Hello,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says there will be no further exceptions on the carbon price made for other provinces.
“There will absolutely not be any other carve-outs or suspensions of the price on pollution. This is designed to phase out home heating oil the way we made a decision to phase out coal,” Trudeau told journalists today as he arrived for Question Period.
“This is specifically about ending the use of home heating oil, which is more polluting, more expensive and impacts low-income Canadians to a greater degree.”
Last week, Trudeau exempted home heating fuel from the carbon levy, prompting accusations that Ottawa has implemented a two-tier carbon pricing system that advantages voters in Atlantic Canada, a Liberal stronghold, while disadvantaging others.
Since then, the move has caused a political furor, with the Opposition and some premiers denouncing the move as aimed to bolster Liberal political fortunes.
Full story here by Senior Political Reporter Marieke Walsh.
This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Ian Bailey. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. If you're reading this on the web, subscribers can sign up for the Politics newsletter and more than 20 others on our newsletter signup page. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
TODAY'S HEADLINES
Chrystia Freeland convenes finance ministers’ meeting on Alberta pension proposal – The Finance Minister is holding the meeting Friday to discuss Alberta’s proposal to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan.
Five new senators appointed, representing Nova Scotia and New Brunswick – Former Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner, who was most recently Canada’s consul general in Boston, has been named a senator along with four others, all representing Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Canada, U.S. must spur critical mineral mining and refining, American envoy says – The U.S. ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, says the shift to clean energy from fossil fuels will succeed or fail depending on whether the countries can obtain a sufficient supply of critical minerals to make electric-vehicle batteries. Story here.
Doug Ford denies involvement in municipal land decisions – Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he was not involved in picking which land would be added to urban boundaries in several municipalities, including for properties associated with a developer friend, and that he ordered his new housing minister to reverse the policy when he discovered the changes were problematic.
Canadian economy stalls – The Canadian economy has stalled in recent months as higher interest rates weigh on growth, bringing the country to the brink of a mild recession.
Head of York student union won’t retract statement on Hamas attack – The president of York University’s undergraduate students’ union says the university is trying to silence the group by threatening to withdraw its certification in response to a statement that provoked widespread outrage after the Hamas attack on Israel. Story here.
Federal government expands drug strategy to prevent more overdoses, provide additional services - The federal government is expanding its drug and substance use strategy to try to save more lives and provide more services to people disproportionately affected by Canada’s overdose crisis. Story here.
B.C. commits to mandatory Holocaust education for Grade 10 students – British Columbia has plans to make Holocaust education mandatory for high-school students, with additions to Grade 10 curriculum coming in 2025.
Macklem says Bank of Canada could cut rates before inflation reaches target – Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said the central bank could begin cutting interest rates before inflation is all the way back to target, although he said that discussion about loosening monetary policy is still a ways off. Story here.
NCC beginning Rideau Canal Skateway preparations after the season that never was – The National Capital Commission is starting work this week on an Ottawa staple that was sorely missed last winter, namely the early steps to prepare the Rideau Canal for its transformation into the world’s largest skating rink.
THIS AND THAT
Mansbridge joins communications firm – Veteran journalist Peter Mansbridge, the former chief correspondent of CBC News and anchor of The National, has been named senior counsel at the Ottawa-based marketing and communications firm spark*advocacy.
“His unparalleled experience, deep understanding of the media landscape, as well as great storytelling abilities, will help to build upon the current mix of experience and services at spark*advocacy,” Perry Tsergas, president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “Clients and colleagues alike can expect to benefit from Peter’s unique insights.”
In recent years, since leaving CBC, Mansbridge has been host of The Bridge podcast, writer of The Buzz weekly newsletter, and written books, with his fourth, How Canada Works, due out next month from Simon and Schuster. The Politics newsletter reached out to Mansbridge for comment on where his new professional move leaves his journalism career. Here’s his response:
“Thanks for asking and I appreciate the chance to reply. ... I’m in Scotland this month playing a bit of golf and doing some new writing.
“It’s been seven years since I’ve been in journalism as I used to define it. After I retired from the CBC I moved into commentary which is how I classify the work I do now and will continue to do ... from my podcast, the newsletter, the occasional documentary, the books I write, and the company I own that manages my speeches. I am even a part owner in a restaurant in Ottawa. Bottom line, none of what I do now is a newscast and I constantly make that clear when giving my opinion on subjects.
However, I remain a big believer in what I left behind when I retired, solid day-to-day journalism and I have chosen to personally fund promising journalism students with major new projects at three universities – King’s, Carleton and UBC.”
GG and Halloween – One of Ottawa’s most venerable addresses will be in the Halloween spirit today. Rideau Hall, the residence of Governor-General Mary Simon, will be open to trick-or-treeters. Simon and her staff will be handing out goodies to anyone who comes by the residence, her office said in a statement. However, the Halloween spirit ends at 8 p.m.
Today in the Commons – Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, accessible here.
Deputy Prime Minister’s day – Private meetings in Ottawa. Chrystia Freeland also attended the weekly cabinet meeting and, with Treasury Board President Anita Anand and Housing Minister Sean Fraser, made an announcement.
In Ottawa – Immigration Minister Marc Miller released a report on immigration and plan to improve Canada’s system. U.S. Ambassador David Cohen delivered a keynote address to the Canadian Club of Ottawa on topics including the Canada and U.S. partnership and serious challenges to peace and a rules-based world order. He also took audience questions.
Commons committees – Former Research-In-Motion co-chief executive officer Jim Balsillie, in his current role as founder of the Centre for Digital Rights, is among the witnesses at a hearing of the industry and technology committee on Bill C-27, an act relating to privacy, data, and AI systems. Jean-François Bélisle, director and chief executive officer of the National Gallery of Canada, appears before the Canadian heritage committee on his appointment to the post. Lorenzo Ieraci, the department of public works assistant deputy minister, policy, planning and communications, appears before the public accounts committee on issues around a storage building at Rideau Hall. Veterans Affairs Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor and Canadian Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge are at the veterans affairs committee’s hearing on a national monument to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan. Justice Minister Arif Virani appears before the justice and human rights committee on Bill C-40, an act to amend the Criminal Code. The government operations and estimates committee hears witnesses on the ArriveCan app.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
Justin Trudeau held private meetings, chaired the weekly cabinet meeting and attended Question Period.
LEADERS
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet was scheduled to deliver a speech in the House of Commons on a Bloc motion to ask the government to review its immigration targets as of 2024, after consulting with Quebec, the provinces and territories. He was also scheduled to take media questions.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May participated virtually in Parliament from her Saanich-Gulf Islands riding. She was also scheduled to speak virtually to an event marking the 175th anniversary of the foundation of the University of Ottawa and St. Paul University by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, in Ottawa, held a news conference on the cost of living, and participated in Question Period.
No schedule provided for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
THE DECIBEL
The Globe and Mail’s justice reporter Sean Fine is on today’s edition of The Globe’s podcast to talk about the appointment of Mary Moreau to the Supreme Court of Canada and what the Chief Justice of the Alberta Court of King’s Bench will bring to the court. The Decibel is here.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board on the growing case to act against shrinking competition: “The state of competition in Canada is easily summarized in a few words: lacklustre and getting worse. A Competition Bureau report, released in mid-October, detailed what’s gone wrong over the past two decades. The findings mirror what Canadians see and feel every day as they face few options for basics such as groceries, banking, and telecom.”
André Picard (The Globe and Mail) on how paying more attention to the health and social benefits of libraries is overdue: “As libraries do more and more, they are struggling to meet all these new demands because of stagnant or shrinking funding. A new report from the Canadian Urban Institute and the Canadian Urban Libraries Council makes the point that libraries are as essential a service as other municipal services such as transportation, sanitation, and policing, but are not getting their due.”
Tanya Talaga (The Globe and Mail) on how those who pretend to be Indigenous only distract from the things that really matter: “The very act of someone claiming to be something they have no real clue about makes me shake with anger. I am a Status Indian under the Indian Act – rights that my ancestors and First Nations women fought for. My community is Fort William First Nation. What’s more, those who pretend to be Indigenous distract from what really matters: the emergencies in our communities.”
Sally Armstrong (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on how intimate partner violence is not a women’s issue: “There are two questions to ask after the dreadful killings two weeks ago of one woman and three children, and the wounding of another woman, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., by a man who killed himself soon after. The first question is: Why are we only talking about how to better protect women? The second is: Where are the men, and, in particular, corporate and political leaders, in responding to this abomination that has been going on as long as we’ve been tracking crime?”
Rob Shaw (Prince George Citizen) on how B.C. Premier David Eby needs to realize Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn’t want to be friends: “Always, Eby goes out of his way to make complimentary remarks about the progress the two governments are making on the big issues facing voters today. What did all that relationship-building get our premier? Blindsided Friday by Trudeau’s announcement on changes to the carbon tax that will put British Columbia in a financial and political jam.”
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Ian Bailey