Weekly Roundup - May 1, 2026
Top Federal Stories
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne tabled the Spring Economic Update (SEU) on Tuesday, projecting a $66.9 billion deficit, an improvement from the $78.3 billion previously forecasted in the fall budget. Roughly two-thirds of new revenue is directed at affordability measures, including the expanded GST rebate and the suspension of the federal fuel excise tax through Labour Day. The update also funds a new program to recruit and train up to 100,000 skilled trades workers for federal priority projects in housing, resource infrastructure, and defence.
The headline announcement from the SEU is the new Canada Strong Fund. It will be Canada's first national sovereign wealth fund, with the federal government investing $25 billion over three years to get it started. Its job will be to take an ownership stake in major projects across the country, rather than just lending them money. Most countries set these funds up using money they already have on hand. The feds lack surplus cash to draw from and will need to borrow the money instead. Champagne defended the approach by pointing to Canada's strong credit rating and the low rates it pays to borrow internationally. Canadians will also be able to put their own money into the fund, making it unique among other sovereign wealth funds.
For more information on the Spring Economic Update, see New West Public Affairs' full analysis here.
The Liberal majority was formalized on Monday with the swearing-in of the three byelection winners. The government immediately moved to claim majorities on House of Commons committees, giving it full control over witness lists, study timelines, amendment outcomes, and the timing of bill returns to the chamber. Legislation that previously stalled or required negotiation with the NDP or Bloc can now move on a more predictable timeline.
Another group of future byelections is also taking shape. NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice announced he will sit as an independent before resigning to run for Québec Solidaire this fall, opening his Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie seat. Vancouver Liberal Jonathan Wilkinson confirmed he has accepted an appointment as Canada's ambassador to the European Union and will resign during the summer recess. Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith is still likely to resign from Beaches-East York to run for Ontario Liberal leadership once Premier Ford calls a provincial byelection in Scarborough Southwest.
Carney’s new Canada-U.S. trade advisory council also met for the first time on Monday. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc chaired the closed-door session of roughly two dozen business and labour leaders ahead of the formal CUSMA review that must begin by July. LeBlanc’s office said the group reviewed Canada’s CUSMA priorities but would not announce publicly what they are.
Top Alberta Stories
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is calling for accountability after a major breach exposed the personal information of nearly three million voters. The data, originally provided to a political party through official channels, was allegedly obtained by a separatist group and turned into a publicly accessible online database before being taken down by court order. Authorities, including the RCMP and Elections Alberta, are now investigating how the information was accessed and shared, while the province waits for findings before considering any legislative response.
The situation has reignited concerns about gaps in Alberta’s privacy framework. The province’s information and privacy commissioner has pointed out that political parties are not fully subject to the same privacy laws that apply to other organizations, limiting oversight when sensitive data is involved. While the Elections Act governs how voter lists can be distributed, it does not provide the same level of protection for personal information as broader privacy legislation. The commissioner has long advocated for reforms to close this gap and is now using this incident to underscore the risks, noting that the scale of the breach could expose individuals to real harm.
Support for Alberta separatism remains largely unchanged, according to new polling from Janet Brown Opinion Research. The data shows a clear majority of Albertans continue to oppose separation, with roughly two-thirds against and only about a quarter in favour. It’s a pattern that’s held steady since last year, despite a shifting economic and political backdrop, including a new energy memorandum of understanding with Ottawa.
At the same time, organizers with Stay Free Alberta continue to collect signatures and say they’ve already gathered enough to trigger a vote. However, last month, an Edmonton judge paused the next steps of a potential referendum on separation, delaying the verification of signatures until the courts have made a final decision on a challenge launched by the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy.
It makes the tightrope Premier Danielle Smith has been walking look even more precarious as she’s worked to provide a release valve for separatist sentiment while anchoring her support in a “sovereign Alberta within a united Canada.” According to the polling from Janet Brown, that approach appears to be working so far: 52 per cent of Albertans say they are impressed with Smith, and her UCP would capture about 49 per cent of the vote if an election were held today, well ahead of the NDP at 36 per cent. Meanwhile, NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi has yet to generate the kind of momentum many expected, with his approval slipping to 47 per cent - down four points from last year as the party struggles to gain traction on major issues.
Alberta is moving to strengthen how students learn about artificial intelligence, announcing a three-year partnership with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute to bring new AI learning tools into classrooms across the province. The initiative will see the development of classroom-ready learning kits and teacher resources designed to build AI literacy alongside existing digital curriculum, with more than $2.7 million in provincial funding supporting the effort. At the same time, educators and experts are emphasizing the importance of teaching students to use the technology responsibly, noting that while AI will be central to future careers, it must complement - rather than replace - critical thinking skills. The move comes as Manitoba considers sweeping restrictions on youth access to AI chatbots, and Ontario considers an outright ban on cellphones in schools, highlighting a growing national debate over how to balance the technology’s risks with its role in education and future careers.
Top Ontario Stories
While MPPs in Ontario were away in their ridings for the constituency week, the PC government continued to take a beating in this week’s news cycle. On Saturday, organizers staged “Fight Ford” rallies in more than 50 communities, with crowds at Queen’s Park and in Ottawa, Waterloo and elsewhere protesting a laundry list of grievances, including the government’s freedom of information rewrite, OSAP grant cuts, healthcare privatization concerns, Billy Bishop airport expansion, and the education system overhaul. This follows a contentious sitting week in which Premier Ford lashed out at Liberal MPP Stephanie Smyth. By Monday, Ford had apologized to Smyth for his comments that “CP24 didn’t want her.”
Putting numbers to the headwinds the PCs are facing, two new polls show the Conservatives’ support eroding. Abacus Data found the Liberals and PCs statistically tied in voter intention, with the desire for change up 12 points since October. On Wednesday, Liaison Strategies put the leaderless Liberals at 38 per cent against the PCs at 36 per cent — the first time the PCs have trailed in Liaison’s monthly tracking. 62 per cent of respondents told Liaison they believe Ford apologized over the jet purchase only because he was caught, and 65 per cent said they had little or no confidence in his ability to manage taxpayer money; the Premier’s approval rating now stands at 27 per cent.
The advocacy group Democracy Watch announced it is preparing a constitutional challenge to the FOI provisions of Bill 97, asserting the challenge is based on Supreme Court rulings that establish voters’ right to government information. While the Ford government is no stranger to litigation, the challenge may keep the FOI issue alive in court for years.
Ford, who had not held a public news conference since April 21, surfaced Thursday morning at a closed Albany Club breakfast in downtown Toronto, attended by club members who pay roughly $6,000 in annual fees plus $49 for the breakfast itself. NDP Leader Marit Stiles called it a “pay-to-play” event; Liberal Leader John Fraser compared it to the 2018 Greenbelt episode and called it a return to granting access to “wealthy, well-connected insiders.” Later that day, in an interview with CTV News Toronto, Ford rejected the suggestion that he’s “lost his way,” emphasizing that the economy remains his “number one” priority.
In some much-needed good news for the government, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria announced Metrolinx has awarded the first major civil and utilities works contract for the fourteen-kilometre Hamilton LRT to the Hamilton Transit Alliance, with Aecon as construction partner and a Hatch, Egis and SYSTRA joint venture leading design. The federal-provincial commitment stands at $3.4 billion; the alliance development phase will run between 18 and 24 months before construction implementation begins.
The New West Team is ready to guide clients through this uncertain time in Canadian politics.
