Politics

The House of Commons could rise as early as Thursday for the winter break — without the Liberals passing their lengthy budget implementation bill. The House calendar officially has MPs in their seats until Friday but they could agree to break for Christmas before the end of the day. They are scheduled to return to the House on January 26.House Leader Steven MacKinnon said Wednesday his government has “accomplished an incredible amount” during the fall sitting, pointing to budget and crime bills which have yet to become law.It’s the first full sitting since Prime Minister Mark Carney took office in the spring, after which MPs passed legislation that aims to make it easier to get major projects built in the country and remove interprovincial trade barriers.Asked Wednesday how he thought this...

Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing back on the suggestion that the U.S. may be considering pulling out of North America’s trilateral free-trade pact. When The Canadian Press asked the prime minister if he was open to separate bilateral trade pacts if the U.S. withdraws, Carney replied, “That’s not what they’re saying.”U.S. Trade Representative Jamison Greer said in a public talk on Wednesday that the continental free-trade pact could be exited, revised or renegotiated — and that “all of those things are on the table.”Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations who has been a lead negotiator on trade talks this year, told The Canadian Press that he has no reason to believe the Trump administration is preparing to tear up the free trade agreement.“We believe, based...

Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne on Wednesday defended his efforts to protect auto manufacturing jobs in Ontario while facing sometimes personal attacks from Conservative MPs over the fate of Stellantis workers in Brampton. Champagne, in his previous role as industry minister, helped negotiate two federal contracts with Stellantis that are now under scrutiny, after the company announced in October it will shift planned production of the Jeep Compass from its Brampton plant to the U.S.During testimony at the House of Commons industry committee, Champagne said the government secured “a number of covenants” from Stellantis that protected workers and the company’s presence in Canada.“I’ve met with a number of the workers (in Brampton) and they know we fought nail and tooth to make ...

By Jack Farrell The Canadian Press Posted December 10, 2025 2:33 pm Updated December 10, 2025 3:28 pm 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size Elections Alberta announced Wednesday a recall petition has been issued for Premier Danielle Smith and two more of her United Conservative Party cabinet ministers. The petitioner seeking to oust the premier, Heather VanSnick, says in her application that Smith has been ignoring local constituents and experts in developing policies.“Ef...

Alberta’s governing United Conservatives stayed up into the early pre-dawn hours of Wednesday morning to pass a bill that marks the fourth time in under two months they have used the Charter’s notwithstanding clause. Members of Premier Danielle Smith’s caucus used their majority to pass on third and final reading a bill affecting transgender citizens.The UCP members pounded their desks and shouted “Hear, hear!” after the 2:20 a.m. vote while members of the Opposition NDP — who voted against the bill — shook their heads.Smith was not in the chamber for the final vote.The bill moved quickly through the evening as the United Conservatives used their majority to limit discussion to one hour in each of the final two debate stages.The bill confirms the government’s intention to use the notwithst...

By Kyle Duggan The Canadian Press Posted December 10, 2025 8:26 am Updated December 10, 2025 8:51 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra is downplaying concerns that America’s new national security strategy could lead to his government supporting politically aligned parties in Canada. While Hoekstra says he doesn’t see the U.S. getting involved in domestic politics, he accuses Ontario of doing just that by running an ad on America...

Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, said Tuesday she will be leaving her diplomatic post in the new year, after serving as the top envoy representing Canada in Washington, D.C., since 2020. Hillman this year has helped lead the on-and-off, sometimes tense negotiations for a new trade deal with the Trump administration.“I look forward to coming home and sharing more about my next steps,” she said in a statement posted on X.Hillman said she has informed Prime Minister Mark Carney of her decision.“Most recently, as the Canada-U.S. relationship is being rewritten, I have been deeply grateful for Prime Minister Carney’s strong leadership and for the confidence that he has placed in me,” she wrote in her statement.“While there will never be a perfect time to leave, this is the righ...

Descrease article font size Increase article font size Justice Minister Sean Fraser is set to announce updates to Canada’s Criminal Code on Tuesday, aimed at protecting minors and other victims against predators, his office said in a statement. The changes are “one of the most consequential updates to Canada’s Criminal Code in generations to confront modern threats and protect victims,” Fraser’s office said.The “generational reforms” are intended to “protect victims and keep kids safe from predators,” the statement added. 3:26 Liberals vote against Tory bail reform motion, vow opposition will be ‘happy’ with new legislation ...

An effort by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to force the Liberal government to reaffirm its commitment to a new pipeline to the West Coast will face a debate and recorded vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday. The motion also seeks to get a commitment from the Liberals to override the northern British Columbia oil tanker ban if necessary in order to get that pipeline built, despite opposition from Coastal First Nations and the B.C. government.It directly cites language in the memorandum of understanding signed between Ottawa and Alberta last month that sets the stage for a bitumen pipeline that will increase oil exports to Asia from a yet-unnamed deep-water port in B.C.The agreement includes a federal commitment to “enable” such a project, “including if necessary through an appropr...

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he may impose “very severe tariffs” on fertilizer from Canada “if we have to” in order to bolster domestic production. Trump made the comment while taking questions from reporters during a roundtable event at the White House where he announced a US$12-billion tariff relief fund for American farmers, who have been facing rising costs for agricultural inputs like seed and fertilizer amid Trump’s global trade war.“A lot of (fertilizer) does come in from Canada, and so we’ll end up putting very severe tariffs on that, if we have to, because that’s the way you want to bolster here,” Trump said.U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her department and others were working on a plan to reshore fertilizer production to the U.S., while also directing f...