Early Election, Liberal Leadership Race, and Trump’s Tariffs in the News
Today’s headlines cover an early election, the Liberal leadership race, and Trump’s tariff threats
Canada, Liberal Party, Trump, Tariffs, Election, Edmonton, British Columbia
Ottawa: Here’s a quick look at what’s happening in Canada today.
First up, the Liberal Party is gearing up for a possible early election. The new leader will have to hit the ground running after the leadership race wraps up in March. With several cabinet ministers stepping back, the party is lagging behind the Conservatives in candidate nominations.
Currently, the Liberals have only 129 candidates lined up for the 343 federal ridings, while the Conservatives are ahead with nearly 221. The New Democrats have 93 candidates ready to go.
Political experts say the new leader needs to get their campaign team sorted out quickly. There’s a chance that some senior members from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office might not stick around under new leadership.
In another big story, Trudeau and the premiers are meeting today to discuss Trump’s proposed tariffs. Trump plans to impose hefty tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports right after he takes office. This has everyone on edge.
Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc recently met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford to strategize Canada’s response. Ford praised a border security plan but had previously criticized the Trudeau government for not sharing enough details.
On the environmental front, the first carbon rebate of 2025 is being distributed today. Families in provinces using the federal carbon pricing system will see rebates ranging from $190 in New Brunswick to $450 in Alberta. The government argues that most Canadians will get back more than they pay into the program.
However, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is promising to eliminate the carbon tax if he wins. Even potential Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney has said the tax has had its day.
In media news, CBC is planning to enhance local news coverage by hiring up to 30 new journalists. This move aims to serve underserved communities better, funded by a deal with Google under the Online News Act.
Lastly, there’s been a ruling from Alberta’s human rights tribunal regarding a gender discrimination complaint against an Edmonton 911 operator. While the tribunal dismissed the complaint, the advocate who filed it believes it will lead to justice for others in similar situations.
And in wildlife news, a team from the U.S. is set to capture grey wolves in British Columbia for relocation to Colorado. This effort aims to establish a self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado.
That’s the scoop for today!