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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre arrives on Parliament Hill for a meeting of the Conservative caucus following the federal election, in Ottawa, on May 6, 2025.

Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via ZUMA Press

Canada’s Conservatives keep Poilievre as leader — for now

Canada’s Conservative Party caucus convened in Ottawa Tuesday for the first time since suffering a stunning federal election defeat last week. Leader Pierre Poilievre, who lost his Carleton seat, acknowledged the election results were “disappointing” but insisted that the party’s 41% vote share — the highest since the 1980s — was a milestone, and that the party must now “broaden our team.”

But who’s in charge? Parliamentary rules require the opposition leader to have a seat in the House of Commons, so until Poilievre secures a new seat through an upcoming by-election, party MPs have appointed former leader Andrew Scheer as interim opposition leader. The caucus also voted to adopt the Reform Act, which opens the way to a leadership review. Caucus has only used this act once, in 2022, to oust then-leader Erin O’Toole after he lost the 2021 election. His successor? Poilievre.

Can Poilievre avoid the same fate? For now, it appears he has the support to remain party leader – but he is not taking anything for granted. In a new video message, released after Tuesday’s meeting, the Conservative leader pledged to “learn and grow.” But that may not be enough for senior conservatives, who reportedly want “seismic changes” if he is to stay on, including the removal of his top advisor, Jenni Byrne, blamed by many for the party’s loss.

US President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on May 6, 2025.

REUTERS/Leah Millis

Carney met Trump: How did it go?

The first official meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump was friendlier than you might expect given the recent tensions in the relationship. Carney described Trump as a “transformational” president, while the US leader said he had “a lot of respect” for his Canadian counterpart.

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Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States, appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, on May 8, 2025.

REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

Hard Numbers: Conclave selects new pope, American TV loses amid Canadian hockey wins, Trump makes Ovechkin a Canuck, Wildfires scorch Alberta, Measles ravages Ontario, JD Vance’s half-brother advances in mayoral race

78 million: The 78 million Catholics living in the US and Canada finally have one of their own at the head of the church. After two days of deliberations, the Vatican conclave on Thursday named Robert Francis Prevost as pope, the first American ever to hold the job. Pope Leo XIV, as he will be known, is seen as a middle-of-the-road choice by comparison with his reform-minded predecessor, Pope Francis. But his strong, recent criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration policy sets up immediate tension between the Vatican and the White House.

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- YouTube

Can Trump and Carney reset US-Canada relations?

Ian Bremmer's Quick Take: Prime Minister Mark Carney's first visit to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump. Lots of excitement, anxiety about this meeting, this visit, and predictably, the responses on the internet are all sorts of crazy depending on what your priors are. So, if you are a MAGA type, you thought that Trump wiped the floor with Carney. And if you can't stand Trump, you're like, "Oh, what an idiot the American president was, and the Canadians did so much better." And in reality, it wasn't that exciting of a meeting, and both came away looking okay. The US-Canada relationship has been in freefall over the last three months, and that has not been fixed by a normal bilateral between leaders of the two countries.
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- YouTube

How will the Trump presidency influence elections in Europe?

Carl Bildt, former prime minister of Sweden and co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, shares his perspective on European politics from Stockholm, Sweden.

How do you believe that the Trump presidency will influence elections in Europe?

Well, of course we don't know. But what we've seen during the last week with important elections in Canada and Australia, not Europe, but fairly similar in other ways, is that the Trump factor has been very important. It has boosted the incumbent governments. It has boosted the center-left. It has boosted those who are seen as standing up to American pressure, and thus produced results both in Canada, primarily in Canada, but also in Australia. Very different from what practically everyone expected a couple of months ago.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 6, 2025.

REUTERS/Leah Millis

Friends with (economic) benefits? Carney, Trump talk trade

What does Donald Trump want most from Canada? “Friendship,” he said during his meeting Tuesday with newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney. But while their IRL encounter was civil enough, don’t expect matching friendship bracelets any time soon.

Trump again taunted Canada about the benefits of being “the 51st state” and shot down Carney’s reply that his country would “never be for sale.” Carney, who won Canada’s election last week after a stunning political comeback fueled largely by Trump’s aggression towards Ottawa, said his administration was committed to boosting investment in Canadian security.

But despite all the posturing, no progress was made in calming a trade war that affects $800 billion in annual commerce. US tariffs of 25% remain in place on steel, aluminum, and cars that do not comply with NAFTA, as do Canadian retaliatory measures of 25%.

Although Trump has stopped short of applying his promised “reciprocal tariffs” on Canada so far, uncertainty about US economic policy has Canadian manufacturers hunting for other markets (they currently send 75% of their exports to the US) while both sides gear up to renegotiate their USMCA trade agreement in 2026.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announces proposed changes to several pieces of democratic process legislation, in Edmonton on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via ZUMA Press via Reuters

Smith makes Alberta referendum easier

Alberta Premier Danielle Smithtabled a bill on Tuesday that will make it easier for voters in her province to force a referendum to secede from Canada. Though she has not endorsed separation, critics accuse her of exploiting the sentiment to animate her base and distract from other issues. The bill could theoretically clear the way for the province to become the 51st state.

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Britain's King Charles holds an audience with the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney at Buckingham Palace, on March 17, 2025.

Aaron Chown/Pool via REUTERS

Will King Charles give the throne speech in Canada?

King Charles is rumored to have been invited to Canada to deliver the speech from the throne, likely in late May, although whether he attends may depend on sensitivities in the office of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

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