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Politics

    • PM Trudeau delivers marching orders to new ministers

    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in an announcement on early learning and child care in Northwest Territories, in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participates in an announcement on early learning and child care in Northwest Territories, in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
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    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his ministerial mandate letters Thursday, outlining how he expects his cabinet to fulfill the Liberals鈥 federal election pledge to leading the country out of the COVID-19 crisis, and into a new era of considerable change.

    The letters include emphasis on building 鈥渁 more resilient future,鈥 and prioritizing the need to address affordability, tackle the persisting threat of climate change, as well as promoting diversity and pursuing Indigenous reconciliation amid 鈥減rofound systemic inequities.鈥

    are essentially marching orders for each minister, in which the prime minister spells out his expectations and priorities, calling on his front bench to act on certain campaign and throne speech commitments.

    鈥淎s we work to finish the fight against COVID-19 and build a better Canada, our team will continue to put Canadians first and tackle the challenges of today and tomorrow,鈥 said Trudeau in a statement marking the release of the 38 letters, one for each cabinet minister.

    Among the highlights:

    • Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland seems to have the most items on her to-do list, leading with the need to ensure continued COVID-19 supports are in place while also getting down to business on the big promise of making life more affordable. No mention explicitly of inflation, debt, or deficit in her letter, though. This was quickly called out by Conservative Leader Erin O鈥橳oole.
    • Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos is being asked to work with the provinces and territories on improving the embattled public health system, the availability of long-term care, and work with Transport Minister Omar Alghabra on continued support for and enforcement of vaccine mandates.
    • Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is being asked to place human rights, the promotion of democracy and gender equity 鈥渁t the core of Canada鈥檚 foreign policy,鈥 and is being asked to work with Trudeau on improving the Canada-U.S. relationship, yet the ongoing tension with China is not mentioned at all.
    • Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller and Justice Minister David Lametti have been co-tasked with advancing supports and pursuing justice related to the continued searches of unmarked graves at former residential school sites, well as prioritizing the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
    • Minister of Housing Ahmed Hussen and Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Karina Gould will be leading the key affordability commitments of pursuing housing policy changes aimed at making it easier for more Canadians to enter the market, and implementing the nearly cross-Canada childcare deals respectively.

    Other ministers set for a busy year ahead include Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who has been tasked with moving forward on feedback-informed online harms legislation 鈥渁s soon as possible鈥 as well as reviving stalled and contentious Broadcasting Act updates, and Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault has to spell out by the end of March 2022 how Canada will meet its legislated 2030 climate goals.

    The latest batch of mandate letters comes several weeks after Trudeau named his post-election federal cabinet.

    Cabinet was sworn-in on Oct. 26, seeing Trudeau shake up his front bench, naming new ministers to key portfolios while adding in a handful of rookies. The 44th Parliament began on Nov. 22.

    鈥淢andate letters outline the objectives that each minister will work to accomplish, as well as the pressing challenges they will address in their role,鈥 reads the prime minister鈥檚 website where the letters for each minister have been posted.

    The government also made the point of noting with Thursday鈥檚 release that the letters are 鈥渘ot an exhaustive list of all files a minister would work on.鈥

    Since 2015, Trudeau has been making his mandate letters public. Following the 2019 election, ministerial mandate letters were released just under a month after the prime minister named his cabinet.

    As has been the case with past Trudeau mandate letters, each minister鈥檚 specific responsibilities are listed under an identical preamble that includes stated expectations of each member of cabinet, such as using gender-based analysis in their work, aiming to collaborate with parliamentarians of all stripes, and acting in an ethical and transparent manner.

    Hours after the mandate letters were issued, the House agreed to adjourned a day early for the holidays, meaning any future legislative priorities won鈥檛 be able to advance in earnest until Parliament resumes at the end of January.

    IN DEPTH

    Opinion

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    opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike

    When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.

    CTVNews.ca 星空传媒

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    The province's public security minister said he was "shocked" Thursday amid reports that a body believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy was found this week near a Hells Angels hideout near Quebec City.

    An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.

    Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

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    • For the last seven-and-half months, Toronto resident Heather McArthur has been living out what she describes as her 'worst nightmare.' On Feb. 7, her then three-year-old son Jacob along with his father Loc Phu 'Jay' Le departed for what was supposed to be a week-long visit to Vietnam to celebrate the Lunar New Year with family, McArthur says.

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    • A field trip aimed at educating Toronto students about the plight of a northern Ontario First Nation ended with them taking part in a protest where pro-Palestinian slogans were shouted.

    • The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.

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    • Viewers of Jeopardy got a chance to test their knowledge of trivia about B.C.'s biggest city Wednesday night.

    • Lawyers representing the producers of 'Russians at War' say they may pursue legal action against Ontario's public broadcaster for pulling support for the controversial documentary amid outcry from the Ukrainian community and some Canadian politicians.

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    Sports

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      Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), sources tell CTV News Ottawa.

    • The Winnipeg Jets have some huge holes to fill on both offence and defence this season.

    Autos

    • An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.

    • Video of a brazen daylight auto theft which shows a suspect running over a victim in a stolen luxury SUV has been released by police west of Toronto.

    Local Spotlight

    They say a dog is a man鈥檚 best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

    A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

    Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

    The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

    It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.

    A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.

    David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.

    Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.

    • Thousands of protesters are expected to march into downtown Vancouver on Friday, demanding more action from their government to address the growing climate crisis.

    • Members of the only organized support group for the Vancouver Canucks are feeling slighted after losing their usual space at Rogers Arena.

    • There have been more reports of a Bitcoin extortion scam seeking to exploit viewers of "adult content" in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, according to the RCMP.

    • The Ford government is considering restricting Ontario municipalities from installing new bike lanes that would require the removal of lanes of traffic, a source confirms to CTV News Toronto.

    • For the last seven-and-half months, Toronto resident Heather McArthur has been living out what she describes as her 'worst nightmare.' On Feb. 7, her then three-year-old son Jacob along with his father Loc Phu 'Jay' Le departed for what was supposed to be a week-long visit to Vietnam to celebrate the Lunar New Year with family, McArthur says.

    • A field trip aimed at educating Toronto students about the plight of a northern Ontario First Nation ended with them taking part in a protest where pro-Palestinian slogans were shouted.

    • Defence counsel for accused murderer John-Christopher Arrizza argues he was in an 鈥渁ltered state of mind鈥 due to days of drug and alcohol use, sleep deprivation and not eating, when he fatally stabbed a man at a Banff nightclub in 2022.

    • The Calgary Food Bank鈥檚 city-wide food drive reaches its 20-year milestone this Saturday.

    • Calgary pickleball players will soon have a dozen new courts to play on.

    • WATCH LIVE

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      Agreement in principle has been reached to build a new NHL arena at LeBreton Flats has been reached between the Ottawa Senators and the National Capital Commission (NCC), sources tell CTV News Ottawa.

    • The Ottawa Police Service Arson Unit is seeking witnesses to a fire that happened early Friday morning in a two-storey commercial building in Little Italy.

    • Police say a man, 34, who was taken to hospital in critical condition after being shot Thursday night has died.

    • The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.

    • The province's public security minister said he was "shocked" Thursday amid reports that a body believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy was found this week near a Hells Angels hideout near Quebec City.

    • A man who asserted his right to work in French has won his case before the Tribunal, invoking the new provisions of the province's French-language law (Bill 96) to that effect.

    • DEVELOPING

      DEVELOPING

      Edmonton police are warning about traffic disruptions on Friday near the headquarters of the Alberta Teachers' Association, where a protest against the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in school curricula will be taking place.

    • Mounties say there was an increased police presence in the Emerald Hills area of Sherwood Park on Friday morning as officers searched for a man who is wanted by police.

    • A mother and daughter say they woke up to flames encroaching on their third-floor apartment near Commonwealth Stadium early Friday morning.

    • A Nova Scotia woman has applied for a medically assisted death, saying after years of battling to receive out-of-country surgery for an illness that causes 'indescribable' pain, she struggles to maintain the will to live.

    • The families of some students who will be using Nova Scotia鈥檚 school lunch program can now order their meals online.

    • Gas prices increased in all three Maritime provinces for the first time in more than a month.

    • The Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) has made an arrest following a fire that claimed the lives of two people.

    • Shamattawa RCMP are searching for a missing six-year-old boy who hasn鈥檛 been seen since Wednesday morning.

    • A Winnipeg pet rescue is putting out a warning to dog owners across the city about a possible parvovirus in the province.

    • Driving into the tunnels of Nutrien's Rocanville mine, the largest potash mine in the world by production volume, feels like driving down a lonely highway in the middle of the night.

    • A tornado in Langbank, Sask. on Wednesday was the third latest in the province on record, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).

    • The second-degree murder trial of Thomas Hamp is being adjourned until December so an expert witness central to the trial can testify.

    • Levels of hydrogen sulfide gas are being monitored after a leak in Brantford Collegiate Institute鈥檚 geothermal system.

    • Guelph resident, Susan Bard, is being remembered as a vibrant community advocate and volunteer who died doing what she loved 鈥 cycling.

    • Amber and Adam Brueckner have a pool-shaped hole in their backyard 鈥 and their wallets.

    • The second-degree murder trial of Thomas Hamp is being adjourned until December so an expert witness central to the trial can testify.

    • A 69-year-old woman from Outlook, Saskatchewan is dead and three people are injured after a truck and SUV collided on Highway 15 on Thursday.

    • A gym teacher at a private Christian school in Saskatoon has been charged. Terra MacEwan, 44, is charged with assault with a weapon. A Saskatoon mother who spoke with CTV News says her autistic son was MacEwan's victim.

    • Emergency crews in northern Ontario found the bodies of four people inside a home where a fire broke out Thursday night.

    • Two people emerged unhurt after a float plane had a hard landing late Friday morning on Lake Temiskaming.

    • Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.

    • The Elgin Community Health Hub, operated by the Thames Valley Family Health Team, is accepting new patients to a model where doctors are rarely seen.

    • Members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and supportetrs greatly outnumbered the people attending a '1 Million March 4 Children' event along Central Avenue.

    • Today, the 71 year old is marking 50 years a paramedic. He said he never aspired to move into management or a desk job, he enjoys being on the road, helping patients too much.

    • Two men from Barrie have been charged after a deadly shooting at a park in Keswick on Wednesday.

    • Police are investigating after they say several firearms and other valuables were stolen from a home in Tiny Township.

    • The Barrie Transit Field Trip Pass Program offers free elementary and high school transportation for students and teachers, removing the hassle of booking charter buses and managing the costs.

    • Windsor police say a 25-year-old mother has been charged with the drowning death of her 5-year-old child in the family鈥檚 backyard pool.

    • On Thursday, just after 9:30 a.m., a man was found and taken to police headquarters, where he was released with conditions and a future court date.

    • The Municipality of Lakeshore is honouring long-serving members of the Lakeshore Fire Department.

    • In a rare move, the Greater Victoria School District Board of Education has been slapped with a ministerial order from the province requiring it to update a student safety plan 鈥 drawing concern around political posturing leading up to an election.

    • Getting a bed at one of British Columbia's drug detoxification facilities is like winning the lottery, the vice-president on the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council says.

    • The Union of B.C. Municipalities is asking the provincial government to make transit free for teenagers.

    • A pair of runaway pigs are in the custody of an animal sanctuary in the Okanagan after evading police and volunteers for hours earlier this week.

    • The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.

    • Animal protection officers in British Columbia have rescued three pit bulls 鈥 including one that gave birth to 10 puppies 鈥 from a rat-infested home in Kelowna.

    • A Vulcan, Alta., man has been charged with a Lethbridge woman's murder after her body was found in the Oyen area.

    • A Lethbridge couple got a good reminder as to why you should keep your vehicle doors locked at all times.

    • Lethbridge residents who live near the police range can expect to hear plenty of shots fired Wednesday and Thursday.

    • A new community health profile in the Algoma District shows the area is significantly below provincial averages in a number of health metrics.

    • North Bay Police Service says one person has died following an industrial accident at the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission Rail Yard on Tuesday.

    • Three northern Ontario residents are charged with drug trafficking after the vehicle they were in got stuck along a bush road off Highway 17 on Monday.

    N.L.

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