Conservative leadership rivals Jean Charest and Pierre Poilievre, who have been trading sharp rhetorical blows during the campaign, are now at odds over child-care policies.
Mr. Charest, the former Quebec premier, said that as prime minister, he would keep child-care deals that the Liberal federal government has signed with the provinces and territories and also expand access to the Canada Child Benefit to the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy.
Both ideas were among a series of policies released on Tuesday revolving around child care.
In a statement, Mr. Charest’s campaign said child-care costs don’t begin after birth so eligibility for the Canada Child Benefit would be moved to the second trimester of pregnancy to give families a financial cushion.
The campaign also said that a Charest government would introduce a rebate of up to 75 per cent of child-care expenses for lower-income families whose children do not use subsidized daycare, and make rebates payable monthly.
But Mr. Charest’s plan was quickly dismissed. On Tuesday, the Poilievre campaign said in a statement: “When Jean Charest was Liberal premier in Quebec, he did nothing to support choice in child care and discriminated against families that did not use state-based care.”
The campaign added that Mr. Charest “also made life for expensive for families” by raising the Quebec sales tax, fuel tax and bringing in a health tax.
Referring to the federal Liberal child-care plan, Mr. Poilievre’s campaign said it promises affordable daycare, but he will wait to see if the latest promises are any different before announcing plans to reduce costs and expand choice for all parents.
Meanwhile, Conservative candidate Patrick Brown, mayor of Brampton, Ont., targeted Mr. Poilievre – and the Prime Minister – in a statement on the child-care issue.
“Unlike Pierre Poilievre, I would honour agreements signed with the provinces on affordable daycare, and unlike Justin Trudeau, make sure those daycare spots are actually built out. I would also recognize that Canadians need choice in how to raise their families,” said the statement.
Mr. Brown made several commitments on the issue, including a system of tax credits and direct contribution to “value the labour provided by extended family members in raising children.” He also said he wants to make it easier for extended family members living abroad to come to Canada to provide child care for new Canadian families. In addition, he said he would ensure that parents working in gig-economy jobs or who have started small businesses have equal access to parental leave benefits as others currently do.
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TODAY’S HEADLINES
EX-AFGHAN INTERPRETERS SEEK MPS’ HELP – Former Afghan interpreters for the Canadian military pleaded with MPs on Monday to “listen to our cries” for help, saying family members stranded in Afghanistan are running from safe house to safe house to escape Taliban reprisals. Story here.
BY-ELECTION RESULTS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT QUEBEC LIBERAL PROSPECTS – Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade Tuesday shouldered part of the blame for her party’s dismal performance in Monday’s by-election in Marie-Victorin, saying her message is not getting through and many Liberals simply sat out the vote. The results come ahead of a provincial election set to take place on or before Oct. 3 this year. Story here from The Montreal Gazette.
VALIDITY OF ALBERTA VOTE QUESTIONED – Alberta’s United Conservative Party is more than a month away from declaring the results of its leadership review, but the validity of the outcome is already under scrutiny. Story here.
GREENSPON DEFENDING LICH – A high-profile criminal defence lawyer in Ottawa has been hired to defend one of the leading figures of the trucker convoy. Lawrence Greenspon will represent Tamara Lich, the organizer behind a $10-million GoFundMe supporting the convoy, as she seeks to change some of her bail conditions. Story here from CTV.
REGULATOR NOT EQUIPPED TO OVERSEE LEGISLATION: CRITICS – Former leaders of Canada’s broadcasting and telecom regulator say the body is not able to oversee the implementation of the federal government’s legislation requiring major tech giants, such as Google and Facebook, to pay Canadian media outlets for news content that appears on their platforms. Story here.
`I DON’T CARE’: MOE ON SASKATCHEWAN HIGH CARBON EMISSIONS – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is standing by comments he recently made over the province’s environmental record. During a speech, Mr. Moe said that “A lot of folks will come to me and say, ‘Hey, you guys have the highest carbon emissions per capita.’ I don’t care,” said Moe. Story here from CBC.
ONTARIO’S NDP AND LIBERALS OUTLINE ELECTION OFFERS – Ontario’s NDP is promising to implement a minimum wage of $25 an hour for registered early childhood educators if the party forms government. Story here. Meanwhile, the Ontario Liberals have announced that they would establish $10-a-day before and after school care, provide a parental leave top up and bring back pay transparency legislation in a slate of election platform items aimed at women. Story here.
CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP RACE
LEADERSHIP DEBATES SCHEDULED – Candidates for the leadership of the federal Conservative Party are to participate in debates on May 11 in Edmonton and May 25 in Montreal. The first debate will be in English and the second in French. Party organizers are reserving the right to add a third debate in early August. Details of the debate schedule were released Monday. A week ahead of each debate, candidates are to receive a list of debate topics to be covered in questions. Details of the style and format of the debates will be released later in April. Candidates are also being asked to prepare a two-minute introduction video, to be played ahead of the debates.
THIS AND THAT
TODAY IN THE COMMONS – The House is adjourned until Monday, April 25, 2022 at 11 a.m. (EDT).
SENATE ACTION ON CPR TAX EXEMPTION – The Senate has adopted a resolution authorizing an amendment to the Constitution of Canada that ends a century-old tax exemption for the CPR enacted when the province was formed in 1905. “To continue with a tax exemption in the 21st century, which was granted to the CPR in the 19th century, would be fundamentally unjust, unfair, unreasonable and an undeserved economic hardship on the residents of Saskatchewan” Senator David Arnot, from Saskatchewan, said in a statement. “I am so pleased that this inequity has been corrected.”
THE DECIBEL
On Tuesday’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, health reporter Carly Weeks, having followed vaccination uptake in Canada since the beginning of the pandemic, talks about how there’s been a lack of clear messaging around boosters, why more Canadians should be getting a third (or even fourth) dose and what a COVID-19 vaccination schedule may look like in the future. The Decibel is here.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
In Edmonton, the Prime Minister held private meetings, was scheduled to do a live interview on 92.7 CKJS’s Good Morning Philippines, made an announcement highlighting federal budget tax cuts for small businesses and visited a local small business. The Prime Minister was also scheduled to visit a nature-based solutions lab to focus on investments in green technologies. At 8 p.m., an interview with the Prime Minister is scheduled to air on CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
LEADERS
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh spoke at the South Asian Canadian Legacy Project launch at city hall in Surrey, B.C., and was scheduled to speak virtually to the annual general meeting of the NDP in the riding of Edmonton Griesbach.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Boardon why paying people to buy an electric car is a really expensive way to cut emissions: “And a subsidy to buy a car is regressive, since the money only goes to those wealthy enough to own a car, and is in part paid for by poorer taxpayers riding the bus. There’s also the problem of “free ridership” – that some people who got taxpayer cash for buying an EV were going to buy one anyhow. In such cases, the subsidy is expensive, regressive and not even buying any emission reductions.”
Gary Mason (The Globe and Mail)on Pierre Poilievre preparing to upend Canadian politics: “Many have written Mr. Poilievre off as someone who can win the leadership of his party, but not the country. While I might have been inclined to share that view a few months ago, I don’t any more. There is a reason that thousands are flocking to his campaign rallies. In a recent swing through British Columbia, his events were packed – more than 1,000 people crammed into halls at several stops. Even university students are turning out in droves. Some people have lined up for an hour after one of his speeches to get a picture with him. There is something happening here that is genuine. It’s easy to roll your eyes at Mr. Poilievre’s statement that he is starting a movement, but it has that certain feel to it.”
Simon Miles (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on why Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should stand with Ukrainians by flying to Ukraine: “If Mr. Trudeau were to follow Ms. von der Leyen and Mr. Johnson in meeting with Mr. Zelensky in Kyiv, it would demonstrate Canada’s commitment to supporting Ukraine as it fights to maintain its sovereignty in the face of Russia’s onslaught, while also reminding Canadians why Mr. Putin remains a foe worth actively opposing. Mr. Trudeau physically standing by Mr. Zelensky, not long after satellite imagery and intercepted communications seemed to confirm Russian war crimes in Bucha, would show the world that Ukraine’s partners are uncowed and united with resolve in the face of Russian belligerence.”
Bessma Momani (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on when the war in Ukraine will end:“The uncomfortable truth is that this war is also gaining steam within Russia, where it is portrayed as a conquest that must be won. In a country with dizzying state narratives that pump out increasingly more incredulous news designedto confuse, the result is often deference. Certainly, someRussians arechallenging state narratives, and many have paid with their lives trying to challenge disinformation. But we would be mistaken to assume this war will ignite a backlash, or more incredulous claims of an overthrow of Vladimir Putin. Over the years, the President has masterfully worked to consolidate his power and politically insulate himself from potential opposition, and bought acquiescence from competing power centres.”
Don Martin (CTV) on how the personal antipathy between Jean Charest and Pierre Poilievre is damaging the Conservatives beyond repair: “The clash between Jenni Byrne of the Pierre Poilievre campaign and Tasha Kheiriddin from Jean Charest’s team was toxic, personal and consumed with burning all the bridges which could reunite the party after the September 10 vote. Policy differences were ignored amid a barrage of accusations and allegations flying over their rival’s failing fitness to hold the job. After being accused of lying amid a cross-talk cacophony of bitter disagreement, Kheirridin nicely summed up the theme of the segment. “When you start scorched earth, eventually you’re going to get it back.” So there you have the sorry state of the race to become Canada’s Official Opposition Leader, traditionally a launch pad to the prime minister’s title.”
It’s scorched earth with a month to go before the FIRST debate even starts raising the temperature to a boil.
Steve Paikin (TVO) on whether the fourth time is the charm for Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath: “Horwath is about to embark on her fourth campaign as leader, a rather astonishing feat at a time when most political parties are happy to jettison leaders who fail to win it all in their first attempt. While only the most cockeyed optimists would forecast an NDP majority government emerging from the June 2 election, it’s not at all crazy to consider the notion of the NDP forming a minority government, if Horwath can come second, deny Ford’s Tories a majority, and get the presumably third-place Liberals to back her. Admittedly, that’s a lot of ifs.”
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HALIFAX – Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says it’s “disgraceful and demeaning” that a Halifax-area school would request that service members not wear military uniforms to its Remembrance Day ceremony.
Houston’s comments were part of a chorus of criticism levelled at the school — Sackville Heights Elementary — whose administration decided to back away from the plan after the outcry.
A November newsletter from the school in Middle Sackville, N.S., invited Armed Forces members to attend its ceremony but asked that all attendees arrive in civilian attire to “maintain a welcoming environment for all.”
Houston, who is currently running for re-election, accused the school’s leaders of “disgracing themselves while demeaning the people who protect our country” in a post on the social media platform X Thursday night.
“If the people behind this decision had a shred of the courage that our veterans have, this cowardly and insulting idea would have been rejected immediately,” Houston’s post read. There were also several calls for resignations within the school’s administration attached to Houston’s post.
In an email to families Thursday night, the school’s principal, Rachael Webster, apologized and welcomed military family members to attend “in the attire that makes them most comfortable.”
“I recognize this request has caused harm and I am deeply sorry,” Webster’s email read, adding later that the school has the “utmost respect for what the uniform represents.”
Webster said the initial request was out of concern for some students who come from countries experiencing conflict and who she said expressed discomfort with images of war, including military uniforms.
Her email said any students who have concerns about seeing Armed Forces members in uniform can be accommodated in a way that makes them feel safe, but she provided no further details in the message.
Webster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At a news conference Friday, Houston said he’s glad the initial request was reversed but said he is still concerned.
“I can’t actually fathom how a decision like that was made,” Houston told reporters Friday, adding that he grew up moving between military bases around the country while his father was in the Armed Forces.
“My story of growing up in a military family is not unique in our province. The tradition of service is something so many of us share,” he said.
“Saying ‘lest we forget’ is a solemn promise to the fallen. It’s our commitment to those that continue to serve and our commitment that we will pass on our respects to the next generation.”
Liberal Leader Zach Churchill also said he’s happy with the school’s decision to allow uniformed Armed Forces members to attend the ceremony, but he said he didn’t think it was fair to question the intentions of those behind the original decision.
“We need to have them (uniforms) on display at Remembrance Day,” he said. “Not only are we celebrating (veterans) … we’re also commemorating our dead who gave the greatest sacrifice for our country and for the freedoms we have.”
NDP Leader Claudia Chender said that while Remembrance Day is an important occasion to honour veterans and current service members’ sacrifices, she said she hopes Houston wasn’t taking advantage of the decision to “play politics with this solemn occasion for his own political gain.”
“I hope Tim Houston reached out to the principal of the school before making a public statement,” she said in a statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
REGINA – Saskatchewan Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck says she wants to prove to residents her party is the government in waiting as she heads into the incoming legislative session.
Beck held her first caucus meeting with 27 members, nearly double than what she had before the Oct. 28 election but short of the 31 required to form a majority in the 61-seat legislature.
She says her priorities will be health care and cost-of-living issues.
Beck says people need affordability help right now and will press Premier Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party government to cut the gas tax and the provincial sales tax on children’s clothing and some grocery items.
Beck’s NDP is Saskatchewan’s largest Opposition in nearly two decades after sweeping Regina and winning all but one seat in Saskatoon.
The Saskatchewan Party won 34 seats, retaining its hold on all of the rural ridings and smaller cities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
HALIFAX – Nova Scotia‘s growing population was the subject of debate on Day 12 of the provincial election campaign, with Liberal Leader Zach Churchill arguing immigration levels must be reduced until the province can provide enough housing and health-care services.
Churchill said Thursday a plan by the incumbent Progressive Conservatives to double the province’s population to two million people by the year 2060 is unrealistic and unsustainable.
“That’s a big leap and it’s making life harder for people who live here, (including ) young people looking for a place to live and seniors looking to downsize,” he told a news conference at his campaign headquarters in Halifax.
Anticipating that his call for less immigration might provoke protests from the immigrant community, Churchill was careful to note that he is among the third generation of a family that moved to Nova Scotia from Lebanon.
“I know the value of immigration, the importance of it to our province. We have been built on the backs of an immigrant population. But we just need to do it in a responsible way.”
The Liberal leader said Tim Houston’s Tories, who are seeking a second term in office, have made a mistake by exceeding immigration targets set by the province’s Department of Labour and Immigration. Churchill said a Liberal government would abide by the department’s targets.
In the most recent fiscal year, the government welcomed almost 12,000 immigrants through its nominee program, exceeding the department’s limit by more than 4,000, he said. The numbers aren’t huge, but the increase won’t help ease the province’s shortages in housing and doctors, and the increased strain on its infrastructure, including roads, schools and cellphone networks, Churchill said.
“(The Immigration Department) has done the hard work on this,” he said. “They know where the labour gaps are, and they know what growth is sustainable.”
In response, Houston said his commitment to double the population was a “stretch goal.” And he said the province had long struggled with a declining population before that trend was recently reversed.
“The only immigration that can come into this province at this time is if they are a skilled trade worker or a health-care worker,” Houston said. “The population has grown by two per cent a year, actually quite similar growth to what we experienced under the Liberal government before us.”
Still, Houston said he’s heard Nova Scotians’ concerns about population growth, and he then pivoted to criticize Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for trying to send 6,000 asylum seekers to Nova Scotia, an assertion the federal government has denied.
Churchill said Houston’s claim about asylum seekers was shameful.
“It’s smoke and mirrors,” the Liberal leader said. “He is overshooting his own department’s numbers for sustainable population growth and yet he is trying to blame this on asylum seekers … who aren’t even here.”
In September, federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller said there is no plan to send any asylum seekers to the province without compensation or the consent of the premier. He said the 6,000 number was an “aspirational” figure based on models that reflect each province’s population.
In Halifax, NDP Leader Claudia Chender said it’s clear Nova Scotia needs more doctors, nurses and skilled trades people.
“Immigration has been and always will be a part of the Nova Scotia story, but we need to build as we grow,” Chender said. “This is why we have been pushing the Houston government to build more affordable housing.”
Chender was in a Halifax cafe on Thursday when she promised her party would remove the province’s portion of the harmonized sales tax from all grocery, cellphone and internet bills if elected to govern on Nov. 26. The tax would also be removed from the sale and installation of heat pumps.
“Our focus is on helping people to afford their lives,” Chender told reporters. “We know there are certain things that you can’t live without: food, internet and a phone …. So we know this will have the single biggest impact.”
The party estimates the measure would save the average Nova Scotia family about $1,300 a year.
“That’s a lot more than a one or two per cent HST cut,” Chender said, referring to the Progressive Conservative pledge to reduce the tax by one percentage point and the Liberal promise to trim it by two percentage points.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Houston announced that a Progressive Conservative government would make parking free at all Nova Scotia hospitals and health-care centres. The promise was also made by the Liberals in their election platform released Monday.
“Free parking may not seem like a big deal to some, but … the parking, especially for people working at the facilities, can add up to hundreds of dollars,” the premier told a news conference at his campaign headquarters in Halifax.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
