What changed this week

Articles (4)

Policy Watch|Canada

Ottawa proposes letting 27 police services, from Toronto to Victoria, jam cellphone signals

A proposed Industry Minister’s order in the Canada Gazette (Part I, 10 October 2026) would exempt employees of 27 named police services, including the OPP, Sûreté du Québec, Toronto, Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver police, from the Radiocommunication Act’s ban on jammers. Until now only the RCMP, the military and prison services have been exempted. The order sets purposes and conditions, but no expiry, no warrant requirement and no public reporting of uses. Comments are open until about 9 November.

Daily Teabag Desk·October 13, 2026Centre

Policy Watch|Canada

Budget bill would end Canada’s automatic 15-year safety re-evaluation of pesticides

Division 13 of Bill C-31, the Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2, would replace the Pest Control Products Act’s mandatory re-evaluation of every registered pesticide after 15 years with an “assessment” on available information. A full re-evaluation would follow only if the Health Minister has reasonable grounds to believe risks have “increased significantly.” The finance committee heard objections last week; amendments are due 22 October.

Daily Teabag Desk·October 13, 2026Centre

Economy & Jobs|United States, Canada

U.S. sets out how Canadian and Mexican goods can count American parts and metal to cut a 25% tariff

A Commerce Department notice publishing on 14 October 2026 tells U.S. Customs what counts as “U.S. content” for USMCA-qualifying goods from Canada and Mexico under Proclamation 11032. Those goods pay the 25% steel-and-aluminum duty only on their non-U.S. content, with a 15% floor. The guidance lets importers count U.S.-made parts and, separately, steel melted and poured or aluminum and copper smelted and cast in the U.S.

Daily Teabag Desk·October 13, 2026Centre

Policy Watch|United States, Canada

U.S. border agency proposes making railways send it every cross-border passenger’s details an hour before the train leaves

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection proposed rule, scheduled for Federal Register publication on 13 October 2026, would require rail carriers to transmit each passenger’s and crew member’s name, date of birth, sex, citizenship, residence, travel-document details, itinerary, U.S. address, seat, and phone and email if given, at least 60 minutes before any train leaves for or from the United States, including trains to and from Canada. Sharing this data has been voluntary since 2005, and CBP says one carrier does it now. Comments are open for 60 days.

Daily Teabag Desk·October 12, 2026Centre

Watchlist updates (14)

• U.S. — Georgia SB 351 social-media age verification (NetChoice v. Carr)

  11th Cir. vacated PI 15 Oct 2026; remanded to N.D. Ga. · last updated 2026-10-16 · United States (11th Cir. / N.D. Ga.)

  Published opinion No. 25-12436: NetChoice has associational standing but failed Moody facial First Amendment burden plus vagueness and § 230 at the PI stage. SB 351 age verification / under-16 parental consent / minor-ad limits enforceable pending further district-court proceedings.

• U.S. — DOJ suit over California vote-by-mail ballots to likely noncitizens

  Complaint filed 15 Oct 2026 (2:26-cv-12025); PI briefing pending · last updated 2026-10-16 · United States (C.D. Cal.)

  United States v. California seeks to enjoin tabulation of federal vote-by-mail ballots from a federal list of more than 20,000 likely noncitizens until citizenship is verified. Cites 18 U.S.C. § 611 and California’s mail-to-all-registered-voters practice.

• U.S. — EPA proposal to reallocate extra 2025 small refinery exemptions onto 2026–27 RFS

  Proposed rule published 16 Oct FR; hearing 4 Nov; comments due 4 Dec · last updated 2026-10-16 · United States (EPA)

  FR Doc. 2026-21155 (published 16 Oct) co-proposes reallocating 770 million additional 2025 exempted RINs either equally to 2026 and 2027 or all to 2027. EPA estimates under 1¢/gal added pump cost. Triggers automatic extension of the 2026 compliance reporting deadline (now 31 Mar 2027).

• EU — proposal to delay Methane Regulation import obligations by one year

  Commission proposal COM(2026) 569 adopted 14 Oct; awaits Parliament and Council · last updated 2026-10-15 · European Union (Commission / Parliament / Council)

  Would move the importer equivalence demonstration (now from 1 Jan 2027) to a first report by 31 May 2029, methane-intensity reporting from 5 Aug 2028 to 5 Aug 2029, and maximum-intensity compliance from 5 Aug 2030 to 5 Aug 2031. Commission cites the Hormuz supply shock.

• U.S. — Emergency Tax Relief on Diesel Fuel (executive order)

  IR-2026-122: dyed-fuel penalties waived 1 Oct–31 Dec; 7508A deferral guidance still pending · last updated 2026-10-15 · United States (Treasury / IRS)

  EO 14435 (91 FR 64747) directed Treasury to decide whether 26 U.S.C. 7508A relief is authorised and to have the IRS waive 6715 dyed-fuel penalties for highway use. Update 14 Oct: IR-2026-122 announces no federal dyed-diesel highway penalty from 1 Oct through 31 Dec 2026 (inspections suspended; federal-only). The same release says further 7508A postponement guidance for 4041(a)(1)(A)/(b)(1)(B) is anticipated and that Treasury will explore eliminating deferred amounts — that guidance is not yet issued. Illinois EO 2026-08 (6 Oct) is separate state relief. OFAC GL 135 (9 Oct) still authorizes Russian-origin diesel imports to 7 Apr 2027.

• U.S. — DHS/USCIS final rule ending automatic EAD extensions on renewal

  Final rule published 14 Oct (91 FR 65306); effective on publication · last updated 2026-10-14 · United States (DHS / USCIS)

  FR Doc. 2026-20955 adopts without change the 30 Oct 2025 IFR (90 FR 48799): renewals in covered categories filed on/after 30 Oct 2025 do not get automatic extension of employment authorization/EAD; up-to-540-day bridge limited to renewals filed before that date. C08 and C09 dominate volume. 653 comments on the IFR.

• U.S. — EPA extends GHGRP reporting-year 2025 deadline to 10 March 2027

  Interim final rule published 14 Oct (91 FR 65112); comments due 30 Nov · last updated 2026-10-14 · United States (EPA)

  FR Doc. 2026-20982 changes only the reporting-year 2025 Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program deadline, from 30 Oct 2026 to 10 Mar 2027, while EPA finishes a separate GHGRP reconsideration proposal. No other part 98 changes.

• U.S. — BIS guidance on “U.S. content” for USMCA goods under Proclamation 11032

  Published 14 Oct (91 FR 65162); effective for entries from 12:01 a.m. ET · last updated 2026-10-14 · United States (Commerce / BIS; CBP) — Canada and Mexico

  For USMCA-qualifying Canadian and Mexican Annex I-C steel and aluminum articles, the 25% duty applies only to non-U.S. content, with a 15% floor (8 Jun 2026–31 Dec 2027). BIS defines U.S. content as U.S. parts (wholly obtained, entirely produced or substantially transformed) plus U.S.-melted steel and U.S.-smelted aluminum and copper.

• U.S. — DHS/EOIR final rule on civil fines for failure to depart and unlawful entry

  Final rule published 14 Oct (91 FR 65390); effective on publication · last updated 2026-10-14 · United States (DHS / ICE / CBP; DOJ / EOIR)

  FR Doc. 2026-21024 finalizes the 27 June 2025 interim rule (90 FR 27439): DHS officers issue penalty decisions directly (regular mail allowed), 15 business days to appeal, supervisory review on the written record, no BIA appeal. One change: late appeals accepted for documented mail delays. Fines up to $998/day (INA 274D), $1,992–$9,970 (INA 240B(d)), $100–$500 per entry (INA 275(b)). DHS reports over 176,000 penalties issued under the interim rule through 14 Sep 2026.

• Canada — proposed order letting 27 police services use cellphone jammers

  Pre-published 10 Oct (Canada Gazette I); comments for 30 days (to about 9 Nov) · last updated 2026-10-13 · Canada (ISED / Radiocommunication Act s. 14(1))

  Proposed Radiocommunication Act Exemption Order (Jammers — Certain Law Enforcement Agencies): exempts employees of 27 listed police services, their procurement staff and suppliers from the jammer ban for national security, public safety, investigations and protection purposes. Conditions: notice of contacts to the Minister, minimization, training, secure storage, five-year use logs. No warrant requirement, public reporting or expiry in the text. In force on registration.

• Canada — Bill C-31 Division 13: end of mandatory 15-year pesticide re-evaluation

  In committee; ministers 19–20 Oct; amendments due noon 22 Oct (per chair, as reported) · last updated 2026-10-13 · Canada (House of Commons, Standing Committee on Finance)

  Clauses 282–285 of the Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2 replace mandatory re-evaluation under Pest Control Products Act s. 16(2) with a 15-year assessment on available information; full re-evaluation only on reasonable grounds that risks have ‘increased significantly’ (undefined). Ongoing re-evaluations can be terminated after such an assessment.

• U.S. — CBP proposal to require advance passenger and crew data for every cross-border train

  Proposed rule published 13 Oct (91 FR 64840); comments due 14 Dec · last updated 2026-10-13 · United States (DHS / CBP) — trains to and from Canada and Mexico

  FR Doc. 2026-20884 (USCBP-2026-0992) would require rail carriers to send a train notice 24 hours ahead and each traveller’s identity, document, itinerary, U.S. address, seat and contact data 60 minutes before departure, in both directions, and to verify travel documents. CBP could recommend that a carrier not board a flagged traveller. Voluntary since 2005; one carrier participates. CBP is drafting a matching bus rule.

• U.S. — Forest Service final rule shortening project comment and objection periods (36 CFR 218)

  Final rule published 13 Oct (91 FR 64760); effective 12 Nov · last updated 2026-10-13 · United States (USDA / Forest Service) — national forests and grasslands

  FR Doc. 2026-20890: comment periods 15 days (EA) / 30 days (EIS), from 30/45; objections within 10/20 days, from 45 (30 for HFRA projects); the deciding official reviews objections instead of a higher-level reviewing officer; 5-page responses; web-only legal notice. Proposed 6 Feb 2026 (91 FR 5387); ~2,270 comments.

• Alberta — second Impact Assessment Act reference (2026 ABCA 320)

  4–1 opinion 9 Oct: designated-projects scheme ultra vires except federal undertakings · last updated 2026-10-11 · Canada (Alberta Court of Appeal → possible SCC appeal)

  Reference by Alberta OIC 316/2024 on the IAA as amended by the Budget Implementation Act, 2024, No 1. Majority (Crighton, Strekaf, Ho, Fagnan JJA): designated-projects part and Physical Activities Regulations unconstitutional except insofar as they apply to federal undertakings; severing s 7 would not cure it. Feehan JA dissented. Advisory opinion; the Act remains in force. Ecojustice has urged Ottawa to appeal; Premier Smith urged Ottawa not to. Environment Minister Dabrusin’s office says the government is reviewing the decision and considering next steps (CP, 9 Oct). No appeal announced as of 11 Oct.