Hour 2 of Ottawa Now for Wed. July 8th, 2026

U.S. Republican politicians are blaming Canada for the wildlfire smoke drifting south primarily into the American midwest and northeast, with some taking threatening stances. The primary source is more than 800 fires in northwestern Ontario, though American media such as USA Today and the Washington Post , are reporting that wildfires in Minnesota are also contributing. But midwestern Republicans are ignoring the latter, preferring to point threateningly at Canada, issuing warnings and aiming to introduce legislation to hold Canada accountable. Michigan congressman John James , whose...