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Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Inuit leader sees opportunities in the new faces of Mark Carney's government
OTTAWA — Trust is not something Natan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, often associates with Ottawa. 'The federal government writ large, whether or not we're talking about a political party or the institution itself, has never shown itself to be trustworthy to Inuit,' Obed said in an interview with the Star on Friday. Following a closed-door meeting on Thursday with Prime Minister Mark Carney, nearly a third of Carney's cabinet and other Inuit leaders about the Liberals' major projects law and other priorities, Obed said new faces can sometimes lead to new opportunities. 'I would say that we have a lot of really trustworthy people at the table, and that came through quite clearly,' he said, naming cabinet newcomers like Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty, Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand and Crown-Indigenous Affairs Minister Rebecca Alty as the members of Carney's front bench responsible for the relationship between Inuit and the Crown. Obed also said he was satisfied by Carney's assurances that modern treaties, and the processes tied to those agreements, will be respected following the rushed passage of the Building Canada Act, which allows Ottawa to temporarily bypass certain environmental laws and regulations to fast-track 'nation-building' projects like ports and pipelines. 'That is a statement that's powerful and one that we have chosen to trust the prime minister on, and we really hope that he lives up to his word on it,' Obed said. The ITK president co-chaired a meeting Thursday of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee — a group that convenes Inuit leaders and the federal cabinet three times a year — with the prime minister, as part of a series of summits Carney is holding with Indigenous leaders after the controversial law prompted backlash for its potential to steamroll Indigenous rights and environmental protections. At the gathering in Inuvik, N.W.T., Carney announced the appointment of Nunavut's Virginia Mearns as the country's official Arctic ambassador. She now has a mandate to liaise with Arctic and non-Arctic partners and protect Arctic sovereignty. Other challenges raised in the meeting included the health and social disparities experienced across Inuit Nunangat, the Inuit homeland that spans four regions in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, northern Quebec and northern Labrador. 'The prime minister himself said that these issues would not be left behind,' said Obed, who also spoke with Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne about his expectations for this fall's federal budget. 'We talked about … our budget submission, and our hopes for this budget, especially in regards to health, education, infrastructure, housing,' he said. 'And I hope that we can find a common path where we can make the proper investments and still build our communities at the same time, and be incredibly supportive and work on these nation-building projects as well.' Last month, Obed warned the Senate that it is 'Canada's weakness that it pats itself on the back for being a great champion of Indigenous Peoples, an upholder of the rule of law and respect for Indigenous Peoples' rights, while at the same time acting very differently through its legislation and practices.' He was speaking to senators about the 'unintended consequences' of the proposed law, then known as Bill C-5, including potential infringements on Inuit-Crown treaties. 'Not only does this not live up to Canada's obligation to respect rights, but it creates the possibility of national interest projects ending up before the courts, with litigation causing significant delays in the national interest projects moving forward,' Obed said at the time. He told the Star that Inuit groups looked at 10-year infrastructure needs and identified 79 projects, which they discussed with ministers on Thursday with the goal of drawing up a shorter list of feasible goals. 'Our communities are saying we still need essential infrastructure. We need roads. We need ports. We need the ability to land on runways that have lights, or that are paved. We still have essential concerns around health and education, around food security,' he said. 'And so these national projects are a part of a larger whole.' He named several projects, like the Grays Bay Road and Port project, a transportation corridor to Arctic shipping routes, and the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link project, which would connect part of Nunavut to Manitoba's power grid, as Inuit-led initiatives that would benefit Canada's economy. ' So that's part of the next step, is to really co-ordinate as best we can, not only with our communities, but also with public governments to ensure that the listed projects under C-5, meet the needs of Inuit, meet the needs of public governments, and are in the national interest.'
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa and Gatineau will 'bear the brunt' of public service cuts: report
Article content In his analysis, Macdonald said that the hardest hit departments could be the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Article content The CRA's recent job losses of around 7,000 could double to 14,277, according to the analysis. Article content Meanwhile, for ESDC, full-time job losses could be 2,000 next year with that number doubling to more than 4,000 by 2028. The losses could impact services such as employment insurance and Canadian pension plan payments. Article content IRCC, which already shed 1,944 jobs, is set to double that to 3,847 in three years time. Article content For Macdonald, there is no way to cut 15 per cent of departmental budgets without impacting services. He said that there is a cyclical trend of the federal government cutting down the size of the public service, only to rehire later to curtail public frustration with poor service delivery. Article content Article content 'It's definitely cheaper to make people wait online for eight hours,' Macdonald said in an interview. 'It's definitely cheaper for the federal government. (It's) terrible for Canadians and businesses trying to get tax advice, but it's cheaper.' Article content The size of the federal public service grew significantly during the government of then-prime minister Justin Trudeau until there was a reduction in the last fiscal year. There were 357,965 workers in the federal public service in 2025, according to the most recent data released by the Treasury Board, down from 367,772 the year before. Article content In his letters, Champagne reportedly asked ministers to find savings of up to 7.5 per cent next fiscal year, 2.5 per cent the year after and 5 per cent in the 2028-29 fiscal year, adding up to a total of 15 per cent. Article content A few federal organizations were spared by the exercise, including the offices of the auditor general, parliamentary budget officer and the Supreme Court of Canada. Article content Article content Crown corporations have also been asked to find savings to help Carney's government reach the promised $25 billion in savings in the Liberals' platform from the recent election campaign.
Vancouver Sun
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Vancouver Sun
Auto industry says environment minister won't relent despite calls to scrap EV mandate
OTTAWA — Automakers calling on Ottawa to roll back its electric-vehicle mandate say their case has so far failed to sway Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin, who appears 'committed' to keeping it in place. Rising pressure over the EV issue is part of the central tension facing Prime Minister Mark Carney, which is how much to adjust the Liberals' climate policies to address concerns coming from industry and premiers, amid a time of economic uncertainty. Longstanding demands from the auto industry and its associations to scrap the electric vehicle mandate have grown louder in recent weeks, as they point to falling EV sales and struggles in the trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has taken direct aim at Canada's auto sector. 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. Several provincial leaders at the meeting of premiers in Huntsville, Ont., have called on Carney's government to back off the mandate, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who said it should be scrapped because companies will not be able to meet the targets. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has also called for its removal as part of a suite of changes she wants to see to the Liberals' federal climate policies. Under the mandate, which the Liberals formalized in 2023 , all new vehicle sales in Canada must be zero-emission by 2035, starting with a target of reaching 20 per cent by 2026 and then increasing to 60 per cent by 2030. It was introduced as a way to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which, next to the oil and gas sector, is a major contributor to Canadian carbon emissions. Since its introduction, the mandate has been challenged by a dramatic drop in sales from 2024 , which proponents attribute to Ottawa's decision earlier in the year to halt its purchase incentive, which it has committed to reintroduce, but with no firm timeline. Dabrusin, whom Carney appointed to the role back in May, has been meeting with the industry to discuss the matter, given that it falls within her portfolio. It followed a sit-down the prime minister had with the CEOs of automakers Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, where they discussed the ongoing trade war with the U.S. Brian Kingston, CEO and president of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, which represents the three major automakers, attended the meeting with Carney earlier in the month. The association also recently met with Dabrusin. He says while the government recognizes there is a challenge with EV sales and meeting the current targets, what remains unclear is what it intends to do next. 'Minister Dabrusin and Environment Canada seem to be committed to having an (electric vehicle) mandate in place, and we continue to make the case to them that there are no changes that you could make to this mandate that will solve the current situation that we're in,' he told National Post, on a call while he attended the premiers meeting in Ontario's cottage country. Any changes the government might consider would take time to implement, he said, adding that there was 'deep frustration' within the industry as it must decide how to meet the upcoming targets, with one option being to restrict sales of internal combustion engine vehicles. 'This is urgent,' Kingston said. 'This isn't a tomorrow problem.' Under the policy, companies could earn credits either by selling zero-emission vehicles, which include plug-in hybrids or ones powered by hydrogen, purchasing credits from another electric vehicle maker, or spending money on building out charging infrastructure. Should they fail to meet the targets, they could face penalties under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. 'The environment minister does not want to scrap the mandate— that was made very clear to us, and that is extremely problematic for the industry. That option cannot be off the table. It is the most effective and fastest way to address this current problem,' Kingston said. In a statement, a spokesperson for Dabrusin said the policy was implemented to give Canadians access 'to affordable zero-emission vehicles to fight climate change with Canadian innovation.' 'The standard is currently in place, and we are continuing to meaningfully engage with industry and explore flexibility to make sure that our measures reflect (the) times we are in,' spokesperson Jenna Ghassabeh wrote. Flavio Vlope, president of the Association of Automotive Component Manufac turers, who was also at the premiers' gathering, said he had spoken to around half a dozen ministers regarding the mandate and that the government was consulting 'heavily' with industry. With the environment minister not appearing to entertain the question of scrapping the targets, he said the 'pressure is on' Dabrusin's department to make them 'mean something.' 'Because right now, all they mean is a setup for failure,' he said. 'There are lots of ways to help the industry here move along the immutable march to electrification, but as currently configured, all it does is punish them, and nobody needs religion right now.' He added that any change to the mandate would ultimately need Carney's approval. 'The prime minister is a student of math, and this should be a very easy case to make,' Volpe said. 'Ministers, including the minister responsible, are more in the weeds with other stakeholders.' 'The challenge for them is to make a distinction between which stakeholders employ Canadians in sustainable jobs and which ones are just fans of (electric vehicles).' Earlier this month, Clean Energy Canada, a climate policy program based out of Simon Fraser University, released a statement, defending the policy as being meant for consumers and not industry. It said that any adjustments the government may consider making should be to 'near-term' targets of the policy, while keeping the overall goal, and be coupled with an incentive package to help more Canadians afford these vehicles. Tim Reuss, president of the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, said there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach that would work when it comes to a mandate, and was encouraged by what he says was 'considerable progress' in getting Carney and the Prime Minister's Office to understand the position of the industry. 'There's an understanding that something needs to be changed,' he said. 'However, that message does not seem to have fully reached the (environment) minister just yet, because there is still a sense of, 'no we have to meet our zero-emission target goals'.' National Post staylor@ Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here .
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Conservative MPs rally behind trucker convoy leaders as sentencing looms, saying, ‘They're heroes, not criminals!'
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Popular in International 1. Who is Luciano Frattolin? The grieving father at the heart of the Melina Frattolin tragedy Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Crown 's decision to prosecute two prominent organisers of the "Freedom Convoy" protests has drawn criticism from a number of Conservative MPs, with the party's deputy leader referring to it as an act of "political vengeance."Due to their involvement in planning the protest, which blockaded the streets surrounding Parliament Hill for over three weeks in early 2022, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were found guilty of mischief in read: Poilievre says Canada needs more people leaving than arriving to ease housing, job strain Additionally, Barber was found guilty of advising people to defy a court order.A number of accusations, including encouraging others to do mischief, were and Lich will appear in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 23, for a sentencing Crown wants to sentence Barber to eight years and Lich to seven years, according to social media shared a screenshot of a portion of the Crown's argument to the judge, in which they referred to their acts as "the worst case of mischief" and contended that the right to free speech has never been unrestricted. The screenshot has not been independently confirmed by The Canadian Press. Poilievre criticises prosecutors for seeking "political retribution"Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party, questioned the Crown's strategy in a Monday post on said, "Let's get this straight: while rampant violent offenders are released hours after their most recent charges & antisemitic rioters vandalize businesses, terrorize daycares & block traffic without consequences, the Crown wants 7 years prison time for the charge of mischief for Lich & Barber.""How is this justice?", he read: Canada just can't win in trade war with Trump "Equal application of the law would be a good start if the Crown suddenly wants to apply the law," wrote Melissa Lantsman, the deputy Conservative leader, in a social media post. "But this is political vengeance not actual justice and that's why trust in our institutions is dwindling."The recommended punishment range was described as "excessive and vindictive" by Ontario Conservative MP Andrew Chris's three-week nonviolent protest over three and a half years ago, the Crown is requesting a seven-year sentence [eight years]. "All the while, violent criminals are slapped on the wrist," Lawton stated."[seven to eight] years for holding the line and causing Justin Trudeau a political emergency," according to Saskatchewan MP Jeremy Patzer, is the suggested sentence, he likened it to an instance when a man attempted to purchase sex from a person he thought was 15 years old and was granted a conditional Liberals' priorities are rather obvious. The only people who are suggesting changing our laws to put the genuine criminals in jail are conservatives, Patzer read: Poilievre criticizes Canada's trade deadline with US as he seeks political comeback MPs "are raising concerns because the sentencing sought by the Crown in this particular case appears completely disproportionate, particularly when compared to violent criminals who have gotten away with a mere slap on the wrist," according to a statement from Poilievre's the April election, the Conservatives ran on a platform of toughness against crime. Poilievre committed to enact life sentences for some drug and human trafficking offences and guaranteed "jail not bail" for repeat offenders, promises that constitutional experts said would almost probably be overturned by the social media tweets on Monday, July 21, followed criticism of Poilievre and his MPs by several well-known right-wing social media personalities and influencers for their purported lack of support for Lich and every court appearance, vociferous supporters have greeted Lich and Barber, and on Monday, Lich's post received hundreds of likes and attorney Michael Spratt , who practices in Ottawa, referred to the MPs' choice to comment on the suggested sentence as "craven politics.""Politicians' involvement in court-related matters is extremely risky," he to Spratt, it has long been customary for politicians to refrain from forcing their opinions on Canada's legal however, occasionally cross that boundary. The granting of bail to a suspect in a homicide case involving the death of a Toronto police officer was described as "beyond comprehension" by Ontario Premier Doug Ford in accused was found not guilty in 2024. Spratt claimed that when the case's facts were revealed, lawmakers who had previously criticised the legal system looked to Spratt, politicians who decide to use well-known cases to "promote a political narrative" ultimately devalue the judiciary's are using their right to "raise concerns about disproportionate sentencing in the justice system," a spokesman for Poilievre's office, spokesperson stated that it is the responsibility of the opposition to bring up issues of proportionality and consistency in the criminal justice system, including sentencing laws and policies, as demonstrated by particular the allegation is "mischief," Spratt contended that this isn't an example of a child misbehaving, and that the Conservative criticism undervalues the seriousness of the read: Canada rescinds tax hitting US tech firms: Government According to him, the case concerns two demonstrators who caused "real harm" to thousands of people living in downtown Ottawa and inflicted millions of dollars' worth of Heather Perkins-McVey of the Ontario Court , who handed down the guilty judgements, stated on the criminal mischief trial of Tamara Lich and Chris Barber in her verdict on April 3, 2025, that despite being aware of the impact the protest was having on downtown residents and businesses, Lich and Barber frequently urged others to attend or stayIn early 2022, thousands of demonstrators, cars, and large rig trucks gathered in downtown Ottawa to protest COVID-19 pandemic limits, vaccination requirements, and the administration of then-prime minister Justin of the protesters continued to honk their truck horns throughout the day despite a court order to cease, refusing to leave the downtown claimed the stench of diesel fumes was overpowering and that they were the march, Poilievre backed the demonstrators. In a February 2022 video recorded outside Parliament, he labelled some of the truckers 'honest, hard-working, decent people' and offered them coffee and doughnuts.A few demonstration participants declared their desire to topple the government. At the time, Poilievre stated that the opinions of a select few should not be used to discredit the truckers as a the Trudeau administration used the Emergencies Act for the first time in the nation's history, a large-scale police operation ultimately dispersed the use of the law, which granted the government, police, and financial institutions extensive powers to put an end to the protest, was the subject of a federal public inquiry. A year after the demonstrations, the commission published a report stating that the federal government had good reason to use the remarks, according to Spratt, are unlikely to influence the judge's decision about Lich and Barber's potential read: From economy to immigration: Something is rotten in Canada Because Pierre Poilievre chose to take to social media to voice his thoughts, he stated that this judge in particular would not make a ruling.
Vancouver Sun
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
'How is this justice?' Poilievre, Conservative MPs show support for Freedom Convoy leaders ahead of sentencing
OTTAWA — Several Conservative MPs are criticizing the Crown's approach to prosecuting two key organizers of the Freedom Convoy protests, with the party's deputy leader calling it an act of 'political vengeance.' Tamara Lich and Chris Barber were convicted of mischief in April for their roles in organizing the demonstration, which blockaded streets around Parliament Hill for more than three weeks in early 2022. Barber was also convicted of counselling others to disobey a court order. 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. They were found not guilty of several charges, including counselling others to commit mischief. A sentencing hearing for Barber and Lich is scheduled to take place in Ottawa on Wednesday. Lich has posted on social media that the Crown is seeking a sentence of seven years for her and eight years for Barber. She posted a screen shot of part of the Crown's submission to the judge, which called their actions 'the worst case of mischief' and argued that the right to political expression has never existed without limitations. The Canadian Press has not independently verified the screen shot. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted on X on Monday to question the Crown's approach. 'Let's get this straight: while rampant violent offenders are released hours after their most recent charges and antisemitic rioters vandalize businesses, terrorize daycares and block traffic without consequences, the Crown wants seven years prison time for the charge of mischief for Lich and Barber,' he said. 'How is this justice?' In her own social media post, deputy Conservative leader Melissa Lantsman said that if 'the Crown suddenly wants to apply the law — equal application of law would be a good start — but this is political vengeance not actual justice and it's why trust in our institutions is dwindling.' Ontario Conservative MP Andrew Lawton called the proposed sentencing range 'excessive and vindictive.' 'The Crown is seeking a seven-year sentence (eight for Chris) for a three-week peaceful protest almost three and a half years ago. All while violent offenders are given slaps on the wrist,' Lawton said. Saskatchewan MP Jeremy Patzer described the proposed sentence as '(seven to eight) years for holding the line and causing Justin Trudeau a political emergency.' He compared it to a case in which a man was given a conditional discharge for trying to buy sex from someone he believed was 15 years old. 'It is pretty clear what the Liberals' priorities are. Conservatives are the only ones proposing to fix our laws so that the real criminals end up behind bars,' Patzer said. A spokesperson from Poilievre's office said in a statement that MPs 'are raising concerns because the sentencing sought by the Crown in this particular case appears completely disproportionate, particularly when compared to violent criminals who have gotten away with a mere slap on the wrist.' The Conservatives ran on a tough-on-crime platform in the April election. Poilievre promised 'jail not bail' for repeat offenders and pledged to legislate life sentences for some human trafficking and drug offences — promises that constitutional experts said would almost certainly be struck down by the courts. Monday's social media posts came after a number of prominent right-wing social media influencers and personalities called out Poilievre and his MPs over their alleged lack of support for Lich and Barber. Lich and Barber have been greeted by vocal supporters at each of their court appearances and Lich's post had thousands of likes and comments on Monday. Michael Spratt, an Ottawa-based defence lawyer, called the MPs' decision to weigh in on the proposed sentencing 'craven politics.' 'It is very dangerous for politicians to be weighing in on matters before the court,' he said. Spratt said there is a long-standing convention that politicians must not impose their views on the judicial system in Canada. But sometimes politicians step over that line. In 2021, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said that it was 'beyond comprehension' that the suspect in a homicide case involving the death of a Toronto police officer had been granted bail. The accused was found not guilty in 2024. Spratt said politicians who were critical of the justice system at the time ended up looking foolish when the facts of the case came out. Politicians who choose to leverage high-profile cases to 'advance a political narrative' ultimately end up devaluing the work of the courts, Spratt said. The spokesperson for Poilievre's office said MPs are exercising their freedom to 'raise concerns about disproportionate sentencing in the justice system.' 'It's the job of the Opposition to raise questions about consistency and proportionality in the criminal justice system, including sentencing law and policy, illuminated by specific cases,' the spokesperson said. Spratt said the Conservative criticism undersells the nature of the offences; though the charge is 'mischief,' this isn't an instance like a child misbehaving, Spratt argued. The case involves two organizers of a demonstration that cost millions of dollars in damage and caused 'real harm' to thousands of downtown Ottawa residents, he said. In delivering the guilty verdicts, Ontario Court Justice Heather Perkins-McVey said Lich and Barber routinely encouraged people to join or remain at the protest, even though they knew the effect it was having on people and businesses downtown. Thousands of protesters, vehicles and big rig trucks converged on downtown Ottawa in early 2022 in opposition to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, vaccine mandates and the government of then-prime minister Justin Trudeau. The demonstrators refused to leave the downtown, with many honking their truck horns at all hours even after a court injunction ordered them to stop. Residents in the area complained of being harassed and said the smell of diesel fumes was overwhelming. Poilievre was supportive of the protesters during the demonstration. He brought coffee and doughnuts to some of the truckers and called them 'honest, hardworking, decent people' in a February 2022 video taken outside Parliament. Some of the people involved in the protest said they wanted to overthrow the government. Poilievre said at the time that the truckers should not be disparaged as a group for the views of certain individuals. The protest was eventually broken up by a massive police operation after the Trudeau government invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time in the country's history. A federal public inquiry was held to examine the use of the law, which gave government, police and financial institutions extraordinary powers to quell the protest. The commission released a report one year after the protests that said the federal government was justified in using the law. Spratt said outside comments are not likely to change the judge's opinion on a possible sentence for Lich and Barber. 'This judge in particular is not going to make a decision one way or the other because Pierre Poilievre decided that he'd hop on social media and express his opinion,' he said. 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 .
