Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let\u2019s look at what happened today.<\/p>\n
The federal government is offering $1.5-billion in support to industries hit hard by protectionist U.S. tariffs, including the steel, aluminum and copper sectors.<\/p>\n
Industry Minister M\u00e9lanie Joly and Digital Innovation Minister Evan Solomon today announced a new $1-billion Business Development Bank of Canada program to extend loans on \u201cfavourable terms\u201d to industries that manufacture and export products containing steel, aluminum or copper.<\/p>\n
Steven Chase reports that the pair said the financing assistance is intended to provide \u201crapid liquidity to viable businesses facing significant economic challenges.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n The ministers cited changes to existing U.S. tariffs <\/a>on steel, aluminum and copper on April 6 that significantly increased the pain on Canadian manufacturers already struggling with rising costs and uncertain access to the American market.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re in a trade war. We\u2019re on the front lines, and the goal is to protect workers and actually keep companies afloat,\u201d Joly said.<\/p>\n Asked if she believes the U.S. tariffs will ever be removed, the Industry Minister couldn\u2019t say. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she said. \u201cThese decisions will be taken south of our border.\u201d<\/p>\n The opposition Conservatives, however, called the assistance a \u201cBand-Aid\u201d solution and an admission that no trade deal with the United States is coming soon.<\/p>\n In other news, Bill Curry writes that a report by the new Parliamentary Budget Officer says the federal government\u2019s spring fiscal update plans for a \u201cconcerning\u201d increase in debt payments and lacks clarity on major initiatives \u2013 including the ramp-up in defence spending, the launch of a $25-billion sovereign wealth fund and the government\u2019s plans to find billions in internal savings.<\/p>\n PBO Annette Ryan today released a five-part analysis of the spring update, <\/a>which was presented last week by Finance Minister Fran\u00e7ois-Philippe Champagne. <\/p>\n The update showed Ottawa\u2019s bottom line had improved by about $60-billion over five years since the fall budget, but new spending announcements since then have used up about $54-billion of that amount.<\/p>\n A major new initiative in the update was a plan to launch Canada\u2019s first sovereign wealth fund, to be called the Canada Strong Fund. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the fund will act as an equity investor to help major Canadian projects move ahead.<\/p>\n In her report, the PBO notes that the announcement lacks design details, such as the fund\u2019s governance structure, investment policy, risk-management framework, retail product terms, and accountability mechanisms.<\/p>\n The report points out that international wealth funds are typically funded with surplus funds, not additional debt.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n A welder welds sections of a dumpster together on the assembly line of Les Ateliers Beau Roc in Vars, Ont., on Monday.Spencer Colby\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n This is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, curated by Ian Bailey<\/a>. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletters on our signup page<\/a>.What else is going on<\/p>\n Liberal Party\u2019s national director exiting <\/a>after nearly a decade at helm: Azam Ishmael, who has served as the Liberal Party\u2019s<\/a> national director for more than nine years, announced his decision in a letter to party staff, but did not say why he is leaving.<\/p>\n Ottawa to fast-track permanent residency<\/a> for up to 33,000 temporary foreign workers: The move by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will apply to temporary foreign workers in \u201cin-demand sectors\u201d such as agriculture and natural resources, trades and transportation, and health and caregiving.<\/p>\n Carney commits $270-million in military aid<\/a> for Ukraine during European summit in Armenia: The Prime Minister made the announcement as he met with world leaders at the European Political Community summit, a gathering focused on strategic co-operation in politics, security and infrastructure.<\/p>\n Public-service executives return to office on full-time basis:<\/a> Starting today, executives in the federal public service<\/a> are expected to work on-site in the office five days a week in a change the Treasury Board announced in February.<\/p>\n Poilievre backs Billy Bishop Airport expansion<\/a> as Liberals face pressure to oppose plan: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre<\/a> says he supports expanding Billy Bishop Airport in downtown Toronto, as critics ramp up pressure on Prime Minister Mark Carney<\/a> and local Liberal MPs to oppose the Ontario government\u2019s push to allow jets there.<\/p>\n Ontario Premier receives honorary degree<\/a> from U.S. university: Doug Ford wore a black cap and gown as he took to the stage at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan to receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree.<\/p>\n On our radar<\/p>\n Prime Minister\u2019s Day: Mark Carney spent today at the European Political Community summit in the Armenian capital of Yerevan. He delivered remarks at a plenary session and participated in a roundtable discussion. The Prime Minister also met with European Council President Ant\u00f3nio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron. Carney departed for Canada and was expected to arrive in Ottawa this evening.<\/p>\n Carney\u2019s office has also announced the Prime Minister will attend the May 9 Global Progress Action Summit to deliver featured remarks and join a panel discussion. The summit is to feature members of Carney\u2019s cabinet as well as progressive leaders and policy experts including German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil and former U.S. transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg. Also participating: Diana Fox Carney, the Prime Minister\u2019s spouse, and Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, a book on the responsibility of governments and leaders to curb the youth digital crisis. <\/p>\n Party Leaders: In Ottawa, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May met with representatives of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, attended the House of Commons and, later in the evening, participated in a panel with parliamentarians on Canada\u2019s development assistance. No schedules released for other party leaders.<\/p>\n Ministers on the Road: In the Prince Edward Island community of Scotchfort, Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty and provincial Justice Minister Bloyce Thompson joined Chief Junior Gould of Abegweit First Nation to sign a multilateral emergency management agreement.<\/p>\n In Winnipeg, Finance Minister Fran\u00e7ois-Philippe Champagne visited the Canadian Forces Base to highlight announcements from the spring economic update on the defence sector. He also attended a fireside chat for the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.<\/p>\n In the eastern Ontario community of Vars, Industry Minister M\u00e9lanie Joly, with Digital Innovation Minister Evan Solomon, announced support to protect and strengthen the sectors most affected by U.S. tariffs.<\/p>\n Quote of the Day\u201cI\u2019m out of Canada for, I don\u2019t know, 36 hours, including a chunk of the weekend – by the way, thank you for coming along and blowing your weekend as well. This is important, but it\u2019s also an incredibly efficient way to spend the time.\u201d – Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Armenian capital of Yerevan today, makes the case for attending the eighth European Political Community summit.Question period<\/p>\n Which branch of the Canadian military was created 116 years ago today? <\/p>\n Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.<\/p>\n PerspectivesDanielle Smith should use Alberta\u2019s data breach to put an end to secession talk<\/a><\/p>\n If Ms. Smith is a federalist \u2013 as opposed to someone who simply claims to be in order to maintain respectability \u2013 then she will see this scandal as a political gift.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jen Gerson is the co-founder of The Line.<\/p>\n Mark Carney\u2019s honeymoon is ending<\/a> – just not in the way most people expected<\/p>\n The current Prime Minister needs to keep asking for patience from the public, Mr. Donolo said, because that underlines the sense that everyone is in this together.<\/p>\n \u2014 Shannon Proudfoot, Feature Writer<\/p>\n Now is the time for a public reckoning<\/a> on the costs of a Billy Bishop Airport expansion<\/p>\n Now is the time for a real public reckoning of the physical impacts, the pollution, the traffic, the billions in likely costs, and the direct and indirect damage a jet expansion will wreak on central Toronto. A sophisticated federal government should enhance its most valuable asset: the city.<\/p>\n \u2014 Alex Bozikovic, Columnist and Architecture CriticGo deeper<\/p>\n Got a news tip that you\u2019d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com<\/a>. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop<\/a>. <\/p>\n The answer to today\u2019s question: On May 4, 1910, the Naval Service Act was passed, establishing the Royal Canadian Navy. Before the Canadian Navy was launched, this country relied on the British Royal Navy. The government of the day was led by Sir Wilfrid Laurier, who served as Canada\u2019s seventh prime minister from 1896 to 1911.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let\u2019s look at what happened today. 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