JULY 24, 2026
Bridging the Divide
The ribbon is finally being cut today on the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the 2.4-kilometre, six-lane span linking Windsor, Ont., and Detroit, Mich. Named after the Canadian hockey legend who became a Detroit icon (during his 25 seasons with the Red Wings), the $6.4-billion cable-stayed crossing was conceived as a symbol of cross-border cooperation – not a monument to the strained relationship between Canada and the U.S. Reflecting those current tensions, today’s ceremony became a Canadian-only affair after U.S. officials were disinvited following President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats. The bridge also sparked political turbulence at home. Prime Minister Mark Carney was accused by opposition MPs of “misrepresenting” the toll-sharing agreement, initially saying revenues would be split only after Canada had recouped the cost of building the bridge, which was funded entirely by taxpayers on this side. But after Trump delayed the opening while demanding a bigger cut of the proceeds, it emerged that the U.S. would receive half the toll revenue for the first 15 years – a significant departure from how Carney first described the deal. This bridge was meant to spur commerce and travel between the two countries. Instead, it seems, we’re further apart than ever.
JULY 23, 2026
United We Stand
Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats have produced an unintended side effect: they have somehow united Canada’s premiers. Gathering this week in Charlottetown, P.E.I. – the Birthplace of Confederation – provincial and territorial leaders set aside their familiar battles over pipelines, regional priorities and federal transfer payments to present a rare harmonious front against the escalating and ever-changing U.S. trade demands. “Nothing unites like a common opponent, and there’s no more popular opponent in Canada right now than Donald Trump,” said Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, summing up the feeling around the table. Many premiers are urging Ottawa to take a tougher line – “We can’t let a bully keep taking our lunch money,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared. They’ll soon get a clearer sense of how the federal government will play its hand when Prime Minister Mark Carney joins today’s meeting for a private roundtable discussion. Amid the show of unity, there were also signs of cautious optimism – both Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith both said they were “positive and bullish” that the two countries can still strike a short-term trade deal and avoid new tariffs. Canada’s premiers may be speaking with one voice. The question now is whether Washington will listen. | Darren Calabrese/The Canadian Press
JULY 22, 2026
By George, You’re a Teenager Now
Was it only 13 years ago that the future King George VII was introduced to the world? On the steps of the hospital where he was born – and where his father was born – the little prince was held by his mother, Catherine, who wore a blue polka-dot dress, a dupe of the one that Diana wore to present the current heir to the British throne, William. Already aced at waving from a balcony, a new photograph and video released today to mark the newly minted teenager’s birthday shows how grown-up George Louis Alexander has become, with blond hair reminiscent of his father’s erstwhile heartthrob swoop and a strong resemblance to his maternal grandfather, Michael Middleton. This is a helpful visual in the Prince of Wales’s campaign to modernize the monarchy by making changes that will draw a line under unpopular House of Windsor baggage and, as he told Eugene Levy, leave the crown an institution his son will be proud to lead. To that end, George has been on maneuvers this summer – climbing in and out of airplanes at a military base (where it was first noted that he’s now almost as tall as his five-foot-nine mother), and sitting in a suit and tie with a ramrod straight back in the blazing heat in the Royal Box at Wimbledon. And, this fall, he will start boarding at his father’s alma mater, the poshest school in the land, Eton. Will he continue to follow in his dad’s footsteps – attend the University of St Andrews, meet his future princess there, and give the world another wedding of the century? We can hardly wait!
JULY 21, 2026
Another Tariff Tantrum
When Prime Minister Mark Carney joined U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum at Sunday’s FIFA World Cup final, there was hope the trio might score a diplomatic breakthrough on their simmering trade disputes. Instead, Trump turned the soccer summit into another offensive strike, accusing Canada of polluting American skies with wildfire smoke before unveiling a fresh round of 50 per cent tariffs on a curious list of goods we export to the U.S., including wine, cement, hockey sticks (but not skates), honey, sculptures, fishing rods, dog leashes and down jackets. The latest duties come despite a court ruling earlier this year that found many of Trump’s previous tariffs had been imposed illegally under emergency powers. To get around that, the White House is invoking Section 338 of the U.S. Tariff Act, which allows the president to levy steep duties on countries deemed to discriminate against American industry. Carney responded cautiously, saying Canada is prepared to “intensify” negotiations in the coming weeks toward a new free-trade agreement. NDP Leader Avi Lewis, however, was far less restrained, calling Trump’s latest move “an economic grenade thrown over the border by an out-of-control president who has lost touch with reality.”
JULY 20, 2026
Curtain Call
After 104 matches, 308 goals, 15 red cards and countless dives, the final whistle has been blown on the beautiful game – or, at least, on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which graced our Canadian shores and captured our hearts. Spain lifted the trophy with an extra-time victory over Argentina, its first World Cup in 16 years. Members of that 2010 team watched on from the stands, wiping away tears as 65-year-old Luis de la Fuente became the oldest coach to win the whole shebang. A While the young Spanish players went wild, they also paid their respects to their idol-turned-rival, Argentina’s superstar Lionel Messi, 39, who spent most of his career playing for FC Barcelona. Many Spanish players have childhood photos with the icon. Although, it was a pic of the 20-year-old Argentinian bathing a baby, current star Lamine Yamal, for a 2007 charity calendar that pulled at the viral heartstrings. After the touchingly intergenerational tournament, beloved players are hanging up their cleats to make way for a new generation, including Manuel Neuer, 40, of Germany, Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa, 41, Brazil’s Neymar, 34, and giant of the game, Portugal’s Christian Ronaldo, 41. Even Messi hinted at the same, poetically calling it “The Last Tango.”
