The King’s Speech
Your Look Ahead from Summa Strategies
- 8 minute read
The Latest
Top stories driving the news this week.
- The G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ summit was hosted by François-Philippe Champagne last week in Banff, AB, as a prelude to the G7 Leaders’ Summit from June 15 to 17 in Kananaskis, AB. Topics discussed at the summit included global tariffs and the ongoing war in Ukraine. The communiqué of the summit can be found here.
- Liberal caucus members voted not to adopt the Reform Act, which would have given them the power to remove Mark Carney as Liberal leader if they desired it in the future. At that same caucus meeting, Carney told Liberal MPs the next few weeks would be “very, very busy” after Parliament opens.
- Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, in an address to the Conservative caucus on Sunday, said he is willing to “cooperate” with the Liberal government to end the trade war with the U.S.
- United States President Donald Trump confirmed this week that he would attend the G7 Leaders’ Summit in June.
- Prime Minister Carney said the Liberal government would table a budget in the fall following backlash to Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne’s earlier comments that the government would not table a spring budget and would instead table a fall economic statement.
- Former MP Marco Mendicino will exit as Prime Minister Carney’s chief of staff in the summer. The news comes amid reports the prime minister has struggled to find a permanent replacement.
- Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson stated, “Energy is Canada’s superpower,” while touting the need to build more infrastructure to get to market. Hodgson made the remarks at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
- New U.S. Ambassador Peter Hoekstra said Canada could get “the lowest tariffs of any country that America negotiates an agreement with” in a televised interview with CTV New’s Vassy Kapelos.
- Nearly 10,000 jobs were cut from the federal government between 2024 and 2025, per data from the Treasury Board Secretariat. This is the first time the federal public service has shrunk since 2015.
- The annual inflation rate slowed to 1.7% in April, down from 2.3% in March, per Statistics Canada. The decrease was attributed to the end of the federal consumer carbon pricing system, as gas prices dropped 18.1% year-over-year in April.
- Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers met Sunday with a mediator in an attempt to come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. Canada Post workers were set to strike Friday but the union issued a national ban on overtime work while negotiating Canada Post’s most recent offer.
In the House
Key Green Chamber business set to play out.
- The House of Commons returns today with MPs gathering to elect a Speaker of the House in a blind ballot.
- Eight MPs are reportedly vying to become the speaker of the house. The expected candidates are incumbent house speaker Greg Fergus, Liberal MPs Rob Oliphant, Sean Casey, Sherry Romanado, Francis Scarpaleggia, Alexandra Mendès and Conservative MPs Chris d’Entremont and John Nater.
- On Tuesday, MPs will take a short walk down Wellington Street to the Senate chamber, where they will listen to King Charles III give the Speech from the Throne, outlining the list of priorities the Liberal government seeks to achieve in the 45th parliamentary session.
- MPs will then debate the Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne for a maximum of six sitting days before a confidence vote is held. Opposition parties may introduce amendments to the motion concerning the address. Days of debate do not have to be consecutive.
- The Liberal government is expected to introduce a ways and means motion seeking to lower the lowest income tax rate by one percentage point (15% to 14%). The Liberals hope to have the legislation passed by the time the House rises for the summer recess.
Committee Updates
- After Parliament is opened, the House could move quickly to establish the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs Committee as one of its first business orders this week. Members of the committee will then convene to establish the standing committees and assign members from each party to their respective committees. It remains unclear what the exact number of seats by party will be on standing committees.
- PROC will then table a report with the membership of each respective committee in the House, where, by convention, it is expected to pass unanimously. House committees are then able to meet to elect a chair and vice-chairs before committees can move to regular business.
In the Senate
Stay informed on events in the Upper Chamber.
- King Charles III will deliver the throne speech in the Senate chamber on Tuesday.
- Like the House, the Senate will debate the throne speech. Following the conclusion of that debate, which is likely to receive approval from Senators, the upper chamber will resume routine business.
Committee Updates
- Also similar to the House, the Senate will establish the Committee of Selection, which will nominate senators to serve on respective standing committees.
- After the Senate has adopted the membership of each committee, the standing committees will meet for the election of the chair and, subsequently, the election of a deputy chair before routine business commences.
In Case You Missed It
Your crib notes for last week’s top stories.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney released a single mandate letter for his entire cabinet, breaking from the Trudeau-era tradition of individual assignments. The letter’s priorities included strengthening international alliances, removing interprovincial trade barriers, lowering the cost of living, and more.
- U.S. President Donald Trump stated last week that Canada was seeking to join the “Golden Dome” missile defence program. Prime Minister Carney confirmed that “constructive discussions” were being held regarding the missile defence program and strengthening NORAD.
- The Liberal Party held their caucus retreat in Ottawa on Sunday before Parliament opened today. The Conservative Party also held a caucus meeting on Sunday.
- The Liberal Party announced it will hold a national convention in Montreal, QC, from April 9 to 11, 2026. This will be the party’s first convention with Mark Carney as party leader and prime minister.
- The Conservative Party named 73 MPs to the party’s leadership and shadow cabinet team, with most members remaining in their same positions from the prior parliamentary session. However, leader Pierre Poilevre hinted that a shuffle will occur in the fall and winter.
Provincial Updates
A look at the top news across the country.
- TotalEnergies, a French multinational energy and petrol company, signed a 20-year deal to buy two million tons per year of LNG gas from the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG project on the north coast of B.C. TotalEnergies will also acquire five percent of Western LNG, the project operator.
- Premier David Eby terminated the contract of Michael Bryant, who was controversially appointed to improve conditions in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside following backlash from critics.
- Premier Eby announced he will lead a trade mission to Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia next month in an effort to diversify the province’s exports after U.S. tariffs threatened provincial exports to the southern neighbour.
- Western Canadian premiers met in Yellowknife, NT, last week to discuss international trade, Arctic sovereignty, and energy security issues. The meeting comes two weeks before all Canadian premiers convene with the prime minister in Saskatoon, SK.
- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith suggested last week Prime Minister Mark Carney could “take the wind right out” of a separatist movement should his government commit to more economic projects in the west.
- Saskatchewan led a provincial delegation to Poland for the World Nuclear Supply Chain Conference to advance the province’s nuclear industry.
- Ontario’s deficit increased another $10 billion in the most recent $232.5 billion budget tabled by Premier Doug Ford, pledging to support workers and the economy amid U.S. tariff threats.
- The Ontario government is rejecting the City of Toronto’s request to contribute more funds to help the city as it hosts six games in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is expected to cost $380 million.
- Labour Minister David Piccini tabled a proposal requiring automatic external defibrillators on construction sites expected to last longer than three months with 20 or more workers.
- The Quebec government tabled legislation that would force French-language quotas on streaming giants.
- Quebec’s French-language commissioner suggested that French language training in the workplace is inadequate and does not allow for smooth integration into Quebec society.
- The Coalition Avenir Québec-led government rejected a Parti Québécois proposal to slash the Quebec gas tax on Wednesday.
- Nova Scotia Power says it was the victim of a ransomware cyberattack and had data stolen from its systems. The utility is continuing to investigate the attack.
- Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is in France from May 24 to 29 to hold meetings on market and energy opportunities with the Michelin Group.
- Conservative candidate Jonathan Rowe won the judicial recount in the federal district of Terra Nova, defeating Liberal Anthony Germain by 12 votes. Germain initially won on election night – also by 12 votes – four weeks ago.
What We’re Watching
Find out what issues Summa consultants are tracking and why they matter.
The Crown’s In Town – The Speech from the Throne, which will be delivered by King Charles III tomorrow, will set forward the government’s priorities and legislative agenda; although Canadians will have to wait for the fall for a federal budget.
King Charles’ role in the Speech from the Throne is symbolic of Carney’s current topmost priority: this spring session will be dominated by diplomatic meetings with foreign leaders. In the short term, Carney has teased new spending commitments that will be announced at the annual NATO summit in late June. The marquee event in the coming weeks is, of course, Canada’s presidency of the G7, which will take place as Canada hopes to follow in the UK’s footsteps by inking an imminent trade deal.
On the World Stage – While attending the Pope’s inaugural mass at the Vatican last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney met several European leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Carney, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron also released a joint letter condemning Israel’s ongoing offensive on Gaza. In the face of the American tariffs, Carney continues to solidify himself amongst other allies, demonstrating Canada’s ability to be independent of its North American neighbour. Carney’s trip coincided with the G7 Finance Ministers’ meeting in Banff, where François-Philippe Champagne held discussions with his counterparts on the global economy, artificial intelligence, and Ukraine. Carney and his government are positioning themselves as key world leaders well in advance of the first true test, as hosts of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Alberta in June.
Laying Low (For Now) – Pierre Poilevre moulded the Conservative Party into a relentless attack dog ready to pounce at any misstep by the Liberal government. But with Poilievre out of the House of Commons until he wins a future by-election, and Canadians wanting a united front against U.S. tariffs, the Poilievre-less Conservatives are expected to dial down the rhetoric. This should be temporary, as when Poilievre likely returns this fall or winter, he will seek to build his case as to why he should be the prime minister while simultaneously discrediting the Carney-led Liberals.
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