Canada announces deal with France on contentious Atlantic halibut fishery

NEW YORK – U.S. President Joe Biden reflected on the motivation behind his decision to step away from politics, sending a message to global leaders gathered together at a time of increasing division and geopolitical instability.

“My fellow leaders, let’s never forget, some things are more important than staying in power,” Biden said at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York Tuesday.

“It’s your people that matter the most,” he said in his final address to the General Assembly.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looked on as Biden stressed the importance of multilateralism, a theme that has been common to Trudeau’s speeches in recent years as well.

When Biden came to office nearly four years ago, he pledged to restore American leadership on the world stage. He spoke about his vision for how the world comes together to solve problems.

But, near the end of his speech, Biden urged leaders to remember who they serve.

“Never forget we are here to serve the people, not the other way around,” he said.

Biden removed himself from the U.S. presidential race in July amid growing concern over his mental acuity and ability to win re-election following a disastrous debate with former Republican president Donald Trump.

Vice-President Kamala Harris has since ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket ahead of the razor-thin race to the White House in November.

Trump has often campaigned on America taking a step back from its role on the global stage, but Biden’s speech to the yearly gathering of world leaders at the UN said that’s the wrong approach.

On his final day at the UN Tuesday, Trudeau is scheduled to attend high-level meetings about innovating for a sustainable future and fighting extremism. He is also meeting privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trudeau is also set to have an armchair discussion with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley ahead of a meeting with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Tuesday.

He will return to Canadian soil Wednesday as his government faces its first test in the House of Commons since the NDP ended its supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre introduced a motion of non-confidence in the government in the House of Commons Tuesday morning.

MPs can vote remotely but they must be in Canada to do so, requiring Trudeau to be back in Canada in time for the vote.

The New Democrats and Bloc Québécois have both indicated plans to vote against the Conservative motion, which would prevent Trudeau’s government from falling.

Trudeau addressed the confidence vote during an interview on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” Monday night. He admitted there’s frustration and people are having trouble paying for groceries, rent or gas.

“People are sometimes looking at change but the reality is I deeply believe in continuing to fight climate change and continuing to invest in people, continuing to be there to support people. And I’m going to keep fighting,” he told Colbert on the CBS program.

During Biden’s wide-ranging address, the president urged countries to continue their support for Ukraine to defend against Russian aggression.

“We cannot grow weary. We cannot look away,” Biden said.

Zelenskyy is set to address a special meeting of the UN Security Council Tuesday about Russia’s ongoing invasion of his country. Zelenskyy is scheduled to speak again to the General Assembly the next morning.

Russia has a permanent seat on the Security Council and has been resoundingly criticized over its aggression in Ukraine being a violation of the UN Charter.

Last year Zelenskyy took centre stage at the UN, but this year the conflict in the Middle East also weighs heavy at the annual gathering.

“Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” Biden said.

Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, is scheduled to address world leaders on Tuesday afternoon. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to speak Thursday.

The prime minister arrived in New York on Sunday and delivered remarks to the Summit of the Future, telling leaders they can choose to stick their heads in the sand or come together to confront global challenges.

Trudeau told leaders to come together and adopt the “Pact of the Future,” a 42-page blueprint to address a wide range of 21st-century global challenges.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly will deliver Canada’s national statement later during the UN General Assembly. The speech will emphasize “Canada’s commitment to promoting multilateral co-operation, human rights, democracy and the rule of law,” a news release from her office said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.

TORONTO – Star outfielder Daulton Varsho has been transferred to the Toronto Blue Jays’ 60-day injured list.

Varsho had surgery on his right shoulder Monday. He bats left but throws right handed.

He is hitting .214 this season with 18 home runs, 58 runs batted in, and a .293 on-base percentage.

Varsho’s best known for his defence, with just two errors over 1,085 1/3 innings played at all three outfield positions this season.

Infielder prospect Orelvis Martinez has been reinstated from the suspended list.

He was banned from playing for 80 games by Major League Baseball after testing positive for a banned substance.

Martinez was optioned to Toronto’s spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla.

He is considered the No. 2 prospect in the Blue Jays minor league system but was suspended on June 23, a day after making his major league debut.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.

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CALGARY – Reid Carruthers seeks a three-peat in curling’s quirky PointsBet Invitational that’s become an unofficial season kickoff because of money, field and visibility.

The five-day televised tournament starting Wednesday at Calgary’s WinSport Arena features the top 10 men’s and women’s teams in Canada among the 32 entries. The men’s and women’s victors Sunday each earn a total of $50,000 in prize money.

Winnipeg’s Carruthers was the men’s champ in both the inaugural PointsBet in Fredericton in 2022, and in Oakville, Ont., last year.

What makes Curling Canada’s cashspiel quirky is the single-elimination format, the tiebreaking draw to the button instead of an extra end, and junior, university, college and club teams mixing with curling’s elite.

“I categorize this as still a new event,” Carruthers said. “It is a slightly different format with it being single-elimination, draw to the button for the win, no extra end.

“It’s a little bit different, but a big prize purse. First time for all the teams to be on TV (this season). To have an early-season challenge like the PointsBet, it’s an awesome opportunity to set the tone for the season for your team.”

World and Canadian women’s champion Rachel Homan is the defending PointsBet women’s champion.

The skip sees the event as a combination of high stakes — one loss and you’re out — and a lighter schedule than Grand Slams or the national championship Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

“Playoffs right away is just a different way of thinking about it,” Homan said. “You start with playoffs and you don’t get any practice games.

“It’s something different, something fun, not too physically demanding or exhausting (since) it’s just one game a day and one of the days you don’t play.”

The PointsBet also provides the first glimpse of revamped lineups.

Carruthers has a new vice for the third time in as many years. Catlin Schneider, who skipped B.C. in the 2024 national men’s championship, joined Carruthers after Brad Jacobs’ departure.

“We’re still learning each other in the house,” Carruthers said. “From a technical standpoint, he throws the rock very similar to us.

“Figuring out how to get the most out of each other is something that we’re working on and it will take a little bit of time and conversation about what we need to do to be consistently one of the best teams in Canada.”

Jacobs took over a formidable lineup of Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant and Ben Hebert from Brendan Bottcher. The No. 2 men’s team in Canada joins reigning national champion Brad Gushue, Brier runner-up Mike McEwen and Matt Dunstone in Calgary’s field.

Those four teams have berths in the 2025 Montana’s Brier in Kelowna, B.C. locked in.

Chelsea Carey took over as the No. 2 women’s team in Canada from the retired Jennifer Jones.

She and PointsBet combatants Homan, Kaitlyn Lawes and four-time Canadian champion Kerri Einarson, are pre-qualified for the 2025 Tournament of Hearts in Thunder Bay, Ont.

The recently crowned men’s and women’s national under-25 champions, as well as the 2024 under-21, university and college champions get a taste of curling’s big leagues in Calgary.

“Some of these teams don’t get opportunities in an arena under big pressure and lights,” Carruthers said. “You can only get better by exposing yourself to those moments and those games.”

Homan’s first game on Wednesday is against women’s college champion Gabby Wood of Edmonton. Einarson opens Thursday against Canadian women’s under-21 champion Allyson MacNutt of Halifax.

Einarson’s second Shannon Birchard is out of the lineup with a knee injury and will be replaced by Laura Walker in Calgary.

Krysten Karwacki continues as Einarson’s lead while Briane Harris awaits the outcome of a doping appeal for what she has said is inadvertent ingestion of a banned substance.

Carruthers starts defence of his men’s title Thursday against Quebec’s Felix Asselin, who added 2006 Canadian champion and world silver medallist Jean-Michel Menard to his lineup this season.

Top seed Gushue faces men’s club champion Dan Sherrard of Beaumont, Alta., on Wednesday. Jacobs starts Thursday against men’s college champion Jacob Dobson of Toronto.

Curling Canada provides each team with $5,000 for travel and accommodation. A first-round win is worth $3,000, a quarterfinal victory $6,000, a semifinal win $12,000, plus another $24,000 for the title.

— With files from Gregory Strong

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.