European Allies Wary of Buying American as They Plan Defense Buildup
(Bloomberg) — For European countries that just approved the biggest increase in military spending in decades, 'Buy American' is looking a lot less appealing than it once was. They may have no choice.
As the allies rush to rebuild their fighting forces, leaders are confronting the reality that they'll have to rely on the US for many of the new weapons they're planning to buy, a sales pitch driven home by President Donald Trump on his visit to Europe this week.
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CBC
21 minutes ago
- CBC
Want to own an international border crossing? This centuries-old ferry service is for sale
Social Sharing On a little point of land jutting into the St. Lawrence River lies a chance to own a piece of history — asking price: $450,000. The property offers some lucky buyer the opportunity to run an international border crossing and carry on a legacy that's over 200 years old. That's how long descendants of one family have been ferrying people between Wolfe Island, Ont. and Cape Vincent, N.Y. Known as Horne's Ferry, the crossing has none of the intimidation factor commonly experienced at the border. There's just a concrete dock, a small white building and a large sign declaring "Welcome to Ontario." That dock is what's currently for sale. It's partner port on the American side is being listed too, as is the ferry boat itself. "It's a very unique property," said real estate agent Bob Joy. "I've sold lots of cottages, docks, businesses, but never a dock involved in a border crossing." It's estimated a ferry has been operating from that location since the early 1800s, according to Brian MacDonald, a member of the Wolfe Island Historical Society. That means when it first started up women were wearing petticoats, men were sporting top hats and Napoleon Bonaparte was at the height of his power. Centuries of stories "It's a long time," MacDonald said with a laugh. He said over the centuries the ferry has collected its fair share of legends. Some of the more-recent stories involve tourists being led astray by their GPS telling them ferry offered a shortcut to the U.S. during the winter — despite it being closed for the season — and ending up stuck in a snow drift instead. Another busy time at the border was prohibition, when the waters between the two ports saw plenty of traffic with "booze being transported back and forth under cover," MacDonald explained. Hank Connell joked that his mother was among the smalltime smugglers who relied on the ferry — and past generations of friendly Hornes looking the other way — in order to avoid paying duties. During one trip across the water, he remembered her talking about how nice the family was. When he asked why, Connell recalled her turning to him and saying: "Well, I've got all these strawberries and I've got three or four sets of underwear that I'm wearing and I'm getting that across the border." Connell, who's also part of the historical society, laughed at the memory, but said it points to something special about the ferry that somehow always made passengers feel like they were in a "holiday mood." It was a service run by islanders for islanders. One that connected two communities and, through them, two countries, he explained. Both he and MacDonald said there were many people on the south side of Wolfe Island who were known to say they felt closer to the U.S. than Kingston. Having the ferry meant that's where they bought their groceries or went out for dinner. "It's become vital to a lot of people," said Connell. "Visitors that come from hither and yon. They like to be able to get across quickly." For the Hornes to sell is "a bit of a tragedy," he said, adding he believes they deserve credit for centuries of service and sacrifice. The perfect summer job William Darrell Horne Bates, whose mother was part of the Horne family, described the sale as both a loss for the Hornes and the two communities that relied on the ferry for tourism. He worked on the boat for 25 years after he retired, calling it the perfect summer job. One of his memories from those days involved a squall coming off the lake and catching the ferry when it was halfway across. "We were dancing out there," Bates said, describing winds blowing more than 100 km/h and rain coming down in sheets. When they made it to the other side and tried to tie off, the ropes broke and the ferry ended up drifting down river. That's when a passenger started shouting "We're going down" and running around looking for life jackets, he said. When the squall eventually died down and the boat made it safely to shore, Bates said one passenger had final words. "She says, 'I'm not coming back,' and George says, 'Good,'" he laughed, referring to former owner George Horne. The ferry weathered that storm, but Bates said several members of the Horne family have suffered health setbacks in recent years and they just can't keep it going. Inquiries sent to the ferry's email address received an automatic response saying George Horne died last September and, as a result, there was no start date for the season. Joy, the real estate agent, was born and raised on Wolfe Island and has his own memories of the ferry. It's the only family-owned international crossing in North America and people on both sides want to see it survive, he said.
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
The Latest: Overnight revisions put Trump's big bill back on track
After the Senate parliamentarian advised that a Medicaid provider tax overhaul central to President Donald Trump's tax cut and spending bill didn't adhere to the chamber's procedural rules, senators worked overnight to revise the bill to meet the president's self-imposed July 4 deadline. Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough accepted a number of revisions to GOP plans, but the attention falling on MacDonough reflects a broader change in Congress: Lawmakers are increasingly trying to wedge top policy priorities into bills that can't be filibustered. That process comes with special rules designed to deter provisions unrelated to spending or taxes, and that's where the parliamentarian comes in, offering analysis of what does and doesn't qualify.
Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
U.S. Supreme Court limits nationwide injunctions, but fate of Trump birthright citizenship order unclear
Published Jun 27, 2025 • 2 minute read Demonstrators outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on May 15, 2025. Photo by Kent Nishimura / Bloomberg WASHINGTON — A divided Supreme Court on Friday ruled that individual judges lack the authority to grant nationwide injunctions, but the decision left unclear the fate of President Donald Trump's restrictions on birthright citizenship. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The outcome was a victory for the Republican president, who has complained about individual judges throwing up obstacles to his agenda. But a conservative majority left open the possibility that the birthright citizenship changes could remain blocked nationwide. Trump's order would deny citizenship to U.S.-born children of people who are in the country illegally. Birthright citizenship automatically makes anyone born in the United States an American citizen, including children born to mothers in the country illegally. The right was enshrined soon after the Civil War in the Constitution's 14th Amendment. In a notable Supreme Court decision from 1898, United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the court held that the only children who did not automatically receive U.S. citizenship upon being born on U.S. soil were the children of diplomats, who have allegiance to another government; enemies present in the U.S. during hostile occupation; those born on foreign ships; and those born to members of sovereign Native American tribes. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The U.S. is among about 30 countries where birthright citizenship — the principle of jus soli or 'right of the soil' _ is applied. Most are in the Americas, and Canada and Mexico are among them. Trump and his supporters have argued that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen, which he called 'a priceless and profound gift' in the executive order he signed on his first day in office. The Trump administration has asserted that children of noncitizens are not 'subject to the jurisdiction' of the United States, a phrase used in the amendment, and therefore are not entitled to citizenship. But states, immigrants and rights groups that have sued to block the executive order have accused the administration of trying to unsettle the broader understanding of birthright citizenship that has been accepted since the amendment's adoption. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Judges have uniformly ruled against the administration. The Justice Department had argued that individual judges lack the power to give nationwide effect to their rulings. The Trump administration instead wanted the justices to allow Trump's plan to go into effect for everyone except the handful of people and groups that sued. Failing that, the administration argued that the plan could remain blocked for now in the 22 states that sued. New Hampshire is covered by a separate order that is not at issue in this case. As a further fallback, the administration asked 'at a minimum' to be allowed to make public announcements about how it plans to carry out the policy if it eventually is allowed to take effect. Toronto Raptors Toronto Raptors Music Sunshine Girls Canada
