Ontario national councillor Mitas expected to challenge Barber for Conservative Party presidency

Senior Conservative sources tell The Hill Times that current party president Stephen Barber and Christina Mitas have been strategizing and reaching out to potential supporters ahead of the national council election at the end of this month.
Liberal MPs shrug off Trump’s latest tariff threat if Canada pursues trade agreement with China

Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, said there is ‘no pursuit’ of a free trade deal with China.
Public service watchdog sounds alarm over funding shortfall to investigate whistleblower complaints

Canada’s Public Sector Integrity Commissioner says the office is struggling to handle ‘unprecedented numbers’ of wrongdoing and reprisal cases, and ‘resources have not kept pace, causing detrimental delays to investigations.’
Lack of pre-sitting cabinet shuffle doesn’t take it off the table for the winter, say political strategists

Although a cabinet shuffle isn’t in the cards before the House resumes after winter break, it could still be a possibility as byelections create opportunity for fresh blood to get elected to Parliament, say politicos.
Liberals ‘taking a sledgehammer’ to the public service, says interim NDP leader Davies

Approximately 8,500 public servants were notified this week that they may be impacted by potential job cuts, and more than 17,000 such notifications have gone out since December, public sector unions have confirmed.
Who’s backing the NDP leadership contenders?

Five New Democrats are in the running to be the party’s next leader, but three are securing the most public support: Heather McPherson, Avi Lewis, and Rob Ashton
McPherson’s NDP leadership bid secures most ex-MP support, but Lewis nabs only caucus nod

NDP MP Leah Gazan’s endorsement of Avi Lewis makes her the only caucus member behind a candidate. NDP MP Heather McPherson is backed by 12 former MPs, including longtime colleague Charlie Angus.
Political numbers that matter in 2026

The Liberal government has been stymied and scuttled at every turn in both the House and in committees. This situation would change dramatically should they get to those elusive 172 seats.
Canada’s economic, security, and environmental interests have never been more challenged

One thing is crystal clear: Canadians do not want a US-style, two-party political system. They know that a healthy democracy needs a range of parties with a diversity of ideas.
After a year of inaction, the Carney Liberals must show up for work in 2026

While Canadians struggle with rising costs, economic uncertainty, and a global environment shifting beneath their feet, the session that just concluded will be remembered as one of the least productive in our Parliament’s history.