The View hosts slammed Attorney General Pam Bondi and other members of President Trump’s cabinet after she testified before the House Judiciary Committee regarding the Jeffrey Epstein files and other matters related to the Department of Justice, which she oversees.

During a spirited debate about Bondi’s “unacceptable” behavior during the testimony, Ana Navarro gave a somber assessment of Bondi and the rest of Trump’s cabinet.

“They sold their souls in order to be in the circle of power and they know that what they are doing is not right,” she said. “Members of this cabinet, they like the title, they like the frills, they like the perks.”

Sunny Hostin called Bondi out for taking shots at Rep. Jamie Raskin, who she called a “washed-up loser lawyer,” according to reports.

“The facts don’t mean anything to these people,” Whoopi Goldberg reminded her co-host.

Joy Behar noted Bondi’s decision to ridicule the lawmakers during the testimony seemed “very Trumpy.” She compared it to when President Trump once told a reporter, “Be quiet, piggy.”

“It’s the same mentality,” Behar said. “She’s mimicking Trump.”

Hostin complained Bondi’s behavior during the hearing was “beneath the dignity of the office,” prompting Goldberg to scoff in response.

“If we start talking about ‘beneath the dignity’ we’d be here all day,” she quipped.

Navarro claimed during the show that she has known Bondi “for many years.”

“This was so personally disgusting and disappointing to me,” she said of the AG’s behavior during the hearing. “I knew her in Florida as someone who worked with everybody and was nice and to watch her in this performance as like a high school performance of Lady Macbeth was just unacceptable and a show for Donald Trump.”

Navarro went on to criticize Bondi for refusing to acknowledge the Epstein survivors who were present during the hearing.

“The women have been failed by four different administrations for decades and decades and decades,” Navarro pointed out.

“But she is the one sitting there right now as attorney general ,so you can’t blame it on Merrick Garland,” she continued. “The very least she could have done is turn around and say, ‘You know what I’m sorry we haven’t contacted you. You can be at the DOJ this afternoon.”

The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC. 

Prime Minister Mark Carney will visit the community of Tumbler Ridge “shortly,” his office says, after the British Columbia community was devastated by a mass shooting Tuesday that killed eight people, as well as the shooter, and injured dozens of others.

“The Prime Minister will be visiting Tumbler Ridge shortly in support of the community,” the Prime Minister’s Office told Global News.

“The Prime Minister’s Office is working closely with the community and local authorities to finalise details based on their own immediate needs.”

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and Housing Minister Gregor Robertson are in the community already, joined by B.C. Premier David Eby, Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka and B.C. Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger.

The ministers were in the remote mining town “to offer any assistance needed from the federal government in the aftermath of the devastating shooting in Tumbler Ridge.”

“Too many innocent lives taken from their families too soon. To the Tumbler Ridge community: we mourn with you and we stand with you,” Anandasangaree said.

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Roberston, a B.C. MP, said he was “heartbroken” by the tragedy.

“This is an extraordinary community. We have witnessed remarkable compassion and care by every person we’ve met,” he said.

Carney announced Wednesday that Canadian flags will be flown at half-mast for seven days on federal buildings following the mass school shooting.

In Toronto, the iconic CN Tower went dark on Wednesday at the top of every hour to mark the tragedy.

“Tonight the #CNTower will dim for 5 minutes at the top of each hour in honour of the victims of the attack in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia,” the CN Tower’s official social media account posted on Wednesday.

Gov. Gen. Mary Simon offered her condolences to the families of the victims.

“In this unimaginable moment of tragedy, the whole of Canada has Tumbler Ridge in its thoughts. Let us stay united in our compassion and reach out to one another with love and tenderness today, as we join the entire nation in grieving,” Simon said in a statement.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called the shooting a “senseless act of violence.”

“I can’t even imagine the phone calls that parents might have received. I can’t imagine the heartache and hell that they’re living through at this moment. This is a time for all Canadians to unite, to support the families and the community at large. We’ll be in touch with the Prime Minister and the other parties later today to offer all of our support.” Poilievre said on Wednesday.

— with a file from Global News’ Bryan Mullan

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

BRUSSELS — European allies at NATO on Thursday brushed aside concerns that the United States has stepped back from its leadership role of the world’s biggest security organization, leaving them and Canada to do the lion’s share of defending Europe.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not attend Thursday’s gathering of defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels. His no-show came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped the last meeting of NATO foreign ministers in December.

It’s rare for members of a U.S. administration to miss a meeting of the organization’s top decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council, at the level of ministers, let alone two meetings in a row. Under Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby was sent in Hegseth’s place.

“Sadly for him, he is missing a good party,” Icelandic Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir told reporters. “Of course, it’s always better that the ministers attend here, but I would not describe it as a bad signal.”

“I’m not disappointed,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. “Each of us has a full agenda. And one time the American defense minister is here, and one time not, so it’s his decision and his duties he has to fulfill.”

When asked what NATO’s purpose was in its infancy in 1949, NATO’s first secretary-general, the British general and diplomat Lord Hastings Ismay, was reputed to have replied: “To keep the Americans in, the Russians out and the Germans down.”

Nowadays, Germany is stepping up. After Russia invaded Ukraine four years ago, it vowed to spend 100 billion euros ($118 billion) to modernize its armed forces in coming years.

A big part of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s job is to keep the Americans in.

“They have to take care of the whole world. This is the United States,” Rutte told reporters before chairing the meeting. “I totally accept it, agree with it.”

“They have always consistently pleaded for Europe doing more, Canada doing more, taking more care of the defense of NATO territory, of course in conjunction with the United States,” he said.

That means more European spending on conventional weapons and defense, while the U.S. guarantees NATO’s nuclear deterrent.

But doubts linger, and surprises from the Trump administration cannot be ruled out. Allies still wonder whether more U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Europe.

“What for me is the most important is the no-surprise policy that has been agreed between the NATO secretary-general and the U.S.,” Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said.

Publicly at least, the Trump administration is doing much less at NATO. A year ago, Hegseth warned that America’s security priorities lie elsewhere and that Europe would have to look after itself, and Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Supplies of U.S. guns and money that were sent to Ukraine by the previous administration of President Joe Biden have dried up under Trump. European allies and Canada are obliged to buy weapons from the United States to donate now.

Western backers of Ukraine were also meeting at NATO on Thursday to drum up more military support. A scheme proudly championed by the Pentagon under Biden, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group is now chaired by the U.K. and Germany.

U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey announced that Britain would provide “an extra half a billion pounds ($682 million) in urgent air defense to Ukraine. This is Britain being a force for good in the world, building a new deal for European security within NATO.”

Sweden also intends to fund the purchase of more American weapons. The Netherlands will send more flight simulators to help Ukrainian fighter pilots train to fly F-16 jets.

The one “deliverable” from Thursday’s meeting was the announcement that NATO would launch Arctic Sentry, its response to U.S. security concerns in the high north, and an attempt to dissuade Trump from trying to seize Greenland.

It’s ostensibly aimed at countering Russian and Chinese activities or influence in the Arctic region.

But Arctic Sentry is essentially a rebranding exercise. National drills already underway in the region, like those run by Denmark and Norway, will be brought under the NATO umbrella and overseen by the organization’s military chief.

It is not a long-term NATO operation or mission.

Denmark, France, Germany will take part in the “military activities” happening under Arctic Sentry, but they have not said in what way. Finland and Sweden are likely to get involved. Belgium is considering what role it might play.

It remains unclear what role, if any, the United States will take.

“It can’t just be more from the United States,” U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said ahead of Thursday’s meeting. “We need capable allies that are ready and strong, that can bring assets to all of these areas of our collective security.”

Trump’s renewed threats last month to annex Greenland — a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark — have deeply shaken the rest of the alliance. NATO’s primary role is to defend the territory of its 32 member states, not to undermine it.

European allies and Canada hope that Arctic Sentry and ongoing talks between the Trump administration, Denmark and Greenland will allow NATO to move on from the dispute and focus on Europe’s real security priority, Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken said the Arctic security arrangement at least means that “we stop having some food fights over the Atlantic.”

“I think that the Greenland saga was not the best moment of NATO (over) the last 76 years,” he told reporters. “It was a crisis that was not needed.”

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has written to the City of Calgary to provide clarity on how council’s upcoming decision to repeal citywide rezoning could impact federal housing funds.

It comes as the city’s Infrastructure and Planning Committee meeting was presented a report Wednesday that said CMHC “may deem” the City of Calgary to be non-compliant with the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Contribution Agreement if city council fully repeals citywide rezoning.

Calgary was awarded $251.3 million, including top-ups, from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund, with $122.9 million allocated so far. The next instalment of the fund is set for the end of March 2026.

In the statement sent to city administration and councillors, obtained by Global News, CMHC said Calgary agreed it “would eliminate exclusionary zoning city-wide,” and enable a variety of missing middle housing types.

“In order to remain compliant with the agreement, any updated zoning must not reintroduce exclusionary (single family only) zoning, allow for at least four units on a lot across the city without additional approvals, and must not reintroduce approval processes or other barriers that slow down development,” CMHC said in its note to the city.

CMHC said it looks forward to working with Calgary on “options to achieve this” in the coming weeks.

Calgary city council is set to hold a public hearing March 23 on whether it should repeal citywide rezoning, but the issue has created an ongoing back and forth about whether the city’s federal housing funding would be affected by the decision.

City councillors are interpreting CMHC’s statement differently, with Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly saying he believes Calgary’s HAF funding will be terminated if citywide rezoning is fully repealed.

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“Throughout this entire process we’ve been waiting to hear back from the federal government about what their take is on it,” Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly said.

“Planning decisions need to be made for planning reasons, but that being said, we as a council need to sit down and figure out what that answer really means for us.”

1:55
Calgary requires at least $5.7B over next 10 years for critical infrastructure 

Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean, however, said he doesn’t think the funding will be impacted if council moves ahead with repealing the policy.

“Nowhere in that agreement does it say that the funding is tied to exclusionary zoning or four units as a right. It doesn’t say that anywhere in there, in my interpretation of the agreement,” McLean told reporters Wednesday.

In its report to committee, city administration highlighted two initiatives in the agreement that CMHC could interpret as the city no longer satisfying if citywide rezoning is repealed, including “undertake city-initiated redesignations to streamline approvals to increase housing supply,” as well as “undertake land use bylaw amendments to promote missing middle land use districts.”

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas recently returned from a trip to Ontario where he met with federal officials and CMHC, seeking clarity on the future of the funding.

Farkas said he received reassurances the federal government wants to work with Calgary to build housing, as the city has led the country in housing starts over the last three years.

“Obviously, the federal government would like to see much more density, much more zoning applied across cities from coast to coast to coast,” Farkas said. “But the local context really matters, and also the written words of the agreement really matter.”

During the election, Farkas ran on a platform to repeal and replace citywide rezoning. Although a replacement plan hasn’t been unveiled,  Farkas told reporters it is part of the ongoing discussions.

“The worst case scenario is that council goes back to the way things were without any type of replacement plan or approach in terms of how we’re going to build the housing,” Farkas said. “The worst case scenario will never materialize here.”

As it stands, the motion to repeal citywide rezoning directs city administration to revert the city’s land-use bylaw to what it was prior to the previous city council approving citywide rezoning, but would exclude properties that had development permits approved prior to the motion or any currently under review in the permit process.

City administration said the implications to federal funding won’t be fully known until after council decides on whether to repeal citywide, but the report to councillors outlined $861 million in funds that could be impacted across multiple streams. 

Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot, who drafted the motion to repeal citywide rezoning, said administration is “risk averse” when it comes to a potential “loss in revenue.”

“The way I look at it is, it’s not money we have so it’s not money we’ve lost,” Chabot told reporters. “It’s money we could have and so let’s work with our federal counterparts to see what we can get while still delivering what Calgarians expect from us.”

Committee went behind closed doors for nearly two hours Wednesday to discuss the impacts and the recent communication from CMHC.

&copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

U.S. President Donald Trump called Canada “among the worst in the World to deal with” as the U.S. House of Representatives voted against his tariffs on America’s northern neighbour — a largely symbolic move that shows some wavering Republican support for the president’s massive trade agenda.

“Canada has taken advantage of the United States on Trade for many years. They are among the worst in the World to deal with, especially as it relates to our Northern Border,” Trump posted on social media Wednesday night as results of the vote became clear. “TARIFFS make a WIN for us, EASY. Republicans must keep it that way!”

Six Republicans joined Democrats in a bipartisan push against Trump’s so-called fentanyl emergency at the U.S.-Canada border, which the president used as justification for economywide tariffs against America’s northern neighbour last year.

While Wednesday’s motion passed, it did not get the two-thirds majority it would need to become veto-proof. When it lands on Trump’s desk, it is expected to be shut down.

Canada is also being hammered by separate sector-specific tariffs on industries like steel, aluminum, automobiles and lumber that Trump enacted through a different presidential power.

The bipartisan support does demonstrate Republican uncertainty around Trump’s erratic trade policies directed towards Canada.

Democrat Rep. Gregory Meeks, who introduced the bill, said Canada isn’t a threat.

“Canada is our friend. Canada is our ally,” Meeks said. “Canadians have fought alongside Americans.”

1:08
Bessent asked if U.S. would drop all tariffs if Canada did the same: ‘Absolutely not’

Trump declared the emergency in order to use the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, also called IEEPA, to hit Canada with 35 per cent tariffs. Those duties do not apply to goods compliant under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, known as CUSMA.

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Meeks said U.S. government data shows a minuscule amount of fentanyl is seized at the northern border compared to the border with Mexico.

In response to Trump’s stated concerns about fentanyl, Ottawa boosted border security measures, with more boots on the ground and drones in the air. Canadian police forces have widely promoted drug seizures in news releases.

During debate in the House earlier Wednesday, Brian Mast, a Republican from Florida, pointed to those drug seizures in Canada and Ottawa’s appointment of a “fentanyl czar” as evidence the problem is real. He also said Canada hasn’t done enough to crack down on drugs.

“Democrats don’t recognize that there is a crisis that it is killing thousands of Americans,” Mast said.

The Senate has voted repeatedly to overturn the fentanyl duties but a procedural rule allowed the House to avoid any votes on Trump’s tariff agenda. That ended Tuesday, when three Republicans joined Democrats to stop the extension of the procedural rule.

While the U.S. Constitution reserves power over taxation and tariffs for Congress, Trump’s duties have so far faced little public resistance from Republican lawmakers, despite concerns shared behind closed doors among traditional GOP free-traders.

“Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!” Trump wrote in a separate Truth Social post Wednesday.

“TARIFFS have given us Economic and National Security, and no Republican should be responsible for destroying this privilege.”

IEEPA has become Trump’s favourite tool to impose or threaten tariffs — but its future is uncertain.

The U.S. Supreme Court is still weighing whether Trump can continue using IEEPA. The conservative-led U.S. Supreme Court appeared skeptical during a hearing on IEEPA in November.

Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican for Nebraska, said Wednesday’s vote should be delayed until after America’s top court rules on the IEEPA tool. He said Canada is a friend but Trump’s use of duties has pushed Ottawa to have difficult conversations about trade irritants. He cited the example of the digital services tax, which Prime Minister Mark Carney paused to appease the president last year.

Trump’s inconsistent use of tariffs and his claims that Canada should become a U.S. state are hurting American businesses, multiple Democrats told the House. Many also pointed to the president’s Monday social media post threatening to stall the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Ontario to Michigan.

2:15
Why is Trump threatening to block the Gordie Howe bridge from opening?

Representatives from Nevada spoke about the drop in tourism and others from Oregon said Canadian alcohol boycotts were devastating the wine industry.

Rep. Linda Sanchez, a Democrat for California, said claims that Canada is a fentanyl threat are not borne out by facts. She pointed out that CUSMA was negotiated during the first Trump administration and ratified by Congress.

Responsible governments follow the law on trade agreements and don’t negotiate through weird social media tantrums, she said.

“It’s just reckless and frankly, it’s bizarre.”

Trump’s post about Canada was the only comment he made Wednesday about the country, which was grieving Tuesday’s mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. that killed eight people and injured about 25 others.

Other world leaders, as well as U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, have offered condolences to Canada and Tumbler Ridge in the wake of the tragedy.

—With additional files from Global News

&copy 2026 The Canadian Press

Ontario’s financial watchdog says the province is not currently on a path to balance as spending ticks up and revenue from taxation begins to fall in the face of a cost-of-living crisis.

The Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario found that the provincial government’s budget deficit will increase to $11.1 billion in the 2025-26 year, an increase from the previous year.

The annual deficit will improve to $11.18 billion in the 2026-27 year and slowly improve. While the picture will get better, the FAO found there will still be a deficit of $6.3 billion for the 2029-30 year.

Part of the issue, the watchdog suggests, is that the province’s revenue will fall far below previous years.

The average increase in revenue over the past five years has been 7.6 per cent, according to the FAO. Over the next half-decade, that will drop to an average increase of 2.6 per cent.

“The slowdown in revenue growth reflects the FAO’s expected moderation in economic activity compared to the previous five years,” the report read.

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“Revenue growth over the outlook is also constrained by declines in interest and investment income and international student tuition revenue in the colleges sector.”

2:25
Ontario deficit to explode next year, budget watchdog projects

Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy released figures Tuesday projecting the 2025-26 deficit will be $13.4 billion, higher than the FAO’s suggestion.

He refused to “speculate” on the figures in the upcoming budget when asked if he was still confident Ontario was on a path to balance.

“Ontario continues to navigate a period of global economic and geopolitical uncertainty,” he told reporters. “And in spite of this uncertainty, Ontario’s economy proved to be resilient and continued to grow in 2025.”

The FAO’s report projects employment will increase, with job losses in tariff-hit industries offset by other gains.

“Annual employment growth is projected to slow to 0.3 per cent in 2026 and then improve to 0.9 per cent in 2027 as Ontario’s labour market adjusts to a new global trade environment,” the report said.

“The annual unemployment rate is projected to improve to 7.6 per cent in 2026 and continue to trend down over the remainder of the outlook.”

Ontario NDP MPP Jessica Bell said the government couldn’t hide from the overall unemployment numbers.

“No amount of spin from Minister Bethlenfalvy can hide these staggering unemployment numbers and a record-high provincial debt,” she said in a statement.

“We need a plan that brings significant investments into infrastructure and public services — from schools to hospitals — to strengthen Ontario’s economy and create good jobs.”

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke at the House of Commons Wednesday afternoon following the mass school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., that left eight dead, as well as the shooter, and 27 injured, saying the tragedy “has left our nation in shock and all of us in mourning.”

Members of the House of Commons observed a moment of silence for the victims and agreed to adjourn until Thursday at 10 a.m., skipping question period. Several rows of ambassadors from other countries sat in the galleries of the House of Commons in a rare show of support as party leaders rose to speak.

“Tumbler Ridge represents the very best of Canada. Resilient, compassionate and strong,” Carney said. “‘All of Canada stands with you. May the memories of those lost be a blessing. May this community which has shown its resilience so many times before, once again find the strength to heal and may this house prove worthy of what Tumbler Ridge has always been by striving to make Canada a better, kinder, and safer place.”

Carney also spoke about the need to support victims families as the investigation unfolds.

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“Mr. Speaker, in the days ahead, there’ll be important questions to ask, difficult conversations to have. We owe that to the victims and their families. But now, it’s time for grieving. And remembrance. Now is for the people of Tumbler Ridge and the Peace River region for a community that is enduring the unimaginable.”

Carney also offered words to those directly affected by the shooting.

“To those families who have lost loved ones, this House mourns with you. To those who are recovering from injuries, this House prays for you. To the students, the teachers, the parents, every resident of Tumbler Ridge, all of Canada stands with you.”

Carney also acknowledged all those involved in the shooting’s response and aftermath.

“I want to express my profound gratitude to the first responders, the RCMP officers, who entered immediately that school not knowing what awaited them. To the paramedics and medical staff at the Tumblr Ridge Health Centre. To the teachers and the school staff who acted with extraordinary courage to protect the children in their care. In the darkest of moments they showed the best of our country,” he said.

A book of condolences is available for MPs to sign until Feb. 17, at which time Conservative MP Bob Zimmer, who represents the community, will bring it there.

More to come.

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