Highlights from Crestview Strategy’s weekly newsletters:
Alberta
Last week, Premier Danielle Smith stated that she had been temporarily suspended from posting on Facebook. She attributed this suspension to the forces of “big tech and government censorship,” and expressed concerns about the growing threat to freedom of speech worldwide. The Premier’s office released a statement stating that they were seeking further clarification from Meta regarding the ban, but Meta clarified that the Premier was still able to post on her account and that access to her page was only temporarily suspended for reasons of security, revealing that it was one of her page’s administrators that faced restrictions.
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Premiers met last week to continue working to improve health care, address labour shortages and strengthen the region’s economy. In a statement, the Premiers called on the federal government to clarify the economic impacts of the Clean Fuel Regulations, which come into effect on July 1st, and are expected to significantly increase the cost of gasoline and home heating. Premiers urged the federal government to renew Labour Market Agreements and agreed on the ‘need for a new federal infrastructure program to address the impacts of climate change and build infrastructure that supports economic growth.’ Premiers also remain adamant that the Chignecto Isthmus, a vital trade corridor connecting NB and NS, is a federal responsibility and therefore has a constitutional obligation to fund the climate change mitigation project in full.
British Columbia
Byelection Advance Polls Open
Advance polls for the provincial by-elections in Langford-Juan de Fuca and Vancouver-Mount Pleasant both opened on Friday, June 16 and remain open until Wednesday, June 21. Election day for both by-elections is Saturday, June 24. The ridings of Langford-Juan de Fuca and Vancouver-Mount Pleasant became open when former premier John Horgan and former Tourism Minister Melanie Mark, respectively, resigned their seats in March. Both seats are considered NDP strongholds. More information about candidates and voting details can be found here.
Ontario
The Ontario Legislature has adjourned for the summer and will return on September 25, 2023.
The government of Ontario is expanding strong mayor powers across the province.
In an effort to construct 1.5 million homes by 2031, the Ontario government is extending strong mayor powers to 26 large and rapidly growing municipalities who have committed to a housing pledge. The declaration was delivered by Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, at the Ontario Big City Mayors meeting last week. Following the successful implementation of enhanced mayoral powers in Toronto and Ottawa in the autumn of 2022, the expansion of these powers to the mayors of the 26 additional municipalities will take effect on July 1, 2023.
Ottawa
What’s at stake in the four federal byelections on Monday, and what to expect – June 17, 2023
Four federal byelections are taking place on June 19. Two are considered safe for Liberals while the others would typically be safe for Conservatives. Politicos will be watching how PPC leader Maxime Bernier performs in Portage–Lisgar, but the real nail-biter could be Oxford, where Liberals are polling unusually well after a controversial Conservative nomination race.
Toronto
Top Toronto mayoral candidates face off in final campaign stretch – June 15, 2023
In a recent debate hosted by news channel CP24, leading mayoral candidates attempted to establish themselves as the candidate who can defeat Olivia Chow, who has maintained a significant lead in the polls as the race to lead Canada’s most populous city enters its final stretch.
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