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 Graham Richardson.
Publicly, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is taking a cautious approach to the U.S. midterms election result. But privately, it’s buoyed and relieved. Following a decisive Republican defeat in the House and Senate on Tuesday night, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters on Parliament Hill the election results change nothing in Canada’s approach to trade talks with the White...
Multiple government and industry sources close to trade discussions between Canada and the United States tell CTV News the momentum of the talks, just recently re-started in earnest, combined with U.S. President Donald Trump’s political vulnerabilities ahead of the midterms leads them to believe there is considerable appetite from the White House to strike a deal with Canada. All the...
Canadian officials haven’t ruled out the possibility of a snap trade deal with the United States ahead of next month’s midterm elections, according to sources with direct knowledge of the talks. Though they cautioned that the hope remains faint.
Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, is warning Canadian politicians to stay out of American politics, saying officials are monitoring potential “political interference in the U.S. midterms.” In an interview with “The Really Big Show” podcast, Hoekstra suggested the actions of several Canadian politicians, including Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, could amount to interference in close American races just weeks...
The proposed high-speed rail line between Quebec City and Toronto could cost billions more than the federal government’s estimate, according to a new report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO). The report estimates the project will cost between $75 billion and $113 billion, compared with the government’s estimate of $60 billion to $90 billion. Among the largest cost drivers is...
As Prime Minister Mark Carney and his government look to deepen ties with what they call “like-minded” countries that share common values, one region keeps resurfacing in the conversation: the Arctic. In Strasbourg, France, on Thursday, Carney raised the prospect of Canada moving closer to the European Union, again pointing to the Arctic as a key area of shared interest...
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra says Canadian politicians need to tone down their rhetoric as Ottawa and Washington remain locked in a bitter trade dispute but declined to say whether U.S. President Donald Trump should do the same. Speaking to CTV News after arriving in Gander, N.L., for a ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist...
Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre delivered a pro-free trade message to millions of Americans watching morning television Thursday, urging Canada and the United States to return to the negotiating table and declining to criticize Prime Minister Mark Carney while appearing in the U.S. Asked by the hosts of CNBC’s Squawk Box whether Carney was acting in good faith in trade negotiations...
More than 15 years after Ottawa launched its National Shipbuilding Strategy, Canada’s effort to rebuild the industry is taking shape on the West Coast. Seaspan’s Vancouver shipyard operates around the clock, with much of the work centred on a massive steel structure that will eventually become Canada’s largest-ever polar icebreaker, the Canadian Coast Guard’s 158-metre, 26,000-tonne Imnaryuaq. Years of design...
Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Europe next month to address the European Parliament before the Canadian House of Commons returns to debate the escalating trade dispute with the United States. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) says Parliament will not be recalled early, despite Conservative calls for an emergency debate after Canada-U.S. trade talks broke down last week...
Several Conservative MPs are privately expressing deep concerns about Pierre Poilievre’s leadership, with some telling CTV News they do not believe he will still be leading the party when the next federal election is called. CTV News spoke to 17 members of the Conservative caucus from all regions of the country, and all were granted anonymity to speak candidly about...
CTV News has learned former federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is being considered for an appointment as the new chief executive officer of Destination Canada, the country’s national tourism marketing organization. The possible appointment is expected to be met with harsh criticism from the opposition. It is not clear if Singh has any experience in the tourism industry. One tourism...
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says she raised human rights concerns and specific consular cases involving Canadian citizens during a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Jeddah on Thursday. “Engagement doesn’t mean endorsement,” Anand said. “It is necessary to fulfil Canadian values, to represent those values on the world stage and to bring...
Prime Minister Mark Carney was given a personalized, engraved pistol and live ammunition by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he departed the NATO summit in Ankara on Tuesday. The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed all NATO leaders received the unusual gift from Erdogan. Global Affairs Canada said in a statement to reporters travelling with Carney that the gun has been...
Prime Minister Mark Carney says U.S. President Donald Trump has succeeded in pushing Canada and European allies to spend more on defence, arguing that NATO members increasingly recognize the security threats they face. Carney said he spoke with Trump on Sunday before both leaders arrived at the NATO summit in Ankara and told him that defence spending by Canada and...
Canada’s defence minister says a proposed submarine deal with Germany could allow NATO allies to share crews across a larger fleet, with several countries operating the same class of submarine. “My understanding is in choosing the German-Norwegian manufacturers, there’s a degree of interoperability that’s inherent in the choice,” David J. McGuinty said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of...
Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet next week with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, but federal officials would not say whether the prime minister plans to raise human rights concerns during the visit. At a background briefing ahead of the trip, officials would only point to Carney’s past comments on the issue. “The Prime...
A W5 investigation into drug smuggling and baggage-tag tampering at Canada’s busiest airports is prompting Transport Canada to promise swift action to improve security. CTV News’ investigative unit found at least 17 passengers on flights departing Canada were accused of drug smuggling and detained over the past year, after their baggage tags were switched onto suitcases filled with drugs. All...
The Snowbirds are entering a final chapter. After more than five decades in the skies, the federal government has confirmed to CTV News that the Canadian Forces’ iconic aerobatic team will fly its last season with the aircraft that made it famous. Defence Minister David McGuinty will announce Tuesday at Canadian Forces Base Moose Jaw that Canada will retire and...
The summer of 2026 could be Canadians’ last chance to see the Royal Canadian Air Force’s iconic Snowbirds aerobatic team for years, a Conservative MP says. Conservatives warn the federal government is preparing to pause or cancel the Snowbirds program in 2027, despite spending tens of millions of dollars in recent years to keep the aging aircraft flying into the...
Canada is sending more military aid to Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia. Prime Minister Mark Carney made the announcement at the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on Monday, saying Canada will contribute about $270 million toward critical military capabilities, drawn from NATO’s prioritized list of needs for Ukraine. The funding adds to more than...
Prime Minister Mark Carney will head to Yerevan, Armenia, this weekend for a brief stop as a guest at a meeting of the European Political Community. The gathering will bring together leaders from the European Union and non‑EU countries, including the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland. It marks the first time a Canadian prime minister has been invited to the...
With the United States acting more like an economic foe than an ally under the presidency of Donald Trump, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada’s former strength, built on our bond with America, has become a “weakness” that must be corrected. In a pre-recorded address released Sunday morning, Carney said his intention was to talk “directly and regularly” about his...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is striking a softer tone as his party launches a new advertising campaign aimed at affordability and national sovereignty. New Conservative ads set to begin airing Tuesday across Canada, focuses on the Liberal record since 2015 and the rising cost of food since then. The ads accuse the Liberal government of making life less affordable under...
The federal government should consider a one-to-two-point increase in the GST and slower growth in non-defence spending to finance a massive jump Canada’s military budget, according to a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. “Some combination of tax increases, spending cuts, or taking on more debt is required,” wrote authors Colin Busby and Nicholas Dahir. The analysis warns that...
TC Energy chief executive officer Francois Poirier is again calling for major changes to Canada’s regulatory approach, warning the country is driving investment away by slowing down big energy projects. Speaking to the Canadian Club of Ottawa on Tuesday, Poirier said Canada continues to deter capital with lengthy permitting processes. “Capital goes where it is welcome. And for too long...
An Ottawa craft brewer says rising alcohol taxes are among the factors that have pushed his business to the brink, as the federal government prepares to implement another automatic excise tax increase on April 1. Paul Meek, owner of Kichesippi Brewery, says this will be his final April 1 as a brewery owner as he moves to shut down operations...