In the news today: B.C. chief on fires, Trump tariffs loom, e-scooter deaths rise

Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …

Chief calls for co-operation to prevent fires as world changes at a ‘rapid pace’

The chief of the Penticton Indian Band in British Columbia says events such as the wildfire that forced thousands of people from their homes in the South Okanagan aren’t natural occurrences and more needs to be done to fix the problem.

Chief Greg Gabriel, whose members are among the evacuees, says that could mean looking at logging practices and addressing drought conditions. 

Gabriel has asked the province to address the need for an alternative emergency route out of communities during a crisis, as Highway 97 has been cut off by the Bald Range fire around Summerland.

B.C. Premier David Eby says there is a significant demand across the province for secondary egress roads and the Transportation Ministry will work on which routes to prioritize.

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Two newborn mountain goats seen in this undated photo near Summerland, B.C. The area lies within the borders of the Bald Range fire, which forced the evacuation of the community.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Keith Tedman (Mandatory Credit)

Status of ‘iconic’ mountain goats living near evacuated B.C. community is uncertain

There is concern about the impact a wildfire near Summerland, B.C. is having on an iconic herd of mountain goats that often fascinate onlookers on the cliffs above Okanagan Lake. 

Biologist Michael Noonan says there is a good chance many of the animals were lost as the fire blew up on Friday. 

Their habitat lies within the borders of the Bald Range wildfire that forced more than 20,000 residents to escape overnight and early Saturday. 

Noonan says there are risks that a few fires like the Bald Range wildfire could eliminate the animals from the region entirely.

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Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc attends a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canada’s premiers in Charlottetown on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

Minister LeBlanc in Washington again today as tariff deadline nears

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc remains in Washington today as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff deadline approaches.

A new round of 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods is set to take effect on Aug. 19.

Unlike most of Trump’s other tariffs, these would have no exemptions for goods that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, widely known as CUSMA.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said the tariffs are a response to provincial bans on American liquor, Canada’s supply-managed dairy system and quotas on certain U.S. vehicles.

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President Donald Trump talks to reporters after arriving on Air Force One Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Experts warn Trump may be driving wedges between provinces with threatened tariffs

Experts say U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened new tariffs could drive wedges between Canadian provinces and allow Washington to exploit regional grievances in trade talks.

The tariffs set to take effect Aug. 19th would have particularly heavy impacts on industries concentrated in B.C. and in small towns across Quebec.

Louise Blais, who serves as Quebec’s official envoy for the CUSMA review, says the tariffs could be “absolutely catastrophic” for small towns that rely on one or two businesses that export to the U.S.

University of British Columbia political scientist Stewart Prest says Washington could use a divide-and-conquer strategy to reward provinces that comply with American demands and punish others.

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Two kids ride on an electric scooter in Toronto, on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Keito Newman

10 kids died last year from e-scooter and e-bike injuries, data shows

New data from the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program is highlighting how deadly e-scooters and e-bikes can be for children in Canada.

The data released in an annual report today says 10 kids, including six from Ontario, died from using e-scooters and e-bikes in 2025.

Twelve more were admitted to intensive care units and 26 were treated in the hospital for more than two days. 

The data emphasizes the need for better policy co-ordination and public education to clearly communicate the laws on e-scooters and e-bikes, as doctors witness a dramatic rise in injuries in recent years.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 13, 2026.

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