Weekly Roundup - January 30, 2026
Top Federal Stories
Canadian premiers gathered in Ottawa this week for the Council of the Federation meeting, which concluded Thursday with a joint session alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney. The meeting takes place at a turbulent moment for national unity, with CUSMA renegotiations approaching and fresh reports that Alberta separatists have been meeting with officials in the Trump administration.
The Financial Times reported Wednesday that the Alberta Prosperity Project, which is advocating for provincial independence, has held three meetings with U.S. State Department bureaucrats since April. The group has reportedly discussed securing a $500 billion credit facility from Washington to fund Alberta's transition to independence, should a referendum succeed. B.C. Premier David Eby called the meetings treasonous, though neither Premier Danielle Smith nor Prime Minister Carney went that far. Smith noted she would raise the matter with her delegates in Washington and Ottawa, while Carney said he has been clear with President Trump on the issue of sovereignty in their conversations. Premier Doug Ford also called the meetings unacceptable and unethical.
Pipeline discussions also featured prominently this week. Carney met with both Smith and Eby on Wednesday, with the three holding what Eby described as a very civil and borderline friendly conversation. There was no significant update on the proposed bitumen pipeline to the Pacific coast, with no private proponent confirmed, and no Indigenous support yet in place. Smith indicated she plans to bring a proposal to the Major Projects Office by June, and both she and Carney signalled openness to alternate routes that do not necessarily terminate on B.C.'s northwest coast. Premier Eby reiterated his opposition to lifting the federal tanker ban, but acknowledged the limits of his constitutional authority should Ottawa approve the project.
On Canada-U.S. relations, President Trump is threatening to decertify a Canadian aircraft and impose a 50 percent tariff on planes sold to the United States. The American president is accusing Canada of illegally blocking certification of Gulfstream jets and named Bombardier's Global Express line as a target. In a statement released Jan. 29, Bombardier said it is in contact with the federal government and emphasized its aircraft and facilities are fully certified to U.S. Federal Aviation Administration standards. The company has a significant U.S. footprint, with more than half of its global fleet operating in American airspace.
Seeking to ease cost-of-living pressures, the federal government unveiled the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. This new program will temporarily boost the GST credit by 25 percent for five years, with a one-time payment this year worth 50 percent of the credit. The government says the measure will benefit more than 12 million lower-income Canadians. Conservatives indicated they would not block the measure, but criticized the initiative as a recycled Trudeau-era policy that failed to meaningfully reduce grocery prices.
Top Alberta Stories
At the Council of the Federation meeting in Ottawa, Premier Smith’s messaging focused on interprovincial trade expansion, faster approvals for nation-building energy and infrastructure projects, electricity and interties, TMX expansion, LNG, and a proposed new oil pipeline to reach Asian markets.
Smith emphasized provincial jurisdiction in electricity strategy and resource development and made calls for sustainable immigration levels and improved community protection measures. Alberta also signed a new MOU with western and northern premiers to develop a shared critical minerals strategy. The agreement positions Alberta within a regional bloc focused on critical minerals development, infrastructure coordination, and supply-chain competitiveness.
The agreement with fellow western provinces and territories comes as the separatist movement gained fresh visibility early this week after country artist Paul Brandt posted “Alberta Bound” imagery featuring the lyric “I’ve got independence in my veins.” Brandt redirected attention to his anti-human trafficking advocacy work, but not before separatists framed the post as a signal of public support. However, new Ipsos polling shows that while 3 in 10 Albertans would vote for independence, only half are committed to separating. Still, petition organizers are optimistic as a petition-signing event in Calgary saw long lineups and a strong turnout.
The political temperature rose further after petition organizers alleged some UCP MLAs have signed the referendum petition. Stay Free Alberta counsel Jeff Rath stated the revelation “shouldn’t surprise anybody,” while declining to name names due to petition confidentiality rules. In a statement to media, the UCP caucus reiterated its standing position that the party is “focused on building a strong and sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Rath also confirmed meetings with U.S. officials on the topic of Alberta’s independence have taken place, while characterizing financing discussions with the Trump administration as exploratory and not a formal solicitation. The move has drawn strong condemnation from B.C. Premier David Eby, while Premier Danielle Smith has taken a softer tone, maintaining her government’s pro-unity position while rejecting calls to denounce the movement, saying she will not marginalize Albertans with legitimate grievances. New West CEO Hon. Monte Solberg joined CTV to discuss the intensifying Confederation debate and the mixed reaction it has drawn.
Meanwhile, the opposition NDP is calling on all MLAs to denounce separatism. Party leader, Naheed Nenshi, sent a letter to all Members of the Legislative Assembly asking them to sign a pledge making their position clear.
Lastly, new direct flight routes between Alberta and the UAE were announced this week, aimed at boosting inbound investment, tourism, and business connectivity. The province framed the move as a step toward diversifying trade and capital relationships while improving direct access to Gulf markets for investors and commercial partners.
Heading into the weekend, the Conservative Party of Canada's 2026 convention in Calgary continues to draw attention, with Premier Smith publicly backing party leader Pierre Poilievre ahead of his highly anticipated leadership review.
Top Ontario Stories
Premier Doug Ford joined his provincial counterparts this week as premiers gathered in Ottawa. Alongside Prime Minister Mark Carney, the show of unity couldn't paper over the fractures that continue to divide the federation.
Ford and Carney appear to have turned a page and put their disagreement over the Prime Minister’s trip to China behind them, meeting over pizza earlier in the week in what both sides described as a productive conversation about electric vehicles and broader economic cooperation. Topics of the 45-minute meeting included energy, critical minerals, the Ring of Fire and the auto sector. Later in the day, following a meeting between Premier Ford and federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, the Premier lauded the federal government’s new auto strategy and the creation of a task force that will coordinate between the federal and provincial governments on manufacturing in the auto sector.
That spirit of collaboration has limits, though. Ford used the premiers' gathering to take a pointed shot at the sovereigntist Parti Québécois, saying “it would be a disaster for our country” if the PQ were elected. Quebec Premier François Legault pushed back, saying it's up to Quebecers to decide the future of Quebec.
Ford was equally blunt about Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, calling on her to stand up against separatist sentiment in her province, telling reporters that “this is an opportunity for Premier Smith to stand up and say, ‘Enough is enough.’ Either you’re with Canada, or you’re not with Canada.” Whether his interventions help or hinder the cause of national unity remains an open question, but Ford has clearly decided that silence on the issue is not an option.
Meanwhile, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew is looking for off-ramps rather than confrontation. Kinew urged Ford to back down from his promise to boycott Crown Royal whisky, a threat the Ontario premier made after the brand's parent company, Diageo, announced plans to shift some production to the United States. Kinew also called on Diageo to give Ford a path forward, recognizing the Ontario premier’s concerns over the roughly 200 jobs at risk in Ontario. Polling released this week shows that Ford’s threat to pull Crown Royal from Ontario shelves is resonating with voters. The populist gesture plays well with an electorate primed to punish companies seen as abandoning Canadian workers.
In Education, Minister Paul Calandra announced this week that the province is taking over the Peel District School Board, placing Ontario's second-largest board under provincial supervision and putting the York Catholic District School Board “on notice.” The move makes Peel the seventh school board to face such intervention under the Ford government.
Calandra cited governance concerns around financial sustainability, framing the move as one necessary to avoid classroom disruptions and job losses. Calanda emphasized the need to ensure stability for the districts’ students and teachers, who the government says would have been impacted by a now-halted layoff plan.
After years of delays, cost overruns, and mechanical failures, there is light at the end of a long tunnel for the Eglinton Crosstown. The light rail line has a tentative opening date: February 8. Whether Metrolinx and the TTC can achieve that target remains an open question, given the project's troubled history. CEO Mandeep Lali cautioned that the transit agency is still working with Metrolinx on a number of issues, including incidents with the vehicle’s automatic emergency brakes.
Against this backdrop of unfolding developments across sectors, Progressive Conservatives are gathering in Mississauga for the party's annual convention. While the gathering was initially to be held behind closed doors with media barred from attending, the party backtracked on that decision Friday afternoon and will allow media to cover Premier Ford’s speech to party members. With federal Conservatives gathering simultaneously in Calgary for the CPC convention, the scheduling conflict underscores the persistent rift between the two conservative parties.
Upcoming Events Calendar
January 29-31, 2026: Conservative Party of Canada National Convention
January 30 - February 1, 2026: Ontario PC Convention
February 24, 2026: Alberta legislative assembly resumes
March 23, 2026: Ontario legislative assembly resumes
March 29, 2026: Federal NDP Leadership Race Results Announcement
