Majority Math 🔢

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The Liberals have a majority! The party went into three byelections on Monday just one seat short, after another Conservative MP, Marilyn Gladu, crossed the floor last week — bringing the total number of floor crossers under Prime Minister Mark Carney to five. (Gladu is known for her socially conservative views, so her switch had people raising eyebrows about just how big the Liberal tent is getting, and it sparked some strong words from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.) Then came the three byelections: in two Ontario ridings considered safe Liberal seats, plus Quebec’s Terrebonne riding — where the Liberals had won by just one vote before the Supreme Court of Canada annulled the results. The Liberals won 3 byelection seats, bringing their total in the House of Commons to 174. A quick majority math refresher: while 172 seats is an official majority, the House Speaker is a Liberal MP, so 173 out of 343 seats gives the party enough room to move its agenda forward.

The Gulf region remains on edge after peace talks between the United States and Iran — held over the weekend — fell apart. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded by warning that military vessels approaching the Strait will be considered a ceasefire breach and handled harshly. Both sides blamed the other for the breakdown of the peace talks, which followed a fragile two-week ceasefire announced April 8. But even during the ceasefire, violence continued across the region, with Israel heavily bombing Lebanon and Iran striking oil facilities in neighbouring Gulf countries. PM Carney continues to stress the end of hostilities in the Middle East must include Lebanon, but says Canada is not considering sanctions against Israel over its strikes. For now, tensions remain high.

New Boss: Quebec has a new premier-designate. Christine Fréchette won the vote Sunday to replace François Legault, the only leader the Coalition Avenir Québec party has ever had. He announced in January that he would step down. When Fréchette is sworn in next month, she’ll be Quebec’s 33rd premier, and just the second woman to hold the role. Next up: Quebec voters head to the polls October 5 — see here who is vying to lead the province.

Policy Vibes: The Liberal Party of Canada recently held its national convention in Montreal, bringing together 4,500 Liberal party members to debate policy and hear a closing speech from PM Carney, focused on unity and cooperation. When it comes to policy, Liberal members voted in favour of restricting young Canadians’ access to social media platforms and AI chatbots. The catch? These proposals are non-binding... but they can still influence party platforms and legislation.

History Check: The Indian Act came into effect on April 12, 1876, marking 150 years of a deeply problematic and discriminatory piece of legislation governing the lives of First Nations people. While it’s been amended over time, it remains the overarching legal document for First Nations in Canada, despite being widely criticized as racist and sexist. So why is it still in place? This pod digs into that question.

The moon-farers are back! The Artemis II crew — including Canadian Jeremy Hansen — splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean on Friday after completing their historic mission to the Moon. Artemis II’s Orion spacecraft set a new record for the farthest humans have travelled from the Earth, and the four astronauts became the first people to see parts of the Moon’s far side with the naked eye. PM Carney checked in with Hansen mid-mission, telling him in French “Canadians are so proud of you” and adding it was incredible to hear French spoken in space. And yes, they also tackled a truly critical debate… maple syrup vs. Nutella.

And now it’s time for dessert...your weekly crossword! A little hint for you: make sure you review last week’s edition to complete the crossword:

YOUR SWEET TREAT

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