Good evening, readers.

We start with news on Canada’s role (or lack thereof) in the U.S. and Israeli offensive in the Middle East.

Defence Minister David McGuinty clarified that Canada isn’t lending a hand.

Speaking at a press conference in the GTA on Tuesday, he said Canadian Armed Forces members are “not engaged” in the “prosecution” of the war against Iran.

He added that while CAF members are working in the region, Canada has “not participated” in the armed conflict and has “no intention of doing so.”

The minister also balked at the Conservatives’ claim that the Liberal government is not being open and transparent about the extent to which Canada is being affected by the Iran war.

The Canadian Press has this one.

Staying on the war front, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says Canada’s focus in the conflict is all about unblocking the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping route.

She also said she agrees with Prime Minister Mark Carney that the United States’ attack on Iran and Iran’s subsequent blockade violates international law.

“The focus now is to ensure that Canada continually stands with international legal principles and abides by international law,” she told reporters in a virtual call from Ankara, the capital of Turkey.

“There should be no weaponization of international shipping lanes, and prevention from countries around the world having the resources that they need.”

Anand is travelling to both Turkey and the United Kingdom this week to discuss the situation in the Middle East with her counterparts.

Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Oman.

Iran’s blockade of the waterway has caused fuel prices to spike and has disrupted access to food sources for some of the world’s poorest people.

What about Trump’s threat?

Anand stayed mum and would not say whether U.S. President Donald Trump is attempting to coerce American allies by linking their lack of support for his war in Iran with Washington’s support for the NATO military alliance.

NATO has reported shooting down several missiles launched from Iran toward Turkish airspace. Turkey is a NATO member and is covered by the alliance’s collective defence clause, Article 5, which says an armed attack on one NATO member is to be treated as an attack on all.

Anand said Canada “stands foursquare behind NATO allies” if they choose to invoke Article 5 but noted that Turkey has not made such a request.

Anand’s visit to Ankara comes as the city prepares to host the NATO alliance annual meeting in early July. Carney is expected to attend that meeting.

CP has this one.

An important thing to note — AP reports that Trump says NATO allies aren’t coming to help unblock the Strait.

In Other Headlines

Internationally

The Trump White House has been rattled by a bombshell resignation.

Joe Kent, a senior US intelligence official appointed by President Donald Trump, abruptly announced he is stepping down from his post on Tuesday, citing misgivings about the administration’s war with Iran.

Kent, who had been serving as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, posted his resignation letter on X, contradicting the administration’s basis for launching the war and imploring Trump to end it.

“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent wrote in the letter. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”

The resignation is the highest-profile rebuke yet of the war effort from a Trump administration insider and staunch support of the MAGA movement, albeit one who instantly drew criticism for alleged antisemitism. It reflects how the conflict is roiling some of Trump’s most high-profile MAGA supporters, like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, even though rank-and-file Republicans largely back the president.

CNN has more.

In Other International Headlines

The Kicker

Definitely maybe?

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is openly mulling the idea of Canada seeking membership in the European Union.

Speaking at the Europe 2026 conference in Berlin today, Barrot said the European Union is attracting more candidate countries, such as Iceland, and suggested “maybe Canada at some point” will sign up.

Barrot smiled while mentioning Canada and his comments generated some laughter from a panel moderator and applause from the audience.

CP has this one.

Have a great night!