Hello, welcome to Politics Insider. Let’s look at what happened this week.
The economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.3 per cent in the second quarter, following an upwardly revised 0.3 per cent in the first quarter, according to Statscan.Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Canada’s economy rebounded sharply in the second quarter after six months of virtually no growth, aided by strong jump in exports and solid domestic demand, data showed today.
The economy grew at an annualized rate of 3.3 per cent in the second quarter, following an upwardly revised 0.3 per cent in the first quarter, Statistics Canada said.
With the first quarter revision, previously a slight contraction, Canada was not in a technical recession, which is usually two consecutive quarters of contraction.
Healthy domestic demand, led by consumer spending and business investments, signals the economy is slowly brushing off the impacts of more than 18 months of U.S. tariffs that upended North American supply chains and increased costs.
In other news, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says at least 32 Canadians and permanent residents remain missing after a devastating flood and mudslide tore through the Himalayan border between Nepal and Tibet earlier this week.
Nepalese authorities have confirmed 579 people were killed because of the catastrophe.
Temur Durrani reports that a total of 1,924 individuals remain missing, of which 517 are foreign nationals, according to Anand, who spoke at a press conference today. No Canadians have been identified among those confirmed dead, she said.
Anand said five consular officials have arrived in the region to support Canadians.
What else is going on
Police investigating possible arson after car fires outside the home of Toronto Liberal MP: Speaking to reporters outside her home, Salma Zahid said the fires have made her concerned for her family’s safety. Police have not said whether they believe the alleged attack was targeted.
Jewish public servants face disproportionately high levels of discrimination at work, survey finds: Some Jewish community leaders say the survey confirms anecdotal reports they’ve heard about rising antisemitism within the public service.
B.C. Conservatives lose sixth MLA this month: Bruce Banman, who gave the B.C. Conservatives official party status in the British Columbia legislature when he crossed the floor in 2023, has joined the rush out of the party’s caucus to sit as an Independent.
Edmonton-born father back in Canada after nine months in ICE custody: Curtis Wright, 40, is home after, he said, enduring terrible conditions at different U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities in Texas after he was taken into custody.
On our radar
Prime Minister’s Week: Mark Carney did not have any public events today, but spoke with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen about issues including priorities in the Arctic. Earlier in the week, on Monday, Carney appeared with Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette in Lévis, across the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City, to announce that the federal government will invest more than $11-billion to build six new program icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard in partnership with Chantier Davie Canada Inc. The ships are to be built at the Davie Shipyard in Lévis. Carney also participated with French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a virtual meeting on Ukraine co-hosted by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, and United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham. The same day, Carney spoke individually with Merz.
Party Leaders: On Monday, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, held a news conference in Montreal on proposals for dealing with the trade dispute with the United States. Today, he held a news conference in Chicoutimi with the Bloc candidate in the Chicoutimi–Le Fjord by-election. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a news conference in Windsor on Tuesday. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May was in North Vancouver this week, campaigning with the party’s candidate in the North Vancouver-Capilano by-election. She also marked her 20th anniversary as Green Party leader with an event Wednesday in North Vancouver. NDP Leader Avi Lewis was also campaigning with his party’s candidate in North Vancouver-Capilano this week.
Ministers on the Road:
Today, in Toronto, Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon, announced a $195-million investment in Xanadu Quantum Technologies Ltd.
In Ontario’s Nipigon Bay, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin and Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu, with Ontario Environment Minister Todd McCarthy, today marked the official removal of the bay from a list of the most polluted locations in the Great Lakes following decades of cleanup work.
In Vancouver, on Thursday, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly announced that Canada has poached leading scientists and researchers from the U.S. with new Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada, as well as investments to recruit top researchers and strengthen British Columbia’s life sciences sector. On Wednesday, in Calgary, Joly announced an investment in the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network to strengthen Canada’s agrifood sector.
On Thursday, in the coastal Newfoundland and Labrador town of St. Lawrence, Justice Minister Sean Fraser, also responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, announced a $10-million investment to advance efforts by NordSpace’s Atlantic Spaceport Complex to host Canada’s first commercial space launch vehicles.
On Monday, Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller, in Montreal, announced $1.2-million in funding for the Théâtre Jean-Duceppe, a theatrical company founded in 1973, to support the modernization of its venues. The non-profit company creates and presents contemporary theatre performances in Montreal and throughout Quebec.
Also Monday, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne held a roundtable in Montreal as part of the 2026 pre-budget consultations. On Wednesday and Thursday, Champagne hosted Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s minister of finance and corporate affairs, in Toronto.
In Prince George, B.C. on Tuesday, Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson, hosted by Chief Dolleen Logan, on behalf of Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, announced a construction contract of over $38-million to build the Upper Fraser River Salmon Conservation Hatchery.
In Prince Rupert, B.C., on Wednesday, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon announced $23.5-million for infrastructure for six airports in British Columbia, including the rehabilitation of airfield lighting, and improving airfield pavement.
GG in Newfoundland and Labrador: Louise Arbour is scheduled to visit the province from Sept. 8 to 12 in her first official visit within Canada as governor-general.
Summer books
The Politics Insider newsletter has been reaching out to MPs about their summer fiction and non-fiction reading. This week, Greg Fergus, the former Speaker of the House of Commons and the Liberal MP for Hull-Aylmer since 2015, outlines his recreational reading.
The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli (Riverhead Books, 2018)
“Reflections on the nature of time. Physics and philosophy made easy.”
The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles (Penguin Publishing Group, 2026)
“I wanted to remind myself of the poem before seeing the new movie.”
The Swerve: How The World Became Modern by Stephen Greenblatt (W.W. Norton, 2012)
“An exploration of the effect of the discovery in Europe of the Roman poet Lucretius, which lead to the modern era’s conception of atoms. A history changing discovery.”
The Exodus duology, by Peter F. Hamilton (Random House Worlds, 2024 and 2026)
“One of my favourite science fiction writers released the second book this summer, so I bought the first!”
Books to come:
Can Socialists Be Happy? by George Orwell (Initially published in 1943. Most recently published by Penguin UK)
“Came across this collection of essays at a book store in Montreal a couple of weeks ago.”
Les départs by Clara Lagacé (Published in 2024 by Éditions David)
“I am starting a book club with my constituents this fall. This local author is a promising young writer. Need to read this book before the book club starts up!”
Question period
During this week in 1922, the noted Quebec premier René Lévesque was born, beginning a life that would see him found the Parti Quebecois, and engineer a sovereignty referendum for the province. Where was Lévesque born? A hint: It was not in Quebec.
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.
Perspectives
How Canada can best respond to threats from the United States
If Davos was the theory, last week’s walkout was the practice: the moment Canada formally abandoned the strategy of trying to appease Donald Trump, as a means of fending off his lunatic designs on this country, and opted for defiance instead. The reaction, at home and around the world, was enthusiastic. Now comes the hard part: What do we do now?
— Andrew Coyne, Columnist
The shocking implosion of B.C.’s Conservative Party
Warning: Before you reach the end of this column, some of its content may be outdated.
— Gary Mason, National Affairs Columnist
Americans don’t understand Trump’s trade war against Canada. Here’s how to explain it to them
Canadian spokespeople have been all over American airwaves this week, answering questions about the trade war and getting an overwhelmingly sympathetic response.
— Tony Keller, Columnist
Go deeper
- Follow along for our stories on Canada-U.S. relations as news develops
- Get the latest insight and analysis from our political opinion writers
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The answer to today’s question: Lévesque was born in the New Brunswick city of Campbellton, which sits on the Restigouche River across from Quebec municipality of Pointe-à-la-Croix. His parents went to Campbellton for their son’s birth because there was no hospital in Pointe-à-la-Croix.