In the news today: Steelmakers urge Ottawa to match Trump tariffs

By Canadian Press on June 5, 2025.

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed…

Steel firms, workers to meet with MPs in Ottawa urging tariff action against U.S.

Canadian steel companies and union workers are meeting with members of Parliament today with the hopes of convincing Ottawa to punch back at U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff hike. Industry and labour groups, along with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, are all calling on the federal government to quickly implement matching tariffs to retaliate against the U.S. Trump doubled his duties on steel and aluminum products on Wednesday from 25 to 50 per cent — what amounts to a massive threat to Canadian industry. Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government will need to take “some time” to craft a response to the increased U.S. tariffs.

A quarter of Canadians view U.S. as ‘enemy’: Poll

Faced with a trade war they didn’t start, Canadians are divided on whether they see the United States as an “enemy” or an “ally,” a new poll suggests. The Leger poll, which was conducted online and can’t be assigned a margin of error, surveyed more than 1,500 people between May 30 and June 1. Almost a third of respondents said they view the U.S. as a “neutral country,” while 27 per cent said they consider it an “ally” and 26 per cent see it as an “enemy country.” Just over a third of men said they consider the U.S. an ally, compared with one in five women. Older Canadians, those at least 55 years of age, were more likely to consider the U.S. an enemy than younger Canadians.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

Canadians held in Syria pursue rights complaints

A dozen Canadian men and children detained in Syria are complaining to the Canadian Human Rights Commission that Ottawa is discriminating against them by not assisting their return to Canada. The Canadians are among the foreign nationals who have endured squalid and dangerous conditions for years in camps and prisons run by Kurdish forces that reclaimed the war-ravaged region from militants. Some Canadian women and children have been repatriated with help from Canadian officials and the co-operation of Kurdish authorities. There are 12 complainants in the human rights commission case — five Canadian men and seven children aged five to 12.

More than 2,200 Ontarians died of opioids in 2024

New data from the Office of the Chief Coroner shows that more than 2,200 Ontarians died from opioids last year, a 15 per cent decrease from 2023. Chief coroner Dirk Huyer says the decline gives him a “small degree of optimism,” but he worries that the numbers could potentially get worse again. His office had recorded 2,639 opioid deaths in 2023. The mortality rate from opioid overdoses was 14.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2024. Fentanyl and its related substances were found in more than 83 per cent of opioid toxicity deaths last year.

Habitat probe as B.C. First Nation builds island

A First Nation has built a small artificial island in Coles Bay off Vancouver Island, triggering an investigation into potential habitat destruction and whether the work was authorized. The Department of Fisheries says its officers are assessing whether the Pauquachin First Nation needed permission to construct the island, which is part of a plan to build a clam garden in the shallows of the bay. Excavators and dump trucks were involved in building the island over several days last week, hauling loads of rock into the tidal waters. North Saanich resident Richard Smith watched the construction and says he’s concerned about the state of the ocean floor.

Montreal hopes for better Grand Prix weekend

Montreal is hoping to redeem itself during the upcoming Grand Prix weekend after last year’s event became a source of embarrassment. The city says it’s taking steps to improve access to the Formula 1 site on a man-made island and to reduce congestion during the event, which begins June 13. The Montreal fire department also says it’s working with restaurant owners to ensure they’re ready for the influx of tourists. Fire inspectors caused an uproar last year when they abruptly ordered some restaurants to close their patios on one of the busiest evenings of the year. The 2024 Grand Prix weekend was also marred by flooding at the race site, traffic headaches and miscommunication.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.

The Canadian Press