Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Prime Minister Mark Carney says the second round of projects to be referred to the Major Projects Office will be announced Thursday in Prince Rupert, B.C.
The office was established this summer to fast-track the approval of what the government calls “nation-building” infrastructure and resource projects.
The first five were referred to the office for consideration in September. They included an expansion of the LNG Canada export terminal in British Columbia and support for small modular nuclear reactors in Ontario.
Speaking in Fredericton, Carney said the federal government will also be announcing more support for the softwood lumber industry, which has been affected by U.S. duties and tariffs. He said the announcement would follow a virtual First Ministers’ Meeting next Monday.
Reporter Mark Rendell has all the details.
In other news, Canada has lost its measles-elimination status after failing to interrupt the transmission of the virus within one year of an outbreak, which continues to spread.
The Public Health Agency of Canada said today that it was notified by the Pan American Health Organization that Canada had lost its designation, which it had held for 27 years. The PAHO is a regional arm of the World Health Organization.
Canada’s outbreak started in October last year in New Brunswick, when a traveller from Thailand unknowingly infected wedding guests in Florenceville. There have been more than 5,100 cases nationally in the past year, including the deaths of two infants who contracted measles in utero and were born prematurely.
Ontario and Alberta have been the hardest-hit provinces.
Health reporters Alanna Smith and Kristy Kirkup have the latest.
Prime Minister Mark Carney makes an announcement at the manufacturing facility of Maple Leaf Homes in Fredericton, N.B., on Monday.Stephen MacGillivray/The Canadian Press
What else is going on
NATO and Arctic defence: Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says NATO should focus more on defending the Arctic, as she prepares to welcome her counterparts to a G7 meeting this week. Steven Chase has the details.
Should poppies be allowed in Canadian courts?: Temur Durrani reports that the heads of Nova Scotia’s two top courts say they support the discretionary power of judges to ban legal staff from wearing poppies on their clothing.
Supreme Court under fire for ruling against mandatory-minimum sentences in child-porn case: David Ebner reports on the ruling, which has garnered disagreement from Canadian politicians, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.
Is there a long-term vision for Canada’s military?: Steven Chase does a deep dive into the budget’s defence spending: $84-billion over five years.
2025 Democracy Awards: The Parliamentary Centre announced that former Liberal deputy prime minister Anne McLellan and former deputy opposition leader Lisa Raitt have been selected as joint recipients of the 2025 Democracy Awards, which recognize people who have made “significant contributions to inclusive and accountable democracy.” Together, the two lead the Coalition for a Better Future.
On our radar
Commons break: The House of Commons is on a break this week, with MPs returning Nov. 17. The Senate is also on a break. Sittings there will resume Nov. 18
Prime Minister’s day: Mark Carney is in Fredericton to meet with Premier Susan Holt and hold an afternoon news conference to highlight the government’s new Buy Canadian policy.
Party leaders: In Victoria, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is scheduled to speak at an event hosted by the climate-action group at a retirement community. In Vancouver, Interim NDP Leader Don Davies met with the group Elbows Up for Climate to discuss environmental issues. He also met with the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Ministers on the road: In Calgary, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne is participating in an armchair discussion at an event hosted by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce. Justice Minister Sean Fraser, a Nova Scotia MP, is in Halifax today, participating in a fireside chat before the Halifax Chamber of Commerce to talk about the federal budget. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand hosts a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in the Niagara region.
Quote of the Day
“NATO must be an organization not only that focuses on the eastern flank, but also that looks north. It is, after all, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and my advocacy is in terms of ensuring that the Arctic and Arctic defence and security is part of the conversation.” - Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand
Question period
John Turner, who served as prime minister for 79 days in 1984, never sat in the House of Commons as prime minister. He is one of two prime ministers to log this milestone. Who was the other?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
Culture eats strategy: Overcoming Canada’s innovation barrier
Imagine that in five years Canada would have dozens of extraordinary scientists starting and growing companies with an intentional strategy to capture the economic benefits for Canada.
— University of Toronto professor emeritus Peter Singer
Ottawa is scrapping Canada’s greenwashing rules. This is a mistake
There’s a big difference between companies pulling back on marketing language and companies pulling back on real environmental initiatives. Talk is not action.
— Julien Beaulieu, Wren Montgomery and Jennifer Quaid
We owe it to Canadian men and boys to prioritize their mental health
We owe the next generation of men a broader discussion of masculinity, character-building and mental wellness, to ensure that we have options for men to feel comfortable seeking help and finding community offline.
— McGill University Professor Rob Whitley & former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole
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
- Take a look at the history of immigration reporting and great political scandals from A Nation’s Paper, a book about The Globe and Mail’s role in Canadian history
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The answer to today’s question: Sir Charles Tupper, who was Canada’s prime minister for 68 days in 1896. The Conservative was defeated by Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 1896 and 1900, then retired from politics.