King Charles emphasizes Canada’s ‘self-determination’ as he opens parliament after Trump’s annexation threats

King Charles emphasizes Canada's 'self-determination' as he opens parliament after Trump's annexation threats

King Charles IIIused a significant speech in Canada's parliament on Tuesday to underscore the country's sovereignty following pressure from US President Donald Trump. "Today, Canada faces another critical moment. Democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values which Canadians hold dear, and ones which the Government is determined to protect," the king said from the throne in the Senate chamber as he delivered a speech, which laid out the Canadian government's legislative agenda for the year ahead. Charles, 76, is on a two-day trip to Canada, the first time he has visited the country since assuming the throne in 2022. He is the head of state in Canada and 13 other Commonwealth realms, as well as in the United Kingdom. It was the first time in nearly 50 years that a sovereign had delivered the address and was seen by many as a powerful show of support for Canada. King Charles' remarks comes as Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to annex Canada and make it the 51st state — a move which Canadian Prime MinisterMark Carneyhas repeatedly rebuffed. During the roughly 26-minute address, which was written by the Canadian government, Charles spoke of the several challenges the nation faced. "The system of open global trade that, while not perfect, has helped to deliver prosperity for Canadians for decades, is changing. Canada's relationships with partners are also changing." King Charles discussed the changing relationship between Canada and the United States. "The Prime Minister and the President of the United States, for example, have begun defining a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the U.S., rooted in mutual respect and founded on common interests, to deliver transformational benefits for both sovereign nations," he said. Charles also referenced protecting Canada's sovereignty, saying that the government would look at "rebuilding, rearming, and reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces." He said the government "will boost Canada's defence industry by joining ReArm Europe, to invest in transatlantic security with Canada's European partners. And it will invest to strengthen its presence in the North, which is an integral part of Canada, as this region faces new threats." The monarch added: "The government will discharge its duty to protect Canadians and their sovereign rights, from wherever challenges may come at home or abroad." King Charles on Tuesday also emphasized that "the Crown has for so long been a symbol of unity for Canada," adding that "it also represents stability and continuity from the past to the present." Charles and his wife,Camilla, made their way to parliament by carriage through the streets of the capital. As the king formally opened a new session of parliament, he outlined some of Carney's other priorities, which also focused on domestic issues such as more affordable housing, a tax cut for the middle class and the removal of barriers to interprovincial trade — themes the prime minister promised voters during the recent election campaign. The king alternated between speaking in English and French – the two official languages of Canada – and received a standing ovation after wrapping up the speech. Jeffrey Dvorkin, journalist and senior fellow at Massey College in Toronto, described the speech as a "delicate balancing act" after the recent unwanted attention from Trump, but one that touched upon key issues and tensions in Canada. "What it also did — really quite deliberately — was send a message to the administration of Donald Trump that the country is going to go in a somewhat different direction than it has in the past," he told CNN. "Geography has been the greatest uniting force. But now under Prime Minister Carney, Canadians are looking overseas for a different set of connections without necessarily separating from the best connections that Canada has with the United States," he continued. "But it certainly was a message to the Trump administration that those days of Canada accepting everything that the United States tries to do, those days are over." King Charles and Queen Camilla were warmly welcomed on the tarmac as the couple touched down in Ottawa on Monday afternoon by Carney and Canadian Governor General Mary Simon, the monarch's representative in the country. On Monday, Carney – who was elected in March largely on an anti-Trump platform - praised the "historic ties" between Canada and the United Kingdom which "crises only fortify." For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byDan Dunne

in

May 27, 2025

King Charles emphasizes Canada’s ‘self-determination’ as he opens parliament after Trump’s annexation threats

King Charles emphasizes Canada's 'self-determination' as he opens parliament after Trump's annexation threats King Charles I...

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Will Trump's Regulatory Reforms Do Enough To Unleash Nuclear Energy?

Will Trump's Regulatory Reforms Do Enough To Unleash Nuclear Energy?

On Friday, President Donald Trump issued four executive orders aimed at bolstering nuclear power production by addressingsupply chain constraints, reforming advanced reactortesting at federal research facilities, and increasing nuclear reactor useon military bases. One of the mostsubstantive orderscalls for a "wholesale revision" of regulations governing nuclear power. Specifically, it directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to establish guidelines that would issue final decisions on all new construction and operation applications within 18 months—a process that currently takes years. Under the order, the NRC will work with the Department of Government Efficiency and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to draft these rules, which are due next year. Under anexecutive order issued in February, executive and independent agencies are required to submit draft and final rules to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (an office within the OMB) for review and approval. This added layer of federal scrutiny could end up slowing down reactor approvals and make the NRC less efficient. It could also run contrary to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which established the NRC and its guidelines. "The NRC is designed to be an independent agency," Adam Stein, director of the Nuclear Energy Innovation Program at the Breakthrough Institute, tellsReason. "The President has control by appointing Commissioners and has the authority to remove Commissioners for cause." However, the Atomic Energy Act says that the commission shall execute the provisions of the law, "not the Commissioners in conjunction with other parts of the Executive branch," he says. Congress has also begun to address permitting delays at the NRC. In 2024, federal lawmakers passed theADVANCE Actwhich, among other things, directs the NRC to establish a quicker permitting process for already-approved technologies (18 months to finish safety evaluations and environmental reviews and 25 months to issue a final decision). The agency is expected toissue these guidelines by September, according to the NRC website. However, the legislation stipulates that these guidelines be enforced to "the maximum extent possible." Jack Spencer, a senior energy researcher at The Heritage Foundation, thinks Trump's order could "bring additional accountability to the process." "Any big bureaucracy is going to be resistant to change," he says. "Legislation that basically puts it in their hands to achieve that reform, I think, will often fall short of the sorts of reform that are possible." Spencer thinks that subjecting the proposed reforms to another set of eyes "that will ask hard questions will be helpful in ensuring that real reform ultimately takes hold." This executive order also directs the NRC to reconsider its radiation standards for nuclear power plants and "adopt science-based radiation limits." Federal radiation regulations mandate nuclear power plants to emit levels of radiation that are "as low as reasonably achievable" (ALARA) and are based on the linear no-threshold model, which assumes that no level of radiation risk is safe to the public. This framework is not scientific (humans are exposed to natural levels of radiation that are higher than those that nuclear power plants emit) and has pushed up costs for power plant operators for no public safety benefit. Spencer argues that fixing this rule is critical for reducing the nuclear industry's regulatory burden. "You can make the NRC the most efficient regulatory agency that has ever existed. And if the basis of its regulatory actions is not grounded in science, then who cares?" "That doesn't mean that you're reducing safety standards. It means that you're making safety standards in line with actual risks," he adds. This directive could face legal scrutiny. Stein,who has been critical of these standards, says "safety standards are almost never implemented through executive order. They usually require the agency to review and 'reconsider' if the standards are appropriate." With the NRC recentlyreaffirmingits model for radiation standards in 2021, there "would need to be new scientific evidence to justify a change now that wouldn't be viewed as arbitrary by a court." Instead of rewriting ALARA standards, Stein suggests that the NRC could adoptradiation thresholdsat nuclear power facilities that are defined in the Clean Air Act. Spencer recognizes these standards can't be changed through an executive order. "But it gets the conversation going. And it makes it more OK to talk about it, and it subjects the whole issue to daylight and makes people address it." Trump's order also sets a goal to effectively quadruple America's nuclear energy capacity and build 400 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2050. Stein says this goal "can be a helpful signal to the market," but stating a goal does not "will it into existence." Juliann Edwards, chief development officer atThe Nuclear Company, a startup aiming to streamline the deployment of nuclear power plants, agrees. "It's obtainable if you have the right leadership and you have the right behaviors and you're removing a lot of bureaucratic, unnecessary red tape, whether that be the federal level or the state level or through some regulatory regime." America's fleet of commercial nuclear power plants, while still safe and effective, is aging. Most of the reactors were built between1967 and 1990—although two came online in 2023 and 2024,seven years delayed and $16 billion over budget. As the U.S. halted its construction, China's has accelerated. From 2014 to April 2024, the nation hasadded over 34 GWof nuclear capacity to its grid. "Nearly every Chinese nuclear project that has entered service since 2010 has achieved construction in 7 years or less,"notesthe Breakthrough Institute. China currently has 30 nuclear reactorsunder constructionand is exporting its nuclear energy technology to developing nations. Nearly half of the world's nuclear power plant constructionsare happening in China. While several factors have played into America's pivot away from nuclear power, including market structures, state bans on the energy source, and the introduction of cheap natural gas, the impact of federal regulations cannot be overstated. "Without doing a refresh and making sure [that] regulations are still applicable, you can get into a point, which we're seeing now, where it's extremely difficult to even cite and permit a piece of land," says Edwards. In the past 20 years, regulations have become so onerous that it takes five to seven years and close to $1 billion just to permit and cite a plot of land for nuclear energy development, according to Edwards. Streamlining the licensing process isn't a safety hazard but rather "a natural iteration that should be a part of our standard process with regulations." Regulations have long inhibited American nuclear energy. While Trump's order is well-intentioned to fix this issue, it is sure to face legal challenges—asmany of the president's orders have. Still, the orders may be enough to get a more substantial conversation going. "I think anything that creates pressure toward reform is good," says Spencer. The postWill Trump's Regulatory Reforms Do Enough To Unleash Nuclear Energy?appeared first onReason.com.

byDan Dunne

in

May 27, 2025

Will Trump's Regulatory Reforms Do Enough To Unleash Nuclear Energy?

Will Trump's Regulatory Reforms Do Enough To Unleash Nuclear Energy? On Friday, President Donald Trump issued four executive orders aime...

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King Charles Signals Canadian Strength to Trump

King Charles Signals Canadian Strength to Trump

Britain's King Charles III and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney look on during the opening the first session of the 45th Parliament of Canada at the Senate of Canada in Ottawa on May 27, 2025. Britain's King Charles III is heading to Canada for a brief but "impactful" visit, at a time when President Donald Trump is floating the idea of making his northern neighbour the 51st US state. The 76-year-old monarch, who is also Canada's head of state as part of the Commonwealth, has never publicly commented on the ambitions of the U.S. president, a noted admirer of the royal family. Credit - Blair Gable/POOL—AFP/Getty Images King Charles III is not just monarch of the United Kingdom, he is also the putative ruler of 14 other Commonwealth realms—including Canada. In that role, he paid a heavily freighted visit to his northern realm this week to deliver a message to the leader of the republic to the south. In an act of prime ministerial ventriloquism, Prime Minister Mark Carney had Charles deliver Canada's throne speech, a ceremony in which elected politicians sit humbly in the presence of a ceremonial figurehead who reads words written by the politician who is actually in charge. Normally, this duty is discharged by the governor general, a Canadian who represents the monarch in Canada. Mary Simon—Canada's first Indigenous governor general—would, in the normal course of events, read the speech in a little-noticed event in the sleepy Senate chamber. But these are not normal circumstances. Rather than having Simon do the job, Carney had Charles and Queen Camilla fly in, travel to Parliament Hill in a horse-drawn carriage behind an honour guard of Mounties in a show of regal pageantry not seen in the capital since Charles' late mother, Elizabeth, opened Parliament in 1977. Charles's presence in Ottawa was unusual. It was his 21st trip to Canada, but the first time in which he appeared in Parliament to kick off a parliamentary session with a throne speech. There was a happy and friendly crowd there to greet the royal visitors, breaking out into impromptu rounds of "O Canada" as they waited for the royal procession, but the monarchical fever has not spread far beyond the parliamentary precinct. Most Canadians have apathetic, if not negative, feelings about the monarchy, an institution that seems increasingly distant as the country's cultural links to Great Britain grow weaker. Apoll this weekfound that 83% of Canadians "don't really care," about Charles's visit. But the seemingly archaic constitutional structures suddenly looked useful to the people running the country. Because President Donald Trump has beenthreateningto annex Canada, something that he seems to believe was possible given Canada's comparatively small military, Canadians have been by turns fretful and intent on showing their resolve. Inevitably, they looked for support from the mother country, home of their head of state. But UK Prime Minister Kier Starmerhas been criticizedfor repeatedly failing to speak up for Canadian independence. His ministersapparently pleadedwith Canada to keep Charles from saying anything that might damage the relationship with the UK. But Charles is the king of Canada, as well as the UK, and Starmer could not have stopped him from going, even if he wanted to do so. When Starmer himself visited the White House in February, hunting for a trade deal, his perfunctory gift was an invitation from the King for Trump, whodescribedCharles as a "beautiful man, a wonderful man." Having observed Trump's taste for all things gold and royal, Carney used Charles to send a clear signal to Trump: the King is with us. Charles, who is strictly limited by long constitutional tradition on what he can say about anything political (practically nothing) repeatedly demonstrated his support for Canada withcoded symbols—at least until he could show up in person and deliver the message in person. Carney, speaking through Charles, acknowledged that "many Canadians are feeling anxious and worried about the drastically changing world around." Through his presence, Charles reminded Canadians that Canada has a different, and independent, constitutional tradition. Through his words, he sent a signal to Trump, who Carney likely hoped was paying attention. "We must be clear-eyed: the world is a more dangerous and  uncertain place than at any point since the Second World War," Charles said, switching easily between English and French. "Canada is facing challenges that are unprecedented in our lifetimes." There followed a recitation of Carney's to-do list—including faster approvals for energy projects and an ambitious home-building program—before he circled back to deliver the main message again: "As the anthem reminds us: The True North is indeed strong and free." The words came from Carney, but the Canadians were hoping that the intended recipient of the message, in the White House, will get the message: Canadians don't want to be annexed. Early in his second term, Trump seemed to hope for a groundswell of annexationist sentiment north of the border. However, there are now indications that Trump has realized that his northern neighbours would like to stick with their royal, perhaps albeit antiquated, traditions—and with their sovereignty. Ina tense but successful visitto the Oval Office earlier this month, Carney pointed out that some properties never go on the market: "We're sitting in one right now, Buckingham Palace that you visited, as well. And having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it's not for sale, it won't be for sale, ever." Trump responded by saying "never say never." But his new ambassador to Ottawa, Pete Hoekstra,has saidthat his marching orders have nothing to do with annexation, which suggests the American president may be ready to move on. It would be foolish to predict how Trump will respond, or whether he will even notice, but Canadians and their monarch have done what they could to send the American president a clear message about their sovereignty. Canada already has a King, and it's not Trump. Contact usatletters@time.com.

byDan Dunne

in

May 27, 2025

King Charles Signals Canadian Strength to Trump

King Charles Signals Canadian Strength to Trump Britain's King Charles III and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney look on during the op...

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California changes competition rules for track and field final amid controversy over trans athlete

California changes competition rules for track and field final amid controversy over trans athlete

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The governing board for California high school sports is changing its competition rules at this weekend's state track and field championships to allow more girls to take part amid controversy over the participation of a trans student-athlete. The California Interscholastic Federation said it was extending access for more cisgender athletes to participate in the championship meet this weekend. The federation announced the change Tuesday after PresidentDonald Trumpposted on his social media siteabout the participation of a trans athlete in the competition. "Under this pilot entry process, any biological female student-athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark for one of their Section's automatic qualifying entries in the CIF State meet, and did not achieve the CIF State at-large mark in the finals at their Section meet, was extended an opportunity to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships," the group said in a statement. "The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes." The federation didn't specify whether the change applies to all events or only events where a trans athlete has qualified for the final. The change only applies to this weekend's competition. In a social media post Tuesday morning, Trump threatened to pull federal funding in California if the state did not bar trans students from participating in girls sports. The post referenced AB Hernandez, a trans athlete who competes in girls track and field. "THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS," Trump said. The Trump administrationlaunched an investigationearlier this year over a law that says districts can't force teachers and staff to notify parents if a student changes their gender identity at school. Trump's comments came months after California Gov. Gavin Newsomsaid on his podcastthat transgender girls' participation in girls sports was "deeply unfair." Trump said he planned to talk to Newsom about the issue Tuesday. The governor's office did not immediately confirm the call but weighed in on the California Interscholastic Federation rule change. "CIF's proposed pilot is a reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue without compromising competitive fairness — a model worth pursuing," Gardon said. "The Governor is encouraged by this thoughtful approach." The Associated Press tried to reach Hernandez's mother through an email address and phone number listed in public records, but has not heard back. Hernandez is scheduled to compete in the girls varsity triple jump, high jump and long jump in the state finals. Hernandez won the triple jump, placed third in the long jump and eighth in the high jump in the CIF Division 3 preliminary competition on May 11, according to CIF results.

byDan Dunne

in

May 27, 2025

California changes competition rules for track and field final amid controversy over trans athlete

California changes competition rules for track and field final amid controversy over trans athlete SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The governing b...

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Trump administration halts scheduling of new student visa appointments

Trump administration halts scheduling of new student visa appointments

By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration has ordered its missions abroad to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants as the State Department prepares to expand social media vetting of foreign students, according to an internal cable seen by Reuters on Tuesday. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the cable that the department plans to issue updated guidance on social media vetting of student and exchange visitor applicants after a review is completed and advised consular sections to halt the scheduling of such visa appointments. The move comes as the Trump administration has sought to ramp up deportations and revoke student visas as part of its wide-ranging efforts to fulfill his hardline immigration agenda. In the cable, first reported by Politico, Rubio said appointments that have already been scheduled can proceed under the current guidelines, but available appointments not already taken should be pulled down. "The Department is conducting a review of existing operations and processes for screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor (F, M, J) visa applicants, and based on that review, plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting for all such applicants," the cable said. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce declined to comment on reports of the cable, but said the U.S. will use "every tool" to vet anyone who wants to enter the United States. "We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that's coming here, whether they are students or otherwise," Bruce told reporters at a regular news briefing. The expanded social media vetting will require consular sections to modify their operations, processes and allocation of resources, according to the cable, which advises the sections going forward to take into consideration the workload and resource requirements of each case before scheduling them. The cable also advises consular sections to remain focused on services for U.S. citizens, immigrant visas and fraud prevention. Trump administration officials have said student visa and green card holders are subject to deportation over their support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to U.S. foreign policy and accusing them of being pro-Hamas. Trump's critics have called the effort an attack on free speech rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. A Tufts University student from Turkey was held for over six weeks in an immigration detention center in Louisiana after co-writing an opinion piece criticizing her school's response to Israel's war in Gaza. She was released from custody after a federal judge granted her bail. Last week, the Trump administration moved to revoke Harvard's ability to enroll international students. Those roughly 6,800 students make up about 27% of Harvard's total enrollment. The Republican president's administration has moved to undermine the financial stability and global standing of the nation's oldest and wealthiest university after it pushed back on government demands for vast changes to its policies. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Additional reporting by Simon Lewis; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Nick Zieminski)

byDan Dunne

in

May 27, 2025

Trump administration halts scheduling of new student visa appointments

Trump administration halts scheduling of new student visa appointments By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's ...

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