Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is pushing back on claims by a Republican senator that Canada is not pulling its defence spending weight.
During an unrelated Thursday news conference, Mr. Trudeau ran through a list of military commitments enacted by his government when asked about Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan’s remarks.
“We’re going to continue to step up in this time of increased concerns around security everywhere in the world,” Mr. Trudeau told journalists in the town of Summerford, on Newfoundland and Labrador’s central coast.
During a confirmation hearing for the next NORAD commander, Mr. Sullivan cited a Wall Street Journal editorial earlier this month that described Canada as a free rider on the NATO military alliance.
Questions have been raised about Canada falling short of NATO’s agreed-upon spending target of two per cent of GDP. And a Washington Post report in April said Mr. Trudeau has privately conceded that Canada, where defence spending is at around 1.3 per cent, would never meet NATO’s threshold.
“I hope the Canadians are watching this confirmation hearing,” Mr. Sullivan said at one point.
U.S. Air Force Lieutenant-General Gregory Guillot, President Joe Biden’s nominee to take over the continental aerospace defence system, promised Mr. Sullivan that he would press Canada to meet the target.
“Americans get frustrated when our allies don’t pull their weight,” Mr. Sullivan said, noting that the subject came up during the recent NATO summit in Vilnius.
“With regard to NATO, Canada’s not even close to pulling its weight. Can you commit to us to have those tough conversations, but important, with your Canadian counterparts?”
“Yes, senator, you can count on me to do that,” Lt.-Gen. Guillot replied.
During this week’s cabinet shuffle, Mr. Trudeau replaced Anita Anand as Defence Minister with Bill Blair, the former Emergency Preparedness Minister. Before entering politics, Mr. Blair was chief of the Toronto Police Service.
With a file from The Canadian Press.
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TODAY’S HEADLINES
CABINET SHUFFLE
Conservatives are ‘stoking anger,’ Trudeau says, after massive cabinet makeover – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tried to paint a clear choice between himself and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in Newfoundland and Labrador on Thursday, one day after the Liberals overhauled their front bench and assigned 23 cabinet ministers new portfolios. Story here.
What is citizens’ services, and what should be expected from the new federal minister? – As the Prime Minister reorganized his front bench Wednesday in a massive federal cabinet shuffle, he also created a single new job: Minister of Citizens’ Services. But when the minister appointed to the new role was asked what exactly citizens’ services is, he wasn’t entirely clear. Story here.
GENERAL
Poilievre confirms his leadership campaign paid legal expenses of rival Patrick Brown’s whistle-blower – Pierre Poilievre has confirmed that his campaign for leadership of the federal Conservative Party paid the legal expenses of a whistle-blower working on the campaign of rival leadership hopeful Patrick Brown. Story here.
Canadian Human Rights Tribunal approves $23-billion First Nations child welfare settlement – The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has approved a $23.4-billion settlement agreement for First Nations children, youth and families harmed by the federal government’s underfunding of child welfare services. Story here.
Canada plans to finalize emissions cap by mid-2024, Guilbeault says – Ottawa will likely publish the final regulations of a plan to cap and cut greenhouse gases from the oil and gas sector by mid-2024, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault told Reuters on Thursday. Story here.
Why N.B. Premier Blaine Higgs is facing the ghost of predecessor Bernard Lord – Jacques Poitras of CBC explains here why the nemesis of current New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is the legacy of one of his predecessors as PC party leader and premier: Bernard Lord.
Ottawa LRT woes “completely frustrating”: former mayor – The former Ottawa mayor, who presided over the creation of the city’s now-idled LRT system, says it’s “completely frustrating” when it has technical issues. Story here from The Kitchissippi Times. Ottawa’s current mayor has something to say here about the situation he has inherited.
THIS AND THAT
Summer Break – Both Parliament and the Senate are on breaks. The House of Commons sits again on Sept. 18. The Senate is sitting again on Sept. 19.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Day – Chrystia Freeland, in West Hants, N.S., held private meetings and visited sites damaged by recent flooding. Ms. Freeland also visited an emergency response centre to meet with first responders, then held a media scrum. She later held private meetings in Halifax.
Ministers on the Road – Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan and Citizens’ Services Minister Terry Beech, in Burnaby, B.C., announced funding of more than $20.8 million to seven Burnaby-based businesses and organizations in life sciences, manufacturing and technology to help commercialize new products, acquire advanced technologies and increase sales.
Speaker on the Road – Anthony Rota is not just the Speaker of the House of Commons, but also the Liberal MP for Nipissing–Timiskaming. On Thursday, he was in the latter role announcing $854,480 in funding from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario in North Bay to help the Canadian Wood Council stimulate job creation and industry growth.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Newfoundland and Labrador on Thursday. In Summerford, Mr. Trudeau, with Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan and Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings, met with workers at a local business to discuss affordability measures and support for workers. Mr. Trudeau then held a media availability.
LEADERS
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held rallies in Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh travelled to Toronto.
No schedules released for other party leaders.
THE DECIBEL
On Thursday’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, Ottawa reporter Shannon Proudfoot explains what the federal Liberal government is trying to accomplish with the major cabinet shakeup announced this week. The Decibel is here.
TRIBUTE
Pat Carney – Pat Carney, the first female Conservative member of Parliament elected in British Columbia and the first female Conservative appointed from the province to the Senate, has died, aged 88. Story here.
OPINION – The Cabinet Shuffle
Andrew Coyne (The Globe and Mail) on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shaking up his bag of meaningless ministerial baubles to build an unserious cabinet: “To say first what can be said: Anita Anand and Jean-Yves Duclos will each bring a reputation for competence to portfolios – Treasury Board and Procurement – that could sorely use some. Dominic LeBlanc is a safe pair of hands to throw Public Safety to. Marc Miller will bring passion and commitment as Minister of Immigration. The choice of rising star Sean Fraser for Housing indicates what a hot issue it has become. As for the shuffle’s big losers, Marco Mendicino, Omar Alghabra and Ahmed Hussen probably got what was coming to them; Pablo Rodriguez, airlifted from Heritage to the relative safety of Transport, did not.”
Lori Turnbull (Contributed to The Globe and Mail)on how the Liberals’ cabinet shuffle won’t satisfy the desire of Canadians for change: “The next election, whenever it occurs, is shaping up to be a change moment. The incumbent government is almost eight years old, Justin Trudeau has been the Leader of the Liberals for over a decade, and the sense of voter fatigue is palpable. People across income brackets are worried about their financial futures. Many feel that the country is not moving in the right direction – or, in other words, they are not convinced that the Liberals have the right economic plan, nor are they sure that the government cares enough about the affordability crisis. And while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre remains a polarizing figure, his party is still polling well ahead of the other parties.”
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Boardon how Ottawa can’t wash its hands of Toronto’s refugee crisis: “Here’s a short list of things that Ottawa spends money on but has no constitutional responsibility for: health care, child care, new fridges for big grocery companies, and Gen Y tech consultants for small businesses. Not on that list, however, is full-fledged support to pay for the rapidly mounting costs of immigration – borders and immigration being, when last we checked, within the ambit of the federal government.”
David A. Robertson (Contributed to The Globe and Mail)on how, by refusing to search a landfill, Manitoba shows its true views on reconciliation: “If you were surprised that Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson announced that a search of the Prairie Green landfill for the bodies of at least two Indigenous women would not be conducted, you haven’t been paying attention. The Progressive Conservative government, including under former premier Brian Pallister, has a less-than-stellar track record on Indigenous relations.”
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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.
