Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
U.S. President Donald Trump says his government will impose 25-per-cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods starting midnight Tuesday, noting there is no room left for either country to make a deal to avoid the punishing levies.
Speaking to reporters at the White House Monday, Trump confirmed the tariffs will go ahead as planned, adding the countries will need to build cars and other items in the United States to escape the duties.
Meanwhile, ahead of an expected federal election this spring, former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper is accusing Liberal leadership frontrunner Mark Carney of falsely taking credit for managing the 2008 financial crisis. Harper also linked him to increases in the federal deficit and the Trudeau government’s failure to build energy projects.
In a hard-hitting fundraising letter issued today to Conservative Party faithful, Harper said the former central banker is not the right leader to handle U.S. President Donald Trump and his punitive tariffs.
Also today, Canada is getting a new ambassador to Ireland: former Prince Edward Island premier Dennis King.
The PMO announced the appointment today.
King abruptly resigned as premier and Progressive Conservative leader last month, saying the decision was in the best interests of his family, the government and PEI residents.
Trucks enter the United States from Ontario across the Ambassador Bridge, Feb. 3, in Detroit.Paul Sancya/The Associated Press
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What else is going on
Canada extends tax credit for investors in critical mineral exploration: Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson made the announcement today at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention in Toronto.
RCMP Commissioner says ‘no data’ that fentanyl is moving south in mass quantities: Michael Duheme stressed that he is not aware of numbers showing fentanyl is crossing the border in what U.S. President Donald Trump calls massive quantities to justify tariffs on this country.
U.S. plans to nearly triple anti-dumping duty rates against Canadian softwood lumber: In an announcement today, the Commerce Department increased anti-dumping duties for most Canadian lumber producers to 20.07 per cent from the current 7.66 per cent.
CRTC delays implementation of next-generation 911 service: The CRTC had set Tuesday as the deadline for transitioning to next-generation 911, which would allow Canadians to send texts or video to summon help. But the regulator now says it has moved that deadline to March, 2027.
Municipalities, rights groups voice concerns about Quebec bill on integrating immigrants: Critics say the proposed legislation requiring newcomers to abide by a set of common values could foster anti-immigrant sentiment and impose a heavy administrative burden on communities.
Perspectives
A reminder, Mr. Ford, that you’re a conservative
Having put Ontario through an unnecessary election, Premier Doug Ford has retained his job and secured a third straight government majority. Time for him to start using that power more wisely.
— The Globe and Mail Editorial Board
This is not an argument for mere representation or performative tokenism. The times are too important for anything less than an affirmation of treaty relationships as a first point of defence.
— Roger Epp, emeritus professor of political science at the University of Alberta
A deal-breaking Donald Trump and his tariff drama
This week’s question is whether Donald Trump’s signature is worth a damn. Last week, he told us it wasn’t. And last month. By now we should know.
— Campbell Clark, Chief Political Writer
On our radar
- Prime Minister’s day: In the United Kingdom, Justin Trudeau had an audience with King Charles, then departed for Ottawa, where he was to host a virtual meeting of the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations. He was in London over the weekend for a summit on Ukraine.
- Liberal leadership race: Chrystia Freeland was in Hamilton to visit a steel manufacturer.
- Mayors in Washington: Thirty U.S. and Canadian mayors from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Basin, including Valérie Plante of Montreal, Andrea Horwath of Hamilton and Cory Mason of Racine, Wis., were scheduled to be in the U.S. capital to raise concerns about shifts in Washington’s trade policy.
- Party leaders: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is in New York City to attend the third meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
- Halifax by-election: Trudeau has called an April 14 by-election in the riding of Halifax. The vote to replace Liberal MP Andy Filmore, now Halifax mayor, comes amid speculation about a spring federal election after the Liberals choose a new leader this Sunday.
Question period
After 11 terms as an MP, Liberal Lawrence MacAulay is not seeking re-election. Despite a 37-year run, the Agriculture Minister is not the longest-serving MP currently in office. He’s second on the list. Who is first? Bonus point: Who is the longest-serving female MP? She also ranks third on the list of longest-serving MPs.
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Go deeper
- Explore where candidates running for Liberal Party leadership stand on Trump, tariffs and more
- 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: Louis Plamondon, first elected as a member of the Progressive Conservatives in 1984 and now a member of the Bloc Québécois. Hedy Fry, the Liberal MP for Vancouver Centre, first elected in 1993, is the third-longest-serving MP and the longest-serving female MP since 1867, according to the Parliamentary Library.