Conservative MP says Carney should appoint a labour minister and pay more than 'lip service' to workers
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OTTAWA — A Conservative MP is calling on the federal government to dedicate a full cabinet position to the issue of labour, saying Prime Minister Mark Carney must pay more than 'lip service' to workers in his region affected by General Motors' planned shift cuts.
Jamil Jivani, the recently reelected MP for Bowmanville—Oshawa North, released a letter through his office on Wednesday, the day after Carney unveiled his new cabinet.
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Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
KINSELLA: PM Mark Carney's top 5 stolen Conservative policy planks
Ascertaining Carney's motive isn't difficult: Under Trudeau, the Liberal Party (and the government it led) had careened wildly to the left Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and Liberal Leader Mark Carney. Photo by Bryan Passifiume / Greg Southam / Postmedia Network 'Pierre Poilievre, call 911. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account A banker has broken into your place, and is stealing all of your ideas.' It's a bit of an exaggeration to make a point, of course — Liberal leader Mark Carney hasn't stolen all of the Conservative leader's ideas. But it's mostly true. Ascertaining Carney's motive isn't difficult: Under Justin Trudeau, the Liberal Party (and the government it led) had careened wildly to the left. The Grits had become unmoored from their historic positions on a host of issues, and had devolved into a pious, preachy woke-ist cult, one that ceaselessly lectured everyone about how they should run their lives. As predicted in this space, Trudeau left, Donald Trump arrived, and Carney appeared at precisely the right moment. He immediately commenced stealing Conservative policy planks. Here's a roundup of the top five stolen items. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Defence. Poilievre promised to spend 2% of our gross domestic product on defence by the year 2030. He promised a 'warrior culture.' This week, Carney pledged to meet, and beat, Poilievre's defence spending number: He would reach the elusive 2% threshold this fiscal year. Not half-a-decade from now. Carney's announcement, made days before the G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis, Alta., caught everyone by surprise. The Tories, in particular, were clearly flummoxed. The best Poilievre could do was yammer on about the need for a budget, so they could see how Carney was going to pay for what they had been calling for. Yawn. Taxes. For the two years leading up to the 2025 election, Poilievre had been promising to 'axe the tax.' It was his mantra, and it worked — hordes of voters flocked to his side. It worked so well, in fact, it convinced the unlikeliest Canadian of all: One Mark Carney, who 'axed the tax' mere hours after he was sworn in as Prime Minister of All Canada. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Carney was transparent about his policy appropriation. He did it right out in the open, signing what the CBC called 'a prime ministerial directive.' It was a bit of performative Trump-style politics — something else that Carney purloined from Poilievre. Likewise, in the selfsame week, Carney cancelled the capital gains tax inclusion rate increase, something else that the Conservatives had been promising to do, for months. The Conservative reaction? Stunned silence. Read More Trade. In the final week of March, before the official start of the election campaign, Carney solemnly addressed a battery of microphones. 'The old relationship we had with the United States based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation is over,' he intoned. 'It's clear the U.S. is no longer a reliable partner … there will be no going backwards.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Liberal leader's words went around the globe, and went further than Poilievre had been prepared to go, too. The Conservative leader had been critical of Trump's tariff madness, but he adamantly refused to turn his back on the Americans, and kept holding out for a new trade deal with Trump. Liberals mocked him for it. Well, that was the election, and this is now. As my colleague Brian Lilley revealed in a big scoop days before anyone else, we now learn that Carney's government has been quietly negotiating with Trump — to, surprise surprise, sign a new trade deal. 'No going backwards,' had said Carney, who immediately commenced going backwards. The Tory reaction? Unknown. Perhaps they were calling Crimestoppers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Pipelines. Right after being sworn in as The Minister Not In Charge Of Pipelines, Steven Guilbeault started pontificating on pipelines. There's no need for 'an entire new pipeline,' said the former Greenpeace leader. That position mostly conformed with the pipeline stance of the Trudeau regime. Not Carney's, however. Carney had — again — peered over Poilievre's shoulder, and copied what he saw. If Guilbeault had been testing his new boss, the test failed. Carney appeared on CTV and cut Guilbeault's legs out from under him. Said Carney: 'If you want a simple answer on 'Will I support building a pipeline?' Yes. That's the simple answer.' The Conservative reaction: Zero. Immigration. Under Trudeau, the number of migrants to Canada soared to historic levels. A housing and services crisis resulted, which wasn't fair to Canadians or the newcomers. Poilievre called Trudeau's immigration policy unsustainable. On the campaign trail, Carney said precious little on the subject. In power, however, Carney has now unveiled a sweeping security and immigration bill, the Safe Borders Act, and he calls Trudeau-era immigration levels 'unsustainable.' Which is what Poilievre had called it. We could go on, but you get the point. Mark Carney is a closeted Progressive Conservative, and a bit of a copycat. The aforementioned Brian Lilley had the best summary: 'Pierre Poilievre won the argument — even if Carney won the election.' Toronto Blue Jays World Editorial Cartoons Relationships Olympics
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
Acquiring U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets will cost Canada nearly 50% more than disclosed, Auditor-General finds
The cost of replacing Canada's aging warplanes with U.S.-made F-35 stealth strike fighters is expected to cost nearly 50 per cent more than the estimate Ottawa provided Canadians, a report from the federal Auditor-General says. These findings arrive as Prime Minister Mark Carney's government is weighing whether to scale back Ottawa's order for the F-35s and instead buy European-made fighter planes to reduce Canada's reliance on U.S. military equipment. The federal government, which finalized a deal to buy 88 F-35 Lightning fighters from Lockheed Martin in December, 2022, said the acquisition would cost about $19-billion. But Auditor-General Karen Hogan's office said Tuesday it found this figure was based on outdated information and that by 2024, estimated costs had increased to $27.7-billion. The warplane replacement program also faces significant risks that could jeopardize the introduction of a new fleet of fighters, the Auditor-General found. Construction of two new fighter squadron facilities in Cold Lake, Alta., and Bagotville, Que., to accommodate the F-35s is more than three years behind schedule and the Forces are facing a possible shortage of qualified pilots, the watchdog said Tuesday. Trimming F-35 order could antagonize Trump as security and trade talks get under way: analysts Inflation, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and heightened demand for munitions are three factors have driven up the cost of acquiring the F-35s, the Auditor-General found. The Department of National Defence 'was supposed to closely monitor inflation and foreign currency exchange rates because of the potential impact but did not always do so,' it said. The Office of the Auditor-General said even the updated $27-billion-plus price tag for the F-35s does not include essential Forces infrastructure upgrades and advanced weapons that would add at least another $5.5-billion to the total cost of acquiring the fighters. Opinion: The solution to Canada's F-35 fighter jet dilemma? Buy both American and European aircraft Canada's current fighter aircraft fleet of CF-18s is reaching the end of its service life and must be replaced in a timely manner to meet operational commitments such as the defence of Canada and North America, the Auditor-General's office noted. CF-18s are the primary Canadian aircraft assigned to the bilateral North American Aerospace Defense Command and are supposed to be on continuous alert to respond to potential aerial threats to the safety of North America, it said. The CF-188 Hornet first entered service in the 1980s. The operating life of the Hornets has been extended through a refurbishment initiative known as the Hornet Extension Program, or HEP. CF-18s are supposed to be gradually withdrawn from service between 2025 and 2032 and replaced with F-35s. David McGuinty, the Minister of National Defence, said in a statement he takes the auditor general's findings seriously. He committed to updating Canadians regularly on acquisition projects and blamed the huge cost increases on 'external economic conditions driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, including global supply chain disruptions, workforce shortages, and increased inflation and foreign exchange rates.' The minister did not comment on the ongoing review in his department of whether to reduce the F-35 order. Shortly after Mr. Carney took office in March, he said Ottawa would weigh trimming its F-35 purchase plans to buy an alternative aircraft that would be more cost-effective and could deliver additional industrial benefits domestically instead of sending more dollars to the U.S.
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
CHARLEBOIS: Our dairy addiction is making Canada a trade pariah
Row of cows being milked. Photo by File photo / Postmedia When it comes to supply management and trade policy, Canada seems trapped in a cycle of repeating the same costly mistakes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Before Mark Carney's arrival as prime minister, the previous Parliament adopted Bill C-282, introduced by the Bloc Quebecois. The bill granted blanket immunity to Canada's supply-managed sectors — most notably dairy — against any future concessions in trade negotiations, regardless of the partner or economic context. It effectively locked in protectionism for a system that is already struggling to justify itself in the modern global economy. During the federal election campaign, on April 3, Carney stated in a Radio-Canada interview that no legislation was necessary to protect Canada's dairy industry. It appears he has since changed his mind — or someone changed it for him. Last week, the newly elected 45th Parliament unanimously passed Bill C-202, a near-identical copy of C-282. The Senate may still push back, as several senators have signalled concerns about the bill's long-term economic implications. But the momentum is clear: Supply management is once again being shielded from scrutiny under the pretense of national interest. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Politically, it's a savvy move — especially for the Bloc. In Ottawa, few MPs from any party dare challenge one of the most powerful lobby in the country: The Dairy Farmers of Canada. Their influence is formidable, both federally and provincially. But the question remains: What exactly are we protecting? Canada has the highest industrial milk prices in the G7. This is not true for poultry or eggs — but it is for milk, a critical staple in household diets. These elevated prices do not necessarily lead to innovation or reinvestment. In fact, many producers are content to maintain the status quo, knowing the system protects them from competition. The result? Canadian consumers foot the bill for a sector with little incentive to become more efficient or cost-effective. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Defenders of supply management often point to food safety and quality. It's true that bovine growth hormones are banned here. That's commendable. But there are other practices that deserve more transparency. A 2022 study published in Trends in Food Science and Technology revealed that palm oil derivatives are permitted in dairy cow feed in Canada. This may contribute to the now-documented phenomenon of firmer, less spreadable butter at room temperature — a story known as 'Buttergate' was dismissed by dairy farmers initially, despite mounting evidence. More recently, a peer-reviewed study co-authored by researchers at McGill and Dalhousie Universities and published in Ecological Economics estimated that Canada discards between 600 million and one billion litres of milk annually. The dairy lobby vehemently disputed these findings but has yet to present alternative data. The reality is simple: Cows don't stop producing milk when market demand fluctuates, and losses — whether in volume or value — are inevitable. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canada's dairy sector has long cultivated a culture of opacity. Rather than engage with critics or offer transparency, it leans on silence and self-congratulation. Accountability is elusive, and reform is taboo. Looking ahead, Canada will need to renegotiate trade deals with the United States, Mexico, and other partners. Two choices await: We either pay billions in compensation to dairy farmers for theoretical 'losses' each time concessions are made — a practice that borders on economic racketeering — or we forfeit our credibility as a reliable trade partner, unwilling to negotiate in good faith for a sector that represents less than 1% of our GDP. What message does this send to the world at a time when Canada urgently needs to diversify its economy? By clinging to a misunderstood and outdated system, our elected officials are prioritizing short-term political gain over long-term economic progress. We are rewarding complacency and institutionalizing inefficiency — all under the guise of defending national interests. The more things change, the more they stay the same. — Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is the Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast Toronto Blue Jays World Editorial Cartoons Movies Olympics
