On Wednesday, Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced that the government's gas tax break will be extended until January 31, 2027. ^[1] The Liberal government is planning to impose countertariffs on U.S. goods valued at $27.6-billion as of September 8. ^[2] These new measures are in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's new 50-per-cent tariffs on about $28-billion worth of Canadian goods. ^[3] More than 20 artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic, signed on to a new federal government framework for data-centre development in Canada. ^[4] Quebec Solidaire proposes capping net profit margins for major supermarket chains at 2% and creating a network of 15 public grocery stores during the 2026 Quebec election campaign. ^[5] Profit caps would likely threaten the least profitable stores, which are often located in rural regions or disadvantaged neighborhoods, potentially creating new food deserts. ^[6] The author argues that arbitrarily capping profit margins would discourage investment in new stores, distribution centers, automation, cybersecurity, and cold chain infrastructure. ^[7] The author concludes that the state should not replace grocers but should support public stores, cooperatives, or independent grocers specifically in areas where the private market fails to provide adequate access to fresh and affordable food. ^[8]