Good day to you.

We’re starting today’s brief with the latest in our year-end interview series. Next up is Minister of Defence David McGuinty.

about Canada’s security relationship with the U.S., as well as why the rapid acceleration of new technology is one of biggest concerns.

“I want you to think of security and defence in terms of a home that is built with a foundation. One side of the foundation is in the United States, while the other part is across the border in Canada.” he said of Canada-U.S. defence relationship.

“Now, imagine 50 rows of cinderblocks that hold the house up on both sides of the border. The first 30 or 40 rows are cinderblocks that uphold defence, security and, to a certain extent, intelligence. I have seen no daylight, cracks, shifting or movement in that foundation at all.”

Davis Legree has more from their conversation.

Meanwhile, leaders from Europe and Canada held talks Tuesday on U.S.-led peace efforts to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine, as Moscow and Kyiv sparred over Russian claims, denied by Ukraine, of a mass drone attack on a lakeside residence used by President Vladimir Putin.

The virtual meeting included European leaders as well as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, heads of European institutions and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

“Peace is on the horizon,” Tusk told a Polish Cabinet meeting. But he added: “It is still far from a 100% certainty.”

AP has this one.

In Other Headlines:

Internationally:

President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela, but the U.S. offered few details.

Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday, and when questioned Monday by reporters about “an explosion in Venezuela,” he said the U.S. struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up.”

“There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said as he met in Florida with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. There’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”

AP reports.

In Other International Headlines:

The Kicker:

So far, Canada has been perfect at th 2026 IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in Minnesota, winning their first three games — though needed overtime to dispense of Latvia.

Canada has today off but returns to the rink on Wednesday to face-off against the reigning silver medalist Finland.

Puck drop is just after 8:30 p.m. ET.

This is our final brief of 2025. We’ll see you on Friday!