Politics

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...

As MPs get ready to vote on the federal budget, those in the auto sector say they’re concerned it fails to meet the needs of workers in the industry. The budget did include some aspects that auto sector officials noted can be helpful, such as the productivity super deduction to make it cheaper for businesses to invest in equipment, but they said there isn’t enough targeted on sectors heavily hit by U.S. tariffs.“The budget encompasses very large projects and really is lacking in direct support for autoworkers being affected by these tariffs,” said Jeff Gray, president of Unifor Local 222, which represents more than 8,000 active workers including those at Oshawa’s General Motors facility. The union also represents approximately 13,000 retired workers as well.Gray said he was pleased by rece...

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he will use the notwithstanding clause if necessary to make information from the sex offender registry public as he eyes changes to the system. Currently, the Ontario Sex Offender and Sex Trafficker Registry is accessible to police enforcement agencies but not to members of the public.On Monday, Ford indicated he was planning to change that.“We’re going to make sure the sex offender registry is out there in public,” he said. “And sure, we’re probably going to get shot down from the courts again, but I’ll use every single tool available to make sure we protect victims over sex offenders.”The premier said he would use the notwithstanding clause “in a heartbeat” to keep his planned law in place if a judge finds it unconstitutional. Story continues below ...

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene apologized over the weekend for her use of “toxic” commentary as the rift between her and U.S. President Donald Trump — seemingly triggered by his unwillingness to support her nomination for the Georgia state senate — continued to grow. In an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on State of the Union on Sunday, the Georgia representative, a once-staunch Trump ally and mouthpiece of the MAGA movement, said she was sorry for “taking part in the toxic politics,” arguing that it was “very bad for our country.”“It’s been something I’ve thought about a lot, especially since Charlie Kirk was assassinated,” she continued.Greene said she acknowledged she had participated in and stood in favour of harmful rhetoric.“I’m only responsible for myself and my own words and...

Descrease article font size Increase article font size The Liberal government’s federal budget will be put to a vote in the House of Commons Monday, setting up a critical test for Prime Minister Mark Carney. The budget vote will be a matter of confidence, which the minority Liberals will need to survive in order to remain in power.If the government falls, it could trigger a snap election — forcing Canadians to the polls for the second time this year.The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have already signalled they won’t support the budget, with each party saying it did not address their respective priorities.Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, the party’s sole MP, has called for stronger climate change commitments in order to earn her vote. ...

Ukraine is working to resume prisoner exchanges with Russia that could bring home 1,200 Ukrainian prisoners, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday, a day after his national security chief announced progress in negotiations. “We are … counting on the resumption of POW exchanges,” Zelenskyy wrote on X.“Many meetings, negotiations and calls are currently taking place to ensure this.”We are working to ensure another start to negotiations, so that after all there is a prospect to end this war. We are also counting on the resumption of POW exchanges – many meetings, negotiations, and calls are currently taking place to ensure this. I thank everyone who is…— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 16, 2025 Story continues below advertisement ...

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday to get rid of tariffs on a broad swath of commodities, including beef, coffee and tropical fruits. It’s part of a response to pressure from consumers who complain prices are too high. The move comes after voters in off-year elections earlier this month cited economic concerns as their top issue, resulting in big wins for Democrats in races in Virginia and New Jersey.The president signed the executive order after announcing that the U.S. had reached framework agreements with Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador and Argentina designed to ease import levies on agricultural products produced in those countries.Friday’s executive order amends his April 2 move to impose global “reciprocal” tariffs on dozens of countries due to what he decla...