Canada Minute: Issue 20

Canada Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Canadian politics.

📅 This Week In Canada: 📅

• Quebec Premier François Legault says he is open to building a pipeline through northern Quebec to transport Western Canadian oil to Europe via the port of Sept-Îles. He suggested this idea in an interview, arguing that geopolitical tensions - particularly with Donald Trump - have made Quebecers more receptive to such projects. Legault believes Quebecers prefer exporting Alberta oil through their own province rather than risking US interference. This marks a shift from 2021, when his government rejected the GNL Québec project due to concerns about climate impact and lack of public support.

• Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled his new Cabinet following the recent election, adding 24 new members, including 13 first-time MPs. The group features a mix of veteran parliamentarians and political newcomers, with roles ranging from full Ministers to Secretaries of State. Appointments include Julie Dabrusin as Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Evan Solomon as Minister of Artificial Intelligence, and Eleanor Olszewski as Alberta’s sole cabinet representative overseeing Emergency Management and Community Resilience. Mandy Gull-Masty, former Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees, takes on Indigenous Services, Tim Hodgson, ex-CEO of Goldman Sachs Canada, is Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, while Gregor Robertson, former Mayor of Vancouver, is now the Housing Minister.
  
  
• Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne confirmed there would be no Spring budget this year. Instead, he said that the government planned to release only a Fall economic statement, and implied a budget would wait until 2026. Champagne offered no explanation for the decision, prompting criticism from Pierre Poilievre, who accused the Liberals of lacking a plan and failing to deliver on campaign promises. Prime Minister Mark Carney quickly backtracked and announced yesterday that there will be a budget in the Fall after all.
  
  
• Although Canada imposed new 25% tariffs on $60 billion worth of US goods earlier this year, exemptions introduced by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government have brought the real rate of retaliation down to “nearly zero,” according to Oxford Economics. This strategy is designed to protect domestic growth while avoiding a direct tit-for-tat trade war. Carney’s approach contrasts with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “dollar for dollar” stance - but it also contrasts with Carney’s “tough on Trump” campaign approach. Oxford Economics now predicts a mild recession but has slightly improved Canada’s growth outlook.
  
  
• In 2024, Canadian MPs spent a record-breaking $187.8 million, which is $12.7 million more than in 2023. This spending included $32 million on travel, $114.1 million on staff salaries, $39.8 million on third-party contracts such as advertising and office supplies, and $1.9 million on hospitality expenses like taxpayer-funded meetings and meals. On average, MPs spent about $547,000 each, with only ten MPs exceeding $700,000 in total expenses. The highest spender was former Bloc Québécois MP Kristina Michaud, who billed nearly $775,000, including $328,000 on travel - more than any other MP, even those representing remote areas like Nunavut. By party, the NDP led average spending per MP at $583,000, followed by the Bloc Québécois, Green Party, Conservatives, and Liberals. The data excludes the large budgets tied to party leaders’ official roles, and it should be noted that many Liberals are also excluded, as these expenses don't include the costs of Cabinet Ministers' offices and expenses.
  
  
• A recent report by William Kaplan from the government-appointed Industrial Inquiry Commission warns that Canada Post is effectively bankrupt and recommends ending daily door-to-door mail delivery to homes, while maintaining daily delivery to businesses. To improve finances, the report suggests allowing part-time employees to work on weekends and possibly during the week, with pay and benefits equal to full-time staff. These recommendations aim to preserve Canada Post as a national institution amid ongoing contract disputes with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. Negotiations between Canada Post and the union have stalled, raising concerns about a possible strike after the current agreement expires on May 22nd. Small businesses, especially those in rural areas, are preparing for disruptions, as last year’s strike caused significant delivery delays and financial losses. The government is encouraging both sides to use the report as a basis to resume talks and avoid further service interruptions.
  
  
• Canada saw a record 20,245 asylum claims from international students in 2024, and early 2025 figures suggest that number will climb even higher. In the first quarter alone, students filed 5,500 claims, up 22% from the same period last year. Immigration experts say tighter rules around permanent residency and work permits are pushing more students toward asylum claims. Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged to reduce the share of international students and temporary workers to under 5% of the population by 2027. Critics argue these cuts are hurting post-secondary institutions and vulnerable students, while doing little to address housing or healthcare strains. Colleges like Conestoga, Seneca, and Niagara reported hundreds of student asylum claims each in 2024.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨