Trumps pause on tariffs, Buy Canadian sentiment and the latest job numbers: Business and investing stories for Feb. 9 [Video]

Trump hits pause on trade war – for now

This week, U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on tariffs against Canada after the federal government promised to invest $200-million more in fighting organized crime and drugs. Canada also pledged to appoint a fentanyl czar, designate drug cartels as terrorists and to launch a new joint strike force to combat organized crime and illegal production and distribution of fentanyl, Steven Chase and Nathan VanderKlippe report. Last year, 19.5 kilograms of fentanyl were intercepted along the Canadian border last year – which is 0.2 per cent of the nearly 11 tonnes intercepted in total in the U.S. The data the White House is pointing to also appears to have no known connection to Canada, Kathryn Blaze Baum and Colin Freeze report. Nevertheless, the agreement delays a costly and damaging trade war – at least for now – with Canada’s biggest trading partner.

Retailers, consumers respond to the Buy Canada sentiment

While the U.S. tariffs threat is on pause, the reaction …