Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 17, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2025 A2 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Car- ney is rejecting calls for Ottawa to push back at the U.S. with new retaliatory trade measures as talks with Washing- ton continue on sector-specific trade deals. “There’s times to hit back and there’s times to talk, and right now is the time to talk,” Carney said at a news conference in Toronto on Thursday. In a speech at the Empire Club of Canada in Toronto on Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford called on Carney to hit the U.S. hard if Canada can’t reach a deal on trade with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. “President Trump could agree to something one day and he’ll wake up and change his mind the next day, and you won’t even know what hit you,” Ford said. “I mentioned to the prime minister, yes, we have to strike a deal with the U.S., but you can’t get rolled over by this guy. “If he can’t get a deal, we have to hit back,” Ford added. Carney said Thursday Ottawa is en- gaged in “deep” and “intensive” negoti- ations with the U.S. on several tariffed sectors, including energy, aluminum and steel, and that he would brief the premier on how those are talks are pro- gressing. Ford said last week the prime minis- ter should sit down with the premiers and explain how the behind-the-scenes trade negotiations are going. Carney also said Thursday he and Ford would discuss tariffs that affect the automotive, forestry and manufac- turing sectors, and the coming review of Canada’s free-trade agreement with the U.S. and Mexico. “What will make the biggest differ- ence… is where we end up… following the review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade agreement, which is coming very shortly. So, the strategy has to take all of that into account and deliver the re- sults,” Carney said. In a social media post Thursday even- ing, Carney said he dropped by Ford’s home in Etobicoke. He said the pair spoke about getting major projects built, the government’s plan to toughen bail and sentencing laws and measures to support workers and in- dustries affected by tariffs. “My thanks to the premier for his partnership,” Carney said. “Together, we’re working to create more certainty, security and prosperity for the people of Ontario.” Earlier, the prime minister said Can- ada is starting from a strong position with a “better deal than any other coun- try in the world,” since the bulk of Can- ada’s trade with the U.S. remains free. “With the exception of Mexico, which has significant free trade with the United States, the deals the Americans have signed with everyone else has tar- iffs on the core of the trade, and then higher tariffs on strategic sectors,” Car- ney said. “So, we’re starting from this strong- er position, but we’re also very acutely aware and very focused on the fact that we can make it better, and so we will do everything we can to make it better.” Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minis- ter responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, is back in Washington this week to con- tinue talks with senior U.S. officials. Shortly after Carney met with Trump at the White House last week, LeBlanc said the prime minister had tasked him with “quickly” reaching sector-specific agreements with the U.S. on steel, alum- inum and energy. He remained behind in D.C. for sever- al days of meetings last week, and has returned to Washington this week to continue those talks. On Monday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is expected to call for the House of Commons to hold an emer- gency debate on the crisis in Canada’s automotive sector. — The Canadian Press “We have a lot of them, but we need them” he said. “I mean, we can’t de- plete for our country.” Trump’s renewed focus on the war in Ukraine comes after forging a cease- fire that could end the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, a diplomatic accomplishment that he celebrated with a whirlwind trip to Israel and Egypt on Monday. Ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza was central to Trump’s campaign pitch last year, when he persistently pilloried president Joe Biden for his handling of the conflicts. Although there has been fragile progress in Gaza, Trump has been stymied by Putin, unable to persuade the Russian leader to hold direct talks with Zelenskyy. Earlier this week in Jerusalem, in a speech to the Knesset, Trump pre- dicted the truce in Gaza would lay the groundwork for the U.S. to help Israel and many of its Middle East neighbors normalize relations. Trump also made clear his top foreign policy priority now is ending the largest armed conflict in Europe since the Second World War. “First we have to get Russia done,” Trump said, turning to his special en- voy Steve Witkoff, who has also served as his administration’s chief interlocu- tor with Putin. “We gotta get that one done. If you don’t mind, Steve, let’s focus on Russia first. All right?” Today’s meeting with Trump and Zel- enskyy will be their fourth face-to-face encounter this year. After their initial Oval Office conversation devolved into recriminations, they’ve forged a more amicable relationship. Trump has said he’s considering selling long-range Tomahawk missiles to Kyiv, something Putin has said could further damage relations between Moscow and Washington. Although such a sale would be a splashy move, it could take years to provide the equipment and training necessary for Ukraine to use Tom- ahawks, said Mark Montgomery, an analyst at the hawkish Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washing- ton. Montgomery said Ukraine could be better served in the near term with a surge of Extended Range Attack Mu- nition, or ERAM, missiles and Army Tactical Missile System, known as ATACMS. The U.S. approved the sale of up to 3,350 ERAMs to Kyiv earlier this year. The Tomahawk, with a range of about 1,600 km, would allow Ukraine to strike far deeper in Russian territory than either the ERAM (about 460 km) or ATACMS (about 300 km). “To provide Tomahawks is as much a political decision as it is a military de- cision,” Montgomery said. “The ERAM is shorter range, but this can help them put pressure on Russia operationally, on their logistics, the command and control and its force disbursement within several hundred kilometers of the front line. It can be very effective.” Waiting for Trump’s blessing is legis- lation in the Senate that would impose steep tariffs on countries that purchase Russia’s oil, gas, uranium and other ex- ports in an attempt to cripple Moscow economically. Though the president hasn’t formally endorsed it — and Republican leaders do not plan to move forward without his support — the White House has shown, behind the scenes, more interest in the bill in recent weeks. Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Thursday of- fered the most upbeat prospects yet for the bill, saying senators will consider it “in the next 30 days.” However, Trump suggested that he wanted to tap the brakes. “I’m not against anything,” he said. “I’m just saying, it may not be perfect timing.” Administration officials have gone through the legislation in depth, offer- ing line edits and requesting technical changes, according to two officials with knowledge of the discussions between the White House and the Senate. That has been interpreted on Capitol Hill as a sign that Trump is getting more seri- ous about the legislation, sponsored by close ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. Maria Snegovaya, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Interna- tional Studies, said there would need to be significant pressure on Russia to deter Putin from continuing the war. “We should be prepared that this war is not going to come to an end anytime soon, unfortunately,” she said. — The Associated Press P RIME Minister Mark Carney’s plan to beef up the RCMP and crack down on violent and repeat offenders has the backing of Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham, who called the announcement “a response to the outcry of the public” and mayors such as himself. “I’ve talked to many individuals who say they’re losing faith in the jus- tice system. We don’t want that in our community,” he said. “Things need to change, and I’m hoping that this legis- lation is one of the first steps to making those changes.” Legislation to be introduced next week will make it tougher for an ac- cused to get bail for a violent crime or an offence linked to organized crime. The mayor started issuing “repeat of- fender bulletins” last month as part of his campaign to demand bail and sen- tencing reform. One update focused on a man who was convicted of 24 violent crimes over 11 years and violated bail or probation conditions 12 times. Meantime, the Association of Mani- toba Crown Attorneys said it’s con- cerned about unsustainable workloads under the new plan. “Our experience is that, when chan- ges are made to alter procedures or in- crease penalties in the Criminal Code, our work becomes more complicated and time consuming,” vice-president Ben Wickstrom said in a prepared statement. “Increased penalties generally result in more matters being contested by ac- cused persons, and that results in more time spent by prosecutors arguing in court,” Wickstrom said. It’s essential that the province ensures that there are sufficient prosecutors to carry out the work, he said. Manitoba Tories said they support tougher bail requirements but aren’t sure Manitoba’s justice system is equipped to deal with them, leader Obby Khan told reporters at the legis- lature. “Is this minister of justice ready? Do we have enough Crown attorneys, court services, clerks, reporters, law enforce- ment?” he asked. The federal government’s strategy includes $1.8-billion over four years to hire 1,000 net new RCMP officers. Winnipeg Liberal MP Kevin Lam- oureux held his own news conference Thursday in which he said his govern- ment’s approach is good news for Mani- toba, which has the highest RCMP va- cancy rate of all provinces. Manitoba RCMP’s vacancy rate climbed from six per cent in April 2021 to about 15 per cent in January. “We need to get those positions filled,” Lamoureux said at the legis- lature office of his daughter, Liberal MLA Cindy Lamoureux. “I’m sure that Manitoba will get its fair share of that number and that’ll be over and above the vacancies,” he said. The president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities said she hopes so, but noted that Carney’s announce- ment was about increasing federal poli- cing capacity across Canada. “It’s a little distinct from the com- munity contract policing which re- mains a critical concern, especially for Manitoba municipalities because we have the highest RCMP vacancy rate in Canada,” Kathy Valentino said from Thompson. She said AMM members are keen to do anything they can to help with RCMP recruitment and reduce Mani- toba municipalities’ RCMP shortage. They’re thankful for stricter bail condi- tions for repeat offenders who commit property crimes including break-ins, and want them implemented as soon as possible. “Those really are what’s undermin- ing Manitoba municipalities’ commun- ity safety.” She said Manitoba’s lobby- ing efforts are paying off and helped shape federal actions on public safety. The Criminal Defence Lawyers As- sociation of Manitoba says the most encouraging part of Thursday’s an- nouncement had nothing to do with bail reform. “The changes to the bail system are not necessarily going to solve any issues,” communications director Chris Gamby said. “They may, in fact, create more issues than they’ll solve.” The federal government’s pledge to work with provinces, territories and lo- cal law enforcement to address the root causes of crime, however, “would be a very positive outcome,” said Gamby. Making major investments to build affordable housing, supporting those struggling with mental health and ad- dictions and reinforcing programs for at-risk youth is what Manitoba defence lawyers have been calling for amidst all the talk of bail reform, he said. “Whatever side of the political spec- trum you’re on, or whatever you think about crime, I think that is a laudable move,” said Gamby. Lamoureux pointed to recent exam- ples of tackling root causes, including funding a basketball court at Winni- peg’s Northwood Community Centre. “Seeing young people playing basket- ball in an outdoor court is more positive than having no basketball court where a youth is doing whatever,” he said. Another example is the federal-prov- incial announcement Tuesday. More than $9 million in combined funding has been set aside to repair 738 secure, affordable rental homes across Mani- toba. The repairs will extend the life of existing affordable housing units across the province. “People need homes to try to deal with a multitude of different so- cial issues,” the MP said. Premier Wab Kinew, who ran on tack- ling the root causes of crime, said he’s encouraged that the federal govern- ment is addressing the issue, but more is needed than social supports such as universal school meal programs. “The reality is you can’t bring the school milk cart to a robbery that’s in progress,” he told reporters at the legis- lature. “You need a police officer to do that and you need a justice system to hold the person responsible accountable. That’s the reality of the world that we live in.” — with files from Maggie Macintosh carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca NEWS VOL 154 NO 282 Winnipeg Free Press est 1872 / Winnipeg Tribune est 1890 2025 Winnipeg Free Press, a division of FP Canadian Newspapers Limited Partnership. Published six days a week in print and always online at 1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2X 3B6, PH: 204-697-7000 CEO / MIKE POWER Editor / PAUL SAMYN Associate Editor Enterprise / SCOTT GIBBONS Associate Editor News / STACEY THIDRICKSON Associate Editor Digital News / WENDY SAWATZKY Director Photo and Multimedia / MIKE APORIUS NEWSMEDIA COUNCIL The Winnipeg Free Press is a member of the National Newsmedia Council, which is an independent organization established to determine acceptable journalistic practices and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, please send them to: editorialconcerns@freepress.mb.ca. If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a formal complaint, visit the website at www.mediacouncil.ca and fill out the form or call toll-free 1-844-877-1163 for additional information. 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Call or email before 10 a.m. weekdays or 11 a.m. Saturday City: 204-697-7001 Outside Winnipeg: 1-800-542-8900 press 1 6:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.; 7 a.m. - noon Saturday; Closed Sunday TO SUBSCRIBE: 204-697-7001 Out of Winnipeg: 1-800-542-8900 The Free Press receives support from the Local Journalism Initiative funded by the Government of Canada MEETING ● FROM A1 Manitoba leaders weigh in on federal bail reform CAROL SANDERS Justice Minister Sean Fraser told The Canadian Press the government developed the legislation based on sug- gestions from law enforcement and the premiers. Both of those groups have pushed for tougher bail laws. “We started with an approach to say, unless there are very obvious constitutional concerns, let’s start with the assumption that we want to include the suggestions that come from law enforcement or provincial govern- ments,” Fraser said in an interview. He said the government heard from downtown busi- ness associations and municipal governments “about the need to address high-volume offenders who commit many crimes that may not always be violent but are calling into question for many Canadians whether they feel safe going out in their communities.” He said “a lot” of those concerns would be reflected in the bill. Fraser said it would be “irresponsible” to seek to adopt laws that would be struck down by the courts. “Thankfully, the vast majority of the recommenda- tions that we’ve received from law enforcement and provincial governments, I’m confident, pass constitu- tional muster,” he said. When Carney was asked what his government would do if the Supreme Court of Canada shoots down the changes to sentencing, he said it would abide by that ruling. “If there’s a judgment of the Supreme Court that something is illegal, you follow it. This is Canada. It’s a country of the rule of law,” he said. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who has consis- tently accused the Liberals of being lax on crime, said during this spring’s federal election he would be willing to use the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause to make his proposed crime policies law. Such a move by the federal government would be unprecedented. In a news release Thursday, Conservative justice critic Larry Brock called the bill a “half-baked attempt to copy-paste” the Conservatives’ proposed crime legis- lation. “You can’t put a criminal only halfway in jail; halfway measures won’t end the scourge of crime and disorder in our communities,” Brock said. Denying that the bill was a response to Conservative pressure, Fraser said it’s a “response to a clear call for a change in our laws from Canadians.” Carney said Thursday the government also plans to hire 1,000 new RCMP personnel. They will include 150 RCMP staffers focused on money laundering, organized crime, online fraud and asset recovery. — The Canadian Press BAIL ● FROM A1 Prosecutors, Tories concerned about resources Carney says now not right time to retaliate against U.S. over tariffs KYLE DUGGAN JAE C. HONG / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES U.S. President Donald Trump (right) shakes the hand of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting in August at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. ;