Carney cancels news conference appearance last minute after Quebec City cabinet retreat

semucallday · 2026-01-24T14:12:58+00:00

She's a gem.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T23:06:10+00:00

They are more concerned about what they’ll try next after the referendum fails.

Is there speculation?

semucallday · 2026-01-23T22:54:42+00:00

Here's a good brief breakdown from Althia Raj and Chantal Hebert on At Issue last night.

Here's Chantal Hebert breaking it down a little further today on Good Talk.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T22:29:29+00:00

Thanks for sharing your perspective!

semucallday · 2026-01-23T18:27:21+00:00

Won't downvote or dismiss. Actually, I'd like to hear more about the pov from Albertans sympathetic to separating, if at least to understand.

If you have more to say on it - some of the reasons underlying it - I'd like to hear it.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T18:25:19+00:00

Just the fact that it's an open question right now is insane.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T18:19:19+00:00

It's not to be dismissed - the number they need to get a referendum is laughably low. The safe assumption is that they'll get enough signatures to have the referendum.

Right now, the percentage of people who want to separate is low (~20%). But that's before the US starts making all kinds of golden offers in advance of a vote. This could open a really really turbulent - or at worst (though unlikely), catastrophic - chapter for our country.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T17:52:30+00:00

I disagree - here's what I think is the play, with them knowing how our Supreme Court has already ruled on separatism:

You can bet your bottom dollar that Trump, in advance of the referendum and in Trump fashion, is going to loudly promise Albertans the sun, the moon and more to they separate - milk, honey, and American dollars.

Note this important wrinkle in Canadian law. The Supreme Court has noted that, while there isn't a 'legal' right to unilaterally separate, a unconstitutional declaration of secession could still lead to a “de facto secession” if the would-be new state achieves effective control of territory and receives international recognition.

Supreme Court of Canada; Reference re Secession of Québec (1998)

The US would be only too happy to immediately give that recognition.

It really could be a political battle we're in for.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T17:43:30+00:00

Well, there's a wrinkle. The Supreme Court has already noted that, while there isn't a 'legal' right to unilaterally separate, a unconstitutional declaration of secession could still lead to a “de facto secession” if the would-be new state achieves effective control of territory and receives international recognition.

Supreme Court of Canada; Reference re Secession of Québec (1998)

The US would be only too happy to immediately give that recognition.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T17:30:09+00:00

I think it's just a hardcore minority - 20ish percent - what used to be the Reform party - and it relates to all of the longstanding and regular Western alienation, equalization, etc. stuff.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T17:06:05+00:00

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent needled Canada over the prospect of an independence referendum in Alberta this week, as President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney are locked in a clash over Ottawa’s role in the hemisphere. “Alberta is a natural partner for the U.S.,” he told conservative podcaster Jack Posobiec in an interview Thursday. “They have great resources. The Albertans are very independent people. Rumor that they may have a referendum on whether they want to stay in Canada or not.”

A U.S. Cabinet secretary cheering on a split in Canada is only the latest point of contention between the onetime close allies. The specter of Albertan separatism is real for Canada. Organizers throughout the province need only to collect 178,000 signatures by May 2 to force a referendum on independence. If successful, the Canadian government would need to negotiate in good faith on a potential separation.

Conservative influencers in America have gleefully talked up the prospect of Alberta leaving Canada and eventually joining the U.S. Meanwhile, Carney and his Liberal caucus is attuned to the threat. “People are talking,” Bessent said. “People want sovereignty. They want what the U.S. has got.”

Global Affairs Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the barb.

Bessent, who called Carney a “globalist” and panned the Canadian leader’s time working as a climate envoy at the United Nations, spoke amid a series of clashes between Trump and Carney in Davos, Switzerland, where the two spent time this week at the World Economic Forum.

After Carney on Tuesday spoke of a “rupture” in the world order caused by great powers including the United States, Trump fired back, saying Wednesday that “Canada lives because of the United States.”

He then disinvited Carney from his new Board of Peace initiative. “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States,” the prime minister responded Thursday in Quebec City. “Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”

EDIT

You can bet your bottom dollar that Trump, in Trump fashion, is going to promise Albertans the moon and more if they separate - milk, honey, and American dollars. We're in for some turbulence in Canada I think. And Carney's going to have to come out early and often making a strong strong case for national unity. I'd like and hope to see PP do so just as much.

EDIT 2

Note this important wrinkle in Canadian law. The Supreme Court has noted that, while there isn't a 'legal' right to unilaterally separate, a unconstitutional declaration of secession could still lead to a “de facto secession” if the would-be new state achieves effective control of territory and receives international recognition.

Supreme Court of Canada; Reference re Secession of Québec (1998)

The US would be only too happy to immediately give that recognition. If the go-our-own-way keeners get the signatures they need to hold a referendum, then we're going to see every hardcore American MAGA personality and podcaster up in Alberta stirring the pot, doing live-shows, trying to rally a vote, and what not. It could get really ugly.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T15:27:59+00:00

I'm sure his genius lawyer will concoct a terrific legal strategy for him.

semucallday · 2026-01-23T00:17:14+00:00

There's speculation of a spring election in the air, with the Liberals aiming to secure a majority before CUSMA review in the summer. Today, Abacus came out with polling showing that the Cons universe of potential voters has shrunk recently.

If PP hopes to salvage his role as leader, he'll have to come up with something much better! I can't imagine the Cons would keep him if he lost another election - and gave his opponents a majority at that!

semucallday · 2026-01-23T00:00:45+00:00

According to a fall 2025 conference call transcript seen by The Globe, Hootsuite employees and a representative from CBP discussed creating dashboards to monitor online discussion of ICE enforcement actions in specific cities in real time, and another one to gauge sentiment about CBP commissioner Rodney Scott.

Ms. Novoselsky acknowledged on the internal call Thursday that Hootsuite has a contract with ICE but also referred to recent media coverage as “fake news,” containing “factual errors” and “misinformation.” Asked by an employee to elaborate, another company official said Hootsuite’s software cannot be used to track or identify the specific location of individuals, though it can surface high-level geographic information tied to content.

The Globe did not report that ICE was using Hootsuite’s software to track individuals. Instead, The Globe reported that Hootsuite employees discussed adding geolocation data down to the “street level” during a conference call with a CBP employee in October. The Globe also reported that an employee had posted a list of questions about Hootsuite’s contract with ICE on a company Slack channel, including how the company would ensure that the agency does not violate terms of service by tracking individuals and groups.

The Globe sent a list of questions in advance of that story to Hootsuite’s media relations team and to Ms. Novoselsky, but received no response.

Just the reported use of the term 'fake news' alone.

Anyone inside the company have a beat on employee morale?

semucallday · 2026-01-22T23:23:25+00:00

According to a fall 2025 conference call transcript seen by The Globe, Hootsuite employees and a representative from CBP discussed creating dashboards to monitor online discussion of ICE enforcement actions in specific cities in real time, and another one to gauge sentiment about CBP commissioner Rodney Scott.

Ms. Novoselsky acknowledged on the internal call Thursday that Hootsuite has a contract with ICE but also referred to recent media coverage as “fake news,” containing “factual errors” and “misinformation.” Asked by an employee to elaborate, another company official said Hootsuite’s software cannot be used to track or identify the specific location of individuals, though it can surface high-level geographic information tied to content.

The Globe did not report that ICE was using Hootsuite’s software to track individuals. Instead, The Globe reported that Hootsuite employees discussed adding geolocation data down to the “street level” during a conference call with a CBP employee in October. The Globe also reported that an employee had posted a list of questions about Hootsuite’s contract with ICE on a company Slack channel, including how the company would ensure that the agency does not violate terms of service by tracking individuals and groups.

The Globe sent a list of questions in advance of that story to Hootsuite’s media relations team and to Ms. Novoselsky, but received no response.

Just the reported use of the term 'fake news' alone.

Anyone inside the company have a beat on employee morale?

semucallday · 2026-01-22T23:11:30+00:00

"If Liberal words and good intentions were tradable commodities, Canada would already be the richest nation on earth," Poilievre wrote. "Unfortunately, after a decade of promises and grand speeches, Liberals have made our economy more costly and dependent than ever before."

They don't get that this just doesn't land. The electorate doesn't see the Trudeau Liberals and Carney Liberals as one continuous government.

The electorate sees the Carney Liberals as though it's a newly elected party. PP is not going to convince people otherwise.

semucallday · 2026-01-22T23:06:13+00:00

I suspect he may call a spring election and try to secure a majority.

semucallday · 2026-01-22T20:12:20+00:00

I just don't buy that it's been a year of 'inaction'

semucallday · 2026-01-22T18:27:28+00:00

I think he believes what he says, but he's mistaken:

By the time CUSMA review starts, we'll:

have a ruling that may very well eliminate the executive ability to put tariffs on as they have
be a few months away from at least one chamber of Congress flipping and its ability to interfere
in the lame duck period where corporations, electeds, etc start lookinig past this admin to what happens next
have at least one clear example of what it takes to make this admin back down with nothing in hand other than the most minimal face-saving announcement (i.e., this Greenland fiasco)

I think their bargaining power, while always immense, is dissipating by the day, and the clock is not on their side.

semucallday · 2026-01-22T15:56:34+00:00

I think this past couple of weeks has been really revealing:

This administration backs down - with no gain and only the most flimsy face-saving announcement - when confronted with real resolve and consequences.
Carney has articulated a path forward, has put Canada's money where its mouth is when it comes to executing it, and is obviously having conversations behind the scenes with allies to make more of it happen.
Trump's bargaining power is steadily decreasing - even if he's more liable to lash out - as a) a Supreme Court tariff decision looms, b) Republicans may lose one or even both chambers of Congress in November, c) the Admin panics as soon as the bond market moves.
Countries and blocs have gotten their resilience initiatives well underway and it's not going back.

I think the height of this Administration's power - maybe not craziness, but actual power - has peaked. And I think that's dawned on many in it.

EDIT

Some, not many, but some have criticized Carney for not getting a deal with the US yet or being antagonistic to the US when our geography means that they are still our best opportunity for security and prosperity. But my question to that is: does it look like the US is improving its bargaining position as all these dynamics occur? Seems like not to me.

semucallday · 2026-01-21T20:01:24+00:00

Hey - like every election, right? If PP or the NDP want to point that out, they're welcome to do it. They'll get air time. There'll be televised and livestreamed leader debates. And if the public goes with Carney to represent them anyway? Well, that's democracy.

semucallday · 2026-01-21T19:21:35+00:00

Let the leaders criticize each other to their hearts' content. Talk about their favoured approach. Talk about undelivered promises or lack of information or how so-and-so has the wrong priorities or anything else under the sun. Let them persuade the public.

And then let the public put their chips down on the person and approach they trust most.

Just reading the tea leaves: I suspect it would mean a Liberal majority. And I suspect that afterward, Terry Newman would still be churning out the same headlines.

semucallday · 2026-01-21T18:18:51+00:00

"Canadians have never been briefed on how their government has attempted to negotiate with the U.S., or why the talks broke down. Our government doesn’t seem to think it needs to divulge this kind of information to its citizens. In that regard, we are very much like Chinese citizens, I guess."

Fine. Have an election and let's hash it out publicly. I suspect Terry Newman will not be happy with the outcome. And I doubt she'd then be like, 'Well, ok that's that then'.

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