Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government is putting forward the country’s top soldier as Canada’s candidate for the senior military post at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Defence Minister David McGuinty said today that General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff, is Ottawa’s nominee for the position of chair of the NATO Military Committee.
Steven Chase reports that the term of the current chair, Italy’s Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, is expected to conclude in mid-2027, according to the Canadian government, and an election for his successor is planned for September, 2026, during the NATO Military Committee Conference in Copenhagen.
The chair of the NATO Military Committee is the Western alliance’s most senior military role, serving as the principal military adviser to the Secretary-General who heads the 32-member body.
Carignan has served as Canada’s chief of the defence staff since 2024 and has held senior leadership roles across the Canadian Armed Forces during her more than 40 years in uniform.
The Canadian government said Carignan will remain as chief of the defence staff as the process to pick this NATO chair position unfolds.
Over the course of NATO’s history, only three Canadians have headed the military committee.
In other news, Bill Curry reports that public funding from all levels of government to support this summer’s World Cup events in Canada will exceed $1-billion, according to an analysis released today by the Parliamentary Budget Officer.
The report says the federal contribution announced to date is $473-million, while the remaining $593-million will come from other levels of government, for a total of $1.06-billion.
The report cautions that some uncertainty remains about the funding amounts.
Canada will co-host the FIFA Men’s World Cup with the United States and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The World Cup will include 104 soccer games, of which seven will be played in Vancouver and six in Toronto.
Jennie Carignan speaks to reporters in March. Defence Minister David McGuinty says Carignan will be Canada's nominee for chair of the NATO Military Committee.Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press
What else is going on
Canada summons Israel’s ambassador over handling of activists on Gaza aid flotilla: The flotilla, whose passengers included Canadians, was intercepted by Israeli forces in international waters on Tuesday and later taken to an Israeli port.
Global Affairs is cutting overseas jobs at three times the rate of those based in Canada, data show: Data obtained by The Canadian Press also show an even larger drop in foreign workers hired at missions overseas, just as the Carney government seeks deeper diplomatic and trade ties with other countries.
Poilievre’s inner circle shrinks again with chief of staff’s departure: Chief of staff Ian Todd has announced his retirement weeks after Katy Merrifield, who was Poilievre’s director of communications, revealed that she was leaving Ottawa to return home to B.C.
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier seeks new deal with Quebec on Churchill River energy: Tony Wakeham’s stand will prompt a renegotiation of an agreement trumpeted by the two provinces barely 17 months ago.
CSIS says transnational investigations are being hindered by Canada’s lack of lawful-access powers: In a rare on-the-record briefing, the deputy director of policy and strategic partnerships at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said that, in one instance, the agency was unable to respond to a request from a “like-minded” foreign intelligence partner to identify suspects found to have Canadian phone numbers.
Family of plasma donor who died calls for investigation over record inconsistencies: The office of Manitoba’s chief medical examiner says it supports Health Canada’s findings that the woman’s death coincided with, but did not result from, her plasma donation.
In the fields, on the manufacturing floor: Robert K. Irving loved to be `where the action was’: The maritime business leader died Tuesday, leaving behind a lasting legacy for Canadian farming and for the frozen-potato industry.
On our radar
Commons on a break: The Commons is on a break until May 25. The Senate is also on a break until May 26.
Prime Minister’s Day: In Vancouver, Mark Carney delivered remarks to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade and participated in a featured conversation. After the event, Carney met with B.C. Premier David Eby.
Party Leaders: In her British Columbia riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May met with constituents, and is attending an evening annual general meeting of the Peninsula Streams Society in Victoria. No schedules released for other party leaders.
Ministers on the Road: With the House of Commons on a break, ministers are travelling across the country and elsewhere in the world.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is in Estonia on a European trip that has included stops in Latvia and concludes in Sweden on Friday.
In Iqaluit, Energy Minister Tim Hodgson announced funding for critical-minerals projects in the territory.
In Fort McMurray, Alta., Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski marked the 10th anniversary of a major wildfire in the region and made an announcement related to disaster recovery funding in Alberta.
In Toronto, Defence Minister David McGuinty delivered a keynote address at the CIBC Defence and Resiliency Summit, an inaugural gathering for the Canadian defence sector. He also participated in a short fireside session.
In Regina, Rechie Valdez, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and secretary of state for small business and tourism, highlighted a two-year extension of alcohol excise duty relief for brewers, distillers and winemakers.
In Toronto, Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon attended an event at the MaRS Discovery District with King Felipe VI of Spain, alongside Carlos Cuerpo, Spain’s deputy prime minister and economy minister, to formalize co-operation in artificial intelligence.
Quote of the Day
“I’m touched that you all allocated your time to come and listen to me this morning. I hope you’re not regretting it.” - Mark Carney, during a fireside chat at an event held by the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.
Question period
What was the “No” result in the Quebec sovereignty referendum held 46 years ago today?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
The hantavirus outbreak should be Canada’s wake-up call
The world entering the 2030s will not be defined only by conventional geopolitical conflict, but by cascading systemic threats: emerging pathogens, climate-driven ecological disruption, cyberattacks, supply-chain fragility, synthetic biology and increasingly accessible technologies capable of catastrophic harm.
— Kirsten Wright is managing director of the Waterloo Institute for Complexity and Innovation.
Doug Ford is right to expand Billy Bishop airport and bring it, and Toronto, to new heights
There may be much to criticize about how Premier Doug Ford is carrying out his expansion plan. He’d moved unilaterally, sidelining the city of Toronto, and his government could not answer simple questions on the technical details. But the underlying idea is not just sound but transformational.
— Richard Florida is university professor at the University of Toronto, visiting distinguished professor at Vanderbilt University, and visiting distinguished fellow at the Kresge Foundation. He authored a 2023 report on Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport commissioned by PortsToronto.
Canada is not an energy superpower and shouldn’t pretend to be one
Though we are a major energy exporter, a closer look at our infrastructure and mutual energy dependence with the U.S. reveals that we do not have as much leverage as we think.
— Joe Calnan is vice-president, energy and Calgary operations, at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
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 referendum, brought forward by the Parti Québécois government, on whether the province should work toward sovereignty was defeated with 59.56 per cent voting “No,” while 40.44 per cent supported the idea.