Canada
Conservative caucus meets in Ottawa as poll numbers slump and Trump's threats loom
With all major contenders in the Liberal race promising to do away with the consumer carbon price, one of the Conservatives’ main attack lines — a pledge to “axe the tax” — has less resonance. The Tories have held double-digit leads in the polls for more than 18 months but since Trudeau’s departure that lead has narrowed substantially.
Inside Pierre Poilievre's Trump-induced strategy shift
Conservatives believe the cost of living and crime to be top issues, but also a rising sense of national pride, which Poilievre wants to capture.
Mark Carney says he may call election after leadership race concludes
The Liberals are preparing for a possible early election call, sending out an email inviting those involved in the campaign to take part in a 'campaign strategy and tools' session next week
Liberals poised to nominate former FMCC, Festival du Voyageur director in Saint Boniface-Saint Vital
Ginette Lavack served as the director of the Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre from 2017 until her resignation this week. She previously ran Festival du Voyageur.
Why the Trump Trade Threats Will Place Canadian Digital, Cultural, and AI Policy Under Pressure
Michael Geist: The Trump tariff escalation, which now extends to steel and aluminum as well as the prospect of reviving the original tariff plan in a matter of weeks, signals something far bigger that may ultimately render current Canadian digital and cultural policy unrecognizable.
The Provinces
Ontario election: Ford under fire from opponents over PC ad filmed on Washington trip
The Ontario NDP says it will be complaining to Elections Ontario and the integrity commissioner over a new commercial featuring Ford's partially taxpayer-funded trip to Washington.
Party leaders to tackle northern issues in first debate of campaign
Ontario's main party leaders will square off on northern issues today in their first debate of the election campaign.
Progressive Conservatives, Liberals, NDP make no promises to balance Ontario budget
In the opening two weeks of the campaign, the Progressive Conservatives, Ontario Liberals and NDP have all unveiled a series of high-cost promises.
Legault used to rail against 'dirty energy.' Now, his tone is changing
“We need social acceptability for a project like this. If there is a project, we will look at it,” said Legault. His comments come as a SOM-La Presse poll suggested Thursday that 59 per cent of Quebecers would be in favour of a new Energy East project.
Elsewhere
Russia rejoices at Trump-Putin call; Zelensky rejects talks without Ukraine
Russia takes a triumphant tone after Trump jettisoned U.S. policy and said he would likely meet soon with Putin to negotiate a Ukraine peace deal.
Ukraine, EU demand involvement in U.S.-Russia peace talks: ‘Dirty deal’
European officials took an exceptionally firm line in public towards Trump's peace overture, saying they and the Ukrainians must be included in any negotiations. “We, as a sovereign country, simply will not be able to accept any agreements without us,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Welcome to the resistance? Mitch McConnell bucks Trump with ‘no’ votes on key nominees
On Thursday, McConnell cast the lone Republican “no” vote against Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of health and human services, just a day after he cast the only GOP “no” vote for Tulsi Gabbard to be director of national intelligence. In a statement Wednesday, he blasted Gabbard as an unqualified candidate with a history of “alarming lapses in judgment” and indirectly indicted his colleagues for failing to do their constitutional duty to check Trump’s nominees. Those followed a similar vote against Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth last month. (🎁 link)
Who is Trump’s hiring manager? Sergio Gor: Bon vivant, DJ, book publisher
Maybe the most powerful man you’ve never heard of is a cherubic 38-year-old immigrant from the small Mediterranean archipelago of Malta whose job right now is to conduct the installation of thousands of Donald Trump’s political appointees, as part of the MAGA-fication of the U.S. government. His name is Sergio Gor, and he falls somewhere on the spectrum between Renaissance man and henchman. Gor, FWIW, was one of the two 'senior Trump advisors' that took a 30-minute meeting with Canada's premiers this week. (🎁 link)
Media
Approval granted for sale of 21 Bell Media B.C. radio stations
Following a year-long approval process, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has signed off on Vista Radio’s purchase of the 21 stations and 27 regional repeater transmitters.
Science and tech
China's Salt Typhoon Spies Are Still Eavesdropping on Global Networks
Attacks continued through January, with China-backed hackers targeting devices linked to universities, telecoms, and ISPs, undeterred by significant media coverage and US sanctions.
Revenge of the Covid Conspiracy Theorists
After years of GOP attacks on US health agencies, Trump appointees are poised to bring Covid-19 conspiracies to their leadership of US agencies. Federal workers are scared of what comes next.
The Calendar
- 0900 ET: Rigaud, QC - Public Safety Min David McGuinty attends a CBSA induction ceremony.
- 0930 ET: 025B West Block - The CPC National Caucus will meet
- 1030 ET: 135B West Block - NDP MP Charlie Angus speaks to reporters.
- 1030 ET: Toronto - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to reporters
- 1100 ET: Hamilton, ON - PM Trudeau tours a steel plant
- 1330 ET: Toronto - FEDDEV Min Ruby Sahota makes a funding announcement
- 1345 ET: Munich, Germany - Foreign Affairs Min Melanie Joly speaks at a Munich Security Conference event.
- Hamilton - PM Trudeau meets with the Council on Canada-US Relations
