While National Newswatch does not keep an archive of external articles for longer than 6 months, we do keep all articles written by contributors who post directly to our site. Here you will find all of the contributed and linked external articles from Darren Major.
Manitoba Sen. Mary Jane McCallum is 2nd to join caucus this month. Sen. Mary Jane McCallum of Manitoba is now part of the Conservatives' Senate caucus — making her the second senator appointed by former prime minister Justin Trudeau to join the party this month. McCallum, who is Cree and a member of the Barren Lands First Nation, said she...
Former astronaut and federal cabinet minister died on Wednesday at 76. Marc Garneau died this week after being diagnosed with two types of cancer earlier this year, his former staffer says. The first Canadian to travel to space and former cabinet minister died on Wednesday. He was 76. Marc Roy, Garneau's former chief of staff, told CBC's Power & Politics...
Liberals say tax cut will save 2-income families up to $840 a year. The House of Commons unanimously voted in favour of the Liberals' promised income tax cut on Thursday. The Liberals promised to bring in a one percentage point reduction in the lowest marginal tax rate — taking it from 15 per cent to 14 per cent — during...
There was cautious optimism in the air as provincial and territorial premiers began arriving in Saskatoon to meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney. The first ministers are meeting on Monday, and Carney has said he wants to hear provincial ideas for "nation-building projects." The prime minister struck an optimistic tone as he spoke to the premiers in front of reporters...
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...
Internal federal documents suggest legislation could be tabled as early as next month. The Liberal government will introduce legislation to assist in identifying projects in the national interest and provide "up-front regulatory approvals" to major projects, according to a federal document obtained by CBC News. "Once a project is determined to be in the national interest, federal reviews will shift...
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 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...
First order of business will be to elect a Speaker before King Charles presents the throne speech. Parliament will return on Monday after more than six months and will feel a little different than usual thanks to some unusual circumstances. Each parliamentary session typically opens with some routine proceedings, which include the election of a Speaker of the House of...
Ottawa expects 'full investigation,' prime minister says. Prime Minister Mark Carney says it's "totally unacceptable" that members of the Israeli army fired shots near a diplomatic delegation, which included Canadians, in the West Bank on Wednesday. The federal government confirmed Wednesday that four Canadian personnel were part of a tour in the city of Jenin when members of the Israel...
Economist says lack of budget could slow down promised stimulus. The recently re-elected Liberal government isn't planning to release a budget this year, opting instead for an economic statement later this fall. But experts warn that not providing a fiscal snapshot could erode economic confidence and delay the government's agenda.
Newly minted interim Opposition leader Andrew Scheer says talks are "ongoing" about the current Stornoway conundrum — but he doesn't sound eager to move into the official residence. The Saskatchewan MP was chosen to temporarily take over Pierre Poilievre's parliamentary duties as the Conservative leader seeks to reclaim a seat in the House of Commons. Poilievre lost his long-held Ontario...
Revised result close enough to be subject to automatic recount. Elections Canada's validation process has revealed a second closely contested riding's winner has changed after Monday's preliminary result — this time from the Conservatives to the Liberals. The unofficial results posted on election night showed that Conservative Parm Gill had won the redrawn riding of Milton East-Halton Hills South by 298 votes.
Conservative MP Jamil Jivani — who is also a friend of U.S. Vice-President JD Vance — says he's open to helping the government during negotiations with the U.S. administration if the Liberals ask. Since U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration, Jivani has been fairly muted about his close friendship with Vance.
The Liberals have dropped one seat after Elections Canada's validation process determined they lost a tightly contested Quebec riding. Terrebonne, just north of Montreal, was one of the last ridings to be called on Tuesday afternoon. The final vote count had the Liberals flip the seat from the Bloc Québécois by 35 votes.
Poilievre, Singh are most notable losses, but other familiar faces won't be back.
Houston says Blanchet should take more pride in Canada 'or step aside.' Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is stepping into the federal fray, blasting the leader of the Bloc Québécois for calling Canada an "artificial country." At a campaign stop earlier this week, Yves-François Blanchet said he felt like he was a member of a "foreign parliament." When asked about...
As voters enjoy a holiday meal with family and friends this long weekend, they might also be digesting the leadership debates — and the election campaign writ large. Holidays in the middle of a campaign aren't new. Canada's fixed date election rules means the vote usually takes place in October after the Thanksgiving weekend. But the spring snap election call...
The Green Party says it deliberately didn't run candidates in some ridings, even though the party submitted a full slate of potential candidates to the commission responsible for organizing the leadership debates.
Party provided full list of candidates to commission, but only about 2/3 are registered to run. Canada's Leaders' Debates Commission is defending its decision to invite Green Party co–leader Jonathan Pedneault to this week's debates, even though the party is well short of a full slate of candidates.
Conservative leader's swipes at main opponent get personal on Day 17 of campaign. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's criticisms of Mark Carney got personal on Tuesday, while the Liberal leader hit back at Poilievre's political career. Poilievre's past swipes at his main political opponent include criticisms that Carney is no different than his predecessor Justin Trudeau and that the Liberal leader...
Group said it also intended to overload ballot in Carney's riding, but ran out of time. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will be facing more opponents than ever in his eighth federal campaign, thanks to dozens of protest candidates running in his riding. Nearly 80 candidates registered to run in the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton, where Poilievre has been the MP...
U.S. President Donald Trump is dealing another tariff blow to Canada, signing an executive order on Wednesday that will hit all non-U.S.-made autos with hefty import levies. Trump said the United States will be applying a 25 per cent tariff on those imports, but it's not clear when they would apply. The president said the auto tariffs will kick in...
The Canadian Future Party bills itself as a place for voters disillusioned by Liberals and Conservatives. Dominic Cardy, leader of the upstart Canadian Future Party, is under no illusions that he will be prime minister after Canadians cast their vote next month. "This party just started and what we really want to do in this race is to raise the...
The head of Elections Canada says he has been in touch with social media platforms in an effort to address concerns about misinformation as Canada wades into an election campaign. Chief Electoral Officer Stephane Perrault told reporters on Monday that he has reached out to social media sites such as X and TikTok to "seek their support to making this...
Challenge comes as tariff chaos continues. Sen. Patrick Brazeau wants to punch Donald Trump in the face. Not the U.S. president, but his son, Donald Trump Jr. The Quebec senator took to social media on Thursday to challenge the younger Trump to a charity boxing match.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced support for Ukraine after a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy went completely off the rails. Trump and Vice-President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday as the leaders met to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine, access to the country's critical minerals and a potential ceasefire with...
U.S. President Donald Trump is voicing his support for hockey legend Wayne Gretzky while suggesting the former NHLer isn't keen on the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state. Gretzky has drawn the ire of some Canadians in recent weeks due to his affiliation with Trump, who has threatened Canada with steep tariffs and talked about making the country the...
Latest surveys suggest a tightening race between Liberals and Conservatives. Recent federal polls have shown a dramatic shift in Canadians' voting preferences, but analysts say there is no guarantee it's a lasting trend. CBC's Poll Tracker has clocked a massive Conservative lead for the better part of the last two years. But survey results from the past few weeks suggest...
The four candidates vying to be the next Liberal leader and prime minister pitched themselves to supporters as the best person to handle relations with U.S. President Donald Trump. Canada-U.S. relations was the first topic of discussion as the contenders to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau squared off in the Liberal Party's French-language debate. Monday's showdown came just hours after...
There was no shortage of storylines during the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off — but when the league announced the international competition last year, it likely didn't anticipate that politics would take centre ice. Heading into the final game, Canada's head coach Jon Cooper acknowledged the political backdrop but downplayed its significance.
'Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,' the prime minister said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it's essential that Ukraine be included in peace negotiations after U.S. and Russian officials met to start discussing a possible end to the war in eastern Europe. "It's a fundamental principle for Canada, and for the vast majority of our allies, that nothing about Ukraine without...
The federal government is suing an IT subcontractor and companies that employed him over questionable billing practices. The government is seeking $1.6 million from the Ottawa-based IT professional for "unjust enrichment," according to court documents filed last Friday. They allege that the contractor billed the civil service for hours he didn't actually work.
B.C.'s Eby says premiers were urged to take Trump at his word. A team of Canada's premiers met with senior White House officials on Wednesday as they continue to make the case against tariffs on Canadian goods. "It was a good conversation. I thought it was constructive," B.C. Premier David Eby told reporters outside the White House on Wednesday evening...
Trump pegged Feb. 1 as the day he would slap heavy tariffs on Canadian goods. Canadians are waiting to see details on the promised U.S. tariffs that could cripple the Canadian economy. U.S. President Donald Trump has for months been threatening to slap tariffs on Canada and pegged Feb. 1 as the day they would come. He indicated on Friday...
Trump's choice for commerce secretary said Feb. 1 threat is about border concerns. Days before tariffs that have the potential to cripple Canada's economy are expected to come into effect, Canadian politicians are pushing the message that the country is cracking down on one of U.S. President Donald Trump's main concerns.
Days before tariffs that have the potential to cripple Canada's economy are expected to come into effect, the country's political leaders are still in the dark about what exactly U.S. President Donald Trump will do.
Spy agency said in December it would give Conservative leader briefing without him needing security clearance. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is rejecting the terms of a briefing from Canada's spy agency regarding foreign interference because it won't enable him to act on the information, his office says. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) said in December that it was looking...
An Edmonton limousine service says someone called for one of its cars to show up at the community centre where Mark Carney launched his bid for the Liberal leadership on Thursday — but the person didn't leave a name and never showed. The former Bank of Canada governor officially announced his candidacy to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the...
Former B.C. premier also says she would scrap federal carbon tax if she wins the leadership. Former B.C. premier Christy Clark — who is considering running for the federal Liberal leadership — is denying that she was previously a member of Conservative Party, despite past comments where she said otherwise. Clark publicly endorsed Jean Charest in the Conservative leadership race...
Ottawa MP Chandra Arya — who announced on Thursday that he would be running to replace Justin Trudeau as the next Liberal leader and prime minister — says he doesn't speak French and doesn't believe it will matter to French-speaking Canadians. During an interview on CBC News Network's Power & Politics on Thursday, host David Cochrane asked Arya about his French ability.
While taking questions after announcing he would be stepping down as prime minister on Monday, Justin Trudeau was asked to give an example of a regret he had from his time in office. The prime minister conceded that he could probably think of "many regrets," but he listed one in particular — not moving forward on electoral reform. "If I...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is inviting provincial and territorial premiers to Ottawa next Wednesday to discuss Canada-U.S. relations. The invitation follows a request for a first ministers' meeting from Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Monday. "It has never been more important that Canada demonstrate stability, strength and unity," Ford wrote in his letter, adding that Ottawa should be regularly engaging...
The federal government promised to "pilot a new automatic [tax] filing service" in 2024 to help get benefits to low- and fixed-income Canadians — but ended up recycling a program from the year before that saw little uptake. Thousands of low-income Canadians are missing out on government benefits because they don't file a tax return each year. The parliamentary budget...
'The Liberals don't deserve another chance,' NDP leader says in letter. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the House of Commons should be recalled now that NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is vowing to bring forward a motion of non-confidence to take down the Liberal government. "The Liberals don't deserve another chance," Singh wrote in an open letter on Friday. "That's why...
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland's resignation from cabinet has sent shock waves through Ottawa on Monday. "Chrystia Freeland is a good friend, someone I work with very closely … this news has hit me really hard," Transport Minister and Treasury Board President Anita Anand said on her way into a cabinet meeting.
Premier Ford says Ottawa’s plan is a ‘good start’ but Canada needs to ‘be ready to fight.’ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Canada's premiers on Wednesday to discuss Ottawa's plan to address U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's concerns about the Canada-U.S. border. This is the second time Trudeau has met with premiers since Trump threatened to hit Canada with steep...
The government has missed a legislated deadline to fully implement a program that was pitched as a way to help Canadians with cannabis possession records avoid jumping through hoops to obtain formal pardons. Even though recreational cannabis has been legal in Canada since 2018, having a record for cannabis possession can prevent a person from getting a job or travelling...
Radio-Canada reported that agents of Indian government interfered in Brown's 2022 Conservative leadership bid. Former Conservative leadership candidate Patrick Brown says he will appear before a House committee looking into foreign interference. The House of Commons standing committee on public safety and national security is looking into allegations that agents of the Government of India have engaged in electoral interference...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled to Palm Beach, Fla., to attend a dinner Friday night with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. The visit comes amid Trump's threats to impose steep tariffs on Canadian products entering the United States. Trudeau's plane landed earlier in the evening at Palm Beach International Airport, which is used by Trump when he travels to his Mar-a-Lago...
NDP says the rebate cheques should be expanded to include seniors, Canadians with disabilities. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is turning its back on workers for holding up a promised $250 rebate the Liberals promised to send to millions of Canadians. Last week, Trudeau announced a multi-billion-dollar affordability package that includes a proposed two-month GST holiday on some...
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been pushing for a new trade deal with the U.S. that would exclude Mexico. Canada's premiers say they want to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau "as soon as possible" to discuss the Canada-U.S. relationship. In a letter to Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he and his fellow premiers want to meet to discuss...
Longest ballot advocacy group says proposed changes won't deter their efforts. Canada's chief electoral officer is proposing changes to nomination rules to curtail the so-called "longest ballot" protests that have hampered vote counting in two recent byelections. Stéphane Perrault told the House procedures committee last week that many of the candidates who took part in those byelections had their nomination...
Updated spending, opposition business must be dealt with by Dec. 10, according to House rules, An ongoing debate in the House of Commons could push some government departments into a cash crunch and run up against other deadlines as the end of the fall sitting approaches. On Thursday, Speaker Greg Fergus made a point of reminding MPs that House rules...
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wouldn't commit to reimbursing provinces when asked about premiers' concerns. Two premiers are asking Ottawa to cover the provincial cost of the Trudeau government's promised tax holiday. On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would seek to lift the GST and HST from some goods until mid-February in a bid to alleviate some of the...
MPs have been debating a privilege motion since late September, putting other House business on hold. A debate that has jammed up the House of Commons for nearly two months now doesn't appear likely to end any time soon, as neither the Liberals or Conservatives are showing signs of backing down. The parties blame each other for tying Parliament up...
Conservatives are ramping up pressure on Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault to resign following a news report that said his former medical-supply company shared a mailbox with a woman who was held in a drug bust. An report published in the National Post on Monday said that in 2020, Boissonnault's former company Global Health Imports Corporation (GHI) shared a rented mailbox...
The Conservative Party is accusing Justin Trudeau's Liberal government of wanting Canadians to "eat bugs" following a report that a cricket plant in London, Ont. that received federal funds is laying off two-thirds of its workforce. The Aspire Food Group facility, which farms crickets primarily used in pet food, is laying off 100 of its 150 employees as it renovates...
Canada's transportation regulator says it has no timeline for releasing updates to the air passenger bill of rights, despite concluding consultations on proposed changes more than a year ago. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) — the quasi-judicial tribunal and regulator tasked with enforcing air passenger rights and compensation rules, known informally as the air passenger bill of rights — proposed...
One in four parents say they cut back on their own food consumption to ensure their children had enough to eat in the past year, according to the Salvation Army. The numbers are in the non-profit's annual report on poverty in Canada, which was released Thursday. The report states that parents are experiencing a "disproportionate number of challenges" related to...