Bell: Premier Smith says Trudeau lives in Carney's camp and that's a problem
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Then you look at the lineup and much of it is the same old team, Trudeau retreads shamelessly sitting on the Liberal front bench — smiling.
On Wednesday in Calgary, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is on stage at the Global Energy Show.
The premier is asked a simple question.
Smith needs to convince Carney to fast-track a pipeline to the west coast and she has to get Carney to trash the anti-oil policies brought in by Trudeau, who is no longer in office, and Trudeau's minions, who are still at the trough.
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Calgary Herald
3 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Bell: Good news? Danielle Smith and Mark Carney now talking big energy projects for Alberta
Well what do have here from the office of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith? Article content Prime Minister Mark Carney and Smith have now both named teams of negotiators 'for the purpose of collaborating on the advancement of major energy projects of national interest that involve Alberta.' Article content Article content The teams involve cabinet ministers and senior officials appointed to this 'federal-provincial Table.' Article content Article content In the case of Alberta, Smith has already said the team is two cabinet ministers — Jason Nixon and Rajan Sawhney — and two deputy ministers and Rob Anderson, the premier's right-hand man. Article content Article content Now a lot of what Smith said at the Global Energy Show in Calgary in answer to questions from the scribbler makes sense. Article content In Calgary, Smith said there are 'ways we can find accommodation' with Carney. Article content Along with the premier wanting a bitumen pipeline to the port of Prince Rupert in B.C., Alberta will also want changes to anti-oil policies cooked up when Justin Trudeau was the Liberal prime minister. Article content 'He has to say he's not having the emissions cap and that means not bringing it in. Not acting would be a positive,' says the premier. Article content Article content No Liberal cap on oil and gas emissions is one of the nine demands Smith has made to Carney. Article content Smith said in the past you can't really build more pipelines and increase oil production in a big way and have the cap. Article content Then there's the tanker ban off the west coast. How about only lifting the tanker ban around Prince Rupert? Article content 'On the issue of the tanker ban, maybe we come to an agreement that if all roads lead to the port of Prince Rupert just carve out Prince Rupert so you can protect the rest of the coast. I can live with that,' said Smith. Article content Article content Article content 'If he can accept that then I think we have some common ground.'
Vancouver Sun
3 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Carney says he has no plans to tackle 24 Sussex question during his mandate
Almost a decade after 24 Sussex Drive was abandoned as the official residence of the Canadian prime minister, taxpayers are still shelling out tens of thousands of dollars a year to maintain the vacant property, and the new prime minister has signalled he's in no rush to deal with the crumbling building. Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters in May that it's up to the National Capital Commission to decide what to do with 24 Sussex. 'It's not a challenge for today, this month, this year and it's probably a challenge for this mandate,' Carney said in French, adding that multiple ideas on how to renew 24 Sussex have been put forward by former prime ministers. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The home is a 35-room mansion that was built in 1896, and served as the prime minister's official residence starting in 1951. It has been a federal heritage site since 1986. But former prime minister Stephen Harper was the last leader to live at 24 Sussex. When Justin Trudeau took over as prime minister in November 2015, he and his family instead moved into Rideau Cottage, a home on the grounds of Rideau Hall. Carney and his family now also live at Rideau Cottage. While the grounds of 24 Sussex were used during Trudeau's tenure for some social events, it was closed by the National Capital Commission in 2022 for 'health and safety reasons.' Those included an infestation of rats that was so severe they found rodent carcasses and excrement in the home's walls, attic and basement. The commission has since spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on maintaining the building. A document detailing expenses for 24 Sussex, obtained via information access law, shows that upkeep of the building cost taxpayers more than $680,000 between January 2018 and June 2023. Those costs included elevator maintenance, janitorial services, boiler maintenance, the removal of a bees' nest, pest control, roof repair and pool cleaning. In 2022, the NCC spent just over $76,000 to repair a stone wall and steel fence after a tourist bus crashed into the gates of 24 Sussex. NCC spokesperson Valerie Dufour said the organization is unable to provide any up-to-date information on operations and maintenance costs for the building. She confirmed the NCC continues to pay to maintain the building. A separate document from 2023, obtained via an access to information request, shows the Trudeau government looked at three main options for the official residence. The first option would be to establish Rideau Cottage as the prime minister's permanent residence by investing in additional residential infrastructure, such as laundry and staff offices. The second option would be to build a new 'modern facility' at 24 Sussex with 'limited heritage elements,' which would accommodate both residential and official functions. The third option would be to build an entirely new residence on NCC-owned land elsewhere in Ottawa. Dufour said the commission presented options on the future of the official residence to the government and is awaiting a decision. In a letter addressed to then-procurement minister Jean-Yves Duclos, Trudeau asked for a proposal on new options for the official residence to be drafted by January 2026. Trudeau said the proposal should include a plan to transfer all responsibility for the official residence, except for general maintenance, from the National Capital Commission to Public Services and Procurement Canada. Andrew MacDougall, who was director of communications to former prime minister Stephen Harper, said that while Carney is right to focus on more important files, Canada still needs to maintain 'symbols' of its nationhood — including 24 Sussex. 'Imagine a U.S. president leaving the White House in a dilapidated state. They would never,' he said. 'And so why do we tolerate it?' MacDougall argued that Carney is already 'opening the taps and spending like there's no tomorrow' and he might as well take on a problem that too many prime ministers have ignored. Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said the real problem is that the National Capital Commission is 'too good at wasting our money but bad at managing properties.' 'With debt interest charges blowing a $1 billion hole in the budget every week, Prime Minister Mark Carney must make it a priority to hold the NCC accountable to stop wasting so much money,' he said. 'Canadians also shouldn't be paying for an official residence for any opposition leader or Speaker, and the prime minister doesn't need multiple residences.' Katherine Spencer-Ross, president of Heritage Ottawa, said Carney's reluctance to tackle 24 Sussex is 'hardly surprising' given the amount of work on his plate. 'I'm not holding my breath,' she said. 'I think he's got another fish to fry.' Spencer-Ross said that while prime ministers have been afraid to do anything about 24 Sussex because of the political optics, the prime minister of the day is still the 'steward' of the building. 'It is not their home. It is not their party's home. It belongs to the people of Canada,' she said. Spencer-Ross said Heritage Ottawa wrote to Trudeau in 2018 to suggest setting up an external advisory committee to look at options for the residence. She said nothing happened with that idea until Trudeau included it in his letter to Duclos. She said her organization believes the building should be maintained, renewed and kept in public hands, even if it's no longer the official residence. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
National Post
3 hours ago
- National Post
Varcoe: 'Keep calm': How Carney can deal with Trump factor to ensure successful G7
Article content The G7 summit, which is expected to begin with official sessions on Monday and Tuesday, includes the leaders of Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Germany and Italy. Article content As host, Carney has already outlined Canada's priorities, such as strengthening peace and security — improving joint response to wildfires, for example — building energy security, developing critical minerals, accelerating the digital transition and AI adoption, and securing future partnerships. Article content Russia's invasion of Ukraine will also be raised; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also been invited by Carney to the Kananaskis event. Article content The summit is not expected to lead to a final group communique that's usually backed by all G7 members. Instead, officials expect to see a series of shorter issue-based action statements. Article content It's not unprecedented for a summit to end without a final communique signed by all countries, which happened in 2019, noted Senator Peter Boehm. Article content Article content 'My experience with President Trump, both in 2017 in Italy and in 2018 in Charlevoix, he participates in the discussions. He's an active listener and he engages. He will have points of view,' Boehm said Thursday in an interview in Calgary. Article content 'It's nothing dramatic. Now, what is said to the media afterwards, or what is said on social media, that could maybe go in a different direction, as it did in 2018. So I fully expect that Kananaskis will be a success. There'll be a number of thematic statements that leaders will agree to.' Article content Boehm stressed that G7 participation is an important part of Canadian foreign policy. It acts as 'a very important counterweight to our overwhelming bilateral relationship with our southern neighbour.' Article content And what takes place inside the formal sessions may not be as important as one-on-one bilateral discussions for Canada's prime minister. Article content Boehm calls it 'diplomatic speed dating,' pointing out the heads of Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan will be attending their first G7 meetings as leaders and trying to establish international relationships. Article content Carney is expected to sit down with as many of the global leaders as possible, including those from non-G7 countries that have been invited to the gathering, such as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Article content The broader question of the future of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) — already set for review in 2026 — remains uncertain, as both countries face U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum and some auto parts. Article content There have been reports this week that Canada and the U.S. are quietly making progress on a new commercial and security agreement. That's a hopeful sign. Article content The sheer volume of trade between the countries highlights the importance of having a productive relationship with the United States, particularly as the North American free trade agreement comes up for review and Trump appears determined to maintain tariffs. Article content 'Our relationship with the United States, yes, it depends on having a good relationship with the president of the United States, but it goes way, way, way beyond that,' said U of C professor Ian Brodie, one-time chief of staff to former prime minister Stephen Harper. Article content
