Politics

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...

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she’s open to adjusting aspects of Alberta’s industrial carbon pricing program, including the province’s industrial carbon price. The province announced last month it would maintain its freeze on the industrial carbon price at $95 per tonne through 2026, putting it out of step with the federal government’s backstop price, which is set to rise to $110 per tonne next year.Speaking to reporters Tuesday in Ottawa a day after meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney, Smith said Alberta believes its price strikes a balance between being viable for industry and encouraging private investment in green technology.She said the current $95 per tonne carbon price is still “open for discussion.”“That’s part of why we’re having a conversation about how we adjust some o...

Descrease article font size Increase article font size EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier headline incorrectly stated that the Liberals were axing the plan to let police access online data without a warrant. This has been corrected. They tabled new border bill legislation that does not include that provision, but say they will still pursue it under separate legislation. The Liberal government on Wednesday tabled a new version of its sweeping border security bill that removes a controversial proposal to make it easier for police to access Canadians’ internet data without a warrant.But Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said he still wants those “lawful access” powers, as well as other parts of Bill C-2 that raised privacy concerns, to be conside...

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office says he and U.S. President Donald Trump directed their teams to conclude work on making “material progress” on steel, aluminum and energy trade in “the coming weeks” after their meeting in Washington. Wednesday’s readout of Carney’s visit to the U.S. capital came after Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who accompanied Carney and is leading the U.S. trade negotiations, told reporters Tuesday that the goal was to “quickly land deals” on those sectors that have been hit by tariffs.“The Prime Minister and the President welcomed the progress achieved to date in building a new economic and security relationship between their nations,” the readout from Carney’s office said.“The leaders identified opportunities for material progress in trade in steel, ...

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick took an “aggressive” position against Canada’s auto manufacturing sector, Global News has learned, during a private discussion at a summit focusing on the relationship between the two countries. Lutnick, who was speaking virtually at the Eurasia Group’s U.S.-Canada Summit, suggested the Trump administration is increasingly focused on vehicle assembly based in the United States, according to multiple sources who heard the discussion.Lutnick, sources said, also suggested the White House has taken the position of “America first, Canada second.”While one source suggested the Lutnick was framing the position in a positive way – the Canadian economy could be complementary to the United States – another source viewed it as “there’s nothing Canada can do abou...

Former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty Wednesday to face a criminal case that has thrown a spotlight on the Justice Department’s efforts to target adversaries of President Donald Trump. The arraignment is expected to be brief, but the moment is nonetheless loaded with significance given that the case has amplified concerns the Justice Department is being weaponized in pursuit of Trump’s political enemies and is operating at the behest of a White House determined to seek retribution for perceived wrongs against the president.Comey entered a not guilty plea through his lawyer at the federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia, to allegations that he lied to Congress five years go. The plea kick-starts a process of legal wrangling in which defense lawyers will almost certainly move...

The federal Liberals are indicating they plan to revamp their border security bill in response to widespread concerns about its impacts on civil liberties and privacy. Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree has given notice to the House of Commons that he will introduce fresh legislation on borders and immigration as early as Wednesday.In June, the government tabled a bill that would give authorities new powers to search mail, facilitate police access to personal information and make it easier for officials to pause or cancel immigration applications.The federal government said the legislation was meant to keep borders secure, combat transnational organized crime, stop the flow of deadly fentanyl and crack down on money laundering.More than 300 civil society organizations called on Ott...

Descrease article font size Increase article font size Five premiers say Ottawa’s recent call for limits on the notwithstanding clause amounts to a “complete disavowal” of the bargain that spawned the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Constitution’s notwithstanding clause gives provincial legislatures or Parliament the ability to pass legislation that effectively overrides provisions of the Charter, though only for a five-year period. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. In a filing to the Supreme Court of Canada in a case on Quebec’s secularism law, Ottawa argues the constitutional l...

Concerns are growing over how the Liberal government’s new border security bill could be the “biggest overreach” into Canadians’ privacy in years by making it easier for law enforcement to access people’s online subscriber or client data — some of it without a warrant. The Strong Borders Act, or Bill C-2, would let police demand subscription information and transmission data from internet providers and other online companies under “reasonable” suspicion of a crime or for information that will assist in a criminal investigation.While the government insists the information collected will not include what’s in those communications — which will still be subject to a judge’s sign-off — legal experts, civil rights advocates and Opposition Conservatives say the bill could still violate Charter ri...

By Sarah Ritchie The Canadian Press Posted October 7, 2025 2:06 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size The protest group that signed up hundreds of candidates in recent elections went before a House of Commons committee today, where MPs asked them whether they’re actually achieving their aims. Tomas Szuchewycz represented the Longest Ballot Committee at a meeting of the procedure and government affairs committee.He was listed as the official agent for hundreds of people in recent elections, and his group signed up more than 200 people to run against Pierre Poilievre in the summer byelection that r...