In the news today: Tariffs and wildfire headline meeting with P.M. Carney

By Canadian Press on July 15, 2025.

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

Carney to meet with cabinet amid 35% tariffs

Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet with his cabinet today for the first time since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose steep new tariffs on Canada.

Trump said in a letter to Carney last week that the United States will put a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian goods starting Aug. 1.

The White House says that new tariff wouldn’t apply to goods that are compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade.

Canada has yet to respond formally to the latest threat, or to Trump’s recent moves to impose lofty tariffs on copper imports and double existing levies on steel and aluminum.

PM to meet with Incident Response Group on fires

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to convene the Incident Response Group in Ottawa today to discuss the ongoing wildfire situation across the country.

Carney also convened the group of ministers and senior officials a little over a month ago in response to an earlier wave of wildfires, which peaked in May and June, then receded, and have now flared up again.

More than 6,000 people are currently out of their homes in Manitoba, and the communities of Lynn Lake and Snow Lake ordered residents to flee for the second time in just weeks.

In Saskatchewan, the fires have forced out about 1,000 residents across a number of communities.

Wildfire smoke combines with heat in some regions

Special air-quality statements caused by wildfire smoke remain in effect for many areas of the country, and in some places, people are also handling stifling heat and humidity as well as the haze.

Much of Central Canada, Manitoba and Saskatchewan were placed under special air quality statements or warnings on Monday due to smoke from wildfires on the Prairies and northern Ontario, as Environment Canada advised residents to limit time outdoors and watch for smoke exposure symptoms.

Air quality warnings for areas including Toronto were downgraded to special statements later on Monday as conditions somewhat improved, but a heat warning has been issued for the city that warns of daytime highs between 31 and 35 degrees lasting until Thursday.

Heat warnings are also in effect north of Lake Huron, as well as for parts of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Smoky days a challenge for Canada’s food growers

The smoky air that has become an all-too-common feature of Canadian summers poses yet another challenge for agricultural producers already contending with chronic drought in some areas and excess moisture in others.

A thick haze blanketed much of the Prairies and Central Canada on Monday as wildfires burned in northern Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.

Environment Canada issued air quality warnings advising people to stay indoors — not an option for those growing the food Canadians rely on.

As for how the smoke affects the crops themselves — it’s complicated, said Ashley Ammeter, whole farm specialist at the Manitoba Crop Alliance.

StatCan set to release June inflation data

Statistics Canada is set to report inflation figures for June today.

A Reuters poll of economists expect the annual pace of inflation rose to 1.9 per cent last month, up from 1.7 per cent in May.

BMO expects inflation rose beyond that to two per cent in June as food and transportation costs pushed prices higher for consumers.

The June inflation report will be the Bank of Canada’s last look at price data before its next interest rate decision on July 30.

The central bank has held its policy rate steady for the past two decisions as it waits for more clarity on how U.S. tariffs are affecting inflation and the wider economy.

The Emmy nominations are here. ‘Severance,’ ‘The White Lotus’ and ‘Adolescence’ could have a big day

“Severance” could separate itself from the competition and reach the upper echelons of the Emmy Awards when nominations are announced Tuesday morning.

The dystopian workplace drama from Apple TV+ achieved a convergence of acclaim and audience buzz for its second season that often leads to the kind of Emmy dominance enjoyed in recent years by “Succession” and “Shogun.”

But a flowering of Emmys tends to follow HBO’s “The White Lotus” wherever it goes, and HBO Max’s newcomer “The Pitt” could challenge for nominations and for wins when the trophies are handed out in September.

All will benefit from the absence of “Shogun,” which last year led all Emmy nominees with 25 and set a record for wins in a season with 18. Its second season is still in the early stages of production and it shouldn’t be around for next year’s Emmys either.

“Severance” has become a signature show for Apple TV+. The streamer has gotten plenty of Emmy nominations for dramas including “The Morning Show” and “Slow Horses,” and “Ted Lasso” was downright dominant on the comedy side.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2025

The Canadian Press