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John Baird announces his resignation as he speaks in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2015. Baird says he'll step down as an MP as of Monday

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POLITICS NOTEBOOK

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS MORNING

> Former foreign affairs minister John Baird is seriously considering a run for the leadership of the Conservative Party in the wake of Stephen Harper's defeat and resignation.

> Parliament Hill is in for a major shakeup should Justin Trudeau follow through with his ambitious pledge to reform Question Period, give more power to committees and allow all government documents to be available by default.

> Key automotive provisions of the Trans-Pacific trade agreement are bad for Canada, so the new Liberal government needs to take a careful look at the deal before approving it, says Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. chief executive officer Dianne Craig.

> Mr. Trudeau has a smart and experienced team of advisers and a strong caucus, and his election platform lays out a clear set of priorities. This incoming government knows what it wants to do. It's simply a question of figuring out how and when to do it.

> Adam Vaughan, the Liberal MP and former Toronto city councillor, is saying that a "golden age" of Canadian cities is in the offing if the new government comes through on its promises. Toronto hopes to come out a winner.

> For Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, the election result was as much a victory for her and her agenda as it was for Mr. Trudeau and his federal Liberals.

WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT

"It wasn't his central campaign theme, but prime-minister-designate Justin Trudeau now has a window of opportunity to surprise the country with a big climate-change deal – not the one in Paris, but the one with the premiers, where the rubber really hits the road." – Campbell Clark on Liberal environmental policy

Jeffrey Simpson (Globe and Mail): "Forget possible new electoral systems. The Conservatives have narrowed themselves to the point of being difficult to get elected under any system."

Margaret Munro (Globe and Mail): "Justin Trudeau has vowed to reopen the lines of communication and take the 'muzzle' off federal scientists. Even a modest improvement in communication would be welcome. But a return to more open government will require not only new policy, but also a new mindset in the bureaucracy the Conservatives have left behind."

Michael Coates (Globe and Mail): "The truth is that, after almost 10 years in power, finding a path to victory was always going to be difficult for Mr. Harper. But he has left his party in a better position for the next election precisely because of his decision to run this time."

Kate Taylor (Globe and Mail): "If the newly elected Liberals honour all their campaign promises, the Government of Canada will now invest an extra $1.35-billion in arts and culture by 2020. But do the Liberals understand that what Canada really needs is coherent cultural policy?"

Stephen Azzi (Postmedia): "Dear Mr. Harper: You have just taken on a new position - that of former prime minister. There is no job description for this role, but there is much you can learn from how your predecessors have handled it."

This newsletter is produced by Chris Hannay and Steve Proceviat.

The morning note will return tomorrow.


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