Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he spoke with Donald Trump today about the Gordie Howe International Bridge, after the U.S. President threatened to block its opening unless Canada meets a list of demands.
Trump outlined his position Monday evening in a Truth Social post, saying that the United States should own “at least one half of this asset.”
The $6.4-billion bridge between Windsor and Detroit was fully funded by the Canadian government – after the U.S failed to contribute financially to the project – with plans to recoup costs over time through tolls.
Bill Curry, Adrian Morrow and Laura Stone report that, on his way to a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill, Carney said he spoke with the President earlier this morning and added that he expects the situation will be resolved.
“We discussed the bridge. I explained that Canada, of course, paid for the construction of the bridge,” Carney said.
He also said that he pointed out that the bridge’s ownership is shared between the state of Michigan and the Canadian government and that the construction involved steel sourced from both countries, as well as both Canadian and American workers.
Carney summarized the phone call as a positive conversation.
In other news, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says it will be up to Carney to decide if he will call an early federal election and that the possibility came up at a recent meeting with premiers.
Laura Stone writes that Ford today confirmed a report in The Globe and Mail that the prospect of an early campaign was raised at the first ministers’ meeting in Ottawa on Jan. 29.
“I’ll be very frank with you. When you get 13 premiers in a room, politics comes up, and politics of every type comes up,” Ford told reporters at Queen’s Park today.
“That came up. But that’s going to be up to the Prime Minister. It’s going to be up to the people to decide, if they do decide to call an election. It has nothing to do with me. I called my election. I’m good.”
Ford won a third majority government after he called an early election last year saying he needed a mandate to take on Trump. Carney has said publicly he is not considering a snap election and his office repeated those comments this week.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will link Detroit and Windsor, is seen under construction on Tuesday.Dax Melmer/Reuters
What else is going on
WestJet, Air Transat join Air Canada in cancelling flights to Cuba: Amid warnings by the Caribbean country that it will run out of jet fuel because of a U.S. oil blockade, the two airlines said they have stopped carrying passengers south to the resort destination and will send empty planes to bring home customers in the coming days.
Autopsy indicates Canadian’s death in ICE custody was preventable, experts say: Johnny Noviello, a Canadian man found dead in a Miami prison while detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement last year, died from a rare form of acute kidney failure.
South Africa wants to join Carney’s middle-power campaign: But the potential, so far, is largely unrealized. South Africa remains low on Carney’s priority list. The South African government, for its part, has done little to exploit the possibilities of the Canadian market.
Conservatives propose barring non-citizens convicted of crimes from making refugee claims: The Conservative motion in the House of Commons cites an increase in extortion cases and what they call lax bail laws as reasons for the motion.
Ottawa earmarks $75-million to help agriculture and food manufacturing diversify trade: The funds will be available for agricultural associations and small to mid-sized manufacturers, such as seafood processors. Sectors affected by trade barriers – such as canola, pulses, pork, fish and seafood – will be prioritized.
About half of Canadians are turning to AI for health information, survey says: The Canadian Medical Association today released its 2026 Health and Media Tracking Survey, which found that nearly all Canadians are searching the web for health information and the majority – 64 per cent – are encountering false or misleading content.
On our radar
Prime Minister’s Day: Mark Carney chaired a cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill and later attended Question Period.
Meanwhile, Carney’s office has announced he will attend the Munich Security Conference between Wednesday and Sunday to meet with business leaders as well as his international counterparts on issues including defence, energy security and support for Ukraine.
Party Leaders: On Parliament Hill, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet held a news conference. No schedule available for other party leaders.
Ministers on the Road: International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu is in Singapore today to attend the Canada-in-Asia Conference, and he is scheduled to visit Vietnam on Wednesday and Thursday.
Quote of the Day
“You don’t win elections at conventions. You win elections across the country. So, let’s see what happens if the Prime Minister decides to call an election.” - Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a Progressive Conservative, at a news conference today, on federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre securing 87-per-cent approval from party members at the recent national Conservative convention in Calgary.
Question period
The Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor and Detroit has been in the news this week given U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats about it. Which Prime Minister announced that the span would be named for “Mr. Hockey,” namely the great Canadian player?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
Trump’s bridge threat heralds pain and turmoil for USMCA talks
Instead of equal players around the negotiating table, what may emerge at the USMCA talks is a situation where the U.S. asserts itself as the undeniable economic giant, a hegemonic bully with the largest and most lucrative market in the world, and Canada and Mexico being lesser players, facing demands for a new America-centric trade deal.
— Lawrence Herman, counsel at Herman & Associates and a senior fellow of the C.D. Howe Institute in Toronto and a member of the federal government’s expert panel on Canada-US Relations
Reconciliation is not an issue for governments to address at their convenience
My father was in his 20s when we were finally allowed to potlatch legally, retain lawyers to bring land claims, and to vote. He is now in his 80s. He has seen the halting and often painful progress toward reconciliation. I hope during his lifetime we will see DRIPA maintain the integrity for which it was developed: a just and reconciled future for all.
— Marilyn Slett, Chief of the Heiltsuk Nation
Ottawa needs to nail the appointment of our next national-security adviser
Mr. Carney has an opportunity to demonstrate that he takes national security seriously in troubled times by choosing the right person for the NSIA role and providing them with the right tools. He should give the decision careful consideration – but not for too long.
— Adam Chapnick, professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada and the deputy director of education at the Canadian Forces College. Vincent Rigby is the Slater Family Professor of Practice at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University and a former national security and intelligence adviser to the Prime Minister.
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
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.
The answer to today’s question: Stephen Harper made the announcement in Windsor on May 14, 2015, accompanied by members of his cabinet, Michigan governor Rick Snyder, who held that post between 2011 and 2019, and members of Howe’s family. “Mr. Hockey, one of the greatest players in the history of the game, is a proud Canadian who led the Detroit Red Wings to four Stanley Cup victories, building extraordinary goodwill between our two countries,” Harper said.