Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says U.S. trade irritants such as provincial bans on sales of American liquor can be rapidly resolved as part of USMCA talks as long as progress is made in addressing Canada’s grievances.
Carney was talking about the turbulent discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on a scheduled review of the United States-Mexico Canada-Agreement – talks that also include Canada’s efforts to undo hefty tariffs Washington has placed on steel, aluminum and autos.
The U.S. is asking for Canada for concessions to address its concerns with Canadian trade practices.
Steven Chase and Stephanie Levitz report that Carney, speaking to reporters today at an Ottawa-area announcement, said Canada can resolve some irritants as long as there is give-and-take on matters of interest to Canadian negotiators.
“Issues such as decisions on which alcohol to put on the shelves – we can make progress very quickly on that with progress in other areas,” the Prime Minister said.
As the Globe reported Wednesday, two sources familiar with the talks say the U.S. administration has asked Canada to change or scrap domestic policies – including dairy supply management, provincial bans on American liquor, the Online Streaming Act and the Online News Act − before it will sit down to negotiate.
Today, Carney said Canada also has irritants it wants the United States to address: The tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos, as well as levies on Canadian forest products.
“Those are more than irritants. Those are violations of our trade deal,” the Prime Minister said.
Also today, the House of Commons ethics committee has recommended that prime ministers should be required to sell their assets, rather than placing them in a blind trust, within two months of taking office, and should have to divest fully from tax havens.
The Globe’s Marie Woolf writes that a report published today also suggests that the ethics commissioner should be able to impose a sliding scale of penalties on public office holders who breach ethics rules, tied to their level of authority and the seriousness of the breach.
The committee of MPs also recommends that the Conflict of Interest Act be updated to prohibit public office holders from investing in companies that use tax havens.
Liberal members of the Commons ethics committee dissented from the report, saying they could not support it “as adopted by the majority.”
They said a number of the recommendations were not grounded in the weight of evidence heard and “appear to have been crafted with one individual in mind, rather than in pursuit of sound, durable public policy.”
The Prime Minister previously chaired Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Last year, Radio-Canada reported that while at Brookfield, Mr. Carney co-chaired two investment funds worth about $25-billion registered in Bermuda, a tax haven.
Prime Minister Mark Carney responds to a question during an event in Ottawa on Thursday.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
This is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, curated by Ian Bailey. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletters on our signup page.What else is going on
Alberta launches referendum campaign on questions of immigration, judicial appointments: But Premier Danielle Smith was unclear today on whether she would respect voters’ decision if they reject her policy proposals.
Ottawa to restore envoy for women, peace and security, Anand says: In announcing the decision today, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is reversing a decision that allowed the position to expire more than a year ago.
Ontario fast-tracks FOI changes that will shield Doug Ford’s phone records from public: The bill passed today after a late-night session at Queen’s Park the previous day that sped up the legislation and bypassed public hearings.
C.D. Howe Institute urges Ottawa to curb deficit spending in coming fiscal update: In a report released today, the authors express concern with the recent wave of provincial budgets that showed larger-than-planned deficits and increasing debt levels.
Immigration Minister faces criticism from lawyers after interview with influencer: During the interview earlier this month, Lena Metlege Diab discussed forthcoming policy with a social-media influencer who also runs platforms for foreign nationals hoping to settle or study in Canada.
On our radar
Prime Minister’s Day: Mark Carney held an event in Ottawa to announce new measures to accelerate homebuilding.
Party Leaders: On Parliament Hill, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held news conferences. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was scheduled to attend the House of Commons virtually. No schedule released for NDP Leader Avi Lewis.
Ministers on the Road: In Oslo, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is near the end of a trip, concluding Friday, that has previously taken her to Germany for the HANNOVER MESSE 2026 industrial technology trade fair.
Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin is in Paris for the first day of a two-day meeting of G7 environment ministers.
Quotes of the Day
“My position is that we should remain in Canada. That’s the position of our government. We believe that we should assert sovereignty within a united Canada so that is our policy.” – Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, during a news conference in Edmonton today, restates her views on Alberta sovereignty.
“We’re not sitting here taking notes and taking instruction from the United States” – Prime Minister Mark Carney, at an Ottawa-area news conference on housing today, concerning his government’s approach to trade talks with the United States.
Question periodWho was elected NDP leader this week in 1971?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
PerspectivesCanada’s rupture with the U.S. is temporary
Should Mr. Trump go full-on fascist and keep himself or his forces in power, the more steps to being masters in our own house we’ve taken, the better. If, as is far more likely, the relationship takes the normalization path Mr. Giffin predicts, we’re better off as well.
— Lawrence Martin, Public Affairs Columnist
The Tories say the Carney majority is illegitimate. Their reasoning speaks to a larger issue
We vote for MPs, what is more, not parties. We elect them, not merely to serve as human yard signs for their respective party leaders, but to use their judgment. If an MP wishes to break with his or her party and join another, that is his or her right.
— Andrew Coyne, Columnist
Ottawa needs to keep its trade-talk chips
The Liberal government is striking the right tone, somewhere between impassiveness and insouciance. On Wednesday in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters, “It’s not a case of the United States dictates the terms. We have a negotiation.”
— The Globe and Mail Editorial BoardGo deeper
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.
The answer to today’s question: David Lewis, the grandfather of Avi Lewis, the current leader of the federal NDP. David Lewis was leader of the party until 1974. He died in 1981.