PM heads to Asia, Budget Spending Preview, and Change on the Rock
Your Look Ahead from Summa Strategies
- 7 minute read
The Latest
Top stories driving the news this week.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea, to deepen trade relationships in the Indo-Pacific region, shore up defence partnerships, and pursue new investment opportunities for the Canadian private sector. Carney will leave Friday and return November 1, 2025.
- Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand was in Beijing, China this past weekend, meeting with her counterpart, Wang Yi, to lay the groundwork for a future meeting between Carney and President Xi Jinping. Topics discussed included ongoing trade disputes regarding canola and electric vehicles.
- Prior to travelling to China, Anand met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last Monday where she announced the next day that India will permit a full cohort of Canadian diplomats to return.
- Following Anand’s visit, Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Patnaik urged Canada to pursue a comprehensive trade and investment agreement with New Delhi. Patnaik also urged Canadian businesses to increase trade and investment ties without waiting for government officials to sign an agreement.
- As a preview for the upcoming federal budget on November 4, the Carney government announced last Thursday its plans to hire an extra 1,000 Royal Canadian Mounted Police personnel, including 150 staffers who will focus on money laundering, organized crime and online fraud.
- The following day, the government announced plans to hire 1,000 more Canada Border Services Agency officers.
- Francois-Philippe Champagne told Bloomberg News that the upcoming federal budget will aim to “crowd in” private investment while exercising “fiscal discipline.”
- Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is alleging that the RCMP covered up scandals involving former prime minister Justin Trudeau that could have led to criminal charges.
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 (2025), currently sits at report stage.
- Bill C-4, Making Life More Affordable for Canadians Act is currently under consideration at committee.
- Bill C-8, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts, is currently under consideration at committee.
- Bill C-9, Combatting Hate Act (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places), is currently under consideration at committee.
- Bill C-10, An Act respecting the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation, currently sits at second reading.
- Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts, is currently under consideration at committee.
- Bill C-12, Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act, currently sits at second reading.
Committee Updates
- FINA will have Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, and Julie Dabrusin, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, appear today.
- CHPC will have Marie-Philippe Bouchard, President and Chief Executive Officer of the CBC, appear today.
- CIIT will continue its ongoing study of the CUSMA review today.
- INDU will have executives from Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and Deloitte appear for the committee’s study on productivity today.
- RNNR will have Canadian National Railway Company executives and other stakeholders appear for the committee’s ongoing study on critical minerals development today.
- ACVA will have Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs, appear Tuesday.
- NDDN will have Defence Minister David McGuinty appearing for two hours on the topic of the Main and Supplementary (A) Estimates on Tuesday.
- OGGO will have Alex Jeglic, Procurement Ombud, appear Tuesday.
- HUMA will continue its study on Youth Unemployment on Tuesday.
- TRAN will have B.C. MLA Harman Bhangu, Ontario Auditor General Shelley Spence, and other Trucking stakeholders appear for their ongoing study on the changing landscape of truck drivers in Canada on Tuesday.
- CHPC will have Meta Platform’s public policy leaders appear for the committee’s ongoing study on artificial intelligence’s effect on the creative industries on Wednesday.
- INDU will have aerospace stakeholders appear for the committee’s other ongoing study on defence industrial strategy on Wednesday.
- ENVI will have Alberta Premier Danielle Smith appear for the study on Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan on Thursday.
- SECU – will have Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, and Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State (Combatting Crime), appear for the committee’s ongoing study on Canada-United States Border Management on Thursday.
In the Senate
Stay informed on events in the Upper Chamber.
- Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Indian Act (new registration entitlements), is currently under consideration at committee.
- Bill S-201, National Framework on Sickle Cell Disease Act, is currently under consideration at committee.
- Bill S-202, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (warning label on alcoholic beverages), is currently under consideration in committee.
- Bill S-203, Alcoholic Beverage Promotion Prohibition Act, currently sits at second reading.
- Bill S-209, An Act to restrict young persons’ online access to pornographic material is currently under consideration at committee.
- Bill S-211, An Act respecting a national framework on sports betting advertising, currently sits at third reading.
- Bill S-212, An Act respecting a national strategy for children and youth in Canada, is currently under consideration at committee.
Committee Updates
- SECD will have Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, appear today.
- RIDR will host four panels for their study on antisemitism in Canada, today.
- TRCM will have Marie-Philippe Bouchard, President and Chief Executive Officer of the CBC, appear on Tuesday.
- LCJC will have Jeanette Patell from Google Canada and law professor Michael Geist appear for the committee’s study on Bill S-209 on Wednesday.
- BANC will continue its study on Canada’s housing crisis on Wednesday.
In Case You Missed It
Your crib notes for last week’s top stories.
- Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, says the central bank will be “humble” in its return to formal economic forecasting amid trade uncertainty. He also stated he sees “slow growth” and a “soft job market” ahead of the bank’s next rate decision on October 29.
- Minister of Canada-U.S. Trade Dominic LeBlanc, Privy Council Clerk Michael Sabia, and other officials were in Washington D.C. last week to continue high level trade talks with U.S. officials following the prime minister’s visit to the White House two weeks ago.
- Carney briefed Ontario Premier Doug Ford last Thursday on Canada’s trade negotiations with the United States, covering several sectors, including energy, aluminum and steel.
- Energy Minister Tim Hodgson stated the federal government is unlikely to object to the Trump administration’s investments in Trilogy Metals Inc. and Lithium Americas Corp, two Vancouver-based mining companies. The United States government announced the investments last week.
- The federal government is threatening legal action against Stellantis following the global car giant’s announcement to shift manufacturing of the Jeep Compass model from its Brampton, Ontario plant to Illinois.
Provincial Updates
A look at the top news across the country.
- Premier David Eby will not enact additional retaliatory measures against the U.S. after the Trump administration recently placed additional tariffs on softwood lumber. Eby did say his government would continue current countermeasures.
- The BCGEU agreed to enter non-binding mediation with the province in an effort to end the ongoing strike. The strike is now in its seventh week and involves about 25,000 workers. This comes after all B.C. Professional Employees Association members joined.
- The B.C. government announced their intention to open over 900 new licensed affordable child care spaces in the province this fall, as $34 million will be provided to non-profit organizations, local and Indigenous governments with the intention to create these spaces.
- Alberta teachers rejected the provincial government’s demand to end their strike and enter mediation, escalating tensions in contract negotiations. The standoff highlights deep division over salaries and working conditions.
- The federal government awarded Saskatchewan $69.5 million to fund infrastructure projects in the province. A total of 766 communities across the province are slated to receive funding in 2025-2026.
- Premier Wab Kinew tabled Bill 50, The Constitutional Questions Amendment Act, on Thursday, in an effort to make it harder for future provincial governments to use Section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, also known as the notwithstanding clause.
- Premier Doug Ford stated that his government would not give Stellantis “a penny” amidst the recent announcement that the global car giant would shift its Jeep Compass model production from Ontario to Illinois.
- Ontario Labour Minister David Piccini is set to introduce a new bill in the coming week that will make it easier for health care professionals to work in the province. The bill will allow 16 new health professions to work “as of right” while they register with the province’s regulatory college.
- Québec’s Justice Minister, Simon Join-Barrette, is indicating openness to general public consultation on a recently tabled draft provincial constitution. The draft would formally assert the province’s distinct autonomy and secular values, but may overstep federal authority.
- A major electric vehicle battery supply chain expansion project in Bécancour was indefinitely paused as a nickel sulfate plant meant to supply it was cancelled.
- The federal government announced Wednesday it will provide $52 million to the Québec government to improve access to health services to English Anglophone minority communities in the province.
- After a decade of Liberal rule in Newfoundland, the Progressive Conservatives won a majority government with 21 seats and a popular vote of 43.5% last Tuesday. The Premier-designate is Tony Wakeham, whose party made significant promises on health care and public safety.
- New Brunswick issued 522 invitations under a new round of the Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) to bring in skilled labour open to all sectors, with a target for healthcare, education, social services and construction.
- Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton University is suffering from a drop in enrollment numbers, leading to the cancellation of university programs and job losses.
What We’re Watching
Find out what issues Summa consultants are tracking and why they matter.
As the Liberals enter the final two weeks before the Budget drops, Prime Minister Mark Carney will continue to preview big ticket items to ensure they have their time on the airwaves. So far, many of the measures have been security-centric: the government will invest $1.8B over four years to increase federal policing capacity and is hiring 1,000 more CBSA officers with a price tag of $617.7M. The Liberals need at least three non-Liberals to support the Budget or sufficient abstentions from opposition MPs. While the Bloc has outlined 18 specific demands and signalled the unlikelihood of their support, the underresourced, seven-person NDP caucus has affirmed three priority areas: investments in health care, affordable non-market housing and projects that create unionized jobs.
Canada is edging toward deeper economic engagement with Gulf Arab States. Last week, AI Minister Evan Solomon’s visits to the UAE and Qatar produced a UAE memorandum on collaboration in AI and digital infrastructure, including investment facilitation and responsible deployment, and a Canada–Qatar joint statement that sets a path to a formal MOU. At the Gaza peace summit in Egypt, Prime Minister Mark Carney advanced trade conversations with the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, following a June visit to Ottawa from the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister. With Gulf capital in western AI and data infrastructure accelerating, and the Carney government seeking to grow Canadian AI and digital infrastructure, expect deeper engagement with well-capitalized governments and sovereign wealth funds as Ottawa scales its AI push.
The Progressive Conservatives returned to power in Newfoundland and Labrador last week after a decade of Liberal government. Premier-designate Tony Wakeham led a disciplined campaign that focused on crime, healthcare, and affordability. Like their federal counterparts, the PCs capitalized on cost-of-living anxieties that remain top of mind for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Liberal leader John Hogan faced a challenge similar to the Prime Minister’s: becoming singularly focused on one issue (Churchill Falls for Hogan, tariffs for Carney) which allowed opponents to own the affordability message. The federal Liberals should take note. With affordability now surpassing tariffs as Canadians’ top concern, the upcoming federal budget is a critical chance to show voters that the government is listening.
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