Good morning – I’m subbing in for Sierra today. Mark Carney popped up on YouTube to reassure Canadians who are frustrated that he hasn’t cut a trade deal with Donald Trump. More on that below, along with Iran’s meme wars and Doug Ford’s private-jet U-turn. Let’s get to it.

The latest: Mark Carney once again reminded Canadians that our close ties to the United States have become “weaknesses” that need to be corrected. In a 10-minute, FDR-style fireside chat posted on YouTube yesterday, the Prime Minister promised to “strike new partnerships abroad, so we can sell into new markets” while the video cycled through photos of Carney’s many international trips meeting world leaders.

The context: Carney seemed to be asking for patience as Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten the jobs of Canadian auto, lumber and steelworkers. The pre-recorded video came two days after U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick slammed Carney for striking a trade deal with China and said the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement could be allowed to lapse this summer.

What’s next: As Ottawa expands its pitch to attract more foreign investment to Canada, Carney’s office announced that it would invite more than 100 of the world’s largest investors to a summit in Toronto in September.

What else: “Nostalgia is not a strategy,” Carney said in his address, taking aim at Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s desire to maintain a stable relationship with Washington. Meanwhile, a new poll found that 57 per cent of recent Conservative voters want to maintain a stable relationship with Poilievre, believing he should lead the party into the next election.

The latest: Iranian content creators – funded by the government and fluent in American internet culture – are churning out AI-generated videos that mock U.S. President Donald Trump. Often set to a hip-hop diss track, they usually feature a Lego-style Trump looking weak or ridiculous, along with nods to the Epstein files or soaring oil prices. The White House’s own memes haven’t managed to keep up.

What’s next: Trump said peace talks with Iran would continue in Pakistan this week, although Tehran rejected the meetings and vowed to retaliate after the U.S. seized an Iranian cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The tenuous ceasefire between the two countries is set to expire on Wednesday.

What’s next at the pump: A tax break from Ottawa on diesel fuel won’t make up for the sharp rise in prices driven by the war.

The latest: Let’s all do a quick posture check. Are you hunched over your screen right now? (Guilty.) Is there a stubborn pain in your neck or along your spine? (Both, because I’m writing this on the couch.) Good news for those of us who’ve made poor ergonomic choices: It is possible to get your posture back on track.

What’s next: Start by doing these three simple moves for better body alignment – one of which, conveniently enough, is called “the couch stretch.”

The latest: Just days after the Ontario government confirmed it had bought a private plane for the Premier, Doug Ford announced he planned to sell the $28.9-million jet. The purchase set off a wave of criticism across the political spectrum, and yesterday, Ford said he understood “that now is not the right time for the expense of a government plane.”

What’s next: Ford pledged to work with Quebec company Bombardier – which made the 12-seat jet – to find a buyer as quickly as possible. He’ll have to find another way to get to Ottawa, where he’s meeting today with other premiers for a business summit.