Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his permanent chief of staff on Sunday, appointing Marc-André Blanchard, Canada's former ambassador to the United Nations, to one of the most powerful posts in Canadian politics. Meanwhile, two sources not authorized to speak publicly about the appointments before they are formally announced say that former attorney general David Lametti has been hired as Carney's...
How many times have you heard, “a plague on all their houses.” a Shakespeare line from Romeo and Juliet, used to describe how voters feel towards politicians? Media coverage of politics tends to exaggerate how disliked politicians actually are, and I’d make a case that the cynicism and click baiting that pervade a lot of media coverage today actually creates...
Prime Minister Mark Carney sat down with oil and gas executives in Calgary Sunday to discuss partnerships and to get their input for his plans to make Canada an energy superpower. Carney, in his first visit to Calgary since being sworn in as prime minister, held a closed door roundtable with more than two dozen members of the energy sector...
The governing Liberals want to work with both the Conservatives and the Bloc in committees, say Liberal MPs Judy Sgro and Kevin Lamoureux. With only three parties holding recognized party status in the current Parliament—down from the usual four—both the governing Liberals and the opposition Conservatives must depend on the Bloc Québécois to advance any work in House committees, which...
Former Alberta premier Jason Kenney says the provinces and territories need to maintain the momentum spurred by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and make quicker progress on eliminating interprovincial trade barriers. Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to meet with all of Canada’s premiers on Monday, with interprovincial trade — and his promise to eliminate barriers to that trade...
In advance of the upcoming First Minister Meeting, fresh polling by Pollara shows Ontario Premier Doug Ford stands out as the most recognized Premier in Canada, with 79% of Canadians familiar with him. Alberta’s Danielle Smith (50%) and Quebec’s François Legault (44%), the only other premiers with significant national profiles, trail far behind. Ford’s name recognition nears that of many...
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...
How many times have you heard, “a plague on all their houses.” a Shakespeare line from Romeo and Juliet, used to describe how voters feel towards politicians? Media coverage of politics tends to exaggerate how disliked politicians actually are, and I’d make a case that the cynicism and click baiting that pervade a lot of media coverage today actually creates...
So far, Mark Carney has drawn optimism across the spectrum as many Canadians want to pick solutions, not sides. There were lots of reasons to imagine that Canada was heading for a period of more and more intense political polarization. We might yet. But that’s not what’s happening right now. On the surface, with the two largest parties deadlocked at...
Prime minister says he wants projects to ‘compete’ for federal approvals. Prime Minister Mark Carney's main focus will be on project development as he sits down with provincial and territorial premiers this week. First ministers are gathering in Saskatoon Monday for the first time since the April 28 federal election. Carney told CBC's Power & Politics in an exclusive interview...
On the heels of a devastating election campaign, the New Democratic Party’s road to recovery is off to a tense start as party insiders and grassroots activists tilt behind the scenes over the party’s next big challenge: Who will replace Jagmeet Singh? Potential high-profile candidates have signalled a lack of interest and the process of even deciding how to orchestrate...
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...
When Mark Carney assumed the Prime Minister’s Office, the question on everyone’s lips was: can he translate his international business gravitas into public sector functionality? We’re beginning to get an answer. And it’s not just a refreshing new start — on some levels, it’s a complete gear shift. The Carney government is clearly intent on breaking from the past, starting...
“Humility” is a word that is being thrown around a lot as the new House of Commons gets to work this week. Mark Carney kicked off his formal address to the throne speech on Thursday with avowed “great humility” at the task before him. Other MPs, new and old, have told the House too that they return after the last...
The ultimate fate of the populist appeal may depend on what His Majesty's government does next. Speaking to reporters after the speech from the throne on Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre struck a decidedly institutionalist tone. "We joined today in thanking His Majesty for coming to Canada and delivering the throne speech, reinforcing our ancient, great British liberties," he said...
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s promise that his government will “spend less and invest more” is the same sort of fiscal flimflammery as Justin Trudeau’s claim in 2014 that as prime minister he would grow the economy and “the budget will balance itself.”
In a five-page letter, Premier Smith makes her big push to Prime Minister Carney for a west coast pipeline and dumping all Liberal anti-oil policies, in advance of possible June 2 fireworks when Carney and the premiers meet
Donald Trump is a great unifier, forging new friendships and bonds of co-operation near and far. These new relationships are not with him, mind you, but among people who are similarly threatened by him and trying to figure out how to limit the blast radius. But you have to hand it to the guy: He’s really bringing people together. On...
Election night can be a glorious occasion for some political parties and governments, and a dismal outcome for others. It’s not unusual for the long knives to come out after a poor result. That’s what some people are suggesting is happening right now within the Conservative Party’s inner sanctum — and the main target is Jenni Byrne.
This time they waited until page 41 to admit it. As with most things at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, its annual reports have become increasingly bloated over the years. Once, the organization responsible for investing Canadians’ public pension savings reported on its activities each year in a relatively straightforward fashion. The typical CPPIB annual report in those days...
Delivering his maiden speech in the House of Commons on Monday, Prime Minister Mark Carney wisely tacked towards humility. “I have much to learn from the members of this great House. I will make mistakes,” he said. “I have no doubt that you will call them out, and for good reason.” Carney acknowledged that our parliamentary system may seem arcane...
It didn’t take long for Donald Trump to make a liar — or at least a fool — out of his own ambassador to Canada. Pete Hoekstra did a round of introductory interviews last week as he made his debut as Trump’s representative to this country. One of his key messages was that all the talk about annexation is “over.”...
Recent elections would suggest Canada is increasingly integrating immigrants, visible minorities and others from diverse gender, social and religious backgrounds into the country’s political life. From 2015 to 2021, demographics and political realities combined for slow and steady increases in the number of these candidates and elected MPs.
When the Conservative party adopted the slogan “Bring it Home,” it was a catchy phrase reportedly inspired by Leader Pierre Poilievre’s wife. It signalled a return to fundamentals, to a familiar place of security and prosperity. It’s now clear that the promise of bringing it home has not fully materialized.
King Charles III’s speech on Tuesday from the throne in Ottawa was like a family reunion for Canadian politicians. Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper was there, joking around with his old opponent Justin Trudeau, who, playing to type, wore an inappropriate pair of running shoes. Justin’s mother, Margaret Trudeau, who has known the king for 50 years, embraced the monarch...
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
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...
There were lots of reasons to imagine that Canada was heading for a period of more and more intense political polarization. We might yet. But that’s not what’s happening right now. On the surface, with the two largest parties deadlocked at about 40% support each, we might wonder if US style partisanship is in the cards - where every Liberal...
The royal visit, the throne speech and the first question period are over. Performative arts mostly. Now the real work of building the so-called "new Canada" begins. What's the plan, and how will they get there? It starts with a first minister's conference this weekend. Chantal and Rob have their thoughts on that.
The Conservative party’s national council is expected to meet mid-June to determine when leader Pierre Poilievre will face a leadership review, but there’s still no sign of an overarching review of the party’s failure to defeat the Liberals on April 28. The election returned a Liberal minority government, and while some Conservatives privately say Prime Minister Mark Carney could govern...
A former high-ranking public servant says the Throne Speech’s pledge to significantly cut down approval times for major projects is possible, but only with radical change and a “leaner, meaner, faster” governance that eliminates bureaucratic requirements to drive nation-building projects forward.
Canada Post says it has asked Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu to force a union membership vote on the proposals the Crown corporation put forward earlier this week.
The Canadian military’s Cyclone helicopters weren’t flying for 27 days in May due to a lack of spare parts, and only one of them is now able to take to the skies.
As first ministers gather against the backdrop U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war, a new poll suggests Alberta’s Danielle Smith has the highest negatives of any premier. The Pollara Strategic Insights survey also found Ontario’s Doug Ford is the country’s most popular premier — thanks largely to his stance against Trump’s tariffs.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will double the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 per cent next Wednesday. Trump initially announced the boosted duties on steel during a rally at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant near Pittsburgh Friday evening. He told a cheering crowd of steelworkers that the increased levies will "further secure the steel industry...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he is confident there will be no leadership coup to oust him from his role, despite losing his own seat as a member of Parliament. Poilievre lost his Ottawa-area seat of Carleton, which he had represented for nearly 21 years, to rookie Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy by 4,513 votes in the 2025 federal election.
- President Donald Trump on Friday told Pennsylvania steelworkers he's doubling the tariff on steel imports to 50% to protect their industry, a dramatic increase that could further push up prices for a metal used to make housing, autos and other goods. In a post later on his Truth Social platform, he added that aluminum tariffs would also be doubled...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his party will vote against the federal government’s request to spend $486.9-billion on government programs and transfers. Mr. Poilievre’s announcement that his party won’t support what’s called the main estimates will be an early test of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s minority mandate. The Liberals have 169 seats in the House of Commons, three short of...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the government's plan to circumvent the Impact Assessment Act to speed up key infrastructure projects doesn't go far enough. Taking questions from reporters in Ottawa today, Poilievre wouldn't say whether his party will support the bill without reading it first. The government is developing a "national interest" bill to fast-track nation-building projects with a streamlined...
Prime Minister Mark Carney says Ottawa probably can't undertake a thorough overhaul of how municipalities are funded in the near future, with the federal government now focused on major projects.
OTTAWA -- Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu is meeting with postal union officials in Ottawa today amid an overtime ban and declining mail volumes at a beleaguered Canada Post.
OTTAWA -- The federal government says it ran a budgetary deficit of $43.2 billion between April 2024 and this past March.
The Canadian economy grew at an annual rate of 2.2 per cent in the first quarter of this year, which is a faster pace than economists were expecting.
A “secret” memo from the Department of National Defence last year said Canada’s 2005 decision not to join the U.S. ballistic missile defence system harmed the country’s reputation as a security partner and could make it harder to participate in the AUKUS military collaboration between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The memo also raised Canada’s long-standing failure...
Separatist winds are lifting the political sails of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, according to a study from an Alberta pollster. The province-wide poll, taken this month by Calgary’s Janet Brown, found that Smith’s popularity has ticked upward from the same time last year, giving her a double-digit edge over rival NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi. Asked how impressed they were with...
Toronto new-wave band Martha and the Muffins is trying a relatively novel legal strategy to prevent Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre from using its song Echo Beach at rallies in his upcoming by-election campaign. After learning that he and at least one other Conservative candidate used the Juno Award-winning 1980 song at rallies during the spring election cycle, the band’s...
A new spy watchdog report says an overseas Canadian Security Intelligence Service operation was suddenly halted by government officials, "creating unnecessary danger for the CSIS team" and raising questions about ministerial accountability. The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency found no written records indicating the decision to suspend the operation had been made by the CSIS director or the minister...
At the onset of the First World War, Britain's veritable foreign secretary, Sir Edward Grey, remarked that the lamps were going out all over Europe and "we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime." The metaphor has long been considered as the unofficial epitaph to what at the time was the longest run of peace and prosperity on...
Critics call for Carney government to implement foreign agents registry, commissioner. Opposition parties are calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney's government to quickly implement key provisions of the law adopted last year to counter foreign interference following new revelations that attacks on Chinese dissidents living in Canada and around the world are on the rise. Conservative foreign affairs critic Michael...
'Strong and free' defence sees more Canadians backing the Crown: pollsters. King Charles is enjoying a popularity boost and there is considerably more support for maintaining Canada's ties to the Crown now than when he assumed the throne, according to public opinion polls released this week around his two-day visit to deliver a historic throne speech. After the long-reigning and...
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump said he is withdrawing the nomination of tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, an associate of Trump adviser Elon Musk, to lead NASA, saying he reached the decision after a "thorough review" of Isaacman's "prior associations."
NEW YORK (AP) -- Conservative legal activist Leonard Leo helped President Donald Trump transform the federal judiciary in his first term. He closely advised Trump on his Supreme Court picks and is widely credited as the architect of the conservative majority responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will seek to energize activists at Democratic state conventions in South Carolina and California on Saturday, as the party's 2024 vice presidential nominee works to keep up the high national profile he gained when Kamala Harris selected him as her running mate.
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (AP) -- President Donald Trump on Friday told Pennsylvania steelworkers he's doubling the tariff on steel imports to 50% to protect their industry, a dramatic increase that could further push up prices for a metal used to make housing, autos and other goods.
Multiple people were injured when an attacker used a weapon to set people on fire during a regular demonstration in Colorado to buoy awareness of hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza. The group Run for Their Lives - Boulder has been holding the demonstrations fairly regularly, sometimes weekly, since Thanksgiving 2023, following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
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."
Canada’s relationship with the U.S. is complex, asymmetrical, and fundamental to Canada’s economic prosperity. It is also entering a period of great uncertainty that requires a fundamental rethinking of Canada’s diplomatic engagement with the U.S.
In April, the United States imposed a baseline 10 per cent tariff on nearly all imports, with higher country-specific rates proposed for its major trade partners. Japan was hit hard: it faces a potential 24 per cent U.S. tariff on its exports beginning July 9 unless the two sides can reach an agreement before then. A separate 25 per cent...
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...
A collection of SubStack publishing within Canadian public affairs.
It takes this National Defence expert only five minutes to utterly take apart Trump’s Golden Dome missile defence scheme. This interview features an analysis by Prof. Walter Dorn, a Defence Studies professor at the Royal Military College, discussing President Donald Trump’s ambitious “Golden Dome” missile defence initiative. Watch it here:
RCMP communications centres that receive 911 calls are so short of staff that wait times have doubled – prompting increasing numbers of frustrated callers to hang up. That’s one of the main findings from an internal evaluation that was triggered in part by the fumbles of the Mountie call centre in Truro, N.S., during the 2020 mass murder, which left...
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...
Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Liberal is government is planning to speed up approvals for resource projects deemed to be in the national interest — but there are already concerns over the environment and Indigenous treaty rights. Host Catherine Cullen talks to the Alberta Chambers of Commerce CEO and two First Nations chiefs about Carney’s plan and who’s at...
At Issue this week: How will another week of back-and-forth on tariffs from the U.S. change Canada’s negotiating position? The changing dynamics in the House under a new government. Plus, the prime minister looks to sell his plans to the premiers. Rosemary Barton hosts Chantal Hébert, Andrew Coyne and Althia Raj.
A whirlwind trip for King Charles, in his first visit to Canada as a sitting monarch, is being viewed by some as a success. It was a show of support amid annexation talk by the U.S. president but it also served as a benefit to the King. Host Kris McCusker speaks to Carolyn Harris - Historian, Author and Royal Commentator...
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...
