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May 5 2025

The Roundup: Trump meeting. Alberta separatists. Film tariffs.

MON MAY 5 2024
David Akin's Roundup
Trump meeting. Alberta separatists. Film tariffs.
Canada
It’s not just Trump: 7 foreign policy issues Mark Carney faces
Prime Minister Mark Carney has many foreign policy issues on his plate — and they're not all about United Statess President Donald Trump. [Global]

Senior bureaucrats hastily began assembling talking points for Justin Trudeau just hours before his Nov. 29, 2024, meeting with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Global News has learned.
On Friday General Motors said that because of tariffs it was eliminating a third shift at a pickup truck assembly line in Oshawa, Ontario. That plant will now build more trucks for Canadians, the company said. Unifor, which represents autoworkers in Canada, said the reduction would eliminate about 700 union jobs and was likely to cause parts makers to lay off another 1,200 people.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said that G.M.’s decision was a “terrible manifestation” of the economic crisis Mr. Trump’s tariffs had created for Canada. [NYT] (🎁 link)
Former Conservative cabinet minister Peter MacKay isn't pointing the finger at Pierre Poilievre for the party's election loss, but he does think members of his team need to go. [Global]
Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, believes First Nations people were motivated by the same issues as non-First Nations people in 2025: Donald Trump's threats, trade, the economy and affordability.  [CBC]
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The Provinces
Albertans disillusioned with Canada rally for separation in Edmonton
Hundreds of Albertans gathered in front of the province's legislature Saturday to rally for separation from Canada. [Edmonton Journal]
Le chef du Parti conservateur du Québec, Éric Duhaime, doit annoncer dimanche qu’il lance sa campagne dans Arthabaska, avant même le déclenchement de l’élection partielle. [La Presse]
Aurora
Elsewhere
Trump rejects concerns about prices and economic uncertainty as he defends his agenda
He also reiterated that he would not “rule out” using military force in his pursuit of adding Greenland to the U.S. But he appeared to stand down a little with regard to Canada, which he said he would still like to annex as the “51st state.” “I don’t see it with Canada,” he said of the use of force to make that happen. But he also said: “They think we are going to protect them, and really we are. But the truth is, they don’t carry their full share, and it’s unfair to the United States and our taxpayers.” [NBC]
Trump’s 4 p.m. post on his social network Truth Social stated “other countries are offering all sorts of incentives to draw our filmmakers and studios away from the United States.” He said this was hurting Hollywood and in general the U.S. film production industry, making it a “National Security threat.” [Vancouver Sun]
Atlantic staff writer Ashley Parker says her recent interview with Trump in the Oval Office showed the U.S. president isn't 'fervently' pursuing taking over Canada. [Global]
David Smith: The Coalition should resist seeing Trump as a natural disaster over which they had no control. Peter Dutton made many other missteps that doomed his party’s chances. [The Conversation]
Media
White House launches Drudge-style website to promote Trump
The site represents the administration's latest effort to circumvent the mainstream media and present itself in a positive light. [Axios]
Science and Tech
Small Towns Are Rising Up Against AI Data Centers
As local activists repel data center development, their battleplans are being chronicled and shared with organizers across the country. [Futurism]
The Calendar
  • 0900 : 135B West Block - Representatives of Indigenous organizations speak about a data collection project.
  • 1100 : 135B West Block - Amnesty International representatives speak to reporters.
  • 1430 : Ottawa - PM Carney departs for Washington DC
  • 1600 : Washington DC - PM Carney  arrives at Andrews Air Force Base.
Issued this day ...
… in 1989. Sc 1182. High Values — Architecture: McAdam Railway Station, NB. Design: Raymond Bellemare.
The McAdam Station in southwestern New Brunswick is now a national historic site. Passenger trains ceased to serve the station five years after this stamp was issued, in 1994.  It was designed by Montreal architect Edward Maxwell. More from Wikipedia:
"In 1900, the C.P rail began construction of the massive combined railway station/hotel in McAdam to cater to wealthy passengers changing trains to continue to the resort town of St. Andrews where they would stay at the C.P rail's hotel The Algonquin. The station was commissioned by legendary CPR President Sir William Van Horne who maintained an exclusive private estate in St. Andrews on Minister's Island. On numerous occasions during Van Horne's influential presidency at the C.P rail during the 1890s, his private car would pass by the McAdam station on the way from Montreal to his summer retreat at St. Andrews and vice versa, sometimes staying in the station hotel. 

The station was built in the Chateau style and resembles a Scottish castle. It was built of local granite and located at the western end of the wye leading to St. Andrews from the Montreal-Saint John main line. "

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