Hundreds of thousands of Canadians could face prison time if they do not turn in their newly prohibited guns under a supposedly “voluntary” gun buyback program that is testing the strength of Canada&#8217;s bureaucratic regime.
Since May 2020, the Canadian government has attempted to institute a massive “assault-style firearms compensation program” that will purportedly trade cash for prohibited guns. If Canadians do not turn in a prohibited gun by October 2026, they could face up to five years in prison. The program has faced massive pushback from provincial leaders and gun rights organizations who say it will only disarm law-abiding Canadians.
<div id="attachment_1038193" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038193" class="size-full wp-image-1038193" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2239605544.jpg" alt="HAMILTON,ON Oct 9,2025- Sgt. Massimo Guiliani, a use of force instructor with expertise in firearms on the Hamilton Police shooting range .Cathie Coward/ The Hamilton Spectator / Nicole O story (Cathie Coward/Toronto Star via Getty Images)" width="1024" height="448" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2239605544.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2239605544-300x131.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2239605544-768x336.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Cathie Coward/Toronto Star via Getty Images</div>
“We&#8217;re finding that they&#8217;re running into a lot of compliance issues,” Blair Hagen, an executive at Canada’s National Firearms Association, told The Daily Wire. “They have no idea where [the guns are] or who has them. So it&#8217;s proving to be a very, very difficult situation for the government.”
Due to the scope of the program, the government has extended amnesty three times for ownership of one of the thousands of banned so-called “assault-style” guns, with the latest one set to expire in October 2026.
<h3>We Can Thank Justin Trudeau</h3>
<div id="attachment_1038177" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038177" class="size-large wp-image-1038177" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452-865x576.jpg" alt="Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, speaks during a press conference at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Monday, May 30, 2022. After banning 1,500 types of military-style assault firearms in 2020, Trudeau now announced new legislation to further strengthen gun control in Canada. Photographer: David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-1241009452.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
An <a href="https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/05/01/prime-minister-announces-ban-assault-style-firearms">order in council</a> rolled out by then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in May 2020 banned thousands of “assault weapons” and claimed to offer compensation to those who voluntarily turn in their weapons. According to Hagen, an order in council is a “non-democratic legal instrument” where the Canadian government can ban items like guns “without having to take legislation through parliament.”
Today, the government <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/firearms-buyback.html">describes</a> participation in the gun buyback program as “voluntary” but that compliance with the gun ban is required.
“While participating in the program is voluntary, compliance with the law is not. Businesses and individual firearm owners must safely dispose of or permanently deactivate their assault-style firearms before the amnesty period ends on October 30, 2026, or risk criminal liability for the illegal possession of a prohibited firearm,” the government says on its website.
Justin Davis, the public affairs director of the National Rifle Association, said that it made no sense to call the program voluntary.
“I mean, they call these things voluntary, but if the option is either turn them in or you&#8217;re going to jail, I would not consider that voluntary,” he told The Daily Wire. 
The government also doesn’t guarantee compensation for turning in the designated weapons, only saying that gun owners “who choose to participate in the program may receive compensation subject to availability of program funds.”
<h3>Carney Calls It Compensation, Not Confiscation</h3>
<div id="attachment_1038185" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038185" class="size-large wp-image-1038185" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850-866x576.jpg" alt="Mark Carney, Canada's prime minister, and Doug Ford, Ontario's premier, left, during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. Carney's government signed a deal with Ontario to remove duplication in environmental assessments as Canada pushes to develop resources and build projects more quickly. Photographer: James Park/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2251898850.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />James Park/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Prime Minister Mark Carney <a href="https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/forcing-people-to-hand-over-their-guns-isnt-a-voluntary-program">claims</a> that the program, which could penalize gun owners with jail time if they don’t comply, was not “confiscation.”
“This is not about confiscation. This is about voluntary return of firearms for compensation,” Carney said during a podcast in September 2025. “People aren’t going around confiscating guns. Anyone who says that, that is a mischaracterization, what it is is an opportunity for Canadians to return guns for compensation.”
In the same podcast, Carney claimed that the hunting rifles would not be impacted by the extensive gun ban.
“We are not talking about hunting rifles. We’re not talking sports shooting or anything like that. We’re talking about assault rifles,” Carney said.
However, this appears to ignore the fact that there is a specific carve-out for Native tribes that use prohibited rifles for hunting. The amnesty <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/news/2024/12/government-of-canada-extends-list-of-prohibited-assault-style-firearms-and-moves-forward-on-regulatory-changes-to-strengthen-gun-control.html">includes</a> “a temporary exception for Indigenous peoples’ exercising a right” under the Constitution and “as well as those who use firearms for sustenance hunting, which enables them to continue to use their newly prohibited firearms to hunt (if previously non-restricted) until a suitable replacement can be found.”
<h3>Not In Alberta</h3>
<div id="attachment_1038187" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038187" class="size-large wp-image-1038187" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785-864x576.jpg" alt="Attendees during the Alberta Independence Town Hall event in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026. A petition has been started by separatist activists in Alberta for a referendum on independence from Canada, driven in part by a belief that the government in Ottawa hasn't done enough to accelerate projects to expand oil production, such as new pipelines. Photographer: Leah Hennel/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2257917785.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Leah Hennel/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Many Canadian provinces, including Yukon, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, have indicated they will not assist the national government in enforcing the ban.
“We will have nothing to do with this program. We will not spend any Alberta taxpayer dollars on this program,&#8221; Teri Bryant, the chief firearms officer of Alberta, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-gun-buyback-program-9.7053027">told</a> CBC News last month. &#8220;We can&#8217;t block the federal government from setting something up, but they have to set it up and be appropriately licensed.&#8221;
Effectively, what this means is that the feds will be on their own for enforcing the gun ban throughout much of Canada without any assistance from local law enforcement.
“If the feds want to try and enforce it, they are going to have to do it themselves, and of course, the logistics get even more insurmountable and the price goes up,” Hagen said.
In the fall of 2025, the Canadian government ran a <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/firearms-buyback/pilot-lessons-learned.html">pilot program</a> of the buyback scheme that ran for six weeks and only yielded 25 guns. The government had <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-federal-gun-buyback-assault-weapons-program-9.7047872">reportedly</a> expected to confiscate some 200 weapons.
The government declared the program a success, saying that it showed that “factual, consistent information on how the program works, what individuals can expect if they choose to participate, and legal requirements to comply with the prohibition must be readily available and up-to-date.”
Hagen said that there was not much public appetite for the gun buyback program, but that it was pushed by leftists embedded in Canada’s federal bureaucracy. 
“That&#8217;s one of the biggest problems with firearms laws in Canada,” he said. “There is a civil disarmament agenda in that bureaucracy. It started many years ago. They&#8217;ve done everything they can to ensure that it continues.”
At the end of the day, Hagen sees the government&#8217;s efforts to stop crime and violence by taking law-abiding citizens&#8217; firearms as illogical.
“You can put all the laws and restrictions and prohibitions on the lawful acquisition and ownership of firearms that you want, but it&#8217;s not going to decrease or eliminate crime or tragedies because criminals and lunatics will always find a way,” he said.
<h3>American Leftists Want The Same Policy</h3>
That sentiment was echoed by Davis with the NRA, who warned that leftist politicians in the United States wanted to enact similar policies.
“The issue here is the idea that criminals would be turning in their firearms is just absolutely illogical,” he told The Daily Wire. “There&#8217;s no criminal in the world who&#8217;s going to turn in their firearm for a few dollars when instead they can use it for perpetuating crime.”
During her first run for president back in 2019, Kamala Harris <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/live-blog/gun-safety-forum-live-updates-las-vegas-n1060911#ncrd1061751">said</a> she supported a “mandatory” gun buyback program for so-called “assault weapons.”
“We have to have a buyback program, and I support a mandatory gun buyback program,” Harris said. “It’s got to be smart, we got to do it the right way.”
<div id="attachment_1038205" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1038205" class="size-large wp-image-1038205" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544-864x576.jpg" alt="US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an event on gun violence in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on September 26, 2024. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2173791544.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images</div>
Davis said that the Second Amendment gave a layer of protection to gun owners that those in Europe and Canada didn’t have.
“Places like Europe and Canada and Australia do not have those type of protections, and you see political figures continue to push more and more gun control laws that, again, just disarm law abiding citizens and create more soft targets for criminals, and evil individuals in this world who want to do harm to innocent lives,” he said.
A 2024 challenge to Canada&#8217;s buyback program lost, but advocates for gun rights in Canada believe that the program will become too expensive to institute and will face a host of practical problems.
Hagen sees some parallels between the current ban on “assault-style” weapons and the effort to have all long guns registered. That requirement was repealed in 2012 by a Conservative coalition and was seen as a major victory for Canadian gun rights advocates. The policies could also be overturned if Carney&#8217;s Liberal Party loses power in Canada.
“It&#8217;s one thing to ban a bunch of guns and declare that they&#8217;re prohibited and state your intention to confiscate them,&#8221; Hagen said. &#8220;But it&#8217;s quite another to actually make that happen.”

Canadian Prime Minster Carney Makes National Defense And Security Announcement

Canada’s Massive ‘Voluntary’ Gun Buyback Program Comes With Prison Time

Alberta

Assault Weapons

Canada

Gun Control

Gun Rights

Hunting

Mark Carney

National Rifle Association (NRA)

Ontario

Opening Day Of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026

The WEF Made One Thing Very Clear: If Democrats Win We Are Totally Screwed

Europe

European Union

Globalization

Leftists

Matt Walsh

NATO

Opinion

Switzerland

World Economic Forum

President Donald Trump on Thursday night rescinded his invitation to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his Gaza &#8220;Board of Peace.&#8221;
Trump wrote on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115941901312153410">Truth Social</a>, “Dear Prime Minister Carney: Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.”
Trump’s reversal followed Carney’s speech on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, where he argued that the post–World War II U.S.-led “rules-based international order” is in rupture, not merely in transition, due to rising great-power rivalries and coercive economic policies.
Carney had <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/11620877/carney-davos-wef-speech-transcript/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">stated</a>:
<blockquote>
It seems that every day we’re reminded that we live in an era of great power rivalry — that the rules-based order is fading, that the strong can do what they can, and the weak must suffer what they must.
For decades, countries like Canada prospered under what we called the rules-based international order. We joined its institutions, we praised its principles, we benefited from its predictability. And because of that, we could pursue values-based foreign policies under its protection. 
We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false, that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically, and we knew that international law applied with varied rigor, depending on the identity of the accused or the victim.
This fiction was useful, and American hegemony in particular helped provide public goods, open sea lanes, a stable financial system, collective security and support for frameworks for resolving disputes&#8230;.
This bargain no longer works.
Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition. 
The question for middle powers like Canada is not whether to adapt to the new reality — we must. &#8230;What does it mean for middle powers to live the truth? First, it means naming reality. Stop invoking rules-based international order as though it still functions as advertised. Call it what it is: a system of intensifying great power rivalry where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as coercion.
&#8230;We know the old order is not coming back. We shouldn’t mourn it. &#8230;
</blockquote>
Trump fired back at Carney, declaring, “Canada — look, Canada gets a lot of freebies from us. They should be grateful. I watched your prime minister yesterday — he wasn’t so grateful. But they should be grateful to us. Canada lives because of the United States — remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”

MixCollage-23-Jan-2026-07-46-AM-2915

Trump Uninvites Canada From His Gaza ‘Board Of Peace’ After Davos Drama

Trump Uninvites Canada To Join His Gaza 'Board Of Peace' After Davos Drama

Davos

Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was increasing tariffs on Canada by an additional 10% &#8220;above what they&#8217;re paying now,&#8221; as he reacted again to an ad by Canada&#8217;s Ontario province, a day after it was aired during the World Series broadcast.
Trump on Thursday ended trade talks with Ottawa over the tariff-related ad, which Trump said was misleading.
Trump announced the higher tariffs in a Truth Social post on Saturday referencing the ad, which features a video of former President Ronald Reagan, a Republican icon, saying that tariffs cause trade wars and economic disaster. The ad had already been running for some days before Trump first reacted to it on Thursday night.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Friday that after discussions with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ontario would pause the U.S. ad campaign on Monday so that trade talks could resume.
The advertisement aired Friday during the broadcast for Game 1 of Major League Baseball&#8217;s World Series, in which the Toronto Blue Jays are facing off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD,” Trump posted.
“Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now,” he wrote.
Trump posted the message while he was aboard Air Force One on his way to Malaysia, the first stop on a trip through East Asia that will largely focus on trade issues.
The U.S. Commerce Department, the White House and the office of the Canadian prime minister did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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It was not clear what goods would be affected by Trump&#8217;s newly announced tariffs. The majority of Canadian exports to the U.S. are exempt from tariffs because of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that was signed during Trump&#8217;s first term.
The Trump administration in August imposed a 35% tariff on Canadian goods not covered by the USMCA. But Canada&#8217;s economy has suffered from sector tariffs of 50% imposed this year by Trump on steel and aluminum from all countries.
Carney said on Friday that Canada stood ready to resume trade talks with the United States. Trump and Carney will both be at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Malaysia, but he told reporters on Air Force One he has no plans to meet with the Canadian leader.
The Canadian prime minister had removed most of Canada&#8217;s retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports imposed by his predecessor, but White House adviser Kevin Hassett said on Friday that Trump was frustrated with Canada and trade talks have not been going well.
The ad by the Ontario government has a voiceover of Reagan criticizing tariffs on foreign goods while saying they cause job losses and trade wars. The video uses five complete sentences from the five-minute weekly address, spliced together out of sequence.
The ad does not mention that Reagan was using the address to explain that tariffs imposed on Japan by his administration should be seen as a sadly unavoidable exception to his basic belief in free trade as the key to prosperity.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward, Valerie Volcovici and Caroline Stauffer; Editing by Leslie Adler and Sergio Non)

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump Sets 10% Hike In Tariffs On Canada After ‘Fake’ Ad That Aired During World Series

Global Politics

World

The liberal Canadian premier who launched a $75 million anti-tariff ad campaign in the United States featuring former President Ronald Reagan will yank the effort after pressure from President Donald Trump.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Friday afternoon that he would pause the ad campaign put out by his administration targeting Americans starting on Monday. That announcement came after Trump on Thursday said he had ended all trade talks with Canada over the ad, calling it an effort to influence American politics.
“Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses,” Ford posted on X. “We&#8217;ve achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels. I&#8217;ve directed my team to keep putting our message in front of Americans over the weekend so that we can air our commercial during the first two World Series games.”
Ford said he would “pause [the] U.S. advertising campaign effective Monday so that trade talks can resume” after speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses. We&#8217;ve achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels. I&#8217;ve directed my team to keep putting our…
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) <a href="https://twitter.com/fordnation/status/1981789712516858293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ontario’s ad featured clips from an April 25, 1987, radio address Reagan gave on free and fair trade. The ad campaign aired in the United States during a playoff baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. Game 1 of the World Series takes place Friday night, featuring the Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
It’s official: Ontario’s new advertising campaign in the U.S. has launched.
Using every tool we have, we’ll never stop making the case against American tariffs on Canada. The way to prosperity is by working together.
Watch our new ad. <a href="https://t.co/SgIVC1cqMJ">pic.twitter.com/SgIVC1cqMJ</a>
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) <a href="https://twitter.com/fordnation/status/1978779503213052337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Trump on Thursday said that the ad manipulated Reagan’s words.
“The Ronald Reagan Foundation has just announced that Canada has fraudulently used an advertisement, which is FAKE, featuring Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about Tariffs,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The ad was for $75,000,000. They only did this to interfere with the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, and other courts. TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED.”
Trump’s post followed a statement from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute saying that it was pursuing potential legal options over Ontario’s use of the audio. The foundation encouraged people to watch Reagan’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t5QK03KXPc&amp;t=181s">full remarks</a> on its YouTube channel.

CANADA-G7-SUMMIT-DIPLOMACY

Canada Caves: Ontario To Yank ‘Fake’ Reagan Ad After Pressure From Trump

Free Trade

Politics

Tariffs

World Series

Stellantis, one of the “Big Three” American automakers, announced on Tuesday that it is changing course on plans to manufacture a Jeep model in Ontario, Canada, as the company focuses on expanding production in the United States.
Stellantis previously planned to produce its Jeep Compass at the Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario, but its new focus on U.S. investment will move production to the United States, as the company plans to reopen a plant in Belvidere, Illinois, CBC <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/stellantis-jeep-compass-canada-9.6938834">reported</a>. The Michigan-based company aims to “invest $13 billion over the next four years to grow its business in the critical United States market and to increase its domestic manufacturing footprint.”
“The investment is the largest in the company’s 100-year U.S. history and will support the introduction of five new vehicles across the brand portfolio in key segments; production of the all-new four-cylinder engine; and the addition of more than 5,000 jobs at plants in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana,” Stellantis <a href="https://www.stellantis.com/en/news/press-releases/2025/october/stellantis-to-invest-13-billion-to-grow-in-the-united-states">said</a>.
The move comes as President Donald Trump’s tariffs continue to punish American automakers that manufacture vehicles and parts abroad to sell in the American market. Canadian leaders voiced their frustration with Stellantis’ decision, with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney <a href="https://x.com/MarkJCarney/status/1978278995637551208">saying</a> the move is a “direct consequence of current U.S. tariffs and potential future U.S. trade actions.”
Trump met with Carney at the White House last week, and the two leaders discussed trade and tariff policies. After his visit, Carney’s office touted his nation’s trade relationship with the United States, <a href="https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2025/10/08/prime-minister-carney-concludes-visit-washington-dc">saying</a>, “Canada currently has the best trade agreement of any U.S. trading partner, with 85% of Canada-U.S. trade now tariff-free, and our cooperation is further improving border security.”
The Brampton, Ontario, plant has been shut down since 2024 to focus on repurposing the factory to manufacture the next-generation electrified Jeep Compass. After Trump imposed his auto tariffs, the company paused its retooling effort at the Brampton plant.
Unifor, the trade union that represents many Canadian auto workers, argued that auto jobs in Canada “are being sacrificed on the Trump altar.”
“Stellantis cannot be allowed to renege on its commitments to Canadian workers, and governments cannot stand by while our jobs are shifted to the United States,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
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Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has strongly criticized President Trump over the tariffs, said in a Wednesday morning X <a href="https://x.com/fordnation/status/1978416009871605906">post</a> that he talked to Stellantis “to stress my disappointment with their decision to prioritize investment into the U.S.” He added, “This decision is especially painful for those workers who have been out of jobs for months.”
Earlier this year, as part of Trump’s wide-ranging trade policy, the Trump administration <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-adjusts-imports-of-automobiles-and-automobile-parts-into-the-united-states/">imposed</a> a 25% tariff “on imports of automobiles and certain automobile parts,” arguing that the move was necessary to address “a critical threat to U.S. national security.” Multiple American and foreign automakers responded to the tariff policy by announcing plans to increase production in the United States.
In May, General Motors <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/general-motors-to-cut-back-on-manufacturing-at-canada-plant-over-trump-tariff">said</a> it would cut back production at a truck plant in Oshawa, Ontario, due to Trump’s tariffs taking effect. GM said a month earlier that it planned to ramp up production of light-duty trucks at its assembly plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Trump/Carney/Stellantis

Auto Giant Ends Canadian Jeep Production, Brings Jobs Back To America

Auto Companies

Business

Economy

Jeep

trade

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney <a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1BRKjgpmOdNGw">announced</a> on Friday that the country was suspending many of its retaliatory tariffs on the United States after the Trump administration &#8220;reaffirmed&#8221; its commitment to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA).
Canada is removing tariffs on most products from the United States, but will keep in place a 25% levy on U.S. steel, aluminum, and vehicles, since those products are not directly covered under the USMCA. In March, Canada placed a 25% tariff on many U.S. products after the Trump administration imposed a 25% duty on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Bloomberg was first to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-22/canada-to-drop-many-retaliatory-tariffs-in-olive-branch-to-trump">report</a> on Carney&#8217;s announcement, saying that the move appears to be the Canadian government extending an &#8220;olive branch&#8221; to President Donald Trump.
&#8220;As in previous trade disputes, Canada has implemented a series of retaliatory tariffs. Their objectives have been to protect Canadian workers and businesses and to incentivize a negotiated settlement with the United States. A few other countries followed suit,&#8221; Carney said. &#8220;In a positive and very important development earlier this month, just a few weeks ago, the United States reaffirmed a core commitment to our free trade agreement by reinforcing that those Canadian exports to the United States that are compliant with that agreement &#8230; will not be subject to &#8230; tariffs.&#8221;
&#8220;As a result of that decision by the United States, the actual U.S. tariff rate on Canadian goods is 5.6%,&#8221; Carney added. &#8220;Compare that to the 16% global average. That remains the lowest amongst all of the United States&#8217; trading partners, and more than 85% of Canada-U.S. trade is now tariff-free.&#8221;
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While Trump signed an order in late July imposing a 35% tariff on Canadian goods, the White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-amends-duties-to-address-the-flow-of-illicit-drugs-across-our-northern-border/#:~:text=ADDRESSING%20A%20NATIONAL%20EMERGENCY:%20Today,effect%20on%20August%201%2C%202025.">clarified</a> that most products are exempt under the USMCA, putting the actual average tariff rate on Canada at 5.6%. The prime minister said that Canada &#8220;has the best trade deal with the United States&#8221; as the numbers stand right now.
A White House official told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/22/canada-retaliatory-tariffs-trump-autos-steel.html">CNBC</a> that Canada&#8217;s move was &#8220;long overdue,&#8221; adding, “We look forward to continuing our discussions with Canada on the Administration’s trade and national security concerns.&#8221; A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, reportedly told Bloomberg that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently warned Canada about the retaliatory tariffs and encouraged them to drop the tariffs to set up a clear path to negotiations.
Canada backed down on its retaliatory tariffs after Carney spoke with Trump over the phone, a conversation that Carney called “productive and wide-ranging.” The USMCA, a deal that Trump negotiated during his first term in the White House, is set to be reviewed later this year, according to CNBC. Carney added during his press conference on Friday that Canada will continue to discuss &#8220;a new form of trade and security partnership with the United States.&#8221;

President Trump Travels To Bedminster For The Weekend

Trump Scores Trade Win As Canada Removes Several Retaliatory Tariffs On U.S.

Trade War

OTTAWA (Reuters) — The leader of Canada&#8217;s official opposition Conservatives, Pierre Poilievre, secured a return to Parliament and a chance to grill Prime Minister Mark Carney over U.S. tariffs, staging a comeback after unexpectedly losing his seat in an April election.
Unofficial results from Elections Canada on Tuesday showed Poilievre had easily won a special election on Monday in the parliamentary constituency of Battle River-Crowfoot in the western Canadian province of Alberta, a Conservative stronghold. Poilievre secured about 80% of the vote, according to Elections Canada.
Poilievre, who accuses the Liberal government of botching its handling of U.S. relations, will be able to confront Carney when the House of Commons returns on September 15.
Carney, who took over as prime minister in March, secured a strong minority government in April&#8217;s federal election, while Poilievre lost the Ottawa-area seat he had held for 21 years.
Carney won on a promise to stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump but has since moderated his approach even as Washington imposed more tariffs.
&#8220;Mark Carney has been failing. He&#8217;s failed, he&#8217;s backed down, he&#8217;s made concession after concession vis-a-vis the Americans,&#8221; Poilievre told a press conference last Thursday.
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Carney, however, is in no immediate danger politically. Although the Liberals fell three seats short of a majority in April, they should be able to rely on the support of smaller parties to survive confidence votes.
A Nanos Research poll earlier this month put the Liberals at 44% popular support compared with 33% for the Conservatives.
Carney has pulled the Liberals more to the center, and Poilievre will find it harder to draw a sharp contrast, said pollster Nik Nanos, CEO of Nanos Research.
&#8220;Poilievre needs to articulate what he learned from the last federal election and how his government would be different than a Carney government,&#8221; he said via email.
At the start of the year, the Conservatives looked set for a crushing election victory over the Liberals of then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who were far behind in polls after more than nine years in power.
But Liberal fortunes soared after Trudeau announced he was stepping down and Trump began threatening Canada with tariffs and annexation.
(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Edmund Klamann)

By-election in Alberta’s Battle River-Crowfoot riding

Canada Opposition Leader Poilievre Secures Return To Parliament After Shocking Defeat In April

Election

Pierre Poilievre

President Donald Trump is threatening to slap a steeper 35% tariff on products from Canada beginning August 1 unless steps are taken to curb the flow of fentanyl over its shared border with the United States.
Trump warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114831716625825473">letter</a> on Thursday that the United States would hike the rate up from 25% – and possibly more. Still, Canada could avoid some or all of the added tariff, he suggested.
“If Canada works with me to stop the flow of Fentanyl, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter. These Tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your country,” the president wrote.
A White House official <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/trump-threatens-35-tariff-on-some-canadian-goods-d1306890" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Wall Street Journal that goods in compliance with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement would at least for now be exempt from the 35% tariff rate — as they had been with the 25% penalty Trump implemented earlier this year.
Canadian goods that are “transshipped,&#8221; or products sent to the United States via another country first to evade the tariff on Canada, would still be subject to the heightened rate.
Trump, who noted the larger penalty would be &#8220;separate from all Sectoral Tariffs,&#8221; railed against Canada’s trade policies. He said they &#8220;cause unsustainable trade deficits against the United States&#8221; and placed a focus on dairy farmers.
“Canada charges extraordinary Tariffs to our Dairy Farmers — up to 400% — and that is even assuming our Dairy Farmers even have access to sell their products to the people of Canada. The Trade Deficit is a major threat to our Economy, and, indeed, our National Security!” the president wrote.
Trump also mentioned in his letter how Canada previously &#8220;retaliated&#8221; with its own tariffs rather than &#8220;working with&#8221; the United States.
The escalation in the tariff fight with the United States’ neighbor to the north comes as the president has <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-tariffs-inflation-hasbro-ukraine-patriot-missiles-nato-russia-rcna218125">prepared</a> an increased blanket tariff for a slate of countries that have either not been notified of increased tariffs yet or have already agreed to a framework of a trade deal with the United States.
“We’re just going to say all of the remaining countries are going to pay, whether it’s 20% or 15%. We’ll work that out now,” Trump told <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-tariffs-inflation-hasbro-ukraine-patriot-missiles-nato-russia-rcna218125">NBC News</a> on Thursday.
“I’d like to do it today,” Trump said of his plan to send letters laying out new tariff schedules. “I’m talking European Union, which is, as you know, many countries, and Canada. We’ll be putting them out over the next couple of hours.”
In recent days, Trump has posted a number of letters warning of new tariff rates. 
On Wednesday, Trump posted one of his steepest threats, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-hits-brazil-50-percent-tariff-citing-ex-president-jair-bolsonaro-rcna217859">warning</a> Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that Brazilian products could face a 50% jump in tariffs over the government’s treatment of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing charges related to the 2022 election.
“This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a Political Opponent — Something I know much about!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114812490799920916">post</a> defending Bolsonaro.
“The Great People of Brazil will not stand for what they are doing to their former President. I’ll be watching the WITCH HUNT of Jair Bolsonaro, his family, and thousands of his supporters, very closely. The only Trial that should be happening is a Trial by the Voters of Brazil — It’s called an Election. LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!” he wrote.

Mark Carney, Donald Trump

Trump Threatens 35% Tariff On Canada Over Fentanyl Trafficking

United States

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Canada was &#8220;considering&#8221; becoming the 51st state in exchange for free participation in his Golden Dome missile defense program.
Trump, who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-reveals-new-details-about-golden-dome-missile-defense-system-to-protect-u-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> last week that his administration had developed a draft architecture for the Golden Dome project, said Canada would have to pay around $61 billion to join the program but not become a state. While Trump has frequently suggested that Canada could become a state, Canadian leaders have consistently rejected the idea.
&#8220;I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State,&#8221; Trump posted on Truth Social. &#8220;They are considering the offer!&#8221;
The Golden Dome, which is projected to cost around $175 billion, is supposed to protect America from hypersonic, ballistic, and cruise missiles. Last week, Trump said he expects the program to be &#8220;fully operational&#8221; by the end of his term.
“Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space, and we will have the best system ever built,” Trump said. “We will truly be completing the job that President Reagan started 40 years ago forever ending the missile threat to the American homeland.”
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Last week, he said that Canada was in talks to join the program, but would have to pay their &#8220;fair share &#8221; if they wanted in. Prime Minister Mark Carney <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4ee9jmk17o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> that he was in talks with the Trump administration about the Golden Dome.
&#8220;Canadians gave the prime minister a strong mandate to negotiate a comprehensive new security and economic relationship with the United States,&#8221; Carney spokeswoman Audrey Champoux said. &#8220;These discussions naturally include strengthening NORAD [North American Aerospace Defense Command] and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome.&#8221;
Carney has consistently said that Canada would never become part of the United States, telling Trump during a visit to the Oval Office earlier this year that his country would not be open to the suggestion.
&#8220;As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale,&#8221; Carney <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-mark-carney-canada-meeting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;We&#8217;re sitting in one right now, Buckingham Palace that you visited, as well. And having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it&#8217;s not for sale, it won&#8217;t be for sale, ever. But the opportunity is in the partnership and what we can build together.&#8221;
The first $25 billion for the Golden Dome is included in the House budget bill, which passed last week.

President Trump Welcomes Canadian Prime Minister Carney To The White House

Trump Says Canada ‘Considering’ Offer To Become ‘Cherished’ 51st State

ballistic missiles

Executive

A massive shortage of air traffic controllers causes delays, cancellations, and insecurity. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney discusses tariffs and U.S. statehood with President Donald Trump in an Oval Office meeting, and a surprising rise in Christianity is occurring in the U.S. and Europe, fueled by young converts.
It’s Wednesday, May 7, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
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<h2>FAA Modernization Efforts</h2>
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Topline: The Trump administration is rushing to modernize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after years of chronic understaffing and a string of accidents and near misses on runways.
We all heard about the deadly crash in D.C. a few months back when a military helicopter collided with a commercial jet – but every week at airports around the country, there are roughly a dozen close-calls that largely go unreported. These incidents are referred to as “runway incursions” by the FAA.
In the last few months alone, two planes at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were forced to abort landings at the last minute due to a helicopter in restricted airspace. A few weeks before that, at the same airport, two planes clipped wings on a crowded runway. Similar incidents have been reported this year at Chicago Midway, Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. And on April 29, air traffic controllers at Newark International experienced a systems outage that knocked out their radar and left numerous planes essentially flying blind. That incident came amid existing air traffic controller shortages and equipment failures at Newark, which have led to 14 straight days of FAA-imposed delays on flights in and out of the airport.
Part of the problem is an ongoing worker shortage – the FAA says it needs 3,500 air traffic controllers to meet its target goal. For months, existing controllers have been stretched thin, working mandatory overtime shifts and six-day work weeks.
To combat those shortages, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched a new initiative to offer new incentives to keep experienced controllers from retiring and fast-track certifications for military veterans. But according to Duffy, the biggest problem plaguing the FAA is outdated technology. Many of the administration’s systems and computers are from the 1980s — many controllers still rely on floppy disks — and because the FAA tech is so old, Duffy says it’s difficult to find technicians who know how to operate on its systems. He’s now calling for Congress to allocate tens of billions of dollars to fund a revolutionary overhaul of the FAA.
Some Democrats say the Trump administration is to blame – they argue the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project&#8217;s cuts have impacted the FAA’s preparedness. While the Trump administration cut around 400 FAA jobs, that amounts to less than 1% of the department’s workforce. According to a Transportation spokesperson, nearly all of those let go were probationary employees who’d been at the agency for less than two years.
<h2>Tariff Updates With Canada, China</h2>
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Topline: Canada’s new prime minister sits down with Trump after weeks of tough talk on tariffs and Canada becoming the 51st state.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived at the White House on Tuesday for talks on trade, as well as the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Carney is one of dozens of world leaders seeking a new trade agreement with the U.S. Canada is the second-largest trading partner for the U.S., behind Mexico, and the U.S. is Canada’s largest trading partner by far.
“We are the largest client in the United States,” Carney said at a joint press conference. “We have a tremendous auto sector between the two of us and the changes we made have been helpful. You know, 50% of a car that comes from Canada is American. That&#8217;s not like anywhere else in the world.”
“We want to make our own cars,” Trump responded.
Meanwhile, another significant U.S. trade partner, China, is starting to feel the impact of ongoing tariffs. According to Goldman Sachs, U.S. tariffs could wipe out 16 million factory jobs in China. Workers are already upset over missed wages and layoffs and have even begun publicly protesting. It’s not clear how much influence this public discontent has on the communist government in Beijing.
A breakthrough in the tariff standoff between the United States and China emerged on Tuesday evening. Treasury Secretary <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0132" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scott Bessent</a> and U.S. Trade Representative <a href="https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2025/may/ambassador-jamieson-greer-travel-switzerland" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jamieson Greer</a> are poised to meet with Chinese officials in Switzerland over the weekend to discuss trade and economic matters, according to their respective agencies. China reportedly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/06/business/economy/us-china-trade-talks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> there will be talks.
<h2>Christianity On The Rise</h2>
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Topline: A surprising shift is taking place across the religious landscape of both the U.S. and Europe. According to new data, Christianity is seeing a notable rise in conversions, particularly among young adults.
New data from the Pew Research Center shows that Christian identification in the U.S. has seen a 12% uptick since 2022, with Catholicism up 10%. In some dioceses, the rise is much more pronounced. The Diocese of Fort Worth, for instance, reports a 72% jump in converts just from 2023 to 2024. Meanwhile, when we look at Protestantism, particularly evangelical and nondenominational branches, it’s up 14% overall, and many pastors are reporting that they’re seeing record attendance and baptisms.
This same trend is playing out in Europe, with countries like France and Germany reporting a 15% increase in Catholic conversions and a 10% surge in Protestant affiliations, especially among Pentecostals and Baptists. Catholic pilgrimages, like the Chartres Pilgrimage, have seen record attendance — more than 15,000 participants last year, mostly under 35.
The majority of these converts aren’t older generations returning to faith — they&#8217;re young adults, disproportionately young men, reversing decades-long trends where women were more religious. Sociologist Dr. Ryan Burge has written that young men are rejecting the “feminization” of liberal churches, seeking instead the structure of traditional worship.
Sociologists argue that our culture is experiencing a “post-secular” moment – the rapid pace of political developments has left many people feeling unmoored. And also, conservatives tend to be more religious, and as the country has shifted to the right, this has coincided with this more muscular, public Christianity. For countries like France, England, and the U.S., where citizens feel their cultures are being erased by mass immigration, there also seems to be a desire to bolster the Christian character of their nations.

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Morning Brief: Dangerous Air Traffic Controller Shortage, & Christianity Growing Throughout World

Christianity

Department of Transportation

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Media

Morning Wire

While President Donald Trump&#8217;s desire for Canada to become the 51st state <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-tells-newly-elected-canadian-pm-never-say-never-to-canadian-statehood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">didn&#8217;t sit well</a> with Prime Minister Mark Carney, the newly elected Canadian leader credited the president with changing Canada&#8217;s outlook on security.
During the first meeting between Trump and Carney in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Carney said that Canada&#8217;s government is prepared to reorient itself on security spending and play its &#8220;full weight&#8221; in NATO. Shortly before Trump welcomed Carney to the White House, the president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114461575736468146" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> why the United States was &#8220;subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection.&#8221;
&#8220;My government is committed for a step change in our investment in Canadian security and our partnership,&#8221; Carney told reporters in the Oval Office. &#8220;And I&#8217;ll say this as well, that the president has revitalized international security, revitalized NATO and us playing our full weight in NATO, and that will be part of it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Pres. Trump on Canada becoming 51st state: We&#39;re not going to be discussing that, unless somebody wants to discuss that&#8230;it really would be a wonderful marriage.
Canadian PM Carney: There are some places that are never for sale&#8230;it&#39;s not for sale. It won&#39;t be for sale, ever. <a href="https://t.co/axZSwbeO9C">pic.twitter.com/axZSwbeO9C</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1919790726583603294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In 2024, Canada <a href="https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/econographics/whos-at-2-percent-look-how-nato-allies-have-increased-their-defense-spending-since-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spent</a> just 1.37% of its GDP on defense, falling near the bottom among NATO allies in defense spending and coming up short of NATO&#8217;s 2% guideline. During his election campaign, Carney <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadas-carney-promises-defense-spending-boost-if-he-wins-election-2025-03-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a> to increase defense spending with an &#8220;unprecedented acceleration of investment&#8221; in Canada&#8217;s armed forces, but did not specify what the total increase in spending would be, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadas-carney-promises-defense-spending-boost-if-he-wins-election-2025-03-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. While the United States doesn&#8217;t directly fund Canada&#8217;s military or defense, it has <a href="https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1958-60v07p1/d296#:~:text=Canada%20is%20given%20special%20treatment,the%20production%20in%20Canada%20of" target="_blank" rel="noopener">played</a> a key role in information sharing and exchanging defense materials and research and development data.
Carney&#8217;s promise to increase the Canadian government&#8217;s focus on security came immediately after Trump told Carney to &#8220;never say never&#8221; to Canada becoming the 51st state. Trump said that the United States “essentially” provides “free” military support for Canada already.
“Because we’re protecting Canada if you ever have a problem,” the president added, gesturing toward Carney. “It would really be a wonderful marriage because it’s two places that get along very well.”
Carney dismissed any notion of his country joining the United States, but added that a &#8220;partnership&#8221; is important for the future of both nations.

Donald Trump/Mark Carney

Carney Says Trump Revitalized International Security, Vows Canada Will Play ‘Full Weight’ In NATO

Defense

Military

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