Good day,

It’s Tuesday morning and there’s a lot happening across the country.

Alberta is making a major change to private medical testing, the Gordie Howe Bridge is finally open and Canada is looking toward pipelines and new trade partners as tensions with the United States continue.

Starting July 31, Alberta adults will be able to book and pay for certain medical scans without first getting a referral from a doctor.

The new system covers some MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds and X rays performed at participating private clinics. Regular medically necessary testing ordered through the public system will remain covered.

The government says this gives Albertans more choice and could help detect serious illnesses sooner. Someone who receives a new cancer diagnosis may also qualify for reimbursement up to the provincial rate.

The concern is that more testing is not always better.

Scans can uncover harmless abnormalities that lead to more appointments, biopsies and anxiety. Doctors are also questioning who will explain the results and take responsibility for follow up care.

There is also a staffing question. Private clinics and public hospitals rely on the same limited supply of radiologists and medical technologists.

Side Note: Alberta is calling these preventative tests, but that does not mean every scan is medically recommended or proven to improve a patient’s health.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge opened to traffic on July 27, connecting Windsor and Detroit with six traffic lanes and direct highway access.

Canada financed the project on both sides of the border because the United States and Michigan would not provide the required construction funding.

The bridge gives manufacturers and truckers another route across one of North America’s busiest trade corridors. It should also reduce pressure on the privately owned Ambassador Bridge and move more trucks away from Windsor streets.

The opening became political after Donald Trump threatened to stop it unless the United States received a better deal.

A revised agreement gives a United States controlled development fund 50 per cent of net toll revenue for 15 years, even though Canada paid for construction.

Side Note: The bridge is an important new trade route, but Canada will keep less of the early toll revenue than originally expected.

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A proposed pipeline from Alberta to British Columbia’s Pacific coast could carry roughly one million additional barrels of oil per day.

TD Economics says the project could eventually increase Canada’s economy by about 0.6 per cent and Alberta’s by roughly 3.5 per cent.

The main advantage would be giving Canadian oil producers greater access to Asian customers instead of relying so heavily on the United States.

More export capacity could also reduce the discount placed on Canadian heavy oil when existing pipelines become crowded.

But these are forecasts, not guaranteed results.

The project still faces regulatory reviews, financing, Indigenous consultation and construction. Current estimates place the potential cost between $35.2 billion and $43.7 billion.

Side Note: The economic case may be strong, but the real test is whether Canada can build it without repeating the delays and cost increases of Trans Mountain.

Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke is facing criticism after supporting social media posts that would give wealthier taxpayers more political power.

One proposal suggested giving people additional votes based on how much income tax they pay. Someone paying no income tax would receive no vote, while the highest taxpayers could receive as many as five.

Lütke replied, “Good system.”

He also suggested that people receiving guaranteed pensions could lose their vote because they should be treated as dependants.

The argument treats government like a company, where people who contribute more money receive more control.

But voting rights are based on citizenship, not income.

Someone may pay little or no income tax because they are retired, disabled, studying, caring for family or temporarily out of work.

There is also some irony here. Shopify shareholders previously approved a structure that guarantees Lütke at least 40 per cent of the company’s voting power, even when his ownership share is lower.

Side Note: His comments do not change Canadian election law, but they offer a revealing look at how one of Canada’s most powerful business leaders views political influence.

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Canada and the United Arab Emirates have finished negotiating a new trade agreement.

The deal still requires legal review, signatures and ratification before it takes effect.

Once implemented, it is expected to lower some tariffs and make it easier for Canadian companies in agriculture, aerospace, engineering and clean technology to sell into the UAE.

The timing matters because Canada is trying to reduce its dependence on the United States as Trump increases tariffs and trade pressure.

Canada and the UAE traded approximately $3.5 billion in goods during 2025.

That makes the UAE an important Middle Eastern market, but still a very small partner compared with the United States.

Side Note: This deal gives Canadian businesses another opportunity, but it will not come close to replacing the American market.