In the news today: Cabinet retreat continues, China’s envoy on EVs, Buy Canadian wave

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters Thursday the central theme of the cabinet retreat is affordability, which has been the Carney government’s “key objective and mission.”

Champagne said the group would also discuss the economy and creating jobs.

Chinese ambassador pitches new EVs as first step to new Canadian jobs, cheaper cars

As critics attack Ottawa’s agreement last week to import a small number of Chinese electric vehicles, China’s ambassador to Canada says Beijing wants to partner with Canadian autoworkers to create good jobs and build cheaper cars.

Wang Di says only win-win co-operation can last and that he wants to see affordable, quality cars, along with job growth in Canada.

His comments come a week after Canada allowed 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into Canada in exchange for Beijing dropping agricultural tariffs.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has warned that cheap Chinese E-Vs could flood the market, while the union for autoworkers says the deal was a “self-inflicted wound.”

Wang says autoworkers needn’t worry, since Ottawa and Beijing want to see investments that build up Canada’s manufacturing sector.

Trump withdraws Carney’s invitation to ‘Board of Peace’

U.S. President Donald Trump has rescinded an invitation to Prime Minister Mark Carney to join his new “Board of Peace” — marking the latest upheaval in the relationship between Canada and the United States.

On social media, Trump did not share why he was withdrawing Carney’s invitation but called it “the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.”

It comes after Carney gave a widely-applauded speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he urged middle powers to band together as larger ones try to pressure them through economic coercion.

The speech was noticed by Trump, who spoke at the summit Wednesday, saying Carney wasn’t “grateful” and that Canada “lives because of the United States.”

Buy Canadian movement at grocers could ramp up again during trade talks

The buy Canadian movement, sparked last year by a trade dispute with the U.S., could ramp up again with the Canada-United States-Mexico free trade agreement up for review this summer.

As shoppers grew tired of issues ranging from trade rhetoric to food inflation, the buy Canadian attitude shifted toward buying anything other than American — provided it was affordable.

Amar Singh, senior director of data analytics company Kantar, says there’s a very high likelihood of it happening again, depending on how trade talks go.

The buy Canadian wave surged as U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on trade with Canada and the world led to a litany of economic uncertainty, tariffs and other threats.

Penguins score three times within opening three minutes, cruise past Oilers 6-2

It was a tough Thursday night for fans of the Edmonton Oilers, as the team suffered a massive home loss at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Anthony Mantha scored twice as Pittsburgh took a 3-0 lead before the game was even three minutes old and cruised to a 6-2 victory over the Oilers at Rogers Place.

Penguins defenceman Jack St. Ivany has more than doubled his season’s point total in the last two games, while Oilers captain Connor McDavid was held pointless and hasn’t hit the scoreboard for two straight games for the first time all season.

Elsewhere in the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 at the Bell Centre, the Ottawa Senators lost to the Nashville Predators 5-3, and the Winnipeg Jets lost 2-1 in a shootout against the Florida Panthers.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

In the news today: Cabinet retreat continues, China’s envoy on EVs, Buy Canadian wave

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