‘All-hands-on-deck’ fall session as Liberals face pressure to deliver, say lobbyists, pollsters

Conservatives will face pressure since the Liberals have 'effectively stolen' some policy directions, such as increased defence spending and building energy infrastructure, says pollster Nik Nanos.

Prime Minister Mark Carney. The House returned on Sept. 15 following the summer break, while the Senate is scheduled to come back on Sept. 23. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

‘All-hands-on-deck’ fall session as Liberals face pressure to deliver, say lobbyists, pollsters

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Conservatives will face pressure since the Liberals have 'effectively stolen' some policy directions, such as increased defence spending and building energy infrastructure, says pollster Nik Nanos.

‘All-hands-on-deck’ fall session as Liberals face pressure to deliver, say lobbyists, pollsters

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Conservatives will face pressure since the Liberals have 'effectively stolen' some policy directions, such as increased defence spending and building energy infrastructure, says pollster Nik Nanos.

THE LATEST

Government House Leader MacKinnon calls for co-operation, but criticizes Poilievre’s ‘angry rhetoric’ as House resumes

NewsBY MARLO GLASS | UPDATED September 15, 2025

'We are a minority government, yes, but we believe that we have a mandate to proceed with major policies,' says Steven MacKinnon.

Government House Leader MacKinnon calls for co-operation, but criticizes Poilievre’s ‘angry rhetoric’ as House resumes

NewsBY MARLO GLASS | UPDATED September 15, 2025

'We are a minority government, yes, but we believe that we have a mandate to proceed with major policies,' says Steven MacKinnon.

Lettre ouverte : Loi visant une sécurité rigoureuse à la frontière

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Lettre ouverte : Loi visant une sécurité rigoureuse à la frontière

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High-stakes fall sitting ‘first real test’ for Carney and cabinet who have ‘zero latitude for error,’ say Liberal MPs, political players

NewsBY ABBAS RANA

'Carney still hasn't defined himself in the House of Commons. His style, it's going to be interesting,' said one Liberal MP.

'Carney still hasn't defined himself in the House of Commons. His style, it's going to be interesting,' said one Liberal MP.

‘Cutting red tape,’ mental health and primary care on the health docket this fall

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Amid the Liberals’ focus on building a stronger economy, Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s office says that faster access to new medicines and supporting researchers are priorities.

Amid the Liberals’ focus on building a stronger economy, Health Minister Marjorie Michel’s office says that faster access to new medicines and supporting researchers

Carney ‘did the right thing’: feds’ new support for national pharmacare ‘positive,’ but evolving stance surprises advocates

NewsBY TESSIE SANCI

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sept. 11 that his government will continue to negotiate bilateral agreements, contradicting an earlier stance that it would only honour the four deals signed before the April 2025 election.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sept. 11 that his government will continue to negotiate bilateral agreements, contradicting an earlier stance that it would

POLITICS THIS MORNING

Border bill back on the agenda

Plus, we recap the first day in the House, and in QP.

BY PETER MAZEREEUW, RIDDHI KACHHELA

OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Future planning needed amid Canada’s defence budget boost

If we truly wish to provide a deterrent to Russian aggression, we need to learn from the ongoing war in Europe.

BY SCOTT TAYLOR

Opinion

BY NDP MP JENNY KWAN

NDP keep fighting as new Liberal government’s honeymoon period comes to a close

Opinion

BY KELLY PATRICK

The Liberal Party must show up locally to win new seats

Opinion

BY MATT GURNEY

Carney better start going full throttle

Opinion

BY MICHAEL HARRIS

Charlie Kirk’s murder: what has gone wrong in America?

PODCAST: THE HOT ROOM

‘Political landmines’, budget cuts, and fall strategy with Sheila Copps

NEWS

Indigenous procurement: feds urged to work more with communities to verify businesses after ‘historic’ recognition of Métis suppliers

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Increased access to federal contracts and ensuring departments meet the government’s five-per-cent Indigenous procurement target are vital to economic reconciliation, says Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand.

Indigenous procurement: feds urged to work more with communities to verify businesses after ‘historic’ recognition of Métis suppliers

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Increased access to federal contracts and ensuring departments meet the government’s five-per-cent Indigenous procurement target are vital to economic reconciliation, says Northern and Arctic Affairs Minister Rebecca Chartrand.

First Nations chiefs criticize feds for failing to consult on Indigenous body tied to Major Projects Office

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

Managing the Trump-tariff file a major challenge for Carney government, polls show

NewsBY CHRISTOPHER GULY

B.C. Conservative EDA wants end to top-down nominations

NewsBY ABBAS RANA

Open Letter: Bill C-2 Strong Borders Act

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HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

Parliamentary Calendar

House is back and it’s going to be busy

Podcast

‘Pierre has to be Pierre’: How the Conservatives will tackle the return of Parliament

News

The Hill Times’ Top 100 Lobbyists in 2025: lobbyists prepare for ‘significant reset’ as federal election begins

List

The number of sick days claimed by bureaucrats, broken down by department

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INGENIUM

Reconciliation in action at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum: Supporting Indigenous-led collaboration in STEM

Insider’s Guide to Parliament: 2025

Policy Briefing – Infrastructure

Policy Briefing – EVs and EV Infrastructure

Policy Briefing – Environment

HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

A rundown of the humans behind AI Minister Solomon’s shop

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Michael Paramathasan has been hired as a director of policy to the minister, while Peter Wall is in place as director of communications.

A rundown of the humans behind AI Minister Solomon’s shop

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Michael Paramathasan has been hired as a director of policy to the minister, while Peter Wall is in place as director of communications.

Pete Buttigieg to speak in Ottawa on Sept. 22

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Royal Canadian Air Force unveils two planes for training program

FeatureBY ANDREW MEADE

POLITICS

Third-period politics: history’s lesson for Carney and Canada-U.S. relations

OpinionBY JOHN DELACOURT

Finding courage in the Senate to question the government in responsible, responsive ways

OpinionBY SENATOR MARILOU MCPHEDRAN

Hodgson talks clean energy in Winnipeg

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA, MARLO GLASS, CHRISTINA LEADLAY, KATE MALLOY

Next NDP leader faces ‘thankless task’ of rebuilding ‘in the trenches,’ says former MP as race launches with few candidates

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND

A weakened NDP spells trouble for progressive priorities in Parliament

OpinionBY BRAD LAVIGNE

When the NDP is strong, progressive policies that make a difference for people get priority, particularly in minority parliaments. When the NDP is weak, Liberals embrace conservative policies.

A weakened NDP spells trouble for progressive priorities in Parliament

OpinionBY BRAD LAVIGNE

When the NDP is strong, progressive policies that make a difference for people get priority, particularly in minority parliaments. When the NDP is weak, Liberals embrace conservative policies.

THE HILL TIMES NEWSPAPER

Monday, September 15, 2025

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Wednesday, September 10, 2025

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Monday, September 8, 2025

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OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Opinion

BY LYNNE COUVES

Local progress on energy, arctic security must survive federal cuts

Editorial

BY EDITORIAL

Liberals need to get it together on pharmacare

Opinion

Canadian Constitution needs a revisit

Government procurement should reflect Canada’s real wealth: its SMEs

OpinionBY SENATOR DANIèLE HENKEL

Behind every small business, are people who take risks, innovate and create jobs in our communities. By finally opening the government procurement door for them, we’re choosing a country that’s fairer, bolder and truer to its potential.

On affordable housing, Ottawa should support bottom-up initiatives, not impose top-down solutions

OpinionBY DAVID CRANE

Second Hudson Bay port can link Western Canada’s resources to markets abroad

OpinionBY MORRIS BEARDY

The Port of Churchill faces significant challenges in moving bulk export, but the salt-water entry at Port Nelson can complement that infrastructure to Canada’s benefit.

Second Hudson Bay port can link Western Canada’s resources to markets abroad

OpinionBY MORRIS BEARDY

The Port of Churchill faces significant challenges in moving bulk export, but the salt-water entry at Port Nelson can complement that infrastructure to Canada’s benefit.

Back to Parliament: Time to build Canada together

OpinionBY REBECCA BLIGH

Liberals are the Groucho Marx of Canadian politics

OpinionBY KEN POLK

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY DE ADDER

de Adder’s Take: 09-15-2025

de Adder’s Take: 09-10-2025

de Adder’s Take: 09-08-2025

Public Service

The number of sick days claimed by bureaucrats, broken down by department

BY MARLO GLASS

Public service cuts by attrition are ‘passive, lazy, and random,’ warns ex-Privy Council Office clerk Wernick

Ahead of Parliament’s return and a consequential fall budget, Prime Minister Mark Carney says reducing the federal bureaucracy bloat will ‘happen naturally through attrition.’

BY MARLO GLASS

Treasury Board outlines 500 ways to cut red tape in sweeping review

Twenty-nine departments and agencies reported hundreds of ways they plan to improve regulatory efficiency by 'speeding up decision-making and streamlining processes to increase productivity' in the Sept. 8 update.

BY MARLO GLASS

CRA’s problems are not new, but they must become a thing of the past

Considering this is a government worried about federal spending, making a more efficient CRA could provide the assistance that Canadians deserve from the agency, and make it easier for the government to collect money.

BY EDITORIAL

CRA has ‘eroded trust,’ Senator says, as minister tasks agency with creating 100-day improvement plan

After persistent call-centre delays, the agency has been instructed to take 'concrete steps' to improve service, but one tax lawyer is dismissing the 'vague' ministerial decree as a 'publicity stunt.'

BY MARLO GLASS

FOREIGN POLICY

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Qatar strike makes clear Israel has no interest in a ceasefire

OpinionBY GWYNNE DYER

Israel bombing America's closest ally in the Gulf puts every Arab country on notice that nobody is safe.

Qatar strike makes clear Israel has no interest in a ceasefire

OpinionBY GWYNNE DYER

Israel bombing America's closest ally in the Gulf puts every Arab country on notice that nobody is safe.

BOOKS, BIG IDEAS, Q&As

Reconciliation starts local, says author of guide book for non-Indigenous allies

FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY

Rose LeMay says it's 'up to non-Indigenous people to change these systems so that Indigenous Peoples are not treated worse than others.'

Reconciliation starts local, says author of guide book for non-Indigenous allies

FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY

Rose LeMay says it's 'up to non-Indigenous people to change these systems so that Indigenous Peoples are not treated worse than others.'

Poilievre is a ‘classic political ripper,’ says author of new bestselling biography

FeatureBY KATE MALLOY

Bruce Fanjoy, the man who broke Poilievre’s spell on Carleton, Ont., says he won by door knocking and listening

NewsBY IREM KOCA

Pope Francis was one of the most ‘electrifying papacies in centuries,’ says author of book on pontiff’s life and influences

FeatureBY STEPHEN JEFFERY

Q&A | Unpacking the ‘astonishing’ swing in federal polls with Frank Graves

FeatureBY PETER MAZEREEUW

Indigenous consent isn’t a veto: it’s how durable, co-governed projects get built

OpinionBY TIM GRAY, EMILY MCMILLAN, RACHEL PLOTKIN, JESSICA CLOGG

If our governments recognized the synergies between these objectives, it would secure a leadership spot for Canada on the international stage. Canadians from all backgrounds should settle for nothing less.

The letter written earlier this summer by Alberta and Ontario ministers asking Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured, to 'refrain from reintroducing' an act is a grossly regressive assault on human rights and, write Jessica Clogg,G Tim Gray, Emily McMillan, and Rachel Plotkin. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Indigenous consent isn’t a veto: it’s how durable, co-governed projects get built

OpinionBY TIM GRAY, EMILY MCMILLAN, RACHEL PLOTKIN, JESSICA CLOGG

If our governments recognized the synergies between these objectives, it would secure a leadership spot for Canada on the international stage. Canadians from all backgrounds should settle for nothing less.

Indigenous consent isn’t a veto: it’s how durable, co-governed projects get built

OpinionBY TIM GRAY, EMILY MCMILLAN, RACHEL PLOTKIN, JESSICA CLOGG

If our governments recognized the synergies between these objectives, it would secure a leadership spot for Canada on the international stage. Canadians from all backgrounds should settle for nothing less.

Fifty years of friendship, still going strong

OpinionBY SHEILA COPPS

Every September, for the past several years, I have been getting together with women who played on my high school basketball team a half-century ago.

Feds should invest in empowering Canadians through financial planning

OpinionBY TASHIA BATSTONE

A refundable federal tax credit to help low- and middle-income Canadians access financial planning could be a path to a resilient future.

For Poilievre’s Conservatives, home is where the votes are

OpinionBY KATE HARRISON

Canadians have extended considerable grace and patience to Prime Minister Carney, but the cracks are starting to show.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his MPs have an opportunity heading into the fall parliamentary session as recent polling data that shows many Canadians believe the Liberals are too focused on Trump, writes Kate Harrison, vice-chair and partner at Summa Strategies. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

For Poilievre’s Conservatives, home is where the votes are

OpinionBY KATE HARRISON

Canadians have extended considerable grace and patience to Prime Minister Carney, but the cracks are starting to show.

For Poilievre’s Conservatives, home is where the votes are

OpinionBY KATE HARRISON

Canadians have extended considerable grace and patience to Prime Minister Carney, but the cracks are starting to show.

Let’s unlock local capital to build a stronger Canada

OpinionBY ADAM SPENCE

A bold, national, community finance strategy would unlock billions of dollars in private capital, create jobs, and ensure prosperity reaches every corner of the country.

The Canada that Dryden believed in remains at risk today

OpinionBY LES WHITTINGTON

There is no reason to think a Poilievre government wouldn’t find ways to seriously weaken the country's social programs.

Policy is the foundation: why culture needs a structural response to anti-Black racism

OpinionBY JOAN JENKINSON

When policies reflect equity, so do outcomes. That is how public funding builds public trust.

THE LATEST POLICY BRIEFINGS

Legislative Look Ahead

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features

Feds reveal the first set of ‘nation-building’ projects

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA, MARLO GLASS, KATE MALLOY

Plus, the mayor of Gander reflects on the events that unfolded after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Feds reveal the first set of ‘nation-building’ projects

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA, MARLO GLASS, KATE MALLOY

Plus, the mayor of Gander reflects on the events that unfolded after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Who’s who in Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Alty’s office

FeatureBY LAURA RYCKEWAERT

Jamaica flies Independence Day flag

FeatureBY SAM GARCIA

Ecuador marks national day

FeatureBY SAM GARCIA

Alberta premier meets Carney in Edmonton

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA

Youth to share climate concerns in Red Chamber: ‘Our job is to listen,’ says co-host Senator Mary Coyle

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY

Supreme Court justices head north for anniversary visit to Yellowknife from Sept. 14-15

(500) ways to cut bureaucratic red tape this summer

FeatureBY RIDDHI KACHHELA

Parliamentary Calendar

Liberal caucus to meet in Edmonton this week

Podcast

Plastics pollution treaty in jeopardy

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The Hill Times’ Top 100 Best Books in 2024

List

Take The Hill Times politics quiz

Podcast

‘We’re living in a pretty dynamic time’: Inuit leader Natan Obed

Policy Briefing – Health

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Policy Briefing – Renewable Energy

Policy Briefing – CANADA: Interprovincial Trade & Labour

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

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MPs’ annual office budgets for 2025-26

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Ranking the best and worst federal departments, by public service survey results

The PBO’s take on public service bloat and staffing cuts

House and Senate steering committee members named

All eyes on Trump: meet the top 50 foreign policy influencers navigating Canada’s role in a rocky world

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The 19 entities asking for the biggest spending boosts in the 2025-26 main estimates

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

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Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

Finance & Budget

Local progress on energy, arctic security must survive federal cuts

If federal programming is stripped down, remote communities will be limited in their pathways to achieve energy security.

BY LYNNE COUVES

Carney ‘did the right thing’: feds’ new support for national pharmacare ‘positive,’ but evolving stance surprises advocates

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Sept. 11 that his government will continue to negotiate bilateral agreements, contradicting an earlier stance that it would only honour the four deals signed before the April 2025 election.

BY TESSIE SANCI

Government procurement should reflect Canada’s real wealth: its SMEs

Behind every small business, are people who take risks, innovate and create jobs in our communities. By finally opening the government procurement door for them, we’re choosing a country that’s fairer, bolder and truer to its potential.

BY SENATOR DANIèLE HENKEL

An autumn of contrasts in Parliament, and the Bloc Québécois will make its mark

The last parliamentary session right after the election was short and intense, but committees were not yet meeting. This fall, with the committees back in operation, the Bloc will be able to engage in targeted discussions with both the Conservatives and the Liberals.

BY BLOC MP CHRISTINE NORMANDIN

Let’s unlock local capital to build a stronger Canada

A bold, national, community finance strategy would unlock billions of dollars in private capital, create jobs, and ensure prosperity reaches every corner of the country.

BY ADAM SPENCE

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez said the national supply chain office “will enhance the resilience, efficiency, and reliability of our transportation systems,” in a Transport Canada press release on Dec. 1, 2023.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.

Supply chain strategy must go beyond transportation, says Supply Chain Canada president

PostBY JESSE CNOCKAERT

A national supply chain strategy will require a holistic understanding of what the supply chain is, which is often misunderstood, according to Martin Montanti, president and CEO of Supply Chain Canada.