Maple Express | October 1, 2026 — Trump says Canada is being 'taught a little lesson' as U.S. trade war continues

1. Trump says Canada is being 'taught a little lesson' as U.S. trade war continues

Source: CP24

U.S. President Donald Trump again lashed out at Canada during a White House event on Wednesday marking U.S. Hispanic Heritage Month, accusing the country of taking advantage of the United States for years and saying Canada "was very bad, but now they're being taught a little lesson." He said "Canada has taken advantage of us for so many years, the worst of any country."

Trump said he loves the Canadian people but that "the leaders have taken advantage of our stupid leadership for many, many years," adding he has "so many friends" north of the border and name-dropping Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky. The remarks come amid an escalating trade war: U.S. import tariffs on certain Canadian goods, including most booze, dairy byproducts and some motorcycles, went into effect Tuesday.

Trump said Monday he thinks he can secure a trade agreement with Canada within weeks, telling reporters "they're gonna come in and they're gonna say, 'Sir, we are sorry.'" Asked Tuesday about Trump's comments, Prime Minister Mark Carney laughed and said he wouldn't respond but would take note of the remarks, adding "it continues to be the case that Canada stands ready to negotiate in good faith."

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2. Ontario ministers defend secret payout to SpaceX over nixed Starlink deal

Source: CP24

Ontario ministers on Wednesday defended keeping secret the province's payout to Elon Musk's SpaceX over a cancelled Starlink contract, as critics accused the government of obfuscation during the release of its latest financial statements. Several of Premier Doug Ford's cabinet members said the government had the public's backing to kill the $100-million satellite broadband internet deal last year, and that revealing the kill fee would give away the province's competitive advantage.

In late 2024, then-infrastructure minister Kinga Surma announced the deal with SpaceX to deliver Starlink internet to 15,000 customers, largely in remote First Nations and rural Ontario, set to go live in June 2025. After Donald Trump won the U.S. presidency, Musk said in February 2025 that "Canada is not a real country." Ford called a snap election, won a third term, and delivered on a promise to kill the deal when Trump launched the first volley of tariffs. Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce later announced the deal was dead but refused to reveal the kill fee, which the province says is "significantly less than the contract value."

Public accounts released last week, covering April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, made no mention of SpaceX or Starlink. Surma, now president of the Treasury Board, said the financials "are confidential and will remain so," arguing that advertising how much government is willing to pay would lose its competitive advantage. Lecce also refused, citing the "commercially sensitive nature" of the negotiation. New Democrat Jessica Bell and Liberal finance critic Stephanie Bowman pressed for the money to be disclosed, and Noah Jarvis of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation questioned the rationale for secrecy.

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3. Attendance, participation now part of final grades for Ontario secondary students

Source: CP24

New provincial legislation making attendance and participation part of the final grade for secondary school students is now in effect, but a representative of an association representing student trustees says uncertainty remains around "grey areas." The policy, in effect since the start of this school year, dictates that 15 per cent of Grade 9 and 10 students' final marks be based on attendance and participation, and 10 per cent for Grades 11 and 12.

Education Minister Paul Calandra told reporters last month the intent is simply to penalize kids who are "skipping" classes, not those who "are busy and are doing the right thing." He insisted parents still have the ability to excuse their children and ultimately have control, saying important extracurricular activities or family vacations "is still going to be allowed" — though parents must inform the principal, who will "make the determination."

Some parents and students say further clarity is still needed. Jay Xu, a Grade 12 student at White Oaks Secondary School in Oakville and a spokesperson for the Ontario Student Trustees' Association, said "grey areas still exist, especially with extra curricular activities, like conferences and volunteering." Tonya Stewart, whose daughter is in Grade 11 in North York and needs excused absences for dance competitions, worries the policy could be interpreted and enforced differently per school or teacher, saying the Toronto District School Board "hasn't provided anything to parents." Calandra's press secretary said classroom attendance and participation help students succeed, that excused absences — including for recreational, competitive, and school sports as well as family vacations — are still permitted, and that the process to have an absence excused remains the same as last year.

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4. Pedestrian seriously injured after being struck in north Etobicoke

Source: CP24

A man in his 50s has been rushed to a trauma centre with serious but non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by the driver of a vehicle in north Etobicoke on Wednesday evening, paramedics say. The crash happened in the Rexdale neighbourhood, near Martin Grove Road and John Garland Boulevard.

Toronto police say they were called to the area just after 7:30 p.m. for reports of a pedestrian struck in a collision. Southbound Martin Grove Road is currently closed at John Garland Boulevard as police investigate. More details to come; this is a developing story.

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5. Ajax man linked to arson at Scarborough MP's home faces new charges in Oshawa fire

Source: CP24

An Ajax man is facing more than a dozen charges after an unoccupied home in Oshawa was destroyed in a fire that also caused "significant" damage to neighbouring residences, police say. The blaze, being investigated as an arson, broke out on Aug. 24 near Rossland Road West and Church Street North. Durham Regional Police attended a fire call around 4:20 a.m. Investigators said one of the neighbouring damaged residences had people inside at the time, but all got out safely; several other homes were reportedly doused in an accelerant but did not ignite.

A joint investigation between Toronto Police and Durham Regional Police identified a suspect. Roshvin Crofton, 24, of Ajax, was arrested on Sept. 28 and faces a total of 14 charges, including break and enter, possession of property obtained by crime, arson, and mischief damage to property, plus breach of probation. The charges have not been tested in court, and Crofton had a Sept. 29 court date.

Toronto police confirmed to CP24 that the accused is the same man charged in an Aug. 27 arson at Liberal MP Salma Zahid's Scarborough home. A second suspect wanted in that incident remains at large. Police are also seeking information about a black 2025 Hyundai Sonata between Aug. 23 and the Aug. 27 arson, and ask anyone with information to contact Toronto police at 416-808-4300 or Crime Stoppers.

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6. Chris Alexander unveils plan to move Toronto's unhoused into apartments

Source: CP24

Toronto mayoral candidate Chris Alexander is promising to move thousands of people experiencing homelessness out of shelters and into permanent housing, aiming for 1,000 placements by summer 2027 as part of a four-year plan to relieve pressure on the city's over-burdened shelter system. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, he unveiled "A New Way Home for Toronto's Unhoused," which calls for a single City Hall lead, stronger case management, and partnerships with landlords, nonprofits, businesses, philanthropists and volunteers.

He said his approach would largely rely on the existing shelter budget, with a housing-first placement costing about $80 per person per night compared with roughly $200 for a shelter bed, though provincial help would be needed for mental-health and addiction services. "Most of the funding would come from the existing envelope, which this year is $786 million for the shelter system," he said. "I'm not saying we're saving money by doing this, but we're saving lives." The plan calls for 1,000 housing-first units by summer 2027, reducing nightly shelter use to 5,000 people by next August and below 3,000 by August 2028, and giving people an apartment and a lease without requiring sobriety or treatment, paired with case managers.

Alexander also wants a dedicated "landlord desk" offering guaranteed rent, signing incentives, a damage fund, and a 24-hour line. His campaign estimates the first 1,000 units would cost about $17 million in the first year, including roughly $6 million for rent benefits and $8 million for support workers, with about $14 million coming from the city. Fellow candidate Brad Bradford said Toronto should build on effective community-led programs rather than assume more City Hall bureaucracy or spending will produce better results, while Olivia Chow's campaign said she's "proven that a caring approach to homelessness works," citing 15,000 people moved from shelters and encampments into permanent housing since she became mayor. Torontonians head to the polls on Oct. 26.

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7. One year after a fire, North York tenants still don't know when they can go home

Source: CP24

All Indy Woodstock wants is to bring his wife and three children home to North York. A year after a fire tore through the top floor of their four-storey apartment building, he still can't say when that will be. "We didn't spend Christmas over there, we spent Christmas away. Now, another Christmas gonna be approaching. It's gonna be the same thing," Woodstock told CTV News in early September. A fire broke out at 3020 Keele St. on the evening of Sept. 29, 2025, displacing 29 tenants Woodstock says, including himself and his family.

Woodstock, who had lived in the building for nine years, said he had just gotten into bed when his wife woke him, thinking she had heard an alarm. He could hear a voice shouting "fire," and when he opened his front door all he could see was thick, black smoke. Feeling there was no way out except the balcony, he carried his children down one by one to his neighbour's balcony a floor below. Debrah Warner, also on the fourth floor, said the smoke was so dense she removed her window screen and sat by it until firefighters reached her. Toronto Fire Services said crews responded at around 11:40 p.m. and five people were injured, including three children and a firefighter. A subsequent investigation determined the fire was accidental, caused by an unattended candle, and no Fire Code violations or charges were found.

The building's insurer told residents that several units sustained enough damage to require "demolition, drying and environmental remediation" before they could be deemed safe, instructing them to remove everything and vacate so repairs could be made and to contact their insurers. Warner and Woodstock did not have personal insurance. A letter from the building's lawyer said Havenbrook Holdings Inc., which oversees 3020 Keele St., would provide an abatement of rent for the month of the fire plus the last month's rental deposit, but the property "does not have a timeline as to when the repairs will be completed." The city offered about three weeks of hotel accommodation, then a downtown shelter, both declined. Coun. James Pasternak (Ward 6 – York Centre) said a Havenbrook permit application was cancelled in February 2026 for not paying fees and resubmitted in August, and the city confirmed it granted permission to rebuild on Sept. 18. Havenbrook's lawyer said the city had yet to issue a permit despite an application submitted long ago. Tenants said a notice taped to the back door on Sept. 29 informed them construction would begin on the fourth floor but did not say when it would end.

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8. OLP leadership candidate Eric Lombardi withdraws from race

Source: CP24

Ontario Liberal Party leadership candidate Eric Lombardi has ended his campaign. Describing himself as a "finance and technology entrepreneur turned civic builder, and a leading voice on housing reform, institutional renewal, and economic opportunity for Ontario's next generation," he shared the news in a post on X just after 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

"I am grateful to everyone who shared our belief that Ontario Can Still Win," wrote Lombardi, who announced he is endorsing Etobicoke-Lakeshore Liberal MPP Lee Fairclough. She responded that Lombardi "stepped up and conducted yourself with drive, passion and purpose," saying she is grateful for his endorsement and support and looks forward to his policy advice, especially on the economy, housing and infrastructure. Lombardi said he entered the race because he believes "Ontario can still win," pointing to fixable structural problems: growing the economy, making housing affordable again, building infrastructure at a reasonable cost, improving public services, and giving young people a real chance. He admitted that as an unelected candidate a win would be difficult, and that he "did not have enough confidence in fundraising to reach the end without taking on debt."

Four remaining candidates are still in the running for leader of the Ontario Liberal Party: Navdeep Bains, Stephanie Bowman, Lee Fairclough, and Dylan Marando. Rob Cerjanec also previously withdrew his candidacy. Ontario's Liberals will vote for their next leader from Nov. 9 to 20, with the winner announced on Nov. 21.

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9. These provinces are seeing an early start to the flu season

Source: CP24

Sniffles, coughs and an early start to flu season are showing up in several parts of the country. While respiratory illnesses typically ramp up in the fall, particularly in October, health authorities on P.E.I. are already reporting confirmed cases and hospitalizations. Alberta, B.C. and southwestern Ontario are also reporting an earlier-than-usual rise, with increases beginning as early as September, and Yukon's chief medical officer said lab-confirmed cases of influenza A have been identified since mid-August. "This is the beginning of the beginning of the respiratory virus season," said infectious diseases specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch.

Bogoch said nationally, circulation of COVID-19, influenza and RSV has been low, though there is a slight uptick in surveillance data, with an official Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report update set for Friday. Provinces are beginning to roll out vaccination programs, with some prioritizing high-risk people first. He said anyone can develop a severe COVID-19 infection, but older adults are more vulnerable, with hospitalizations disproportionately concentrated in seniors 75 and older. According to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, those who should be vaccinated include people 65 and over, those living in long-term care homes, or those with underlying health conditions. Influenza vaccines are recommended for everyone six months and older.

Bogoch said the flu most significantly impacts the oldest and youngest, and chronic health conditions can also raise the risk, as with RSV, whose protection remains a patchwork across Canada — several provinces, including P.E.I., Ontario and Nova Scotia, cover infants under eight months, certain higher-risk groups and adults 75 and older. Bogoch said respiratory viruses are "predictably unpredictable," and that getting vaccinated, staying home when sick, masking and improving indoor air quality are tried-and-true ways to reduce infection and transmission.

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10. Stelco layoffs raise legal questions over job pledges in Cleveland-Cliffs takeover

Source: CP24

A legal expert says job promises made by Stelco Holdings Inc.'s American parent company when it acquired the beleaguered steel maker are legally binding — but whether this week's layoffs violate them depends on terms that have not been made public. Cleveland-Cliffs' takeover of Stelco was approved in 2024 contingent on a number of mandatory, five-year commitments, including maintaining at least the same number of unionized workers and most non-unionized employees as when the deal was announced.

Business lawyer Nassira El Hadri says the company's plan to cut up to 500 workers at its Hamilton and Lake Erie facilities could prompt legal action. She says if Cleveland-Cliffs failed to meet its 2024 commitments, the industry minister could first issue a formal demand requiring the company to fix or justify the non-compliance. If that does not resolve the issue, Ottawa could go to superior court, where a judge could order the company to comply, impose penalties or even order a sale of the business.

She says the federal government's options and how successful any enforcement action might be depend on the exact wording of the undertakings Cleveland-Cliffs agreed to. "The actual agreement that the federal government made with Cleveland-Cliffs is not public, it's confidential and privileged," said El Hadri, founder of Hadri Law in Toronto. "We only have a summary of those undertakings on the government's website. We don't know exactly what it was committed to."

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