Conservative strategist: 'I think they'll stick with Poilievre as leader'
Conservative strategist Laryssa Waler talks Poilievre's future, party divisions, Trump's recent comments regarding the new PM, and Carney's U.S. ties.
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CTV News
10 hours ago
- CTV News
Voters in Battle River-Crowfoot byelection head to the polls Monday, as Poilievre hopes to win seat
Watch Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will look to secure a seat as voters head to the polls Monday in Battle River-Crowfoot byelection.
Toronto Sun
17 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
GOLDSTEIN: Canada's targets for cutting greenhouse gases fit the definition of insanity
Liberal and Conservative governments have been setting and failing to meet emission reduction targets since 1988. Photo by iStock / GETTY IMAGES After almost four decades of Canadian governments setting and failing to hit eight consecutive targets for reducing Canada's industrial greenhouse gas emissions, surely it's time to admit the targets are meaningless. 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 Far from being 'aspirational' as supporters claim, they in fact deceive Canadians about the effectiveness of federal spending of more than $200 billion of taxpayers' money on climate change (as of 2023) on 149 federal programs administered by 13 government departments, since the Liberal government came to power in 2015. In fact, Liberal and Conservative governments have been setting and failing to meet emission reduction targets since 1988. Given 37 years of ongoing failures, these targets now fit the definition of insanity — doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Here's where things stand given the latest available federal government emissions data that comes from 2023. 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. Canada's current emission reduction target was set by then prime minister Justin Trudeau in 2021 — a goal of reducing Canada's emissions to at least 40% (and, ideally, up to 45%) below 2005 levels in 2030. According to the federal government, which retroactively changes the historical data every year based, it says, on improved data-gathering methods, Canada emitted 759 million tonnes of these gases in 2005. That means the government's target is to cut Canada's emissions to 455 million tonnes (40% below 2005 levels) and, ideally, to 417 million tonnes (45% below 2005 levels) in 2030. Canada's emissions in 2023 were 694 million tonnes which is 8.5% below 2005 levels. To meet the minimum federal target of reducing emissions to 455 million tonnes in 2030 would require cutting 2023 emissions by 239 million tonnes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. That would mean the equivalent of shutting down Canada's entire old and gas sector (208 million tonnes of annual emissions in 2023) in 2030 and still coming up short. To reach the government's interim target of reducing emissions to 20% below 2005 levels in 2026 (meaning 607 million tonnes) would require a cut of 87 million tonnes of emissions by next year, more than all emissions from Canada's buildings sector in 2023 (82.7 million tonnes). Earlier this year, the government announced another unrealistic target of reducing emissions to 45%-50% of 2005 levels by 2035. A report by federal environment commissioner Jerry DeMarco following an audit of the Liberals' Net Zero Emissions Accountability Act last year said it was still possible for the government to achieve its 2030 target, 'but now the task is much harder because there are only six years left to do essentially 20 or 30 years worth of reductions.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. His findings, however, provided few grounds for optimism. DeMarco said the government's lack of transparency made it impossible for the average citizen to understand, much less believe, its emission reduction targets. It claims current policies will achieve a 36.2% reduction in emissions compared to 2005 in 2030, close to its minimum target of 40%. But when DeMarco's auditors examined a sampling of 20 of the government's 149 measures to cut emissions, they found only nine were on track to achieve their goals. Of 32 additional measures the government claimed would help boost reductions from 36.2% to at least 40% in 2030, only seven were new. The audit found cases where two different programs were funding the same projects and reporting the same expected emission reductions, raising the possibility of double-counting. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It also reported the computer modelling used to estimate the emission cuts of various government programs wasn't updated in 2023 compared to 2022 and that some of the initial calculations were overly optimistic. In addition, 'recent decreases to projected 2030 emissions were not due to climate action taken by governments, but were instead because of revisions to the data used in modelling.' Given all this, if the Liberals under Prime Minister Mark Carney won't abandon unrealistic climate targets then they should at least come clean with Canadians about where things really stand. Read More This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This as opposed to their current practice of insisting they're on track to meet their targets when the federal government's own data tell a very different story. It's the same problem with the Liberals' policy to mandate that 20% of all new car sales must be battery-electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell starting next year, rising to 60% in 2030 and 100% in 2035. The auto sector has warned that given lagging EV sales in Canada, the only way to achieve the 2026 target would be to pull a million new gas-powered vehicles off the market, limiting consumer choice, increasing delivery times and driving up costs for consumers at a time when our auto sector is under siege from Donald Trump's tariffs. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Canada Crime Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Toronto Blue Jays
Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Calgary Herald
Varcoe: Alberta agriculture minister chides Ottawa over slow response to Chinese canola tariffs
Article content 'It's blatantly obvious that the whole canola situation and the instability with trade with China started with the EV tariffs,' said Sigurdson. Article content 'What we see is an EV tariff that is meant to protect Central Canada businesses, affecting western Canadian agricultural producers. And we're calling on the federal government for immediate action to resolve this before harvest.' Article content In a report this week, ATB Financial said the duty and tariffs from China hike the price of Canadian canola so high that they effectively block it from the massive market. Article content It also comes amid increasing global trade uncertainty that escalated this year with the U.S., although Alberta agricultural products have largely avoided tariffs from the Donald Trump administration, said ATB deputy chief economist Rob Roach. Article content Article content Alan Hampton, who farms north of Drumheller, said Friday the timing of the new Chinese tariffs is 'terrible' as harvest activities will be widespread within weeks. Article content 'Canola prices have dropped by about a buck-and-a-half a bushel in a week. My estimated unrealized loss is probably in the neighbourhood of $40,000. We don't know where the bottom is at,' Hampton said. Article content 'It's not something that farmers have brought upon themselves. I feel the government should be coming up with some type of compensation package.' Article content The federal government has been lambasted by critics in recent days for its slow reaction to the Chinese tariffs that initially began this spring, while assistance has gone to other sectors hit by U.S. tariffs. Article content At a news conference Thursday morning in Saskatchewan, federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre accused the prime minister of remaining 'silent.' Article content 'There is a tariff dispute with the Chinese government. The money raised by the Canadian government in that dispute (from EVs) should go back to the people who are paying the bills … our canola producers,' he said. Article content Earlier in the week, the premiers of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta spoke out. Article content On Friday, Calgary Chamber of Commerce CEO Deborah Yedlin also issued a statement, encouraging the federal government to 'immediately provide financial support to Canadian canola farmers and to stabilize economic relations with China.' Article content I spoke yesterday with @PremierScottMoe about China's preliminary anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola seed. If maintained, these unjustified duties will have significant impacts on many Canadian farmers. Premier Moe and I focused on a series of measures to support hard-working… — Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) August 14, 2025 Article content On X, the prime minister said Canada doesn't dump canola and noted he'd spoken with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe about finding ways to support farmers. Article content 'The premier and I agreed to engage directly with industry leaders in the near term to discuss the options,' he said. Article content 'We will advance a constructive dialogue with Chinese officials to address our respective trade concerns, while diversifying our trade abroad and supporting our canola producers at home.' Article content In the interim, there doesn't appear to be an easy way out of the trade dispute. Article content With ongoing trade negotiations with Washington, it makes it difficult for the federal government to also focus on striking a quick resolution with Beijing on canola, said Philippe Rheault, director of the China Institute at the University of Alberta. Article content 'In the short term, it's going to force the Carney government to start triangulating when it comes to trade, as opposed to allowing itself the luxury of going in a sequential manner where they try to deal with the Americans first and the Chinese after,' he said. Article content
