National Business

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ongoing tariff threats from Washington and potentially sweeping government job cuts have darkened consumers’ mood and may be weighing on an otherwise mostly healthy economy.

Microsoft is closing down Skype, the video-calling service it bought for $8.5 billion in 2011, which had helped spark a transformation in how people communicate online.

QUÉBEC — Quebec Premier François Legault replaced his cybersecurity and digital technology minister Friday after a scandal with the auto insurance board's online platform forced the resignation of Éric Caire.

Premier David Eby says B.C. residents will soon start seeing more "Buy BC" advertisements, and the province has also launched a new website with a tool to help people buy local.

MONTREAL — Laurentian Bank of Canada reported a slight increase in profits in the first quarter as it works through reform efforts. The bank said Friday it had a first-quarter profit of $38.6 million, up from $37.3 million a year earlier.

CALGARY — U.S. tariff threats are making politicians and the general public more receptive to Canadian energy infrastructure projects, the chief executive of Pembina Pipeline Corp. says.

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) — Microsoft is closing down Skype, the video-calling service it bought for $8.5 billion in 2011.

OTTAWA — Canada's economy was heating up heading into 2025, but the return of U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House threatens to snuff out those burgeoning flames. Statistics Canada reported Friday that real gross domestic product rose 2.

Police say an Oakville man is facing multiple charges after allegedly robbing 14 banks and two retail businesses this month in several cities across southern Ontario, including Toronto, Hamilton and Guelph.

OTTAWA — The federal government posted a budgetary deficit of $21.7 billion for the April-to-December period of its 2024-25 fiscal year. The result compared with a deficit of $23.6 billion for the same period a year earlier.