Politics Insider: After touching down in Ottawa, Royal couple makes the rounds

Globe and Mail

26-05-2025

Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let's look at what happened today.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla have arrived in Ottawa, a day ahead of Canada's monarch delivering a Throne Speech that outlines the government's agenda.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney, were among those greeting the royal couple upon their afternoon arrival at Ottawa International Airport.
The King and Queen subsequently proceeded to Lansdowne Park south of the downtown core of the national capital. There they met with gathered crowds, and the King dropped the puck at a children's street hockey game.
They then travelled to Rideau Hall, the residence of the governor-general, for a tree-planting ceremony.
Officials also announced mid-afternoon that the King and Queen were to meet with leaders of the three Indigenous organizations just after 5 p.m. ET: Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse; Natan Obed, who is president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami representing Inuit in Canada; and Métis National Council president Victoria Pruden.
The Royal couple are scheduled to be at the downtown Senate complex on Tuesday morning where the King is set to deliver the Throne Speech, written by the Liberal government.
Carney said in a statement today that the speech would detail planned effort to define a new Canadian economic and security relationship with the United States, build the strongest economy in the G7, bring down the cost of living, and keep communities safe.
The Globe and Mail is providing live updates on the visit, accessible here.
Also today, the House of Commons sat for the first time since December, and MPs elected Montreal-area Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia as Speaker.
The Lac-Saint-Louis member will preside over the Commons after last month's federal election, when the Liberals were re-elected to form a minority government.
As the Commons begins its work, Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon said the NDP will not be granted official party status because the law says a party needs at least 12 seats to be recognized. The NDP was reduced to just seven seats in the election.
Ontario mining-bill dispute could lead to road, rail and mine blockades, First Nations chiefs warn: Provincial ministers say they have heard the outcry about Bill 5 and will make improvements, but won't commit to outright eliminate the proposed bill that seeks to speed up large mining projects in the north.
Via Rail workers vote to give Unifor strong strike mandate: The union says members gave it a 97.5-per-cent strike mandate, raising the possibility of workers walking off the job next month.
Reducing internal trade barriers top priority for businesses, poll shows: The KPMG poll also found that 82 per cent of business leaders believe the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers will improve their company's efficiency and productivity.
Groups mount legal challenge against Ottawa over refugee treaty with U.S.: The bilateral agreement is premised on both countries being safe for asylum seekers. It prevents refugee claimants passing through the U.S. from seeking protection in Canada and vice versa.
Ontario judge approves $500-million settlement in Loblaw, George Weston bread price-fixing case: Some Canadian shoppers may soon receive cash from the outcome of the class-action lawsuit that accused Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. of engaging in an industry-wide scheme to fix the price of bread.
Canada must boost productivity and housing affordability, OECD report says: The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development report says government spending and interest-rate cuts may be required if the economy deteriorates significantly, provided tariff-related inflationary pressures remain under control.
Prime Minister's Day: Mark Carney participated in the election of the House of Commons Speaker, and then chaired a cabinet meeting. In the early afternoon, he welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Ottawa airport, then accompanied the royal couple to meeting with members of the public at Lansdowne Park. Carney also joined the royal couple as they planted a ceremonial tree on the grounds of Rideau Hall. And Carney had an audience with the King at Rideau Hall.
Party Leaders: Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May and Interim NDP Leader Don Davies all attended the House of Commons sitting. Davies also held a news conference at the House of Commons. No schedule provided for Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre.
'A good Speaker knows when to keep their speeches short. I would ask that my name be withdrawn from the ballot, please.' - Conservative MP Chris d'Entremont, announcing in the Commons that he will not be running to serve as Speaker.
The King is delivering the Throne Speech in Ottawa this week, taking on a responsibility normally fulfilled by the Governor General. Queen Elizabeth, the King's mother, was the last Canadian monarch to read the speech in Ottawa, something she did on Oct. 18, 1977. Who was the governor-general at that time?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Treaties with the Crown are the foundation of Canada's sovereignty
King Charles Throne Speech is a chance to rebuild the Canada-U.K. alliance
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The answer to today's question: Jules Léger, a former diplomat, was the governor general on hand for the 1977 speech by Queen Elizabeth. Léger was the 21st governor general, serving between 1974 and 1979.