Welcome back to our weekly roundup and analysis of the news. Hopefully you were able to take a break from the relentless news cycle during your time away from class. And if you did and worry you missed something big, don’t fret: we never take a break here at Nature Labs! So, let’s dive into everything you might have missed while catching up on sleep.
Canada’s New Prime Minister
By now you’ve heard the news: Canada has a new prime minister, Mark Carney.
Liberal leadership race: Mark Carney elected in landslide to be next prime minister
Mark Carney steps into an unprecedented moment
As we discussed in our video lesson detailing party leadership races (and in our video at the start of this week), in Canada’s system of governance, a new prime minister can be sworn in without having to first face the electorate. Mark Carney joins the likes of Paul Martin, Kim Campbell and John Turner in being sworn-in as prime minister by winning the race to replace the outgoing leader of the governing party.
Of course, like those before him, Mark Carney doesn’t receive a fresh mandate to govern just because he’s a newly minted prime minister. The length of time the governing party has been in power still dictates when the next election must be held. In this case, Canada must go to the polls by fall 2025. But seeing as the federal Liberals don’t have a majority government, opposition parties collectively can choose to bring down the new Carney-led government as soon as Parliament reconvenes after prorogation expires on March 24th.
And then there’s this: Mark Carney might not want the opposition to control when the next election will be called. Our new prime minister, in other words, might choose to bring down his own government in the coming days, seeking a mandate from the public immediately.
All of which is to say, though our system is often misunderstood, Mark Carney’s swearing-in as Canada’s 24th prime minister was perfectly normal, legal and democratic.
The End of the Carbon Tax (Sort Of)
Again, we covered this at the start of the week, but it’s worth repeating: One of Mark Carney’s first acts as prime minister was to end the consumer carbon tax (the tax we all pay when buying, say, gasoline). Sort of.
Carney cuts carbon tax rate to zero, neutralizing unpopular policy before possible campaign
Unlike the US, where President Trump can sign executive orders to create or scrap laws, our prime ministers lack the power to make unilateral policy decisions. Without reconvening Parliament (an impossibility at the moment if the goal is to make legislative change without bringing down the government), Mark Carney alone can’t scrap the carbon tax legislation.
That said, our prime ministers do have other powers, like changing regulations. In this case, when Carney signed his order, it was to reduce the carbon tax to zero, killing the policy in all but name.
That sounds confusing! So, let’s recap:
Is the carbon tax still active legislation? Yes, technically, but only in name. No tax can be collected when the tax rate is set to 0%. And given the current political climate, that number will remain at zero, with the legislation likely to be fully repealed when Parliament reconvenes after the next election, no matter who forms government.
Now, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has gone a step further, pledging to scrap the carbon tax on industrial emitters (the tax paid by companies when they pollute). Poilievre’s thesis is that in taxing industry, the cost will just be transferred to the consumer, who, at an economically uncertain time, can’t afford the added cost. Poilievre also argues we can’t afford to make doing business in Canada more expensive, given the uncertainty caused by the trade war with America.
Pierre Poilievre vows to scrap industrial carbon tax if he becomes PM
Thus far, Mark Carney and the Liberals haven’t wavered on the industrial carbon tax, but if the Conservative promise proves popular, never doubt a political party shifting gears, especially during what many believe will be a close election.
338 Sunday Update: A Stunning Reversal—The Conservative Lead is Gone
And while both candidates pay lip-service to environmental policies, some worry Canada is abandoning their climate goals. In fact, some worry Canada (and its provinces) won’t be able to juggle multiple problems at once, forcing the nation to choose between economic and environmental sustainability.
Rob Shaw: David Eby’s green goals at odds with his plan to fast-track B.C. mines
Trump is coming: quick, build a pipeline!
Canada is opening the floodgates on one of Earth’s greatest living reservoirs of CO2
Right! The Environment!
In the few weeks since we spoke last? Yeah, things haven’t improved.
Scientists brought to tears by huge loss of U.S. butterflies
What climate vulnerability actually looks like
And given that the world is becoming more complicated by the day, some are arguing we must choose between acting on the climate and biodiversity:
Biodiversity Crusades Are Stalling the Fight Against Climate Change
Of course, it’s not like the two issues aren’t interlinked, as you well know. Is there a path forward to address both problems? Well, if there is, a fresh study suggests science needs to overcome a serious bias:
Echoing that study, is this newly released study:
What should we do? Well, that’s up to you to decide. Just remember, if we pick and choose the issues we want tackle, there is no get-out-of-jail free card if we change our mind:
National Unity in the Balance
We keep bringing this issue up because it matters.
Are Canadians united right now in the face of a trade war with America? Yes.
But maybe not for long:
The research your teacher Shachi Kurl highlighted above speaks directly to the diverging views on how – and for how long – we can or should respond to the American threats:
Canada could restrict its oil exports to U.S. if Trump trade war escalates
Alberta leads Canada in opposition for retaliatory tariffs in U.S. trade war
In other words, what we do next, as a nation, will likely decide our fate as a nation. It’s a critical moment, and we must make good decisions for all Canadians.
Opinion | Trump’s tariffs have launched a rare moment of Canadian consensus. We shouldn’t waste it
The Threat is Real
During your March Break, relations with America continued to deteriorate. Why? Well, here are two takes – one Canadian, one American.
Donald Trump is trying to destroy Canada
Blame Canada: Our warmongering, drugged-out conspiracy theory
How did we get here?
How Trump’s ‘51st State’ Canada Talk Came to Be Seen as Deadly Serious
If the annexation threats are real, then we need to realize our conflict with America won’t end with the trade war:
Tariffs are only the start: we must buckle down for years of conflict with the U.S.
For the reasons argued above, understand this:
Trump’s lies are like ‘psychological warfare,’ say political experts
And in a world of lies and misinformation, where does that leave us as a nation? Well, according to journalist Kevin Newman, in a precarious place with no real answers:
Canada’s greatest vulnerability is disinformation, and we have no defence for it
The King
Many of you are asking, with Canada’s sovereignty threatened, where’s our head of state when we need him? Well, for starters, we need to better understand what the King can and cannot do – and who truly deserves our scorn:
No, King Charles shouldn’t leap to Canada’s defence against Trump
And the British prime minister, even after meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney this week, still appears unwilling to stand up for Canada:
As Trump attacks Canada, Downing Street sticks to the sidelines
What is a Critical Mineral?
You’ve probably heard that critical minerals are at the heart of the global trade war and numerous military conflicts the world over. But what are critical minerals, and why do they matter to the future of work – the future of technological innovation?
The global race for critical minerals is on. Here’s why they’re the lifeblood of the new tech era
What critical minerals do we have in Canada? Well, here are two examples:
Northwestern Ontario’s Ring of Fire central in U.S.-Canada trade war: experts
What is potash and why is the U.S. dependent on Canada for it?
And what role will critical minerals play in our fight with the US? Here’s one take:
Why critical minerals are a bargaining chip in the Canada-U.S. trade war
While accessing Canada’s critical minerals might be one justification for America’s actions, the resource is equally a tool Canada can use to strengthen relations with other nations. Just remember, in Canada, our constitution still underpins the rule of law – and that, of course, means elected officials alone can’t decide how and when we utilize our natural advantage:
At PDAC, a discussion of Indigenous voices in critical minerals
One Final Thought
The choices we face as a country – as a world – aren’t getting any easier. It’s why, against this backdrop, we need to be sure that seemingly insignificant decisions don’t make our bigger problems worse. After all, even when our intentions are good, if we don’t take the time to reflect on the choices we make, we might be surprised at the harm we do.
Now you’re up to speed! We’ll be in touch again when Canada’s federal election is called.