In the news today: Liberals’ cabinet meeting begins, online harms act to be reviewed

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

Cabinet meets to talk trade war, defence spending

American tariffs and an upcoming review of the continental trade pact will headline discussions today as Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet begins its two-day retreat in Toronto.

While previous governments referred to these sorts of gatherings as cabinet “retreats,” Carney’s office is rebranding the event as a “cabinet planning forum.”

The meetings come two weeks before the House of Commons is to return for the fall sitting and about a month or so before Carney’s new government presents its first federal budget.

Ministers are expected to spend most of their time discussing U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff war.

Just over a week ago cabinet approved a decision to tamp down Canada’s tariff retaliation, aligning most tariffs with the U.S. by exempting goods covered under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.

AI chatbots changing online threat landscape

Wrongful death lawsuits citing the activities of artificial intelligence chatbots are underway in the United States, as reports emerge of mental health issues and delusions induced by AI systems.

These incidents are drawing attention to the changing nature of the online threat landscape — just weeks after the Liberal government said it would review its online harms bill before reintroducing it in Parliament.

“Since the legislation was introduced, I think it’s become all the more clear that tremendous harm can be facilitated by AI, and we’re seeing that in particular in the space of chatbots and some of the tragedies,” said Emily Laidlaw, Canada research chair in cybersecurity law at the University of Calgary.

The Online Harms Act, which died on the order paper when the election was called, would have required social media companies to outline how they plan to reduce the risks their platforms pose to users, and would have imposed on them a duty to protect children.

Assembly of First Nations meeting in Winnipeg

The Assembly of First Nations’ annual general assembly is expected to kick off this morning in Winnipeg, where the federal government’s major infrastructure legislation is set to be debated.

The bill, which passed in June, has seen strong opposition from some First Nations leaders and community members who fear it will infringe on their inherent rights.

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says the assembly will hear diverse opinions, including from First Nations leaders who are in support, who are reluctant and some who lack information.

One draft resolution calls for First Nations infrastructure ventures to be included in the national push for projects.

The assembly recently put forth a pre-budget submission to the federal government recommending $800 million over the next two years to support a First Nations review of national interest projects.

N.B. to make announcement on school breakfast

New Brunswick’s Liberal government is scheduled to make an announcement today on a proposed school breakfast program.

Premier Susan Holt promised during last year’s election campaign to provide free or low-cost food at schools.

She pledged to offer students free, nutritious breakfasts, as well as pay-what-you-can lunches starting September 2025.

The government’s news release about today’s announcement does not include mention of lunches.

Holt has said she expects the breakfast program to cost about $9 million a year.

The federal Liberal government has set aside $1 billion over five years to expand access to provincial school food programs.

Putin meets North Korea’s Kim in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have met to begin bilateral talks in Beijing.

The two leaders met formally at the Diaoyutai state guest house after attending a major military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital that marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

Putin and Kim travelled from a formal reception to the negotiations in the same car, the Kremlin said in a post on social media.

Speaking in front of journalists as the meeting began, Putin praised the bravery and heroism North Korean soldiers who fought alongside Moscow’s troops to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region.

According to South Korean assessments, North Korea has sent around 15,000 troops to Russia since last year. It has also sent large quantities of military equipment, including ballistic missiles and artillery, to help fuel Putin’s three-year invasion of Ukraine.

NAC names next music director of its orchestra

Canada’s National Arts Centre has announced the next music director of its orchestra.

Finnish conductor John Storgards, who has served as the centre’s principal guest conductor since 2015, will be the orchestra’s eighth music director and will begin his tenure in September 2026.

Storgards is currently chief conductor of the BBC Philharmonic and the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as artistic director of the Lapland Chamber Orchestra.

He succeeds Alexander Shelley, who will conclude his tenure as the orchestra’s current music director this coming July.

A news release from the National Arts Centre notes that Storgards is also an accomplished violinist and chamber musician.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2025

The Canadian Press