By Canadian Press

In the news today: Auto industry braces for tariffs, Ottawa to recognize Palestine

Jul 31, 2025 | 1:16 AM

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

Auto industry looking for tariff exemptions

Automotive industry leaders are hoping to see exemptions for vehicles compliant with the current trade deal as Canada and the U.S. continue discussions ahead of the upcoming tariff deadline.

Friday marks the deadline in Canada’s trade talks with the U.S., as President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 35 per cent tariffs on a wide variety of Canadian goods if the two countries don’t reach an agreement before then.

“I think everybody has seen that the Americans, in spite of the fact that they are fighting us for no reason at all, have shown a tendency to show value for USMCA compliance,” said Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association.

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He said roughly 50 per cent of the parts that go into vehicles made in Canada come from U.S. factories.

Eby says B.C. insulated from Trump copper tariffs

British Columbia Premier David Eby says an incoming 50 per cent United States tariff on some copper products highlights the need for diversified markets.

He says the tariffs will affect provinces differently, pointing out that most of B.C.’s copper goes to Asia, keeping the province “insulated” from tariff impact.

But he says Ontario and Quebec are “not in a similar” position.

Natural Resources Canada says B.C. accounts for almost 46 per cent of mined copper production in Canada.

The tariffs announced by the White House on Wednesday, that are to come into effect on Friday, appeared to fall short of some market expectations by exempting copper concentrate, anodes and cathodes that make up a large part of Canada’s exports.

Canada to recognize State of Palestine

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Wednesday that Canada intends to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September, as long as the Palestinian Authority holds elections next year.

“Preserving a two-state solution means standing with all people who choose peace over violence or terrorism. And it means honouring their innate desire for peaceful coexistence,” Carney told reporters on Parliament Hill.

He said Ottawa intends to officially recognize the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September.

Late Wednesday night, the U.S. president took to his Truth Social platform to share his opinion on the matter. Trump suggested that Ottawa’s backing of Palestinian statehood would make it “very hard” for his administration to make a trade deal with Canada.

Bail ruling today for 3 accused in extremist plot

A judge is scheduled to rule today on whether to grant bail to three men facing terrorism charges in an alleged plot to forcibly seize land in the Quebec City area.

Quebec court Judge René de la Sablonnière heard evidence and arguments over three days.

Simon Angers-Audet, 24, Raphaël Lagacé, 25, and Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, face charges of facilitating a terrorist activity, and other charges related to the illegal storage of firearms and possession of explosives and prohibited devices.

There is a publication ban on details of the bail hearing, which heard from an RCMP officer, the three accused and several of their family members.

Canadian teen visits Ukraine on humanitarian trip

Sixteen-year-old Jaden Braves says he chose to travel to Ukraine and volunteer for a humanitarian aid group operating in a war zone because he thinks young people need to step up when others are suffering.

Braves, who is from Toronto and is the founder of the Young Politicians of Canada, was in Kyiv for about two weeks in July. He told The Canadian Press he was there to support the organization Save Ukraine, which organizes rescue missions to return Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

“That’s kind of pushed me to come to a war zone for the first time,” he said. “I think it’s about totally humbling yourself and saying that you’re prepared to, you know, put yourself at risk for something that you understand is so important to the greater good.”

A team of experts at Yale University has estimated that as many as 35,000 Ukrainian children may be held in Russia and its occupied territories.

7 people a year drown trying to save others: study

A new study says an average of seven people in Canada die each year trying to save another person from drowning.

The researchers found that 74 people drowned between January 2010 and December 2019 after attempting a rescue in the water.

The study examined 4,535 fatal drownings in that 10-year timeframe and found someone tried to rescue more than half of them.

Most of those hundreds of rescuers did not have any lifesaving training, but frequently risked their own lives by trying to grab the drowning person in the water.

The Lifesaving Society released the study, first published in the BMJ in June, on Thursday in advance of the August long weekend.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025

The Canadian Press