The Latest: Canada strikes back with tariffs on about $20 billion…

National Newswatch: Canada's most comprehensive site for political news and views. Workers remove scaffolding from columns at the North Portico of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, in Washington. , in response to the latest round of tariffs on Canada. The outcome could resonate far beyond Canada, showing other governments whether a smaller U.S. ally can withstand Trump's economic pressure.say they are"completely" or"somewhat" satisfied with the U.S. school system, according to a new poll. That's an 11-point drop over the past two years and the lowest since Gallup began polling on the subject 27 years ago. Cruz warned Tuesday on"Fox & Friends" that Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico is a"talented" candidate with plenty of campaign cash and an energized opposition to Trump. He said it's time for Texas Republicans who backed Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary to set aside their reservations about the scandal-plagued Paxton. "Listen, primaries-they're good, they're healthy, they're part of politics. But when they're over, they're over," Cruz said. "Often moderates in our party, if they win a primary, will tell conservatives, 'Now shut up and support the moderate. The primary is over. ' Well, this time the shoe is on the other foot," Cruz continued,"and it's time to come together. You may think Ken Paxton's fantastic. He may not be your cup of tea. That's not the question. "Shroud and some scaffolding come down at White House front entrance Restoration work on the White House North Portico appears to be nearing completion ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the U.S. in late September. Scaffolding was being taken down Monday after workers removed a shroud over the weekend. The executive mansion's front columns had been Administration officials said previously that stonework and plaster on the structure was being refurbished. Trump's first major midterm money move: A $10M Texas Senate ad blitz The political group associated with Trump is spending $10 million on television and digital advertisements in the Texas Senate race, according to a Saturday filing with the Federal Election Commission.in a premier general election contest by MAGA, Inc., and reflects how a once-safe Republican seat in Texas may be viable for Democrats withThe ads seek to highlight taxes as a dominant issue at a time when many voters have expressed concerns about continued inflation. Talarico has favored higher taxes on wealthier households and the two ads seek to portray him as seeking tax hikes more broadly while claiming that Paxton would give tax breaks to first-time homebuyers and families with children. Appeals from American tourism organizations seemed to be everywhere Josh Loewen looked over the last year. Billboards and banners proclaimed a state or city's love forAs a Vancouver resident and marketing executive himself, Loewen said he understands the conciliatory overtures. The number of Canadians traveling to the United States plunged after Trump returned to office with remarks about making Canada the 51st state. Thehas not stopped state and local tourism officials and popular destinations like Graceland from trying to persuade Canadian visitors to return. The outreach is happening at the national level, too. Brand USA, the U.S. tourism industry's marketing organization, is bringing its Travel Week trade-event series to Canada for the first time in October, expanding and rebranding an earlier program known as Canada Connect.in the country has hit a low point, driven by a growing political divide and concerns that schools are not preparing children for Just 32% of American adults say they are"completely" or"somewhat" satisfied with the U.S. school system, according to an August poll published Tuesday by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation and shared exclusively with . That's an 11-point drop over the past two years and the lowest since Gallup began polling on the subject 27 years ago. Experts on education and school policy say the findings are deeply concerning but not surprising. The Trump administration has played a role in eroding public confidence by depicting schools as political battlegrounds, raising concerns about what teachers should be allowed to say in the classroom and moving to abolish diversity programs andTrump has said he wanted to channel the kind of political extravaganza that each party holds every four years to formally nominate a presidential candidate and showcase their vision for the country. There's even going to be a huge drop of balloons at the end. Trump had long floated the idea of holding such a convention and Republicans worked to make his wish a reality. Midterms are often difficult for the party in power in Washington, and Trump believes the event can juice enthusiasm for the party and boost turnout among his voters. "Pretend, please, that I'm on the ballot," Trump said recently in South Carolina. "Just come and vote. " Republicans said the event will help catapult its candidates into November, but it will also showcase the first two years of Trump's term. Although the president's poll numbers are sagging, he insists that running on his record will give Republicans their best shot at winning. Canada struck back at Trump on Tuesday with tariffs on about $20 billion worth of U.S. goods, in response to the latest round of tariffs on Canada. The outcome could resonate far beyond Canada, showing other governments whether a smaller U.S. ally can withstand Trump's economic pressure.says U.S. demands could hollow out key Canadian industries and limit the country's independence, and Trump's threats to Canadian sovereignty have rallied the public behind him. "Carney and Canada have become symbolic of resistance to him," Canadian historian Robert Bothwell said. "And what he'll want to do is make an example of Carney and Canada and theoretically terrify everybody else while in fact showing them that they need to remove themselves even further from the United States. "of American products, including steel, aluminum, cheese, appliances, clothing, cosmetics and farm equipment, at rates of 15%, 25% or 50%. Every Saturday, Peter Mansbridge provides a calm, thoughtful take on the week's top news stories. Subscribe for FREE! You can unsubscribe any time.