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Descrease article font size Increase article font size The Quebec government has tabled a draft constitution that Premier François Legault says will protect Quebecers’ distinct identity and culture. The constitution bill, tabled Thursday in the provincial legislature, would take precedence over all other provincial laws and is intended to defend Quebec values and reinforce the province’s autonomy.“When we look at our history, our survival as a nation was improbable, but we are still here,” Legault said Thursday in the national assembly. “We now have the responsibility to ensure that the history of our beautiful nation continues.”Legault said the bill would be the “law of laws” in Quebec, and characterized it as the culmination of all the measu...

Prime Minister Mark Carney raised the prospect of reviving the Keystone XL pipeline project with U.S. President Donald Trump as part of a larger pitch on linking energy cooperation and support for Canada’s steel and aluminum sectors. A government source who was briefed on the discussions told The Canadian Press that Trump was “very receptive” to the idea and both leaders directed their teams to pursue discussions in the days ahead.Global News has also learned from a government source that Carney brought up Keystone XL during the closed-door discussions.The source noted Keystone was raised as one of many energy areas the two countries could collaborate on, and that Carney said Canada would be open to reviving the project if the U.S. wanted to and if there was progress on steel and aluminum ...

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is lauding Prime Minister Mark Carney’s ability to speak the language of U.S. President Donald Trump. Addressing the BMO US-Canada summit in Toronto, Smith said Wednesday Trump’s “playbook” means he doesn’t respond well to appeals for help or to stop hurting his northern neighbour.“That is not his love language,” she said, drawing a chuckle from the crowd.The premier said Trump prefers to hear about what Canada can offer to help make America “even greater,” by providing more energy, critical minerals and natural gas — and that’s been her approach.“That is the love language of Donald Trump and I’m beginning to see that Prime Minister Carney is speaking in those terms,” said Smith.“I never thought ‘elbows up’ was going to get us to a deal with this particular p...

Justice Minister Sean Fraser has rejected calls from five premiers for Ottawa to withdraw its legal argument calling for limits on the use of the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause. Fraser said it would be “unimaginable” for a federal government to steer clear of a case affecting Charter rights that will have lasting impacts. He suggested the premiers’ argument is “untenable.”The minister, who is also attorney general, told reporters Wednesday morning this should be a legal matter decided through the courts, not the subject of political debate and pressure.“The interplay of the notwithstanding clause, vis-a-vis the rights and freedoms that the Charter guarantees to all Canadians, is something that will be of national importance, that will have lasting impacts,” Fraser said.“It is unimag...