Canada’s High Stakes Race for AI, Climate, and the Global Economy
Your Look Ahead from Summa Strategies
- 7 minute read
The Latest
Top stories driving the news this week.
- The House and Senate are scheduled to begin their sittings on Wednesday this week, with Tuesday marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
- Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon announced that Bill C-9 (hate propaganda) will be debated at second reading on Wednesday and that Thursday will be an opposition day.
- Prime Minister Carney travelled to the United Kingdom this past weekend and met with the prime ministers of the UK, Australia, Spain, Iceland and Denmark. They discussed economic opportunities and security. Carney also attended the Global Progress Action Summit in London.
- The Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program was launched by the federal government last Tuesday, with the pilot operating in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Registration will begin on October 1st. Luc Berthold (CPC) accused the public safety minister of admitting that the gun buyback program is not worth the money spent on it.
- The Canadian Union of Postal Workers launched a nation-wide strike following the federal government’s announcement that it would end daily door-to-door mail delivery.
- The Parliamentary Budget Officer Jason Jacques projects that the annual deficit will be up from last year’s $51.7 billion deficit to $68.5 billion this year. The debt-to-GDP is also no longer declining. He’ll be testifying at the Senate National Finance Committee on Wednesday.
In the House
Key Green Chamber business set to play out.
- Bill C-2, Strong Borders Act, currently sits at second reading.
- Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act, is at consideration in committee.
- Bill C-4, Making Life More Affordable for Canadians Act, is at committee.
- Bill C-8, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts, is at second reading in the House of Commons
- Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places) currently sits at second reading and will resume debate on Wednesday, October 1st.
- Bill C-10, An Act respecting the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation was introduced last week but hasn’t yet been debated at Second Reading.
- Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts was tabled by Minister of National Defence David McGuinty and at second reading.
Committee Updates
- CHPC will review the Briefing on the Implementation of the Online Streaming Act on Wednesday, October 1st and will include witnesses from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunication Commission.
- PROC will hold a review of the Report of the 45th General Election of April 28, 2025 including testimony from the Chief Electoral Officer.
- FEWO will consider the draft reports on Coercive Behaviour and Gender-Based Violence and Femicides Against Women, Girls and Gender-Diverse People.
In the Senate
Stay informed on events in the Upper Chamber.
- The Senate Government Representative Office has grown to five members after inviting former Ontario cabinet minister Senator Sandra Pupatello to be Chair of the GRO.
- Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements), is currently at consideration in committee.
Committee Updates
In Case You Missed It
Your crib notes for last week’s top stories.
- Prime Minister Carney, along with the leaders of Australia and the United Kingdom, formally recognized the State of Palestine.
- Former principal secretary David Lametti was appointed as Canada’s next ambassador to the United Nations.
- Prime Minister Carney met with Taoiseach of Ireland, Michaél Martin, on Thursday where they expressed continued support for Ukrainian sovereignty and emphasized the need for a two-state solution to secure peace in the Middle East. Both leaders highlighted the importance of Ireland’s full ratification of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by 2026.
- Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo signed a pact to deepen economic and security ties as negotiations loom on CUSMA.
- Carney attended the 80th session of UNGA last week where he announced investments to improve global children’s nutrition, address Haitian security needs, and to address transnational crime in Haiti.
- Ottawa is seeking to set limits on how the provinces can override the charter using the notwithstanding clause.
- Canada signed a free trade agreement with Indonesia which will eliminate 95% of tariffs on Canadian exports to Indonesia. Canada has also entered into a new defence cooperation agreement with Indonesia that will deepen maritime security, cyber defence and peacekeeping efforts.
- The government released a backgrounder on the reintroduction of the Military Justice System Modernization Act which will tackle four key areas in review of the National Defence Act.
Provincial Updates
A look at the top news across the country.
- Ravi Khalon, BC’s Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, says that BC will join efforts to develop “industrial strategy around national defence and sovereignty”.
- Senior leaders from the major unions are joining the BC General Employees Union strike in show of solidarity for BC public servants as the strike expands to liquor store employees.
- Finance Minister Brenda Bailey wants to get back to the table and start negotiating with BCGEU strikers. She says the conditions are being created to do so.
- After Conservative leader John Rustad won his leadership vote, public safety critic Eleanor Sturko was removed from the Conservative caucus shortly after.
- The BC forestry industry is taking heat from multiple angles, after wildfires, climate change, and attacks from Donald Trump have intensified.
- Alberta’s premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Education and Childcare Demetrios Nicolaides are looking to create a fast-track teacher training program for post-graduate students with applicable skills. It would be similar to the existing “bridge-to-teacher” program for trades and health.
- Premier Smith announced Getting it done for Albertans: A stronger Alberta. According to mandate letters issued to various ministeries, the government will seek to take action to increase Alberta’s sovereignty within Canada.
- Premier Wab Kinew of Manitoba says this year’s wildfire costs his provincie will total over $180 million.
- Western Canada will get a better deal on CLAAS combines as the heavy machinery manufacturer is moving its plant from the United States into Germany. This has been a strategic response to the recent tariffs, and the market change will largely affect Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
- The list of candidates interested in succeeding former Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie inched upwards after federal Liberal MP Yvan Baker stated he is “considering it.” Baker views housing affordability, the economy, and crime as top issues that he could address.
- The Ontario government implemented a hiring freeze across provincial agencies, effective September 27th. This comes as a response to significant growth in provincial agencies, and is an effort to be disciplined with taxpayer money.
- The Ontario government ended up with an unexpected $1.1 billion deficit instead of a $9.8 billion deficit predicted in the 2024 budget announcement, according to the public accounts.
- Delegates from the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) gathered in Gatineau over the weekend, with Premier François Legault seeking to breathe new life into his government as poll numbers continue to decline.
- Amidst the discussion around Québec’s Bill 21, an Act respecting the laicity of the state, the federal government has backed away from its inquiry on the constitutional validity of the provisions of the legislation.
- Québec has decided to scrap its forestry bill that would have divided public forests into conservation, multi-purpose or forestry zones after opposition from indigenous leaders and environmentalist groups.
- The government will spend $250,000 on an ad campaign supporting Bill-106 that will tie physicians’ compensation to performance benchmarks. The bill has seen some backlash from the medical profession, including some medical students.
- Nova Scotia Power is facing criticism from the Nova Scotia Energy Board for including insufficient information in its first monthly report on the spring cyber attack that leaked the information of potentially all 550,000 of its customers.
- The Nova Scotia government introduced the ‘Transportation Corridor Control Act’. This follows their earlier release of a transportation plan to set up priority transportation corridors across the province.
- New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt and her cabinet ministers concluded Ottawa meetings on the federal government’s list of national projects. She said that New Brunswick is ready to take on the national projects that Canada currently needs.
- Newfoundland and Labrador politicians are going back and forth on health care promises on the campaign trail. The issue is the main focus for the Liberals and the PCs, while the NDP stresses democratic reform and accountability.
- Minister MacDonald met with members of the Prince Edward Island agriculture and aquaculture industries to discuss a funding increase in AgriMarketing. Agriculture is critical for the PEI economy – and Canada’s.
What We’re Watching
Find out what issues Summa consultants are tracking and why they matter.
At last week’s All In Conference, Canada’s AI Minister Evan Solomon gave more details on what he called the government’s accelerated agenda. He highlighted three key priorities: data sovereignty, modernized privacy legislation, and AI public procurement policy.
Two days later, he launched Canada’s 26-person AI Strategy Task Force which has a 30-day mandate to craft proposals focused on AI commercialization, adoption and research. He also announced that the government will be holding public consultations beginning in October to inform the government’s new AI strategy which is expected to be unveiled before the end of the year.
While the government’s promised guardrails on AI remain unclear, what is clear is that the Liberals are prioritizing Canadian technology and innovation while trying to preserve data sovereignty. The challenge now is whether the new AI Strategy Task Force can actually produce anything concrete in a month or will its report be filled with lofty goals and good first steps.
While the recognition of Palestine as a state dominated headlines at last week’s U.N. General Assembly, climate change was also a prominent theme on the international stage. From President Donald Trump’s words warning foreign leaders that pursuing renewable energy is a path to economic ruin, to China unveiling its first concrete target to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the geopolitical dynamics of climate were on full display.
Amid this global shift, pressure is mounting here at home. Countries once seen as slow to act are now setting their sights on stronger commitments to combat climate change at the same time that Canada finds itself on track to miss its 2030 emissions reduction target.
While the Prime Minister is still early in his mandate, it is too soon to determine whether he will completely abandon the previous government’s ambitious environmental agenda. Canada’s place in the global climate conversation–and whether the Carney government intends to reclaim a leadership role remains uncertain.
With President Trump disrupting the international order and imposing arbitrary tariffs, Canada is on the hunt for economic stability. The world is still trading, so Prime Minister Carney has been actively making the rounds with global leaders.
He met with China’s Premier Li Qiang last week at the United Nations and will soon meet President Xi Jinping. There is also a choreographed series of ministerial visits planned to China and India. After that, the prime minister will travel to Korea and attend the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia at the end of October.
The recent trade and defence pacts signed with Indonesia may be the template for future agreements and could signal a fundamental shift in Canada’s economic focus.
While the renegotiation of CUSMA dominates the news cycle, new markets are being forged right now. This carries both opportunity and risk for core Canadian industrial sectors like energy, mining, manufacturing, and agriculture. They will have to balance their current business reality with the promise of long-term stability.
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