Latest news with #Guilbeault
Toronto Star
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Whoa, Canada! Why do we fear dissent among our politicians?
Could there be a more Canadian headline than the one on the front page of Monday's Star? 'Liberals reject power to oust leader,' it proclaimed. Given the opportunity to assert some control over their leader if things go sideways, with the memory of the impasse over Justin Trudeau's leadership fresh in their minds, the party's members of Parliament meekly said 'no thanks.' Apparently, they're fine with the current situation, in which they have no established way to pass judgment on their leader's performance or challenge his position if it comes to that. Or maybe not. They wouldn't say, invoking the sacred concept of 'caucus confidentiality.' The full pageantry of Canada's parliamentary system will be on display on Tuesday as King Charles reads the Carney government's Speech from the Throne. But beneath the glitz and glamour there are real problems with how the core institutions of our democracy are functioning — or not functioning. The Liberal MPs' failure to step up even when offered the chance is a reminder of that. A more comprehensive one comes in the form of a new book by the Globe and Mail's marquee political columnist, Andrew Coyne. In 'The Crisis of Canadian Democracy' he makes a powerful case that Canada's version of parliamentary democracy has been hollowed out to the point where 'we are not a fully functioning democracy.' The system, he argues, does not work the way we think it works — or at least the way we're told it's supposed to work. Instead of the government answering to the House of Commons, it's the Commons that is dominated by the government. Instead of party leaders being accountable to their MPs, it's the other way around (and in the case of the Liberals, they clearly like it that way). Instead of the prime minister being first among equals in the cabinet, the cabinet has become 'an extension of the prime minister.' I don't think Coyne overstates the case. He just points out what everyone who pays attention to these matters already knows, but most think is just the way it is — like bitter weather in a Canadian February. We've become so accustomed to managed elections, docile MPs and puppet-like cabinet ministers that we can't imagine another way. For me this was driven home in the last couple of weeks by the almost universally negative reaction to a couple of Mark Carney's ministers uttering stray remarks on the day they were sworn in. In particular, Steven Guilbeault's comment to the effect that Canada should maximize the use of existing pipelines before building more was seized upon as evidence of disarray in Liberal ranks. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW I can't count how many political panels I sat through where Guilbeault's remark was condemned as proof that Carney better get his new cabinet in line. Almost no one bothered to discuss whether Guilbeault had a valid point. All that mattered was it showed a lack of 'message discipline' — i.e. every minister must say exactly the same thing on every subject. This is the essence, it seems, of an effective 'comms strategy' in our system. The media (as Coyne notes) is very much part of this problem. Any minister or MP who steps a centimetre out of line is taken as evidence that the leader isn't doing his job — which is apparently to make sure his cabinet and party behave in the most sheeplike way possible. The question arises: if this is the expectation, what kind of person would aspire to rise in such a system, or indeed to flourish in it? These are not particularly fresh observations, but it's important that someone keeps reminding us that what Canadians are accustomed to isn't inevitable, or even normal. One of the most useful aspects of 'The Crisis of Canadian Democracy' is Coyne's observation that other countries operating under the Westminster (i.e. British-style) parliamentary system haven't taken top-down authority and 'message discipline' nearly to the extremes we have. That includes Britain itself, where party leaders don't dominate their caucuses to the same extent ours do and dissenters in party ranks are considered a normal part of political life. What a radical concept. Coyne has a lot of suggestions on how to make Canada's system more truly democratic, such as mandatory voting and moving toward proportional representation. Those prescriptions are more debatable. But his diagnosis of what ails us is spot on.
Toronto Sun
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
JAY GOLDBERG: Trudeau's censorship czar retakes the helm
Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. Photo by PATRICK DOYLE / THE CANADIAN PRESS Prime Minister Mark Carney should repeal the Justin Trudeau government's dangerous censorship law before it comes into full force. 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 Sadly, with Steven Guilbeault appointed as the man responsible for overseeing the Canadian identity ministry, Carney appears prepared to double down on the censorship drive of the Trudeau years instead. Why the pessimism? Guilbeault is the author of the Trudeau government's censorship law, otherwise known as the Online Streaming Act. Most Canadians remember Guilbeault for his tour of duty as Minister of the Environment, when he militantly pushed annual carbon tax hikes down Canadian taxpayers' throats. But Guilbeault first earned his chops as minister of Canadian Heritage from 2019 to 2021, when he authored the Online Streaming Act. Guilbeault left the heritage portfolio before the bill was passed into law. But now Guilbeault is back in the same role, responsible for starting to implement the very law he authored — a law that is all about government control. 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. The Online Streaming Act gives the federal government broad powers to control major elements of the internet. It forces online streaming providers, like Amazon Prime and Netflix, to follow Canadian content rules formerly reserved for broadcasters, meaning online streaming services will be required to push a minimum amount of Canadian content to viewers or risk losing their ability to operate in Canada. What kind of government control will this look like? Testifying before a Senate committee back in 2022, former Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) chief Ian Scott warned that this would likely entail forcing streaming providers to manipulate their algorithms to push Canadian content on unsuspecting viewers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Guilbeault is quite literally trying to manipulate what Canadians can see online. Having the government manipulate what Canadians can or cannot see online is an affront to democracy. The government should never be in a position to help dictate the content Canadians see. That's the kind of approach taken by totalitarian regimes. It's not an approach that should be taken by a liberal democracy. Consumers should be free to stream whatever content they want, free from government interference. Pierre Trudeau, as prime minister, once said it was important for the government to stay out of the bedrooms of the nation. Guilbeault wants there to be an exception when folks click on Netflix. On top of all of this, the Online Streaming Act is costing streamers big time and threatens to drive providers out of the marketplace. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Streamers of a certain size are forced, under the law, to provide 5% of their streaming revenue to the government, with that money then sent to specific local media funds. These extra costs will do one of two things: They will drive streamers out of the Canadian marketplace altogether or, at a minimum, they will drive up streaming costs for Canadians. There are already streaming providers, like Hulu, that deliberately are not in the Canadian market, likely because of pre-existing overregulation. This new law could drive things from bad to worse. There may be streaming providers that decide their Canadian profits simply aren't worth having to manipulate their algorithms, produce more Canadian content, and pay what amounts to a tax to fill the coffers of government media funds. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canadians shouldn't be shocked if a streaming provider or two chooses to exit the Canadian marketplace rather than comply with all of the punitive elements of the Online Streaming Act once it fully comes into force. A lack of competition in the streaming space is precisely what Canadian consumers don't need. But it's what may very well happen thanks to Ottawa's zest for government control. If Carney is smart, he'll ignore Guilbeault's penchant for government control and seriously re-examine this damaging law that was passed during the final years of the Trudeau regime. Carney has tacked to the centre on some issues and hasn't been afraid to abandon unpopular Trudeau-era policies like the consumer carbon tax and the capital gains tax hike. Carney should do so again when it comes to the Online Streaming Act. He should look to repeal the legislation and declare that the Carney government has no interest in controlling what Canadians can see online. Jay Goldberg is the Canadian affairs manager at the Consumer Choice Center Tennis World Sunshine Girls Sports Basketball
Epoch Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Alberta Premier Smith Asks Federal Environment Minister to ‘Disavow' Guilbeault's Comments on Pipelines
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith reacted to federal cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault's comments about Canada not needing new pipelines, a day after Prime Minister Mark Carney said they could be built if there is a consensus. Before the first meeting of the new federal cabinet on May 14, Guilbeault said there is no reason to build new pipelines if the government-owned Trans Mountain pipeline is only operating at 40 percent capacity. He added global demand for oil is estimated to peak by 2028–2029. Later that day, Smith issued a Smith said these types of comments by Guilbeault were an example of how he had been an obstacle to Alberta during his tenure as environment minister. Guilbeault was shuffled out of the role by Carney in March and put in charge of the Canadian heritage portfolio. 'We ask for the new environment minister [Julie Dabrusin] to disavow his comments and commit to working with Alberta to build new pipelines to access new markets,' Smith said. Canada Energy Regulator Related Stories 5/14/2025 5/14/2025 The latest spat between Smith and Guilbeault comes after a federal election campaign heavily focused on strengthening Canada's economy in the face of U.S. tariffs. Carney has pledged to speed up the approval of major projects, and said Canada needed to develop more projects for 'clean and conventional energy.' Canada's most valuable export is crude oil and most of the production flows south to the United States. There is also no pipeline connecting Alberta and Eastern provinces, which are dependent on U.S. operators. Carney made his most favourable Asked by reporters about the matter before the cabinet meeting, Guilbeault pushed back. 'People should remember that we bought a pipeline, Trans Mountain, and that is only used right now at about 40 percent capacity,' he said. 'So I think before we start talking about building an entire new pipeline, maybe we should maximize the use of existing infrastructure.' Guilbeault also said there are no investors to build an East-West pipeline. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said during the election campaign there is no investor because of federal laws like the Impact Assessment Act (formerly known as Bill C-69) that make it difficult to build major infrastructure. Carney told CTV News he's open to making changes to the Impact Assessment Act, to help move projects ahead. He has however insisted that his government will maintain the legislation, despite objection by Premier Smith. Guilbeault wasn't as committed to making changes to the law, saying 'these are important conversations that we will need to have in the coming weeks.' Taking over the environment portfolio in Carney's new cabinet is Toronto MP Julie Dabrusin. She had no immediate public comment and The Epoch Times reached out to her department but didn't immediately hear back. Dabrusin had served as a parliamentary secretary to Guilbeault in previous years. Guilbeault noted her work in fighting 'big polluters' at his side in a Smith's reaction to Guilbeault came a few days after she Smith said the carbon price for businesses has become 'too high to bear' and is negatively impacting competitiveness at a time of heightened economic uncertainty. Environment Canada reacted by saying that when a province makes a significant change to its system, the federal government has to reassess the 'stringency of that system against benchmark standards.' Alberta's premier had sparred with Carney's predecessor, Justin Trudeau, over policies impacting the province, and she 'Albertans are proud Canadians that want this nation to be strong, prosperous, and united, but we will no longer tolerate having our industries threatened and our resources landlocked by Ottawa,' she said. Smith Carney responded to Smith's post by saying the two leaders are 'focused on bringing down the cost of living and increasing opportunities in the energy sector for hard working Albertans.' Carolina Avendano contributed to this report.
Calgary Herald
20-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Breakenridge: New pipelines will be decided by the market, not by Steven Guilbeault
It is quite striking to see how Canada's new minister of Canadian Identity manages to be so clueless and tone deaf when it comes to certain parts of the country. That's especially true, it seems, when it comes to the current mood and political situation here in Alberta. Article content Article content It's unlikely that Steven Guilbeault is intentionally handing ammunition to Alberta separatists or helping their cause, although he'd be high on the list of prominent Liberals you'd suspect wouldn't be sad to see Alberta leave. Either way, we could do with a whole lot less of him right now. Article content Article content Guilbeault is no longer Environment minister, and is not and was not ever the minister for Natural Resources, so it's unclear why he feels the need to continue to weigh in on such matters. He also presumably does not speak on behalf of the prime minister on these files, but the prime minister has kept Guilbeault as a senior minister and has not rebuked any of his comments. Article content Article content The comments in question concern the future of energy infrastructure in Canada, and specifically the likelihood that we'll see any new pipelines constructed. Ultimately, the market will (or should) dictate the question of what's needed and what's economically viable, but apparently Guilbeault has it all figured out. Article content According to the minister, we will see in a few years that 'demand for oil will peak globally and it will also peak in Canada.' Therefore, he argues, 'before we start talking about building an entirely new pipeline, maybe we should maximize the use of existing infrastructure.' Article content Article content Specifically, he pointed to the Trans Mountain Expansion project (TMX), which he claimed was operating at 'about 40 per cent capacity.' Article content In fact, TMX is operating at about double the capacity cited by Guilbeault, a fairly significant error that very much undermines his point. It would also be fair to note that if the minister had his way, it's unlikely that TMX would exist in the first place. Article content It should also be noted that other forecasts concerning global oil demand envision a much longer timeline to peak demand than the one cited by Guilbeault. As well, the decision as to whether demand for oil and our ability to move that product justifies investment in new pipeline infrastructure is one for the private sector to make.
Epoch Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Mixed Messages and Clarifications From First Week of New Cabinet
News Analysis Prime Minister Mark Carney appointed a mix of old and new faces to his cabinet this week, and both had a hand in raising some controversy when talking to media, with some issuing clarifications later. After an election heavily focused on bringing back affordability for Canadians and building the country's economic potential, what some ministers said about pipelines and housing generated mixed reactions. The new cabinet was sworn in on May 13 at Rideau Hall, with a total of 29 ministers, including Carney as prime minister, supported by 10 secretaries of state. The next day, the 39 top officials had their first cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill. As is customary, some stopped to speak with the large group of reporters amassed outside the cabinet room looking for clues on the direction of government policy. While some remained careful in their comments, and stressed the importance of 'getting back to work,' like Minister of Women Rechie Valdez, others went further by taking a diverging stance from the prime minister's when responding to questions. Related Stories 5/15/2025 5/14/2025 That was the case for Canadian Identity Minister Steven Guilbeault, who was reconfirmed in the role this week after first taking on the portfolio in March. Guilbeault had previously overseen the Canadian Heritage portfolio, but he is more widely known for his role as minister of environment and climate change in recent years. Before the cabinet meeting, Guilbeault was asked by reporters to react to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith saying he's 'anti-pipeline' and to give his opinion on how to deal with the issue of national unity. 'On pipelines, people should remember that we bought a pipeline, Trans Mountain, and that is only used right now at about 40 percent capacity,' Guilbeault replied. 'So I think before we start talking about building an entire new pipeline, maybe we should maximize the use of existing infrastructure.' Smith Then-Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault responds to a question during a news conference in Ottawa on June 14, 2023. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press Guilbeault's comments came the day after Carney had told CTV News in an interview that he's in favour of building new pipelines if there's a 'consensus.' 'Because I understand the need for that consensus, I'm a prime minister who can help create that consensus,' he said. Carney also opened the door to reviewing legislation such as the Impact Assessment Act to help projects get approved faster. The legislation has been opposed by some provinces, including Alberta and Saskatchewan, saying it drives away resource development projects due to its regulatory burden. Guilbeault said on the matter that 'these are important conversations that we will need to have in the coming weeks.' Guilbeault had His first act as prime minister was to set the consumer carbon tax rate to zero. Guilbeault had championed the carbon tax during his tenure as environment minister and was one of its strongest defenders. Housing Minister Issues Clarification Alongside resource projects, housing was also a key topic discussed during the election campaign. Carney put out an elaborate With this focus on boosting housing affordability, new Housing Minister Gregor Robertson made When asked by reporters on his way to the cabinet meeting if he thinks home prices need to go down, he replied: 'No, I think that we need to deliver more supply, make sure the market is stable.' Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada Gregor Robertson poses for a photo after a cabinet swearing in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, on May 13, 2025. The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby 'The Government of Canada has not been building affordable housing since the 90s, and we created a huge shortage across Canada, that's where the big need is right now,' he said. Robertson later sought to clarify his comments. He 'The question wasn't 'should homes be more affordable?' Of course they should,' he added. Robertson served as Vancouver mayor from 2008 to 2018 and he said the city had led the country in co-ops, rental-only zoning, and social housing. He also mentioned launching Canada's first empty homes tax, which he said created thousands of rental units. Conservatives, in turn, have criticized his tenure as mayor, saying home prices increased substantially during his time in office. The average price for a home in Vancouver during Robertson's tenure increased by around $1.5 million, according to In reaction to comments made by ministers in the media scrums around cabinet, a Liberal strategist said it will take time for ministers to settle in their roles. 'It generally takes Ministers a few weeks to get up to speed on their new portfolios which tend to both complex and nuanced by definition,' Charles Bird, principal at Earnscliffe Strategies, told The Epoch Times in an email. 'For successful Ministers, preconceived notions quickly give way to a more fulsome understanding of the dynamics at play and a willingness to engage stakeholders and to hear different perspectives.' Budget Plan Minister of Finance and National Revenue François-Philippe Champagne on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 14, 2025. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang Another cabinet member who made waves around the cabinet meeting on May 14 was Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne. Asked by reporters if he would table a budget before Parliament goes on break for the summer, he listed a chain of events which didn't include presenting a budget. He said there would be a 'middle class' tax cut"—referring to the government's plan to cut the lowest income tax bracket by 1 percent, the speech from the throne which outlines the government's agenda, and a Fall Economic Statement. 'Canadians have seen the priorities that we have outlined during the campaign. Priorities are not going to be different,' Champagne said. Since creating budgets are among the most important tasks of a government, Champagne's announcement must have been in full coordination with Carney. But it was the item most heavily criticized by the Opposition this week, with Conservatives saying it contradicts Carney's position during the election that it's important to have a plan. 'Mr. Carney said during the election campaign that he had a plan, and he took great delight in saying that a slogan is not a plan. Well, a budget is a plan,' Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre told reporters in Ottawa on May 15. He added not having a budget sends a 'bad signal' to investors and credit rating agencies. Scotiabank Vice President and economist Derek Holt wrote in a May 15 In a media appearance on CTV News, Champagne said that with the Liberals' planned tax cut and the upcoming throne speech and Fall Economic Statement, there will be 'no surprises' for Canadians on what the government plans to do. Former Minister Issues Clarification Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith speaks in Ottawa on Nov. 15, 2022. The Canadian Press/Patrick Doyle There was another Liberal MP who issued a clarification after generating many headlines with his comments on social media. After Carney announced his new cabinet on May 13 and left former Housing Minister Nate Erskine-Smith out of cabinet, the Toronto MP Erskine-Smith had announced early last year that he wouldn't seek re-election, but he changed his mind after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assigned him as housing minister late last year. Carney kept Erskine-Smith in that post in his first cabinet announced on March 14. In an interview with CBC News on May 15, Erskine-Smith said that in his May 13 social media post, he had also congratulated the new cabinet members, and that he hopes his comments aren't taken 'out of context.' 'That overall statement I hope was positive, and just a note for certain colleagues, I mean, there are great people around that cabinet table,' he said.
