Good morning. The importance of a majority mandate in uncertain economic times is top of mind for our Prime Minister. More on that below, along with catching up on a sporty weekend at the Olympics and the Super Bowl. Let’s get to it.
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives on Parliament Hill.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
TOP STORYSources say Carney and Ford discussed an early federal election
The latest: Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have discussed the possibility of an early federal election in casual conversations about the importance of a majority mandate to deal with uncertain economic times, according to three sources.
The numbers: Polls show Carney with a 29-per-cent lead over Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as preferred prime minister. The Liberals hold a lead over the Conservatives ranging between 4 per cent and 9 per cent, according to various polls.
What else: The conversations with Ford underscore how close the two leaders have become, despite their different party affiliations. That relationship could be especially important for Carney, whose party fell short of a majority last year.
What’s next: The Liberals would likely need a convincing reason to go the polls since the last election took place less than a year ago, on April 28, 2025. Before any of this, the Prime Minister will need to call two by-elections with the resignation as an MP of former finance minister Chrystia Freeland and the appointment of former defence minister Bill Blair as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
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Bartender and Escuelitas founder Tiffany Hernandez, left, stands with civil rights attorney and Escuelitas volunteer Milo Schwab in a bar in Denver on Thursday.Michael Ciaglo/The Globe and Mail
WorldThe battle beyond Minneapolis
The latest in Colorado: With the threat of ICE and Border Patrol agents looming over Colorado, bartenders have formed an unlikely resistance movement and are helping prepare for a future immigration-enforcement surge to Denver. They have held nearly 50 training events in Colorado, plus sessions in five other states. They have formally registered a non-profit under the name Escuelitas Inc.
The latest in Texas: Donald Trump’s immigration crackdowns have reshaped daily life in the Rio Grande Valley. But the administration’s immigration agenda came from political support – the predominantly Hispanic region helped return Trump to the White House.
What’s next: As ICE arrests increasingly look like kidnappings, Minnesotans are planning accordingly. Although the White House promised to wind down operations, it is pressing ahead with its plan to deport all of the country’s undocumented immigrants, as well as many who entered the country with legal status.
A redesigned dining room interior by Emily Wunder in Stratford, Ont.Jeff Wood/The Globe and Mail
How We LiveThe no-gut reno
The latest: The full-gut renovation is increasingly out of reach, and the costs associated with the trade war are not helping either. Across the country, designers are instead transforming homes by focusing on finishes, furnishings and targeted upgrades rather than major structural changes. Here are four Canadian homeowners who prove the point.
What’s next: We’ve still got many weeks of winter to come, meaning the comfort (and cost savings) of hanging out at home have their upsides. We made a cheat sheet that suggests five small, simple and slow pleasures that elevate the everyday.
Canada’s Brett Gallant and Jocelyn Peterman during their Mixed Doubles round robin match against South Korea on Sunday.Issei Kato/Reuters
OlympicsSo far at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
The latest for Canada: Long track speed skater Valérie Maltais secured Canada’s first medal on Saturday, winning bronze in the women’s 3,000-metre race at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium. However, the Canadian mixed doubles curling team won’t be making the playoffs after a fifth straight loss in round-robin play on Sunday.
Also from Day 2: U.S. skiing great Lindsey Vonn suffered a horrific crash in women’s downhill, ending her Olympic comeback dreams. Sidney Crosby is named captain the men’s hockey team for when they open their tournament Feb. 12 against Czechia.
What’s next: Today is Day 3 of the Winter Olympics. We are tracking the full medal count and current standings here, and you can find the full schedule here.
The fashion: Seven stylish teams at the Games making daring statements of national pride.
The quote: What a six-word message written on a hockey stick means for Canada’s women’s team.
InvestingPrivate assets, public risk
The latest: Mutual funds are wildly popular investments and Canadians own more than $2.4-trillion of them. Ontario’s securities market regulator has faced pressure from Premier Doug Ford’s government to authorize a new class of mutual funds aimed at retail investors that can hold higher-risk private assets, which are mostly only directly available to institutions and sophisticated, wealthy accredited investors.
What’s next: Investor advocates and financial advisers warn the risk may not be worth the reward. They say that private asset funds are typically highly “illiquid” – which means it can be difficult for investors to sell their holdings quickly. Advocates question whether the Ontario Securities Commission is responding to real investor demand or whether it’s being pushed to launch a new high-risk class of investments for the benefit of politicians and the wealthy developers who support them.
BookmarkedThe Quote
I have not had anything to do with the theft of this statue. I’m disabled. I can’t even lift a 15-pound bag of potatoes. So how am I going to lift the statue?
— Elaine Traverse, retired grandmother
A beloved bronze statue of Amelia Earhart vanished last spring in the small Newfoundland town of Harbour Grace. When Elaine Traverse stumbled upon the stolen statue with her dog, she realized no one saw her as the hero – she was the prime suspect.
The ShotOpen this photo in gallery:
Bad Bunny performs during the Super Bowl halftime show in Santa Clara, Calif., on Sunday.Adam Hunger/The Associated Press
The Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13 in Super Bowl 60 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. But it was the halftime show that might have drawn more interest than the game itself, featuring Puerto Rican megastar Bad Bunny.