Weekly Roundup - February 6, 2026
Top Federal Stories
In Ottawa, Conservatives across generations gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Stephen Harper’s Conservative government and the unveiling of his official prime ministerial portrait. The week-long fete of the former Prime Minister included notable public remarks. In a keynote address, Harper picked up on themes from Mark Carney’s Davos speech and echoed calls for reducing Canada’s economic reliance on the United States. In a fireside chat with his predecessor, Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien, Harper voiced his pro-federalist position in the face of a growing Alberta separatist movement.
Building on this cross-party spirit, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre offered their own display of bipartisanship by sitting down for a rare one-on-one meeting. Emerging from the room, both Leaders spoke of a shared commitment to making life safer and more affordable. For now, that cooperation seems limited to fast-tracking a Bill to implement the government’s new grocery rebate initiative.
Down in Washington (D.C.), MP for Bowmanville—Oshawa North Jamil Jivani met with officials and business leaders in what he billed as an attempt to support trade negotiations. While Jivani scored a White House audience and photo-op with Vice-President (and university pal) JD Vance, the government was quick to point out that it did not officially sanction the visit, though Canada-US Relations Minister Dominic LeBlanc did brief Jivani before his trip.
While Jivani embarked on his solo trip Stateside, Carney and Industry Minister Melanie Joly took a trip of their own to Bowmanville—Oshawa North where they unveiled the federal automotive strategy. The five-point plan aims to incentivize made-in-Canada vehicles and position Canada as a global leader in electric vehicle production.
The plan emphasizes attracting investments by mobilizing the Strategic Response Fund and Regional Tariff Response Initiative; reducing emissions through stronger vehicle emission standards and EV purchase incentives; protecting Canadian industry by maintaining US counter-tariffs and rewarding companies that produce and invest in Canada; and supporting workers by providing employment and reskilling assistance for over 66,000 workers.
Rounding out the week in Ottawa:
Minister for Artificial Intelligence Evan Solomon quietly released recommendations for the soon-to-be-released National AI Strategy.
Housing Minister Gregor Robertson introduced legislation to make Build Canada Homes a Crown Corporation with powers to acquire land.
Health Minister Marjorie Michel introduced legislation to build a more connected health care system.
Top Alberta Stories
The weather in Alberta has been unseasonably warm, but according to President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner, the sunny forecast doesn’t extend to budget day. In a news release on Tuesday, Horner recapped a year marked by weaker resource revenues, lower-than-expected oil prices, ongoing trade uncertainty, and growing pressure on public services from population growth. As a result, the government is signalling a disciplined Budget 2026 focused on protecting core services and keeping the province’s finances on stable footing, even as it warns tough choices lie ahead.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because the province struck a similar tone ahead of last year’s budget. As a reminder, Budget 2025 showed a deficit of $5.2 billion caused in part by spending increases of almost 7 per cent for two years in a row. Though it served as fodder for critics within the UCP who wanted to see a balanced budget, it also delivered a promised tax cut with a new 8 per cent personal income tax bracket for income up to $60,000. While the full picture will not be clear until February 26, all signs point to a larger shortfall for Alberta. Rules enacted in 2023 under the Sustainable Fiscal Planning and Reporting Act compound the pressures facing government as it enters its second consecutive year of deficit. Under these rules, the government is required to return to balance within three years of posting a deficit.
The budget was undoubtedly a topic of conversation as the United Conservative Party caucus gathered in the Crowsnest Pass for a retreat this week. In a post on social media, Premier Danielle Smith said, “Every week I watch our caucus fight for Albertans, stand up for our values, and put this province first.”
It’s a sentiment reflected in a letter she sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney requesting reform for the federal judicial appointment process. Alberta’s Premier wants to see the province play a bigger role in who is appointed and is calling on the federal government to relax bilingualism requirements, she argues, “alienates Albertans and western Canadians alike.” Federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser was less convinced, responding, “I’m planning to maintain the process that we have in place.”
The relationship between Alberta and Ottawa is not as tense as it once was, though. On Thursday, Smith released a statement welcoming the federal government’s decision to scrap the electric vehicle sales mandate. Smith offered cautious praise, saying, “Over the last decade, Ottawa has imposed what we have called the ‘nine bad laws’ that have damaged Alberta’s economy and hurt Albertans and Canadians alike. The EV mandate was one of them. While we are pleased the federal EV mandate has been scrapped, we will be closely monitoring the effect of the new emissions standards.”
As the Premier focuses her attention east toward Ottawa, the leader of Alberta’s official opposition is trying to turn up the heat at home over health care. On Monday, Naheed Nenshi launched a petition and a new website, AlbertaHealthCrisis.ca, renewing calls for the legislature to reconvene early for an emergency debate. Nenshi is also urging Smith to declare a state of health emergency and hold a public briefing on what the government is doing to address mounting strain on the system. The government says it is taking steps to add beds, improve triage, and manage capacity, but critics note hospitals are operating beyond safe occupancy levels and warn that structural reforms and staffing shortages are worsening the pressure.
Top Ontario Stories
The relatively quiet Queen’s Park was dramatically turned upside down this week when Doly Begum, Ontario NDP deputy leader and MPP for Scarborough Southwest, announced her resignation from Ontario politics to run as the federal Liberal candidate in the byelection to replace outgoing Liberal Cabinet Minister Bill Blair. Begum's defection comes as federal Liberals work to shore up support on the party’s left flank, after accusations that the party has course-corrected too far to the right.
The move has parties scrambling. While Premier Doug Ford says he doesn’t know when he’ll call the Scarborough byelection, by law, he has six months to do so. For the Ontario Liberals, the byelection has triggered the interest of Beaches—East York MP and Ontario Liberal Leadership hopeful Nate Erskine-Smith, who confirmed he would resign his federal seat to contest the provincial Scarborough Southwest byelection. The Ontario NDP were blindsided by Begum’s resignation and plan to hold a “rigorous candidate search” to hold onto the riding.
Meanwhile, the Ontario PCs held their annual conference at the Toronto Congress Centre last weekend. Premier Ford used his speech on Saturday to rally PC party members and to confirm he will seek a fourth consecutive term as party leader and premier. Speaking to roughly 2,000 party delegates, Ford framed his government's record around infrastructure development and economic growth as pillars of the party’s signature promise: to protect Ontario. The premier made no major policy announcements during his keynote address, instead focusing on party unity.
The convention itself was otherwise free of internal drama or policy controversies. Ford's confirmation of his leadership intentions was widely expected but removes any lingering uncertainty about succession planning within the PC Party. Several cabinet ministers used convention appearances to preview legislative priorities for the upcoming sitting, including continued emphasis on housing development, infrastructure expansion, and healthcare system improvements.
In transportation, Premier Ford was on deck, alongside Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, and a gaggle of ministers and MPPs to mark the official Eglinton Crosstown LRT launch. The announcement comes more than six years after the line's original 2020 completion date, with cumulative delays and cost overruns that turned the project into a symbol of infrastructure challenges in the Greater Toronto Area. When pressed, Premier Ford declined to call a public inquiry into the project’s delays.
Upcoming Events Calendar
February 24, 2026: Alberta legislative assembly resumes
February 26, 2026: Alberta Budget 2026 to be released
March 23, 2026: Ontario legislative assembly resumes
March 29, 2026: Federal NDP Leadership Race Results Announcement
