Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened today.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he has a different recollection of a conversation with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said he advised the Premier not to run an anti-tariff TV ad that angered U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ford also said today that the Prime Minister called him from his recent trip to Asia asking him to pull the ad, which featured a pro-free-trade address from former president Ronald Reagan, but the Premier did not do so until days later.
Laura Stone reports that the Premier added he would “never apologize” to Trump, as Carney did during his recent trip to the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in South Korea.
Speaking to reporters, Ford addressed for the first time Carney’s contention that he told the Premier not to run the ad critical of Trump’s tariffs, which resulted in the U.S. President cancelling trade talks and threatening higher levies on Canada.
Although he did not provide specifics, Ford said he had a different recollection of the conversation.
“I’ll tell you one thing, what he did do, he called me from Asia a couple times and said, ‘Pull the ad.’ And I said I wasn’t going to do it, until we’re going to pause the ad on Monday. And that’s exactly what we did.”
Meanwhile, B.C. Premier David Eby said today that his government is holding off on its plan to release anti-tariff ads next month because it has decided to work with the federal government on the issue.
“On the advertisements, we have committed to the federal government that when the time comes to be speaking directly to Americans, we will do it in partnership with them. We will not be running the ads by ourselves,” Eby told a news conference in Vancouver at the end of a meeting on softwood with federal cabinet ministers.
Eby said Dominic LeBlanc, the federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister, did not have to ask B.C. to pause the ads.
“I knew this was a source of anxiety for many people, including potentially the federal government, given the reaction to the Ontario tariffs.”
In other news, Ottawa has launched a dispute settlement proceeding against Stellantis NV over the automaker’s decision to shift production of the Jeep Compass to Illinois from Brampton, Ont.
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said today she has notified the automaker in a letter that the government will seek reimbursement of federal aid if the automaker does not commit to building another vehicle at the factory northwest of Toronto.
The government says Stellantis’s move puts it in breach of funding agreements tied to auto plants in Windsor and Brampton, as well as the NextStar battery plant in Windsor.
“Stellantis made a commitment – a promise – to invest in that plant, to invest in Canadian workers. And our government expects them to honour that promise. Full stop,” Joly told politicians on the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology today.
On another note, Bill Curry reports that tomorrow’s budget will identify tens of billions in targeted savings, including scrapping a program to plant two billion trees by 2031.
Also, David Ebner reports that Ottawa has rejected an additional salary increase for judges on top courts across the country, citing a weak fiscal outlook a day before the release of a federal budget.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford at the Darlington Energy Complex in Courtice, Ont., last month.Laura Proctor/The Canadian Press
This is the daily Politics Insider newsletter, curated by Ian Bailey. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. You can sign up for more than 20 other newsletters on our signup page.What else is going on
Yukon election today: The Yukon Liberals went into the race holding eight of 19 seats and governing through an agreement with the three territorial New Democrats.
NDP says abstention an option on budget vote: NDP Interim Leader Don Davies said it’s possible that some NDP MPs will opt to vote neither for nor against the budget.
Ferrada elected Montreal mayor: Soraya Martinez Ferrada, a Chilean refugee who became a federal minister, is the city’s new mayor.
Former minister rejected advice to shelve Sudan program: Immigration officials advised shelving the program, designed to help Sudanese Canadians bring family members here to escape civil war in the African country.
Veterans concerned about shock-wave treatment coverage: Concerns are being registered by veterans and Legion representatives about changes to significantly limit access to sound-wave treatments to deal with such conditions as chronic pain.
Detroit residents divided on Reagan anti-tariff ad: Just across the river from Windsor, Kathy Kay dismissed President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the Ontario ad is misrepresenting his predecessor’s view on tariffs. “Ronald Reagan was saying we didn’t need tariffs. That man in office, I won’t say his name, is the one misrepresenting.”
On our radar
Prime Minister’s day: In Ottawa, Mark Carney met with Prince Edward Island Premier Rob Lantz.
Party leaders: In Victoria, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was the keynote speaker at the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association’s annual conference. Interim-NDP Leader Don Davies spoke at the International Association of Firefighters conference in Ottawa and attended Question Period. In the evening, Davies was scheduled to speak at the annual general meeting of the Ottawa South NDP Electoral District Association.
Another G7 conference: Industry Minister Mélanie Joly and Evan Solomon, the Artificial Intelligence Minister, are hosting the G7 Industry, Digital and Technology Ministers’ Meeting in Montreal, Dec. 8-9.
Swedish royal visit: King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden are making a state visit to Canada from Nov. 18 to 20, with stops in Ottawa and Montreal. Gustaf, who ascended to the throne in 1973, is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history. The office of Governor-General Mary Simon announced the visit today.
Justices in Thunder Bay: The Supreme Court of Canada has announced the fifth and final stop in a series of visits justices have been making to mark the court’s 150th anniversary. Chief Justice Richard Wagner, along with Justices Malcolm Rowe and Michelle O’Bonsawin, will visit Thunder Bay on Nov. 17 and 18.
Quote of the Day
“I’ll never apologize to Donald Trump.” – Ontario Premier Doug Ford, during a scrum at the Ontario Legislature today, on the issue of saying sorry to the U.S President over an ad the province ran in the U.S.
Question period
The federal budget is being released tomorrow. When was the first federal budget speech delivered and by whom?
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
There can’t be two types of Canadian citizen
The Conservatives are warning that a bill to confer citizenship to people born abroad to foreign-born Canadians will cheapen the value of citizenship. They say it could open the door to “Canadians of convenience” who want a passport but have little connection to the country.
— The Globe and Mail Editorial Board
To respond to emerging threats, the RCMP need to refocus on their core mandate – federal policing
Today’s RCMP is like an overextended conglomerate that needs to refocus on its core business to be effective. Despite numerous reports calling for a shift in the RCMP’s efforts and attention to its federal mandate, little has been done.
— Kevin Lynch is a former clerk, and Jim Mitchell a former senior executive, of the Privy Council Office. They are co-authors of A New Blueprint for Government: Reshaping Power, the PMO and the Public Service.
U.S. Ambassador’s outburst is one more punch in the face from the neighbourhood bully
Mr. Hoekstra’s aggression underlines how obnoxious and abusive the Trump administration has become. Canada has been swallowing indignities out of strategic necessity for months. Everyone has their limit.
— Shannon Proudfoot, feature writer Go deeper
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The answer to today’s question: Finance Minister John Rose delivered the first federal budget after Confederation on Dec. 7, 1867, according to the Library of Parliament.