National Newswatch

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Abbas Rana

Election buzz ramps up with Liberals poaching candidates from opposition parties and Conservatives starting nomination process

The Conservative Party of Canada has started the candidate nomination process across the country, according to an internal memo. Ottawa is buzzing with election speculation as Elections Canada lines up offices and recruits staff, Liberals poach candidates and MPs from opposition parties, and the Conservatives have formally launched nomination contests. “In a minority government context, the election could be called...

Alex Boutilier

Jivani’s trip to Washington has some Conservative MPs scratching their heads

Jamil Jivani’s solo mission to Washington has provoked confusion and consternation among some of his Conservative colleagues who want to avoid the party looking cozy with Donald Trump’s administration. Jivani, a friend of U.S. Vice-President JD Vance since they attended Yale Law School together, paid a visit to Vance’s office in what he described as an attempt to “build bridges”...

Peter Mansbridge, Chantal Hébert, Bruce Anderson

Good Talk -- Running From Behind: Why Pierre Poilievre Should Listen To A Winner

Not even a week after Pierre Poilievre's resounding victory at the leadership review vote in Calgary, the Conservative leader found himself struggling. Why? Because he seemed offside on strategy with the often referred to "Godfather" of his party, Stephen Harper. It was a big week for Harper as he was in Ottawa to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his first...

Sarah Ritchie

Candidate says he plans to run for Conservatives in Poilievre's former riding

Blair Turner, a police officer from the Ottawa area, says he plans to run for the Conservative nomination in Pierre Poilievre's former riding of Carleton. Turner ran for the Tories in Ottawa South in the most recent federal election in April losing to Defence Minister David McGuinty. Poilievre lost the seat he had held for 20 years and had to...

Stephanie Taylor

Questions swirl about where Poilievre will run, as Conservatives prepare for a possible spring election

With federal Conservatives preparing to be ready for an election as soon as this spring, one outstanding question the party must answer is where party leader Pierre Poilievre will run. The party has said it is launching its candidate nomination process and calls have also begun to past candidates, with a view to being ready by

Polls

Eddie Sheppard, David Coletto

Unlocking Homeownership: What Canadians Want from Housing Policy

Abacus Data, in partnership with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA), conducted a national survey to understand how Canadians view the housing crisis. This release examines the growing gap between the scale of the problem and the scale of the response, the balance between market and non-market housing, and the policy levers Canadians believe can make a real difference.

Carney Liberals dominate in new Mainstreet Research poll

The latest federal voter intentions from Mainstreet Research show a surge for the Mark Carney Liberals who now hold a 15 point advantage over the Conservatives. The latest snapshot was fielded over the weekend from January 31 to February 2, 2026 with a sample size of 1,276. This carries a margin of error of +/- 2.7 19 times out of...

Opinion

Michael Sangster

Canada Needs Choice, Flexibility, and Investment to Build Its Workforce

Andrew Coyne

Canada is uniquely unprepared for the dire national-security crisis we are now in

It is doubtful any country has ever been in quite the national security dilemma Canada now finds itself in: with so much land and so few people to defend it; wedged between two expansionist superpowers, one of which was until very recently our best defence against the other, but which has since become more or less aligned with it. The...

News

‘I didn’t make a mistake’: Trump says he won’t apologize for racist post about Obamas

U.S. President Donald Trump’s racist social media post featuring former U.S. president Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as primates in a jungle was deleted Friday after a backlash from both Republicans and Democrats who criticized the video as offensive. Trump said later Friday that he won’t apologize for the post. “I didn’t make a mistake,” he said. The...

Darren Major, Philip Ling

China overturns death sentence for Canadian Robert Schellenberg

China's top court has overturned the death sentence for accused Canadian drug smuggler Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian official told CBC News. The Supreme People's Court struck down the lower court's sentence on Friday. The source requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The New York Times first reported the news. Schellenberg had been found guilty...

Politician's Pen

Pierre Poilievre

Carney's Davos speech highlights that it is Liberal rhetoric that doesn't match reality

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s well-crafted and eloquently delivered speech at Davos has been widely noted, and I want to start by offering some praise of my own. The Prime Minister is right to restate what many have said for years: Canada must become more self-reliant, less dependent and work with like-minded countries to advance our interests. Conservatives are, as always...

Dominic Cardy

Diversification or Dependence? Ottawa Is Getting China Wrong

Opinion (Continued) More

Bob Rae

The Fight for Humanity’s Future: Now Comes the Hard Part

The speech heard round the world has had much impact. Mark Carney’s message to Canadians and everyone else has been widely quoted, lauded, analyzed, criticized and described as the most important speech on Canadian foreign policy since Louis St Laurent’s Grey Lecture at the University of Toronto in 1947. In discussing the speech this week with Ben Rowswell, former Canadian...

John Ibbitson

Why there’s an opportunity for Canada to help build new free-trade relationships

Every day, it seems, Donald Trump wields his presidential powers to undermine the Western alliance. Within the past week or so he has threatened new tariffs against Canadian aircraft exports, against South Korea and against any country (but principally Mexico) that sells oil to Cuba. And of course, there was his threat in January to annex Greenland and to tariff...

Justin Ling

For years, Canada has used a secret U.S.-run terror watchlist. Now Trump could use it against us

For decades, Canada has been using a secret, expansive, junk-ridden database of suspected terrorists, operated by the United States government. Known as Tipoff U.S./Canada — or TUSCAN — it serves as a form of no-fly list. Only this one is easier to be added to and harder to get removed from.

Sean Boyd, Ammar Al-Joundi

You Can’t Sustain a Nation on an Empty Stomach

Merran Smith, Bruce Anderson

Carney’s plan to double electricity supply would power a stronger, more resilient Canadian economy.

Don Newman

Danielle Smith is Playing with Fire

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is playing with fire. Depending on what happens in the next few months, that fire could consume Smith, her Alberta United Conservative Party government, the province of Alberta, and Canada as we know it today. As premier of Alberta, Smith is trying to play the dangerous game of appeasing the separatist movement in the province while...

Andrew Phillips

Yes, it’s treason to seek U.S. help in breaking up Canada

What an awfully nice, careful people we are. So reluctant to cause offence, even when someone spits in our collective eye. The tiny group of Alberta separatists, who are openly seeking support from a hostile Trump administration to break up the country are, at least in a political sense, spitting in our eye. They boast about meeting with U.S. officials...

Paul Wells

Poilievre Isn’t Pivoting. His Party Just Made That Very Clear - Conservatives want their guy to stay exactly the same

CONSERVATIVE DELEGATES’ resounding show of support for Pierre Poilievre’s leadership in Calgary is more interesting than a more tentative vote would have been. The way people talk about Poilievre in Ottawa and Toronto, including a lot of long-time Conservatives, suggests they think he’s trying to be like Prime Minister Mark Carney, and he’s bad at it. The weekend’s events in...

John Ivison

As others fall apart, Canadians are at long last coming together

The unveiling of Stephen Harper’s official parliamentary portrait has provided a moment of unexpected catharsis in Canadian politics. Speaking at an event hosted by the Royal Canadian Geographic Society this week, the former prime minister said there is a tendency in Canada to focus on past mistakes, at the expense of pride in the country’s achievements. The same might be...

Lawrence Martin

The overlooked story of Canada’s politics: The luck of the Liberals

As Conservatives celebrate the 20th anniversary of Stephen Harper’s first election victory this week, there’s a lot of chatter about what Pierre Poilievre can learn from his success. In 2006, Mr. Harper captured 36 per cent of the popular vote, and won. In 2025, Mr. Poilievre was a far better vote-getter, earning 41 per cent of the popular vote –...

Adrienne Tanner

Hands off the judiciary, Premier Smith

Another week, another great big beautiful ask from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith. This time, she is demanding a say in federal judicial appointments and is threatening to withhold some provincial funding to help pay for them if Prime Minister Mark Carney says no

Peter MacKay

Stephen Harper helped save the conservative movement — and the country

I first crossed paths with Stephen Harper in the late 1990s, but only briefly. I had just been elected as a Progressive Conservative, and he had by then moved on from a term in Parliament as a Reform MP to lead the National Citizens Coalition. He remained visible on the Hill due to his significant role in building the Reform...

Andrew Coyne

Separatism isn’t treason. Helping Trump take over Canada? That’s another matter

Suppose there were a country, let’s call it Outlandia, that declared its intent to annex Canada – to take over its territory and subject its people to its rule – if not by military means, certainly by economic. Now suppose a group of fellow travellers within Canada offered to assist Outlandia with its hostile takeover. Nothing violent, mind you, but...

Shannon Proudfoot

In Harper’s homecoming, a mood of celebration and caution

Just before the ceremony in downtown Ottawa in which Stephen Harper’s official portrait as Prime Minister would be unveiled on Tuesday afternoon, huge screens all around the room displayed a more ephemeral photo record of his time in office. The images highlighted what must have been most meaningful to him about that 2006-2015 chapter: the far north, the Canadian military...

Matt Gurney

I can’t believe this still needs to be said about Poilievre and Trump, but apparently it does

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had a pretty good convention. It seems to have been a well-organized affair, competently pulled off. Poilievre’s speech was well received, and he certainly has nothing to complain about regarding the 87-plus per cent support he got from party members for his continued leadership. So yeah. It’s mostly good news. But the man is facing some...

Tim Powers

What happens after the convention dust settles?

Credit to Pierre Poilievre: he worked hard to retain the leadership of the Conservative Party, and was rewarded with more than 87-per-cent support of those who attended the Calgary convention last weekend. Like the political opponent he long battled against—former prime minister Justin Trudeau—Poilievre has shown he is a political fighter. True, there were no current challengers for his job...

Andrew MacDougall

I worked for Stephen Harper and I believe Carney would not be PM without him

Without Stephen Harper, Mark Carney wouldn’t be Canada’s prime minister. As ironic as that sounds to say on the 20th anniversary of the first Harper government, I also believe it to be true, even if it might be impossible to prove. Where would Mark Carney be if Stephen Harper hadn’t appointed him to be the next governor of the Bank...

Peter Donolo, David Herle

Do Canadians really need to be hearing from Pete Hoekstra this much?

The official residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Canada is truly magnificent. Ringed by 10 acres of private, park-like grounds, the rambling mansion sits in splendid isolation from the surrounding Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood in Ottawa. This winter, Canadians should give its current inhabitant, Pete Hoekstra, more time to discover its many charms. Much, much more time. Since arriving in Canada...

Susan Delacourt

The Jean Chrétien-Stephen Harper show has lessons for Mark Carney

It was perhaps fitting that former prime ministers Stephen Harper and Jean Chrétien came out of the shadows to share the spotlight on Groundhog Day. While neither offered any clue on how long this winter will last, their 30-minute, convivial chat at the Royal Canadian Geographic Society on Monday offered some insights into how Mark Carney could aspire to stay...

John Ivison

Poilievre finally tackles the Trump test and looks more statesmanlike for it

The main criticism of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s convention speech on Friday was that in 40 minutes or so, he didn’t mention the words “Donald Trump” — or how he would respond to the president’s intimidation.

Jen Gerson

Poilievre will be proven right, eventually - Just ask him.

It’s hard to know what to make of Pierre Poilievre’s speech at the Conservative convention this weekend except to note that there is more information to be gleaned from that which was not said than that which was. On the one hand, it should be noted, the leader’s address to the faithful was conventionally conservative, tonally appropriate, and entirely safe...

Tasha Kheiriddin

Poilievre better figure out how to talk about Trump or it's over for him

The U.S. president is a preeminent concern for most Canadians. Pierre Poilievre did a lot right at the CPC convention last weekend. He got an 87.4 per cent approval rating, higher than most pundits predicted. He revealed a human side when he spoke about his autistic daughter and the family time he has sacrificed for politics. And he pledged to...

Lloyd Axworthy, Allan Rock

Why are Canadian arms fuelling foreign conflicts?

Canadians take pride in our country’s role as a principled voice for international law, arms control and responsible multilateralism. In 2019, when Canada acceded to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), there was strong public support for our government’s pledge that Canadian arms exports would never contribute to human-rights abuses.

James Moore

20 years of lessons learned from Stephen Harper

“I think this is it,” I said to my dad. “No, this can’t possibly be it,” he said in response. “No, this is actually it,” I said again. The “it” was our destination: a tiny tavern in the village of Quyon, Que. — about 45 minutes northwest of downtown Ottawa. That night at that tavern, the former member of Parliament...

News (Continued) More

Abigail Bimman, Stephanie Ha

Anand says ‘broader trade relationship’ not the focus of conversations with U.S. Secretary of State

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says she did not discuss the “broader trade relationship” between Canada and the U.S. when she recently met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington. “Both he and I are cognizant of the fact that the trade file rests with other ministers in our respective governments,” Anand said in an interview with CTV...

Dylan Robertson

Gov. Gen. Simon, Anand open new consulate in Greenland

Canada's new consulate in Greenland is officially open. The consulate has been operating quietly for several weeks but Gov. Gen. Mary Simon and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand are in Greenland's capital Nuuk for the ceremonial opening today. Anand raised a Canadian flag at the consulate and people gathered spontaneously sang O Canada, while they waved both Canadian and Greenland...

Olivia Stefanovich

Inuit delegation in Greenland for opening of Canadian consulate has a message for Trump: 'Back off'

Canada becomes one of the first countries to open a consulate in Greenland following U.S. president's threats. A delegation of Inuit from Canada is in Greenland for the official opening of the new Canadian consulate in the capital, Nuuk, with a stern message for U.S. President Donald Trump: "Back off." Those were the words of Susie-Ann Kudluk, vice-president of the...

Marlo Glass

Early retirement offer to federal public servants causing ‘chaos’ in public service: union

Key legislation that offers early retirement to some public servants is tied to the budget implementation bill, but Senator Peter Boehm, a former longtime public servant and deputy minister, said officials began planning for job reductions ‘some time ago' and aren’t waiting for legislation to go through. With federal public servants continuing to receive notices that their jobs may be...

Jenna Benchetrit,

Canada's unemployment rate ticks down, economy loses 25,000 jobs in January

Canada's unemployment rate ticked down to 6.5 per cent in January, but the economy lost 25,000 jobs, Statistics Canada said on Friday. The unemployment rate — the lowest since September 2024 — was the result of fewer people actively searching for work. The data agency also noted that the number of people who were neither employed nor looking for work...

Josh Pringle

Federal workers in office minimum 4 days a week ‘strengthening the public service,’ Treasury Board president says

The federal government’s new policy requiring public servants to be in the office for a minimum of four days a week, starting this summer, is about “strengthening the public service,” according to the Treasury Board president’s office. A directive issued late Thursday afternoon said, as of May 4, executives will be required to work onsite five days per week. All...

David Pugliese

Liberals’ Defence Industrial Strategy expected to be released next week

The Liberal government’s new Defence Industrial Strategy is expected to be released next week, according to industry officials who have been brief about rollout plans for the document. Defence Minister David McGuinty said in late October that the strategy, which will be a critical roadmap on how Canada spends its defence funding domestically, would be released no later than Christmas...

John Paul Tasker

20 years after his first election win, Stephen Harper steps back into the spotlight

22nd prime minister is speaking out and Canadians are giving his legacy a second look. After a decade at the top of the Canadian political pyramid, former prime minister Stephen Harper largely retreated from public life after his election loss in 2015. While he delivered the occasional speech, gave interviews to some podcasters and endorsed Conservative candidates and causes, Harper...

Raffy Boudjikanian

Government tables bill giving Build Canada Homes power to acquisition land

Agency would become Crown corporation if legislation passes. The federal government introduced legislation that would enshrine its housing agency as a Crown corporation on Thursday, giving it land acquisition authority as well as the ability to partner with private developers — as questions remain over the number of units it intends to build. "We are making a generational decision that...

Merran Smith, Bruce Anderson

Carney’s plan to double electricity supply would power a stronger, more resilient Canadian economy.

What’s Canada’s secret weapon to supercharge our economy? Something most of us rarely think about until it’s missing: electricity. Affordable, reliable energy sits at the centre of how we live and work, and how our industries compete. That’s why it was encouraging to see the Prime Minister meeting with provincial and territorial premiers to talk about doubling the power grid...

Stephanie Ha

Conservative MP Jivani says he’s ‘hopeful’ after ‘productive’ meetings with the White House

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani, who has had a long-time friendship with U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, says he had “positive” meetings with U.S. officials in his latest trip to Washington. “I’ve been having some very productive, promising and positive conversations with the White House, with the (U.S.) State Department, with senators representing border states that we do a lot of business...

Mike Blanchfield

In Greenland’s anxious capital, a show of solidarity from Canada and other allies

Canada will open a new consulate in Greenland on Friday, a show of diplomatic support as rattled Nordic islanders there react to President Donald Trump’s aggressive rhetoric about acquiring their homeland. In Nuuk, many say Trump’s attention is leaving them feeling ground down — and yearning to be left alone — in spite of allies in Canada and Europe rallying...

Catherine Morrison

Public servants ordered to work in-office 4 days a week starting in July

The federal government is ordering public servants to be in the office at least four days a week starting this summer, with executives expected to return to the office full time in May. A Treasury Board message to deputy department heads published Thursday said executives will have to work on-site five days per week starting May 4. All other employees...

Sean Boynton

U.S. would ‘absolutely not’ drop all tariffs if Canada did same: Bessent

The Trump administration would “absolutely not” eliminate all of its tariffs on Canada if Ottawa did the same for American goods, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday, citing Canada’s recent trade agreement with China and the threat of Chinese electric vehicles. During testimony in front of the U.S. Senate banking committee, Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana asked Bessent...

Wolfgang Depner

Former Conservative leader John Rustad might be running for his old job: report

Former B.C. Conservative leader John Rustad says he will "make himself available" to talk about a potential bid for his old job next week when the legislature resumes in Victoria. Rustad says he has "no comment" about a report, which says he has received and requested a leadership application, but promises to discuss the issue when the legislative session starts...

Lisa Johnson, Jack Farrell

Canadian Bar Association speaks out against Smith's judicial appointment demands

The Canadian Bar Association is speaking out against Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's call for more input on the selection of federal judges. Smith says if Alberta doesn't get more say on future judicial appointments to the province's superior courts and the Supreme Court of Canada, her government would hold back money those judges need to do their jobs.

Jack Farrell

Alberta's Smith owes answers before separation vote: former federal minister Dion

The former federal cabinet minister responsible for the law dictating what happens after a provincial separation vote says Premier Danielle Smith must answer questions before a referendum. Stephane Dion, a former Liberal leader, tabled the Clarity Act in 1999 after the unsuccessful referendum in Quebec four years earlier. The act says a vote with a clear majority in favour of...

Spencer Van Dyk

Energy minister won’t rule out Chinese state-owned companies from buying majority stakes in Canada’s oil patch

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson wouldn’t rule out allowing Chinese state-owned companies from buying majority stakes in Canada’s oil patch, when asked directly whether that would be a red line for the federal government. “We will look at every investment from every country against the Investment Canada Act, and we will accept investments that are a net benefit...

Ashley Burke, David Thurton

Goodbye EV sales mandate. Hello purchase rebates. Carney shakes up Canada's auto industry

Up to $5,000 business or lease incentives coming for EVs. Prime Minister Mark Carney is repealing Canada’s electric vehicle mandate that required all new car sales to be electric in a decade, scrapping another Trudeau-era environmental policy. Instead, Carney is taking his own approach by introducing stronger greenhouse gas emission standards for vehicle models 2027-2032 to encourage automakers to produce...

Budget watchdog says NATO 5% pledge to hike deficit by $63B

Prime Minister Mark Carney's pledge to NATO allies that Canada will spend the equivalent of five per cent of GDP on defence will cost the country an extra $33.5 billion a year, the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer says. A PBO report released today says all that extra defence spending will push up the federal budget deficit by $6...

David Baxter

MP Johns endorses McPherson, calls her a 'strong' choice for NDP leader

B.C. NDP MP Gord Johns endorsed his caucus colleague Heather McPherson for the NDP leadership on Thursday. Johns told The Canadian Press he's backing the Alberta MP because he sees McPherson as someone who can grow the party, noting she won her Edmonton riding for a third term. He said McPherson's ability to connect with voters and her broad knowledge...

Evan Dyer

U.S. interest in Alberta separatism raises red flags over what might come next

Russia used Ukrainian separatists as a Trojan Horse. Could it happen here? Communications between the Trump administration and Alberta's separatist movement raised alarm at the highest levels in Canada last week. It also raised questions about Washington's possible intentions. Some even see dangerous parallels between American efforts to inflame Alberta separatism and the Russian campaign to gin up a separatist...

John Paul Tasker

Stephen Harper says Canada must urgently reduce its dependence on the U.S. - consider hitting US goods with tariffs

Former prime minister says Canada should consider hitting U.S. goods with tariffs as trade war drags on. Former prime minister Stephen Harper said late Wednesday that Canada must urgently pivot in the face of an erratic U.S. president and reduce its dependence on the American market to protect its sovereignty and the continued functioning of the economy. Speaking at a...

Dylan Robertson

New Greenland consulate sparks hopes for joint action on climate change, defence

The launch of a new Canadian diplomatic mission in Greenland is sparking hopes for more collaboration on climate change, Inuit rights and defence in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's annexation threats. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is set to officially open the new consulate Friday in Greenland's capital Nuuk, where the Canadian consulate has been operating quietly for...

Catherine Morrison

Harper says Canada's difficulties can't all be blamed on Trump in gala speech

Former prime minister Stephen Harper says Canada must adapt to new geopolitical realities, arguing that many of the country's difficulties can't be blamed on U.S. President Donald Trump. Harper made remarks in front of a crowd of conservatives in downtown Ottawa on Wednesday for a gala dinner marking the 20th anniversary of his government. In his speech, Harper said Canada...

Salma Ibrahim

Conservative MP Jivani says Trump gave him a message for Canadians during Washington trip

Jivani is longtime friends with U.S. Vice-President JD Vance. Conservative MP Jamil Jivani says he met with Trump administration officials on Wednesday as he visits the United States capital on an independent trip billed as an effort to improve Canada-U.S. trade relations. Jivani said U.S. President Donald Trump gave him a message to share with fellow Canadians. "Productive meetings today...

Stephanie Ha, Mike Le Couteur

Carney, Poilievre say they want to work together after one-on-one meeting

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are pushing for collaboration after a one-on-one meeting on Parliament Hill on Wednesday. It was the first meeting between the two leaders in 2026 and coincides with the start of the winter sitting. In a post to X following the roughly 30-minute gathering, Carney said “we need Parliament to move swiftly...

Yasmine Mehdi

Taiwan's envoy to Canada says fear of China may be delaying trade deal

Taiwan's representative in Canada says he is concerned the Liberal government may be deliberately delaying the signing of a trade agreement with Taipei to preserve its relationship with China. Harry Tseng, the head of the Taipei's Economic and Cultural Office in Canada, told Radio-Canada that the negotiating teams from Ottawa and Taipei have initialed every page of the trade co-operation...

Nick Murray

Ottawa set to scrap EV mandate, launch $1.5 billion investment fund: sources

Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to announce a national automotive strategy Thursday which will scrap the electric vehicle sales mandate in favour of new vehicle emissions standards and revive consumer rebates for EV purchases. Ottawa is also set to announce an EV infrastructure fund, expected to be worth $1.5 billion. Government and industry sources, who were not authorized to...

David Baxter

NDP wants Carney to kill U.S. fighter jet contract in favour of Swedish aircraft

The NDP says it wants Prime Minister Mark Carney to cancel contracts for U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets -- including the 16 Canada already has committed to buying. Citing Carney's call for middle powers to work together in his World Economic Forum speech last month, Interim NDP Leader Don Davies says Canada should instead purchase Gripen fighter jets from the Swedish...

US Poli

‘I didn’t make a mistake’: Trump says he won’t apologize for racist post about Obamas

Stephen Groves, The Associated Press

Justice Department will allow lawmakers to see unredacted versions of released Epstein files

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Department of Justice will allow members of Congress to review unredacted files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein starting on Monday, according to a letter that was sent to lawmakers.

Mike Schneider, The Associated Press

Lawsuit challenges DeSantis' authority to call special session for redistricting

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis doesn't have the authority to call a special session to redraw Florida's congressional map in the middle of the decade since that power belong to lawmakers, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.

Anthony Izaguirre, The Associated Press

Mamdani endorses Hochul for reelection as New York governor

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul for reelection on Thursday, offering the moderate governor some progressive heft as she faces a challenge from her political left in her campaign for a second full term in office.

International

‘I didn’t make a mistake’: Trump says he won’t apologize for racist post about Obamas

Darren Major, Philip Ling

China overturns death sentence for Canadian Robert Schellenberg

Abigail Bimman, Stephanie Ha

Anand says ‘broader trade relationship’ not the focus of conversations with U.S. Secretary of State

Dylan Robertson

Gov. Gen. Simon, Anand open new consulate in Greenland

Washington Post to lay off a third of staff in newsroom and other departments

The Washington Post is laying off one-third of its staff in the newsroom and other departments, a brutal blow to one of journalism's legendary brands. The troubled Post began implementing large-scale cutbacks on Wednesday, including eliminating its sports department and shrinking the number of journalists it stations overseas. The changes were announced by executive editor Matt Murray in a Zoom...

Think Tank

Rebecca Vachon, Leonie Herx, Peter Tanuseputro

MAiD has become routine. Would it be if palliative care was more available?

Since the legalization of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in 2016, the federal government has created certain safeguards and regulatory mechanisms – including data collection – to ensure that people don’t request death because they lack access to care, including palliative care.

Dana Kleniewski

Investing in wetlands is an investment in our shared prosperity

Zach Paikin

Canada is not interested in White House boot licking. So what?

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s widely praised speech last week in Davos was most notable for its frankness in admitting the hypocrisy behind Western support for a selectively enforced “rules-based international order.” But it also pulled no punches in calling out the coercive measures that great powers — including the United States — are increasingly employing to advance their interests.

Substacks

A collection of SubStack publishing within Canadian public affairs.

Dean Beeby

Horns locked over dismal state of access to info

The head of Ottawa’s public service got an earful from the federal information commissioner about the dismal state of access to information – the sign of a growing rift between the Liberal government and Parliament’s watchdog on transparency. At a Nov. 12 meeting, Caroline Maynard presented Michael Sabia, clerk of the Privy Council, with statistics detailing the deterioration of the...

Dean Beeby

RCMP quietly gave awards to officers in N.S. mass murders

The RCMP has handed out 23 awards for excellence to officers and employees in Nova Scotia for their performance during the April 2020 mass murders, in which a gunman impersonating a Mountie murdered 22 people in cold blood.

Dean Beeby

Library and Archives waives access-to-info fee

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) gets a lot of flak for its processing of Access to Information Act (ATIA) requests, especially for its long delays to respond. But lately they’ve been doing a few things right.

Podcasts

Good Talk -- Running From Behind: Why Pierre Poilievre Should Listen To A Winner

‘Hang tight’: Why Quebec sovereignty and separatism are in the headlines again

Peter Mazereeuw speaks with Mireille Lalancette (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières) and Éric Bélanger (McGill University), the co-holders of the Quebec Research Chair on Democracy, Living Together and Common Values, about the rise in support for the provincial Parti Québécois, which has promised another referendum on leaving Canada.

Can Carney’s auto strategy save the industry from Trump?

Prime Minister Mark Carney drops Canada’s EV mandate as part of a plan to strengthen the auto sector in the face of U.S. trade threats. Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives strike a new collaborative tone. And Stephen Harper's calls for unity. Rosemary Barton hosts Chantal Hébert, Andrew Coyne and Althia Raj.

Carney's bump, Poilievre's challenge and the NDP's choice

The Writ Podcast is back for the 2026 political season, and what better way than to re-convene the Pollster Panel! Dan, Andrew and James are back to break down the state of public opinion in federal politics. What do they make of Mark Carney’s bump in the polls after his Davos speech? What challenges does Pierre Poilievre face after passing...