Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
King Charles III will deliver the Throne Speech this month − one item among several in a political schedule that Prime Minister Mark Carney announced today.
Carney also confirmed that he will be meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington next Tuesday.
During his first news conference since this week’s federal election, Carney said a new cabinet will be sworn in May. 12, and the House of Commons will sit again on May. 26.
The King and Queen Camilla will be in Canada on May 26 and 27 for a royal visit. Camilla will also attend the opening of Parliament.
Steven Chase reports here.
Carney also said he would call a byelection as soon as possible to allow Pierre Poilievre to get a seat in the House of Commons.
The federal Conservative Leader was defeated in his Ottawa-area riding this week.
Carney said he had indicated to Poilievre that he wouldn’t take any actions that would delay Poilievre’s return to the House.
“I will ensure that it happens as soon as possible,” Carney said. “No games. Nothing. Straight.”
There’s an Elections Canada overview here on calling a federal by-election.
Shortly after the news conference, Damien Kurek, the Conservative MP-elect for Battle River-Crowfoot announced that he would resign the Alberta seat he has held since 2019 so Poilievre could run there.
Poilievre has not held a news conference since election night when he said he intended to stay on as Conservative Leader.
However, he said in a X posting that he would take Kurek up on his offer, and run in the riding. “I will work to earn the trust of the good people of Battle River-Crowfoot,” Poilievre wrote.
Stephanie Levitz and Emily Haws report here.
Meanwhile, Canada’s premiers are looking for regular meetings with Carney.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, the chairman of the Council of the Federation representing premiers and territorial leaders, outlined the request in a letter to the Prime Minister today.
King Charles III will deliver the Throne Speech this month − one item among several in a political schedule that Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Friday.AARON CHOWN/AFP/Getty Images
What else is going on
GM to cut shift at Oshawa, Ont., assembly plant, citing Trump tariffs: The president of the Unifor local at the plant says the move will result in more than 2,000 job losses.
Alberta seeks court ruling on constitutionality of Ottawa’s clean electricity plan: The regulations, finalized late last year, lay out a plan to decarbonize electricity grids across Canada by 2050.
Public-service unions seek clarity on Liberal government’s pledge to cap number of federal employees: The heads of unions collectively representing nearly 290,000 federal public workers — say they do not know what “capping” the public sector means.
Poilievre’s access to official residence in question after loss of seat: A spokesperson for the Privy Council Office, which provides non-partisan support to the government, said the federal Conservatives will have to figure out what to do.
Alberta’s Smith says she doesn’t see ‘an appetite’ for provincial pension plan: “I have said that I would put it to the people if I saw evidence they wanted to vote on it [but] I’m not seeing that at the moment,” Premier Danielle Smith told an unrelated news conference Thursday.
What happens next to Poilievre, how the Liberals’ minority will work and who will lead the NDP: Your postelection questions, answered: On Wednesday, April 30, Globe reporters Emily Haws and Nojoud Al Mallees, and producer Kasia Mychajlowycz answered reader questions on the April 28 federal election.
On our radar
Prime Minister’s Day: Mark Carney held a news conference in Ottawa. Carney also spoke with Japan’s Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba.
Party Leaders: No schedules released for party leaders.
Quote of the Day
“Do not expect white smoke out of that meeting.” - Carney, playing down expectations around his meeting with Trump next Tuesday.
Question period
Carney says King Charles, the head of state in Canada, will deliver the Speech from the Throne in Ottawa on May. 27. When did a British monarch last deliver a Throne Speech in the Commons?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
If Poilievre is genuinely humbled, the Conservatives should keep him around
All of this is to say that Mr. Poilievre doesn’t need to become a “Liberal-lite” to appeal to more Canadians; he just needs to cut the crap.
— Robyn Urback, Columnist
Put down that espresso. Canada doesn’t need to join the EU
If the existing members decide we’re culturally “European” and want us, we’re in. It wouldn’t entail taking on the euro (several EU members don’t use it) or eliminating our border (that’s the Schengen Agreement, unrelated to the EU).
— Doug Saunders, Columnist
Canada should learn from Australia’s pragmatic approach to trading with China
Australia learned the hard way that China’s diplomatic niceties are a language of realpolitik. Canberra has since gained fluency in China’s doublespeak. It is time that Ottawa did so, too.
— Rita Trichur, Columnist
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: Queen Elizabeth II delivered the Throne Speech on Oct. 18, 1977 - the last time a monarch has done so. Pierre Elliott Trudeau was the prime minister at the time.