With 2 million visitors and $3.5 billion in tourism spending, more people are discovering the unique appeal of our province. Whether it's our breathtaking coastlines, vibrant culture, exceptional golf, delicious seafood, or fine wines, tourists are falling in love with what we have to offer.

As we kick off this year's tourism season, I extend my best wishes for a successful season to all our tourism operators and businesses.

In 2024, Nova Scotia welcomed two million visitors, resulting in a remarkable $3.5 billion in tourism revenue.
"Nova Scotia is a thrilling travel destination, with visitors captivated by our beautiful coastlines, diverse cultures, and premier golf, seafood, and wines," said Dave Ritcey, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage.

"We are collaborating with communities and businesses to enhance our province's visibility and encourage people to choose Nova Scotia for their next getaway." Despite a strong growth year prior, the number of visitors saw a slight decrease of two percent in 2024. However, tourism revenue surged by 10 percent, reaching $3.5 billion. Air arrivals increased by six percent in 2024, thanks to several new non-stop flight options. Conversely, the number of visitors arriving by road fell by seven percent. We saw a rise in visitors from Western Canada and the United States, while those from Atlantic Canada and Ontario decreased. Accommodations reported sales of three million room nights in 2024, marking a minor decline of one percent, equating to 17,000 fewer room nights sold compared to 2023.

Quotes: "Tourism revenues exceed $3 billion each year, employing over 50,000 Nova Scotians. It serves as a major economic engine for communities throughout the province. This is an excellent time for businesses to showcase our hospitality to all visitors and for Nova Scotians to rediscover our own province and support local enterprises." — Darlene Grant Fiander, President, Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia

Quick Facts: - The province is allocating $4.5 million to tourism support programs in 2025, focusing on marketing, digital adoption, and product development. - Tourism Nova Scotia runs advertising campaigns targeting Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Quebec, Calgary, the northeastern United States, the UK, and Germany.

Which party leader do you trust the most to navigate the current Canada-US trade tensions?
Mark Carney (Liberal)
Pierre Poilievre (Conservative)
Jagmeet Singh (NDP)
Yves-François Blanchet (Bloc Québécois)
Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault (Green)
Maxime Bernier (People's Party)

President Tinubu Commits to Enhancing Police Welfare and Modernization: On Monday, April 7, 2025, Nigeria celebrated its inaugural National Police Day with an impressive ceremony held at Eagle Square in Abuja, highlighting the crucial role of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in safeguarding national security and public safety. The historic event featured a magnificent parade showcasing officers from various tactical and operational units of the Force.

Highlights included demonstrations with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robots, specialized response vehicles, air and land assets from the Special Intervention Squad, K9 units, and drill exhibitions by the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Special Protection Unit (SPU), and Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), among others. In his keynote speech, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, hailed the inaugural Police Day as a significant testament to the NPF's renewed commitment to professionalism, community collaboration, and service excellence. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for establishing April 7 as National Police Day and affirmed the Force's dedication to reform, accountability, and building public trust.

Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, GCON, who represented President Tinubu as the Special Guest of Honour, reiterated the administration's commitment to improving the welfare of police officers and investing in modern equipment and technologies to enhance the Force's operational capabilities. He praised the bravery, dedication, and sacrifices made by police personnel amid Nigeria's evolving security challenges. The ceremony attracted a distinguished audience, including members of the Federal Executive Council, State Governors, National Assembly representatives, Service Chiefs, retired Inspectors-General of Police, senior officers, industry leaders, and members of the Police Veterans Association.

The NPF expressed gratitude to all stakeholders whose contributions were instrumental in making this inaugural celebration a success. The event marks the start of an ongoing national initiative aimed at improving policing standards, strengthening community relations, and fostering a safer Nigeria for everyone.

Trump's tariff threatens $10bn US-Nigeria trade 4th April 2025.

25-year duty-free AGOA partnership in danger, Nigerian-American commerce chamber worries.
Nigeria's crude revenue may plunge as US begins enforcement Wed, NACCIMA raises concerns .

The newly imposed 14 per cent tariff by US President Donald Trump on exports by Nigerian businesses presents a significant risk to the $10bn annual exports to the United States, potentially disrupting key sectors such as oil export and agricultural trade, experts and trade associations concerned about a potential global trade war stated on Thursday. The economic experts, in separate interviews with The PUNCH, noted that the policy, which would raise the prices of goods and services for consumers, would weaken the standard of living, slow down manufacturing activities, hinder international trade and consequently weaken demand for Nigerian oil in the US, one of its key markets. The experts also predicted that Nigeria's oil earnings were poised for a significant decline following the announcement of the new tariff regime. In an interview with The PUNCH, the National President of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Sheriff Balogun, stated that since the inception of the African Growth and Opportunity Act in 2000, Nigeria had exported an estimated $277bn worth of goods to the United States, with crude taking the majority. Nigeria's exports to the United States currently average between $10bn and $12bn annually, although it has been fluctuating in recent years, according to US and Nigerian trade data. Trump had announced in a decision widely condemned by the European Union and exporting nations that countries seeking to sell goods to the United States would now face taxes as high as 50 per cent.

The announcement, made during a 'Make America Wealthy Again' event in the Rose Garden, marked a dramatic shift from decades of free-trade orthodoxy that had underpinned the global economy since World War II. He said the new sweeping tariffs of at least 10 per cent on all countries were part of a broader strategy aimed at rebalancing global trade and addressing perceived unfair trade practices. According to the Trump administration, Nigeria imposes a 27 per cent tariff on US exports, a disparity they claim has long been detrimental to American businesses and consumers. It said the higher tariffs were charged through currency manipulation and trade barriers. Our correspondent gathered that the reciprocal tariff was calculated based on the trade deficit for the US in goods with the particular country divided by the total goods imports from that country, and then divided that number by two. A trade deficit occurs when a country buys (imports) more physical products from other countries than it sells (exports) to them.

In his address, Trump framed the tariff as part of a larger initiative to protect American industries and ensure that other nations play by what he described as "fair" trade rules. Trump declared the start of what he called a new era of "fair trade", promising to "supercharge America's industrial base" and force open foreign markets long accused of shutting out US goods.

"This is one of the most important days in American history," Trump said. "We will supercharge our domestic industrial base. We will pry open foreign markets and break down foreign trade barriers, and ultimately, more production at home will mean stronger competition and lower prices for consumers. "This will be, indeed, the golden age of Americans coming back. We are going to come back very strongly." Responding to the development, NACC president Balogun warned that the policy could impact trade volumes worth $277bn. "Since the African Growth and Opportunity Act began in 2000, Nigeria has exported an estimated $277bn worth of goods to the United States under the programme," he stated. "The vast majority of this trade value comes from crude oil shipments, with petroleum products overwhelmingly dominating Nigeria's AGOA exports each year. In fact, oil alone accounts for nearly all of Nigeria's exports under the initiative by value.

" Economic experts say this move threatens Nigeria's exports to the US, particularly petroleum goods, its major export product. With oil accounting for the bulk of Nigeria's export revenue, the move could exacerbate economic challenges, including a weaker naira and rising inflation. Additionally, reciprocal tariffs on imported goods like wheat and vehicles could further drive up local prices, compounding the financial strain on businesses and consumers alike.

According to Afreximbank research, the 14 per cent reciprocal tariff will reduce oil demand and lower forex earnings, while higher tariffs on wheat and vehicles may increase local prices; key exports include oil, cocoa, and rubber, while key imports include wheat, refined petroleum, and vehicles. It added that these tariffs could reduce export revenues, increase production costs, and disrupt investment flows, particularly for nations heavily reliant on US trade. Nigeria's main exports to the U.S. included crude petroleum, petroleum gas, and nitrogenous fertilisers, flour and meals of soya beans, urea, refined lead, flowers buds and natural gas, while the western country mainly exported cars, refined petroleum, and wheat to Nigeria. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria's trade with the United States reached a combined N31.1 trillion in ten years between 2015 and 2024. An analysis of the foreign trade report showed that N16.4tn was recorded as exports and N14.71tn in imports, indicating a trade surplus of N1.64tn A breakdown showed that Nigeria exported goods worth N344.27bn in 2015 and received N581.99bn as imports. In 2016, it increased to N1.03tn in exports and N706.09 in imports. Exports surged to N1.73tn in 2027, N1.094tn in 2018, N1.01tn in 2019 before dropping to N382.19bn in 2020 due to the pandemic. By 2021, exports increased to N800.34bn, N1.82tn in 2022, N2.61tn in 2023 and N5.52tn in 2024. The tariffs also come just as the US began importing jet fuel from Nigeria's Dangote Refinery, with six vessels carrying 1.7 million barrels arriving this month. The CEO, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Johnson Chukwu, explained that crude oil exports from Nigeria may remain unaffected by the tariff. Chukwu added that while Nigeria was not a major non-oil exporting nation, the larger concern is that the US tariffs could lead to reduced global production. "Once production declines, demand for crude will fall, bringing down oil prices and likely affecting Nigeria's projected revenue for the year," he warned. Beyond crude oil, the broader implications of the tariff war include rising consumer prices and weaker economic activity worldwide. The economist noted that as countries adjusted to the new trade landscape, the cost of goods and services would rise, leading to a lower standard of living and a slowdown in manufacturing and international trade. "However, at the general level, what Trump has done would trigger a higher cost of goods and services globally because countries would add it to their economies and it will be borne by final consumers.

So, prices will go up in almost all the jurisdictions, the standard of living will weaken, manufacturing activities will slow down, and international trade will slow down. Ultimately, where it will affect Nigeria is that the demand for crude will decline because production will go down, and once the demand reduces, it means the price will come down and likely affect the projected revenue from crude sales this year. We are not a strong non-oil exporting country, so it may not affect our agricultural products, but reduced demand will affect our crude revenue," he added. Already, crude oil prices took a sharp hit on Thursday, with Brent crude dropping below $70 per barrel following an unexpected increase in production by OPEC+. The CEO, Centre for Promotion of Private Enterprises, Muda Yusuf, highlighted the indirect effects Nigeria might face. "The Trump administration has practically brought closure to the AGOA trade window. Additionally, the trade war and retaliatory tariffs could trigger inflationary pressures in the U.S., leading to higher costs for imports into Nigeria," he said. Yusuf also warned that disruptions in global supply chains could weaken economic growth worldwide, potentially lowering crude oil prices — a development that would reduce Nigeria's foreign reserves and revenue. Despite these challenges, Yusuf noted that the shifting trade landscape could present new opportunities for Nigeria.

"Many countries affected by the trade war will seek new bilateral trade relationships, which may create investment opportunities for Nigerian businesses," he explained. However, he cautioned that if US inflation worsens, the Federal Reserve may tighten monetary policy, leading to higher interest rates and capital outflows from emerging economies—potentially putting further pressure on the naira's exchange rate. On his part, the Director General, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Sola Obadimu, urged the Federal Government to focus on domestic economic growth rather than overreacting to U.S. policies. He emphasised that every country, including the United States, implemented policies in its best interest, and Nigeria must do the same to protect its economy and create jobs. Obadimu explained that the tariff aligned with former US President Donald Trump's "America First" agenda, aimed at revitalising domestic industries and creating employment opportunities for American citizens. "Trump's goal has always been to make America great again, and one way to achieve that is to get factories running again," he said. "Many factories in the U.S. have shut down due to outsourcing, and this policy is designed to discourage imports, boost local production, and generate jobs. It's a valid argument." However, he stressed that the real concern for Nigeria should be its own economic strategy. He pointed out that the country exports mostly crude oil and raw agricultural products with little value added, effectively outsourcing jobs instead of creating employment locally. To address this, he called for policies that prioritize industrialization and job creation. "We cannot industrialise on generators. We should aim for 150,000 megawatts of electricity, add value to our products, and employ more people," he urged. While noting that Trump's policies could be overturned by a future administration, Obadimu emphasised that Nigeria must take proactive steps to safeguard its economy from external shocks and long-term poverty. In addition to the 14 per cent tariff on Nigerian exports, Trump also unveiled a broader trade policy that included a baseline 10 per cent tariff on all US imports. The new tariffs, which take immediate effect, apply to more than 50 countries. They include major trade partners like China, the European Union, India, and Japan, as well as developing economies in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The new policy is a dramatic shift in global trade and economic policy, rattling markets and stirring fears of a global trade war. Aside from Nigeria, some African countries that will bear the brunt of the new policy include Algeria (30 per cent); Lesotho (50 per cent); Mauritius (40 per cent); Kenya (10 per cent); Namibia (21 per cent) and Ethiopia as well as Ghana 10 per cent apiece. South Africa was handed down a reciprocal tariff of 30 per cent. Other countries, including China, got 34 per cent, India (26 per cent), South Korea (25 per cent), Japan 24 (per cent), Taiwan (32 per cent), United Kingdom (10 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent), Switzerland (31 per cent), Cambodia 49 (per cent) South Africa (30 per cent), Indonesia (32 per cent), Brazil (10 per cent) and Singapore (10 per cent). Trump said the baseline 10 percent tariff would start on April 5, while higher rates on various partners would begin on April 9.
Punchnews.ng
Edited: Bosman

Carlo Ancelotti stated, "Remember my prediction... VINI JR is set to deliver an outstanding performance tomorrow."

Premier Danielle Smith and healthcare agencies addressed the X platform regarding the reorientation of Alberta's healthcare system.



Video Coverage

- Races the or well below what's in the budget right now, so how concerned are you about that in our ballooning deficit, and were you wrong to declare a big win on Trump tariffs last week? Well, if you look at what we were able to advocate for, we have zero tariffs on energy, Israel tariffs on food, and zero terrorism. In fact, the vast majority of products are better.

- Recovered by the Kennedy was the retreat agreement plus a commitment from the US president to begin renegotiating early rather than in twenty twenty. There are still some work to do on steel and aluminium, on timber, and on autos, and I hope that that would be part of the comprehensive renegotiation, but we're seventy into the new budget, so I tend not to panic.are based on seven days worth of data. We had a lot of variation last year. We have a worst-case scenario budget.

We knew that we were going to end up with a lot of volatility. We hoped we would be able to avoid it, and I would hope that we would be able to, as soon as possible after the election, get back to a normal trade relationship with the United States.- I want to tell you about a new poll that says three in ten want to leave Canada if the Liberals win this election. You've said that you won't lead a referendum vote.
- His work at what Canada is able to do to meet his potential. I want us to be able to build an economic corridor.

I wanted to build a develop all of our resources from oil and gas always through the critical minerals and beyond, but I'm awesome on Canada to work for Alberta, and it hasn't been the last ten.years because of terrible policies by the liberals, and so I put forward a list of nine items that I think would allow for us to have a reset or relationship with the federation, and depending on who wins are in three weeks time, and that stands today. Those are some very basic things if we want to actually move to that reality of making it.
- I get that Canada is an economic powerhouse and supports Alberta, particularly, so I really hope that we can get Canada on the Melbourne Occurs team over to the one that has always been in Canada.- Hello, premier levels. Nothing for my head to Canada. I can't believe he will be here tonight, and can you explain just as I go back to know your comment that you made? How is he in sync with the Trump administration? That's a question for him.-But you see any parallel between him and Donald Trump, for instance, in their seller politics, I would say that tie everybody in Canada to a person who is opposed to tariffs, unfair tariffs, I guess, Canadian goods and services, and every one of us, no matter what political stripe, no matter what level of government, is working to try to get the US president.

- Honour the Kennedy was free trade agreements, so no parallel snow- Grant a house on the star of a question on today's topic.
Edited:Bosman

FBI teams nationwide are collaborating with the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Department of Justice, and various other agencies to implement immigration enforcement initiatives. By leveraging advanced technology and fostering teamwork, they are working to eliminate dangerous criminals and enhance the safety of our communities.



FBI

The RCMP apprehended a male Cuban national after he attempted to enter Canada illegally by running across the Fort Erie International Railway Bridge.

In a statement released Thursday, the RCMP reported that officers from the Niagara-on-the-Lake Border Integrity Unit, in collaboration with the Ontario Provincial Police were able to arrest the individual. "The RCMP continues to see positive operational impact from new investments in law enforcement between ports of entry and collaborative efforts with CN Police, OPP, and CBSA in maintaining the security and integrity of Canadian borders," said Sgt. Lepa Jankovic of the Border Integrity Unit, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Central Region RCMP. Authorities stated that the individual, whose identity was not disclosed, was transported to the CBSA office at the Peace Bridge port of entry, where he was deemed ineligible to enter Canada. He was subsequently deported to the United States on the same day. Michael Prosia, Acting Regional Director General for the Southern Ontario Region of the Canada Border Services Agency, said, "The CBSA and RCMP work in close partnership to maintain the security of our borders, this is yet another example of how our collaboration contributes to protecting the integrity of our border and the safety of our communities.

" The RCMP emphasized that they maintain a continuous 24/7 presence at the railway bridge where the man was caught. Prior to this incident, officers have intercepted and arrested several individuals attempting to cross into Canada illegally at the same location. Officials confirmed that all those apprehended were also sent back to the U.S.


This comes at a time when border officials, and the Canadian government are working to regain trust with the American administration that has tied certain tariff measures to the border security situation on the US' northern border with Canada. Canada's federal government has since appointed a federal border czar and invested an additional $1.3 billion into border security measures. Two weeks before the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, Ontario Premier Doug Ford also announced "Operation Deterrence", a project by the Ontario Provincial Police to crackdown on illegal border activity in the province. Members of the OPP are joining RCMP forces in actively patrolling the border areas by land, water, and air to disrupt cross-border criminal activity.
Edited: Bosmanbusiness

Mark Carney Faces His First Scandal** OTTAWA—The Liberal government, led by Mark Carney, is set to lend up to $304 million to AtkinsRéalis, previously known as SNC-Lavalin, for the design of the next generation of CANDU nuclear reactors.

This funding could position the company favorably to contend for contracts related to a significant expansion at Ontario's largest nuclear facility. When questioned about the rationale behind providing this interest-free loan, Carney was unable to give a direct response and redirected the inquiry to Jonathan Wilkinson, the Minister of Energy & Natural Resources. Wilkinson defended the government's involvement, stating, "In light of recent developments in the United States and under President Trump, it's becoming increasingly important for Ontario and Ontario Power Generation to carefully consider their decisions moving forward." The loan is intended to support the updated design of the CANDU reactor, which is currently operational at power plants across Canada and internationally. AtkinsRéalis has been advocating for government assistance in funding the redesign, dubbed the CANDU Monark, through its campaign "Canadians for Candu," which began last year. AtkinsRéalis, formerly SNC-Lavalin, holds the rights to develop and sell the CANDU reactor, originally designed by the Crown corporation Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL). In 2011, the government under Stephen Harper reached an agreement with AECL to lease this reactor technology to the Quebec-based engineering firm. While the company pays royalties to the government when selling a new reactor or conducting refurbishments, the government retains ownership of the technology's intellectual property. AtkinsRéalis has a history of controversy; prior to its rebranding, it was embroiled in a political scandal in 2019, when allegations surfaced that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pressured his then-justice minister, Jody Wilson-Raybould, to negotiate a deferred prosecution agreement to resolve criminal charges linked to activities in Libya. Those charges were eventually settled, resulting in SNC-Lavalin paying a $280 million fine.
Toronto Star.
Bosmanbusiness

#BREAKING: Government watchdogs have found that China is interfering in our election to promote Mark Carney's policies on America.

Video Coverage

- We are aware of an information operation targeting the forty-fifth general election on the social media platform WeChat.- The information operation was launched by you, Liam Yen, which adds the most popular news account.
- Intelligence reporting links the Yolie Your Me account to the PRC Chinese Communist Party Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission.

- The content of this information operation contained a story about the prime minister, the Liberal Party of Canada leader, and candidate in the peon, Mark Carney.- This content has been amplified in a coordinated and inauthentic way.- This information operation had contrasting positive and negative narratives, first amplifying Mr. Carney's stance with the United States and then targeting his experience and credentials.- The site task force assesses that the foreign state-backed information operation was intended to influence Canadian Chinese communities and look to more perceptions about the candidate.- The campaign received high levels of user engagement and views, between eighty-five thousand and one hundred and thirty thousand interactions and an estimate of one to three million views.
- WeChat developer Tencent reports that the platform itself has over 1.3 billion monthly active users but has not disclosed how many of those users live overseas.the activity so large spikes of what is believed to be coordinated inauthentic behaviour on March tenth and twenty-fifth, twenty twenty-five- Following increasing levels of engagement on the platform, the Liberal Party representative was briefed about the findings on April sixth.
Source @ Votary
Edited: Bosman