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Monday, February 16, 2026

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TRENDING:

Canada faces ‘an emergency of extraordinary proportions’ with Trump, say foreign affairs and trade experts

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT
  • U.S. President Donald Trump's recent rant on X about the bridge linking Windsor, Ont., to Detroit, Mich., augurs badly for the upcoming review of North America's trade pact, says international trade lawyer Lawrence Herman.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured on the Hill on Feb. 11, 2026, told U.S. President Donald Trump that the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge involved Canadian and American workers, as well as steel sourced from both countries. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Canada faces ‘an emergency of extraordinary proportions’ with Trump, say foreign affairs and trade experts

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT
  • U.S. President Donald Trump's recent rant on X about the bridge linking Windsor, Ont., to Detroit, Mich., augurs badly for the upcoming review of North America's trade pact, says international trade lawyer Lawrence Herman.

Canada faces ‘an emergency of extraordinary proportions’ with Trump, say foreign affairs and trade experts

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT
  • U.S. President Donald Trump's recent rant on X about the bridge linking Windsor, Ont., to Detroit, Mich., augurs badly for the upcoming review of North America's trade pact, says international trade lawyer Lawrence Herman.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, pictured on the Hill on Feb. 11, 2026, told U.S. President Donald Trump that the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge involved Canadian and American workers, as well as steel sourced from both countries. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade and courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

THE LATEST

Fix Question Period, elect House committee chairs, and end hybrid House sittings, say some Grit and Tory MPs: ‘Question Period is our marquee accountability mechanism’

Conservative MP Michael Chong, left, and Liberal MP Corey Hogan both want to see changes to how the House of Commons works. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade
NewsBY ABBAS RANA
  • But Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux says the current rules do not need any change because they provide decorum and predictability in the House.

Fix Question Period, elect House committee chairs, and end hybrid House sittings, say some Grit and Tory MPs: ‘Question Period is our marquee accountability mechanism’

NewsBY ABBAS RANA
  • But Liberal MP Kevin Lamoureux says the current rules do not need any change because they provide decorum and predictability in the House.

Preparing for a possible early election, Conservatives closing first batch of 16 riding nominations this month: sources

NewsBY ABBAS RANA
  • Conservative nomination applications for some ridings are due on Feb. 25. Those electoral districts 'should begin forming candidate nomination committees without delay,' states a memo from the party's headquarters, obtained by The Hill Times. And Elan Harper, Stephen Harper's sister-in-law, wants to run in Calgary Confederation.
  • Conservative nomination applications for some ridings are due on Feb. 25. Those electoral districts 'should begin forming candidate nomination committees without delay,' states a

Defence Investment Agency needs to do more than reshuffle the staff deck to succeed, say observers

NewsBY IREM KOCA
  • Defence Investment Agency CEO Doug Guzman says the 85 full-time staff have been transferred from other federal departments. But bringing people with the same mentality about procurement won't drive change, says former MP John McKay.
  • Defence Investment Agency CEO Doug Guzman says the 85 full-time staff have been transferred from other federal departments. But bringing people with the same

‘All about’ NATO: bulk of feds’ $5.4-billion spending request boosts defence programs

NewsBY ELEANOR WAND
  • The $2.2-billion request for defence spending is ‘all tied’ to meeting NATO’s defence spending target, says Canadian Global Affairs Institute’s Craig Stone, but Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Christopher Coates says it should be seen as 'long overdue' modernization of the Armed Forces.
  • The $2.2-billion request for defence spending is ‘all tied’ to meeting NATO’s defence spending target, says Canadian Global Affairs Institute’s Craig Stone, but Macdonald-Laurier
See all News

Federal leaders to attend vigil for Tumbler Ridge victims

  • Plus, Dominic LeBlanc leads a trade mission to Mexico this weekend.

OPINION & COLUMNISTS

Republican Party can rein in U.S. President Trump—if it’s brave enough

  • The party could check the president if it puts its house in order. That would mean abandoning the slavish support of anything Trump does and asserting that the party is bigger than any one person—even if he is the president.
Opinion

U.S. President Trump’s bridge outrage is latest example of how corrupt the American political system has become

See all Opinion

PODCAST: THE HOT ROOM

Tumbler Ridge shooting upends the agenda: The week in review

NEWS

Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and interim NDP leader Don Davies. Lawyers for each of the political parties appeared before a Senate committee on Feb. 12 to urge them to keep the elements of Bill C-4 that touch on privacy and the Canada Elections Act. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Federal parties dismiss ‘bogeyman’ privacy concerns baked into affordability bill, as Senators consider major amendments 

NewsBY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN
  • The Liberal, NDP, and Conservative parties say Parliament must assert its jurisdiction over regulating federal parties, as privacy and data advocates urge Senators to pull parts of the ‘privacy-busting bill’ C-4.

Federal parties dismiss ‘bogeyman’ privacy concerns baked into affordability bill, as Senators consider major amendments 

NewsBY SAMANTHA WRIGHT ALLEN
  • The Liberal, NDP, and Conservative parties say Parliament must assert its jurisdiction over regulating federal parties, as privacy and data advocates urge Senators to pull parts of the ‘privacy-busting bill’ C-4.
The Hill Times visual by Naomi Wildeboer

To ban or not to ban? Experts wary of restricting social media access for kids, as feds watch Australian approach

NewsBY DAVIS LEGREE
See all News

HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

Parliamentary Calendar

Joly to deliver keynote address at 10th Ontario Economic Report launch on Feb. 19 in Toronto

Podcast

Rob Batherson debriefs on Poilievre’s leadership win and what’s next for Conservatives

Hill Times Tote Bag – Scribble Logo Black

HILL LIFE & PEOPLE

Eric St-Pierre, Jake Sawatzky, Jaime Battiste
Liberal MP Eric St-Pierre, left, is organizing a group of over a dozen MPs including Jake Sawatzky, centre, and Jaime Battiste, far right (pictured with Sawatzky) in the CMHA's annual Push-Up Challenge to raise awareness for mental health. Screenshots courtesy of Instagram

‘The goal isn’t perfection’: Grit MP St-Pierre encourages colleagues to do 2,000 push-ups over 23 days for mental health cause

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY
  • Also, press gallery books 2026's gala dinner at SJAM this November, Justin Trudeau buys property in Montreal, and fashion writer Derek Guy compares Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre's suits.
Eric St-Pierre, Jake Sawatzky, Jaime Battiste

‘The goal isn’t perfection’: Grit MP St-Pierre encourages colleagues to do 2,000 push-ups over 23 days for mental health cause

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY
  • Also, press gallery books 2026's gala dinner at SJAM this November, Justin Trudeau buys property in Montreal, and fashion writer Derek Guy compares Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre's suits.
See all Hill Life & People

POLITICS

See all Politics
Gabe de Roche and Kyla Ronellenfitsch
Gabriel De Roche, left, and Kyla Ronellenfitsch will co-host the new podcast, Culture Lab, debuting on Feb. 18. He’s ‘the Toronto to Kyla’s Saskatchewan, the opera to Kyla’s Taylor Swift, [but] that contrast turned out to be a strength,' they told The Hill Times. Photographs courtesy of Air Quotes Media

New polling-driven podcast explores the ‘why’ behind public opinion

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY
  • Plus: Chrystia Freeland tells Americans to 'get your act together'; longtime Hill interpreter Peter Douglas is retiring, and Paul Wells is taking his stage show on the road starting in March.
Gabe de Roche and Kyla Ronellenfitsch

New polling-driven podcast explores the ‘why’ behind public opinion

FeatureBY CHRISTINA LEADLAY
  • Plus: Chrystia Freeland tells Americans to 'get your act together'; longtime Hill interpreter Peter Douglas is retiring, and Paul Wells is taking his stage show on the road starting in March.

THE HILL TIMES NEWSPAPER

THE HILL TIMES NEWSPAPER

Monday, February 16, 2026

OPINION & COLUMNISTS

MPs should revamp Question Period, actually elect House committee chairs, give House Speaker more power, and should consider ending hybrid sittings

OpinionBY EDITORIAL
  • The House should seriously consider these reforms in order to make the Commons a more democratic place of substance—not just quips and digs—and motivate MPs to be more fully present—which includes appearing in person—in the House to engage in the debates that contribute to important policy-making decisions.
Canada stands at the crossroads of a technological revolution that will shape our nation's prosperity for generations to come, writes Delphine Adenot-Owusu. Image courtesy of Pixabay

Building Canada’s digital future

OpinionBY DELPHINE ADENOT-OWUSU
  • The global race for technological leadership is well underway. Canada cannot afford to be a spectator. By supporting and developing world-class digital infrastructure, we can position ourselves at the forefront of the digital revolution. The time to act is now.

Building Canada’s digital future

OpinionBY DELPHINE ADENOT-OWUSU
  • The global race for technological leadership is well underway. Canada cannot afford to be a spectator. By supporting and developing world-class digital infrastructure, we can position ourselves at the forefront of the digital revolution. The time to act is now.
See all Opinion

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY DE ADDER

  • de Adder’s Take: 02-16-2026
  • de Adder’s Take: 02-11-2026
  • de Adder’s Take: 02-09-2026

Public Service

FOREIGN POLICY

See all Foreign Policy
The regulation of drug prices elsewhere is a long-standing trade policy irritant for the U.S., writes Liam MacDonald. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Canada must respond to U.S. policy by increasing our support for pharmaceutical innovation

OpinionBY LIAM MACDONALD
  • Changing our own drug system to better encourage investment and innovation is not an easy task, but it's a necessary one.

Canada must respond to U.S. policy by increasing our support for pharmaceutical innovation

OpinionBY LIAM MACDONALD
  • Changing our own drug system to better encourage investment and innovation is not an easy task, but it's a necessary one.

BOOKS, BIG IDEAS, Q&As

Then-U.S. president Richard Nixon, left, and then-prime minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau inside the Prime Minister's Office in Centre Block on April 14, 1972. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The Coutts Diaries is the most revealing book ever written about Canadian politics

FeatureBY DAVID HERLE
  • This is a previously unseen view of Pierre Trudeau, one that is sure to alter your opinions of him. It is an unvarnished look inside the government that brought you wage and price controls, the Charter of Rights, and the National Energy Program. And it is a darkly moving account of the life of a senior political staffer.

The Coutts Diaries is the most revealing book ever written about Canadian politics

FeatureBY DAVID HERLE
  • This is a previously unseen view of Pierre Trudeau, one that is sure to alter your opinions of him. It is an unvarnished look inside the government that brought you wage and price controls, the Charter of Rights, and the National Energy Program. And it is a darkly moving account of the life of a senior political staffer.
See all Books & Big Ideas

Most Popular

Policy

Policy

‘Back to the future’: Senators react to idea of turning Senate Building back into original train station for high-speed rail hub

NewsBY IREM KOCA
  • David Jeanes, a retired engineer and former president of Transport Action Canada, says the Senate Building would be an ideal spot for a downtown Ottawa station, and says it could be linked to the rest of the line with a tunnel going under part of the Rideau Canal.
Referring to the Senate Building's original purpose as downtown Ottawa's train station between 1912 and 1966, Canadian Senators Group Senator Scott Tannas says turning it into a train station is 'not a crazy idea ... It would be back to the future.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

‘Back to the future’: Senators react to idea of turning Senate Building back into original train station for high-speed rail hub

NewsBY IREM KOCA
  • David Jeanes, a retired engineer and former president of Transport Action Canada, says the Senate Building would be an ideal spot for a downtown Ottawa station, and says it could be linked to the rest of the line with a tunnel going under part of the Rideau Canal.

‘Back to the future’: Senators react to idea of turning Senate Building back into original train station for high-speed rail hub

NewsBY IREM KOCA
  • David Jeanes, a retired engineer and former president of Transport Action Canada, says the Senate Building would be an ideal spot for a downtown Ottawa station, and says it could be linked to the rest of the line with a tunnel going under part of the Rideau Canal.
Referring to the Senate Building's original purpose as downtown Ottawa's train station between 1912 and 1966, Canadian Senators Group Senator Scott Tannas says turning it into a train station is 'not a crazy idea ... It would be back to the future.' The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada must take lead in fighting health misinformation as vaccine hesitancy rises and U.S. pulls back from WHO, say sector experts

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT
  • In the face of bad advice coming out of the U.S., Health Minister Marjorie Michel needs to discuss how to best promote facts with federal agencies and departments, according to Canadian Medical Association president Margot Burnell.
Health Minister Marjorie Michel called Bill S-5 a 'critical step towards a more connected health-care system that supports all Canadians,' in a press release on Feb. 4. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Canada must take lead in fighting health misinformation as vaccine hesitancy rises and U.S. pulls back from WHO, say sector experts

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT
  • In the face of bad advice coming out of the U.S., Health Minister Marjorie Michel needs to discuss how to best promote facts with federal agencies and departments, according to Canadian Medical Association president Margot Burnell.

Canada must take lead in fighting health misinformation as vaccine hesitancy rises and U.S. pulls back from WHO, say sector experts

NewsBY JESSE CNOCKAERT
  • In the face of bad advice coming out of the U.S., Health Minister Marjorie Michel needs to discuss how to best promote facts with federal agencies and departments, according to Canadian Medical Association president Margot Burnell.
Health Minister Marjorie Michel called Bill S-5 a 'critical step towards a more connected health-care system that supports all Canadians,' in a press release on Feb. 4. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia
See all Policy stories
Mark Carney

Canada’s health-care crisis is fuelled by too little public spending, not too much

OpinionBY DANYAAL RAZA
  • The federal government must substantially increase public health-care funding, financed by a fairer tax system that asks more from those who can most afford

THE LATEST POLICY BRIEFINGS

THE LATEST POLICY BRIEFINGS

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Finance & Budget

Finance & Budget

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.

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.
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.

EXCLUSIVE LISTS

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

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

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