In the news today: Carney weighs U.S. risk, Canadians back EU ties, media ban blocked

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

Carney says he studied risk of U.S.-led military action in New York Times interview

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he studied the possibility of U.S.-led military action in Canada, but won’t discuss what that examination involved.

In a lengthy New York Times interview published Wednesday, Carney suggested it would be irresponsible not to prepare for what he called “extreme tail risk.”

His remarks come amid rocky relations between Canada and the United States, where President Donald Trump has mused about turning Canada into the 51st state and using “economic force” to make it happen.

Carney also told the Times that Canada plans to reduce its reliance on Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, and that Ottawa was considering alternatives to buying American F-35 fighter jets.

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More than two in three Canadians back EU associate membership: poll

A new poll suggests Canadians overwhelmingly support Canada becoming an associate member of the European Union — even though details of that arrangement haven’t been finalized.

The online poll by Leger, conducted between Sept. 19 and Sept. 21, says 70 per cent of Canadians surveyed support the idea, while 18 per cent are unsure and 13 per cent oppose it.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has said Canada welcomes the goal of becoming an associate member of the EU, and that more details on what exactly that means are expected next month at a Canada-EU summit in Montreal.

While the poll suggests Canadians are likely to support closer ties if they offer Canadian businesses better access to European markets, most respondents said they would be less likely to support associate membership if it means changing Canadian laws to align with the EU.

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Don’t fear a referendum, PQ leader says in final debate of election campaign

The leaders of Quebec’s five main political parties clashed Wednesday on sovereignty, finances and the cost of living in the third and final leaders’ debate of the provincial election campaign.

The debate on Radio-Canada saw leaders clamber to make their points, with interjections making it hard to take aim at a rival before others interrupted or tried to change the topic.

Leaders discussed five major themes during the debate, but none was more pronounced than Quebec sovereignty, as Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon reiterated his promise to hold a referendum — once U.S. President Donald Trump leaves office.

Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Fréchette and Quebec Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime said Quebecers are not interested in a referendum, while Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Milliard said his rivals all support sovereignty or would have supported it in the past.

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‘God cleaned the slate’: Ashes pave the road to recovery after B.C. wildfires

British Columbians who lost their homes to wildfires this season now say they’re facing a long road to recovery paved with grief and uncertainty. 

Joel Patan lives in Faulder, an area near Summerland devastated by the fast-moving Bald Range wildfire in August, and says he’s now sifting through the ashes of their home and working with his insurance company to rebuild. 

Meanwhile, Steve and Kathy Naseth lost their modular home to a wildfire near Clinton and say they face years of rebuilding and will have to delay their retirement plans. 

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen says it is urging provincial officials to implement provincial sales tax relief for those financially burdened by rebuilding costs. 

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Judge blocks Trump’s ban and says CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have White House access restored

A federal judge temporarily blocked U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to ban three news outlets from the White House grounds and said CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have their access restored.

The ruling released early Thursday is the latest development in an escalating showdown between President Donald Trump and media outlets whose coverage he dislikes.

Trump announced he was banning the outlets Friday, assailing what he called “fake news.”

The outlets argued they were singled out because of the content of their coverage and called the ban a “blatant violation” of the First Amendment.

The judge’s temporary restraining order is to be in effect for 14 days.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2026.