Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Ontario has purchased a $28.9-million private jet for Premier Doug Ford, which the government says is needed for more flexible and secure travel.
Laura Stone and Jeff Gray report that Ford’s office confirmed today that the province bought the pre-owned 2016 Challenger 650, made by Quebec company Bombardier. The purchase was first reported by the Toronto Star.
Ford recently announced plans to take over the city of Toronto’s stake in downtown Billy Bishop Airport, which he wants to expand to allow for jets.
However, Hannah Jensen, a spokeswoman for the Premier, said the plane will operate out of the larger Pearson Airport.
The government defended the decision to buy the jet, saying Ford travels frequently across the country for meetings with fellow premiers and the Prime Minister. He was also recently in Texas, a trip he said was intended to shore up support for Ontario businesses and argue against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
“As part of the job of being Premier of Ontario, there is extensive travel within Ontario, a province twice the landmass of Texas. This is in addition to travel across Canada for Council of the Federation and First Ministers’ meetings, which have increased in frequency, as well as travel to the United States to help make the case against President Trump’s tariffs,” Jensen said in a statement.
She also spoke to the purchase price. “This is significantly less than the $107-million Quebec paid for its fleet of one pre-owned and two brand-new Challenger 650s or the $753-million the Government of Canada paid for its six new Global 6500 jets,” she said.
In other news, former federal cabinet minister Navdeep Bains is leaving his position as chief corporate affairs officer of Rogers Communications Inc., according to an internal memo viewed by The Globe and Mail.
Irene Galea reports that Bains is departing the telecom and media company as he is gaining support from Liberal politicians for a potential run for leader of the Ontario Liberals.
Several federal and provincial Liberals previously told The Globe that they are encouraging Mr. Bains to seek the leadership and that he is seriously considering it.
The Ontario Liberals, currently in third place in the legislature, will select their new leader on Nov. 21.
Bains left politics in 2021, after 13 years in elected office. He held senior roles in former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s government, including as minister of innovation, science and industry, as well as in key organizing roles for the federal Liberal party.
Bains joined Rogers in May of 2023 after spending 18 months as vice-chair of CIBC’s investment banking arm. Bains’s job included overseeing environmental, social and governance issues, including Roger’s expansion of high-speed internet and 5G mobile service to rural and Indigenous communities.
“I am writing to share that Navdeep Bains has decided to leave Rogers effective May 8,” Rogers chief executive officer Tony Staffieri said in a message to employees Friday.
And, also today, Prime Minister Mark Carney is inviting some of the world’s largest investors to a summit in Toronto in September as Ottawa expands its pitch to attract more foreign investment to Canada.
Carney’s office today announced that it will hold the first Canada Investment Summit on Sept. 14 and 15. The gathering is intended to draw top chief executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs.
James Bradshaw and Bill Curry report that it will be co-hosted by two of the country’s largest pension-fund managers, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, which together manage nearly $1.1-trillion in assets.
“Canada has what the world wants,” Carney said in a statement that promotes the country’s energy resources, critical-mineral deposits and high levels of education, among other attributes.
The summit is intended to capitalize “on those advantages to help drive billions of new investments into Canada,” he added.
The Ontario government has defended the decision to buy the private jet for Doug Ford, saying the Premier travels frequently across the country for meetings with fellow premiers and the Prime Minister.Carlos Osorio/The Canadian Press
What else is going on
Canada must move quickly to address AI-related cybersecurity risks, Tiff Macklem warns: The Bank of Canada Governor says governments and regulators need to work fast to get a handle on the potential cybersecurity risks posed by Anthropic’s new AI model Claude Mythos.
New Quebec Premier promises to defend notwithstanding clause: Ahead of a meeting with Mark Carney in Ottawa, Christine Fréchette said the clause, which allows governments to override sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, must not be touched. “It’s an important tool for Quebec, for our nation,” she said.
Canada wants submarine bidders to sweeten their offers: The move is an acknowledgment that Ottawa wasn’t satisfied with the economic and industrial benefits promised in the bids, submitted ahead of a March 2 deadline by South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and Germany’s TKMS.
Ontario to skip public hearings on omnibus bill that includes FOI clampdown, ticket resale cap: The usual legislative process sees bills go to committee, where affected groups and members of the public have a chance to weigh in, and committee members from the government and opposition can propose and debate amendments.
Ottawa wants LNG shipped from Port of Churchill by 2030, Manitoba Premier says: In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Wab Kinew outlined his government’s early plans for the small, deepwater port in Northern Manitoba after meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney this week.
On our radar
Prime Minister’s Day: In Ottawa, Mark Carney met with Christine Fréchette, the new Premier of Quebec.
Carney also participated in a virtual leaders’ call focused on ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The call was co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Party Leaders: In Winnipeg, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attended a party fundraising event. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May participated virtually in the House of Commons sitting. No schedules released for other party leaders.
Ministers on the Road:
In Halifax, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab participated in a citizenship ceremony for 30 new Canadians from 18 countries.
In Quebec City, Health Minister Marjorie Michel made an announcement about the Canadian Dental Care Plan.
In Toronto, Rechie Valdez, the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and secretary of state for small business and tourism, announced government investment to attract more international conferences and events.
In Washington, D.C., Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne concluded a trip that has seen him participate in G7 and G20 finance ministers’ meetings as well as meetings of central bank governors and the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Group.
In Edmonton, Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski announced federal funding for Edmonton-area businesses.
In Delta, B.C., Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight announced federal funding to help businesses in Delta and Richmond modernize operations and create jobs.
Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson is scheduled to lead a Canadian delegation to the Seafood Expo Global (SEG) 2026 in Barcelona, starting Monday, before going on to visit Brussels to meet with European Union counterparts.
Quote of the Day
“I’m eager to collaborate with the federal government but we need to do that while respecting the Quebec nation and our jurisdiction and our form of nation that needs to be protected, including both in linguistic and economic matters.” - Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette, appearing with Prime Minister Mark Carney ahead of a meeting in his Ottawa office today, talks about her priorities for the discussion.
Question period
Who were Canada’s Gang of Eight?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
The Conservatives have a bigger problem than a Liberal majority: Their leader
Do the Conservatives honestly believe the way to respond to their crisis is to cheer on a leader who thinks that launching mindless attacks at a PM trying to navigate through one of Canada’s most perilous epochs is the answer to all that ails his party?
— Gary Mason, National Affairs Columnist
Without Churchill Falls deal, Newfoundland faces a dire fiscal future
Newfoundlanders widely believe their province got fleeced by Hydro-Québec in 1969 and are naturally suspicious of any deal it supports. But as opponents of the MOU entertain fantasies about negotiating a much better deal with Hydro-Québec or another partner, Newfoundland risks losing its best chance at righting its fiscal ship altogether.
— Konrad Yakabuski, Columnist
Canada’s high-speed train from 50 years ago has lessons for today
On April 22, 1976, Canada’s first high-speed train achieved the Canadian rail speed record of 225 km/h, a record which still stands today. Yes, Canada had a high-speed train 50 years ago. It was called the Turbo.
— Jason Shron is president of the VIA Historical Association and author of TurboTrain: A Journey.
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: The group of provinces who opposed plans by then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau in the early 1980s to bring the British North America Act under Canadian control. Those provinces were Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, British Columbia, Quebec, Alberta and Manitoba.