Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let\u2019s look at what happened today.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is waiting for the recommendations of a parliamentary committee before taking a position on whether access to medical assistance in dying should be expanded for those with mental illness.<\/p>\n
Carney, who has not spoken publicly about his point of view on MAID, made the remarks today on his way into the Liberal caucus meeting.<\/p>\n
The Globe and Mail has reported that the government is prepared to table legislation to delay the expansion of MAID, if that is what the joint House of Commons and Senate committee ultimately recommends.<\/p>\n
Stephanie Levitz, Kristy Kirkup and Nancy Macdonald report that the potential for expanded access to MAID has emerged as one of the most contentious policy debates<\/a> since it was legalized a decade ago.<\/p>\n The changes are set to go into effect in March, but the Carney government is under sustained pressure to either further delay it or put it on pause altogether.<\/p>\n The committee has been studying the issue since March, and has heard from 38 witnesses, including physicians, researchers and advocates both for and against the expansion.<\/p>\n In other news, a three-year-long investigation by federal and provincial privacy regulators found that OpenAI violated laws when handling personal information for the initial release of ChatGPT.<\/p>\n But the investigation found that the San Francisco-based company has made changes to address major concerns.<\/p>\n Joe Castaldo reports that the investigation results released today<\/a> found that OpenAI collected vast amounts of personal information without adequate safeguards and valid consent.<\/p>\n Many users were unaware that their data was captured and used to train AI models. <\/p>\n Federal and provincial regulators also faulted OpenAI for not giving Canadians an easy and effective way to correct and delete personal information, and for releasing ChatGPT without first addressing known privacy risks. OpenAI did not provide adequate notice about inaccuracies in ChatGPT responses either, according to the report.<\/p>\n Also today, Japanese automaker Honda has indefinitely suspended a $15-billion plan to build an electric vehicle complex in Ontario, according to a report, as U.S. tariffs and domestic policies continue to upend the automotive sector.<\/p>\n Eric Atkins reports that Honda announced the project in 2024 and suspended it for two years in 2025 amid slowing demand for EVs, U.S. import taxes and changes to U.S. policies that made purchases of emissions-free cars less affordable.<\/p>\n Japan\u2019s Nikkei news agency reported on Tuesday<\/a> that Honda is about to make the suspension indefinite, with the possibility of scrapping it altogether.<\/p>\n Honda Canada spokesman Ken Chiu did not address questions on the plan\u2019s future. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have nothing to report at this time,\u201d he said, repeating a statement issued a year ago when the suspension was announced: \u201cThe company will continue to evaluate the timing and project progression as market conditions change.\u201d<\/p>\n The project included an EV and battery plant in Alliston, Ont., where Honda has a factory, as well as related projects elsewhere in the province, in partnership with POSCO Future M Co. and Asahi Kasei Corp. Honda said it would create at least 1,000 jobs.<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives to a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill on Wednesday.Sean Kilpatrick\/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 Foreign actors exploiting Alberta separatist debate<\/a>, researchers say: A study released this week says Alberta\u2019s proposed referendum on independence is being targeted by foreign actors seeking to sow discord and undermine Canadian interests.<\/p>\n Alberta pushing for longer roadmap<\/a> on carbon pricing: Negotiations between Alberta<\/a> and Ottawa that could pave the way for a new oil pipeline are being stymied by disagreement over the speed at which the province must increase its carbon price to $130 a tonne, according to multiple federal and provincial sources.<\/p>\n B.C. Premier calls allegations that cabinet minister was target of investigation<\/a> false: David Eby reacted after former Vancouver mayor and former NDP MP Kennedy Stewart said in a radio interview that a provincial cabinet minister was the target of a police investigation into alleged collaboration with China.<\/p>\n Ottawa has no choice<\/a> but to act on teen social media use, minister says: Speaking to the Commons heritage committee, Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller gave his strongest indication yet that the government is seriously considering a ban on social media for teens under the age of 16 as part of a forthcoming online harms bill.<\/p>\n Loblaw `fighting back\u2019 against price hikes<\/a> despite rising cost of food transport: Canada\u2019s largest grocery retailer is rejecting cost-increase requests from vendors, even as rising fuel prices spurred by the Middle East conflict are putting pressure on the cost of transporting food to store shelves.<\/p>\n Who is Louise Arbour,<\/a> Canada\u2019s next Governor-General?: People who know Arbour will point to her intelligence and experience but also praise her wit and extol her comfort speaking with anyone anywhere.<\/p>\n Erskine-Smith\u2019s campaign pushes back<\/a> on Ontario Liberal Party membership rejections: The party has rejected about a third of the membership applications it received for its high-stakes nomination contest in the Toronto riding of Scarborough Southwest, citing concerns about duplicate names and invalid entries.<\/p>\n On our radar<\/p>\n Prime Ministers Day: Mark Carney attended the Liberal caucus meeting and later, in the Montreal suburb of Mirabel, participated in an event to announce that carrier AirAsia is buying 150 Canadian-made A220 planes. The Prime Minister also visited a local business.<\/p>\n Party Leaders: In Ottawa, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a news conference on Parliament Hill. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May spoke with students at Elmwood School in the Rockcliffe area of Ottawa, and later attended the day\u2019s sitting of the House of Commons. No schedules released for other party leaders.<\/p>\n Ministers on the Road: In Toronto, Public Safety Minister Minister Gary Anandasangaree, with Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon, announced federal funding for community safety efforts.<\/p>\n In Toronto, Finance Minister Fran\u00e7ois-Philippe Champagne joined podcaster David Herle for a fireside chat hosted by the Empire Club of Canada. He went on to join Susan E. Hawkins, president and chief executive of Payments Canada, to discuss key pillars of the 2026 spring economic update. <\/p>\n New Canada Pension Plan Investment Board director: Elio Luongo<\/a> has been appointed to the board, which invests funds invested to the Canada Pension Plan by workers and employers.<\/p>\n Exit of NDP national director: Lucy Watson is departing her role after two years as national director, essentially the chief administrative officer, of the federal NDP. Friday is her last day. In a statement, NDP Leader Avi Lewis noted that Watson had helped steer the party through one of the most challenging periods in its history. \u201cAs Lucy moves on to a new chapter, so too does our party, following a leadership race that delivered a strong mandate for change from members,\u201d said Lewis. He said there would be an announcement in coming days on the appointment of an interim national director.<\/p>\n Canada Strong and Free Network Ottawa conference: Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and former B.C. premier Gordon Campbell are among the speakers in Ottawa this week for the annual conservative-focused conference of the CSFN<\/a>, formerly the Manning Centre. The conference runs from today through Saturday.<\/p>\n Quote of the Day<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t generally like bankers, but he\u2019s the first banker I\u2019ve liked, especially from Goldman Sachs\u201d \u2013 Tony Fernandes, the CEO of AirAsia, says about Carney today in Montreal at a news conference about his company\u2019s purchase of Canadian-made planes.<\/p>\n Question period<\/p>\n This week in 1992, Claude Morin, an adviser to five consecutive Quebec premiers, made an admission to Radio-Canada. What was it?<\/p>\n Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.<\/p>\n PerspectivesHere\u2019s the real scandal<\/a> at the heart of the Alberta data breach<\/p>\n The scandal \u2013 which long predates the present farce \u2013 is that we ever allowed the idea to take root that the fate of the entire country could be decided by the vote of half the population in one province \u2013 that a bunch of people could help themselves to the territory of Canada, merely by holding a vote on it.<\/p>\n \u2014 Andrew Coyne, Columnist <\/p>\n An alarm bell is ringing<\/a> on medically assisted death for mental illness<\/p>\n Sixteen psychiatric experts have sounded the alarm. Ottawa should listen, and permanently shelve the expansion of MAID due to mental illness.<\/p>\n \u2014 The Globe and Mail Editorial Board<\/p>\n B.C.\u2019s New Democrats unconscionable betrayal of seniors<\/a><\/p>\n Last summer, B.C.\u2019s seniors advocate issued a report on the state of long-term care in the province.<\/p>\n \u2014 Gary Mason, National Affairs Columnist Go 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