Good evening, readers.

So, maybe we won’t get a deal after all.

CBC News is reporting that Canada isn’t happy with the latest offer from the American camp and the two sides aren’t in a place to offer up a prospective deal.

The outlet reported only yesterday that the plan was to get something in front of U.S. President Donald Trump by Monday at the latest, giving enough time to decide before the latest wave of tariffs go into effect on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Globe and Mail is reporting that Canada is entertaining a proposal to tweak the tariffs on autos to provide relief to industry, something similar to what AMPA president Flavio Volpe told iPolitics earlier this week — providing a broader exemption from tariffs and only hitting parts of completed vehicles not made in North America.

Two senior federal officials met with industry and union leaders at the West Coast ports on Tuesday in anticipation of the start of high-stake talks on a new labour deal.

Sources familiar with the discussions said Ottawa is clearly anxious about the prospect of a strike or lockout and what even a temporary closure of the ports would mean for the Carney government’s ambitious trade diversification agenda.

The sources, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak publicly, said deputy labour minister Rob Wright and Peter Simpson, the head of the government’s mediation and conciliation service, met with both sides in-person and signalled that Ottawa was paying close attention to the talks.

The current labour deal between the port employers and longshore workers expires in early 2027. Formal negotiations are expected to start this fall.

Marco Vigliotti reports.

In Other Headlines

Internationally

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, 28, the youngest person to hold the role, will leave the administration at the end of the month, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday. Leavitt, who recently returned to work after the birth of her second child, called the decision to leave her job and devote more time to her family “bittersweet.”

Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers may soon be outfitted with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks intended to gain compliance from combative individuals. ICE plans to spend up to $20 million to purchase thousands of the “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices” for officers and agents by March.

Finally, David Crowley won a razor-thin primary over a democratic socialist in Wisconsin, setting up a match against a congressman who has voted with Trump 100% of the time. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, an insurgent progressive, won the Minnesota Democratic Senate primary over the party’s establishment candidate. Sen. Darline Graham and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman have advanced to a runoff in South Carolina’s special GOP primary to replace the late Lindsey Graham in the U.S. Senate.

AP has all these stories.

In Other International Headlines

The Kicker

Check your helmets, folks.

A high school football player in Arkansas had every right to be rattled after finding a venomous snake inside his helmet during practice.

The Maumelle High student felt unusual movement inside his headgear following warmups last week and brought his helmet to an assistant coach for inspection. A slithering 2-foot cottonmouth was discovered behind some padding.

The pit viper was so reluctant to exit the helmet that animal control officers had to submerge the helmet in water and forced the snake out, grabbing it with tongs. Animal services technicians identified the snake as a deadly cottonmouth. It was released in a wooded area.

AP has this one.

Good night!