What’s happening on (and off) Parliament Hill, plus the news you need to start your day.
With just four days to go before Alberta voters collectively make the call on whether to give the provincial government the green light to hold a binding referendum on leaving Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to hit the stage alongside Forever Canadian founder — and former provincial minister — Thomas Lukaszuk in Calgary tonight. (6:45 p.m. MT)
As Canadian Press notes, this is the first of two back-to-back headline appearances by the prime minister at Forever Canadian events over the next two days, with the second slated to kick off in Edmonton tomorrow.
It’s also “not the first time Carney and Lukaszuk have teamed up to spread a pro-Canada message,” the wire service points out.
“Last month, the prime minister invited Lukaszuk’s group to attend a cabinet retreat in Banff, Alta., and Carney signed the Maple Leaf-wrapped motorhome Lukaszuk has been touring the province in.”
According to the Forever Canadian team, Carney was invited “because this is about all of Canada, not only Alberta, (and) we want the country’s leader to see what we see every day: Albertans from every walk of life standing up for a united Canada,” as per a note posted to the online registration hub.
“We invited him to listen. You’re the reason he’s coming.”
Before heading to the rally venue, Carney will spend the day making the rounds in Calgary, where, according to his office, he’ll meet with “community members at a local business,” as well as “union workers” and “post-secondary students.”
Meanwhile, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson joins Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, as well as his fellow front bencher Sean Fraser — who, in addition to the justice portfolio, is also the cabinet lead for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency — for what the advisory describes as an “offshore wind announcement.” (9:15 a.m. AT)
Elsewhere on the Atlantic circuit, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson teams up with her Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador counterparts to deliver an “important announcement” at the Romeo LeBlanc International Airport in Dieppe, N.B. (2 p.m. AT)
Also out and about today:
- Government Transformation Minister Joël Lightbound, who also serves as Carney’s Quebec lieutenant, and newly elected Liberal MP Daniel Gobeil visit Saint-Hugues-based agriculture research lab Céréla Inc. to highlight fresh federal support for “cutting-edge AI research aimed at accelerating the development of new crop varieties.” (1:55 p.m.)
- Secretary of State for Labour John Zerucelli joins greater Ottawa-area Liberal MP Bruce Fanjoy in Metcalfe to share the details of what the advisory is billing as “major investments in apprenticeship training infrastructure, innovation and equipment,” which, as per the notice, will be delivered via the Union Training and Innovation Program, and will be open to “organizations seeking funding to expand training capacity and improve access to and quality of apprenticeship training.” (9 a.m.)
- Later this morning, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly will be in Peterborough to promote her government’s ongoing efforts to “strengthen Canada’s food sector, increase domestic food processing capacity and improve access to affordable food.” (12 p.m.)
- Rounding out the roster, Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden will unveil “further support for Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes” during a mid-afternoon appearance in Winnipeg. (1:15 p.m. CT)
Also on the radar: The Parliamentary Budget Office will release its preliminary projections on the estimated cost of proposed changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program. (9 a.m.)
ON AND AROUND THE HILL
Members of the newly created special legislative committee tasked with going through the fine print of Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon’s omnibus bid to further streamline the project approval process and overhaul the federal labour regime are under a self-imposed deadline to file their respective parties’ proposed witness lists, “ranked in priority order,” by close of business today.
As flagged by iPolitics’ own Aya Dufour last week, during a lightning-round opening session, committee members agreed to invite a quartet of ministers — MacKinnon, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin, Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu and Canada – U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc — to “appear before the committee, two ministers at a time, for two two-hour panels,” as per the minutes, with clause-by-clause review “set to begin the week of Nov. 16, after the Bloc Québécois pushed to change the wording so the date wouldn’t be treated as a deadline.”
FRESH FROM iPOLITICS
HOT OFF THE WIRES
- Carney to attend pro-Canada rally in Calgary as Alberta races toward referendum vote
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- Cross-border visits by Canadian and U.S. residents up from last year: StatCan
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- Canada’s economic ambitions face skilled workforce challenges, Liberal MPs warn
- Interim Indigenous languages commissioner’s term extended
- Newfoundland and Labrador expecting windfall from soaring oil prices
- Ottawa investing $50 million in New Brunswick high-tech forestry hub
- Ottawa’s international student cap hurting Atlantic universities: association
- Ammo stolen from military recovered in Toronto abduction probe, 3 CAF members charged
- Longtime London MP Irene Mathyssen dies at age 75
- Alberta’s Smith casts vote to stay in Canada, urges support for other nine questions
- Major projects CEO faces B.C. First Nations frustrated over lack of consultation
- Eby admits imperfections as B.C. leaders face off in only televised election debate
- BC NDP election costings would see deficit fall to $12B in two years
- Death toll in B.C. Truth and Reconciliation Day crash rises to three
Committee highlights courtesy of our friends at iPoliticsINTEL