TRENDING TODAY
LIBERALS LEAD WITH 9 POINTS – The Liberals are leading with 43% with the Conservatives trailing far behind with 34%. Liaison notes that the Liberals still hold a competitive advantage in Ontario and Atlantic Canada that is providing them with a significant buffer, while the Conservatives remain competitive in western Canada.
REFUGEE HEALTH PROGRAM WILL BALLOON TO $1.5 BILLION ANNUALLY – The PBO now estimates that the federal government’s refugee health program will skyrocket to $1.5 billon by 2030 following an audit that revealed that health benefits were being granted to asylum seekers whose claims were rejected.
SUPREME COURT NULLIFIES ONE VOTE WIN – The SCC annulled the results of the Montreal-area riding of Terrebonne after a Liberal MP won with just 1 vote. The Bloc Quebecois has initially won but a judicial recount found the Liberals had won by one vote. The Bloc candidate called on the courts to annul the results and call a new election after a misprint on mail-in ballots saw several returned to voters.
QUEBEC LIBERAL PARTY WELCOMES NEW LEADER – The Quebec Liberals welcomes CHARLES MILLIARD as the new head of the Quebec Liberal Party in Trois-Rivières, Que., on Sunday, days after he was acclaimed in a leadership race that no one else joined.
CANADIAN PASSPORT HOLDERS CAN TRAVEL TO CHINA VISA-FREE – Starting Tuesday, Canadians can travel to China visa-free. Marking the next step in the thawing relations between Canada and China.
CHRYSTIA FREELAND VIOLATED ELECTION RULES – Former deputy prime minister and cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland violated election rules during a 2024 byelection, the Commissioner of Canada Elections said on Friday. Freeland offered support for Liberal candidate Leslie Church while giving a press conference following a government announcement. These comments would constitute a contribution to Church's campaign while using government resources.
POLICY DIGEST
“ILLEGITIMATE” MEDIA – Heritage Minister Marc Miller told the Commons heritage committee that Canadians should be wary of “illegitimate” media as part of efforts to protect social cohesion. Drawing a link between the role of the CBC and combating disinformation.
CANADA ONLY NON-EUROPEAN NATION TO JOIN SAFE – Canada has joined the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program that offers member states loans to invest in defence capabilities in an effort to rearm European nations in the face of Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine.
CANADA BETS ON BUILD AT HOME DEFENCE STRATEGY – Canada’s new defence industrial strategy sets out bold benchmarks, including buying and maintaining most of our military equipment domestically. Setting the goal of awarding 70% of federal defence contracts to Canadian firms, and raising the serviceability rate of military equipment.
CANADA SENDS TRADE DELEGATION TO MEXICO – A Canadian trade mission sent to Mexico this week could produce deals by early spring and is Canada’s most significant mission to Mexico according to Minister LeBlanc.
U.S. BILL AIMS TO PROTECT NEW GORDIE HOWE BRIDGE – Democratic U.S. Representatives from Michigan have launched a bill that would stop President Donald Trump’s threatened roadblock of the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION HAS THE WORST JOB MARKET IN CANADA – The Ottawa-Gatineau region has suffered the steepest losses, faring much worse than cities affected with tariff-hit industries such as steel and autos. As federal cuts to the public service ramp up, the fallout will only deepen. Employment in the NCR fell 3.5% from the year before, roughly 32,000 jobs.