Good Friday morning,
It’s a quieter morning in federal politics today, but 211 years ago, July 25 was cemented in history as the day when the British forces foiled an invasion attempt on Canada by the Americans.
The Battle of Lundy’s Lane was fought in 1814 near Niagara Falls, and led to the retreat of U.S. troops.
If social media existed back then, this victory would have been the OG #ElbowsUp trend setter. But the revolution is not always televised.
Wars today are fought both on the battlefields and off it: just ask Prime Minister MARK CARNEY’s trade negotiators, who are fighting it out for a deal with the U.S.
This week, Carney told the premiers gathered in Muskoka that Canada will only accept a deal that is best for its interests. He has said in the past that the new trade pact may not be completely devoid of tariffs.
Yesterday, Minister for Canada-U.S. Relations DOMINIC LEBLANC revealed that he felt “encouraged” after a recent meeting with the U.S. Commerce Secretary HOWARD LUTNICK in Washington. He also suggested that the feds will not rush the deal, meaning it may take longer than August 1 to get one.
U.S. President DONALD TRUMP’s 35 per cent tariffs on non-CUSMA-compliant goods are set to go into effect from August 1, at least currently.
The recently-struck U.S.-Japan trade agreement still carries a 15 per cent levy, if that is any indication of the kind of deal Canada could land.
Trump has continued to sign executive orders as dark clouds have gathered around him over the Epstein files.
This week, he pushed back against “woke” in AI tools used by his government, fast tracked permits for building large data centres by watering down environmental safeguards, and launched a program to export “full-stack American AI technology packages”. At least some of this will also have implications for Canada, especially the data centres, which may threaten the vast water resources of the Great Lakes shared by the two countries. More on it here.
Harper, Moe to address U.S. lawmakers in Saskatchewan
Political leaders from the United States are coming to Saskatchewan this weekend.
The Council of State Governments (CSG) is holding this year’s midwest legislative conference in Saskatoon. The conference will begin on Sunday, and run through Wednesday.
The CSG is an organization that brings together state-level elected officials in the U.S. for regular conferences, giving them a venue in which to network, gain perspective for policy decisions, and do a little sightseeing in the host city, if they choose.
Saskatchewan is actually a member of the CSG’s midwest legislative conference organization, along with 11 states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba are affiliate members.
Former prime minister STEPHEN HARPER is among the speakers lined up for the summit in Saskatoon. He’s expected to deliver a keynote speech on “the importance and future of the Canada-U.S. relationship” on Monday morning.
Saskatchewan Premier SCOTT MOE is lined up to give a keynote on Tuesday morning. U.S. Ambassador PETE HOEKSTRA—who recently described Canada as “nasty”, and bragged about smuggling alcohol across the border—is on the list too, as are CANDACE LAING, the head of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and CARLO DADE, who is leading the University of Calgary’s new cross-border policy program, the New North America Initiative.
Dade’s program is one of the sponsors of the conference. As such, he’ll get a chance to explain to the participating U.S. lawmakers what it’s all about. The Alberta government is backing the program, which will fund research on Canada-U.S. relations and opportunities for greater cooperation between the two countries.
Canadian parliamentarians are planning to attend the conference as well: BRAD REDEKOPP, the Conservative MP for Saskatoon West; TERRY DUGUID, the Liberal MP for Winnipeg South; and TODD LEWIS, a Senator for Saskatchewan in the Canadian Senators Group, according to the House of Commons Speaker’s office.
Conservatives call for ‘emergency’ committee meeting
Conservative MPs on the House Justice Committee have called on its chair, Liberal MP MARC MILLER, to convene an emergency meeting to address what they called a “growing crime crisis” in Canada.
MP LARRY BROCK published their letter to Miller on social media yesterday. It included several claims about rising rates of crime in Canada over the last 10 years, and noted recent calls for tougher rules for bail from police associations and provincial governments.
Statistics Canada reported earlier this week that crime and violent crime both decreased slightly in Canada in 2024, following three consecutive years of increase. You can find that report and its associated tables here.
Brock’s fellow Conservatives on the committee also signed onto the request: ROMAN BABER, ANDREW LAWTON, and AMARJEET GILL.
House of Commons rules require that a committee chair convene a meeting during a period of adjournment if at least four MPs on the committee from two different parties request it. The letter bears only the signature of Conservative MPs on the committee.
The NDP no longer has seats on House committees, which means that either a Liberal or Bloc Québécois MP would have to add their name to the meeting request in order to force the chair to act.
Politics This Morning reached out to the Bloc member of the Justice Committee, RHÉAL FORTIN, but he was not available to comment.
In the news
Soaking in the sun: MPs from across party lines shared their summer plans with ELEANOR WAND, and at least one included a dog festival. Read all about them here.
What else is happening today?
The parliamentary secretary to the secretary of state for rural development, MP PAULINE ROCHEFORT, is in Haileybury, Ont., where she will offer cash for some kind of “local and regional economic development” programs in Northern Ontario at 1:30 p.m.
Green Party Leader ELIZABETH MAY is delivering a lecture at the 12th World Congress of the Theosophical Society today that is taking place in Vancouver, B.C., from July 23 to 27.
In case you missed it
Canada gets a new Arctic ambassador
During his meeting with the Inuit-Crown partnership committee in N.W.T yesterday, Prime Minister Mark Carney named VIRGINIA MEARNS as the new Arctic ambassador.
Her tasks, as per the feds, will include engaging with partners like Greenland and the Nordic countries, and boosting the region’s economic prospects and security.
Mearns worked as the senior director of Inuit relations at the Qikiqtani Inuit Association until recently. The Globe and Mail has more on it here.
Carney met the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami NATAN OBED and other Inuit leaders while in Inuvik. The Building Canada Act and Canada’s Arctic foreign policy were two of the main items on the agenda, and so was the funding for the territories’ children under Jordan’s Principle. Cabin Radio has covered Carney’s response to questions on these topics here.
EU-China summit ends with little progress on trade
While Canada’s premiers have called on the feds to advance economic ties with China, leaders of the European Union descended in Beijing yesterday to talk trade with the country.
The “tense” summit was cut short from two days to just a day, at the end of which the two parties just issued a joint statement pushing for global emissions reduction and sustainable development.
China also agreed to speed up the supply of critical minerals to the EU, but the timelines are not known yet. It had earlier curtailed the flow of rare earths to the West, as a bargaining chip in its negotiations with the U.S. No breakthrough was made on addressing the EU’s other issues with China at the summit, like its trade deficit with the country. The Associated Press has written about it here.
Modi and Starmer sign a ‘historic’ deal
As the feds tip toe around resetting Canada’s relationship with India, taking it “step by step”, the Brits have secured a trade deal with the country.
Indian Prime Minister NARENDRA MODI was on an official state visit to London yesterday, and signed an agreement with his counterpart KEIR STARMER.
It will give British whisky and cars, among other things, low tariff access to the Indian market.
India too will get more open trade for some of its exports to the U.K. and leverage on the immigration front. The Guardian has more on it here.
We asked, you answered
Peter Stollery owned Stollery’s
Former Liberal MP and Senator PETER STOLLERY, now 89, was the owner of Stollery’s, the once iconic menswear store in Toronto. He was later known as the Senator for “Bloor and Yonge.” Congratulations to JANICE HAMILTON who was the first to answer, and kudos to everyone else who answered correctly: MELISSA COTTON, RON COLUCCI, MARC DESMARAIS, TANYA HORNUNG, and LORIN MACDONALD.
Today’s Political Trivia
Which current Senator is an award-winning author and scriptwriter who wrote the Giller Prize-winning book, Mercy Among the Children?
Please send your responses to trivia@hilltimes.com by NOON today ET and the winner’s name will be highlighted in Monday morning’s Politics This Morning, along with all other participants’ names. Have a good weekend.
Tell us what you think of Politics This Morning! Send feedback to pmazereeuw@hilltimes.com and rkachhela@hilltimes.com