Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has suspended his 25-per-cent surcharge on exports of Ontario-generated electricity to three U.S. states imposed because of tariffs enacted by U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a posting on X today, Ford said he had a “productive conversation” with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick about the economic relationship between Canada and the United States.
As a result, Ford and Lutnick agreed to meet in Washington on Thursday alongside the United States Trade Representative to “discuss a renewed” free-trade agreement between the United States, Mexico and Canada ahead of the April 2 reciprocal tariff deadline.
Federal Finance Minister Minister Dominic LeBlanc will also accompany the Premier to the U.S. capitol for the meetings.
Trump is also set on April 2 to enact 25-per-cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods as part of a tariff agenda that has prompted a trade war.
Ford had imposed a surcharge on the province’s electricity exports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota.
Earlier today, Trump vowed to double the imminent tariffs on the Canadian aluminum and steel sectors in retaliation for Ontario’s electricity surcharge. Later, however, the U.S. administration seemed to pull back on that threat, but says it still plans to place a 25-per-cent tariff on steel and aluminum imports on Wednesday.
Canada’s incoming prime minister has promised a hard-hitting response to the latest tariffs.
“My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade,” Mark Carney said in a posting on X today.
“My government will ensure our response has maximum impact in the U.S. and minimal impact here in Canada, while supporting the workers impacted,” said Carney, who has won the federal Liberal leadership and is set to replace Justin Trudeau as prime minister.
Also today, Ford told MSNBC that he had spoken to Carney on Monday, and would he having a breakfast meeting with him on Wednesday.
“He’s a very bright individual. He understands finances like no other person,” Ford told MSNBC.
At the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists today that Trump has not yet spoken to Carney. “But certainly his phone is always open to leaders who wish to speak with him,” she said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford gives remarks at a press conference in Queen's Park on March 10.Katherine KY Cheng/Getty Images
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What else is going on
Mark Carney divests assets, sets up blind trust: A signed blind-trust document was sent to the federal Ethics Commissioner after Carney won the party’s leadership.
Anxious and angry, Canadians are souring on the U.S. over Trump’s tariffs, survey finds: More than two-thirds of Canadians say they are feeling anxious about the future because of tensions with the United States, according to a Nanos Research poll conducted for The Globe and Mail.
Alberta says Premier is in talks with potential overseas heavy-oil buyer: The Alberta government says Danielle Smith was in talks Monday with a multinational oil and petrochemical player about selling two million barrels per month of province-owned heavy oil, but did not identify the company.
Conservative MPs get more online engagement than Liberals and NDP combined, study finds: The report from McGill’s Media Ecosystem Observatory found in 2024, online posts from federal Conservative MPs garnered 61-per-cent more engagement – likes, shares and comments – than those from Liberal and NDP MPs combined.
Trudeau backs policy paper calling to split RCMP to aid transnational investigations: The overhaul outlined in the policy paper follows years of criticism that the RCMP is a sprawling, thinly staffed police force that has absorbed too many responsibilities to be effective.
Perspectives
The question that Mark Carney must answer in an election
If Mr. Carney aims to be more than a footnote in an answer to a historical trivia question, he will focus on the only issue that matters in the upcoming campaign: how he intends to ensure that Canada remains strong and free.
— The Globe and Mail Editorial Board
Canada needs to hit back much harder against Trump’s America
We must expand the scope of our retaliation beyond traditional goods trade to target American services, intellectual property and technology – especially those tied to the so-called “tech bros” who have thrown their weight behind Mr. Trump and now form part of his inner circle.
— Kristen Hopewell is a professor and Canada Research Chair in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia, where she is also the director of the Liu Institute for Global Issues.
Hindsight is 2020: Did Canada get the early response to the COVID-19 pandemic right?
The response to the threat posed by the novel coronavirus was not perfect. Far from it. With so much uncertainty, how could it be?
— André Picard, Health Columnist
On our radar
- Prime Minister’s day: Justin Trudeau had no public events scheduled.
- Incoming prime minister’s day: According to his X feed, Mark Carney met today with Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, as well as Kevin Brosseau, Canada’s fentanyl czar.
- Party leaders: In Montreal, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet held a news conference. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was scheduled to attend a party funding event at a private residence in Toronto. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May held a news conference on Parliament Hill. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh held a news conference in the Vancouver-Island community of Esquimalt, and was scheduled to meet with B.C. Premier David Eby in nearby Victoria, and attend the opening of the South-Island NDP campaign office
- Foreign affairs ministers meet: From Wednesday through Friday, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is holding a meeting of the G7 foreign ministers in the Quebec region of Charlevoix. Attendees will include U.S Secretary of State Mario Rubio, travelling to Quebec from the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah.
- Trudeau’s Commons chair: Justin Trudeau, departing the prime ministers’ office shortly, was photographed this week carrying a chair out of the House of Commons. According to a spokesperson for the House Speaker, resigning members can purchase a replica of their chair in the chamber at replacement cost, plus applicable taxes. No word on the cost.
Question Period
What ministerial posts did federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre hold in the cabinets of Stephen Harper while Harper was prime minister from 2006 to 2015?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Go deeper
- Follow along for our stories on Canada-U.S. relations as news develops
- Like a long read? Check out the fall of Justin Trudeau and the making of Pierre Poilievre
- 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
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: Minister of state for democratic reform; minister for democratic reform; and minister of employment and social development between July, 2013 and November, 2015.