Ontario Premier Doug Ford once again defended his government’s decision to purchase a $28.9 million private jet Tuesday, saying it’s “embarrassing” a province the size of Ontario doesn’t have one. But he stopped short of saying he’d reconsider his decision to sell it in the wake of public backlash over the purchase. “Honestly folks, it’s a no brainer. It’s kind...
Federal politicians are dismissing U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's disparaging comments about Canada's negotiating position heading into major trade talks with the U.S. and Mexico. Lutnick said Friday it would be a bad strategy for Canada to try to wait out the U.S. to reach a better deal later on, adding, "They suck." Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S...
Carney says there's been a 'rupture' in Canada-U.S. relationship, while Poilievre wants to draw closer. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre launched a pointed attack on the Liberal government's handling of the Canada-U.S. file Tuesday, saying the results so far have fallen well short of the mark and the prime minister is "losing" the trade war. Speaking to reporters after Prime Minister...
The former politician who gathered more than 456,000 signatures to keep Alberta in Canada says he watched firsthand the legislature committee tasked with its review stifle the democratic process. Thomas Lukaszuk, a former deputy premier, says he's not surprised, but says it's "bizarre" the committee, led by United Conservative members, shut down a proposal to soon hear from him directly...
Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole gave his successor Pierre Poilievre a heads-up last week he would join Mark Carney’s Canada-U.S. trade advisory council because, he told the Star, he agrees with a lot of Carney’s approach to the U.S., and he wanted no surprises. In his first interview since being named to the panel of outside expert business, investment and...
Three Ontario MPs are seeking to remove Indigenous references added to their riding names during the most recent federal electoral redistribution process, but only one is understood to have the support of local Indigenous groups. Nineteen federal riding name changes are being sought overall as part of the government’s Bill C-25. That list includes Conservative MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman’s request to...
Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson says the territory will follow Alberta's lead in ditching twice-a-year clock changes. Simpson says residents have previously supported the idea of having one year-round time and that keeping the territory in line with Alberta makes the most sense. "This practical, forward-looking decision reflects what many people across the Canada have been calling for," Simpson said...
Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled a new Canada-U.S. advisory council ahead of a formal CUSMA review process this summer. The council is made up of some members from the previous council while adding former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, former Conservative cabinet minister Lisa Raitt, former premiers P.J. Akeeagok and Jean Charest, as well as former Canadian High Commissioner to...
Premier Doug Ford’s decision to buy a pricey taxpayer-funded jet in the middle of an affordability challenge is a “toxic combination” that could erode the public’s confidence in his government, one provincial pollster says. Ford said the purchase of the $28.9 million Challenger 650, which he planned to use for government-related travel across the country and into the United States...
Canada's highest military honour was created in 1993 but has never been awarded. A House of Commons committee unanimously passed a motion Monday calling on the Liberal government to establish an independent review board for military honours including the country’s highest battlefield decoration — the Canadian Victoria Cross. The request is the latest step in a multi-year, grassroots effort by...
Last week, Ontario’s premier pointed to a fleet of Quebec government-owned planes as justification for having his own private aircraft. But Quebec’s premier has no such private plane — so, what’s going on? Premier Doug Ford justified the purchase of the plane, a used Bombardier Challenger 650, by touting his extensive travel within Ontario and even to the U.S...
Two senior public servants linked to the controversial procurement process behind Ottawa’s costly ArriveCan app have lost their bids to have the Federal Court overrule internal grievance findings related to allegations of misconduct against them. Justice Avvy Yao-Yao Go issued the decisions Monday after two days of public court hearings in March.
Flagged as a “potential covert influence operation” in a new report, those behind the network are tough to trace. The mispronunciation of Regina — as in, the capital of Saskatchewan — was a clue. Then there was the reference to B.C. MLA Dallas Brodie, a woman, as a “he.” These slip-ups helped lead researchers at the Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO)...
Politicians in the Alberta legislature are expected to vote today on a controversial motion that directly affects next year's general election. Premier Danielle Smith's governing United Conservatives have put forward a motion to revisit a panel report on how the ridings should be redrawn ahead of the 2027 vote. Smith says they are acting on the recommendation of the panel...
Quebec's new Premier Christine Frechette is set to announce her cabinet today. Frechette has had just over a week to put her team together after winning the Coalition Avenir Quebec leadership race April 12. In a recent appearance on Radio-Canada's "Tout le monde en parle" television show, she teased her cabinet would be a mix of old and new.
Celebrated general is a reminder Canada has beat the Americans and 'can do it again': official. Prime Minister Mark Carney stunned some Canadian historians over the weekend when he released a pointed video message about the U.S. featuring a War of 1812 general who led the charge against the American invaders of that era. For the first time Sunday, Carney...
The federal government is eyeing a new oil pipeline route in southern British Columbia that some in Ottawa believe would face fewer environmental hurdles and less resistance from Indigenous groups than the northern route Alberta is proposing, two federal sources say. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith signed an memorandum of understanding in November, with the goals...
Current advisory board was struck by former prime minister Justin Trudeau. Prime Minister Mark Carney will name a new advisory council on Canada and U.S. trade on Tuesday, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The council will replace the one previously set up by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in early 2025. CBC News is not naming the...
Premier Danielle Smith's government says Albertans will soon be ditching twice-a-year clock changes. Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally confirmed Monday the province plans to stick with daylight time year-round. "We'll be moving forward with having an extra hour of daylight in the evenings," he told reporters in the legislature. That means Albertans would stay on the current time and no...
Canada Post has released its annual report, detailing a $1.57-billion loss before tax for 2025. The Crown corporation said in a news release the record loss highlights the need to transform and move away from cash injections. The report said the company’s annual loss widened by $728 million, or 86.7 per cent, compared to a loss of $841 million the...
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s view that Canada’s “weakness” stems from its longtime close trade ties with the U.S. was mocked by the Conservatives Monday, and met skepticism by an Eastern premier who warned it will likely further anger the U.S. In a video message posted Sunday on YouTube, Carney said the U.S. “has fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is again urging the prime minister to sign a tariff-free trade deal with the United States, following a video by Mark Carney Sunday calling Canada’s former strength, built on its bond with America, a “weakness” that must be corrected. In his own video released on Monday — paralleled with Carney’s address, seeing both leaders sitting in...
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says Prime Minister Mark Carney was "pushing fear" in a recent address to Canadians on the relationship with the U.S. In a 10-minute video posted to social media on Sunday, Carney said Canada's deep economic ties with the U.S. used to be a major strength, but are now a source of weakness. The prime minister said...
Claims that Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would invoke the Emergencies Act to quash Alberta independence appeared online last week. It was said Carney made the comments while addressing steelworkers at a March 29 event in Hamilton, Ont. A video from Hamilton in which Carney is seemingly heard referring to the use of emergency powers in fact uses spliced...
Ottawa has announced an increase in the number of direct flights permitted to bring passengers and cargo to and from China. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon says there will be "an incremental increase" in flights between the countries in response to Prime Minister Mark Carney's outreach visit to Beijing in January. Canadian and Chinese airlines will be allowed to boost the...
A new poll from the Angus Reid Institute suggests a growing number of Conservative voters want to replace Pierre Poilievre as the party's leader. The poll surveyed 1,640 Canadians, including 590 who voted Conservative in last year's election and asked people if they believe Poilievre should lead the Tories into the next election. Almost 60 per cent Tory voters polled said he sho
Prime Minister Mark Carney would likely keep — and possibly enlarge — his new-found Liberal majority if a general election was held today, according to the latest projection from The Signal polling aggregator. Prime Minister Mark Carney would likely keep — and possibly enlarge — his new-found Liberal majority if a general election was held today, according to the latest...
Defence Minister David McGuinty is still without a timeline for the now-yearlong review into the purchase of dozens of F-35 fighter jets, telling reporters in Ottawa Monday that it’s ongoing. “What it says, I hope, for Canadians, is that we’re being very responsible,” McGuinty said, when asked whether the review is being delayed because the Canadian government is worried about...
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday he feels he’s being held to a “double standard,” when it comes to an outcry over the government’s purchase of a $30-million private jet for his use, but said he’s nevertheless heard “loud and clear” that the public isn’t happy about the purchase. “I heard loud and clear from the people that this was...
Conservative and Bloc Quebecois MPs are calling on the Liberals to follow through on a trade co-operation framework with Taiwan after the territory's envoy to Canada said Ottawa halted the process suddenly. A senior Canadian diplomat said last week it's up to cabinet to decide how to move forward on the agreement, which he suggested is almost ready for a...
Number of past Conservative voters calling for a new leader has risen significantly since last year. The erosion of the standing of the Conservative Party in the House of Commons has raised questions of the leadership of Pierre Poilievre to a new volume. The Liberals may have earned a majority government through three byelection victories, but the path to majority...
The Canadian military just had a banner year for recruitment -- but not enough for the defence minister to declare an end to what his predecessor called a personnel "death spiral." Military recruitment hit a three-decade high when the Canadian Armed Forces brought in 7,310 new members over the past year, Defence Minister David McGuinty said Monday. That's roughly 60...
Canada's annual inflation rate rose to 2.4 per cent in March, Statistics Canada said on Monday. High prices for energy, especially gas, due to the war in Iran drove inflation higher. Energy prices were 3.9 per cent higher compared to a year ago, and the data agency said March's 21.2 per cent monthly increase in the price of gasoline was...
The federal government is unveiling $25 million to support 14 projects meant to boost advanced manufacturing in Canada. The new spending adds to $38 million allocated by industry, for projects ranging from more efficient battery production to using artificial intelligence in packaging cosmetics. Other projects include converting methane gas into stored energy and automated manufacturing for small nuclear reactors.
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...
Ford 'felt the heat' after purchase publicized, now 'scrambling' to sell, says interim Ontario Liberal leader. Ontario is looking to sell the $28.9 million private jet that was recently purchased for Premier Doug Ford's use "as quickly as possible." It comes just days after the purchase of the Bombardier Challenger 650 was publicized and confirmed by the province. The decision...
There's a new cost-of-living crisis unfolding around the world. And it's clear Canada will not be immune. Gas prices are already shocking drivers. But they're just the beginning. Inflation numbers this week will assuredly show the cost of living has sharply increased since the war in Iran began at the end of February.
Eight years after Canada launched free trade negotiations with the Mercosur bloc of nations, a Brazilian official says an agreement is on track to be signed by the end of the year. Paula Barboza, director for extra-regional negotiations and economic governance at Brazil's ministry of foreign affairs, told The Canadian Press the talks have been propelled by a "political push"...
Ottawa's temporary suspension of some fuel taxes kicks in today, with Canadians likely to save 10 cents per litre on regular gasoline, and four cents on a litre of diesel. Prime Minister Mark Carney had announced last week a pause on those fuel excise taxes up until Labour Day.
A former Mountie has pleaded not guilty to a charge under Canada's Security of Information Act as his trial gets underway in British Columbia Supreme Court. William Majcher stood as he entered his plea in the Vancouver courtroom, charged with one count of committing "preparatory acts" to commit an offence, with the Crown alleging that he was prepared to coerce...
Mark Carney's Liberals risk repeating the Pierre Poilievre Conservatives’ past mistake by bypassing contested nominations, say Liberal sources. With Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals now in a majority government and holding a double-digit lead in public opinion polls, the governing party is drawing strong interest from potential nomination candidates for the next election cycle. But some long-time Liberals are concerned...
But young people are more tempted by the idea, and federalists should concentrate on narrowing that generation gap. In 1980, 40% of Quebecers voted to separate. Fifteen years later, 49% took that position in a second referendum. Fast forward 30 years, and the Parti Quebecois is promising a third referendum if they win the next election, a promise that is...
Canada Post workers start voting today on a five-year contract agreement that follows labour strife and their union leader urging they reject the deal. The 55,000 employees represented by Canadian Union of Postal Workers can vote starting today until May 30 on whether to ratify an agreement with the Crown corporation.