In the news today: Second week of election underway, with eyes on new U.S. tariffs

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/03/2025 (184 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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

Eyes warily turn to next round of U.S. tariffs during second week of federal election

The second week of the federal election campaign is underway, with a fresh round of U.S. tariffs expected to soon reverberate on the hustings. Eyes are turning to Wednesday when U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to slap “reciprocal tariffs” on countries including Canada over various alleged trade practices. Liberal Leader Mark Carney has stressed the need for Canada to fundamentally reimagine its economy in response to Trump’s steady stream of levies and threats of annexation. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has campaigned on a need for change, warning that Canadians can ill afford to re-elect the Liberals after almost 10 years at the helm.

Thousands without power on third day of ice storm

Hundreds of thousands of people across Ontario are still without power on the third day of a spring storm after freezing rain-coated swaths of the province with thick layers of ice. An outage map from provincial utility Hydro One shows more than 390,000 homes and businesses are without power this morning, and nearly 360-thousand others are already back online. Environment Canada says freezing rain in areas across the province that saw alerts issued over the weekend is expected to ease this morning, but the agency warns the system is moving east. The weather agency says Quebec, New Brunswick and parts of northern Nova Scotia’s mainland and Prince Edward Island are under freezing rain warnings this morning.

Here’s what else we’re watching…

B.C. politicians back in the legislature

British Columbia’s politicians are back in the legislature today after a two-week break that included a significant climbdown in the government’s proposed response to U.S. tariffs. They return to a workload that is expected to include eliminating the province’s consumer carbon tax with the looming threat of more tariffs on Canada starting mid-week. Premier David Eby’s New Democrats have said they’ll table legislation on their first day back that eliminates the consumer carbon tax as of April 1 but continues to ensure big industrial emitters pay through the carbon-pricing system.

Politics takes centre stage at Juno Awards

Michael Bublé gave Canadians a heartfelt dose of patriotism at the Juno Awards on Sunday. The Vancouver pop crooner kicked off the celebration in his hometown, and his role as host, by telling the crowd he lives in the greatest nation on Earth. He added that Canada is not for sale. It was one of many not-so-subtle references to Canada’s ongoing tensions with the United States and its President Donald Trump. East Coast darling Anne Murray accepted her lifetime achievement award sporting a sequined red hockey jersey with “Canada” emblazoned across the front.

CMAJ urges more Canadian health research amid U.S. cuts

The Canadian Medical Association Journal is urging Canada to step up its research funding to fill a void it expects will be left by deep cuts to health agencies in the United States. CMAJ editor-in-chief Kirsten Patrick says it’s also important for medical journals to stand up for science and condemn the erosion of public health surveillance and data collection south of the border. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has said it is slashing public health funding and staffing at the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and other agencies.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 31, 2025.