News
Copy by Lawrence Zwer
Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to hold a one-on-one meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the G7 Leaders’ Summit today – an opportunity for the two men to make progress on resolving a damaging three-month trade war. The G7 summit is taking place in the Rocky Mountain resort of Kananaskis, Alberta. The Monday face-to-face would be the first time the pair have met in person since Mr. Carney visited the White House in early May. Canada and the United States are expected to exchange potential terms of agreement in closely held talks on an economic and security deal, in an effort to spell out what both sides might be able to agree upon as Ottawa and Washington try to find enough common ground to end their damaging trade war. It’s far from clear whether a deal will be made any time soon, as the United States is negotiating with close to 20 other countries that are seeking relief from tariffs that Mr. Trump has imposed on their products.
After a meeting in Ottawa on Sunday, Mark Carney and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said they would establish a new working group to look at ways to deepen trade ties between the two countries and address some of the irritants that led to a breakdown in bilateral free-trade talks last year. The group has been told to report back in six months. Mr. Carney also said he would put forward legislation by the autumn to ratify Britain’s accession into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-country free-trade bloc that includes Canada. Britain formally joined the CPTPP late last year, but Canada has not yet signed off on its entrance into the agreement, meaning the agreement doesn’t yet cover trade between the two countries. Mr. Starmer stopped in Ottawa over the weekend on the way to the G7 leaders’ summit in Kananaskis.
Sticking with the G7 summit, which runs through Tuesday, the second biggest agenda item after global trade is likely the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Both countries launched missiles against the other yesterday, with both militaries urging civilians on the opposing side to take precautions against further strikes. The Israeli military, which launched the attacks on Friday with the stated aim of wiping out Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, warned Iranians living near weapons facilities to evacuate. Iran’s armed forces told residents of Israel to leave the vicinity of “vital areas” for their safety. Iran’s Health Ministry said on Sunday that 224 people have been killed in Israeli attacks, with more than 1,200 others injured. In Israel, 10 deaths have been reported.
Finally, Canada’s largest private-sector union says former Canadian Auto Workers union president Buzz Hargrove has died. Hargrove was national president of the CAW from 1992 until his retirement in 2008. The CAW merged with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union in 2013 to become Unifor. Born in Bath, N.B., in 1944, Unifor says Hargrove grew up in a family of 10 children and began his working life on the shop floor of Chrysler’s Windsor, Ont., assembly plant. As CAW president, Unifor says he led negotiations with major employers including General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Air Canada and CN Rail, securing gains that elevated standards across sectors. Buzz Hargrove was 81.
Sports
A weekend to forget for the Toronto Blue Jays as they were shellacked 22 runs to 6 over three games in Philadelphia against the Phillies. Jays starting pitcher Jose Berrios gave up runs early and often yesterday, leaving the game in the 5th after 9 hits and 6 earned runs. Final score was 11-4. Today’s a laundry day for the boys in blue before welcoming the Diamondbacks to Rogers Centre for three games starting tomorrow.
In golf action J.J. Spaun turned a sloppy mess of a U.S. Open at wet and nasty Oakmont into a thing of beauty at the end Sunday with two stunning shots that carried him to his first major championship. First came his driver on the 314-yard 17th hole onto the green for a birdie that gave him the lead. Needing two putts from 65 feet on the 18th to win, he finished his storybook Open by holing the longest putt all week at Oakmont for birdie and a 2-over 72. That made him the only player to finish under par at 1-under 279. It gave him a two-shot victory over Robert MacIntyre of Scotland. And it made Spaun a major champion in only his second U.S. Open.
It was a clear and beautiful day yesterday in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix. Mercedes George Russell made it look like an easy drive around the park as he took his first win of the season. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen placed second, and Russell’s teen teammate Kimi Antonelli took third to become the third youngest podium finisher in the history of Formula One, at 18 years and 9 months old.
