National News

As President Donald Trump signed an executive order for reciprocal tariffs on Thursday that escalates his trade threats, his administration took aim at Canada's digital services tax as a major trade irritant.

The White House sent out a document calling digital taxes in both Canada and France "unfair" for taxing American companies.

Speaking in the Oval Office Thursday afternoon, Trump slammed Canada on trade and singled out its low defence spending, saying the country is a "very serious contender to be our 51st state."

Canadian retailer Peavey Industries LP is warning customers of imitation scams as the company closes its stores beloved for farm goods.

Jest Sidloski, the vice-president of marketing for the Red Deer, Alta.-based company, said Wednesday fake Facebook accounts and websites have been created pretending to be Peavey Mart, selling non-existent goods at steep discounts to defraud customers and steal their information.

He said he thinks fraudsters are using the store closures as an opportunity to scam.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Brussels today as Canada works to deepen its trade and defence ties with Europe.

The prime minister landed in the Belgian capital around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. His one-day visit includes a meeting with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte and the European Union's two most senior leaders.

Ursula von der Leyen has been president of the European Commission since 2019, and her job involves directing the EU's policy agenda and legislation.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is travelling back to Washington, D.C., this week, along with her provincial counterparts, to lobby U.S. lawmakers and industry players amid continued tariff threats.

Smith confirmed the trip in a Monday news release, saying she will embrace a "Team Canada approach" to convince Americans the levies would harm workers and businesses on both sides of the border. She also plans to continue highlighting the "significant" role Alberta energy exports play in helping the U.S.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ottawa will work to convince U.S. President Donald Trump that his steel and aluminum tariffs will hurt both countries.

A senior government official said Tuesday that Trudeau spoke with U.S. Vice-President JD Vance about the impact steel tariffs would have in Ohio, which Vance previously represented in the U.S. Senate.

Trump signed an executive order Monday to implement 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, beginning March 12.

Trudeau and Vance are both in Paris for a global summit on AI.

Donald Trump has signed executive orders to slap 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, including Canadian products, starting March 4 — the same deadline given to Canada to convince the U.S. president to halt his plan for across-the-board duties.

"It's a big deal. This is the beginning of making America rich again," Trump said as he signed the executive orders in the Oval Office.

The Canadian ambassador to France says threats by United States President Donald Trump to invade another country violate international law.

"I'm just saying that in order to respect international law, you don't threaten your neighbours by invasion," Stéphane Dion said.

Trump has said he wouldn’t rule out using military force to take over Greenland, which is part of Denmark. 

Trump said again Sunday that he wants to see Canada become a U.S. state after being asked about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent comments saying that Trump is not joking. 

Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland’s pitch to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to allies is drawing skeptical reactions from those who say her government neglected the sector over the past decade.

The former finance minister's policy statement on jobs and growth, released on Feb. 5, includes a pledge to "seize the opportunity to make Canada an energy superpower, from powering our grids with hydro to exporting liquefied natural gas to our allies."

U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose across-the-board tariffs on Canada — not to mention his musings about making the country the 51st American state — have unleashed an uncharacteristic wave of patriotism across the country, marked by acts big and small. From flag-inspired Montreal bagels to Super Bowl boycotts, here are some of the ways Canadians are expressing their displeasure with U.S. actions and showing home-country pride.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by The Canadian Press editors.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2025.