Weekly Roundup - March 6, 2026
Top Federal Stories
Prime Minister Mark Carney will be returning to Ottawa on Saturday after a ten-day diplomatic tour through India, Australia, and Japan. The trip produced multiple new commitments, including the signing of a comprehensive strategic partnership with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday. The agreement commits the two countries to expanded cooperation on defence, energy, critical minerals, trade, and technology. The two nations will also pursue joint military exercises, AI development, and expanded investment. While in Japan, Carney agreed to support Japanese automakers in their efforts to decarbonize their operations in Canada. Japan has become much more significant to Canada's auto manufacturing sector over the last decade, with Japanese auto manufacturers now accounting for 77 per cent of all light vehicles produced in Canada.
In Australia, Carney’s address to Parliament echoed themes from his speech at Davos. He argued middle powers like Canada and Australia possess more influence than many realize and called for closer cooperation between like-minded democracies. The trip also yielded an announcement from IFM Investors, an Australian pension fund, which could invest up to $10 billion in Canada over the next decade.
Earlier in the tour, Carney and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed five memorandums of understanding to expand Canadian-Indian partnership across several sectors. The two leaders also committed to a new free trade agreement by the end of the year, with a stated goal of doubling trade by 2030.
Pierre Poilievre also spent the week abroad in his first international trip since becoming Opposition leader. In a speech to the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Berlin on Wednesday, Poilievre pitched Canada as a reliable energy supplier and proposed a binding natural gas supply agreement with Germany that would include a commitment to expedite construction of the pipelines and export terminals needed to deliver LNG overseas.
Back in Ottawa, the war in the Middle East dominated politics. Carney initially expressed support for U.S. strikes on Iran last weekend, but his position shifted quickly. By Tuesday, he said that support came "with regret" as the bombing campaign appears inconsistent with international law. On Wednesday, he told reporters that he could not categorically rule out Canadian military involvement if allies requested assistance. The shifting position has created some friction within the Liberal caucus. Victoria MP Will Greaves publicly dissented from the government's initial statement, posting on social media that Canada cannot endorse the illegal use of military force while insisting its own sovereignty must be respected.
Top Alberta Stories
The relationship between Alberta and Ottawa continues to warm following an agreement-in-principle reached this week that could significantly change how major projects are approved. Under the proposed approach, Alberta would lead environmental and impact assessments for projects that fall under provincial jurisdiction, with the federal government relying on the province’s review process. For projects involving both governments, the two jurisdictions plan to coordinate their assessments, so proponents face a single integrated process instead of separate reviews. The goal is to reduce duplication and shorten approval timelines.
This development comes at a moment when questions about Alberta’s future within the federation are captivating public attention. New Abacus polling on Alberta separatism indicates support for independence remains limited. While support for separatism appears strongest in rural communities, the issue doesn’t achieve majority support anywhere in the province, with 64 per cent of Albertans opposed to independence.
Despite critiques from the opposition about the government’s handling of the separatist question and impending referenda, additional polling from Abacus Data suggests Alberta’s political landscape remains relatively stable. When asked how they would vote, Albertans give the UCP a strong lead with 49 per cent support, driven by sizable leads in smaller communities and rural regions. Although the NDP leads in Edmonton and appears competitive in Calgary, sizeable margins outside urban centers translate to a significant structural advantage for the governing party.
On talk of referenda, the province’s immigration messaging has sent mixed signals in recent weeks. In her address to Albertans, Premier Smith called for the public to weigh in on immigration policy, explicitly linking population growth to pressures on housing and public services. More recent government communications, however, have highlighted the contributions of newcomers and emphasized the importance of tourism growth. Taken together, the conflicting messages underscore an increasingly difficult balancing act facing the government: responding to concerns within its base about rapid population growth while signalling Alberta remains open to the talent its economy depends on.
After a testy social media exchange with the Premier’s chief of staff, Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas is taking a page out of the province’s book, turning to direct democracy to rally against a property tax increase the province is implementing for Calgarians. Mayor Farkas floated the idea of a plebiscite to ask residents whether they support the hike, which could add roughly $339 annually to the average homeowner’s bill. Speaking with reporters, Mayor Farkas framed the increase pointedly, calling it a “transfer payment” to the provincial government.
Meanwhile, Ministers and MLAs spent much of the week outside the Legislature promoting Budget 2026 across the province. Since releasing its fiscal plan last week, the government has highlighted announcements tied to healthcare investments, new school construction, housing support in Jasper, and energy and economic initiatives.
Top Ontario Stories
The Ford government announced a “first-of-its-kind” interprovincial agreement this week to build electricity transmission corridors across Canada. Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce announced the National Energy Corridor Agreement, which brings together Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories. The partnership commits participating governments to expanding electricity trade within Canada and advocating for federal investment in major east–west and north–south transmission corridors, a step Minister Lecce says “lays the foundation for thousands of jobs, billions in investment, and a modernized grid that advances Canada’s long-term energy future.”
On post-secondary education, the Ford government is facing continuing opposition to its overhaul of OSAP. Hundreds of students rallied at Queen’s Park on March 4 to protest changes that will shift provincial student aid from up to 85 per cent grants to a maximum of 25 per cent grants. The protest saw two arrests and the defacing of a Queen’s Park statue with anti-government graffiti. With the legislature set to resume sitting on March 23 and the budget set to come before the month’s end, the post-secondary education file will be a political challenge for a government already navigating a tightening polling environment.
Meanwhile, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention provided the stage for a series of resource development announcements. Premier Ford announced an accelerated timeline for the Ring of Fire access roads, with completion targeted for November 2031. Ontario also announced it will update its Critical Minerals Strategy a year ahead of schedule, adding high-purity iron and aluminum to the provincial list and designating three “nation-building” mining projects: Canada Nickel’s Crawford project, Frontier Lithium’s Pakeagama project, and Kinross Gold’s Great Bear project. Taken together, the announcements signal the Ford government’s renewed intent to position Ontario as a dominant player in North American critical mineral supply chains amid intensifying competition.
The Premier also took time this week to pitch a brand-new convention centre in Toronto. Ford, who recently called the Metro Toronto Convention Centre “one of the worst,” mused about building a “world-class” convention centre near Ontario Place. According to an Auditor General report, the current convention centre has lost 20 international conventions.
In the Premier’s Office, Premier Ford appointed Travis Kann as his new chief of staff effective March 6, replacing Patrick Sackville. Kann previously served as principal secretary and head of Ontario-U.S. engagement, where he coordinated the province’s economic protection strategy amid trade tensions with the United States.
Upcoming Events Calendar
March 23, 2026: Ontario legislative assembly resumes
March 29, 2026: Federal NDP Leadership Race Results Announcement
November 21, 2026: Ontario Liberal Party Leadership Race results announced
