U.S. President Donald Trump last year acknowledged he wouldn’t be able to easily annex Canada as he has repeatedly threatened, according to a British Royal biographer who cites Trump’s praise for King Charles III as a factor.

In an excerpt of Robert Hardman’s upcoming biography of Queen Elizabeth II published Monday in the Daily Mail, Hardman recounts meeting with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in December 2025, where the two discussed Trump’s multiple state visits with both the Queen and her son and heir as president.

During one of their conversations, Hardman writes, Trump “mischievously” asked if he should “go to war with” Denmark, a NATO ally, in order to take over Greenland.

“I replied that this would probably destroy NATO and, while we were on the subject, could he please leave Canada alone, too,” Hardman writes.

“It had been a staunch ally throughout history, a gallant D-Day partner and attempting to acquire it would undoubtedly make the King of Canada unhappy.”

According to Hardman, Trump paused and then asked, “Do they still recognize the King? Or have they stopped doing that?”

After Hardman confirmed the British monarch remains Canada’s head of state, Trump went on to complain about Canada’s “terrible politicians.”

“They’re nice to my face and then they say bad things behind my back,” Trump told Hardman, who then writes the U.S. president noted a majority of Canadians live just above the Canada-U.S. border due to the cold weather in northern Canada.

“The problem is some guy drew that straight line to make a border,” Hardman says Trump told him. “He should just have drawn it 50 miles further north and then there wouldn’t be a problem.”

However, Hardman writes that Trump conceded redrawing that border would be a difficult task to achieve during his final term as president, and acknowledged Canada’s history and sovereignty.

“I suppose Canadians have got 200 years of history and all that, ‘Oh, Canada’ thing,” Trump told Hardman. “You can’t deal with that in three-and-a-half years. I guess it’s not going to happen!”

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“This was the closest I had heard to an acknowledgement that, as long as Canada had the King, Mr. Trump was not going to usurp him,” Hardman then writes.

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Trumps given royal treatment in 2nd UK state visit

King Charles and Queen Camilla will undertake a state visit to the U.S. late this month, Buckingham Palace and Trump have announced. It will come after the royals hosted Trump for a state visit in London last September.

Trump praises both Queen Elizabeth and King Charles throughout the book excerpt, calling them “unbelievable” and “fantastic,” as well as Prince William and Princess Kate.

The excerpt mentions King Charles’ historic throne speech in Canada’s Parliament last year at Prime Minister Mark Carney’s invitation, which came at a time when Trump’s threats to make Canada the “51st state” were at their peak.

“The True North is indeed strong and free,” the King said during the speech, a line that drew a sustained standing ovation.

Although Trump’s threats to annex Canada have subsided since last year, Canadians remain on edge about the possibility of a U.S. takeover attempt.

Asked by Ipsos in January to what extent they agreed or disagreed with various statements on a possible U.S. military invasion, 56 per cent of Canadians said they either strongly agree (16 per cent) or somewhat agree (40 per cent) that the U.S. would never invade.

However, the same number said they were fearful an invasion could happen, with 17 per cent strongly agreeing and 39 per cent somewhat agreeing with the statement: “I am fearful Trump will use military force against Canada.”

That same month, Trump raised alarm bells in Canada by posting an AI-generated image of himself in the Oval Office with a map showing the American flag covering Canada, the U.S. and Greenland, as well as Venezuela and Cuba.

The Economist and the Globe and Mail reported at the time that Canada’s military planners have gamed out what an American military invasion could look like — and how long the Canadian side could hold out.

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‘It’s not easy’: Carney speaks frankly about dealing with Trump

Trump’s relationship with Carney has deteriorated somewhat since the two leaders held multiple friendly in-person meetings last year, including two at the White House and one at the G7 Summit in Alberta.

Trump reacted angrily to Carney’s widely praised speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, where Carney declared an end to the rules-based international order and urged middle powers like Canada to band together against large “hegemons.”

Although Carney did not mention Trump or the U.S., the speech was seen as a reaction to Trump’s global trade wars and aggressive approach to diplomacy, as well as his threats against NATO allies.

Trump told the World Economic Forum the next day that “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”

Trump has also begun referring to Carney as “governor” in social media posts, a title he used for former prime minister Justin Trudeau while threatening to make Canada a U.S. state.

Carney and Trump have continued to speak, however, most recently on Wednesday when the two discussed the successful Artemis II space launch and the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Carney acknowledged during an event in Australia last month that “it’s not easy” to deal with Trump, particularly in negotiations around trade.

Those trade talks are ongoing ahead of the scheduled review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement this summer.

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A BC Ferries official says there is “no quick fix” to issues plaguing the company’s aging fleet.

The comment from Jeff Groot, BC Ferries’ executive director of communications, comes after numerous sailings of the Queen of Surrey were cancelled Sunday due to its break down only 40 minutes after returning to service following a retrofit.

At least six trips were scrapped by early afternoon, forcing the company to redeploy other vessels.

“The challenge with the fleet where it stands and the age of our vessels and a number of these challenges is there’s no quick fix,” Groot said. “It may have been avoidable a number of years ago. We’re taking action where we can right now.”

Groot said BC Ferries is not “fully in control” of investments, pointing to a decision by the BC Ferry Commissioner not to approve a request for a fifth new vessel to serve the company’s major routes to Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast

As of Monday, Groot said the Queen of Surrey remains out of service.

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A replacement vessel was brought in Sunday to provide service, with that ferry operating remaining trips between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale for the remainder of the day. A return trip to Vancouver Island as well as several return sailings on Monday between Horsheshoe Bay and Duke Point were also cancelled.

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BC Ferries Queen of Surrey vessel breaks down again immediately following recent refit

As of Monday, Island Discovery also remains out of service, Groot said, while supplemental service has been added to Texada Island.

BC Ferries is moving customers who were booked on previously scheduled sailings. In situations where there are significant impacts, the company is offering compensation where possible, Groot added.

He also said they’ve offered vouchers where needed, though he didn’t say how many were given out.

In an interview with Global News on Sunday, Diana Mumford, former chair of the Sunshine Coast Ferry Advisory Committee, said more needs to be done.

“Provide us ferry service that we can depend on, and not just sometimes or most of the time,” Mumford said. “It is something we need all of the time and we have one breakdown after another.”

While Groot said operations are proceeding following the “challenging” weekend, he added that some cancellations are still possible Monday due to the strong winds forecast for B.C.

As of 8:30 a.m., BC Ferries said the 8 p.m. sailing out of Swartz Bay and the 10 p.m. trip leaving Tsawwassen are at risk of cancellation. The agency said that, in addition to weather, the potential cancellations are also due to precautionary operating limits on the Spirit of Vancouver Island stemming from a recent mechanical issue.

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Residents of Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimers sadly won’t be rocking out to the Goo Goo Dolls in the coming days following the band announcement that it’s cancelling its remaining Canadian dates due to the illness of one of its members.

The band posted on social media on Monday that frontman John Rzeznik was recently diagnosed with pneumonia and has not fully recovered.

“We are very disappointed and can’t wait to get back to Canada as soon as possible,” the post said.

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As a result, the band’s four remaining tour dates in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have been called off.

The band was set to play over the next several days at Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre, Laval’s Place Bell, Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre and Moncton’s Avenir Centre.

The cancellation comes just days after the band performed in London, Ont., on Saturday at Canada Life Place.

The shows are not the first Canadian dates the band has called off. Ontario shows in Sault Ste. Marie, Oshawa and Hamilton between March 30 and April 2 were also cancelled.

The Goo Goo Dolls April 18 show in Georgetown, Texas, remains on the tour schedule as of April 6.

According to the band, all tickets to the remaining Canadian shows will be refunded at the point of purchase.

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A 21-year-old motorcycle rider was killed in Toronto Sunday afternoon when an SUV hit his bike and sent him into a parked car.

According to police, the man was driving a Kawasaki Ninja westbound on Danforth Avenue. A Toyota Highlander driving eastbound attempted to make a left turn and struck the motorcycle.

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The motorcyclist lost control and hit a parked car, suffering life-threatening injuries.

Officers responded to a call about the collision at 3:05 p.m. They said the 21-year-old was taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries.

The driver of the Toyota Highlander remained on scene following the collision and is cooperating with the investigation.

Traffic Services are investigating and police are asking residents, businesses and drivers who may have security or dashcam footage of the area or the collision to contact investigators.

A Florida snapping turtle recently left outside a Vaughan, Ont., zoo is the second case of reptile abandonment zoo officials have dealt with this year.

Reptilia Vaughan said in a Facebook post Friday that the turtle was abandoned in a bin outside its facility near Rutherford and Creditstone roads. A note identified the turtle as “Gilberto.”

It is now second reptile abandoned at its doors this year, the zoo said.

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“Every week, Reptilia receives inquiries for aquatic turtles to be surrendered in our care and often, due to their long lives and solitary lifestyles, we must say no and point the owners to other resources and organizations,” the organization said.

“Leaving a reptile at our front door, subject to the elements does not change capacity, and only limits our abilities to help.”

The zoo added those who can’t care for an animal should call licensed rescues or professionals for help.

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Toys “R” Us Canada is battling tech giant Acer Inc., a Calgary swingers club and a Russian business over trademarks the struggling retailer says will cause confusion with its own branding.

The toy chain is opposing applications the three businesses filed in hopes of registering as trademarks a backwards R, the phrase “Club R” and the word “Wonderlab,” respectively, in their products or marketing.

It’s handling the cases even as the retailer remains in creditor protection and searches for investors for the business or buyers for assets, like the trademarks, which could be sold to help the company with its severe cash crunch. It owes at least $120 million to suppliers alone and says its landlords are also out “substantial” amounts.

Toys “R” Us Canada has said in its creditor protection filings that it is opposing the use of names and symbols linked to its brand to “protect its proprietary rights and goodwill.” Its lawyer did not respond to The Canadian Press’ requests for comment on the cases.

Furthest along in the process is the case over Wonderlab, the indoor playground and crafting space that Toys “R” Us Canada started experimenting with in 2013. It recently renamed the concept Playlab.

A Russian company known as Biomicrogeli wants permission to use the Wonderlab name on a wide range of products including lactose food products, toiletries like shower gel, soap and shaving cream, as well as diaper rash ointments, documents filed with the Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) show.

Because Toys “R” Us Canada’s Wonderlab trademark covers food, beverages, diapers, medicine and skin, hair and bath products, the retailer’s lawyers say letting Biomicrogeli use Wonderlab would be “confusing,” especially because the Russian company’s products “would target the same consumers and would be sold in the same channels of trade.”

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The argument was bolstered by an affidavit from a director of store planning worried there could be a “serious safety concern” if a child were to assume that a Wonderlab product from Biomicrogeli — which could contain chemicals — is safe to try out as they would in the toy store’s Wonderlab.

A lawyer for Biomicrogeli did not respond to a request for comment.

Many of the trademark applications Toys “R” Us Canada is opposing were made in the four years leading up to the company entering creditor protection in February but are still ongoing because it can take years to get permission to use a symbol when there is opposition.

No matter the circumstances a company is in when a fight comes to fruition, “you don’t want somebody else infringing on your rights,” said Erin McEwen, a trademark agent at Nelligan Law in Ottawa.

“It dilutes your brand, really, because consumers could think that that other brand is associated with your brand.”

She found 162 active trademarks registered to Toys “R” Us Canada but said it’s not unusual for companies to have that many, nor for them to pay lawyers to identify and oppose every application that has any shred of similarity to a company’s own trademarks.

Businesses are so aggressive in defending them because trademarks allow companies to tamp down on competitors and remain one of the most lucrative assets companies have.

“They could sell them. They could license them,” McEwen said. “There’s so many things they could do with them.”

For example, when Hudson’s Bay filed for creditor protection and closed all its stores last year, it made $30 million by selling intellectual property, including the company name and rights to its iconic stripes, to Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd.

Among the trademarks Toys “R” Us Canada has are a reversed R — it says it’s had rights to that for at least 45 years. In addition to the main brand’s logo, the backwards letter is found in the Babies “R” Us name. The company also has trademarks for Puppies “R” Us and Bruin, the chain’s toyline which uses a reversed R.

However, Acer Inc. now wants to use a backwards and capitalized letter R with an arrow on electronics and accessories.

Acer and its lawyer did not respond to a request for comment, but Toys “R” Us Canada has said letting the company use the logo on electronics and accessories would be “confusing.”

A letter Toys “R” Us Canada’s lawyer filed with the CIPO says it will eventually make the same point in a tussle with Club Rendezvous Inc., a Calgary swingers club looking to use “Club R.”

If the Alberta business can use the name, it would affect the distinctiveness, strength, level of protection and value that Toys “R” Us’s Club R trademark has, the retailer’s lawyer says.

Club Rendezvous’ owners, who The Canadian Press agreed not to name because their families are unaware of their involvement in the business, said they “do not believe there is any realistic likelihood of confusion” between their business and Toys “R” Us Canada because they operate in “a completely different industry and market segment.”

“We have built the Club R brand in good faith and remain confident in our position,” they said in an email. “At this stage, given the matter is ongoing, we are limited in what we can comment on publicly but will continue to co-operate fully with the process.”

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Along the B.C.-Alberta border, ski resorts remain packed as ideal conditions continue to attract skiers and snowboarders.

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The excessive snowfall has also helped replenish snow pillows and reservoirs, which some experts believe will help reinvigorate ranches and farms across Alberta that have dealt with drought conditions.

Drew Stremick has more in the video above.

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