As the country heads into the heart of summer, a series of significant challenges is shaping both the national conversation and the priorities of governments across the country. Rising living costs, an increasingly active wildfire season and growing investments in defence are unfolding simultaneously, reminding Canadians that domestic issues are often influenced by events far beyond our borders. Affordability remains the issue weighing most heavily on households. Statistics Canada recently reported that annual inflation climbed to 3.2 per cent in May, the highest level in more than two yea