Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …
U.S. not meddling in Canadian politics: Hoekstra
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra is downplaying concerns that America’s new national security strategy could lead to his government supporting politically aligned parties in Canada.
While Hoekstra says he doesn’t see the U.S. getting involved in domestic politics, he accuses Ontario of doing just that by running an ad on American TV networks quoting the late Ronald Reagan attacking tariffs.
In a wide-ranging year-end interview with The Canadian Press, Trump’s representative in Canada says the language in the national security document could be interpreted “broadly.”
But critics have warned that the new strategy could be a blueprint for American interference in Canada’s domestic affairs.
The national security strategy says the U.S. government will “reward and encourage” governments, political parties and movements “broadly aligned” with its principles and strategy.
Half of Canadians want a new pipeline: poll
Half of Canadians are in favour of building a new bitumen pipeline between Alberta and B.C., while fewer than one in five outright oppose it, a new poll suggests.
The Leger poll, which was conducted online and can’t be assigned a margin of error, suggests support is particularly strong in Alberta and among men, older Canadians and Conservative voters.
Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a memorandum of understanding last month with the Alberta government that sets out an agreement to work toward the approval of a pipeline project.
The Leger poll asked 1,548 Canadians between Dec. 5 and Dec. 7 if they personally support or oppose the idea of a privately financed bitumen pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast. The pipeline is intended to expand Canada’s access to energy markets outside North America.
Alberta legislature passes Charter override bill
Alberta’s governing United Conservatives stayed up until the early hours of this morning to pass a bill making it the fourth time they have used the Charter’s notwithstanding clause.
Members of Premier Danielle Smith’s caucus used their majority to pass on third and final reading a bill affecting transgender citizens.
The UCP members pounded their desks and shouted “Hear, hear!” after the vote, while the members of the Opposition NDP — who voted against the bill — shook their heads.
The bill confirms the government’s intention to use the notwithstanding clause to shield from legal challenge each of three current laws affecting transgender people.
The set of three laws will police names and pronouns in school, ban transgender girls from participating in amateur female sports, and restrict gender-affirming health care for youth under 16.
Murder suspect had intimate violence risk factors
A confidential document that is used by police to assess risk in intimate partner violence cases lists a range of considerations to help determine if a suspect should be held in custody, should legal justification exist.
Have they engaged in threats? Has violence involved choking or strangulation? Have they discussed or attempted suicide?
Every one of those factors — associated with an “increased severity of future violence” and marked with a stick-of-dynamite logo on the police document — were met by James Plover, according to evidence at a trial in Kelowna, B.C., where he was convicted of choking and uttering threats on July 4.
Yet he was released on $500 bail. Less than three hours later, police found Plover’s estranged wife, Bailey McCourt, fatally injured in a hammer attack in a parking lot about four kilometres from the courthouse. The next day, Plover was arrested and charged with her murder.
Veteran Manitoba politician won’t seek re-election
A longtime Manitoba politician who served briefly as premier has announced he will not run in the next election.
Kelvin Goertzen says announcing his decision now gives the Progressive Conservatives, and anyone interested in replacing him, time to plan before the vote.
The 56-year-old Goertzen has represented the Steinbach constituency, southeast of Winnipeg, since 2003 and says he will stay on until the election is called.
When the Tories were in power between 2016 and 2023, Goertzen held senior cabinet portfolios including health, education, justice and deputy premier.
When Premier Brian Pallister resigned in 2021, Goertzen was chosen by the Tory caucus as interim party leader and premier, serving for two months until party members elected Heather Stefanson.
Air Transat averts pilot strike with deal
Air Transat passengers breathed a sigh of relief Tuesday evening after the company reached a tentative deal with its pilot union, narrowly avoiding a strike on the cusp of the holiday travel period.
Transat A.T. Inc., which owns the leisure airline, found common ground with the Air Line Pilots Association just eight hours before the union’s strike deadline. The travel company immediately sought to start ramping up sun flights after cancelling at least 18 trips scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday in a precautionary move that affected thousands of travellers.
Neither the company nor the union representing some 750 Air Transat pilots released details of the tentative agreement, which the membership will vote on in the coming days.
Transat CEO Annick Guérard said the airline would have “greatly preferred” to avoid the threat of a work stoppage.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2025
The Canadian Press
