Here is a roundup of stories designed to bring you up to speed on recent developments across Canada.

Meeting of Canada’s Premiers with Prime Minister Mark Carney

Today, Canada’s premiers will convene with Prime Minister Mark Carney, as the renewal of North America’s trilateral free trade agreement looms overhead. The review of this trade pact between Canada, the United States, and Mexico is set to commence this year, amid growing concerns over U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of new tariffs.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt have expressed their agreement with Carney’s recent assertion that “almost nothing is normal” regarding relations with the U.S. During this critical meeting, premiers seek to present a united front labeled “Team Canada,” although ongoing interprovincial tensions may complicate this effort.

Continued Mourning in British Columbia Over Culling of Ostriches

In British Columbia, the memory of 314 ostriches culled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency last November still resonates deeply within the community. Melody Leinweber from West Kelowna has memorialized the loss through a tattoo of a stylized ostrich, deeply influenced by her daughter’s Christmas wish for an ostrich pet and the emotional aftermath of the avian influenza outbreak that led to the cull.

Leinweber shared her struggle to explain the situation to her children, emphasizing that she still hasn’t found the words to convey that the ostriches are no longer there. She represents a larger community sentiment, as many others have also been grieving the loss of the flock at Universal Ostrich Farms, which were dispatched by marksmen on a rainy night.

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt’s State of the Province Address

Today, Premier Susan Holt will deliver her second State of the Province address in Fredericton. This address is expected to outline the priorities and challenges her government faces in the upcoming year. Holt, who is notably the first woman to serve as premier, has indicated that her administration has been focusing on healthcare, preparing for 2025 to yield visible results from new investments by 2026.

Keeping her campaign promises, Holt has successfully opened ten collaborative care clinics and has finalized a $270-million agreement aimed at incentivizing doctors to work within team-based clinics. However, she has also acknowledged significant challenges, particularly concerning the vulnerability of New Brunswick’s forestry sector amidst potential U.S. tariffs.

Pattison Group's Warehouse Controversy in Virginia

A substantial warehouse in Hanover County, Virginia, has become a contentious issue amid the Trump administration's immigration policy changes. The Vancouver-based Jim Pattison Group has been drawn into this debate as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security prepares to convert the warehouse into a holding facility for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

At a public meeting, local officials expressed their opposition to this plan, and Pattison Group has released a statement indicating that they were unaware that the warehouse was intended for ICE prior to agreeing to the sale.

Netflix Series Drawing Controversy from Humboldt Broncos Families

Sparks have flown over a new Netflix series, which bears similarities to the tragic story of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team that lost 16 players in a bus crash in 2018. The series, although taking place in South Dorothy, Minnesota, has been met with backlash from the families of the deceased, as they feel the narrative parallels their own heartbreaking experience too closely.

The crash, which involved a truck driver running a stop sign and colliding with the team’s bus, resulted in significant legal consequences for the driver, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, who was sentenced to eight years in prison and subsequently ordered to be deported to India.

Discussion on the Success of "Heated Rivalry" in Ottawa

Today, Jacob Tierney and Brendan Brady, the creators of the hit TV show "Heated Rivalry," will address the Canadian media production industry at a conference in Ottawa. The Canadian television program, developed for Bell Media’s Crave streaming platform and later acquired by HBO Max, has quickly gained international acclaim. Their session is anticipated to discuss the implications of the show's success for the potential of the Canadian media sector.

This show has catapulted its main actors to significant visibility, showcasing them at prestigious events like the Golden Globes, Milan Fashion Week, and the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.