Business
Business Spotlight: Expert Security Solutions

A local company re-brands with their customers in mind! Expert Security Solutions, formally Phone Experts Security, is evolving and it’s about a lot more than just a new look!
“Having determined what we didn’t want to look like and listening to our customers feedback, we decided to make some bold changes that set us apart from all our competitors and give us some key differentiators.” – Brad Dufresne
We recently sat down with Expert Security Solutions’ owner Brad Dufresne and spoke about the company’s renewed focus on security solutions and how it all began.
Q: When did The Phone Experts first begin to focus on security solutions and what was the catalyst for that?
A: The Phone Experts Security was born in 1995 out of a need that we saw for a local, reputable company to provide security systems for small and medium commercial businesses. At the time we were doing a lot of network cabling for computer and telephone systems and we were often asked if we could wire for security, so it seemed like a great fit for our business.
Q: Did you always plan on offering residential security solutions as well or did that come later?
A: While we never ruled out the prospect of providing residential security it wasn’t our focus; but we would regularly receive requests for security quotes from the consumer market, so we eventually started to sell and install in that segment as well. Back then our greatest obstacle to being competitive in the residential market was our ability to finance the customers over 3-year terms. Providers like ADT and VOX were able to do this, but we lacked the capital. The only way we could compete was to provide the hardware and installation at or below our cost and rely on revenue from monitoring to attain profitability.
Q: Tell us more about Expert Security Solutions- why the re-brand and why now?
A: The re-brand gives us the opportunity to tell customers we aren’t just a phone company that sells security, and it allows us to retool and redefine who we are as a security provider. We got to take a hard look at the industry and make decisions about what we didn’t like about the industry and offer customers a better product and service than what’s typically offered in both the consumer and commercial markets.
Q: How will you be offering better products and service- what does that mean to you?
A: The products and services we offer are tailored to what our customer needs are and ensuring they are protected. We are a security company that provides security products that go beyond what the average alarm company will provide at a price point that is fair to both the customer and the company. The installation will be completed by professional well-trained technicians who will exceed the customers expectations. We are constantly evaluating products to ensure that we are current and relevant with respect to changing technologies and we are constantly evaluating our customer service – we want to provide exceptional customer experiences.
Q: Tell us more about what went into re-imagining Expert Security Solutions; what did you discover about your business and your customers?
A: We started by asking ourselves questions like; Why we are in business, How do we differ from our competitors, What level of service do we provide, What image we want to convey and Who our customers are and Who we want our customers to be?
The answers we came up with provided us with a clear sense of what we want to be.
Then we created a value statement. This was created by our security team, specifically for the security division;
“We are a local company that cares about protecting what you value most, through innovative and personalized security solutions, while providing an exceptional customer experience.”
We want to create loyal clients that refer others and exceed our customers expectations while providing quality customized security.
Q: You certainly did your research! So where does all this bring Expert Security Solutions? What’s the way forward?
A: Having determined what we didn’t want to look like and listening to our customers feedback, we decided to make some bold changes that set us apart from all our competitors and give us some key differentiators.
The three pillars to our change and future success are the following:
No Contracts for Monitoring
We believe this is our key differentiator and the one that holds us the most accountable to our customers. When customers sign a long-term contract for the installation and monitoring of their security it puts them a terrible bargaining position when it comes to ongoing maintenance and even for the quality of the initial installation. By having no contract for the monitoring, it gives the customer the freedom to leave us if we aren’t providing the services they anticipated. While this a huge risk to us, I love the potential implications because it makes us constantly review our products and services to ensure that we truly are providing the best products and services at a competitive price.
Customer Loyalty Program
We review our customer accounts regularly to ensure they have opportunities to upgrade to current equipment and new technology. We have incentives for new and current customers.
Ongoing Support
Our dispatch is local and our technicians are local too. This allows us to offer services like troubleshooting and service work faster than a company that isn’t local. Our technicians can be reached 24 hours a day for technical issues or concerns.
Q: Any final thoughts on the future?
A: I believe that our vision for Expert Security Solutions as a “customer first, continuous improvement, learning organization”, will set us apart from the competition. But our success will hinge on our ability to get word of mouth advertising out to the market, so people will want to buy from us and seek out our services when required.
Check out these other great products and services from The Phone Experts/Expert Security Solutions:
Expert IT Solutions– From cloud managed antivirus to our full suite of remote and onsite support options, Expert IT Solutions keeps your business concentrated on business not your IT infrastructure. We keep your data secure by using our online back up services, available to all business service clients, and offer multiple combinations of services to fit your business needs.
Consumer Solutions – Phone Experts Consumer Solutions, provides wireless and internet services across Alberta, this includes Optik TV solutions, and rural services. Offering the latest cellphones, smartphones, prepaid devices and tablets!
Business Solutions – Go where your business takes you! Enable business growth and success with the right solutions and services from Phone Experts Business Solutions, backed by network reliability and industry expertise. We keep your business connected on the go.
The Phone Experts/Expert Security Solutions
ADDRESS:
4724 – 60th St, Red Deer, AB T4N 7C7
PHONE:
403-343-1122
EMAIL:
[email protected]
Business
Trump confirms 35% tariff on Canada, warns more could come

Quick Hit:
President Trump on Thursday confirmed a sweeping new 35% tariff on Canadian imports starting August 1, citing Canada’s failure to curb fentanyl trafficking and retaliatory trade actions.
Key Details:
- In a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said the new 35% levy is in response to Canada’s “financial retaliation” and its inability to stop fentanyl from reaching the U.S.
- Trump emphasized that Canadian businesses that relocate manufacturing to the U.S. will be exempt and promised expedited approvals for such moves.
- The administration has already notified 23 countries of impending tariffs following the expiration of a 90-day negotiation window under Trump’s “Liberation Day” trade policy.
Diving Deeper:
President Trump escalated his tariff strategy on Thursday, formally announcing a 35% duty on all Canadian imports effective August 1. The move follows what Trump described as a breakdown in trade cooperation and a failure by Canada to address its role in the U.S. fentanyl crisis.
“It is a Great Honor for me to send you this letter in that it demonstrates the strength and commitment of our Trading Relationship,” Trump wrote to Prime Minister Mark Carney. He added that the tariff response comes after Canada “financially retaliated” against the U.S. rather than working to resolve the flow of fentanyl across the northern border.
Trump’s letter made clear the tariff will apply broadly, separate from any existing sector-specific levies, and included a warning that “goods transshipped to evade this higher Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff.” The president also hinted that further retaliation from Canada could push rates even higher.
However, Trump left the door open for possible revisions. “If Canada works with me to stop the flow of Fentanyl, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter,” he said, adding that tariffs “may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship.”
Canadian companies that move operations to the U.S. would be exempt, Trump said, noting his administration “will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely — In other words, in a matter of weeks.”
The U.S. traded over $762 billion in goods with Canada in 2024, with a trade deficit of $63.3 billion, a figure Trump called a “major threat” to both the economy and national security.
Speaking with NBC News on Thursday, Trump suggested even broader tariff hikes are coming, floating the idea of a 15% or 20% blanket rate on all imports. “We’re just going to say all of the remaining countries are going to pay,” he told Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker, adding that “the tariffs have been very well-received” and noting that the stock market had hit new highs that day.
The Canadian announcement is part of a broader global tariff rollout. In recent days, Trump has notified at least 23 countries of new levies and revealed a separate 50% tariff on copper imports.
“Not everybody has to get a letter,” Trump said when asked if other leaders would be formally notified. “You know that. We’re just setting our tariffs.”
Business
Trump slaps Brazil with tariffs over social media censorship

From LifeSiteNews
By Dan Frieth
In his letter dated July 9, 2025, addressed to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Trump ties new U.S. trade measures directly to Brazilian censorship.
U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a fierce rebuke of Brazil’s moves to silence American-run social media platforms, particularly Rumble and X.
In his letter dated July 9, 2025, addressed to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Trump ties new U.S. trade measures directly to Brazilian censorship.
He calls attention to “SECRET and UNLAWFUL Censorship Orders to U.S. Social Media platforms,” pointing out that Brazil’s Supreme Court has been “threatening them with Millions of Dollars in Fines and Eviction from the Brazilian Social Media market.”
Trump warns that these actions are “due in part to Brazil’s insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans,” and states: “starting on August 1, 2025, we will charge Brazil a Tariff of 50% on any and all Brazilian products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral Tariffs.” He also adds that “Goods transshipped to evade this 50% Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff.”
Brazil’s crackdown has targeted Rumble after it refused to comply with orders to block the account of Allan dos Santos, a Brazilian streamer living in the United States.
On February 21, 2025, Justice Alexandre de Moraes ordered Rumble’s suspension for non‑compliance, saying it failed “to comply with court orders.”
Earlier, from August to October 2024, Moraes had similarly ordered a nationwide block on X.
The court directed ISPs to suspend access and imposed fines after the platform refused to designate a legal representative and remove certain accounts.
Elon Musk responded: “Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo‑judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes.”
By linking censorship actions, particularly those targeting Rumble and X, to U.S. trade policy, Trump’s letter asserts that Brazil’s judiciary has moved into the arena of foreign policy and economic consequences.
The tariffs, he makes clear, are meant, at least in part, as a response to Brazil’s suppression of American free speech.
Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on Brazil for censoring American platforms may also serve as a clear signal to the European Union, which is advancing similar regulatory efforts under the guise of “disinformation” and “online safety.”
With the EU’s Digital Services Act and proposed “hate speech” legislation expanding government authority over content moderation, American companies face mounting pressure to comply with vague and sweeping takedown demands.
By framing censorship as a violation of U.S. free speech rights and linking it to trade consequences, Trump is effectively warning that any foreign attempt to suppress American voices or platforms could trigger similar economic retaliation.
Reprinted with permission from Reclaim The Net.
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