Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today. Pierre Poilievre says his party will vote against the federal government’s request to spend $486.9-billion on government programs and transfers.
The federal Conservative Leader’s announcement today will be an early test of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s minority mandate. The Liberals have 169 seats in the House of Commons, three short of a majority. The Conservatives are the Official Opposition, with 144 seats, while the Bloc Québécois hold 22, the New Democrats seven and the Green Party one.
Stephanie Levitz reports that to pass anything through the Commons, the Liberals will therefore need the support of MPs from other parties. Meanwhile, Trans Mountain Corp. expects to pay Ottawa $1.25-billion this year. Emma Graney reports that the payment is due partly to record shipments on the federally owned oil pipeline and a refinancing deal that has reduced costs during the first year of its expanded capacity.
May 1 marked one year since the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline system began commercial operations to pump crude from Alberta to the West Coast. In 2018, Ottawa signed a $4.5-billion deal to buy the pipeline, and see through its expansion. However, costs increased to $34-billion.
Open this photo in gallery: Pierre Poilievre says his party will vote against the federal government’s request to spend $486.9-billion.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press This is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, curated by Ian Bailey . It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletter on our signup page What else is going on Mexico’s non-committal response to Carney’s G7 invite reflects domestic focus, Trump doubts: “I haven’t yet decided whether I’ll attend or not, but it’s a possibility.
I thanked him for the invitation,” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said this week. “We’re evaluating, given the current situation in the country, the possibility of attending.” Quebec tables bill to begin removing interprovincial trade barriers: Christopher Skeete, Quebec’s economy minister, tabled a bill today that facilitates the trade of goods from other provinces and the territories of Canada through a unilateral recognition of product manufacturing standards. Federal Justice Department invokes national security in case of elite soldier’s assault of spouse: The victim in the case and her lawyer accuse the federal government of using Section 38 of the Canada Evidence Act to avoid the embarrassment of the public knowing that an elite soldier had violently attacked his spouse.
Ottawa’s Rockcliffe Park designated a National Historic Site: In a ceremony today, Parks Canada formally offered the designation to the 1.8-square-kilometre neighbourhood that is home to members of Canada’s elite, and diplomats. On our radar Prime Minister’s Day: Mark Carney delivered remarks to the annual conference and trade show of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, held in Ottawa. Carney also met privately with federation President Rebecca Bligh and Carole Saab, the federation’s CEO.
Party Leaders: On Parliament Hill, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a news conference. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May attended the House of Commons, and was scheduled to speak to an evening gathering of the Young Politicians of Canada’s National Youth Roundtable. No schedules released for other party leaders.
Plante will skip NDP leadership race: Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante will not be seeking the federal NDP leadership when she leaves municipal politics this year after two terms in office. Her name has come up as a possible contender to succeed Jagmeet Singh, but her communications director Marikym Gaudreault said today she has no interest in the federal job. “Although she wishes to continue changing the world after her mandate – making society more just, inclusive and green – she has clarified that politics is just one of the many possible paths to achieving that goal,” Gaudreault said in a statement.
Ford and Moe: Doug Ford’s office announced the Ontario premier would be signing a memorandum of understanding with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe in Saskatoon on Sunday as first ministers gather for their first meeting in the province in about 40 years. No other details were provided. Sidhu in Paris: International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu will be in Paris for most of next week to attend the ministerial council meeting for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, participate in World Trade Organization meetings and host a G7 trade ministers’ meeting.
Quote of the Day: “I know that all members of this House, rarely united on anything, can unite behind this remarkable Oilers team.” – Conservative MP Mike Lake, during members’ statements in the House of Commons today, on the Edmonton Oilers. Question period Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke today to the annual conference of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Ottawa, then participated in a fireside chat with the federation’s president, Rebecca Bligh. Where is Bligh a city councillor?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer. Perspectives The lesson from history is quite clear: if a country is unwilling to spend enough to secure peace, it faces the prospect of a much bigger bill, both in dollars and human misery. — The Globe and Mail Editorial Board Canada wants to kill 400 ostriches.
Sadly, it’s the right thing to do. While I’m admittedly not an expert on pathogenic avian-influenza viruses, it seems to me that allowing a domestic poultry flock known to have been exposed to the H5N1 virus to subsist and therefore potentially allow the disease to persist, mutate and spread, would be a mistake. — Gary Mason, National Affairs Columnist Overstaffed, overpaid and underperforming, the CPP investment fund is in need of a sharp course correction.
CPP Investments is an organization that is literally out of control. It is long past time it was reined in and given new directions. — Andrew Coyne, Columnist Go deeper Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into?
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The answer to today’s question: Bligh has been a Vancouver city councillor since 2018.
