Politics

Trade of tens of thousands of goods across Canada’s 14 jurisdictions will soon be free after an agreement has been signed between all provinces, territories and the federal government to allow businesses to sell their products across Canada. Ravi Kahlon, British Columbia’s minister of jobs and economic growth, announced the deal in Victoria, although it was signed by the country’s trade ministers at a meeting in Yellowknife on Wednesday.The B.C. government proposed and chaired the national initiative for the Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement, and Kahlon said it’s an important step for cross-Canada trade.“And this is the largest red tape reduction in Canada’s history, and it’s just the beginning,” he told reporters.The agreement will take effect next month and applies to most products, ...

Prime Minister Mark Carney signed an investment-protection agreement Thursday with the United Arab Emirates, during a visit to Abu Dhabi that has involved limited media access as concerns grow the country is fuelling ethnic violence in Sudan. On Thursday, Carney announced the investment pact following a meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and both also launched talks for a full trade deal, aimed at an eventual comprehensive economic partnership agreement.The prime minister also met Thursday morning with Industry Minister Sultan al-Jaber, before touring a palatial mosque in Abu Dhabi.On Thursday afternoon, Carney is set to meet with officials from sovereign wealth funds and investment companies in the UAE, including Mubadala, MGX, ADQ and ADIC, ahead of a dinner ...

Justice Minister Sean Fraser said he would be open to amending federal hate crime legislation to outlaw other “hateful” displays of symbols by groups not currently covered by the bill, including the Ku Klux Klan. Bill C-9, introduced in the House of Commons in September, makes it a crime to publicly display symbols associated with listed foreign terrorist organizations as well as the Nazi swastika and SS bolts, for the purpose of wilfully promoting hate. The new penalty would carry a maximum sentence of two years in prison.During an appearance by Fraser at Wednesday’s Senate question period, independent Sen. Paula Simons noted the list of terrorist entities does not include notable hate groups like the KKK, “which would mean that displaying a burning cross or a noose would not be captured ...

The U.S. ambassador to Canada on Wednesday warned federal and provincial governments to “seriously consider” whether anti-tariff advertising in the United States will help achieve Canada’s goals, adding he thinks the ads amounted to trying to “participate in our electoral politics.” Speaking at the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters’ national conference in Ottawa, Ambassador Pete Hoekstra took aim at an Ontario government-funded ad campaign that aired in the U.S. last month and quoted former U.S. President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.The ad prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend trade negotiations with Canada.“As far as we can tell, it has never happened in America before,” Hoekstra said, saying Trump and his administration were right to be upset over the ad.“If Canada wan...

People who know Pierre Poilievre say that what you see is what you get, that Pierre is Pierre, and he’s not about to change now. Back in the 2022 Conservative leadership campaign, this was presented as a positive trait. Unlike Erin O’Toole, freshly ousted by the Conservative caucus, Poilievre wouldn’t tell the party’s base one thing and then moderate or change his positions to appeal more broadly to the general public.But while sticking to your principles can be an admirable thing, it doesn’t make the business of winning elections any easier — particularly when Canadian voters have already rejected you once.And while those principles might not change, context constantly does. Poilievre was trouncing then-prime minister Justin Trudeau in opinion polls earlier this year, only to lose a doubl...

Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says she is troubled to hear the Parti Québécois (PQ) leader call for a “closer relationship” with the United States if Quebec were to become an independent country. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday, she said PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon wants “to make Quebec much weaker in the face of an America that is gaining enormous power,” adding that he risks “throwing Quebec into the arms of Donald Trump.”For several weeks, St-Pierre Plamondon has been gradually unveiling his Blue Book, which lays out his vision for a sovereign Quebec. Earlier this month, he presented an overview of its section on international relations. PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon with his wife, Alexandra Tremblay, in front of a crowd of PQ supp...

The Alberta cabinet minister in charge of primary care says legislation is coming — but won’t provide details — amid reports the province plans to let doctors work in the public and private health systems simultaneously as they see fit. “I can’t speak to the specifics of legislation before it gets into the house, but I am always looking for opportunities to make sure that Albertans have increased access to the supports and the resources that they need,” Adriana LaGrange told reporters at the legislature Tuesday.“I’ll have more to share in a little while.” The Globe and Mail first reported that, according to documents it had obtained, Alberta is considering legislative changes that would permit doctors to work under the public and private health systems as they see fit.The Globe report ...

The Alberta government has invoked the Charter’s notwithstanding clause for the second time in less than a month. In this case, to protect from legal challenge a trio of laws affecting transgender youth and adults. Bill 9, the Protecting Alberta’s Children Statutes Amendment Act, will amend the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2024, the Education Amendment Act, 2024, and the Fairness and Safety in Sport Act.Premier Danielle Smith says the move is necessary to protect children’s health and well-being, which she added could be jeopardized if challenges to the laws are tied up in court for a long time.“This government does not turn to the notwithstanding clause unless the stakes warrant it, and in this case, the stakes could not be higher,” Smith told reporters in a news conference Monday befor...

Housing starts in Canada appear to be slowing down, according to the latest data. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported on Tuesday that the annualized rate of housing starts fell 17 per cent in October compared with September of this year.Data from the same time period last year showed housing starts increased eight per cent from September to October 2024.Last month saw construction begin on 232,765 units compared with 279,174 units in September, according to the CMHC.A housing start is defined by the CMHC as the beginning of construction on a building where a dwelling unit will be located, and begins officially when the concrete has been poured for the footing of the structure, or an equivalent stage if there is no basement. Story continues below advertisement ...

Descrease article font size Increase article font size New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said premiers had a “productive” meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday, mainly to discuss the federal budget and progress on tariff talks with the United States. Noting the impact of U.S. tariffs on New Brunswick, Holt told reporters the group spoke about the plight of the softwood lumber industry and Carney indicated a “significant” new package is coming from the federal government.Ontario Premier Doug Ford also hinted that an announcement on steel and softwood lumber will be coming in the next “week or so.”“We talked about the budget, which was positive,” Ford told reporters Monday. “Told him we’re light on the infrastructure but I believe tha...