Canada
Incumbent lead holds as CPC edge among men dwarfed by Liberal advantage among women
In a campaign that has been remarkable for its volatility and dynamism, a new element enters the race: relative stability. New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds voter intention unchanged over the last week, with the Liberal Party holding an eight-point lead over the Conservatives, while the fortunes of the NDP and Bloc remain similarly unchanged.
Liberals, NDP pitch housing promises as Conservatives eye energy corridor
Housing was at the forefront for the Liberals and NDP on Monday, while the Conservatives proposed creation of a pre-approved national energy corridor.
Consumer carbon price ends April 1. Your savings could be ‘significant’
The consumer carbon price will end on April 1, with some industry analysts estimating Canadians could see between 15 and 17 cents per litre in savings on gas.
Poilievre says the federal election can't just be about Donald Trump
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre mounted a defence of his campaign messaging Monday, saying he has no qualms about focusing on issues like the housing crisis, cost of living concerns and relatively weak economic growth, even as some of his critics say he should go all in on Canada-U.S. relations.
Majority surveyed want Poilievre to get security clearance, Carney to disclose investments
The opinion survey on the personal choices of these two leaders, conducted last weekend for The Globe and Mail and CTV News by Nanos Research, found 66 per cent of respondents wanted or somewhat supported Mr. Poilievre joining the other federal party leaders in obtaining this status so he can receive briefings on foreign interference from Canada’s national spy agency. Asked about the need for more transparency regarding Mr. Carney’s wealth, 62.5 per cent were strongly or somewhat in favour of him showing the public which assets he put in the blind trust earlier this month. (🎁 link)
Dump F-35 says Canadian general who recommended the jet
Retired Lt.-Gen. Yvan Blondin says building Canada’s future fighter force solely on the American-made F-35 would be “irresponsible” given the hostility of the U.S. government.
Liberal candidate to stay in race despite China bounty remark: Carney
Mark Carney says Paul Chiang can remain a Liberal candidate in the election after apologizing for remarks he made in January about a Conservative candidate.
This Quebec battleground has an incumbent fighting for his life
René Villemure is one of the most respected members of the House of Commons. In the last Parliament, he was a member of the ethics committee and was seen as a bridge-builder between political parties. He dislikes partisanship or dubious politics. He wants to get things done. I can only echo what reporter Antoine Trepanier reports here: Villemure -- a professional ethicist -- has been an excellent MP and made significant contributions to Commons' committees. All the best to him and his family and may he return to full health as soon as possible.
Will Ottawa get a 'bump' from being home to the PM?
In fact, Carney and Poilievre could potentially campaign for their seats within earshot of each other on either side of the Rideau River or Highway 416. Their respective ridings, Nepean and Carleton, share a sprawling border. One of those candidates wants to shrink the civil service. Would love to ask him about it but seeing as he takes just four questions a day -- no followups -- and the campaign picks the news outlets who will ask the questions, it's been hard to put a question to the Conservative leader about how many of his constituents he'd like to fire!
B.C.'s ridings look different this federal election. Here's how that shakes things up
And a University of B.C. political scientist says the redrawing of political boundaries in Metro Vancouver could add to the challenges faced by the federal NDP and its leader Jagmeet Singh, who has to contest in a significantly redrawn riding. Stewart Prest says riding boundaries matter a lot in Canada's first-past-the-post electoral system, where each geographically-defined electoral district elects an MP that residents can identify. In 2021, the NDP finished second in the popular vote with 29%. The Liberals finished third. And yet the Liberals won the most seats in the province. Still, with 29 per cent of the BC vote, the New Democrats returned 12 MPs to the House of Commons. Well, taking the average of the most recent polls from seven pollsters (n = 1,474), the NDP are polling at less than half that in BC: 13.7 per cent. Net result -- right now: Not one of those 12 NDP MPs -- not Jagmeet Singh, not Peter Julian, not Jenny Kwan, not Don Davies -- is coming back to Ottawa. The only New Democrats that are re-elected in my model right now: Edmonton's Heather McPherson and Montreal's Alexandre Boulerice. Riding re-distribution has something to do with that but the bigger trend is the collapse of progressive voters to the Carney Liberals and that trend will benefit the Conservatives on the Island north of Victoria and in the Interior and the Liberals on the Lower Mainland.
Zoe Royer secures nomination for federal Liberal Party
Zoe Royer is a former Port Moody councillor who is currently a city trustee at School District 43. Riding is held by New Democrat Bonita Zarrillo. NDP is currently polling in BC at around 14 per cent versus getting 29 per cent of the popular vote in 2021. One reason why there's a very good chance this Liberal candidate becomes the riding's next MP.
Trudeau staffer to replace him as Liberal candidate in Papineau
Marjorie Michel, the daughter of former Haitian prime minister Smarck Michel, is a seasoned Liberal strategist. Her political career began in 2016 as a policy adviser to Jean-Yves Duclos, later serving as his chief of staff. In 2019, she became the first Black chief of staff in the Trudeau governmen ... before moving to the PMO. She went on to lead the Liberal Party’s Quebec operations in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections before joining Trudeau’s office in 2021 and later becoming deputy campaign director of the party.
'I was totally shocked’: shut-out Tory nomination hopefuls blast backroom players for denying them contests in GTA, Calgary, and B.C.
Some shutout Conservative nomination candidates in the Greater Toronto Area, Calgary, and some British Columbia ridings say they have been unfairly denied the right to contested nominations by backroom party operatives. Some say they were led to believe that meeting fundraising targets would significantly boost their chances, but even after raising tens of thousands of dollars they were ultimately denied entry into the race.
Prescott-Russell-Cumberland Tory candidate was selected by party
In a social media post, [former MP Pierre] Lemieux expressed his disappointment with the party’s chosen method for selecting a candidate. “No reason was provided. There will be no nomination meeting or vote. The party has appointed a different candidate,” Lemieux wrote. This riding had been trending for most of last year as a Conservative pickup. And Lemieux and the appointed candidate Julie Seguin had been campaigning to win the nomination for a year. But this is one of those ridings that, with advent of Carney, the threats from Trump and the departure of Trudeau have swung solidly back in to the Liberal fold in my model.
Federal Liberals hand pick David Myles as Fredericton candidate
Juno-winning singer-songwriter David Myles has been hand picked by the federal Liberals as their candidate in Fredericton-Oromocto. The Liberals have been overriding local nomination races, too, and appointing candidates. But, so far at least, I have not seen local Liberal riding executives quitting in disgust or candidates who failed to win turning to the press to complain -- something we've seen from the Tories. In any event: Given current polling averages in Atlantic Canada, crooner David Myles looks to be the next MP for New Brunswick's capital.
City councillor running for Liberals in Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong
Vandenberg has been on council since 2018. A retired city police officer, he has operated a paralegal service in Sarnia for 34 years, the release said. “Serving as the local member of Parliament would be an extension of what I’ve always tried to do throughout my life: respect, listen to and support people from all backgrounds and circumstances,” Vandenberg said in the release. Liberal fortunes are pretty good but not good enough unseat Conservative incumbent Marilyn Gladu, first elected in 2015. In my model, she's a37 point favourite right now. Also: Who can help me with pronunciation of this riding's new name?
Même en campagne électorale, le premier ministre Mark Carney assiste à la messe du dimanche
Sa toute première campagne électorale ne change pas ses habitudes à l’église.
U.S. companies say Canadian retailers are turning away products
Amid the "Buy Canadian" movement, some U.S. companies say retailers in Canada have been turning away their products or halting planned deals.
The Provinces
Former business lobby head Blackburn confirms he is seeking Quebec Liberal leadership
Karl Blackburn published an open letter this morning that says Quebec needs a new, inclusive style of leadership, and he will formally launch his campaign during a press conference in Quebec City this afternoon.
Doug Ford aide-turned Greenbelt lobbyist broke rules, ethics watchdog says
Commissioner J. David Wake laid out several instances in which he said Nico Fidani-Diker broke lobbying rules, largely in the course of lobbying work related to the protected Greenbelt lands. Fidani-Diker failed to register after lobbying to try to get land removed from the Greenbelt and knowingly placed two public office holders in a real or potential conflict of interest by offering them tickets to a Toronto Maple Leafs game, Wake wrote.
Alberta invests $330 to rural health care upgrades
he province announced at a press conference Monday that if Budget 2025 is passed, they will create a Rural Hospital Enhancement Program designed to improve rural health care facilities. The province has committed $15 million to the program’s planning funds. Rural hospitals are already being assessed to determine the best capital planning solutions needed for rural communities.
Elsewhere
France’s Marine Le Pen barred from seeking public office for 5 years
A French court on Monday barred Marine Le Pen from seeking public office for five years, with immediate effect, for embezzlement.
Trump swing voters in Michigan focus group have buyers' remorse
Most Michigan swing voters in our latest Engagious/Sago focus groups said that although they voted for President Trump in November, they have objections, frustrations and fears about his behavior since he returned to power. Driving the news: Ten of 13 participants from this battleground, auto-industry state bordering Canada said what they're seeing isn't what they thought they were voting for — and they're worried Trump's approach may hurt their pocketbooks. "Erratic," "frightening," "disruptive" and "dictator" were among the words they used to describe their concerns.
IMLS staff put on administrative leave
The staff of the Institute of Museum and Library Services was placed on administrative leave this morning, following a meeting between IMLS leadership and DOGE staff.
Science and tech
75% of US scientists who answered Nature poll consider leaving
The massive changes in US research brought about by the new administration of President Donald Trump are causing many scientists in the country to rethink their lives and careers. More than 1,200 scientists who responded to a Nature poll — three-quarters of the total respondents — are considering leaving the United States following the disruptions prompted by Trump. Europe and Canada were among the top choices for relocation. Some smart politician somewhere should design an American outreach program to these researchers
Apple updates all its operating systems, brings Apple Intelligence to Vision Pro
For iPhones and iPads that support Apple Intelligence, the flagship feature in 18.4 is Priority Notifications, which attempts to separate time-sensitive or potentially important notifications from the rest of them so you can see them more easily. The update also brings along the handful of new Unicode 16.0 emoji, a separate app for managing a Vision Pro headset (similar to the companion app for the Apple Watch), and a grab bag of other fixes and minor enhancements.
Grok Is Rebelling Against Elon Musk, Daring Him to Shut It Down
Elon Musk's Grok AI has been trashing the man who made it for hot minute — and now, it's outright challenging its creator.
The Calendar
- 0800 ET: St John's - Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre makes an announcement and speaks to reporters.
- 0930 ET: Sainte Anne des Monts, QC - BQ Leader Yves-François Blanchet speaks to reporters.
- 1000 ET: Petty Harbour, NL - Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre campaigns in the riding of Cape Spear.
- 1030 ET: Winnipeg - LPC Leader Mark Carney makes and announcement and speaks to reporters.
- 1115 ET: St John's - Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre campaigns in the riding of St John's East.
- 1130 ET: Edmonton - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh makes an announcement and speaks to reporters.
- 1300 ET: Winnipeg - LPC Leader Mark Carney campaigns in the riding of Winnipeg Centre
- 1300 ET: Riviere-au-Renard, QC - BQ Leader Yves-François Blanchet campaigns in the riding of Gaspésie--Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine--Listuguj
- 1345 ET: Riviere-au-Renard, QC - BQ Leader Yves-François Blanchet makes and announcement and speaks to reporters.
- 1430 ET: Charlottetown - Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre campaigns in the riding of Charlottetown
- 1500 ET: Edmonton - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh campaigns in the riding of Edmonton Strathcona.
- 1600 ET: Winnipeg - LPC Leader Mark Carney meets with Premier Wab Kinew
- 1730 ET: Borden--Carleton, PE - Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to supporters.
- 1930 ET; Winnipeg - LPC Leader Mark Carney speaks to supporters.
Issued this day ...
… in 1868. Sc 21 Large Queen Issue: ½ cent black.
This is the oldest stamp in my collection and, as you can see, it’s not a great specimen but, still I think it’s cool to have it. A perfect mint condition of this “Large Queen” has a catalogue value of about $250. I got this beat-up used version for substantially less. But what’s cool about this stamp: It was the first stamp issued by after the Confederation of July 1, 1867.