Front Burner

Politics! Border bill blowback and 'Santa' Carney

The federal government has proposed sweeping new measures aimed at tightening border security and immigration. Meanwhile, Canada's premiers seem to be feeling the pipeline love after their first meeting with the new prime minister.
A man in a suit wears a bright orange construction vest and hard hat.
Prime Minister Mark Carney won big at the first ministers' meeting this week with seemingly productive discussions about "nation-building" infrastructure, but his government is taking heat for a bill that would ramp up border security and clamp down on immigration. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick)

The Liberals have tabled new legislation that would significantly expand law enforcement powers and tighten immigration of all kinds, including refugee claims, in a move to appease the Trump White House — but critics say it raises major concerns for Canadians' civil liberties.

Meanwhile, Mark Carney met with Canada's provincial and territorial premiers this week in his first ever first ministers' meeting, and the post-meeting vibes have been extremely positive. There seems to be a general agreement on the idea of building a new east-west pipeline — but almost nothing else about it is clear, including who would actually build it. How long will the honeymoon last?

The Toronto Star's Althia Raj and CBC Ottawa's Aaron Wherry are on the show to tackle this political doubleheader.

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