Afternoon front page: Canada-U.S. trade negotiations accelerate; complainant’s lawyer discusses Stronach mistrial; and more

Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade Dominic LeBlanc speaks with Canada's chief U.S. trade negotiator Janice Charette and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith before the start of a First Ministers meeting in Charlottetown, P.E.I. on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Photo by Tim Krochak/Postmedia

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It’s Wednesday, August 12. Here are the top stories we’re following today.

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Negotiators are going all-out to get a deal before Trump’s looming tariff deadline

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Trade talks have increased since last month, when Trump threatened to impose a 50 per cent tariff on $29 billion worth of Canadian goods, effective Aug. 19. Negotiators are meeting daily in an effort to get a deal done as quickly as possible, and members of Mark Carney’s advisory committee on cross-border trade have been told to be on standby for a meeting on Monday as talks heat up.

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Frank Stronach departs court with his lawyer Leora Shemesh and his longtime driver Glenn Anderson after a judge declared a mistrial for his sex assault conviction in Toronto, on July 17, 2026. Photo by Peter Power/Postmedia

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Complainant’s lawyer who sparked Frank Stronach’s odd sex assault mistrial blames defence and bad decisions

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Speaking publicly for the first time, the female complainant’s lawyer, whose discussion with Stronach’s defence lawyer led a judge to overturn her own guilty verdict last month, told National Post he feels he was a pawn in the high-profile case.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney tours the Roberts Bank Port in Tsawwassen, B.C., on July 30, 2026. Photo by Nick Procaylo/Postmedia

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Rob Breakenridge: Mark Carney’s (foolish) summer vacation in Italy

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Carney’s decision to vacation in Tuscany is “bizarre and tone deaf” for two reasons, Breakenridge writes. First, the PM himself stated that next week’s U.S. tariff deadline is a pivotal moment for Canada. Second, his government has a “This summer, we choose Canada!” campaign to encourage Canadians to vacation here.

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Canadians who have yet to file outstanding tax returns from 2021 to 2024 may be eligible for a payment. Photo by Andrzej Rostek/Getty Images

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Canadians could soon lose up to $1,800 in unclaimed CRA payments. Here’s how to check if you’re owed

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Despite the Canada Carbon Rebate having been eliminated, eligible Canadians can still claim retroactive payments of up to $1,800 per family by filing any outstanding tax returns for the 2021 through 2024 tax years. Once the Canada Revenue Agency assesses those returns, any government payments not yet claimed will be issued.

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Prime Minister Mark Carney and former prime minister Justin Trudeau. Photo by Postmedia files

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Damien Kurek: Canada mustn’t fall into the ‘better than Trudeau’ trap

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Kurek argues that “Mark Carney hasn’t offered real reform… just better public relations and someone who simply isn’t Justin Trudeau.” He adds, “If Canadians allow the Liberals to define success as merely being slightly less disastrous than Justin Trudeau, our country is in deep trouble.”

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Statistics Canada recorded 788 hate crimes targeting Jewish people in 2025, down 16 per cent from 943 a year earlier, but still 71 per cent of all religion-motivated incidents. Photo by Ashley Fraser/Postmedia

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Canadians view Islam most negatively, but opinion of Judaism fell furthest: poll

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Twenty-six per cent of respondents to the poll said their opinion of Islam was positive and 50 per cent said it was negative, while 40 per cent said their opinion of Judaism was positive and 32 per cent said it was negative.

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