Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a press conference in Montreal on Feb. 19.ANDREJ IVANOV/AFP/Getty Images
Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today announced that the federal government has selected a consortium to co-develop a high-speed-rail link running from Quebec City to Toronto.
Speaking in Montreal, he called it the largest infrastructure project in Canadian history.
Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Pat King, an organizer of the 2022 “Freedom Convoy” protest that overwhelmed the capital’s downtown, has been given a three-month house-arrest sentence. King was found guilty of five of nine charges in November, including mischief and disobeying a court order, for his role in the three-week protest.
This is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, written by Ian Bailey. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletter on our signup page.
What else is going on
Trudeau says democracy at stake as Ukraine kept away from peace talks: The Prime Minister says Canada and most of its allies insist that Ukraine must be part of any discussions to end Russia’s three-year-old invasion.
Guaranteed basic income could cut poverty rates by up to 40%, PBO says: In a new report, the Parliamentary Budget Officer says a Canadian family in the lowest-earning group could expect to receive an average of $6,100 in annual disposable income through such a program.
Canadian Armed Forces discrimination settlement ‘a slap in the face,’ ex-soldier says: A former Armed Forces member involved in a discrimination class action for eight years says the settlement isn’t enough to compensate for the trauma he and others experienced.
Conservatives urge Carney to proactively disclose any conflicts: The Official Opposition warns that existing rules won’t ensure such information is made public before a potential spring federal election campaign.
Vancouver’s police chief announces his retirement: As Adam Palmer announced his exit this week, five months before his contract expires, he declined to confirm or deny he will run for a seat in the next federal election but promised to unveil his next career move soon.
Alberta Premier to face questions today on AHS allegations: Danielle Smith and Health Minister Adriana LaGrange are expected to address allegations that government officials interfered in the provincial health authority’s procurement and contracting process to the benefit of private companies.
Perspectives
A cold front emerges in Canada’s Arctic
Geopolitical tensions in the Arctic are rising in tandem with the temperature of the planet, and Canada risks falling behind.
— The Globe and Mail Editorial Board
This was the weekend that Canada dominated the zeitgeist
Canada’s domination of the cultural conversation on the Family Day/U.S. Presidents’ Day weekend seemed just right – we used to feel like family; now we’re barely speaking because of the President.
— Marsha Lederman, Columnist
You can love your country and still think it’s broken
We need to admit, as unpopular as it might be right now, that Canada is broken. That doesn’t make you a traitor; it makes you a patriot.
— Robyn Urback, Columnist
On our radar
- Prime Minister’s Day: Justin Trudeau joined a virtual meeting on Ukraine and European security hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
- Pierre Poilievre: The federal Conservative Leader participated in a fundraising event in Vaughan, north of Toronto.
- Jagmeet Singh: The federal NDP Leader is in Edmonton to join a picket line for education support staff and assistants and is attending an annual general meeting for the NDP in the riding of Edmonton Griesbach.
- Mark Carney: The federal Liberal leadership candidate announced in Scarborough that as prime minister he would separate the federal government’s operating and capital budgets and balance the operating budget in three years.
- G7 foreign ministers: A meeting of G7 foreign ministers is to be held in the Quebec region of Charlevoix from March 12 to 14, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced today. Canada is hosting the G7 summit from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, Alta.
Question period
How many British prime ministers has Justin Trudeau dealt with as Canada’s Prime Minister?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Go deeper
- Keep track of who’s in the Liberal leadership race to replace Justin Trudeau
- Follow along for our stories on Canada-U.S. relations as news develops
- Like a long read? Check out the fall of Justin Trudeau and the making of Pierre Poilievre
- Take a look at the history of immigration reporting and great political scandals from A Nation’s Paper, a book about The Globe and Mail’s role in Canadian history
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.
The answer to today’s question: Six. In order: David Cameron, prime minister when Trudeau became prime minister in 2015, as well as Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak and current PM Keir Starmer.