Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at politics this summer.
The Gordie Howe Bridge is shown under construction between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit in May. The crossing is expected to open after the U.S. and Canada reached a deal.Paul Sancya/The Associated Press
The Gordie Howe bridge – a second span between Windsor and Detroit – is set to open July 27 after Canada and the United States reached a deal on revenue from tolls, the federal government said Friday.
Steven Chase reports it was originally supposed to open in early June, but was postponed indefinitely at the behest of the Trump administration.
In other news, the historic residence of Canada’s Official Opposition Leader needs to be fixed, but the commission in charge of official residences in the Ottawa region says it has no firm plan on how to proceed.
Stornoway, a 9,500-square-foot mansion located in Ottawa’s Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood, is more than a century old. It is currently home to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his family.
“In the medium term, plans call for a comprehensive recapitalization of the residence,” Jamie Innes, a spokesperson for the National Capital Commission (NCC), said in a e-mailed statement.
Innes did not say how much money would be involved in the work.
“Currently there is no finalized workplan,” he said in a separate e-mail.
In 2021, the NCC released an asset portfolio condition report on the National Capital Region’s official residences that showed Stornoway to be in “fair” condition, and requiring $1.25-million in investments over 10 years to address deferred maintenance.
The NCC did not respond directly to The Globe’s questions on whether the $1.25-million repair estimate still stands, or how Stornoway’s repair needs have changed in the five years since the report was released.
What else is going on
The World Cup and youth job gains drove a modest increase to the labour force in June: The FIFA World Cup and a better summer jobs market for young workers appeared to lead to steady gains in Canada’s labour market last month.
How Halifax’s `defence city’ dreams are running into a riptide of infrastructure risks: Canada’s new focus on sovereignty is creating massive economic opportunity. But can a region already strained by a population surge support even more growth?
First images of Shackleton shipwreck captured on ocean floor: After two years of planning, an international expedition led by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, arrived at the Quest wreck in the Labrador Sea, where a remote operated vehicle captured the first clear images of the sunken vessel.
Meta’s $13-billion Alberta data centre is a potential boost for utilities and natural gas producers: On Wednesday, Facebook parent Meta confirmed it will be the latest hyperscaler to build big in Alberta, with plans for a one-gigawatt facility in Sturgeon County, north of Edmonton.
Noem hiring at mining company prompts exit of retired U.S. Navy commander: Phil Ehr has left the advisory board of NovaRed Mining Inc., a tiny Vancouver-based mining exploration company, over the hiring of former U.S. secretary of homeland security Kristi Noem. He staunchly objects to her politics.
P.E.I. paramedic killed in crash remembered as `rare beacon of light’: Jenna Croucher, the daughter of the province’s education minister, was among three people who died in this week’s collision between the emergency vehicle and a transport truck on a New Brunswick highway.
Political lives, Eddie Goldenberg: Jean Chrétien says the death of his former chief of staff, Eddie Goldenberg, means he has lost a dear friend, and that Canada has lost a great public servant.
On our radar
Prime Minister’s Week: Mark Carney is returning to Canada today after a week of travel that took him, initially, to Halifax where he announced Canada will negotiate with a German firm, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, to buy new submarines. Carney then travelled to the Turkish capital of Ankara for a NATO summit. Next up was Saudi Arabia where he defended courting Saudi trade and investment. The schedule for the visit to Saudi Arabia included a meeting and lunch with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman. Carney departed the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah today and was scheduled to be in Ottawa by mid afternoon.
On Saturday, Carney was scheduled to be in Calgary to meet with representatives of the Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8 First Nations, and visit the Calgary Stampede.
Party Leaders: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May spent the week in her British Columbia riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands meeting with constituents Today, she chaired a monthly forum, attended by officials from various levels of government, held in Sidney.
No schedules were released for other party leaders.
Ministers on the Road:
In the Polish port city of Gdansk, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Polish dignitaries and Canadian and Polish private sector leaders celebrated the country’s first offshore wind project. It was built through a partnership between Poland’s ORLEN and Canada’s Northland Power.
In Montreal, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly announced an agreement between the governments of Canada and Quebec for a $98-million investment to modernize local infrastructure.
Suggested reading:
This week, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet discloses fiction and non-fiction titles on his summer reading list.
• The unpublished manuscript Domocratie by Steeven Chapados: “The subject fascinates me and the author asked me to read it; he lives in my riding, and the book is aimed at the international market.”
• Rebel Island by Jonathan Clements. “[It] covers the history of Taiwan, in preparation for our mission to Taiwan in September.”
• Tout n’est pas foutu by Laurence Honnorat, an essay about Hubert Reeves. “Because I have been reading Hubert Reeves since my teenage years and he was – certainly alongside Guy Rocher – one of Quebec’s greatest scientists."
• Chaîne de glace by Isabelle Lafortune. “An author from my riding; I read her previous novel, and her ability to transport us into a unique world within a well-crafted story is remarkable.”
New diplomatic appointments: Canada is sending new ambassadors to Senegal (Sharon Armstrong), Benin (Evelyne Dabiré) and Romania (Kevin Rex), according to an announcement by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.
New justice: Alan S. Diner, a judge of the Federal Court, has been appointed as the new Chief Justice of the Federal Court, replacing Paul Crampton, who retired on Oct. 31.
Question period
Mark Carney visited Saudi Arabia this week. Who was the last Canadian prime minister to visit that country?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
Will great design win at 24 Sussex, or bureaucratic fear?
Mr. Carney has also called for private philanthropy to fund the rebuild. That is unfortunate – a signal that Ottawa is too timid to spend money on a place of symbolic value. Government should build well and unapologetically. If the opposition wants to score cheap points by complaining, let them so diminish themselves.
— Alex Bozikovic, Architecture Critic
The humiliation of Pierre Poilievre continues
There is nothing more damaging to a political leader’s image, and his prospects, than being perceived as weak. Weakness reaffirms your critics’ worst opinions. Weakness makes your own team question your capabilities. Weakness creates an opportunity for your rivals to pounce.
— Robyn Urback, Columnist
Two dozen arrests won’t stop India-based organized crime from extorting small business owners in Canada
The reality is that India-based crime groups, including the Bishnoi and Bhagwanpuria gangs, are so entrenched in Canada and other Western countries that this international crackdown only puts a dent in the problem.
— Rita Trichur, Senior Business Writer and 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: Jean Chrétien, who visited in April of 2000.