麻豆影视

Politics

    • U.S. President Joe Biden touches down in Ottawa

    Share
    OTTAWA -

    U.S. President Joe Biden arrived Thursday evening in Ottawa for a whirlwind 27-hour visit expected to focus on both the friendly and thorny aspects of the Canada-U.S. relationship, including protectionism and migration on both sides of the border.

    The welcoming party for the president and first lady Jill Biden included Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, the American ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, and Canada's envoy in the U.S., Kirsten Hillman.

    Biden began his time in Ottawa by meeting Gov. Gen Mary Simon.The U.S. president along with the first lady were then greeted byPrime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, at their home at Rideau Cottage.

    "This will be the first true, in-person bilateral meeting between the two leaders in Canada since 2009," said White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

    Biden is hell-bent on restoring blue-collar American manufacturing to its former glory, considers free trade a dirty word and wants Canada to wade voluntarily into a failed, gang-ravaged state that's a quagmire waiting to happen.

    To be sure, Biden is no Donald Trump. But he doesn't always make it obvious.

    The first year of his term focused on rebuilding Canada-U.S. relations following Trump's divisive term in office. The second focused on meeting obligations, "including prioritizing orderly and safe migration through regular pathways," Kirby said.

    "Now, heading into the third, this visit is about taking stock of what we've done, where we are and what we need to prioritize for the future."

    While he's far less undiplomatic and publicly combative than his both-barrels predecessor, Biden's first two years in the Oval Office produced more than enough political headaches for Trudeau.

    Friday's meetings are expected to offer at least one remedy.

    A Biden administration official said the two countries will agree to expand the 2004 treaty that governs how the two countries handle asylum seekers who cross their shared border.

    The U.S. will agree to extend the treaty, known as the Safe Third Country Agreement, to apply all along the world's largest international border. It currently only applies at official entry points, which is why it's often blamed for fuelling a recent surge in would-be refugees at places like Roxham Road in Quebec.

    In exchange, Canada will agree to welcome an additional 15,000 migrants from across the Western Hemisphere over the next year on a humanitarian basis, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

    The agreement is the culmination of discussions between Trudeau and Biden at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles last June, a migration-heavy meeting where Canada agreed to admit just 4,000 more migrants by 2028.

    There's an upside for Biden, too, who faces political headwinds on the immigration file -- some of which are coming from Canada.

    "The numbers don't lie: illegal border crossings and illegal drug trafficking are increasing along America's northern border," said Matt Knoedler, a spokesman for Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelly.

    Kelly is one of the founding members of the Northern Border Security Caucus, a group of 28 Republican members of Congress who are pressuring the Biden administration to shore up border security along the country's northern flank.

    "Members of the Northern Border Security Caucus encourage both leaders to have a productive dialogue on this matter during the meeting."

    The next thing on Canada's wish list? Frank talk on Buy American, the age-old protectionist doctrine resurrected by every 21st-century president short of George W. Bush and one of Biden's favourite domestic political messages.

    "The president is very committed to policies that create jobs in the United States, and we don't take issue with that policy," said Kirsten Hillman, Canada's ambassador to the U.S.

    "What we say is when you apply it to Canada and deeply integrated Canada supply chains, it does not serve your policy purpose. It does the exact opposite."

    Fully 60 per cent of the physical goods that Canada sells stateside "go into the manufacturing of other products," and much the same is true of what Canada buys from the U.S., she added.

    "So if we start carving each other out of our supply chains, the economic impact on jobs in our own country is going to be enormous. We're shooting ourselves in the foot, essentially -- both countries."

    Canada is also likely to be playing defence on Haiti, the impoverished, quake-ravaged Caribbean nation that has devolved into a failed state since the 2021 assassination of president Jovenel Moise.

    Roving gangs now control more than half of Port-au-Prince, the capital city of a country in the grips of a cholera outbreak with little access to medical help, a near-total lack of public security and a powerless interim government.

    The Biden administration, its hands full with Russia's war in Ukraine, the rise of China and other great-power concerns, wants Canada -- home to a large diaspora of French-speaking Haitians, mostly in Quebec -- to take a lead role.

    "I am hopeful that Canada will be able to step in and take some leadership in Haiti, because that will matter in Washington," said Gordon Giffin, who served as Bill Clinton's envoy to Ottawa from 1997 to 2001.

    "Taking that one off of our menu would be a big help to the U.S. administration."

    Though it might seem simplistic at the highest levels of intergovernmental relations, the quid pro quo approach is foundational to how countries get along and manage various irritants in the relationship, he suggested.

    "I do think it's a prototypical example of the United States saying, 'We need you to help us out on this one,"' Giffin told a panel hosted by the Americas Society/Council of the Americas.

    He recalled the frequent interactions between his old boss and Jean Chretien, who was prime minister while Clinton was in the White House and a man Giffin described as "the consummate dealmaker."

    Chretien "looked for places where Bill Clinton needed a little bit of help," Giffin said.

    "I would very quickly hear, 'OK, we're going to do this, Gordon, but for that, I need this,"' he said in his best Chretien drawl. "I'm sorry, that's just human nature, and it's part of the deal."

    National Security Council spokesman John Kirby would not say Wednesday whether Biden intends to make a direct demand of Trudeau on Haiti.

    "They share a concern about the dire situation down there from a security and humanitarian perspective -- this is not something that is unfamiliar to either the prime minister or the president," Kirby said.

    "As for a multinational force or anything like that, I don't want to get ahead of the conversation here. But as we've said before, if there's a need for that, if there's a place for that, that's all going to have to be worked out directly with the Haitian government and with the UN."

    Senior government officials in Ottawa say the discussion on Haiti will involve the two leaders, but not Haitians themselves. Trudeau has so far focused on sanctions, helping Haitian authorities with surveillance support to track gang activity, and building a political consensus on how the West can best help.

    Speaking to reporters Thursday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the U.S. believes the worsening situation will not improve "without armed security assistance from international partners," and it will co-ordinate with partners including Canada on "next steps on the force and other actions."

    Carleton University professor Stephen Saideman, who once worked with the U.S. Department of Defense, said Ottawa is trying to avoid that at all costs.

    "This government does not want to suffer tremendous costs or cement tremendous risks," Saideman said.

    He noted that Canada's largest deployment is currently in Latvia and Ottawa has agreed to expand its presence to shore up that country's border with Russia.

    It would be impossible to expand that force while leading an intervention in Haiti, particularly because each deployed unit generally requires a second unit undergoing training and a third recovering from the previous rotation, he added.

    In addition, gang violence would be significantly riskier than past missions aimed at preventing clashes between warring armies, such as in Bosnia or Cyprus.

    "I'm not saying we shouldn't do it, but I can see why the government is cautious about it," said Saideman, who is director of the Canadian Defence and Security Network.

    "In Haiti, this has not been the first rodeo," he said. "The previous missions didn't fix things, didn't lead to a lasting solution."

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2023.

    With files from James McCarten in Washington and Dylan Robertson and Nojoud Al Mallees in Ottawa

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

    opinion

    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    Canada

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • A pair of 105-mm howitzers bark constantly as they turn plywood tank targets into kindling kilometres away on the windswept landscape of one of Canada's largest military bases.

    • Two semis were among the vehicles involved in a multi-vehicle crash that brought westbound traffic along Stoney Trail Northwest to a standstill on Sunday.

    • NEW THIS MORNING

      NEW THIS MORNING

      An Ottawa boy with a rare disease will be getting the chance to see Taylor Swift in concert after the winner and organizers of an auction held on his behalf gifted the tickets to him.

    • CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • An elementary school in Greenfield Park on Montreal鈥檚 South Shore is closed after it was the target of an alleged arson attack.

    • Some 12,000 daycare workers are set to begin their strike action Monday morning.

    • Though most businesses are expected to be open on Remembrance Day, there are some establishments that will be closed to commemorate the holiday.

    • Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • Boasting 2,300 square metres of skating space at its new location, Edmonton's Rollers Roller Rink believes it is the largest in Canada.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother鈥檚 death, during the Second World War.

    • It's been a trip to cherish for a group of Canadians visiting Belgium this week to honour the legacy of Indigenous soldiers.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • A man has been charged after a stabbing at an apartment building in Kitchener.

    • The Guelph Police Service is putting out a warning after two deaths in the downtown area.

    • Two new tributes to Canada鈥檚 veterans have been unveiled at the Elmira Cenotaph.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • 11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • A group of former NHL players faced off against York Regional Police officers in Newmarket Sunday afternoon to raise funds for Special Olympics programs across the province.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • The agreed statement of facts was read to the court on Friday in the case of Alex Williams, the 24-year-old jail guard charged last fall with smuggling cannabis and tobacco into Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene.

    • 11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    • Residents in the Sault expressed concerns ranging from vandalism to privacy invasions during recent consultations on the city's plan to install automated speed enforcement cameras.

    N.L.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视