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    • Trudeau calls Three Amigos summit 'extremely effective,' but Biden unmoved on EVs

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    WASHINGTON -

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to claim a moral victory Thursday after his day at the White House did little to defuse an escalating continental dispute over U.S. President Joe Biden's plans to encourage Americans to buy more electric vehicles.

    Trudeau and several senior cabinet ministers arrived in the U.S. capital hoping to convince Biden that his proposed tax incentive worth up to $12,500 to a prospective new-car buyer would kneecap Canada's auto industry.

    They depart Friday with little to show for their efforts, leaving behind an administration that sounds unwilling to plot a different course and determined to focus its efforts on selling American-made cars and trucks built with U.S. union labour.

    “In a relationship as big and as deep and as all-encompassing for so many of us, as is the relationship between Canada and the United States, there are always going to be challenges coming up,†Trudeau said.

    “As we solve some, new ones will arise, and what is most important is that we have strong, direct lines of communication and that we engage with them in constructive ways. That is exactly what we've done.â€

    During their customary fireside photo op in the Oval Office, Biden offered little evidence he was in a conciliatory mood, offering the usual bilateral pleasantries but promptly shutting down questions about the burgeoning dispute.

    “We're going to talk about that, to some extent,†Biden said, noting that the measure - part of a $1.75-trillion climate change and social spending measure central to his Build Back Better agenda - was a long way from becoming the law of the land.

    “There's a lot of complicating factors.â€

    As the meeting continued far from the glare of TV cameras, White House press secretary Jen Psaki was herself taking questions about Canada's claim that the proposal violates NAFTA's continental trade successor, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

    “We don't view it that way, I think it's safe to say,†Psaki said.

    “The electric vehicles component of the package is something the president is personally very excited about because he believes it's an industry of the future, an industry that can help create good-paying union jobs.

    “It will help consumers. It will help incentivize the purchasing of electric vehicles and the driving of electric vehicles - something that's good for our climate.â€

    As if to punctuate the trip, the House of Representatives was debating the Build Back Better legislation throughout the evening, precisely as Trudeau was taking questions at the Canadian Embassy, with hopes high that it might pass before daybreak.

    The bill will face a rougher ride in the evenly divided Senate, where passage is far from guaranteed, and West Virginia Sen. Joe Mancin - a moderate Democrat - has already expressed misgivings about the tax-credit measure.

    The proposal is a major concern for automakers in both Canada and Mexico. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland on Wednesday warned it could become “the dominant issue†of the Canada-U.S. relationship.

    But it wasn't the only sore spot: Trudeau said he directly raised concerns about the administration's strident Buy American protectionist policies, as well as the cross-border Line 5 oil pipeline, which Michigan is trying to shut down.

    He made the remarks following what he called an “extremely effective†trilateral summit at the White House with Biden and his Mexican counterpart, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador - the first so-called Three Amigos summit since 2016.

    Trudeau was noncommittal when asked whether the federal government would consider a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, which Biden said earlier was something he was considering.

    The trilateral summit between Trudeau, Biden and Lopez Obrador unfolded in the ornate East Room of the White House.

    Seated at a large oval table with Biden on one side and Trudeau and Lopez Obrador safely physically distanced on the other, they each spoke of prioritizing the physical and economic health of their shared continent and respective residents.

    “Our North American vision for the future draws on our shared strengths, as well as three vibrant democracies with dynamic populations and economies, wishing to work together,†Biden said.

    “We can meet today and we can meet all the challenges, if we just take the time to speak to one another, by working together.â€

    Trudeau thanked Biden for playing host and described himself as being among friends with a shared priority of “ending†COVID-19 and ensuring strong supply chains between all three countries.

    “We are three countries with extremely strong ties between our people, with our values and visions for the future strongly united,†he said.

    He described the USMCA as a “world-class†deal that protects workers' rights and allows all three countries to work together on the climate crisis.

    Canada and Mexico agreed to redistribute millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses they received from the United States to other Western Hemisphere countries.

    Biden is also reviving a North American working group on violence against Indigenous women and girls, an initiative Trudeau announced with former U.S. president Barack Obama in Ottawa in 2016.

    The three leaders also plan to strengthen their united effort to address the migration crisis that has seen millions of asylum seekers from Central America crashing Mexico's borders. Venezuela's economic and political crisis is expected to produce six million refugees by the end of the year.

    Canada is expected to be added to the U.S.-Mexico supply chain working group to make it a North America-wide effort aimed at minimizing future disruptions for the continent. The new working group will look at defining essential industries, including critical minerals.

    Trudeau used his first day in Washington on Wednesday to talk up Canada's competitive advantage on critical minerals, which are used in batteries for computers, cellphones, electric vehicles and other essential items.

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 18, 2021.

    IN DEPTH

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

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    CTVNews.ca ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½

    Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

    Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.

    Canada

    • Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • The RCMP is seeking the dismissal of three officers who have been suspended from the Coquitlam detachment since June 2021 over allegations of racist, sexist and homophobic comments made in a group chat.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.

    • The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    • A Nova Scotia woman has applied for a medically assisted death, saying after years of battling to receive out-of-country surgery for an illness that causes 'indescribable' pain, she struggles to maintain the will to live.

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    • Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • When Bernard Morissette got a call from Loto-Quebec on Sept. 18 and was asked if he was sitting down, he had no idea what was coming his way.

    • An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    Sports

    • The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have won five in a row. The Edmonton Elks have won five of their last six games. They are the two hottest teams in the West. When they meet Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium, something has to give.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • F1 star Max Verstappen punished over bad word

      Formula One points leader Max Verstappen was ordered to 'accomplish some work of public interest' after uttering an inappropriate word Thursday at the news conference ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

    An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

    They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

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    • On the day he spoke to one of his largest audiences to date, the leader of the BC Conservatives made an exceptionally misleading statement around a well-publicized funding model for political parties that’s been in place since 2018.

    • Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.

    • The parents of a teenager who died after allegedly consuming the poisonous products of a Mississauga man are now suing him, as well as several doctors involved in her care.

    • One person was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a multi-vehicle collision in Milton, Ont. on Friday night.

    • The man charged with fatally stabbing lifelong Banff resident Ethan Enns-Goneau in 2022 has been convicted of second-degree murder.

    • Environment Canada issued a frost advisory for Calgary late Friday afternoon.

    • It was the last show for longtime children's TV star Ron (Buck Shot) Barge Friday as hundreds of family, friends and fans attended a public memorial in Calgary.

    • Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), the two sides announced Friday.

    • For years, the commute to Ottawa's west end was one of the biggest complaints for attending fans. But those who live in Kanata and in the immediate LeBreton area say the move would be a big change their respective neighbourhoods.

    • Ottawa police are investigating a shooting downtown Friday afternoon.

    • Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.

    • When Bernard Morissette got a call from Loto-Quebec on Sept. 18 and was asked if he was sitting down, he had no idea what was coming his way.

    • A man who asserted his right to work in French has won his case before the Tribunal, invoking the new provisions of the province's French-language law (Bill 96) to that effect.

    • Two Edmonton Police Service officers have been criminally charged in connection with an assault.

    • Roughly 100 people gathered in an Edmonton intersection on Friday in support of – and against – the 1 Million March for Children.

    • The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge announced Friday it is now accepting reservations from guests for accommodations beginning Oct. 1.

    • A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.

    • Halifax Regional Police warned the public of a series of high-value thefts targeting retail stores Friday.

    • Air travel is back in full swing at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

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    • A plane approaches the grass runway at Harv’s Air School south of Steinbach. Nothing is getting in the way of a clear, smooth landing, but owner Harv Penner worries, that could soon change.

    • The University of Manitoba's College of Dentistry is dealing with some unexpected consequences from the federal government's new Canadian Dental Care Plan

    • Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

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    • Protests were held in front of Kitchener City Hall on Friday, both for and against LGBTQ2S+ inclusive education and queer rights in schools.

    • The provincial government is considering new rules to restrict a municipality’s ability to install new bike lanes if it means traffic lanes would be removed.

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    • The Saskatchewan RCMP major crimes unit is investigating after a 29-year-old man died in hospital.

    • A garage fire in Saskatoon’s Willows neighbourhood on Friday narrowly missed igniting an attached home, according to the fire department.

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    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

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    • Two men from Barrie have been charged after a deadly shooting at a park in Keswick on Wednesday.

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    • A jury has found a Barrie man guilty of second-degree murder for the stabbing death of a man at a Banff bar two years ago.

    • The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is searching for the occupants of a vehicle caught on security cameras during a fatal police-involved shooting on Goyeau Street.

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    • The federal government is investing $18.4 million dollars into the region.

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    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

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    • After a summer of preparation, the Lethbridge Hurricanes are ready to open the 2024-25 season.

    • As a new semester is underway, Lethbridge Polytechnic and the University of Lethbridge say the number of students on campus is on the rise.

    • A Lethbridge resident is facing charges after police seized drugs and weapons at a traffic stop for bicycle equipment violations.

    • A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.

    • Ontario Provincial Police say three suspects from southern Ontario have been charged and drugs worth $300,000 have been seized following a traffic stop Sept. 16.

    • A Brampton driver, 27, was charged this week when northern Ontario police stopped the SUV he was driving on Highway 17 after a reported shooting and found more than $100,000 in cash.

    N.L.

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