Hello,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is welcoming the arrival of Oliva Chow as Toronto’s Mayor-elect, but ruling out major federal aid to help Canada’s most populous city deal with its financial troubles.
“We have been there, over the past years, to make sure our economy has been growing and flourishing in the way it needed to,” he said during a Wednesday news conference in Mississauga.
“The provinces need to step up now to support the cities that are their area of jurisdiction. We will continue to be there as a federal government, as a partner, but we will not be able to, with the importance of fiscal responsibility, be able to be there in replacing the province in areas where they have the need and they have the means to continue to invest in their cities.”
Mr. Trudeau said he mentioned his views in a conversation with Ms. Chow, Mayor-elect for Toronto, after she won a by-election on Monday. The by-election was precipitated by the exit of former mayor John Tory over an affair with a staff member.
As Ms. Chow prepares to take office on July 12, Toronto has a nearly $1.5-billion shortfall for last year and this year. Story here.
Reflecting Tuesday on the challenge, Ms. Chow said, “I will have to talk to the senior staff, talk to other councillors and see if we could persuade the federal and the provincial government to partner with us. Because at the end of the day, a healthy and livable city of Toronto means a strong Canada.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is also ruling out more funding for Toronto, saying his government is doing its “fair share” and there is “a lot of waste” at city hall, though he didn’t provide specific examples.
Despite his answer on financial support, Mr. Trudeau said he looks forward to working with Ms. Chow. “I can say I am really excited to have a strong progressive as mayor of Toronto. I know she’ll be a real partner on a lot of things that we agree on.”
Also: Globe and Mail theatre critic J. Kelly Nestruck writes here about how Ms. Chow got some acting coaching before the campaign from a Dora Mavor Moore-winning performer.
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TODAY'S HEADLINES
Postmedia and Toronto Star parent consider merger – The parent companies of the country’s two largest newspaper chains are in merger talks, working on a deal they said would cut debt and build a media business better able to compete with global digital platforms. Story here.
Dental care could cost less than budgeted: PBO – The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates the promised federal dental insurance plan will cost $2.9-billion less than the government budgeted, assuming provincial governments don’t drop their coverage. Story here.
Battle heats up for seats on UCP provincial board – Two factions of Alberta’s United Conservative Party are warring over control of its annual general meeting, where half of the seats on its provincial board will be up for grabs. It is the latest battle in the fight for the future of the UCP. Story here.
Ottawa reveals its National Adaptation Strategy – The federal government has launched its National Adaptation Strategy, saying it will help reduce risk and build climate-resilient communities. The strategy was released at a time when thousands of Canadians are on evacuation order because of wildfires. Story here.
India complains about safety of diplomatic premises – India’s high commissioner said his country has made a formal complaint to the Department of Global Affairs about “the safety and security” of its diplomatic premises in Canada, citing in particular a protest by Sikhs in March outside its high commission in Ottawa. Story here.
Rodriguez optimistic about C-18 deals with tech giants – Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez says he remains optimistic he can reach agreement with Google and even Facebook so they comply with the federal government’s online news bill. Story here.
Up to 8,000 free air conditioners to be provided in B.C. – British Columbia will provide up to 8,000 free portable air-conditioning units to keep vulnerable people cool and protected during extreme hot weather events. Story here.
Charette exit interview – Janice Charette, who retired last week as clerk of the Privy Council Office, says in an exit interview with Policy Options here that the public service is ailing and that change, including protecting the health of individual public servants, is a priority.
THIS AND THAT
TODAY IN THE COMMONS – The House of Commons is now on a break until Sept. 18. The Senate resumes sitting on Sept. 19.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER’S DAY – Chrystia Freeland, in Toronto, held private meetings and will meet with Chile’s Finance Minister Mario Marcel.
IN OTTAWA – Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller, with Cadmus Delorme, the former chief of the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan and now chairperson of the Residential School Documents Advisory Committee, participate in the announcement of members of the committee.
MINISTERS ON THE ROAD – Defence Minister Anita Anand, in Britain, has an itinerary that includes meetings with U.K. Defence Secretary of State Ben Wallace and John Healey, the opposition shadow secretary of state for defence, as well as representatives of BAE Systems. Immigration Minister Sean Fraser and Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, in Bedford, N.S., announced measures to address labour needs in the health care sector. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, in Victoria, with Chief Gordon Planes of the T’Sou-ke First Nation, held a biodiversity and species-at-risk announcement. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, on a visit to Brazil this week, is in São Paulo on Wednesday for the last day of the trip, which has included meetings with Brazilian officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Mauro Vieira. Intergovernmental Affairs Ministers Dominic LeBlanc, in Fredericton, with a group including New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs and Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers, made an infrastructure announcement. Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray, in Kingston, Ont., officially opened the Coast Guard’s new search and rescue station in the city. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, in Regina, made a Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways announcement.
Longfield exit – Lloyd Longfield, the Liberal MP for the Ontario city of Guelph, says he will not be seeking re-election. Mr. Longfield, first elected in 2015, did not give a specific reason for his departure in his announcement here.
New job for former Ottawa mayor – Jim Watson, Ottawa’s longest-serving mayor, has a new job. He has joined the board of directors of the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation. (Announcement is here.)
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in the Toronto region, held private meetings and then, in Mississauga, met with local families at a private residence to discuss child care. Mr. Trudeau, accompanied by Families Minister Karina Gould, made a child-care announcement. Later, Mr. Trudeau was scheduled to visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu place of worship in Etobicoke, deliver remarks there and attend an Eid al-Adha celebration. In the evening, Mr. Trudeau was to attend a fundraising event for the federal Liberal Party.
LEADERS
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, held a meet-and-greet event.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, visiting New York City, met with Bob Rae, Canada’s ambassador to the United Nations, and sat for an interview with Bloomberg News.
No schedules released for the other party leaders.
THE DECIBEL
On Wednesday’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, Mark MacKinnon, The Globe’s senior international correspondent, talks about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rise to power and what last weekend’s sudden mutiny by the Wagner Group team of Russian military mercenaries says about his control in Russia. The Decibel is here.
PUBLIC OPINION
Citizenship testing survey – Canadians’ hearts may be brimming with pride as Canada Day approaches, but a new poll suggests their minds aren’t full of the knowledge needed to pass a citizenship test. Story here. Details of the survey are here.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board on getting the party started in Toronto’s vote: “The coalition of I Don’t Care and Couldn’t Be Bothered once again swept the city of Toronto’s municipal campaign, winning the support of a strong majority of Torontonians able to vote in Monday’s mayoral by-election. Olivia Chow will become the mayor of Canada’s biggest city with the support of just over one in seven eligible voters, the smallest base of support in at least 20 years.”
Alex Bozikovic (The Globe and Mail) on how Olivia Chow needs to build a better city as Toronto’s next mayor: “It is an optimistic day in Toronto. The Mayor-elect, Olivia Chow, has pledged to “fix the cracks in the city.” But this will be a tough job: There are many cracks to be fixed. In her victory speech Monday night, Ms. Chow struck a tone of optimism and ambition. Her Toronto should be “a city strengthened by compassion, not weakened by inequality,” she said. To create that city, she will need to be both a fighter and a builder.”
Campbell Clark (The Globe and Mail) on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre seizing the moment on Atlantic Canada carbon-tax fears: “On the day that the Liberal government released its climate change adaptation strategy, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was on an axe-the-carbon-tax tour of Atlantic Canada, seizing a golden political opportunity. The four Atlantic Canadian premiers have joined together to ask Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to delay a July hike in carbon prices, because they worry about a consumer backlash. This week, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston published an op-ed insisting it will make life unaffordable.”
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