Hello,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is taking on Alberta Premier Danielle Smith over her proposal to withdraw her province from the Canada Pension Plan and set up a made-in-Alberta alternative.
“Withdrawing Albertans from the Canada Pension Plan would expose millions of Canadians to greater volatility and would deny them the certainty and stability that has benefitted generations,” said a letter from Trudeau to Smith released today by the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Alberta’s withdrawal would weaken the pensions of millions of seniors and hard-working people in Alberta and right across the country. The harm it would cause is undeniable.”
There was no immediate response from Smith, but one was expected in a statement this afternoon. The Premier was also scheduled to take media questions at an unrelated announcement in Medicine Hat at 4 p.m. MT.
Institutional Investing Reporter James Bradshaw reports here on today’s pension development.
In Ottawa, Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, an Alberta MP, told journalists that ministers have been tasked to make sure Canadian pensioners know their pensions are going to be available to them.
“From my perspective as an Alberta minister in cabinet, this is a massive distraction on the part of the Alberta government,” he said as he arrived for the weekly Liberal caucus meeting.
Boissonnault also said Albertans he encounters are asking what the Canadian government can do to keep pensions in Canadians’ hands. “Albertans have lots of on their plate right now. Messing around with the pensions, politicizing pensions – not a good idea“
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 sign-up page. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
TODAY'S HEADLINES
Kinew is Manitoba’s new premier – Wab Kinew has been sworn in as Manitoba’s new premier. The leader of Manitoba’s New Democrats and the first First Nations premier of a Canadian province, along with members of his new cabinet, took the oath of office in a ceremony in Winnipeg.
Five Eyes intelligence chiefs warn that China is biggest threat to Western democracies – The alliance’s security chiefs held their first joint public meeting to warn against China’s theft of cutting‐edge technologies from democratic countries.
Ottawa asks banks to cut fees for mortgage holders – Ottawa is asking Canada’s largest lenders to reduce banking fees and help borrowers cope with higher mortgage costs, as Canadians grapple with high inflation and mounting expenses.
Scrutiny urged in African copper mine sale – A veteran of Canada’s mining industry is warning Ottawa should be prepared to scrutinize the sale of a massive African copper mine with an ownership structure that includes a company incorporated in British Columbia.
Two agencies promoting Sophie Grégoire Trudeau speaking events – After announcing her separation from Justin Trudeau in August, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is back on the public speaking circuit, with one U.S. speakers bureau calling her “the former unofficial First Lady of Canada.”
Greg Fergus starts his term as Speaker with high expectations – Prominent Black Canadians say they hope Greg Fergus can have a positive effect on racial equality in politics in Canada – even if they don’t think the new Speaker of the House of Commons can expect to have much of an effect on the tone of debate.
Government to begin sharing results of federal spending review next month, Anand says – Treasury Board President Anita Anand says final calculations are to come out at the beginning of March.
MPs vote to call witnesses on ArriveCan contracting – Members of Parliament voted unanimously Tuesday to call private contractors, senior government officials and the RCMP to answer questions after the national police force said it is investigating contracting linked to the ArriveCan app.
Quebec currency and its own army if Quebec becomes independent: PQ Leader – An independent Quebec would have its own currency and a peacekeeping-style army, the Leader of the Parti Québécois said Wednesday.
Business council urges Chrystia Freeland to avoid new spending in economic update – The Business Council of Canada is urging the Finance Minister to avoid new spending and to set a clear fiscal anchor focused on managing the growing cost of servicing debt.
Legault defends tuition hike for out-of-province students as means to protect French – Quebec Premier François Legault says the proposed move would help protect French by limiting the number of anglophones studying in Quebec. “It’s nothing against anglophones,” Legault told reporters. “This is to protect French.”
Trudeau expresses regrets to Zelensky over House tribute for veteran of Nazi-led unit in call – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has personally conveyed his regrets to Volodymr Zelensky about an incident in the House of Commons last month in which Canadian MPs and the Ukrainian President applauded a spectator who fought for a Nazi-led unit during the Second World War.
MPs block Conservative attempts to probe CBC coverage of Hamas attacks – Bloc Québécois, NDP and most Liberal MPs on the House of Commons public accounts committee voted Tuesday to shut down debate on a Conservative motion that would have prompted a study of the CBC’s coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
THIS AND THAT
Today in the Commons – Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, accessible here.
Deputy Prime Minister’s day – Chrystia Freeland held private meetings in Ottawa, attended the weekly Liberal caucus meeting, and was scheduled to join the Prime Minister at the CARICOM summit of Caribbean leaders in Ottawa.
In Ottawa – Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, at Space Canada’s Spacebound 2023 conference, made an announcement on satellite Earth observation.
PRIME MINISTER'S DAY
Justin Trudeau is playing host at a summit of leaders of the CARICOM Caribbean community organization of 20 countries, delivering opening remarks to the summit, chairing sessions on climate change and climate resilience, as well as access to finance and regional security and Haiti. In the afternoon, he was scheduled to meet with Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, and, in the evening, deliver remarks at a reception. There’s a story here on the summit.
LEADERS
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet was scheduled to attend Question Period.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attended Question Period.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, working remotely from her Vancouver-Island riding, attended the party caucus meeting, and participated virtually in Commons proceedings.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, in Ottawa, attended the party caucus meeting, then participated in Question Period.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, Report on Business columnist David Parkinson explains the relationship between the Bank of Canada and the federal government, how interest rates are set, and what changes might be worth considering when it comes to changing how Canada’s central bank works. The Decibel is here.
PUBLIC OPINION
Ontario PCs rebound – A new Abacus Data poll suggests Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives would win another majority government were an election held now, a finding that comes despite the challenges, including an RCMP investigation, that the government has faced over the Greenbelt scandal.
Time to go, voters tell PM – More than half of Canadians surveyed by the Angus Reid Institute say Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should step down, with even Liberal voters divided on the issue.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board on François Legault’s divisive lesson in language politics: “When Quebec’s governing CAQ party lost a by-election to the separatist Parti Québécois on Oct. 2, a chastened Premier François Legault did what he does best and went looking for a new windmill to tilt at. He found one in the province’s three anglophone universities.”
Grant Bishop (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on how after Supreme Court’s decision, Ottawa must urgently refocus its climate policy: “To avoid miring Canadian climate policy in protracted uncertainty, the federal government should promptly seek clarity on its jurisdiction for these proposed regulations by referring the questions around constitutionality directly to the Supreme Court.”
In’am Carere and Shawky Fahel (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on how Canada can do more to stop the humanitarian disaster in Gaza: “We are very pleased that Canada is giving $10-million in humanitarian aid to the region, and that it has called on Israel to respect international law. Canada needs to keep pressing Israel on this. The eminent American commentator Richard Haass, in an Foreign Affairs article entitled What Friends Owe Friends argues that Washington should tell Israel to stand back because its strategy is “flawed in both ends and means.” Canada and Israel have been friends. That friendship and our commitment to international law demand that we call upon Israel to stand back. Its ends are not clear, and its means are frightening.”
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.
Ian Bailey