Our men in Havana

Canadian navy patrol boat HMCS Margaret Brooke passes by Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine Kazan and frigate Admiral Gorshkov, as it enters Havana’s bay, Cuba, June 14, 2024.
Canadian navy patrol boat HMCS Margaret Brooke passes by Russian nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine Kazan and frigate Admiral Gorshkov, as it enters Havana’s bay, Cuba, June 14, 2024.
REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini

Even a summer trip to Cuba is fodder for controversy in Canada these days. This week, a Canadian warship paid a controversial visit to the port of Havana – docking near Russian warships that were also on a high-profile visit to the Cuban capital.

Defense Minister Bill Blair said there was nothing special about the naval drop-in, which was meant to demonstrate Ottawa’s commitment to freedom of navigation in the Western Hemisphere. It was, he said, announced by the Canadian Armed Forces “in advance.”

Canada’s Joint Operations Command had a slightly different gloss on it, saying the port visit was to recognize “the long-standing bilateral relationship between Canada and Cuba.”

Ottawa has kept up strong ties with Cuba over the years, in stark contrast to the US, which has maintained a crippling embargo against the Communist regime there for more than six decades.

But Canada’s opposition seized on the naval visit to criticize the Trudeau government, with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievrecalling the apparent challenge to Russia “reckless, radical, and dangerous.” Conservative foreign affairs spokesman Michael Chong said it was a bad look to “‘celebrate’ relations with a communist dictatorship.”

More from GZERO Media

Housing shortages in the US and Canada have become a significant problem – and a contentious political issue – in recent years. New data on housing construction this week suggest neither country is making enough progress to solve the shortfalls. Here’s a snapshot of the situation on both sides of the border.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks during a meeting of northeastern U.S. Governors and Canadian Premiers, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., June 16, 2025.
REUTERS/Sophie Park

While the national level drama played out between Donald Trump and Mark Carney at the G7 in Kananaskis, a lot of important US-Canada work was going on with far less fanfare in Boston, where five Canadian premiers met with governors and delegations from seven US states.

- YouTube

What’s next for Iran’s regime? Ian Bremmer says, “It’s much more likely that the supreme leader ends up out, but the military… continues to run the country.”

Enbridge’s 2024 Sustainability Report is now available, outlining our approach to meeting today’s energy needs while advancing solutions for tomorrow. Now in its 24th year, the report reflects our ongoing commitment to being a safe operator of essential energy infrastructure and a responsible environmental steward, principles at the heart of our mission to be North America’s first-choice energy delivery company. Highlights include a 40% reduction in emissions intensity, surpassing our 2030 target, and a 22% drop in absolute emissions since setting our goals in 2020. Explore the 2024 Sustainability Report today.

Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Annie Gugliotta

Donald Trump may be about to cross a line he drew less than a week ago. Barring an Iranian capitulation on nuclear enrichment that no one anticipates, the president is likely to order US bombers to strike Iran’s most hardened underground facility at Fordow any moment now, thus joining Israel’s war against the Islamic Republic.

A satellite image shows the Natanz nuclear facility after an airstrike in Iran, on June 14, 2025.
Maxar Technologies/Handout via REUTERS

Ever since the Israel-Iran feud turned violent last week, the focus has been on how the United States will respond. Other major power players, though, will also have a view on the conflict.