In the News

Is Afghanistan in danger of becoming Canada's forgotten war? Parliament is struggling with a bill that would designate the 13-year conflict — where more than 40,000 Canadians served — as a war. The prime minister's Veterans' Week statement mentions the tragedy in Wainwright and service in the first Gulf War, but not Afghanistan. And an increasing number of veterans say the war and understanding what happened is now slipping from the national conscience.

After facing searing criticism this spring, the Liberal government's hot-button lawful access legislation — which would make it easier for Canadian police and intelligence officials to tap private communications — now begins its time before a Senate committee.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has called byelections for a total of six ridings located in Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec that will give the Liberals a chance to strengthen their thin majority in the House of Commons.

Protesters propped up cardboard tombstones Saturday morning as part of a 'die-in' held over the federal government's pesticide regulations — specifically, a pair of recent bills they say roll back regulatory measures.

Sports betting businesses in Ontario, Alberta and eventually Quebec could soon be limited by a Senate bill seeking to restrict sports betting ads across Canada based on findings of increased addiction and gambling-related harms and suicides in Ontario, which reached committee on Wednesday.

Regular question period viewers got a little more than the usual "yada, yada, yada" on Thursday as Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Government House leader Steven MacKinnon traded Seinfeld-related jabs.

Pamela Wallin, who used to be a journalist, has quit her job as a senator. This is a bit of a surprise because she still had a few years left before she was planning to retire.

A new government plan to help big building projects move faster just passed its first test in Parliament. Both the Liberals and Conservatives agreed to send the bill to a special group to study it more closely. This matters because it could make it easier and quicker to build things like new roads or power plants in the future.

A government member wants to add more rules to a new law. This law is meant to quickly build things like pipelines and mines. The member thinks more rules are needed to make sure these projects are done safely and responsibly.

A politician running for office in Michigan wants the U.S. to stop fighting a trade war with Canada. He thinks Canada is a friend, not an enemy, and ending the trade war would be good for everyone.

Senator Richard Martel, who represents Quebec, has rejoined the Conservative Party. This means he is now officially part of the the Conservative group in the Senate again.

Parliament is starting up again, and Prime Minister Mark Carney told his fellow politicians it's a really important time for Canada. He wants everyone to know that the next few months in government will be very significant for the country.

When Parliament started back up, the government introduced a new law about big construction projects. There was also a very loud and lively question period where politicians debated important issues. This shows that the government is moving forward with its plans, but also that there will be a lot of debate and disagreement among politicians.

The leader of the B.C. Conservative Party, Kerry-Lynne Findlay, has quit her job. This happened while many other politicians from her party were also leaving, and there's talk that an election might happen very soon. It matters because the party is losing a lot of people right before a possible election.

Lawmakers are returning to Ottawa to start working again after their summer break. They will be discussing important issues that affect everyone in Canada. Keep an eye out for what they decide on.

Prime Minister Carney told his team that they need to focus on lowering prices for people and protecting Canada's independence. He admitted that some of these plans are just starting.

Some Conservative politicians are unhappy with their leader, Pierre Poilievre. However, they probably won't replace him soon because most don't want to pick a new leader right now.

When Prime Minister Mark Carney was about to speak in Europe, a German politician started yelling "U.S.A.!" at him. This was unusual because Carney is Canadian and was speaking to European leaders, not American ones.

Prime Minister Carney wants Canada to join a European program called Erasmus+. This program lets students study in different countries, and joining it would give Canadian students more chances to learn abroad.

Prime Minister Mark Carney gave a speech to European leaders. He talked about important issues facing Canada and Europe. This matters because it shows Canada's role on the world stage and how we work with other countries.

The Conservative Party is meeting in British Columbia to decide what they'll focus on when Parliament starts again. They want to make sure their ideas are heard, especially since many people are worried about the trade dispute with the U.S.

Prime Minister Carney is speaking to European leaders this week. They are very interested in what he has to say because they want to work more closely with Canada. This is especially true now that the U.S. is putting pressure on them, and they want to protect their own countries.

The European Parliament is opening an office in Ottawa, Canada. This is happening because Prime Minister Mark Carney wants Canada to work more closely with the European Union. It means Canada and Europe are trying to become better partners.

Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, wants to talk with the European Union about a special partnership. He's not looking for Canada to join the EU, but rather to create a unique way for them to work together. This matters because it could change how Canada and Europe do business and cooperate on important issues.

Prime Minister Carney and his team are meeting to plan their year. They have big challenges ahead, like a growing trade fight with the U.S. and Alberta possibly voting to leave Canada. These issues will make the upcoming political year very difficult.

It's now taking almost three years to get a Canadian citizenship certificate. This is because a new law made it easier for people with Canadian family history to apply, and a lot more people are now applying than before.

The NDP leader says the government is helping big businesses too much during the trade war. He thinks they're not paying enough attention to what regular Canadians need.

A politician named Lori Idlout broke the rules about avoiding conflicts of interest. However, the person who looked into it said she shouldn't be punished. This means she did something wrong, but it wasn't serious enough for her to get in trouble.

Prime Minister Mark Carney will give a speech to European leaders next month. He'll be talking to the European Parliament in France. This is important because it's a chance for Canada to share its ideas and build relationships with countries in Europe.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre wants Prime Minister Mark Carney to bring Parliament back together. Poilievre wants to get more information about a U.S. trade deal Carney rejected and understand how his plans to respond will affect Canadians.

Canadian politicians are going to check how Canada screens people for sensitive jobs. This is happening because a Canadian intern at NATO is accused of spying. They want to make sure Canada's security checks are strong enough to prevent future problems.

A Liberal MP, Shaun Chen, is resigning from his job. After his announcement, some people online claimed he voted on bills in Parliament while he was actually in China. However, his travel documents prove these claims are false, showing he followed the rules.

Many Canadians want the U.S. Ambassador to be sent home. They've signed a petition asking the government to kick him out of the country. This matters because it shows some people are unhappy with the U.S. representative in Canada.

A Member of Parliament from New Brunswick recently received a pay raise. The House of Commons explained that they had to give him the raise, and he couldn't refuse it even if he wanted to.

A politician named Larry Brock is leaving his job as a Member of Parliament next month. He's taking a new job working for the government in Brantford. This means there will be an empty spot in Parliament, and people in his area will need to vote for someone new.

The Green Party is looking for a new leader, and two people have put their names forward so far. One of them is Mike Morrice, who used to be a Member of Parliament. This is important because the new leader will help decide what the Green Party stands for and how they will try to win votes in the future.

The federal government is starting the process to officially call Alberta's proposed West Coast oil pipeline a "national interest project." This means they see the pipeline as very important for the whole country. This step could help make it easier for the pipeline to get built.

During the pandemic, politicians started working and voting from home. Now, six years later, they can't agree if they should keep these "hybrid" rules or go back to everyone being in person.

A senator from Saskatchewan named Todd Lewis has passed away. He was known for always speaking up for farmers and people living in the countryside. His work was important for making sure these voices were heard in government.

The Liberal party stopped a House of Commons committee from reviewing the deal for the Gordie Howe bridge. Opposition politicians wanted this review to get more transparency and details about how the deal was made.

Richard Martel, who used to be a Conservative Member of Parliament, has been appointed to the Senate. This is quite rare because a Prime Minister from a different political party recommended him for the position.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has started to make his own changes to the Senate by appointing new members and adjusting some old rules. These changes suggest the Senate might become more political and divided, similar to how it was in the past.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has appointed two new people to the Senate. One is a top adviser to him, and the other is a Conservative Member of Parliament. He's doing this to bring back more political voices to the Senate, which hasn't had many recently.

Pierre Poilievre has asked Parliament to investigate a B.C. program that might help buy 2,200 empty condos. He believes this program is a "condo bailout" for developers and investors, which stops housing prices from becoming more affordable for everyday people.

Many Liberal politicians are heading to the Calgary Stampede this year, more than usual. They are going because an important vote (a referendum) is coming up in Alberta, and local Liberal politicians want to show their party's presence.

A Michigan Senate candidate, Mallory McMorrow, has released an ad accusing Donald Trump of preventing the new Gordie Howe International Bridge from opening. She suggests he's doing this to benefit one of his major political donors. This accusation is a key part of her campaign message against corruption.

A lawyer named Claire Seaborn wants to become a politician for the Liberal party. She used to work for a government minister and now hopes to represent the Beaches-East York area. This means she's trying to get her name on the ballot for the next election.

Politicians are done working in Ottawa until the fall. They passed 21 new laws this year, which the Liberal government thinks is a good amount of work. Now they get a break for the summer.

Canada is bringing in a new law that will take away the military's power to handle its own sexual assault cases. This big change, after almost 30 years, aims to better address sexual misconduct within the armed forces, following a special recommendation.

A Senate committee says the CBC needs to provide more local news. This is because many local news outlets have closed, leaving some areas without much news about their own communities. It matters because people need to know what's happening where they live.