Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed member of Parliament and former Trudeau cabinet minister Jonathan Wilkinson as ambassador to the European Union today.
The Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement that Mr. Wilkinson “brings three decades of experience at the intersection of public policy, technology, and international economic engagement.”
Robert Fife and Marieke Walsh report that the appointment will not affect the recent Liberal majority, which was achieved after five opposition MPs crossed the floor and the government won three by-elections.
The Liberals will have 173 seats when Wilkinson leaves compared with 140 Conservatives, 22 Bloc Québécois, 5 NDP and one Green MP. There is one vacancy after Quebec New Democrat Alexandre Boulerice announced this week that he was leaving to enter provincial politics.
The governing Liberals stand a good chance of holding on to Wilkinson’s North Vancouver-Capilano riding. He has held the riding since 2015.
Wilkinson was regarded as a competent minister as Justin Trudeau’s natural-resources minister. But he was dropped along with former defence minister Bill Blair, now serving as high commissioner in London.
In other news, Alberta’s separatist campaign has access to personal information belonging to 2.9 million residents, data that closely resembles the province’s most recent list of electors, raising questions about a potential breach of privacy and violation of election laws.
Carrie Tait, Chen Wang and Matthew Scace report that Elections Alberta today confirmed that it is examining whether the list of electors has been inappropriately shared. The watchdog said it did not believe its systems or database had been breached.
“The unfolding situation is believed to involve a third party and to have occurred as a result of the inappropriate use and/or distribution of the list of electors by a registered political party that was a legitimate recipient of the list,” Elections Alberta said in a statement.
It said it notified the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta.
The Centurion Project, an effort to organize and train volunteers to identify and recruit supporters for Alberta’s independence movement, operates an app that allows users to search for residents by name or address. It can filter for towns, ridings and polling subdivisions.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has chosen MP and former cabinet minister Jonathan Wilkinson to serve as Canada's next ambassador to the EU.Justin Tang/The Canadian Press
What else is going on
Search operations for remains of First Nations women at Winnipeg-area landfill officially end: In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said the final cost of the search at Prairie Green landfill for Marcedes Myran and Morgan Harris, victims of convicted murderer Jeremy Skibicki, was $18.4-million.
Truckers losing millions as glitch in federal system causes delays for goods entering Canada: It is the second time in a year that stumbles at Canada Border Services Agency have created disarray for importers, some of whom have had to wait a full week to secure customs clearance that, in normal times, might take a few minutes.
How one law professor challenged the limits of a prime minister’s power at the Supreme Court: Over the past eight years, Professor Ryan Alford has forged through a legal odyssey that began at the local courthouse and, in the unlikely result of a quixotic mission, reached the pinnacle of the country’s justice system.
Success rate for basic training in Canadian military drops: The rate has landed at 77 per cent over the past fiscal year as the Canadian Armed Forces grapple with the impact of recruiting changes designed to boost enrolment, according to a leaked internal report.
Foreign nationals defrauded by immigration consultants entitled to compensation under new federal rules: Ottawa, earlier this month, issued an order to bring in regulations establishing a fund to compensate clients found to have been ripped off by licensed immigration consultants.
Ottawa commits millions to study micro nuclear reactors for Northern defence facilities: Energy Minister Tim Hodgson told a nuclear-industry conference that the defence department would spend $40-million this year to study the feasibility of using microreactors to provide heat and electricity to military facilities in remote and northern areas.
Maggie Helwig’s Encampment wins 2026 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing: The win by the rector of St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in Toronto was announced at a gala in Ottawa, and the honour comes with a $40,000 prize.
On our radar
No byelection bids for Lewis: NDP Leader Avi Lewis, a B.C. resident, is ruling out a bid to run in an eventual North Vancouver-Capilano by-election to succeed Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s new EU ambassador, who has represented the riding. Lewis told a Parliament Hill news conference today that he is not now interested in getting into the Commons through any by-elections. “We have five spectacular caucus members, who are punching above their weight here in Ottawa, piercing through the news cycle and through the House of Commons, which is dominated by the other parties,” Mr. Lewis said. “They have got that work covered. I have 338 other ridings to get us election ready in.”
Prime Minister’s Day: In Oakville, southwest of Toronto, Mark Carney met with skilled-trades workers and held a news conference.
Party Leaders: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May attended Earth Day celebrations at Ottawa’s Ashbury College independent school and spoke on environmental issues. Later, she attended the Commons. NDP Leader Avi Lewis held a news conference on Parliament Hill to call for government action on funding mental health, addictions and substance-use services. No schedules released for other party leaders.
Ministers on the Road:
In Toronto, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson delivered remarks at the opening ceremony of the First Nations Major Projects Coalition Conference.
In Georgetown, west of Toronto, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc attended a Liberal Party fundraising event.
Quote of the Day
“Who, among us, has not thought, `Well. Maybe I’ll just check my Instagram before going to bed.’ And an hour and a half later, you’re an hour and a half less sleep. You feel wrung out. There’s nothing of value that’s happened. But the technology has worked perfectly as it was designed. Social media is part of the mental-health crisis affecting this country and this world, this moment of history and we’re concerned to protect our kids for sure. First of all, they are not the only ones that need protecting,” - NDP Leader Avi Lewis, during a news conference on Parliament Hill, as he talks about his party’s position on a possible federal ban on social media for kids.
Question period
Thirty-nine years ago today, prime minister Brian Mulroney and the premiers met on the shores of Meech Lake in Quebec for talks that led to a consensus for constitutional reform. What was the name of the building where the 1987 talks were held?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
The worst and best and worst of Doug Ford
The Ontario Premier’s tendency to fly by the seat of his pants recently landed his government in a nasty bout of turbulence, a drama that showed the worst of Doug Ford, the best of Doug Ford and the worst of Doug Ford.The Ontario Premier’s tendency to fly by the seat of his pants recently landed his government in a nasty bout of turbulence, a drama that showed the worst of Doug Ford, the best of Doug Ford and the worst of Doug Ford.
— The Globe and Mail Editorial Board
Bravo, Charles! The real King schooled the faux one
What a contrast, in his triumphant visit to Washington this week. On the biggest stage, Charles shone. He was more political – more pointed as monarch than his mother Queen Elizabeth II – and it worked.What a contrast, in his triumphant visit to Washington this week. On the biggest stage, Charles shone. He was more political – more pointed as monarch than his mother Queen Elizabeth II – and it worked.
— Lawrence Martin, Public Affairs Columnist
Europe is flailing, so why would Canada hitch its wagon to the EU?
Mr. Carney, a multilateralist who seeks to strengthen Canada’s global influence, is not entirely wrong to emphasize our ties with Europe, a continent with which we share more history and values than any other.
— 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: Wilson House, which was built in 1907.