Canada
What Carney did during 1st day as prime minister-designate
From U.S. President Donald Trump's threats against Canada to a looming federal election, prime minister-designate Mark Carney has no shortage of issues to deal with after winning the Liberal leadership race. On Global National, David Akin looks at what Carney was grilled about, how the Conservatives reacted to Carney's new job and which ridings he could run in for the next federal election.
Ford urges Smith to use oil export tax ‘trump card’ against U.S.: ‘They will lose their minds’
In particular, Ford urged Alberta, which sends about four million barrels of oil per day to the United States, to look at similar moves. “A message to Premier (Danielle) Smith: one day, I think you might have to use that trump card and give approval for an export tax,” he said. “You want to talk about a trump card? That will instantly change the game, instantly, when the Americans — and I know the Americans — all of a sudden their gas prices go up 90 (cents) to $1 a gallon.
Carney holds big lead over Poilievre as leader who can deal with Trump, handle difficult situations
Mark Carney begins his time as Prime Minister with a big brand advantage over Pierre Poilievre on the question dominating Canadian politics at the moment: Who do you trust to deal with Donald Trump? On this, 47% of Canadians trust Carney to deal with Trump, compared to 33% who trust Poilievre.
Poilievre has been called and 'grating' in Quebec. Now, he's owning it
The party and Poilievre want to explain his style to Quebec voters, according to sources who spoke on background. The Conservative party launched its biggest radio, TV and online ad campaign to date in Quebec to show how approachable he is, how funny he can be and why he does politics the way he does. Poilievre’s office did not comment on this story.
Marianne Dandurand représentera le PLC dans Compton-Stanstead
Diplômée en études politiques et en administration des affaires de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Mme Dandurand s’est jointe au bureau de Mme Bibeau à titre de responsable des communications en 2021 avant d’occuper les postes de directrice des communications pour la ministre de l’Agriculture et la ministre du Revenu. Model this morning indicates Compton-Stanstead is a Liberal hold by 11 points.
Federal Conservative candidate in Nipissing-Timiskaming steps down
In a letter she posted to her Facebook page, Villeneuve said the challenges of working in politics are "often magnified" as a woman. She said she has faced pushback from certain members of the Conservative Party board in the riding that "has made it clear how difficult it can be to navigate these spaces." This is a bit of a surprise. Villeneuve works in the office of CPC Public Safety critic Raquel Dancho and won the nomination over a year ago. The riding then looked like an easy Conservative pick-up but, given the change in Liberal fortunes, my model has this back in the Liberal column though by only three points. Perhaps this had something to do with the unrest in the Conservative EDA.
Local farmer wins Tory seat for Abbotsford-South Langley
In a statement, he said he wants to focus on agriculture and farming, on public safety and stricter laws, on making home ownership more affordable, drug use in parks, and streamlining efforts to get foreign-trained doctors, nurses, and other skilled people recognized and working in Canada. Interesting conclusion to a highly contested race that was the de facto race to the MP. So congratulations, Sukhman SIngh Gill, and welcome to the House of Commons.
West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country NDP nominate Jäger Rosenberg
Jäger Rosenberg of the Sunshine Coast is likely the youngest candidate in the upcoming federal election. He was acclaimed as the NDP’s candidate for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky electoral district over the weekend. Pierre-Luc Dusseault was an 18-year-old in the summer of 2011 working a golf course near Sherbrooke QC when he put his name on a ballot as the NDP candidate for the riding of Sherbrooke. And then he won. He'd turned 19 by then. And is still the youngest person ever to be elected. Dusseault would win again in 2015 before being defeated by Liberal Elisabeth Brière in 2019. In his eight-year career as a Parliamentarian, Dusseault distinguished himself as the chair of two important Parliamentary committees charged with holding the government to account: The House Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics and later, the House Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates. My point: Don't dismiss these teenagers! So good luck to 18-year-old Jäger. (That said: My model has this as an LPC-CPC toss-up, leaning towards incumbent Liberal Patrick Weiler) -DA
Conservative update in Esquimalt--Saanich--Sooke
Mar 2 2025 message from Tracy Foran, seeking the Conservative nomination in the riding of Esquimalt--Saanich--Sooke : "After a year campaigning, I grew support in our riding from 25% to 50%—running because I love Canada and see the game and I know I can counter it. I’ve just been told they are parachuting a candidate with military contracts. How’s that democracy? Do they honestly think the people of ESS won’t notice? If so, I don’t think they understand who we are out here on the West Coast. If you’re a member in my riding, tell National what you think."
Sarah Good to seek Liberal nomination
Cornwall City Councillor Sarah Good, .. has since announced her candidacy for the Federal Liberal nomination in the Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry (SDG) riding. Incumbent is CPC MP Eric Duncan who won 56% of the vote in 2021. A Liberal had not won a general election this part of eastern Ontario since 2000. My model says, good luck to Good but Duncan will be difficult to unseat.
The Provinces
To cut off U.S. electricity exports entirely, Ontario would have to reduce its output
On Monday, Ford introduced a 25 per cent surcharge on energy exported from Ontario to Michigan, Minnesota and New York as a response to tariffs.
Is John Rustad's leadership at risk after BC Conservative defections?
Dallas Brodie, Tara Armstrong and Jordan Kealy said they have not decided on whether to form a party and will sit as independents for now.
Manitoba Progressive Conservatives have 11,000 members as April leadership vote looms
The party did not release a breakdown of how many memberships were sold by each of the two candidates before the Feb. 28 cutoff. Neither did the candidates' teams.
Elsewhere
Zelenskyy sees post-Trump polling bump. What about other world leaders?
Leaders suffering recent polling slumps have seen their popularity rebound since Trump returned to the White House in January, according to recent polls.
US wants no G7 Russia antagonism as allies fear blockage
The U.S. opposes language that could harm its efforts to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday, as Washington wrangled with G7 allies ahead of a meeting this week, further alarming them. The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven major democracies - Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States - will meet in the river resort of La Malbaie, Quebec on March 12-14 for the first time since President Donald Trump returned to power in January.
Science and tech
NASA to eliminate chief scientist position
NASA announced today it will eliminate its Office of the Chief Scientist, along with offices advising the agency on technology, strategy, and coordinating its diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) efforts. The reductions, which will eliminate two dozen jobs, come as part of the agency’s “reduction in force,” mandated by the White House.
Bluesky Extends Video Upload Limit, Adds DM Filtering in Latest Update
Bluesky has released an update that makes it possible for users to post longer videos to the social media platform and X (Twitter) rival. Version...
The Calendar
- 1000 ET: 135B West Block - GPC MP Elizabeth May speaks to reporters.
- 1030 ET: 135B West Block - Officials from several NGOs speak to reporters about housing.
- 1030 ET: - Representatives of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness speak to reporters.
- 1100 ET: Montreal - BQ Leader Yves-François Blanchet speaks to reporters.
- 1400 ET: Winnipeg - LPC MP Dan Vandal and Ben Carr makes an infrastructure funding announcement.
- 1515 ET: Esquimalt, BC - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh campaigns in the riding of Esquimalt--Saanich-Sooke
- 1700 ET: Victoria - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh meets with Premier David Eby
- 1900 ET: Victoria - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh opens the campaign office for NDP EDA in the riding of Saanich--Gulf Islands.
Issued this day ...
… in 1964. Sc 414 1963-1964 Definitives: Jet Plane, Ottawa. Design: Harvey Thomas Prosser.
The first time I flew into Ottawa was, if I recall correctly, in the early 1990s and the airport terminal you see in this 1964 stamp was, in fact, the terminal in use at the time. Wikipedia’s entry on Ottawa’s Macdonald-Cartier International Airport has this interesting anecdote about what was then a brand new airport terminal: “The terminal building had been scheduled to open in December 1959, but during the opening ceremonies, a United States Air Force F-104 Starfighter went supersonic during a low pass over the airport, and the resultant sonic boom shattered most of the glass in the airport (including the entire north wall) and damaged ceiling tiles, door and window frames, and even structural beams.[10] The total cost of the damage exceeded $500,000, and the opening was delayed until April 1960. George Hees, the Canadian Transport Minister, stated that "the sonic explosion subjected the terminal building to five times the hurricane force which it had been designed to withstand". The incident has been described as "the most expensive five seconds in Canadian civil aviation history". The original terminal building and Trans-Canada Airways/DOT hangar continued in private use on the airport's north field until the fall of 2011 when it was demolished.”