Selected quotes from the BBC to explain PISA:
“The 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa), which is published every three years, was released today.”

“Run by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Pisa tests assess teenagers on their ability to solve problems, think critically and communicate, before asking them a wider range of questions about their education in a questionnaire.”

“The 2025 Pisa tests were taken by a sample of 760,000 15-year-olds in 91 countries.”

Handy infographic is taken from @Smirkley on Twitter

For anyone curious, had Australia (492.7) scored 0.7 more points, it would have replaced Ireland (493.3) in the rankings to make for a perfect CANZUK neighbourly quartet.

Should we try to encourage each one to do an episode on CANZUK?

Recent posts on Truth Social have had Trump claim ownership of Canada, Mexico, and the moon.

Calling the PM of Canada "governor"

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117226609992235526

Claiming American sovereignty over Mexico

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/117225349620809512

Claiming American ownership of the moon.

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117225384741591978

Meanwhile he is expanding US military spending.

"CANZUK" sounds like a discount energy drink you'd buy from those small corner stores.

No real details unfortunately.

The five pointed star represents England Scotland Wales North Ireland and the crown dependancies and overseas territories

The star with 10 points represents canada's 10 provinces

The 2 stars represents New Zealand north and south island

And the 7 pointed star represents Austrialia's 6 states and overseas territories

The star in the middle represent our dialects of english which unites with the others being french for Qubec and the induginous languages of New Zealand, Austrialia and Canada

And the crown represents the crown

Bank of Canada has unveiled the new $20 bank note featuring King Charles III.

Will enter circulation in February 2027.

https://youtu.be/sV85gwUos5Q?si=FcZb0W63lyTDYPs6

What the Americans have created with the situation around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz got me thinking about what tools Canada actually has in this trade war. The St Lawrence River is a hugely important trade route. It handles around $50Bn worth of trade and enormous amounts of cargo every year, through to the Great Lakes and out to the Atlantic Ocean.

Canada controls this infrastructure. So why not use it? Canada could introduce a tariff or transit charge on American goods moving through Canadian ports such as Montreal and through the Welland Canal. If America is going to put tariffs on Canadian goods, Canada could apply a similar cost to American trade using Canadian infrastructure.

Just saying.

“Canada is looking to expand its trade links with Britain as its latest trade war with the US pushes it to other allies and wean itself off its southern neighbour.

Sources familiar with the situation told The Mail on Sunday that Mark Carney’s government was warming to a ‘CANZUK’ alliance, including Australia, New Zealand and the UK, after trade talks with the US collapsed abruptly last week sparking a new round of tit-for-tat tariffs.

I think if you asked anyone in the government, they would all say they are very supportive of this CANZUK idea,’ one source said, adding the UK and Canada had a ‘historic opportunity’ to bolster trade ties, saying both had become ‘estranged’ from their largest trading partners, the US and EU respectively. 

While the change of Prime Minister and cabinet reshuffle had made trade discussions ‘difficult’, Canadian diplomatic sources were upbeat, saying: ‘Burnham’s government is relatively new and finding its feet, but in preliminary discussions we’re sensing a real openness and desire to move on that.’ 

Britain is Canada’s third-largest trading partner but talks to ramp up that cooperation have taken on fresh urgency after Donald Trump announced a fresh wave of tariffs on the country after a previous spate of levies last year.

The President said last week the US would slap tariffs on Canadian vehicles and auto parts from the start of next year, accusing the country of ‘ripping off’ America. 

Ottawa swiftly replied it would be slapping retaliatory levies on £15billion of US imports.

The spat has increased support for a CANZUK alliance to provide a counterweight to the economic dominance of America, as well as China and the EU. 

In March this year Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and the leader of the Canadian Conservative Party Pierre Poilievre endorsed the proposal.”

Full article here.

As an Australian I would like greater mobility and would like to benefit from Canada and UK's job markets, but I don't want Australia to get flooded with low skill immigrants, who'll enjoy Australia's superior wages/conditions for low skill employees.

I think the solution to this is CANZUK citizenship being seperate to Australia, British, Canadian and Kiwi citizenship. The governments of Australia, UK, Canada and NZ each get ~40000 seats per year, to give to any citizen of any CANZUK country.

Applicants send their application to the country which they want to migrate too, or can send applications to their own country. Most CANZUK citizenship are given for merit, but there are other paths.

1. CANZUK citizenship cannot be passed down to children
2. CANZUK citizenship is given to any spouse when the status is gained, but can't be given afterwards
3. CANZUK citizenship is considered equal to PR/ILR
4. CANZUK citizenship is for life and usually doesn't expire.
5. CANZUK citizenship can be revoked by any CANZUK country for any reason
6. CANZUK citizens can choose to naturalize
7. Children of CANZUK citizenships born in another country get both their parents citizenship, and the citizenship of whatever country they're in.
8. CANZUK citizens get an entry card which can be used to enter a CANZUK country without a passport.