of drilling a hole through the mountain once the revolution is won. This vision comes to life as the stage setting shifts to the present day, featuring a powerful exchange between a Red Army commander and a modern engineer, symbolizing their shared determination to conquer nature's barriers.
The segment depicts the Central Red Army's June 1935 crossing of the Jiajin Mountain in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the first major snow mountain they encountered on the Long March.
Decades later, over 600 workers labored for 45 months to build the Jiajin Mountain Tunnel of the G351 highway, an engineering marvel that has permanently ended the winter isolation of over 110,000 local residents.
Integrating music, dance, drama, and folk art, the performances at the Gala vividly recall the immense hardships the Red Army endured and showcase the firm beliefs held by the Communist Party of China (CPC), even in the face of sacrifice and suffering.
The broadcast followed a commemorative meeting held earlier on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech.
The Long March began in October 1934, when 86,000 poorly armed soldiers began a grueling 12,500-kilometer journey across some of the country's harshest terrain to establish a new revolutionary base. The march concluded in October 1936 when three main Red Army forces converged in northwestern China.
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
Gala performance bridges past, present with nod to Long March history, modern engineering
