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

Year long trafficking investigation leads to 1 arrest and seizure of 23 kgs of illicit drugs

Surrey RCMP say a more than a year long drug trafficking investigation has led to one arrest and the seizure of 23-kilograms of M-D-M-A, a quantity of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. They say the probe targeted a network that allegedly supplied bulk amounts of illicit drugs to traffickers in several Greater Vancouver cities.

Year long trafficking investigation leads to 1 arrest and seizure of 23 kgs of illicit drugs

Vancouver police boost presence at protests, schools for Oct. 7 anniversary

Vancouver Police Chief Const. Adam Palmer says planned and unplanned protests across the city are posing a "significant" risk of disorder, and officers trained specifically for large-scale events will be deployed. In addition, Palmer says tactical response and uniformed officers will be placed at "key locations" in consultation with leaders of both the Jewish and Muslim communities.

Vancouver police boost presence at protests, schools for Oct. 7 anniversary

Eby defends B.C.'s speculation tax increase, says it will create more needed rentals

New Democrat Leader David Eby is defending plans to increase British Columbia's speculation tax on empty homes because he says it works. He says the tax saw 20,000 vacant homes in Metro Vancouver rented out since its introduction in 2017 and he expects more rental opportunities will result from the increase.

Eby defends B.C.'s speculation tax increase, says it will create more needed rentals

NDP house leader says House dysfunction will be a factor in future confidence votes

NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure. In just three weeks, two Conservative non-confidence motions have failed to bring down the government — but the Opposition promises more to come.

NDP house leader says House dysfunction will be a factor in future confidence votes

20K worth of jewelry stolen from a senior in New Westminster

Police in New Westminster are asking for the public's help identifying a woman who they say stole 20-thousand dollars worth of jewelry from a senior citizen. They say the victim was approached by a woman in her 30s who gave her fake gold jewelry and stole the senior's rings and necklace.

20K worth of jewelry stolen from a senior in New Westminster

2 earthquakes for BC this morning

The first was a magnitude 3.5 and shook just after two a-m in the Georgia Strait about 18 kilometres west of Tsawwassen. Natural Resources Canada says the second quake -- a magnitude 4.6 -- happened at around four this morning about 63 kilometres west of Fort St. John.