Good morning. Sources provide more insight into Canada’s trade negotiations with the U.S. More on that below, along with new weather alerts and upcoming celestial events.
TOP STORIES
Chief trade negotiator said tariffs represent a ‘cliff’ for Canada
Canada’s top trade negotiator warned her American counterparts last week that if the White House imposes new tariffs on Aug. 19 the move would represent a “cliff” that risks throwing negotiations with the U.S. into a deep chill.
According to five sources briefed on the discussions, Janice Charette delivered the message in a meeting last week with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Four of the sources said Charette cautioned the Americans about the public mood in Canada should the tariffs be imposed on Aug. 19. The sources said she warned the officials that Ottawa would not be able to rein in or control the public or premiers’ reactions and that the federal government will have lost the room to negotiate with the Americans.
Three of the sources said Charette also told Greer that if the tariffs are imposed, Canadians would expect the government to retaliate, potentially provoking a chain of counterretaliation between the two countries.
Bald Range wildfire still out of control despite a favourable weather forecast
Mexican reinforcements have arrived in British Columbia for the battle against a deadly wildfire that has forced some 20,000 people out of their homes along the western shores of Okanagan Lake. More than 13,000 people are receiving emergency support services as the province continues to grapple with multiple destructive wildfires.
Meanwhile: An Indigenous community in Alberta is suing the provincial government for damage caused by a 2023 forest fire, alleging officials were ill-prepared despite the extreme fire hazard, and that the province prioritized neighbouring areas while Métis land burned.
The lawsuit: East Prairie Metis Settlement alleges the 2023 Grizzly fire torched 54 of its homes and outbuildings and about 30,100 hectares of timber worth about $19.3-million. The settlement also alleges the fire destroyed carbon offsets valued about $12-million, traditional areas and culture and wildlife that serve as a source of both food and income.
China tightens exit-and-entry rules
New rules introduced by Beijing could see people considered a risk to industrial or technological security barred from leaving the country. The new regulations come into effect on Sept. 15 and are an expansion of exit-and-entry laws that has alarmed both ordinary citizens and foreign businesses.
The details: According to the state-run China Daily, the new rules include imposing exit bans on those suspected of “violating export control or technology trade rules in ways that may threaten industrial or technological security.”
Canada’s first Indigenous-led drug-use site
The Manitoba government opened its first supervised drug-use site after a lengthy delay and community pushback, charting a path opposite to other Canadian provinces. It is also the first Indigenous-led drug-use site in Canada where people can inject or inhale drugs under medical supervision.
The details: The provincial NDP government partnered with non-profit Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre to establish the facility, which was originally planned to open in 2025. The site is located in an industrial-commercial area of Winnipeg’s inner-city and will be open during limited hours.
Your celestial event planning
The annual Perseid meteor shower and a solar eclipse coincide this week. The two celestial events are set to appear in the skies around much of the world today and it’s worth taking advantage of the rare astronomical double bill.
Best bet: The meteor shower will be more accessible to most Canadians. It’s best seen in a dark, open area with a view of the entire sky. The moon will be in its new moon phase during the Perseids’ peak, making viewing conditions even better. As many as 50 to 100 meteors an hour may be visible under ideal conditions, according to NASA.
What else we’re following
At home: A man has been charged with public mischief and uttering threats in relation to a bomb threat against the U.S. consulate in Halifax.
Abroad: Ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his brother were sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes committed during the country’s 14-year civil war that left about half a million people dead.
At home and abroad: Just days after celebrating the opening of a Canadian embassy in West Africa, Ottawa will not explain why it quietly shut down its embassy in South Sudan.
Ouch: The estimated cost of Toronto’s Ontario Line has tripled, says Metrolinx president and CEO Michael Lindsay.
Yawn: Environment Canada launched a new storm warning system to address “alert fatigue.”
Woof: A new study has found that dogs can understand our expressions and distinguish emotions in people’s faces.
The Take
This war will end eventually. How it ends depends on which side has more patience and willingness to absorb punishment.
— Tony Keller, Globe columnist
Trump keeps bidding for the war to end, writes Tony Keller. But Iran keeps raising its price.
The Shot
Meet the Sicilian priest who devoted his life to exposing the crimes of online predators.