In the news today: Tariff talks in Washington and G7 foreign ministers in Quebec

Trump expanded his global trade war on Wednesday by hitting every country, including Canada, with 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum.

The day before, Trump threatened to double those duties on Canada but backed down after Ford agreed to halt a surcharge on electricity that Ontario sells to three U.S. states.

G7 foreign ministers start talks in Quebec

A major foreign-policy summit is underway in Quebec today, with the Liberals welcoming foreign ministers from the U.S., Europe and Japan.

The Group of Seven ministerial meeting is taking place in the Charlevoix region, just as Canada seeks support against damaging American tariffs.

The leaders are set to discuss the functioning of the G7 today, as well as geopolitical challenges ranging from Haiti to Sudan.

Ukraine is expected to loom large over the meetings, with Kyiv saying it would be willing to accept a ceasefire if Russia agrees to certain conditions.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly had formal meetings last night with her counterparts representing the European Union, France and the U.K.

Poll suggests job security an issue

A new poll suggests that 40 per cent of Canadians are worried about losing their jobs as many businesses scale back hiring plans in response to the trade war with the United States.

The Leger poll, which sampled more than 1,500 Canadian adults from March 7 to March 10, suggests that more than half of workers in Ontario were concerned about job security, the highest in the country, while just under one in four in Atlantic Canada said they were worried.

Thirty-nine per cent of people in British Columbia and in Manitoba/Saskatchewan reported they’re worried about losing their jobs, compared to 35 per cent of people in Alberta and 26 per cent of people in Quebec.

Biking groups’ trail work grows amid popularity

The outdoors were a refuge for many during the pandemic as people hit their local trail networks to mountain bike, hike, run and walk, but advocates in British Columbia say the value of trails isn’t reflected in the level of support they receive.

Deanne Cote, executive director of the North Shore Mountain Bike Association, said no one could have anticipated the surge in people using the local trails.

“It’s just kind of mind blowing,” Cote said in an interview.

“It’s a fine balancing act of well, the forest can only handle so much outdoor recreation, but there is so much pressure … that we do need more capacity.”

Martin Littlejohn, executive director of Mountain Biking BC, said trail networks offer a “huge opportunity” to attract tourists, while boosting community well-being.

But the bump in people using trails underscored the extent to which local, volunteer-driven groups like Cote’s are stretched thin, he said, as they pick up slack to make sure trails are running smoothly and safely for everyone.

Trump family fortune began in Canadian brothel

In one of history’s little-known ironies, the Maple Leaf country pushing back against Donald Trump’s annexation bid is also host to a tiny, remote restaurant and brothel that helped launch the U.S. president’s family fortune more than 100 years ago.

To find it, look west. Way west.

On a quiet, remote trail in British Columbia near the Yukon boundary sits a replica wooden facade of the brothel and restaurant Trump’s grandfather built at the turn of the century.

Friedrich Trump called his business in Bennett, a town that sprang up because of the Klondike Gold Rush, the Arctic Restaurant & Hotel.

Parks Canada says the replica at the Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site was constructed in 2017, and the kitchen inside is now exclusively used by government workers.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2025

The Canadian Press

<!– Photo: 00cb9dc66eb77fc1ffbf2ce8195112fad4ce7359c6b25c87a35c291239cef7ff.jpg, Caption:

Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne (left to right), Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc attend a news conference on tariffs, Wednesday March 12,2025 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

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by Canadian Press