TRENDING TODAY
B.C. NEW BUDGET WITH MORE DEBT AND HIGHER TAXES — Brenda Bailey is defending B.C.’s new budget as critics slam it for rising debt, a projected $13.3 billion deficit, public sector cuts, and delays to key projects. The plan also raises the base income tax rate by 0.54 per cent — the first increase in 26 years.
POILIEVRE DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM JIVANI’S REMARKS — Pierre Poilievre said Ontario MP Jamil Jivani does not speak for the party after Jivani told Breitbart News that Canada was hurting itself with an “anti-America hissy fit.” Poilievre rejected the remarks when asked if he agreed with them.
CUBAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS MOSCOW — Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla visited Moscow for talks with Russian officials as Cuba grapples with blackouts and fuel shortages worsened by a U.S. oil embargo. He met with his counter part Sergey Lavrov and was scheduled to see Vladimir Putin. Lavrov called on the U.S. to lift its blockade, which has hindered Cuba’s ability to import oil after Donald Trump threatened tariffs on countries supplying it.
UNJUSTIFIED NO FLY LIST — A newly released report from one of Canada’s intelligence watchdogs says the federal government at times kept individuals on the country’s no-fly list without lawful justification.
POLICY DIGEST
ANALYSTS SAY DIVERSIFYING DEFENCE PROCUREMENT WILL BE A CHALLENGE — Mark Carney unveiled his government’s new defence industrial strategy Tuesday, pledging to strengthen Canada’s defence sector and expand partnerships beyond the United States. However, analysts caution the plan will fall short without effective implementation.
STRONG BORDERS ACT IS BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD — Following widespread criticism of last spring’s Strong Borders Act rollout, the Mark Carney government is reworking its approach and considering a narrower bill that would grant additional search powers to police and intelligence agencies, according to a report by the National Post.
COLDER WEATHER CONTRIBUTED TO HOUSING SLOWDOWN ACCORDING TO CREA — The Canadian Real Estate Association says colder winter weather contributed to a slowdown in January home sales, which fell 5.8 per cent month over month nationwide. Senior economist Shaun Cathcart noted the decline was especially pronounced in parts of Ontario hit by harsh conditions, according to CBC News.
CANADA’S MAID DEBATE — Canada has some of the world’s most permissive MAID laws, allowing eligibility for those whose death is reasonably foreseeable or who have an incurable condition. The policy has sparked growing debate and court challenges, including calls for reform after cases involving mental illness. Ottawa has postponed until 2027 a decision on extending eligibility to those whose sole condition is mental illness.