National

Canada, U.S., Finland take step forward on ICE Pact plan to build icebreakers

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Nov, 2025 11:03 AM

Canada, the United States and Finland took a step toward building new icebreakers despite the breakdown in trade talks between Ottawa and the Trump administration.

Canada's Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman joined Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto to sign a joint statement of intent in Washington today to strengthen industrial co-operation and bolster the countries' icebreaker fleets.

The statement says U.S. President Donald Trump still has support for the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, known as the ICE Pact, which was signed under President Joe Biden.

The bilateral relationship between Canada and the United States has been in turmoil and Trump previously dismissed Canada's role in building icebreakers.

Trump called off trade negotiations with Ottawa in October, citing an Ontario-funded advertisement quoting former president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.

Noem says Canada has made good progress on securing its border with the United States but she did not say whether it would be enough to lift Trump's tariffs.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C. judge halts the medically assisted death of Alberta woman

A British Columbia judge has granted an injunction stopping a woman's medically assisted death, the day before it was scheduled to take place in Vancouver. The injunction granted on Saturday to the woman's common-law partner prevents Dr. Ellen Wiebe or any other medical professional from helping end the life of the 53-year-old Alberta woman within 30 days.

B.C. judge halts the medically assisted death of Alberta woman

Drug-trafficking investigation leads to charges against 19 people in northern B.C.

Federal prosecutors have approved charges against 19 people, eight of them still at large, after an investigation into what police call a violent drug trafficking network in northeastern British Columbia. A statement from B.C.'s Combined Special Forces Enforcement Unit says two of the 11 people who were arrested remain in custody, while the others have been released with conditions as they move through the judicial process.

Drug-trafficking investigation leads to charges against 19 people in northern B.C.

Seizure of cannabis outside prison

Canada's Correctional Service says officials recently seized 70-thousand-dollars' worth of cannabis from outside a federal prison in B-C's Fraser Valley. The service says it happened last Thursday along the perimeter of the medium-security Mountain Institution outside Agassiz, northeast of Chilliwack.

Seizure of cannabis outside prison

B.C. NDP must 'adapt,' 'build bridges,' says Surrey MLA now nicknamed 'Comeback Kid'

Garry Begg's slim win over the B.C. Conservative candidate in Surrey-Guildford is still subject to a judicial recount, but for now his win gives the NDP the 47 seats needed to form a majority government in British Columbia's 93-seat legislature.

B.C. NDP must 'adapt,' 'build bridges,' says Surrey MLA now nicknamed 'Comeback Kid'

More than a quarter of Canadians will spend at least 100 bones on Halloween: poll

A new poll suggests more than a quarter of Canadians will spend $100 or more on Halloween, with roughly 70 per cent of respondents saying they'll fork over as much money as they did last year on candy and costumes. That's according to polling firm Leger, which surveyed 1,520 adults this month on their Halloween habits.

More than a quarter of Canadians will spend at least 100 bones on Halloween: poll

Recounts rarely alter elections. There's another reason they matter, says B.C. expert

Premier David Eby's NDP claimed victory on Monday in B.C.'s Oct. 19 election, but the counting isn't over. Two judicial recounts were triggered at the end of the "final count," by an NDP candidate's 27-vote victory margin in Surrey-Guildford, and a Conservative candidate's 38-vote win in Kelowna Centre.