Katie Simpson Profile picture
Senior foreign correspondent, CBC News. Based in Washington.
Mar 6 4 tweets 1 min read
The profanity in the Trump / Trudeau phone call happened during a heated exchange around dairy, according to a senior Canadian government source.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report tensions reached the point of profanity. According to a senior Canadian government source:

Trump became heated about Canada’s protections around the dairy sector. Said it’s an example of how US is treated poorly. That is where the profanity was used, by the US President. Source says Trudeau did not use profanity.
Feb 22, 2022 4 tweets 1 min read
NEW: At the emergency UN Security Council meeting, the U.S. representative says Russian President Vladimir Putin made a series of false claims today, aimed at creating a pretext for war, and immediately announced Russian troops would enter the Donbas. Of Putin's "peacekeepers", Linda Thomas-Greenfield says "this is nonsense," adding we know what they really are.
Feb 21, 2022 7 tweets 2 min read
Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister tells @PnPCBC says she is extremely concerned about Vladimir Putin's moves today. Says this is not the path of dialogue and diplomacy. @PnPCBC Minister Joly says "there will be sanctions" for the recognition of these two regions. Says it will be different from the sanction package should there be further invasion of Ukraine. (This appears to be in line with what the U.S. has announced already today).
Feb 9, 2022 14 tweets 2 min read
Sean Hannity is promoting a segment coming up after the break about the protests in Ottawa.

He is teasing the story about how Liberal MP Joel Lightbound criticized the government’s approach to the pandemic.

cbc.ca/news/politics/… Hannity opens the segment saying “more bad news tonight for Biden of the north — that would be the gutless and cowardly Justin Trudeau,”.
Feb 8, 2022 46 tweets 9 min read
All day on Fox News, a promo for the Sean Hannity show has promised at least two guests discussing the Ottawa protests.

I’ll tweet along. In the handover from Tucker Carlson to Hannity - Ottawa is the first promo.

Hannity opens with calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “pathetic” and says he’s in “hiding” as the protest gains momentum.

Trudeau was in COVID isolation, and returned to House of Commons tonight.
Feb 7, 2022 4 tweets 1 min read
First Q to Gingrich on Fox and Friends: From what I’ve read, it’s a relatively peaceful protest, and now the police are doing something — that I didn’t realize was against the law — that is if you bring somebody some gas they’re going to arrest you. What’s going on? Gingrich says this is a straight up power struggle between the people and the government.
Gingrich says Canadians have a long history of being nice polite people but now that truckers are challenging the government the government is acting ferociously.
Feb 6, 2022 6 tweets 1 min read
On Fox News - Maria Bartiromo’s program Sunday Futures has just promoted an upcoming interview with Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, to talk about the Canadian truckers and the GoFundMe debacle. Background on GoFundMe refunding donors to the Ottawa protest movement:

"We now have evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity."

cbc.ca/news/politics/…
Jan 8, 2021 16 tweets 2 min read
President-Elect Joe Biden is asked if he thinks it’s a good idea for House Democrats to introduce articles of impeachment, as early as Monday. Biden says he’s long thought Trump was unfit for the job, says what Congress does is up to them. Says his priority is COVID. Biden doesn’t say one way or another whether he supports impeaching Donald Trump a second time. Says it’s up to the Congress.
Jan 7, 2021 9 tweets 2 min read
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says "what happened yesterday was textbook terrorism,". She questions why security response was not nearly as strong as it was during BLM protests this summer. Says there needs to be an understanding of the "catastrophic failures," of yesterday D.C.'s acting police chief says they've been circulating photos of rioters with local hotels, businesses, the FBI, and the airport authority, to track down the people photographed destroying the Capitol.
Oct 26, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
NEW: Ahead of the Prime Minister’s conference call with his Ambassador to the U.S. and Canada’s Consul Generals, he spoke with former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to get advice/his thoughts on what to expect ahead of the U.S. vote. After that conversation, the PM spoke with Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., and the consuls general about key issues that could come up post election. I’m told it was much of what to expect depending on vote outcome, planning for different scenarios.
Aug 19, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
Link to come, but as just mentioned on CBC News Network -- the Trudeau government is set to try a new approach to managing Canada's relationship with the United States, according to sources with direction knowledge of the situation. The Trudeau Government is bringing more ministers into the fold, to take a more traditional approach to managing the relationship. DPM/FINMIN Chrystia Freeland had run the portfolio since shortly after President Donald Trump was elected.
May 15, 2020 12 tweets 2 min read
Taking questions, Trump says he thinks there's going to be a vaccine in the "very near future,". Says at some point the virus will "go away," but it may flare up. Promises to put it out quickly if it happens. Trump is asked why he thinks a vaccine can be developed so quickly? Trump says they started working on it in January, says scientists have been "literally working 24 hours a day,". Says it's not just about vaccines, says other things just go away.
May 12, 2020 38 tweets 6 min read
As part of his opening remarks, committee chair Lamar Alexander encourages people to hold off on finger pointing. Says nearly everyone underestimated this virus. Says testing in the U.S. has been impressive, but, it's "not nearly enough." Senator Alexander says much of this is about what can be learned ahead of the next pandemic. Says three months ago the country was preoccupied with the impeachment of a president, which now seems like ancient Roman history.
Apr 23, 2020 30 tweets 4 min read
Today's White House coronavirus task force briefing is up. President Donald Trump says he expects the House to pass the next round of relief funding. Trump says he's pleased that Harvard, and other large businesses have returned relief funds. Says in some cases, funding is being sent back "immediately,". Singles out Harvard for acting "quickly,".
Apr 22, 2020 36 tweets 5 min read
President Donald Trump, speaking at the White House coronavirus task force briefing says "it's very exciting," watching and seeing what's happening as people get ready to reopen some businesses. Trump says the head of the CDC was "totally misquoted" in the media on a statement about the fall season and the virus "totally misquoted," I spoke with him and he told me it was "ridiculous". Says he was talking about flu and corona together.
Apr 1, 2020 37 tweets 5 min read
The White House coronavirus briefing is underway. President Donald Trump announces an increase in surveillance to crack down on the drug trade, to ensure measures are stepped up at this difficult time. Defence secretary Mark Esper is outlining the military’s efforts to step up counter narcotics operations, as he says.
Mar 29, 2020 43 tweets 6 min read
NEW — President Trump says in the next two weeks it is important to follow the guidelines outlined by the White House. Says they will be in place until April 30th (at least?). Trump says as the US heads toward its peak, the guidelines will remain in place. Physical distancing regulations were set to expire on Tuesday. Guidelines now in place until April 30th.
Mar 29, 2020 17 tweets 3 min read
Dr. Anthony Fauci is on CNN this morning. He says there were intensive discussions at the White House about an enforceable quarantine. Says a strong advisory is better because you don’t want to enforce things that will be a bigger difficulty. When explaining what another difficulty would be, Fauci cited morale as one factor in that. Says the advisory is the best way to go. CDC is asking people in there states to avoid all non essential domestic travel.
Mar 13, 2020 16 tweets 2 min read
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his wife's COVID-19 symptoms remain mild, she will remain in isolation for the time being. Trudeau says he will remain in self-isolation for 14 days. He has no symptoms he says, feeling good he says. He will work from home.
Jan 6, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
NEW: Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Champagne spoke to his Iraqi counterpart, Mohammed Ali al-Hakim. “The two Ministers agreed that a de-escalation in tensions is necessary as peace and stability are key to pursuing the political and economic reforms underway in Iraq.”
Oct 16, 2019 4 tweets 1 min read
Andrew Scheer shrugs off any worries about the Obama endorsement for Trudeau. Says he’s got millions of Canadians supporting him, and is looking forward to a strong finish Monday night. Scheer says “I've got millions of Canadians like the ones here tonight behind me. I'm not very interested in what former foreign leaders are saying. I'm just focused on finishing this election strong”