Growing number of Albertans want to separate from Canada

The federal Liberals' resurgence ahead of the 2025 election campaign has led to an increasing number of Albertans wanting to break up from Canada. Dawna Friesen speaks with a prominent separatist about why he thinks Alberta should gain independence. Plus, Dawna looks at how the movement is putting Premier Danielle Smith under increasing pressure.

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Bloomberg

6 hours ago

• Bloomberg

Romanian Pro-EU Parties Sign Coalition Deal to Tackle Budget Gap

Romania's mainstream parties signed an agreement to form a new government after months of political turmoil, with a key goal to tackle the European Union's biggest budget deficit. Lawmakers in Bucharest are set to approve the cabinet of Prime Minister-designate Ilie Bolojan in a vote on Monday as the Social Democrats, the Liberals and two other smaller parties hold a majority of over 60% in the legislature.

Hamilton Spectator

17 hours ago

• Hamilton Spectator

Mark Carney's minority government has an unexpected partner in the Conservatives — for now

OTTAWA—There's a new coalition in town. If the last Parliament was dominated by the Conservatives' insistence that the Liberal-NDP alliance had spun the country into an irreversible state of disarray, the opening weeks of the latest session has put a new pact on the map. 'It appears to me, and it remains to be seen, that (Prime Minister) Carney's new majority coalition is Liberal-Conservative, delivering Pierre Poilievre's policies with a more friendly face,' said the Green Party's Elizabeth May on Monday, as she raised the alarm over C-5, the Liberals' major projects bill. The Grit-Tory co-operation around that bill, which led to the proposed legislation being bulldozed through Parliament this week, prompted members of other federal parties to make the same dig. The Bloc Québécois warned of a 'new cross-party alliance,' while the NDP accused both parties of joining forces to steamroll over environmental protections and Indigenous rights. Of course, there is no actual coalition at play. But charges of one, combined with a fledgling Carney government pulling the Liberals away from the left, means the Conservatives must make a new case as to why they are still the top alternative in a post-Justin Trudeau world. 'Mark Carney is governing like a Progressive Conservative. So where's your opportunity?' said Tim Powers, a former Conservative strategist and chair of Summa Strategies. Carney's 'One Canadian Economy' bill, which proposes, in part, to grant Ottawa temporary powers to fast-track major resource and infrastructure projects, contains some promises that are not altogether different from what Poilievre pledged during this year's campaign. Rapidly spurring Canadian resource projects and accelerating approvals were key commitments in the Conservatives' platform, even if they were accompanied by other promises like scrapping the industrial carbon price and repealing the Liberals' contentious Impact Assessment Act. Bill C-5 is unlike any piece of legislation we have seen in Canada federally. Because Bill C-5 doesn't go that far, it doesn't have Poilievre's complete approval. And while his decision to be the Liberals' dance partner this week quickly drew the ire of other opposition parties, others believe it wasn't a damaging move. 'Canadians ultimately want them to work together,' said Shakir Chambers, a Conservative strategist and vice president at the public affairs firm Oyster Group. 'If you're going to co-operate on some things, co-operate on the things that you have been championing, even pre-election, to move forward and get them passed.' Powers said Poilievre now has heavyweights in his caucus like Edmonton Northwest MP Billy Morin, the former chief of Enoch Cree Nation, to push back against narratives that the Conservatives aren't attuned to concerns from Indigenous communities about the bill. MPs are expressing reservations about the push to fast-track major development projects. The Liberals, too, don't seem particularly bothered by the 'coalition' barbs. 'I don't take them very seriously,' London Centre Liberal MP Peter Fragiskatos told the Star. 'I'm very glad (the Conservatives) are coming to the game and playing a constructive role. It's been a very long time since they've done that,' Liberal MP and former House Speaker Greg Fergus said. Nevertheless, the early weeks of Canada's 45th Parliament have offered a few glimpses into where the Conservatives see their lines of attack. One emerged this week in the form of the Trudeau-era target that zero-emission vehicles should make up 20 per cent of new car sales starting in 2026, growing to 100 per cent by 2035. 'Well, somebody wants to tell you where to go and how to get there,' Poilievre said in a five-and-a-half minute video posted on social media Thursday. 'It's the Liberal government's new attempt to ban your gas-powered vehicles.' Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman introduced a defeated motion this week, calling on the Liberals to scrap the policy and posting on social media that 'the government has no place in the driveways of Canadians.' The policy is not a 'new attempt,' nor is it a flat-out 'ban' on gas-powered vehicles: it's a regulatory scheme aimed at incentivizing the sale of more EVs. 'That's another thing that Justin Trudeau was focused on,' Powers said. 'Guys, wake up! And girls. Justin Trudeau is gone. He's gone. There's a new Liberal leader, and he's not giving you much ammunition.' But Chambers said zeroing in on the EV mandate is a natural next step for a party focused on buoying the oil and gas sector. 'It's a good point to attack,' Chambers said. 'If you bring back … the industrial carbon tax issue, again, opposing the EV mandate kind of fits with that overall blanket of policy ideas.' Other issues the party focused on this week, such as bringing forward a motion imposing a lifetime ban on ArriveCAN contractor GCStrategies, were more successful. But Chambers said that the past few weeks of Parliament have mostly been a 'test run', and that Canadians are currently focused on more pressing issues like affordability, trade disruptions and international conflicts. That's where he says Poilievre's focus should lie as he prepares for a fall session, where it's expected that the Conservative leader will make his triumphant return to the House of Commons after a summer byelection, revamp his shadow cabinet with fresh faces, and set Carney's first federal budget in his sights. He'll also have to factor in the Conservative party's national convention, set to be held next January, where he will face a leadership review following his election loss. Powers said that by the time the calendar rolls over into September, he wants to see more 'maturity' from the party. 'I think Conservatives need to lead a little bit again in thought, not just in (social media) clip, and in meme,' Powers said. 'Poilievre's a smart fellow. How can he do that? Where can he put a marker down?'

USA Today

a day ago

• USA Today

Trump is winning on immigration – and Democrats are falling right into his trap

Liberals are freaking out, but the reality is that President Donald Trump is following through on his promise to restore safety at the southern border and to deport illegal immigrants. President Donald Trump, in a June 15 social media post, called for amping up his deportation agenda, demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials 'do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.' Trump singled out large Democratic-run cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, which have made themselves havens for illegal immigrants, even as local leaders have struggled to handle the influx. Trump timed his missive shortly after nationwide 'No Kings' protests that in part criticized his immigration agenda, as well as the chaotic and violent protests in Los Angeles this month in response to ICE raids. Opinion: Democrats scream democracy is in peril ... while proving that it's absolutely fine Liberals may be freaking out, but the reality is that Trump is following through on his promises to restore safety at the southern border and to deport as many illegal immigrants as possible. It was one of the pivotal reasons Trump won a second term. And the majority of the country is still on the president's side. Polling confirms Americans want Trump to fulfill immigration agenda Immigration remains Trump's strongest issue. A recent NBC News Decision Desk poll found that 51% of Americans approve of Trump's handling of border security and immigration; 49% disapprove. The poll was conducted while Trump was sending in the National Guard and Marines to help contain rioting in LA. Similarly, a CBS News/YouGov poll from earlier in June found the majority of Americans side with Trump's deportation agenda. In that survey, 54% said they approve of the administration's program to deport illegal immigrants, and the largest group – 42% – say these policies are making the country safer. Opinion: Hey, Democrats, LA riots make Americans like me glad Trump is president However, while 55% of those surveyed say they like Trump's deportation goals, just 44% like the way Trump is fulfilling that agenda. The gap between approval of Trump's goals versus his execution of those goals is seen in other areas, too, including the economy. Let's face it: Trump is Trump, and he's consistent in his unpredictability and bravado. Voters should have known by this point what they were getting. Yet, for the most part, he is standing firm on his immigration goals. Within weeks, Trump had effectively closed the border that former President Joe Biden had opened wide. Monthly border encounters have dropped to record lows, to fewer than 10,000 a month from more than 100,000 a year ago. That means far fewer migrants face deportation after illegally entering the United States. So while Trump is getting all the Democratic outrage, his deportation numbers as of late May remain below Biden's during a similar period of time. And former President Barack Obama – darling of the left – maintains the title of 'deporter in chief.' Opinion: Democrats waste $20 million to learn why they lost men. Here's my free advice. Are Democrats OK? They keep getting arrested to protest Trump. But why let facts get in the way of feelings? Through protests, riots and civil disobedience, Democrats have put their feelings on full display lately. Even public officials are getting in on the performance art. In recent weeks, a growing number of people in power have decided it is politically expedient to interfere directly with the work of immigration officers. For their disobedience, these Democrats have been handcuffed or charged, which seems to have been what they wanted in the first place. The latest example is New York City comptroller and mayoral candidate Brad Lander, who was arrested June 17 'after he linked arms with a person authorities were attempting to detain' in federal immigration court. Members of Congress, a Wisconsin judge and a mayor also have joined the ranks of those flouting the law. To what end, though, given Trump is doing what voters want him to do? Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. It's also worth noting that while progressives want you to think Trump's approval as president has tanked beyond repair, his 46.4% approval rating is higher than where Obama (45.8%) and former President George W. Bush (45.6%) were at this point in their second terms. From transgender athletes in women's sports to halting illegal immigration, Democrats keep finding themselves on the wrong side of issues that Americans care about. Good for Trump for getting it right. Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@ or on X, formerly Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.