Friday, January 16

Politics

Carney to meet with Trump, Sheinbaum in D.C. as CUSMA future in question – National
Politics

Carney to meet with Trump, Sheinbaum in D.C. as CUSMA future in question – National

Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum when the three leaders are in Washington, D.C., for the FIFA World Cup draw, Carney’s office says. The event, which will decide the team matchups for the World Cup matches taking place in all three countries next year, will mark the first time this year that the three North American leaders are in the same place together.It was not immediately clear if Carney will meet with Trump and Sheinbaum together or separately on the sidelines of the FIFA event at the Kennedy Center.Friday’s meeting will mark the first official sit-down between Carney and Trump since the U.S. president suspended trade talks with Canada in October over Ontario’s anti-tariff TV ad campaign. The two spoke...
Carney ‘will have to answer’ questions after tax credit flip-flop, Liberal MP says – National
Politics

Carney ‘will have to answer’ questions after tax credit flip-flop, Liberal MP says – National

A British Columbia Liberal MP said Wednesday Prime Minister Mark Carney “will have to answer” questions on why he reversed a budget commitment on tax credits when he signed the Alberta energy deal. The memorandum of understanding between Ottawa and Alberta extends federal tax credits for carbon capture to enhanced oil recovery, overturning a commitment the federal government made in the recent budget not to do so.Speaking to reporters on his way into a Liberal caucus meeting, Liberal MP Patrick Weiler said Canada has a “a pretty clear stance” on moving away from inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and extending tax credits to enhanced oil recovery is a “step in the wrong direction.”“I think that’s a really important thing that the prime minister will have to answer about,” Weiler said.Enhanc...
Trump says he’s open to letting CUSMA expire – National
Politics

Trump says he’s open to letting CUSMA expire – National

U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States may either let the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) expire next year or negotiate a new deal. The deal, which he was instrumental in negotiating in 2018 and is referred to as CUSMA in Canada and USMCA in the United States, is up for review next year.“It expires in about a year, and we’ll either let it expire, or we’ll maybe work out another deal with Mexico and Canada,” Trump told reporters in the White House on Wednesday, when asked about the future of the deal. 2:35 Canada cuts counter tariffs against U.S. and China Canada and Mexico had “taken advantage” of the U.S., Trump said...
Key federal cabinet ministers set to address Assembly of First Nations – National
Politics

Key federal cabinet ministers set to address Assembly of First Nations – National

By Alessia Passafiume The Canadian Press Posted December 4, 2025 8:32 am Updated December 4, 2025 9:04 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size A handful of key federal cabinet ministers will address the Assembly of First Nations gathering in Ottawa Thursday, including Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne. But Energy Minister Tim Hodgson and Defence Minister David McGuinty — two ministers helping to advance Prime Minister Mark Carney’s major projects agenda — have...
Spy watchdog faces ‘difficult choices,’ fewer reviews due to budget cuts – National
Politics

Spy watchdog faces ‘difficult choices,’ fewer reviews due to budget cuts – National

The vice-chair of the National Security and Intelligence Review Agency says the spy watchdog will face “very difficult choices” about what it examines in coming years due to federal budget cuts. The federal budget presented last month included a plan to reduce government spending and save $13 billion annually by 2028-29.Most federal departments and agencies must find savings of 15 per cent over the next three years.The review agency, which keeps an eye on the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and several other intelligence organizations, expects to have less money due to the belt-tightening.Agency vice-chair Craig Forcese told a media briefing Wednesday there’s a good chance the watchdog will reduce the number of studies it does each year.Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree ack...
Ottawa’s ‘refreshed’ AI strategy delayed to next year, minister says – National
Politics

Ottawa’s ‘refreshed’ AI strategy delayed to next year, minister says – National

Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said Wednesday that an updated federal AI strategy is set to be released in 2026, a delay that he did not explain when testifying to parliamentarians. In September, Solomon told an AI conference in Montreal that the “refreshed” strategy will be tabled later this year, “almost two years ahead of schedule.”He told the House of Commons science and research committee in his opening statement that the strategy remains ahead of schedule, but instead said it will come “in the new year.”Solomon highlighted several investments the government has made in the past year in AI research and development, and to support Canada-based data centres and other infrastructure through a “sovereign compute strategy.”“We are investing in every aspect of this ecosystem,...
Long-delayed rules to help gun tracing not needed ‘at this time’: minister – National
Politics

Long-delayed rules to help gun tracing not needed ‘at this time’: minister – National

Canada’s public safety minister says the government is delaying long-promised regulations for marking firearms another two years because it’s focused on the impending national launch of the federal gun buyback program. The marking rules, which had been set to come into force on Monday, sought to require domestic manufacturers to label all new firearms with a serial number and country identifier to help law enforcement with tracing weapons used in crime.The government said in a notice last month that the rules — first proposed over 20 years ago — will now come into effect in December 2027, which will allow “additional preparatory time” for manufacturers “to take steps to comply with the regime when it comes into force.”That was the same justification given when the rules were delayed by two...
Carney says Algoma Steel loans ‘saved two-thirds’ of jobs despite layoffs – National
Politics

Carney says Algoma Steel loans ‘saved two-thirds’ of jobs despite layoffs – National

Prime Minister Mark Carney was pressed on Wednesday about whether or not his federal government was aware Algoma Steel was planning to lay off nearly 1,000 workers when it was given $400 million in loans from Canadian taxpayers. In response to questions from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Carney did not explicitly say whether he was informed ahead of time, but suggested Algoma Steel would have had to lay off even more workers without the loan.“These are difficult times in Sault Ste. Marie and our hearts go to them and their families. As I quote the CEO of Algoma Steel who said ‘it would be an even darker day if this government hadn’t acted,'” said Carney.“That loan, that support saved two-thirds of those jobs.” ...
Ford says he knew layoffs were coming before loaning Algoma Steel $100M
Politics

Ford says he knew layoffs were coming before loaning Algoma Steel $100M

Descrease article font size Increase article font size Ontario Premier Doug Ford acknowledged that his government was aware that massive layoffs at Algoma Steel were imminent, well before the province agreed to loan the company $100 million in taxpayer funds. The steel giant announced Monday it would lay off roughly 1,000 workers as a Sault Ste. Marie plant closure is being made to adapt to a “fundamentally altered” landscape in the face of tariffs from the United States.Weeks earlier, at the end of September, the Ontario and federal governments had partnered to loan Algoma a total of $500 million, 20 per cent of which was put up by the Ford government.“This direct support will help Algoma pivot its operations away from U.S. dependent markets ...
Ottawa pledges another $235M to Ukraine as NATO ministers meet – National
Politics

Ottawa pledges another $235M to Ukraine as NATO ministers meet – National

By Catherine Morrison The Canadian Press Posted December 3, 2025 11:56 am 1 min read Descrease article font size Increase article font size The government is pledging another $235 million in funding for Ukraine, with National Defence Minister David McGuinty and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand announcing Canada’s latest commitments. McGuinty says Canada will work with NATO allies to purchase a package of critical military capabilities sourced from the United States valued at around USD $500 million. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for br...