Managing Trump(tariffs, and everything else): 1)Carney to meet Trump, Sheinbaum in Washington at FIFA event Friday; 2)Franklin the Turtle book publisher condemns ‘violent’ post by U.S. defence secretary

1) Carney to meet Trump, Sheinbaum in Washington at FIFA event Friday

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Kelly Geraldine Malone, Dec. 4, 2025

Prime Minister Mark Carney is planning to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at a FIFA World Cup event Friday in Washington as trade negotiations between Canada and the United States remain on pause.

The Prime Minister’s Office said Carney will meet with Trump at the Kennedy Center, where the event is being held, and the meeting is expected to be brief. Carney is also set to meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

The three leaders are attending the final draw for the World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the North American countries next year.

This will be the first in-person meeting of all three leaders ahead of next year’s mandatory review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade.

While North American diplomatic and trade relations have been upended by sweeping tariffs targeting the United States’ closest neighbours, Carney and Sheinbaum have taken starkly different approaches to the Trump administration.

After Canada’s April election, Carney quickly travelled to Washington for a meeting with Trump at the White House.

Despite the congenial tone of that meeting, Trump boosted duties on Canada to 35 per cent in August. Those tariffs do not apply to goods compliant with the continental trade pact, known as CUSMA.

Canadian industries are also being slammed by the president’s separate tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles, lumber and copper.

To appease the president, Ottawa boosted border security, increased NATO funding and dropped its digital services tax.

Carney has maintained regular contact with the American president for months. Trump heaped praise on the prime minister when the two leaders met again in October at the White House.

Trump, however, quickly called off trade talks after being angered by an Ontario-sponsored ad that quoted former president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.

Carney told reporters last week that he and the U.S. president have spoken recently — but not about trade negotiations.

Friday’s FIFA event will see the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Sheinbaum. They were set to meet during June’s G7 summit in Alberta but Trump left early to deal with tensions between Israel and Iran.

Trump never increased the 25 per cent tariffs on Mexico, which also don’t apply to goods compliant with CUSMA, saying Sheinbaum had taken action to address migration and drug smuggling at the border.

Sheinbaum said Wednesday that “it’s not yet decided” if she’ll have a private meeting with Trump while in Washington for the FIFA event.

“If it were to happen, it would be a very brief meeting,” she said.

The 2026 World Cup — meant to showcase North American unity — will be taking place under the shadow of critical trade negotiations among the three countries.

Canada and Mexico have both been shielded from some of the worst impacts of Trump’s tariffs by the CUSMA carveout but the trade agreement’s future has become uncertain.

When asked about the CUSMA review Wednesday, Trump said the trade pact “expires” next year and “we’ll either let it expire or we’ll maybe work out another deal with Mexico and Canada.”

The trade pact was negotiated during the first Trump administration to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. When CUSMA was signed, Trump called it the best deal ever — but has changed tune during his second administration.

Trump has called the trade pact a “transitional” deal and said it may have served its purpose.

2) Franklin the Turtle book publisher condemns ‘violent’ post by U.S. defence secretary

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Aaron Sousa, Dec. 2, 2025.

The publisher of the Franklin series of children’s books says an online post by U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth depicting the titular character as a bazooka-wielding soldier is denigrating and violent.

Hegseth shared on social media Sunday a mock cover of a Franklin book titled “Franklin Targets Narco Terrorists” with the caption: “For your Christmas wish list.”

In it, a smiling Franklin is seen dressed in military attire — with an American flag patch on his arm — firing a weapon from a helicopter at one of three boats carrying packages.

The post appears in reference to U.S. military strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

A spokesperson for Kids Can Press, which publishes the popular Canadian series, says Franklin stands for kindness and it condemns how he was depicted.

Reaction on social media ranged from users posting their own mock titles to others who criticized Hegseth for using a Canadian character.

“Franklin the Turtle is a beloved Canadian icon who has inspired generations of children and stands for kindness, empathy, and inclusivity,” reads a statement from Kids Can Press.

“We strongly condemn any denigrating, violent, or unauthorized use of Franklin’s name or image, which directly contradicts these values.”

Aside from more than a dozen books, Franklin the Turtle was also featured in an animated children’s television show and on a postage stamp.