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Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
House of Commons passes Liberals' major projects bill
Liberal and Conservative members of Parliament voted to pass the government's major projects legislation this evening. After the second of two votes, Prime Minister Mark Carney crossed the floor to shake hands with Opposition House leader Andrew Scheer and Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman. Two votes were held instead of one after the House Speaker ruled that the legislation had two distinct parts without a clear common element. That allowed the Bloc Québécois and NDP members to vote in favour of the first part of the bill — which looks to tackle internal trade barriers — and against the more controversial second part dealing with major projects. The major projects bill grants the government sweeping powers to quickly approve projects that are deemed to be in the national interest. The bill is now headed to the Senate, which is scheduled to sit until June 27.
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Toronto Sun
Tories accuse PM of thinking about Brookfield's 'bottom line' with EV mandate
Carney's financial holdings continue to be sore spot after issues raised in Liberal leadership race, federal election Conservative MP Andrew Scheer, leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. Photo by Justin Tang / The Canadian Press OTTAWA — While Canada prepares to launch a decade-long ban on the sale of new gas-powered vehicles next year, the Conservatives are accusing the PM of having more on his mind than climate change. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account During question period on Wednesday, Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of thinking more about the bottom line of his former employer in allowing his government to go ahead with the contentious Justin Trudeau-era policy. 'Canadians, autoworkers, Ford, GM — they all don't want the EV mandate, but the prime minister's intent on pushing it through,' Scheer said. 'Why? Well, right before becoming prime minister he was chair of Brookfield and he advocated for a ban on gas-powered cars. Brookfield is heavily invested in the EV supply chain. If this prime minister refuses to reveal his financial interests or self-admitted conflicts — isn't it true that this isn't about the environment, this is about the bottom line for Brookfield?' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Carney's financial holdings were a sore spot during his run at the Liberal leadership and subsequent federal election, lashing out at several reporters who asked him about it — repeatedly insisting that all of his publicly traded assets were placed in a blind trust. As of Dec. 31, disclosures by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission showed Carney held just under $7 million US in unexercised stock options in Brookfield Asset Management. RECOMMENDED VIDEO In response, AI Minister Evan Solomon completely ducked the questions about his party leader's portfolio, instead talking up his government's efforts to protect auto-sector jobs from leaving Canada and the investments made by Canada in automakers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We have invested in the auto sector, including the EV sector, to build good jobs in places like St. Thomas,' he said, referring to the Ontario city's $7-billion Volkswagen battery plant, which is under construction. 'This government will always invest in workers and make sure that the auto industry is growing, resilient and successful.' This was the second straight day the Conservatives hammered the government over EV mandates, which will require 100% of all new cars sold by 2025 to be electric. On Tuesday, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin accused the Tories of taking unfair aim at Canada's auto industry by demanding an end to the mandates, clearly unaware that Canada's auto industry is against the policy, which by next year will require 20% of new car sales to be EVs. In a news conference earlier this year, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association president Brian Kingston described the EV mandates as 'complete fantasy' and legislation dictating which cars Canadians can and cannot buy as a 'made-in-Canada policy failure.' bpassifiume@ X: @bryanpassifiume Read More NHL Canada Soccer Canada Toronto Maple Leafs
Globe and Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Alberta MP officially resigns to pave way for Poilievre's by-election
Pierre Poilievre's effort to regain a seat in the House of Commons is set to begin in earnest with the formal resignation of the Alberta MP who offered to give up his riding for the Conservative Leader. Damien Kurek officially resigned Tuesday as the MP for Battle River—Crowfoot, after announcing he intended to step down last month. Mr. Kurek won the riding in the April 28 vote with nearly 83 per cent of the vote, his third victory in a seat the party has held for decades. But after Mr. Poilievre lost his own seat in the election, Mr. Kurek announced he'd resign to give the party leader a place to run. Mr. Poilievre held an Ottawa-area riding for nearly 20 years but lost it to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy in a major upset for the Conservatives. Minority Liberals gain Conservative support to speed up debate on internal trade bill His loss means, among other things, he can't serve as Opposition Leader in the House of Commons, a role being filled temporarily by former party leader Andrew Scheer. Though Mr. Kurek is stepping back, he said in a statement it is a temporary move. 'Pierre Poilievre is a man of principle, character, and is the hardest working MP I have ever met. His energy, passion, and drive will have a huge benefit in East Central Alberta,' he said. 'I will continue to work with our incredible local team to do everything I can to remain the strong voice for you as I support Pierre in this process, and then run again here in Battle River—Crowfoot in the next general election.' It's unclear which riding Mr. Poilievre would run in during the next general election campaign. Commons approves motion calling for ArriveCan contractor GCStrategies to face lifetime ban Mr. Kurek was unable to resign sooner due to rules in the Elections Act and the Parliament of Canada Act. Now that he has, the Speaker will inform Elections Canada of a vacancy. Once that procedure is complete, Prime Minister Mark Carney must wait at least 11 days, but no more than 180 days, to call a by-election. Mr. Carney has previously said he would call one as soon as he's able to. In addition to securing the support of voters in the riding, Mr. Poilievre will also have to face members of his own party for a leadership review. The Conservative Party's constitution states that at the first national convention after an election the party doesn't win – if the leader hasn't resigned – 'the delegates will vote by secret ballot if they wish to engage the leadership selection process.' The Globe and Mail reported Monday that will happen in January.
National Post
05-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
How a little-known procedure helped the Liberals dodge their first confidence vote
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government used an obscure parliamentary maneuver to sidestep its first major test of confidence on Wednesday, adopting its reply to the throne speech by division. Article content The measure sailed through the House of Commons without a vote after Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux, the parliamentary secretary to government House leader Steven MacKinnon, moved without objection for the government reply to be sent to the King via Governor General Mary Simon. Article content Conservative Leader in the House of Commons Andrew Scheer was one of the MPs on hand to watch the motion carry. Article content Ian Brodie, a political scientist and former chief of staff to ex-prime minister Stephen Harper, said that the procedural set piece likely reflected a tacit agreement between the new government and opposition parties. Article content 'I'm sure the opposition parties thought this through and have consented to let the Carney government continue on,' said Brodie. Article content According to the House rules of procedure, motions like the throne speech reply may be adopted without a vote under two circumstances: by unanimous consent and 'on division.' Article content The latter happens when support for the motion isn't unanimous but no member of a recognized party moves for a recorded vote on its passage to be taken. Article content Interim NDP leader Don Davies said in the preceding hours that he'd instruct his seven-member caucus to vote against the motion but wasn't in a position to make good on the threat, with the NDP not having enough seats to count as a 'recognized party' for the the purposes of parliamentary proceedings. Article content The minority Liberal government suffered a minor scare on Monday evening when it didn't have the votes blocking a hostile amendment to the throne speech reply calling on it to present an economic update before Parliament breaks for the summer. The procedural vote was not a matter of confidence and the government has said it doesn't consider it binding. Article content Liberal MPs downplayed the narrowly lost vote, saying that they weren't surprised by the result. Article content Brodie says that a new election would not necessarily have been triggered if the Liberal throne speech reply was voted down. Article content 'The Governor General could reasonably ask (Conservative Leader Pierre) Poilievre to form a government. It's possible he could command the confidence of the House,' said Brodie.
National Post
05-06-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Michael Taube: Early signs Liberal government may be short-lived
The 45th Canadian Parliament officially began on May 26. There are already some early signs that it may not last very long. Article content Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals suffered an embarrassing defeat in a June 2 vote in the House of Commons. Conservative interim leader Andrew Scheer's sub-amendment to the throne speech, which called for a 'firm commitment' to present a spring economic statement or budget 'that incorporates measures aimed at unleashing Canada's economic potential,' passed by a vote of 166-164. Article content This surprising result was aided by the fact that four Liberal MPs didn't vote due to the long-standing procedural measure of paired abstentions. This is when the parties represented in the House agree to have an MP sit out a vote and be paired with an MP of a different party who can't attend for a particular reason. Article content Article content In fairness, this was a non-binding vote. Confidence in the Liberal government wasn't being put to the test that day. At the same time, in spite of chief government whip Mark Gerretsen suggesting 'we knew the outcome of what that vote was going to be,' it's still a humiliating moment. While there have been a tiny number of instances of a federal government losing a non-binding vote, resolution or motion, it's highly unusual to have it happen this early in a parliament's life — and to have it linked to the Throne Speech. Article content As it happens, Carney and the Liberals survived a second crisis with the Throne Speech the following day when it was adopted by the House of Commons in a peculiar fashion. Article content Article content Political commentators and columnists were briefly caught off-guard on June 4 when the NDP announced they would vote against the Throne Speech. The Conservatives seemed like a good bet to join them. Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-François Blanchet even told the media that 'we have no news about how the caucus is going to vote.' Article content Article content This had suddenly become an interesting situation. The minority Liberal government has 169 MPs. One of them, Francis Scarpaleggia, is the Speaker of the House. Only Green Party leader Elizabeth May appeared to be onside with the Liberals. If the Conservatives, NDP and BQ all voted against the Throne Speech, this would have been regarded as a vote of no confidence in Carney's Liberal government. This would have likely led to the dissolution of Parliament and a new federal election. Article content The whole scenario seemed rather far-fetched. Going back to the polls so early wouldn't be desirable for most Canadians. The voters would blame one or more of the parties for causing this situation. Meanwhile, Elections Canada revealed that the estimated cost for running this year's federal election was $570 million. It would be difficult to convince the Canadian taxpayers, who foot this lofty bill, that they would need to spend this amount (or more) once again in 2025 — with no guarantee that it would lead to a different result.
