Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
The Canadian Armed Forces are asking military personnel in the National Capital Region to return some field gear, including vests to hold body armour, to address what it describes as “critical equipment shortages” for deployed operations.
Steven Chase reports that a May 13 e-mail from National Defence Headquarters in Ottawa, obtained by The Globe and Mail, cites this inventory shortfall.
It directs all Canadian Armed Forces members in the region, if they are not assigned to a “deployable unit,” to hand in several pieces of personal kit, including backpacks and fragmentation vests.
“Your co-operation is essential to the success of this effort,” the e-mail says, including photos of the requested gear, which members of the Forces would have acquired over the course of their duties.
The message says it was sent on behalf of Colonel Jeff Toope, commander of Canadian Forces Support Group Ottawa-Gatineau and commander of an area Forces base.
Department of National Defence spokesperson Daniel Blouin confirmed the e-mail in response to questions from The Globe. He estimated the message was sent to roughly 10,000 people.
In other news, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is scheduled to give a televised address to the province at 8:45 p.m. ET., after a cabinet shuffle today that saw her name a new finance minister.
Matthew Scace and Carrie Tait report that Jason Nixon takes over from Nate Horner, who announced Wednesday he would not run in the next election. Nixon previously oversaw assisted living and social services.
The cabinet shuffle is a substantial overhaul of the provincial government’s leadership in several key portfolios, and it is the start of what will be a busy day in Alberta politics.
Nixon’s old job will now be filled by Nathan Neudorf, a cabinet veteran. Smith, when she took over as United Conservative Party Leader and Premier in the fall of 2022, excluded Nixon from her first cabinet. He had previously served in Jason Kenney’s cabinet.
Horner said he intends to stay in caucus until the next election, tentatively scheduled for 2027.
Smith’s changes to her front bench unfolded today as a legislative committee is scheduled to reconvene later in the afternoon, when they will likely vote on UCP MLA Nate Glubish’s motion to get a question about provincial secession on this fall’s referendum ballot.
On Wednesday, a premature statement sent by the UCP caucus bungled Glubish’s first attempt to hold a vote on recommending that cabinet proceed with an independence referendum.
An e-mail from National Defence Headquarters directed CAF members to hand in several pieces of personal kit if they are not assigned to a 'deployable unit.'Carlos Osorio/Reuters
What else is going on
CRTC issues formal Canadian content rules for streamers: The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission has formalized new rules for streamers that will force them to promote Canadian and Indigenous content and contribute more to a $2-billion system of supports for domestic programming.
Supreme Court will hear Indigenous rights declaration case from B.C.: The court said it will be hearing the case on the legal breadth of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in domestic laws.
Serious RCMP failures in N.S sex-assault case before woman’s murder, watchdog finds: Susan Butlin was shot and killed by Ernie Duggan in September, 2017 – six weeks after the RCMP dismissed her report that he had sexually assaulted her.
B.C. to rename Site C hydro dam after deceased premier John Horgan: Premier David Eby, while announcing the plan in Victoria, said if Horgan were alive today he wouldn’t have allowed anything to be renamed after him, joking that Horgan would have used much rougher language than dam.
Carney cautions B.C. not to drag out pipeline debate: As Prime Minister Mark Carney heads into negotiations with B.C. Premier Eby over the province’s economic priorities, he cautioned that debate over a contentious new pipeline cannot go on indefinitely.
Canadian aid workers head to Congo as part of Ebola outbreak response: Chiran Livera, operations lead of the Canadian Red Cross, says he’s hoping to arrive in the next few days, while a team of public health and logistics experts are already on their way.
On our radar
Commons on a break: The Commons is on a break until May 25. The Senate is also on a break, until May 26.
Prime Minister’s Day: Carney did not have any public events today. However, he did speak with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
Party Leaders: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a news conference on property rights in North Vancouver. In her riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May attended a municipal policy and planning conference in North Saanich, and a reception on plans for a clinic focused on research and support for women’s health during menopause and midlife. No schedules released for other party leaders.
Ministers on the Road: In the Estonian city of Tallinn, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand met with her Estonian counterpart, Margus Tsahkna, on the margins of the Canada-Baltics “3+1” Foreign Ministers’ meeting. Anand also travelled to a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden.
In the Nova Scotia village of Port Mouton, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson highlighted the $957.8-million program to invest in small craft harbours from the spring economic update.
In Winnipeg, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty announced $1.8-million in funding to support First Nations in Northern Manitoba and British Columbia.
In the Saskatchewan municipality of Sherwood, Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski announced federal funding in support of Saskatchewan.
In Vancouver and Burnaby, Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald met with key stakeholders from the agriculture and agri-food industry.
In Iqaluit, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly announced $1.5-million in funding over three years to support workers and employers in tariff-affected sectors.
In Whitehorse, Housing Minister Gregor Robertson made an infrastructure announcement.
Interim NDP national director: Former NDP MP Matthew Green is the party’s new interim national director, succeeding Lucy Watson, who departed earlier this month. Green will hold the post for three months and the permanent position will be filled through a hiring process. The party announced the appointment today. The former Hamilton city councillor was an MP in the area from 2019 until 2025.
Quote of the Day
“I will be campaigning across the province of Alberta, encouraging Albertans to stay as part of the Canadian family, and encouraging nation-wide unity for all Canadians.” – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, at a news conference in North Vancouver today, says he and all federal Conservatives will campaign for Canadian unity in Alberta and Quebec, if sovereigntists win an October election in the latter province.
Question period
The current iconic building of the National Gallery of Canada, the national art museum, was opened on this day in 1988. How much did the complex, designed by Moshe Safdie, cost?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
Danielle Smith is not a separatist. She’s an opportunist who got in over her head
Ms. Smith didn’t create the separatist monster, but she fed it and nurtured it – and at this point, she has lost control of it.
— Robyn Urback, columnist
Mr. Positive says yes to all the premiers’ projects
Mr. Carney doesn’t want to address those questions, either – not in public. He wants to talk about what will be built, not what might get in the way. But the risks are still there, somewhere in the future.
— Campbell Clark, chief political writer
Newfoundland and Labrador rolls the dice with demands for major changes to Churchill Falls deal
With goodwill and hard work, an amended deal is possible. But the history of negotiations between these two provinces also suggests that a lot could go wrong.
— Konrad Yakabuski, columnist
Go deeper
- Follow along for our stories on Canada-U.S. relations as news develops
- Get the latest insight and analysis from our political opinion writers
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The answer to today’s question: $122-million. Groundbreaking for the building took place in December, 1983, and the work was completed in April, 1988. The building, with 12,400 square metres of exhibition space, was inaugurated in May, 1988.