Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will have a brief meeting tomorrow in Washington with Donald Trump as the U.S. President has been talking of leaving USMCA, the trilateral North American trade deal.
Steven Chase and Adrian Morrow report that the meeting will take place as the two leaders gather for the final FIFA World Cup draw.
“The Prime Minister and Mr. Trump will have a brief meeting during their time together at the Kennedy Center,” said Audrey Champoux, deputy director of communications and media relations in the Prime Minister’s Office.
She said Carney will also meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
The last time Carney and Trump met face to face was at a private dinner in South Korea before the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in late October. The two men acknowledged each other, made finger guns at one other and smiled, appearing to exchange pleasantries.
Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are co-hosting the 2026 World Cup. The draw tomorrow by the International Federation of Association Football, known by its French acronym, FIFA, will determine the groups of competing countries. The event is scheduled to last two hours.
Canada and the United States have not held formal trade negotiations since Trump broke off talks on Oct. 23, citing an Ontario government TV ad that criticized protectionist tariffs of the kind his administration has imposed on Canada.
In other news, B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad has resigned his post a day after saying he would not leave.
“I am announcing that I am stepping down as the leader of the Conservative Party of British Columbia,” Rustad told journalists at the legislature.
Party leader since 2023, he intends to remain in the Conservative caucus. The party has 39 seats in the 93-seat legislature. The governing NDP has 47 seats.
Rustad’s exit comes a day after the party’s board of directors issued a statement noting that a majority of the Conservative caucus had informed the party’s legal counsel that they no longer had confidence in Rustad.
The board said it would begin preparations for a leadership contest and declared Trevor Halford, a party member of the legislature, as its interim leader.
Justine Hunter reports here.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and FIFA President Gianni Infantino attend the international friendly match between Canada and Australia at Stade Saputo on Oct. 10 in Montreal.Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
What else is going on
Military adds new command: One expert says the new department will put the organization on a better war footing and make it more prepared to deploy and fight in case of conflict.
More than 27,000 public servants paid at least $150,000 last year: The finding in a Treasury Board document comes as the government intends to have 10 per cent fewer federal employees by 2029.
Economy was on stronger footing heading into trade war: The Canadian economy has grown faster than previously known in recent years, according to revisions from Statistics Canada that partly reframe the narrative around the country’s weak productivity and declining living standards.
Minister says Indigenous status rules need more consultation: Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty says the proposed amendment to remove the second-generation cutoff rule – a policy First Nations say could lead to their extinction – doesn’t reflect the diverse needs of First Nations across the country.
Consultations on Quebec’s constitution bill begin: Critics say the constitution bill would erode human rights and limit dissent and could reopen an unnecessary debate on abortion. Some civil society groups are calling for it to be withdrawn outright.
Ottawa informs 68,000 workers of early-retirement incentives: The letters sent out this week are part of the federal government’s push to shrink the size of the federal government.
On our radar
Prime Minister’s Day: Mark Carney has no public events today.
Party Leaders: Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet and the party’s justice spokesperson, Rhéal Éloi Fortin, held a news conference at the House of Commons on Bill C-9. No schedules released for other party leaders.
Ministers on the Road: After a trip to Mexico City that included a meeting with his Mexican counterpart, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc has returned home. LeBlanc met with Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, government officials and business leaders. According to a Global Affairs statement, LeBlanc was accompanied by a delegation of business associations. The visit is intended to set the stage for a Team Canada trade mission to Mexico in February.
Quote of the Day
“Oh. That’s fresh. That is fresh. Simply apple, folks. This is delicious.” — Ontario Premier Doug Ford caps an announcement in Mississauga by taking a swig of fruit juice from a container. Lee Lu Holdings Inc. is investing $533-million to establish a bottling and packing facility in the city.
Question period
Who was the last B.C. Conservative premier?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
Liberals nervously await the effects of Steven Guilbeault’s resignation on the party’s Quebec fortunes
The question now is how much damage Mr. Guilbeault’s decision to quit does to the Liberals in Quebec. He was widely seen in the province as the environmental conscience of the Carney government. His repudiation of the MOU should be bad news for Mr. Carney, no?
— Konrad Yakabuski, Columnist
It’s turning point time for the Conservatives and NDP - but don’t expect much
The numbers suggest a good case can be made for the Conservatives to make a new turn – but don’t look for it to happen. ln the case of both the CPC and the NDP, revitalization does not appear to be in store.
— Lawrence Martin, Public Affairs Columnist
B.C. Conservatives given a new lease on life with John Rustad resignation
For the new leader, whoever that is, whenever he or she is chosen, the challenge to keep a group with such disparate ideological viewpoints together will be no less great. Neither will the responsibility the party has to the province.
— Gary Mason, National Affairs 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: Simon Fraser Tolmie, premier from 1928 to 1933, who subsequently served as an MP for Victoria and died in office.