Canada's election campaign has ramped into top gear with voting day just over a week away. The leaders of major parties participated in debates on Wednesday (in French) and Thursday (in English), pitching their visions for the future of the country during an uncertain time. On stage were Liberal leader Mark Carney, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, the NDP's Jagmeet Singh and the Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet. Today's debate was surprising in terms of the dynamic between the candidates. I think it was a bit more centred around content than blaming one another. I find it refreshing that Carney is not a career politician, and it showed in the debate. The way he spoke was business-like - in both the French and English debates - and he was able to express his points very clearly compared to practiced politicians. Pierre Poilievre felt like a broken record, constantly looking at the camera to send his message. It was like watching an advertisement. My values align with the NDP, but I don't think Singh can be a leader for the Canadians. So my vote is still for Carney, as I think he has the best plan. The debate was all very respectful. I didn't get a sense that anyone was having a go at each other, unlike in the good old days of hot-headed debate - those days seem to be over. Pierre Poilievre was the winner at the end of the day. I don't think there was a big difference between him and Carney, but Poilievre was better for sure. Poilievre made some good points, pointing to the nine-and-a-half years of the Liberals in power and the catastrophic mess they've made. Carney tried to pitch himself as some kind of Lancelot figure, but didn't come across as different to what was there before. At the end of it, I was disappointed. I didn't feel anyone left the table with a phenomenal finish. I think it was a pretty good debate, and nothing too crazy was said. The Liberal and Conservative leaders stayed on track, sticking to their initial messages. The loser of the debate was Jagmeet Singh. He came across a bit desperate and frantic in the way he was trying to attack on multiple fronts. The key thing that stood out for me was that all the leaders were emphasising a strong Canada in the face of foreign influence. My big concerns were the environment, the cost of living and a strong Canada - they addressed those issues well, although I don't think anything new was brought up. On the whole, the debate was civil, useful, and very Canadian. Pierre Poilievre showed a more prime ministerial attitude today, rather than being the attack dog he has been over the past few months. But his pre-formatted spiel was very annoying - it was as if he was trying to beat it into voters that 10 years of Liberal government was bad for Canada. We also saw a Mark Carney who was very confident, very respectful, quite the opposite of what the Conservative party has shown so far in mimicking the Republican party in the US in terms of rhetoric. The standout moment was when Mark Carney told Poilievre that the carbon tax and Trudeau were "both gone" - to me that was akin to a smash that is unexpected in a tennis match. A highlight, and a very effective and honest response. This debate reinforced a few things, but didn't change anything. From a western Canadian perspective, the Bloc Quebecois leader had a few good comments. I liked that he said he was willing to work within the Canadian federation as long as Quebec's sovereignty is respected. It's not something we understand in western Canada. He's not someone I'll be able to vote for, but I was impressed by his performance. I'm personally confident that either Pierre Poilievre or Mark Carney are capable leaders, and I'm not worried about whether the wrong person wins. I'm more worried about the next year when the world might be on fire, as Trump seems prepared to make such extreme moves. Nothing is off the table with him. If we go into a crisis, I'm sure Poilievre and Carney will put aside their differences and work together and do the job as well as it can be done. So to the extent that Canada can be well prepared in the face of this looming threat, I'm confident that whoever the leader is is going to be able to manage it as well as it can be managed. I am proud of the quality of the debate - it was respectful, dignified dialogue between high-calibre politicians. Canada has once again demonstrated to the world that it is a strong, multi-party democracy. Mark Carney's idea of free trade in Canada by Canada day is a winning policy, and the concept of a national bureau to address the housing crisis - which was mentioned during the French debate - is one that should be explored. But I found it difficult to relate to the picture that the Conservative leader was painting of the current Canadian experience in the sense that there is widespread chaos and crime. I wish there was more in the public discourse about the climate crisis and that leaders had to commit to climate action. I agree that Canada could be a clean energy superpower, but that they made no commitment was a little disappointing - which could have happened had the Green party been invited.

Before Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and threatened its sovereignty, the Canadian psyche was consumed with another major issue: housing affordability. With an election on the horizon, voters are wondering if any party has a plan to fix what has become a generational problem. Willow Yamauchi says she was just a "regular" person when she and her husband bought their family home in Vancouver 25 years ago for a modest sum of C$275,000 - around C$435,000 ($312,000; £236,400) in today's dollars. That same property is now worth several million. In the city on Canada's west coast, Ms Yamauchi's story is as common as the rainy weather. The average price of a detached home in Vancouver in 2000 was around C$350,000. Now, it is more than C$2m. "My husband and I were very privileged to be able to purchase a house when we did," the 52-year-old writer tells the BBC. As a member of Generation X, timing was on her side. The same, she says, cannot be said for younger people, who - without "the bank of mom and dad" - are effectively priced out of the city they grew up in. Vancouver, a cultural and economic hub with a population of less than one million, is often seen as the epicentre of Canada's housing crisis. A report by Chapman University in California last year listed it among the top "impossibly unaffordable" cities in the world. But it is not the only Canadian city where the cost of homes is out of reach for many. Canada as a whole has one of the highest house-price-to-income ratios among developed nations. In 2021, the average household income after taxes in Canada was around C$88,000, according to national data. That same year, the average home price hit C$713,500 - more than eight times higher. The gap is even larger in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver. For many Canadians, housing is one of the top issues in the federal election, eclipsed only recently by US President Donald Trump and his tariffs on Canada. Before Trump, concerns on housing affordability had boosted the Conservative Party, which has consistently been seen as the best equipped to fix the crisis. But then a trade war with the US came along and it catapulted the governing Liberal party to the top of the polls. Even with the Trump factor, the topic featured prominently in the two election debates this week. During the French language one, moderator and journalist Patrice Roy displayed figures showing how much home prices had increased in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver in the last decade. "I'm sure this won't come as a surprise," Mr Roy told the federal leaders, before asking for their plans on how they would fix the crisis. Polls show young people are especially worried about the housing crisis and what it means for their future. Speaking to students at the University of British Columbia's (UBC) Vancouver campus, it quickly became clear that the issue was top of mind for many. Many said they have either opted to live at home during their studies to save on costs, or are paying anywhere from C$1,100 to C$1,500 for a single room near campus, often in a home shared with five or six others. Emily Chu, a 24-year-old who is in her final semester at UBC, says that she at one point had to delay her studies by two years in order to work, as she struggled to afford paying both tuition and rent. She now shares an apartment with her older brother, who works full-time and pays the majority of the rent. Ms Chu considers herself one of the lucky ones. As for home ownership in the future, she says "that's not even possible" for most people her age. "Everybody kind of assumes that we can't ever own housing." Young professionals with well-paying jobs, like Margareta Dovgal, are also priced out. The 28-year-old director at Vancouver-based non-profit Resource Works told the BBC that she has considered moving to the neighbouring province of Alberta due to its lower cost of living, despite being a lifelong and "committed Vancouverite". Still, Calgary, Alberta's largest city, saw house prices increase by 15% in 2024 from the previous year as the city experienced its highest population growth rate since 2001. The root causes of Canada's housing affordability crisis are complex. One of the main issues is a supply that has not kept up with a growing population, which has driven up costs for both buyers and renters. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the national housing agency, estimates that more than 3.8 million homes need to be built in the next six years to address the shortage. Construction of new housing, however, has been well below that target, raising questions on whether Canada will meet this goal. Experts say barriers to ramping up building include the high cost and scarcity of land in urban areas, where most Canadians tend to live and work. There are also regional barriers, like city zoning laws that prevent the construction of more affordable, higher density housing - including apartment buildings or multiplexes - in some neighbourhoods. Daniel Oleksiuk, co-founder of the advocacy group Abundant Housing Vancouver, says his city is one example, where more than half of the land has historically been zoned for single-family homes. "We've kept almost all of the land reserved," Mr Oleksiuk told the BBC. "There are whole neighbourhoods where all you have is three to five million dollar homes." Eloise Alanna/BBC A photo of Willow Yamauchi at a beach in Vancouver, wearing a bright yellow parka On the campaign trail, each major federal party has put forward a plan to fix the crisis, all with the goal of building as many homes as quickly as possible. The Liberals, led by Mark Carney, said their aim is to build 500,000 new homes a year with the help of a new government agency called Build Canada Homes that would oversee and finance the construction of affordable housing in Canada - a plan similar to one implemented after the Second World War to house veterans. Critics have questioned whether Carney's target is viable, as it would require Canada to more than double its current construction rate. Meanwhile, the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, vowed to tie federal funding to housing starts by rewarding cities that build more homes and penalising those that block construction - a carrot-and-stick approach. Poilievre also promised to remove federal taxes on newly constructed homes in an effort to cut costs to would-be homebuyers. Critics, however, say this policy may have minimal effect, as most homes purchased in Canada are resold, rather than brand new. Voters who spoke to the BBC say they welcome any plan to ramp up housing construction in Canada. While much of housing is governed by provinces and cities, Ms Dovgal notes that the federal government has an ability "to lead persuasively" and implement measures that make it cheaper and easier to build across the country. But others watching the issue closely caution that the steps proposed may not be enough. Paul Kershaw, a public policy professor at UBC and founder of think tank Generation Squeeze, argues that politicians have failed to address the elephant in the room: the wealth older homeowners have generated off the housing crisis. "The political bargain has asked younger Canadians to suffer higher rents and mortgages in order to protect those higher home values," Kershaw notes. "None of the parties are really naming that generational tension," he says, adding that politicians may privately feel there is a political risk in trying to stall the cost of housing, and thus, older Canadians' assets. Prof Kershaw calls this a "cultural problem", and says that parties should also focus on reducing costs for younger people as a way to alleviate this generational burden. Fixing the housing crisis, he argues, is just as integral as asserting sovereignty and prosperity in the face of threats posed by Trump's tariffs. The "dysfunction that has entered our housing market is disruptive to the well-being of the country", he says. Until a fix is found, the possibility of homeownership still looks bleak for many. Ms Dovgal contends half-heartedly that, other than moving elsewhere, "you have to win the lottery, or marry a multi-millionaire. These are kind of the options".

The leaders of Canada's four major federal parties have been grilled about their response to US President Donald Trump and clashed over energy and housing in their first televised debate of the country's election campaign. The French-language face-off marked a key moment in the election as it gave leaders a chance to woo voters in the seat-rich province of Quebec. It was also a big test for Liberal leader Mark Carney, who has a slight lead in the polls, but whose French is the weakest among the federal leaders. He at times struggled to articulate his points on stage. There is a second debate in English on Thursday, before Canadians vote on 28 April. On the stage were the four main party candidates: Liberal leader and current Prime Minister Carney, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, and leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh. The debate was moderated by Radio-Canada journalist Patrice Roy. Mr Roy opened the forum saying that Canada's short 36-day federal election had been "hijacked by Trump", and asked each leader to outline two campaign promises unrelated to the US or its tariffs. But soon afterwards, Mr Roy plunged into a question on how each party would handle the trade war with the US, calling it the "elephant in the room". Trump has implemented blanket 25% tariffs on goods from Canada, with an exemption on products covered by the USMCA - a North American free trade deal. Canada is also hit with global US tariffs on steel and aluminium and cars. The president has also publicly mused about Canada becoming the 51st US state. Poilievre, of the opposition Conservatives, accused the governing Liberals of weakening the country over the past decade, making Canada more vulnerable to economic threats. Carney touted his experience as a former central banker for both Canada and the UK, as well as his time in the private sector. "[Trump] respects people who understand the world and how the private sector works," Carney said. Singh, of the left-leaning NDP, sought to paint both Poilievre and Carney as the wrong option for Canadians whose jobs may be affected by US tariffs. "Both will cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires," he said. For Carney, the French-language debate was arguably the first major test of the campaign trail. A second debate will be held on Thursday night with the contenders speaking in English. That forum will be more widely watched nationwide, but the stakes were high on Wednesday for Carney's Liberals, which are leading in Quebec where the majority of French-speaking Canadians live. His French was the weakest on stage, and he often kept his answers brief and sometimes struggled to get his points across in a debate format with opportunities for rapid exchanges. He also faced the most frequent attacks as the others leaders tried to tie him to the Liberal record of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who resigned last month. "We are still talking about the same party, the same caucus," the Bloc's Blanchet said. He added: "It's not because you change the leader that you change your philosophy." Carney countered that he had accomplishments despite only being sworn in as PM last month. He had "just arrived", he said. There was a moment of levity when Mr Roy asked the leaders if they were buying fewer US products - like many Canadians are in the face of tariffs - at the grocery store. Carney had admitted in an interview early this month that he does not do his own groceries when asked if he still buys US strawberries. Singh and Blanchet both said they bought Canadian berries. Carney said he had given up US wine, while Poilievre said he buys Canadian beef. Trump was not the only issue on the agenda. The leaders were asked about their plan to address Canada's housing crisis, and how they would balance climate and the economy. On housing, Poilievre vowed to cut taxes and red tape that he says act as a barrier to home building. "We don't need more bureaucracy, we need more front doors," the Conservative leader said in a jab directed at Carney. But the two found common ground on energy, saying the country should ramp up its oil and gas production. Carney said climate remains a priority for his party, adding that he would focus on producing "low-risk", "low-carbon" oil. On immigration, there was also wide agreement that Canada must look at its capacity to integrate newcomers and asylum seekers. Canada has seen a rapid population boom in recent years and social and housing infrastructure has struggled to catch up. Canadian border officials recently noted an uptick in asylum seekers looking to cross the Quebec-US border as a result of the Trump administration's hardline immigration policies. Absent from the debate stage was the Green Party. In a last-minute decision by the debate commission, it was disqualified for failing to meet the criteria by not endorsing candidates in at least 90% of Canada's federal ridings, or constituencies. The party, which had two MPs in parliament when the election was called, also failed to meet the threshold of at least 4% in national support. Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault called the commission's decision "baseless" and "undemocratic". It wasn't the only change to the debate. On Tuesday, the start time was officially moved forward by two hours to accommodate an NHL game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes, with a spot in the Stanley Cup play-offs at stake.

For more than a century, a member of Kathryn Lawton's family has worked in Canada's car industry. Kathryn and her husband Chad both work for Ford in Windsor, the heart of Canada's automobile sector, just a bridge away from the US state of Michigan. And so do their children, who are "fifth generation Ford workers", she says. So when US President Donald Trump suggested that Canada stole the American auto industry, Chad Lawton calls it "ludicrous". "These were never American jobs. These were Canadian jobs," he told the BBC, on the day that Trump's auto tariffs came into force. "They've always been Canadian jobs, and they're going to stay Canadian jobs because we didn't take them from them. We created them, we sustained them." Kathryn agreed: "This is Ford City right here." Tucked away in southwestern Ontario, Windsor finds itself on one of the front lines of Trump's trade war. It faces a 25% tariff on foreign-made vehicles - reduced by half for cars made with 50% US-made components or more - as well as blanket 25% US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. US tariffs on auto parts are expected next month. The region of just over 422,000 grew alongside Detroit - nicknamed Motor City for its role as an auto manufacturing hub - turning the region into an important centre for North American automobile production. Ford first established its presence in Windsor in 1896, while the first Stellantis (then Chrysler) factory arrived in 1928, with dozens of factories and suppliers springing up around the city and surrounding region in the ensuing decades. Much of the manufacturing has since left the city, though it still boasts two Ford engine factories and a Stellantis assembly plant, which employ thousands. Workers on both sides of the border have built iconic vehicles over the decades, most recently models like the Dodge Charger and the Ford F-150. Some 10% of the 240,000 people in Windsor work directly in the automotive industry, while an estimated 120,000 other jobs depend on the sector. A drive through the neighbourhood around the Ford factory feels like a trip back in time, showcasing classic bungalows from the last century. Many have seen better days, though each boasts a verandah and small front yard. Large murals celebrating the city's automotive history punctuate the scenery. Windsor has weathered the challenges of the North American auto sector alongside Michigan, as the industry shares a deeply integrated supply chain. Chad Lawton points to the 2008 financial crisis, when the Big Three American automakers - Ford, General Motors and Chrysler - faced staggering losses, and GM and Chrysler received billions in US bailouts to avoid bankruptcy. That period was "bad, not just for next door, but also we went through a very, very rough time", he said. "This feels the same. The level of anxiety with the workers, the level of fear, the idea and the belief that this is just something that is so completely out of your control that you can't wrap your head around what to do." John D'Agnolo, president of Unifor Local 200, which represents Ford workers in Windsor, said the situation "has created havoc". "I think we're going to see a recession," he said. He continued: "People aren't going to buy anything. I gotta tell my members not to buy anything. They gotta pay rent and food for their kids." What makes the tariffs such a hard pill to swallow for auto workers the BBC spoke to is that this situation has been brought about by the US, Canada's closest economic and security ally. "It seems like a stab in the back," said Austin Welzel, 27, an assembly line worker at Stellantis. "It's almost like our neighbors, our friends - they don't want to work with us." Christina Grossi, who has worked at Ford for 25 years, said the prospect of losing her job, and what it will mean to her family, is "terrifying". But Ms Grossi also fears losing the meaning she gets from her work. "You've been doing this job for so long and you really take pride in it, you're proud of what you're putting out to the public," she said. "And now someone's taking away the opportunity to do that." Laura Dawson, the executive director of Future Borders Coalition, said the tariffs could cause major upheavals throughout the sector due to its deep integration, with ripple effects felt across the continent if exports from Canada stop for more than a week. She said the US tariffs structure is extremely complicated. Cars crossing the border will need every component to be assessed for "qualifying content" - where it originates, the cost of labour to produce it, and - if it contains steel or aluminium - where that metal came from. "Every part of an automobile is literally under a microscope for where it was produced and how," she said. The US tariffs have been a major factor in Canada's general election, which is on 28 April, with Canada's political parties rolling out suites of plans on the campaign trail to help the auto sector. Liberal leader Mark Carney, the current prime minister, has pledged to create a C$2bn ($1.4bn; £1.1bn) fund to boost competitiveness and protect manufacturing jobs, alongside plans to build an "all-in-Canada" auto component parts network. In his role as prime minister, he imposed last week a reported C$35bn in counter auto tariffs, in addition to previously announced reciprocal measures on the US. Carney's main rival, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, has vowed to remove sales tax on Canadian vehicles, and to create a fund for companies affected by the tariffs to help keep their employees. Jagmeet Singh, whose left-wing New Democratic Party is fighting for a competitive seat in Windsor, has pledged to use every dollar from counter tariffs to help workers, and to stop manufacturers from moving equipment to the US. Still, Windsor's economy is dependent on automakers, and heavily relies on trade with the United States. If it falters, everything - from restaurants to charities - will feel the effects. The Penalty Box is a sports bar just down the road from the Stellantis plant, and popular with the workers there. "We're one of the busiest restaurants. I don't want to say it, but if you ask around about the Penalty Box, they'll tell you," its 70-year-old owner, Van Niforos, said. "We do close to 1,000 meals a day." With a white apron and a wide smile, he relates its 33-year history. But his demeanour darkens when asked about threats the auto sector faces. "It's a devastating situation. I don't want to think about it," he said. "We employ 60 people and we're open six days a week. [If something happens to the Stellantis plant], will we be able to keep 60 people working? Absolutely no." Chad Lawton, sitting in his office at the local union, takes a deep breath as he contemplates how precarious his life feels. He doesn't think Carney's counter tariffs help the current situation, arguing they "just makes a really bad situation a little bit worse". He hopes there is room for trade negotiation, but said he will be the first to say that Canada "cannot just concede and roll over". "I've worked for a Ford Motor Company for almost 31 years, and I have never seen anything close to this," he said. "That includes Covid, because at least with Covid, we knew what we were dealing with. And there was some certainty there." "This is all over the map."

The US Senate has confirmed the appointment of Pete Hoekstra to be the US ambassador to Canada, as ties between the two traditional allies reach their lowest point in years. Hoekstra, a Republican, is a former ambassador to the Netherlands and represented Michigan in the House from 1993 to 2010. At his Senate hearing in March, Hoekstra backed Canada as a "sovereign" country despite Trump's threats to turn it into the 51st state. In a statement following his confirmation on Wednesday, he called Canada "our most valuable trading partner, our largest source of foreign investment and our largest source of energy imports." The Senate voted 60-37 to confirm Hoekstra's appointment, with several Democrats voting alongside Republicans to confirm President Donald Trump's nominee. He succeeds David Cohen as the US ambassador to its northern neighbour. Hoekstra's appointment comes at a difficult time. His boss, Trump, recently threatened annexation and a global tariff war, and has repeatedly insulted Canada since he took office in January. Over the past months, Trump urged Canada to become the "51st state" of the United States, and referred to then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "Governor Trudeau". But at his Senate hearing in March, Hoekstra said Canada was an independent country, noting the close ties between his home state of Michigan and Ontario. Still, Trump's comments, along with the tariffs imposed on Canadian goods have turned Canadians against their southern neighbour. Washington and Hoekstra will soon face a new Canadian prime minister, with Canadians going to the polls on 28 April. Prime minister and Liberal leader Mark Carney, who has a slim lead in the polls, took a firm stance against US threats. Carney has previously said Ottawa's old relationship with Washington "is over", imposed retaliatory tariffs against the United States and called for Canada to strengthen its relationships with other countries.

On a bustling weekday in Toronto, Shauna Daniels was out "hunting for stripes". It's a term she uses for shopping for the iconic – and increasingly rare – coloured stripes that are emblematic of Canada's oldest corporation, the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). Sales of HBC's striped merchandise – from handcrafted wool blankets to patio umbrellas – have skyrocketed since the company announced it would be liquidating all of its department stores nationwide. On eBay, the blankets, which normally retailed for about C$300, were being sold for over C$1,000 ($710; £540). The stripes have become "a symbol and an emblem of a tremendous chapter for the country", Ms Daniels told the BBC while browsing on her lunch break. "It's emotional," she added, as she recalled going ice skating in the city centre as a child with her parents, and passing by the department store's window displays. This HBC stripes fever has arrived amid a growing movement to "buy Canadian" in the face of tariffs from the United States, and a surge of national pride in response. Sales of the merchandise have increased so much since news of the impending closures was announced that the company was able to make good on some of its debts - it owes almost almost one billion dollars to creditors - and keep six stores from liquidating. Still, 80 Hudson's Bay stores, as well as a handful of Saks Fifth Avenue and Saks Off 5th stores in Canada have gone into liquidation sales. It's a sorry fate for one of Canada's most recognisable brands. Founded in 1670, HBC was granted a royal charter to control trade in parts of Canada. The company began trading woolen "point" blankets - made overseas in the Oxfordshire town of Witney - with local indigenous communities. The blankets themselves were often striped with rich colours – indigo, red, canary yellow and emerald green, said to be popular during Queen Anne's reign, from 1702-1714. That history – of colonialism and imperialism – has led some to critique the company's place in Canadiana. But the blanket's stripes endured, becoming a symbol of not just the the Hudson's Bay Company, but Canada's rugged past. By the time the former British colony had become its own nation, HBC had pivoted from the no-longer booming fur trade, and had opened its first retail store in Winnipeg in 1881. The company began manufacturing the blankets for mass retail in 1929, and soon the HBC stripes were appearing on a wide range of home décor. Toronto-based interior designer Kate Thornley-Hall has repurposed blankets into her own designs, from pillow cushions to ottomans. "It's an enduring reminder of the pivotal role that the Hudson's Bay played in the development of our country," she told the BBC. With branches in every major city, a Hudson's Bay department store became a major attraction. Filigreed stone facades made these stores not just a place to pick up necessities, but a destination for tourists and locals alike. In 2008, private equity firm NRDC purchased the company, turning this quintessentially Canadian retailer American. But the company's fortunes soon took a downturn, as department stores began to lose ground to online shopping. Retail analyst Bruce Winder told the BBC that the pandemic only accelerated this shift in consumer habits, leaving legacy retailers like Sears, HBC and the American mall struggling to retain shoppers. "Canadians, if they want to save, they go to places like Amazon or Walmart or Dollarama," he said. If they want to buy higher-end goods, they are more likely to go to a boutique or directly to a brand's website. NRDC, which owns Saks Fifth Avenue, also diverted its attention elsewhere, acquiring Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman in 2024. Soon, Hudson's Bay was struggling to pay its landlords and suppliers. Trump's looming tariffs also caused its creditors to be concerned about the company's ability to pay them back, Mr Winder said. Some shoppers hope that the resurgence in demand for the blankets and other stripes merchandise will give the brand a second life. "I hope that people will again be drawn to shopping and luxury, rather than online fast fashion," Ms Thornley-Hall said. Analyst Mr Winder thinks that, while the return of the department store is unlikely, there could be space for the company to license its iconic stripes to another company, or open up small, HBC-branded boutiques. "I think it tells us that the brand has some affinity in Canada, albeit probably with select items, based on their heritage," he said.

April Hubbard sits on the theatre stage where she plans to die later this year. She is not terminally ill, but the 39-year-old performance and burlesque artist has been approved for assisted dying under Canada's increasingly liberal laws. Warning: This article contains details and descriptions some readers may find disturbing She is speaking to BBC News from the Bus Stop Theatre, an intimate auditorium with a little under 100 seats, in the eastern city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Illuminated by a single spotlight on a stage she has performed on many times before, she tells me she plans to die here "within months" of her imminent 40th birthday. She'll be joined by a small group of her family and friends. April plans to be in a "big comfy bed" for what she calls a "celebratory" moment when a medical professional will inject a lethal dose into her bloodstream. "I want to be surrounded by the people I love and just have everybody hold me in a giant cuddle puddle and get to take my last breath, surrounded by love and support," she says. April was born with spina bifida and was later diagnosed with tumours at the base of her spine which she says have left her in constant, debilitating pain. She's been taking strong opioid painkillers for more than 20 years and applied for Medical Assistance in Dying (Maid) in March 2023. While she could yet live for decades with her condition, she qualified to end her life early seven months after applying. For those who are terminally ill it is possible to get approval within 24 hours. "My suffering and pain are increasing and I don't have the quality of life anymore that makes me happy and fulfilled," April says. Every time she moves or breathes, she says it feels like the tissues from the base of her spine "are being pulled like a rubber band that stretches too far", and that her lower limbs leave her in agony. We meet April as, almost 3,000 miles away, MPs are scrutinising proposals to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. They voted in principle in support of those plans in November 2024, but months of detailed scrutiny have followed - and further votes in the Commons and Lords are required before the bill could possibly become law. Critics say Canada is an example of the "slippery slope", meaning that once you pass an assisted dying law it will inevitably widen its scope and have fewer safeguards. Canada now has one of the most liberal systems of assisted dying in the world, similar to that operating in the Netherlands and Belgium. It introduced Maid in 2016, initially for terminally ill adults with a serious and incurable physical illness, which causes intolerable suffering. In 2021, the need to be terminally ill was removed, and in two years' time, the Canadian government plans to open Maid to adults solely with a mental illness and no physical ailment. Opponents of Maid tell us that death is coming to be seen as a standard treatment option for those with disabilities and complex medical problems. "It is easier in Canada to get medical assistance in dying than it is to get government support to live," says Andrew Gurza, a disability awareness consultant and friend of April's. Andrew, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, says he respects April's decision, but tells us: "If my disability declines and my care needs got higher, I'd still want to be here. To know there's a law that's saying you could easily end your life - it's just really scary." Before she was approved for Maid, April was assessed by two independent physicians who were required to inform her of ways to alleviate her suffering and offer alternative treatments. "The safeguards are there," she says, when we press her about disabled people who feel threatened by assisted dying, or whether Maid is being used as a shortcut to better quality care. "If it's not right for you and you're not leading the charge and choosing Maid, you're not going to be able to access it unless it's for the right reasons," she adds. There were 15,343 Maid deaths in 2023, representing around one in 20 of all deaths in Canada - a proportion that has increased dramatically since 2016 and is one of the highest in the world. The average age of recipients was 77. In all but a handful of cases, the lethal dose was delivered by a doctor or nurse, which is also known as voluntary euthanasia. One doctor we spoke to, Eric Thomas, said he had helped 577 patients to die. Dr Konia Trouton, president of the Canadian Association of Maid Assessors and Providers, has also helped hundreds of patients to die since the law was introduced. The procedure is the same each time - she arrives at the home of the person who has been given approval for Maid and asks if they wish to go ahead with it that day. She says the patients always direct the process and then give her the "heads up and ready to go". "That gives me an honour and a duty and a privilege to be able to help them in those last moments with their family around them, with those who love them around them and to know that they've made that decision thoughtfully, carefully and thoroughly," she adds. If the answer is yes, she opens her medical bag. Demonstrating to the BBC what happens next, Dr Trouton briefly puts a tourniquet on my arm. She shows me where the needle would be inserted into a vein in the back of my hand to allow an intravenous infusion of lethal drugs. In her medical bag she also has a stethoscope. "Strangely, these days I use it more to determine if someone has no heartbeat rather than if they do," she tells me.

April Hubbard sits on the theatre stage where she plans to die later this year. She is not terminally ill, but the 39-year-old performance and burlesque artist has been approved for assisted dying under Canada's increasingly liberal laws. Warning: This article contains details and descriptions some readers may find disturbing She is speaking to BBC News from the Bus Stop Theatre, an intimate auditorium with a little under 100 seats, in the eastern city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Illuminated by a single spotlight on a stage she has performed on many times before, she tells me she plans to die here "within months" of her imminent 40th birthday. She'll be joined by a small group of her family and friends. April plans to be in a "big comfy bed" for what she calls a "celebratory" moment when a medical professional will inject a lethal dose into her bloodstream. "I want to be surrounded by the people I love and just have everybody hold me in a giant cuddle puddle and get to take my last breath, surrounded by love and support," she says. April was born with spina bifida and was later diagnosed with tumours at the base of her spine which she says have left her in constant, debilitating pain. She's been taking strong opioid painkillers for more than 20 years and applied for Medical Assistance in Dying (Maid) in March 2023. While she could yet live for decades with her condition, she qualified to end her life early seven months after applying. For those who are terminally ill it is possible to get approval within 24 hours. "My suffering and pain are increasing and I don't have the quality of life anymore that makes me happy and fulfilled," April says. Every time she moves or breathes, she says it feels like the tissues from the base of her spine "are being pulled like a rubber band that stretches too far", and that her lower limbs leave her in agony. We meet April as, almost 3,000 miles away, MPs are scrutinising proposals to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales. They voted in principle in support of those plans in November 2024, but months of detailed scrutiny have followed - and further votes in the Commons and Lords are required before the bill could possibly become law. Critics say Canada is an example of the "slippery slope", meaning that once you pass an assisted dying law it will inevitably widen its scope and have fewer safeguards. Canada now has one of the most liberal systems of assisted dying in the world, similar to that operating in the Netherlands and Belgium. It introduced Maid in 2016, initially for terminally ill adults with a serious and incurable physical illness, which causes intolerable suffering. In 2021, the need to be terminally ill was removed, and in two years' time, the Canadian government plans to open Maid to adults solely with a mental illness and no physical ailment. Opponents of Maid tell us that death is coming to be seen as a standard treatment option for those with disabilities and complex medical problems. "It is easier in Canada to get medical assistance in dying than it is to get government support to live," says Andrew Gurza, a disability awareness consultant and friend of April's. Andrew, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, says he respects April's decision, but tells us: "If my disability declines and my care needs got higher, I'd still want to be here. To know there's a law that's saying you could easily end your life - it's just really scary." Before she was approved for Maid, April was assessed by two independent physicians who were required to inform her of ways to alleviate her suffering and offer alternative treatments. "The safeguards are there," she says, when we press her about disabled people who feel threatened by assisted dying, or whether Maid is being used as a shortcut to better quality care. "If it's not right for you and you're not leading the charge and choosing Maid, you're not going to be able to access it unless it's for the right reasons," she adds. There were 15,343 Maid deaths in 2023, representing around one in 20 of all deaths in Canada - a proportion that has increased dramatically since 2016 and is one of the highest in the world. The average age of recipients was 77. In all but a handful of cases, the lethal dose was delivered by a doctor or nurse, which is also known as voluntary euthanasia. One doctor we spoke to, Eric Thomas, said he had helped 577 patients to die. Dr Konia Trouton, president of the Canadian Association of Maid Assessors and Providers, has also helped hundreds of patients to die since the law was introduced. The procedure is the same each time - she arrives at the home of the person who has been given approval for Maid and asks if they wish to go ahead with it that day. She says the patients always direct the process and then give her the "heads up and ready to go". "That gives me an honour and a duty and a privilege to be able to help them in those last moments with their family around them, with those who love them around them and to know that they've made that decision thoughtfully, carefully and thoroughly," she adds. If the answer is yes, she opens her medical bag. Demonstrating to the BBC what happens next, Dr Trouton briefly puts a tourniquet on my arm. She shows me where the needle would be inserted into a vein in the back of my hand to allow an intravenous infusion of lethal drugs. In her medical bag she also has a stethoscope. "Strangely, these days I use it more to determine if someone has no heartbeat rather than if they do," she tells me.

Fear and anxiety are running high in Windsor, Ontario, after carmaker Stellantis announced it will temporarily shut down its assembly plant in the Canadian border city next week as a result of US President Donald Trump's car tariffs. Derek Gungle, who is among the 4,500 people employed at the plant, says the temporary pause in operations was "kind of expected". Still, he tells the BBC he worries about what's to come. It is a feeling that is echoed across Windsor, the heart of Canada's automobile sector and just a bridge away from the US state of Michigan. For decades, the two regions worked together across the shared US-Canada border to build some of North America's most popular cars, like the Ford F-150. Those working in Windsor's auto sector who spoke to the BBC on Thursday say they are worried about the days ahead now that the US has implemented a 25% tariff on all "foreign-made" vehicles. For Canada, that tariff will be reduced by half for cars that are made with 50% US-made components or more. "It's absolutely terrifying," says Christina, who has worked at the Ford plant in Windsor for 25 years. She says she fears her plant will also shut down like Stellantis. She has four children – one of whom is in university. Her youngest is 12. "I would like them to have a good life too," Christina says as tears well up in her eyes. Responding to this building anxiety among Canadians, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will hit back with its own tariffs. Like the US, Canada will slap a 25% tariff on American-made cars sold in Canada. Vehicles that were produced in compliance with the existing North American free trade agreement between Canada, the US and Mexico, will face lower taxes, with the tariff applying only to the non-Canadian components of the car. Unlike the US, Canada will not be applying its tariffs on automotive parts. "The government will be responding by matching the US approach," the prime minister told reporters on Thursday. The Canadian government will also work to exempt auto producers from these tariffs if they choose to maintain their production and investment in Canada, Carney said. On the campaign trail, federal leaders of Canada's major parties proposed their own solutions. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called for the removal of federal tax on new Canadian-made cars, which he argued would increase demand for them, while New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh proposed the idea of selling "Victory Bonds" to Canadians to build up Canada's economy amid the ongoing trade dispute with the US. North America's car manufacturing sector is highly integrated, with a car crossing the US-Canada-Mexico borders multiple times before it is assembled and ready to be sold. For example, some Ford F-150s have engines that are built in Canada with electronic parts manufactured in Mexico, and are then assembled in either Michigan or Missouri. Stellantis' shutdown announcement on Thursday affects workers in all three countries. Not only did the company halt operations at its long-standing Windsor plant (what used to be the Chrysler plant) for two weeks, it also paused production at its Toluca, Mexico, plant for one month and laid off 900 workers in the US. For Canada, the price is steep. The country sells almost all of its produced cars - 93% - to the US market, amounting to around 1.6 million vehicles. The car parts it manufactures for vehicles assembled south of the border are also now subject to a 25% US tariff. Car prices going up for consumers is a likely outcome, says Mahmood Nanji, the Lawrence Centre Policy Fellow at Western University's Ivey Business School and a former associate deputy minister at the Ontario Ministry of Finance. Even with a lower 12.5% tariff applied on Canadian-made cars with US parts, Mr Nanji predicts that it would add about $8,000 (£6,110) to the price of a Chevrolet Silverado. "Dealers are going to have a hard time selling those vehicles, and consequently, demand may very well slow down," he says, adding that this would have significant impacts on both sides of the US-Canada border. The tariffs will also be an "administrative nightmare", says Mr Nanji, as companies and border security officials try to work out how these tariffs will be applied in North America's enmeshed auto sector. Auto workers in Windsor, like Chad Lawton, say they hope these levies are temporary and that Canada and the US could negotiate a deal, "so we don't end up in a situation that's going to lead to mass layoffs". But Mr Lawton says he also believes that Canada must stand up for itself, and that it "cannot just concede and roll over and allow it to happen".

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed to retaliate to tariffs issued by US President Donald Trump soon, "with purpose and with force". Carney paused his federal election campaign for the second time in as many weeks to respond to the latest import taxes unveiled by Trump on Wednesday. A new universal 10% tariff on US imports will apply globally but Canada was exempted because it has already been targeted by Trump with other measures. But there was no confirmation of any reprieve from a new 25% tax that Trump will charge on Americans importing foreign-made cars, which could hit Canada hard. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Carney said the existing tariffs on Canada would "directly affect millions". He added that Canada's reaction would be hammered out once he meets with province and territory premiers on Thursday. In his announcement on Wednesday, Trump said the blanket rate of 10% tax would apply to all goods imported by Americans from other countries. He also unveiled a list of 60 nations facing higher rates - which he described as a "reciprocal" move - though Canada notably was not on that list. So, after days of anticipation about what Trump's "Liberation Day" would mean for Canada, the answer seems to be that little has changed. That has not brought relief to America's northern neighbour. Much of the American tariff scheme on Canada will stay the same: a blanket 25% on all goods, except those under the existing North American free trade agreement. Energy and potash is tariffed at a lower 10%, while a 25% levy on Canadian steel and aluminium remains in place. Trump has tied those previously-announced tariffs to the flow of fentanyl and migrants into the US from both Canada and Mexico. Officials signalled that some may be lowered if an "emergency" declaration by Trump is cancelled. Speaking at the White House on Wednesday, Trump also confirmed that his new 25% tariff "on all-foreign made automobiles" would come into effect at midnight on Thursday. He did not say whether Canada, whose car industry is heavily intertwined with that of the US, would be exempt. Carney's response to the tariffs so far has been a political win for Carney and his Liberal party - now ahead in national polls - as the Conservative Party and its leader Pierre Poilievre trail slightly behind. As the incumbent, Carney has the advantage of playing the role of prime minister while simultaneously auditioning for it, and national polls show Canadians trust him more with handling Trump and the Canada-US relationship. This success - at least so far - has forced Poilievre to pivot his messaging. On Wednesday, the Conservative leader held an event in Toronto hours ahead of Trump's announcement to outline his party's response. He pushed for immediate, "targeted" retaliation, and said his party would introduce a temporary loan program to support businesses directly hit. Poilievre urged Canada to renegotiate the existing North American trade agreement with Canada, the US and Mexico as soon as possible. The agreement, known as CUSMA, is up for review in 2026. "Why wait? Why not get it done now?" Poilievre asked. The rest of Canada's federal leaders laid out their own responses Wednesday - a sign of how much these tariffs have overshadowed Canada's federal election, scheduled for 28 April. New Democratic Leader Jagmeet Singh said during an early afternoon campaign stop in Winnipeg that his party would put measures in place to help workers impacted by the tariffs. He also called Trump an "arsonist", saying that the US president is "setting fire to the economy — his own economy, and ours as well." Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, whose party only runs candidates in French-speaking Quebec, said counter-tariffs should be "surgically chosen" to preserve the country's "fragile" economy. Meanwhile in the US Senate, an effort to block Trump from imposing tariffs on Canada passed, 51-48, on Wednesday, with four Republican senators aligning with all Democratic senators. But it is not expected to be taken up by the House of Representatives, which holds a narrow Republican majority. While Canada has been spared from additional tariffs, this reprieve has not changed the overall tone in the country. Candace Laing, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said that Wednesday's announcement means "the world is waking up to a reality that Canada has been living with for months." "Businesses around the world have had their uncertainty expanded, the effects of which will undoubtedly boomerang to Canada as well," she said in a statement. "This chain reaction of tariffs and counter-tariffs will have a real and distressing economic impact on Americans, Canadians and the global economy." Carney echoed those comments Wednesday, telling reporters the tariffs will "fundamentally change the international trading system." The focus for now, he said, is how Canada can protect its workers and build what he vowed will be "the strongest economy in the G7."