In the news today: Trade war escalates, Carney talks energy, AI chatbot for health

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

Trump’s import bans take effect on Canadian liquor, whey, motorcycles

Canada’s trade war with the United States took a new turn today as outright bans on certain Canadian imports took effect.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s previously announced bans affecting some alcoholic drinks, dairy byproducts and motorcycles, among other goods, mark the latest escalation of the trade war as the Trump administration seeks to pressure Canada into concessions in trade talks.

The trade restrictions could prove devastating for the affected industries but are unlikely to significantly undermine Canada’s overall economic growth in the near term.

Trump said Monday he expects Canada to return to the negotiating table in the coming weeks with an apology that could eventually bring about a deal.

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc’s office said Ottawa’s top priority remains protecting and supporting Canadian workers, farmers, families and businesses.

—

Carney in Vancouver for announcements on energy, ocean protection

As further trade restrictions from the United States take effect, Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Vancouver, where he’s set to make a major announcement related to the Canadian energy industry.

His official itinerary says Carney will also make an announcement at a later event related to ocean protection.

It comes as the Liberal government looks to diversify its trade beyond the U.S., and as it faces scrutiny from environmentalists over its new economic and labour bill that, if passed, would streamline project approvals for large industrial projects across Canada.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May has criticized the bill, calling it a “monster” that can bulldoze over species at risk.

—

Manitoba legislature resumes with Opposition PCs scrambling to pick new caucus leader

Manitoba’s Opposition Progressive Conservatives find themselves in the unusual spot of looking for a leader on today’s first day of the fall legislative session.

Obby Khan announced his resignation on Monday, saying he would quit as leader and also leave the caucus entirely to sit as an Independent, citing internal party feuding and efforts to undermine his leadership.

The Tory caucus says it will meet this morning to select an interim leader to replace him.

The next scheduled provincial general election is still over a year away, and one political watcher — Christopher Adams at the University of Manitoba — doesn’t expect NDP Premier Wab Kinew to call a snap election as his B.C. counterpart David Eby did last week.

—

Ontario woman appeals conviction in infant son’s death based on new medical evidence

The appeal of an Ontario woman convicted in the death of her infant son is expected to be heard by the province’s top court today.

Jennifer Gaskin was found guilty of manslaughter in 2002 in the death of her 2 1/2-month-old son Joeseph.

Two medical experts told court at the time that Joeseph died as a result of shaken baby syndrome, but concerns about that medical evidence emerged as the province examined shaken-baby cases from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s.

In its submissions, the Crown says new findings should be admitted as fresh evidence and Gaskin should be acquitted, adding that the original expert evidence supporting her conviction has been “wholly undermined and placed in grave doubt.”

—

Loblaw’s PC Health launches chatbot as more people turn to AI for health info

Loblaw Companies Ltd’s PC Health launched an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot earlier this month, and the company says it processed more than 100,000 questions in its first week. 

Called PC Chat, the tool is trained on Canadian clinical sources, and many health-care professionals and medical technology experts say the chatbot fills the need for reliable, Canada-specific health info, unlike a general AI chatbot such as ChatGPT. 

But they caution that it’s run by a private company with marketing interests and people should read the fine print before agreeing to link their personal data so they understand exactly how it’s going to be used, as well as how long their chats will be stored. 

Earlier this year, the Canadian Medical Association released survey findings conducted by Abacus Data suggesting that about half of all Canadians are using AI tools to diagnose or treat their health issues, though only 27 per cent of those surveyed reported trusting its info.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29, 2026.