Prime Minister Mark Carney said he "welcomes" the decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade to strike down President Donald Trump's broad-based tariffs on most countries. On Wednesday, court ruled that Trump does not have the authority to impose tariffs on nearly every country using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, usually referred to by the acronym IEEPA. The...
While Ottawa is welcoming a U.S. federal court decision that would block President Donald Trump's fentanyl-related tariffs against Canada, experts say local businesses are "not out of the woods" yet. On Wednesday, a decision by the U.S. Court of International Trade said Trump does not have the authority to wield tariffs on nearly every country through the use of the...
For the second time in as many days, a member of Prime Minister Mark Carney's cabinet cancelled media availabilities today and refused to take questions from reporters. Industry Minister Melanie Joly blew past reporters at CANSEC, Canada's largest military trade show, where ministers normally make themselves available to the media. Defence David McGuinty also ignored media questions at CANSEC the...
The Carney government presented Parliament Tuesday with a plan to spend about the same amount of money in the fiscal year ahead as the Trudeau government did in its final year — about $486 billion, a plan that left the Conservatives unimpressed.
In a three-part series, based on interviews with 106 political insiders, candidates and staff members, the Star’s Althia Raj explores how mistakes and missed opportunities saw a near-certain victory slip from the Conservatives’ grasp, while the Liberals experienced a political rebirth that stalled just three seats shy of a majority government.
Alberta Health Minister Adriana LaGrange had a message for her province earlier this month, “don’t get measles; get immunized”. This, as outbreaks of the highly contagious disease continue, appearing in nine provinces so far, with the vast majority occurring in that province and in Ontario. The good news for health officials is that the outbreak appears to have increased support...
The Weekly Nanos Tracking is produced by the Nanos Research Corporation, headquartered in Canada, which operates in Canada and the United States. The data is based on random interviews with 1,000 Canadian consumers (recruited by RDD land- and cell-line sample), using a four-week rolling average of 250 respondents each week, 18 years of age and over. The random sample of...
We sure aren’t measuring car sales in the public service. Growing up in Vancouver in the 1980s meant you knew at least one aspect of the reputation of Jim Pattison. Today, he is around the 200th richest person in the world with a net wealth of more than $9 billion. Back then, he was primarily a car dealer and his...
Trump’s latest blathering is just a plain statement of likely fact: only American territory will enjoy the protection of Star Wars II by right
Part two of Althia Raj’s three-part series details how Trump’s tariff threats dominated the campaign, how Carney emerged as the election front-runner, and Poilievre’s scramble to redefine his message.
As the last days of the campaign approached, the outcome of the election was far from certain. The final part of this three-part series by the Star’s Althia Raj unpacks what both parties got wrong — and what comes next for both Carney and Poilievre.
The new session of Parliament must take real action to address the public safety concerns of Canadians. Across the Greater Toronto Area, residents are increasingly alarmed by the rise in violent crime, and they are demanding action from every level of government. The federal election results in the GTA made that crystal clear.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump began threatening Canada with tariffs, I’ve heard from many people and businesses about the intense anxiety they’re feeling. Ontarians are already struggling in the face of an ongoing affordability crisis and are now facing potential layoffs and staring down the face of an impending recession. But instead of uniting people to push back against Trump...
The Main Estimates suggest that the prime minister's message of restraint has fallen on deaf ears in Ottawa
Despite enormous pressure from Washington, Jean Chrétien refused to send Canadian troops to join the foolish and destructive U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. It was one of Canada’s finest moments on the world stage. The former prime minister showed a degree of independence from Washington that took real guts — particularly given the “war on terror” mentality that the...
Admiral Hyman Rickover, known as the father of the American nuclear navy, understood something that is true of most large systems: they rarely reward risk-takers. They tend to value process over outcomes. They remember mistakes, not initiative. And unless political leaders demand otherwise, the system rarely changes. In the 1950s, Rickover was handed a task no one had ever attempted...
One of Mark Carney's greatest advantages over the last five months — the first five months of his political career — has seemingly been his ability to play the part of the adult in the room. One of the defining characteristics of the House of Commons is its ability to make grown men and women act like children. Carney's arrival...
ONCE THE CONSCIENCE of Canadian politics and a genuine alternative to the Liberal–Conservative duopoly, the New Democratic Party finds itself adrift. With the loss of the NDP’s official party status, the appointment of backbencher Don Davies as interim leader wasn’t just a placeholder move while the party regroups. It marks the culmination of a decade-long identity crisis, and a warning...
Some people have declared the decision to have King Charles III read the Speech from the Throne is an inspired, attention-grabbing gesture that will signal to a recalcitrant White House a powerful example of Canada’s distinctiveness and sovereignty. Another interpretation is that it is a meaningless symbol sent to an indifferent public, that runs counter and is tone deaf to...
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s May 21 mandate letter to his 38-member cabinet outlining seven vague priorities felt like it was an artificial-intelligence-generated letter, and the start of a limited tailored information packaged regime. The closest the mandate letter came to reminding cabinet of higher expected standards was near the end, when Carney said, “We will uphold the rule of law...
As Canada’s Formula 1 fans gear up for next month’s Canadian Grand Prix, they know all too well the sorrow of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari. Despite the talent and technology those teams have assembled this season, the only way they’ll catch McLaren is if Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris spend the balance of the season driving into various track...
The original idea at Confederation was that this country would be called the Kingdom of Canada: like the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Sweden, and so on. But there was concern this would antagonize the Americans, so instead we settled on the “Dominion of Canada” – a fine title in its own right, but one that eventually fell into disuse...
King Charles no doubt had many reasons for his whirlwind trip to Canada this week, but really, it all goes back to one moment in the dead of winter earlier this year. It happened at the White House in February, when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with a flattering flourish, issued a royal invitation to Donald Trump for a second...
“The world is a more dangerous and uncertain place than at any point since the Second World War,” King Charles noted in the Speech from the Throne on Tuesday. “Canada is facing challenges that are unprecedented in our lifetimes.” In keeping with the divine right of kings to bury the lede, that section didn’t come until 660 words in. But...
The question. A simple question. Easy to answer if you’re not playing games. Easy to answer if your words have any meaning. Prime Minister Mark Carney will roll out his plans for the country Tuesday. King Charles III will read the script. Ottawa insiders expect it to be mostly high-minded words. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she will be listening...
Could there be a more Canadian headline than the one on the front page of Monday’s Star? “Liberals reject power to oust leader,” it proclaimed. Given the opportunity to assert some control over their leader if things go sideways, with the memory of the impasse over Justin Trudeau’s leadership fresh in their minds, the party’s members of Parliament meekly said...
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to begin work on his ambitious Golden Dome missile defence program. The “Big Beautiful Bill” Act, a whopping, multi-trillion deficit-busting spending law, appropriates US$25 billion initially for the White House’s signature military program. Perhaps even more surprising than the program itself is Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney signalling support for it and...
As the newly elected parliamentarians start this session of government, they will be swamped with learning about the processes and procedures—how to do things correctly, how not to do things incorrectly. Isn’t it interesting that the moment an election is won on platform and goals, then the system inundates MPs on process, rules, and procedures. Relationships are the key, not...
The Liberal national campaign director is commending the Conservatives for employing what he characterizes as the right strategy during last month’s election. “I think that their strategy is right to concentrate on change, cost of living,” Andrew Bevan said in an interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Wednesday. “I don’t think they had a strategy problem. “I...
As southern Alberta battles its worst measles outbreak in decades, some doctors are warning the virus is more rampant than the case counts show and they're now struggling to keep up with demand. As of midday Wednesday, 628 cases had been confirmed in Alberta since the outbreaks began in March.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will present provincial and territorial premiers next week with the broad outlines of legislation that will impose a two-year approval process for major nation-building projects such as ports, critical mineral mines and trade corridors. The legislation contains measures to fast-track significant infrastructure projects through upfront regulatory approvals, and includes a framework to remove all federal barriers...
CBC/ICIJ investigations reveal increasing transnational repression here and around the world. For Yao Zhang, the news came as a shock. Sexually explicit, deepfake images of her were circulating widely online — an attack that Ottawa blamed on the Chinese government. It wasn't the first time Zhang had been targeted by China. Shortly after the Quebec-based accountant-turned-influencer travelled to Taiwan in...
The U.S. Court of International Trade on Wednesday struck down U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Canada and the rest of the world, ruling he exceeded his authority under an emergency-powers law. The three-judge panel’s decision blocks both the fentanyl and border security-related tariffs on Canada and Mexico and the global “reciprocal tariffs” Trump imposed in April that have...
There's some good news, and some bad news, for Canada from U.S. President Donald Trump's ambassador to Ottawa. First, the good news: He suggests a new Canada-U.S. agreement is achievable in the not-too-distant future, and it would benefit both countries. The bad news? Don't count on tariff-free trade again.
Prime Minister Mark Carney fielded questions about the trade war with the United States and his decision to delay the federal budget to the fall as he faced his first ever grilling in question period in the House of Commons Wednesday. Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer welcomed Carney to the House before launching into a question about Canada's response to...
Interim NDP leader says his party will get a question 'every day' in question period. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Wednesday that his party will support proposed Liberal tax cuts but urged the governing party to make those cuts steeper. "We are the party of taxpayers. We will vote for every tax cut always and everywhere. We love taxpayers and...
Prime Minister Mark Carney is striking “the right balance” with his single public cabinet mandate letter, departing from his predecessor’s “unfocused,” “rambling,” public relations approach that observers say neutralized the priorities meant to direct ministers and keep them—privately—accountable. In a break from former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s tradition, Carney (Nepean, Ont.) released a sole letter to his 28 ministers on...
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday the Canadian government invited her to come to Alberta for next month's G7 leaders' summit but she hasn't yet decided whether she will go. She told reporters at a news conference that she's also not sure if she would meet with Trump if she does decide to attend.
PM served as Bank of Canada governor when Harper was in power. During a visit to Ottawa to watch the King deliver the speech from the throne, former prime minister Stephen Harper met privately with Prime Minister Mark Carney, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The Prime Minister's Office declined to comment on the meeting, with spokesperson Audrey...
Even if he hadn’t been competing with the final moments of a whirlwind royal visit, there’s no guarantee that Canada’s news networks would have cut away from regular programming to provide live coverage of Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon as he was introducing a motion to temporarily rewrite the rules for reviewing the main estimates yesterday afternoon.
U.S. envoy Pete Hoekstra says he is 'not very sympathetic' to the pain Canadians feel over Trump's annexation threats as he looks to the future.United States President Donald Trump’s top diplomat in Ottawa says the hurt over the state of the bilateral relationship isn’t just being felt by Canadians. “We’re hurt, too,” Ambassador Pete Hoekstra told The Hill Times during...
Defence Minister David McGuinty says that Canada still doesn't know what it would cost to join U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed "Golden Dome" missile defence program. On Tuesday, in a social media post, Trump said it would cost Canada $61 billion to join as a sovereign country but nothing at all if it became a U.S. state.
David McGuinty says government to launch 'immediate and decisive action to rebuild Canada's defence capacity.' Defence Minister David McGuinty pulled out all the stops Wednesday in his first major public speech to enlist the country's top arms makers in the Liberal government's plans to accelerate military spending. He pledged the newly re-elected Liberal government will take "immediate and decisive action...
Bell Canada has announced it will open six artificial intelligence data centres in B.C. as part of a plan to create the largest AI compute project in Canada. The Montreal-based telecom company, which has in recent years touted its intent to become more tech-focused, said the facilities will provide around 500 megawatts of hydroelectric-powered AI compute capacity. AI compute refers...
One morning in October of 2024, Fredericton city councillor Margo Sheppard received an email with the subject line: “The Real Policy Crisis: Prioritizing ‘Nature’ Over People.” It was polished — almost algorithmically smooth — and it calmly urged her to reconsider Fredericton’s net-zero policies. Over the next month, a flood of similar emails followed, all aimed at getting Fredericton to...
Calgary-based firm, controlled by Brookfield, wants Carney to consider it in investment decisions. Just two days after the Liberals won the federal election, executives from companies linked to the new prime minister’s former employer, Brookfield Asset Management, began asking for his help. On April 30, two oil and gas companies owned by Brookfield joined 36 others in signing an open...
Parliament gets back to work Wednesday with a new Speaker, a new prime minister and plenty of new faces in the House of Commons. Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia will preside over the House of Commons for the first time today, while his office has confirmed that all 343 members of Parliament have now been sworn in.
'The more we talk about separation, the more people are saying that they feel attached to Canada': pollster. Like many Albertans, Michelle Schamehorn was disappointed by the Liberal victory in last month's federal election. But she's not on board with the escalating rhetoric surrounding Alberta separation. "For me, no. I don't want to separate," said the resident of Taber, Alta....
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Canada will have to pay US$61 billion to be part of his “Golden Dome” space-based missile defence plan — but would pay nothing if it becomes part of the U.S., a message he claimed to have “told Canada” himself. The social media post came hours after King Charles III delivered the speech from...
Prime minister thinks Trump beginning to get the hint about Canadian sovereignty. Prime Minister Mark Carney says more progress needs to be made on resolving the tariff issue with the United States before renegotiations of the North American trade deal begin. In an exclusive interview with CBC's Power & Politics on Tuesday, Carney said "fairly intensive discussions" with the U.S...
Former prime minister Jean Chrétien – who was noticeably absent from King Charles III speech from the throne on Tuesday – is recovering from minor heart surgery after receiving a stent. “Yesterday, former prime minister Jean Chrétien was admitted to the Ottawa Civic hospital after feeling unwell. He has since been transferred to the Ottawa Heart Institute, where he received...
'By Canada Day we'd like to see something concrete there,' PM tells Power & Politics. Prime Minister Mark Carney signalled he hopes Canada will be able to sign on to a major European defence rearmament plan by July 1, a step toward reducing the country's dependency on the United States for weapons and munitions. He made the remarks on CBC's...
BOSTON (AP) -- A federal judge on Thursday extended an order blocking the Trump administration's attempt to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students.
U.S. President Donald Trump's trade agenda is in turmoil as his administration moves to appeal a federal court ruling that blocked his sweeping tariffs on much of the world.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Elon Musk is leaving his government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump issued a series of pardons on Wednesday, awarding them to a former New York congressman, a Connecticut governor, a rapper known as "NBA YoungBoy," a labor union leader and a onetime Army officer who flaunted safety measures during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Two staff members of Israel’s embassy in Washington, D.C., were shot dead outside the district's Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday night, officials said.
The British government says it is suspending free trade negotiations with Israel and has levelled new sanctions targeting West Bank settlements as it criticizes Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Tuesday’s actions came a day after the U.K., France and Canada condemned Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza and its actions in the occupied West Bank. Foreign Secretary David Lammy...
Moscow is ready to work toward ending the fighting in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday following a two-hour phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump.
CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon said Monday that she is resigning, the latest fallout at the network as its parent company considers settling a lawsuit with President Donald Trump over "60 Minutes."
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Microsoft acknowledged Thursday that it sold advanced artificial intelligence and cloud computing services to the Israeli military during the war in Gaza and aided in efforts to locate and rescue Israeli hostages. But the company also said it has found no evidence to date that its Azure platform and AI technologies were used to target or harm...
How Canada can seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity and win the coming natural resource arms race The transition to a clean and digital economy has ignited a global race for critical minerals — the essential inputs for batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, solar panels, advanced electronics and defence technologies. These minerals (such as lithium, cobalt and nickel) are now as...
Western anger is largely fuelled by Ottawa’s decade-long legislative and regulatory agenda, which trampled on provincial jurisdiction while specifically targeting the oil and gas industry – a major source of Western Canada’s wealth.
Canada stands at a critical economic crossroads. From the urgent transition to net-zero emissions, to the pursuit of secure supply chains in critical minerals and energy technologies, to addressing a national productivity crisis, the opportunities for transformation are vast — but remain unevenly distributed.
A collection of SubStack publishing within Canadian public affairs.
Former Liberal Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of betraying Canadians in a strongly worded opinion article published by The Globe and Mail. Axworthy was responding to the announcements this week, first by Donald Trump and then by Carney a day later, that Canada wants to join and help pay for Trump’s “Golden Dome” scheme that...
There are plenty of problems confronting progressives in the United States right now. So lots of our American cousins may not even be aware of the angst and hardship that Trump is inflicting upon Canada.
Parliament will look very different when newly-elected MPs return to Ottawa this month. There will be far less diversity of voices in the House of Commons with the demise of the NDP, and this is not good for our democracy.
Job number one of Canada's new Liberal government is salvaging our trade relationship with the United States. Next is the job of uniting the country — doing away with internal trade barriers and getting big projects built. All of that is the unwritten mandate of Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc. He talks to host Amanda Lang about his...
Canadians are living through uncertain times. Our country faces interconnected challenges including a new geopolitical world order, economic headwinds, climate change, technological disruptions, shifting demographics and deepening inequality.
Meet Ben Woodfinden, who helped craft the Conservative campaign and has thoughts on how it went
For the third time in Canadian history, the head of the British monarchy delivered the throne speech before ushering in a new session of parliament. It comes at a time when Canada could use some help protecting its sovereignty in the face of threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
