Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Pierre Poilievre needs to explain why a key adviser has been lobbying for the grocery sector while the Conservative Leader has been raising concerns about grocery prices.
Trudeau raised the question about Jenni Byrne, who served as a deputy chief of staff to former prime minister Stephen Harper and has been an adviser to Poilievre, at a news conference today.
At the end of a housing announcement in Waterloo, Ont., after questions from the media on other issues, Trudeau raised the matter.
“Pierre Poilievre has been standing up for months now pretending that he cares about high grocery prices faced by Canadians, and it turns out that his top adviser is working as a lobbyist for Loblaws,” Trudeau said.
“I think that Mr. Poilievre owes some explanations to Canadians,” the Prime Minister said before repeating his comments in French.
The Prime Minister made his comments as Liberal MPs were highlighting lobbying links between Byrne’s company and Loblaw Co. Ltd., the Brampton, Ont.-based grocery giant.
Poilievre has been pressing affordability issues, including grocery costs for consumers, as part of an appeal to Canadians that has helped the Conservatives gain consistent leads over the Liberals in public-opinion polling.
A representative of Byrne’s company replied on the matter.
“Let’s be clear about the facts here,” Simon Jefferies said in a statement on behalf of Jenni Byrne + Associates, which works in the field of government and public relations.
“Jenni Byrne is not and never has been registered to lobby on behalf of Loblaws. The work JB+A does with Loblaws is limited to the provincial level and focused on expanded access to beer and wine and red tape reduction,” the statement said.
Also, today, Trudeau denounced Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s policy plans to restrict access to medical treatment for transgender youth as the “most anti-LGBT” in the country.
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TODAY’S HEADLINES
Doug Ford does not need to make 2018 mandate letters public, Supreme Court of Canada rules: The court, by a 7-0 margin, said the constitutional convention of cabinet secrecy, and an exemption in the province’s freedom of information law that protects that secrecy, trump the public’s right to know what is in the mandate letters.
Turning Rideau Cottage into prime minister’s permanent home comes with cost, document says: An internal government document says the options on the table for resolving the issue of the prime minister’s residence include establishing Rideau Cottage as a permanent residence, rebuilding 24 Sussex Drive and building a new residence in Ottawa’s Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood.
Canada may impose sanctions on extremist Israeli settlers in West Bank, Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly says during Ukraine visit: “We are working on addressing the issue of extremist settlers in the West Bank through immigration measures and sanctions,” she told The Globe and Mail in an interview. “We are working with the G7 on this.” Meanwhile, the federal Conservatives are urging Ottawa to send aging rockets to Ukraine.
Safety minister stresses need to balance transparency, security on foreign meddling: Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc told the commission of inquiry today there are obligations under the law to shield certain information from disclosure.
New Brunswick minister quits cabinet, another says he won’t run in next provincial election: Premier Blaine Higgs is playing down the immediate departure of one of his ministers and the news that another won’t run in the coming general election.
Conservatives tell MPs not to comment on Alberta transgender policies, prioritize parental rights, internal e-mail shows: The e-mail from Pierre Poilievre’s team, which was obtained by The Globe and Mail, asks all Conservative MPs to notify the leader’s office about all media requests and directs MPs not to comment themselves.
New national security council has met only four times as critics accuse Ottawa of not taking threats seriously: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set up a National Security Council in July to “address issues of pressing concern to Canada’s domestic and international security.”
Macklem says monetary policy can’t solve housing inflation: The Bank of Canada Governor is urging all levels of government to work together to boost the supply of homes across the country, arguing the rising cost of housing, which has become the biggest driver of overall inflation, can’t be addressed by monetary policy alone.
Ottawa declassifies more details from Rodal report on Nazi war criminals in Canada: As justice minister in the late 1960s, Pierre Trudeau opposed revoking the citizenship of a naturalized Canadian suspected of murdering 5,128 Jews in Latvia during the Second World War, over concerns about legality and social cohesion, long-redacted memos show.
THEY SAID IT
“Since I saw for myself [that] she makes sandwiches at home that she brings in little Tupperwares, I can assure you she is a frugal person.” – Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland on her faith that Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow’s frugality will lead her to effectively manage federal funding.
“Madam Speaker, I can assure members that, unlike these Liberals, if Ms. Byrne had hauled the grocers in for a round table, prices would be lower by now.” – Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner during Question Period, responding to questions raised by the Prime Minister.
THIS AND THAT
Conservative MP quits critics’ post: Gary Vidal has announced his resignation from his Conservative caucus post as Indigenous Services critic though he will remain a Saskatchewan MP. He did not offer an explanation for his exit.
Parliament cafeterias take inflation hit: Not even the cafeterias at Parliament Hill have escaped inflation. For the first time since July, 2022, prices at the seven cafeterias and take-out outlets in the Parliamentary Precinct have been increased. The hike is an average 12 per cent, according to a statement from the Commons Speakers’ office. The changes took effect in mid-January. The outlets, including those at the Senate, are all operated by the House of Commons food services team.
Alberta opening Ottawa office: Premier Danielle Smith will be in Ottawa on Monday to open a new provincial office in the nation’s capital. Smith is also delivering a speech to the Economic Club of Canada.
Today in the Commons: Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, accessible here. The Senate sits again on Tuesday.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Day: Chrystia Freeland held private meetings in Toronto and toured a settlement services agency where she announced more than $162-million in support for asylum claimants and low-income renters in Toronto at a news conference, accompanied by International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow.
Ministers on the Road: Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, in the Alberta hamlet of Sherwood Park, announced federal support for transit infrastructure for seven projects in northern Alberta. Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada, also Minister for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, in the Quebec city of Drummondville, announced a repayable contribution of $5-million for Soucy International. Later, at another engagement in Drummondville, the minister highlighted financial contributions for OLA Bamboo and Secure Exchanges. Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings, also minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, in Corner Brook, Nfld., announced $600,000 support for tourism and community projects. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is in Kyiv talking about Canada’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, her office says. Filomena Tassi, minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, in Hamilton, announced $3.5-million in support for Fero International Inc.
Justin Trudeau, in Kitchener, Ont., met with local entrepreneurs at an entrepreneurship hub, toured a housing development, and was scheduled to make a housing announcement in Waterloo, and take media questions.
LEADERS
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was scheduled to host an evening community meeting on Mayne Island in the southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh spoke at the Democracy Forum held at Toronto Metropolitan University.
No schedule released for Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet or Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, U.S. correspondent Adrian Morrow discusses the case of an assassination plot constructed between a drug lord, two Canadian Hells Angels members and Iran’s armed forces aimed at silencing Iranian dissidents living in the U.S. The Decibel is here.
OPINION
Canada is building a lot of housing. It’s still not enough: “There are a record number of homes under construction in Canada. Amid a housing market in turmoil – sky-high prices, lofty interest rates, and a rental market with barely any homes to rent – this is good news. But good news in housing these days is relative.” The Globe and Mail Editorial Board.
Canada’s huge bet on the EV battery industry demands a jolt of reality: “When it comes to the green transition, let no one say the Trudeau government is unwilling to put other people’s money where its mouth is. Why, in just one sector, a sector of a sector really – making batteries for electric vehicles – the government has put $44-billion at risk: one of the ‘big bets’ on Canada’s industrial future of which it likes to boast.” Andrew Coyne.
Danielle Smith has waded far deeper than expected into the social issues realm: “If the goal was astonishing the audience, Danielle Smith has succeeded. Instead of mimicking parental rights laws introduced by Saskatchewan or New Brunswick, the Alberta Premier unveiled a sweeping youth sexuality manifesto on Wednesday: What she calls the ‘entire package’ includes rules on parental rights, but also gender-affirming care for minors, transgender athletes and sex education.” Kelly Cryderman.
Baby fever and the far right: “Demography is destiny, the saying goes. But demography is also politics. As fertility rates collapse across the developed world, fewer and fewer young people are available to fill labour shortages, purchase goods and pay taxes. In countries that don’t accept large numbers of immigrants, economies and populations are stagnant or in decline” John Ibbitson and Darrell Bricker.
CBC president Catherine Tait had her own Harvard moment: “There was a point during CBC/Radio-Canada president Catherine Tait’s testimony this week, before a House of Commons committee, when you just had to wonder whether she had been coached beforehand by Claudine Gay in how to come off as hopelessly disconnected and obtuse.” – Konrad Yakabuski.
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Editor’s note: A previously distributed version of this newsletter mistakenly said that the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 is located in Montreal. It is in Halifax. This version has been corrected.
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.
