OTTAWA – Rising tensions between the United States and Iran, now in its sixth week according to a CBC News broadcast, are impacting global oil prices and potentially increasing costs for Canadian air travel. The conflict centers around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit route, with the U.S. threatening potential attacks on Iranian infrastructure if the strait remains closed.

Impact on Air Travel and Oil Prices

The CBC News broadcast reported that the conflict is effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, causing jet fuel prices to rise. As a result, WestJet, Air Canada, Porter, and Air Transat are implementing fuel surcharges or additional fees on some bookings. While Canada currently has a sufficient supply of jet fuel, the country will still pay the global price, leading to increased fares. Globally, fuel rationing and flight cancellations are already occurring in some regions.

According to the broadcast, Iran’s ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz allows it to exert leverage over oil prices, with no immediate resolution in sight. The U.S. President has reportedly threatened escalation if the Strait is not reopened.

Artemis 2 Mission Success

In separate news, the Artemis 2 crew successfully completed a slingshot maneuver around the moon, temporarily losing communication with Earth before re-establishing contact. The crew, consisting of three Americans and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, travelled further into space than any previous mission, surpassing the record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. During the mission, the crew requested that a newly discovered lunar crater be named after Carol Taylor Wiseman, a member of their astronaut family who passed away in 2020. The crew also observed parts of the far side of the moon previously unseen by human eyes and witnessed a solar eclipse. They are scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Friday.

TD Bank Scam and By-Election in Quebec

CBC News also reported on a scam targeting a TD customer, Laysa Taron, who lost $4,650 after being tricked into verifying fraudulent transactions. Despite repeated appeals, TD initially denied reimbursement, citing the customer’s confirmation of the transactions. TD stated in a release that it does not ask for one-time passcodes and encourages victims of fraud to report incidents to the bank, police, and credit bureaus.

Finally, a by-election is scheduled for April 13th in Terrebonne, Quebec, following a court decision overturning the previous election result due to errors with mail-in ballots. The outcome of this by-election is considered significant, as it could determine whether the Liberal party forms a majority government.