📈 Quebec reports high immigration, record low fertility in 2024

Despite a downward trend, Quebec still reported nearly record-high population growth last year owing to immigration, even as the province’s fertility rate reached its lowest level on record.

Non-permanent residents – including temporary foreign workers, international students and asylum seekers – were responsible for much of the province’s population growth in 2024, according to a new report from Quebec’s statistics agency.

Quebec’s total population increased by about 155,000 in 2024, owing entirely to immigration, and reached about 9.1 million in January, 2025.
#Quebec #immigration
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✍️ Alberta Premier Danielle Smith defends promise of a potential referendum on separation

Premier Danielle Smith says her focus will be on repairing the destruction she says Ottawa has caused to Alberta over the past decade as the idea of separation from Canada gains greater public attention.

During a news conference Tuesday, Smith reiterated that she would hold a referendum on provincial separation in 2026 if citizens gather the required signatures on a petition.

Smith said she didn't want to presume a referendum will happen, but said she will honour the voting process.
#Alberta
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🇻🇦Carney congratulates Pope Leo XIV on his election

Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement congratulating Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on his election as pope.

Canadians offer best wishes to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV as he begins his papacy. At a time of profound global challenges, may his pontificate be marked by wisdom, discernment, a deep commitment to common good, and dignity of all.

#Carney #Vatican
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⚛️ Ontario set to begin construction of Canada's 1st mini nuclear power plant

Premier Doug Ford's government has given Ontario Power Generation the green light to start construction on Canada's first small modular reactor, a new nuclear energy technology to be built next door to the Darlington power plant.

The small modular reactor (SMR) would provide 300 megawatts of power, enough electricity to supply about 300,000 homes.

It would be the first of four such reactors that OPG aims to build on the site, at a total project cost of $20.9 billion.
#Ontario #energy
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Quebec introduces bill 103 to regulate supervised drug consumption sites

Quebec's Bill 103 has been introduced to regulate supervised drug consumption sites by imposing a minimum 150-meter distance from schools and daycares.

The bill follows concerns in Montreal's St. Henri neighborhood, where a site near an elementary school has raised issues about children witnessing violence and inappropriate behavior.
#Quebec
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🗳Quebec riding of Terrebonne flips to Liberals after recount shows candidate won by single vote

After a judicial recount, the Quebec riding of Terrebonne has flipped to the Liberals, who have beaten the Bloc Québécois by one vote. The result means the Liberals have 170 seats in the House of Commons — just two shy of a majority government.

On Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer of Canada Stéphane Perrault announced the judicial recount after results showed incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné beat Liberal challenger Tatiana Auguste by 44 votes.

Now, Elections Canada's website shows Auguste received 23,352 votes. Sinclair-Desgagné received 23,351 votes.
#election
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🇮🇳 Former Liberal MP ousted over alleged ties to India starts Hindu-Canadian lobby group

A former MP who was barred from running in the federal election for the Liberal Party because of alleged ties to India has formed a lobby group for Hindu Canadians.

Chandra Arya, who served as a member of Parliament for the Ottawa riding of Nepean for more than nine years, was removed as the Liberal candidate for the district shortly before the election campaign began in March. The Indian-born MP was replaced by Liberal Leader Mark Carney, who won the riding in the April vote.

Mr. Arya announced on social media Thursday that he has set up the Hindu Public Affairs Council of Canada, which bills itself as “unapologetically Hindu” and “resolutely Canadian.”
#India
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📊 More than 80% of Quebecers say they’re part of the Canadian nation: poll

🔹Leger asked Quebec residents, who believe that to be a nation means that members share a common culture, language and history, if they are part of the Canadian nation. Around 82 per cent agreed that they are.

🔹Meanwhile, the poll found that roughly 72 per cent of Bloc Québécois voters said Quebecers are part of the Canadian nation. This is compared to the 90 per cent of Liberal voters in Quebec who agreed, 78 per cent of Conservative voters, and 83 per cent of NDP voters.
#Quebec #poll
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🚶‍♂️📊 36% of Albertans and majority of UCP voters want to leave Canada: new poll

A new poll from Angus Reid Institute states that at least 36 per cent Albertans are leaning toward a vote to leave Canada, that number is 65 per cent amongst UCP voters, a majority.

Alberta’s premier admitted this week in an interview that a separation referendum – is an “outlet” for angry conservatives.
#Alberta
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🗳 Liberals make significant gains in Quebec, securing 44 seats in 2025 election

The Liberals achieved unexpected victories in traditionally hostile Quebec ridings like Terrebonne, Trois-Rivières, and Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou.

In Terrebonne, Liberal Tatiana Auguste won by just one vote after a judicial recount, unseating the Bloc Québécois incumbent.

Overall, the Liberals secured 44 of Quebec’s 78 seats, doubling the Bloc’s count.
#Quebec #election
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Carney keeps Chrystia Freeland in cabinet as Minister of Transport and Internal Trade

Chrystia Freeland will remain in cabinet under Prime Minister Mark Carney, taking on the position of Minister of Transport and Internal Trade.

🔹Carney retained several familiar names from Trudeau’s team, including Dominic LeBlanc, Melanie Joly, Francois-Philippe Champagne, and Anita Anand.

🔹The new cabinet includes 24 new appointments such as Shafqat Ali, Jill McKnight, Tim Hodgson, Eleanor Olszewski, Mandy Gull-Masty, Joël Lightbound, Gregor Robertson, former CBC journalist Evan Solomon, Wayne Long, and Nathalie Provost. Thirteen of these individuals are newly elected MPs.
#Carney
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Poilievre staying in Stornoway pending by-election

Pierre Poilievre is staying put in the residence of the leader of the Official Opposition even though the federal Conservative Leader lost his riding in the recent election.

Andrew Scheer, now acting as the interim Official Opposition leader in Mr. Poilievre’s absence, confirmed the plans on Monday.

The fact that the Conservative Leader no longer sits in the House of Commons has raised questions about whether he is ennoscriptd to live in Stornoway. But Mr. Scheer says it doesn’t make sense for Mr. Poilievre and his family to move out of the home in Ottawa’s Rockcliffe neighbourhood, given Mr. Poilievre’s chances of winning a seat in a pending Alberta by-election.
#Poilievre
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🎓Foreign student asylum claims hit record high in 2024, set to grow in 2025

International students filed a record 20,245 asylum claims last year, with 2025 on track to surpass that number. The claims are rising, even as Ottawa cuts the number of study permits it issues.

The newly released figures also suggest that 2025 could see an even greater number of claims by foreign students. In the first three months of the year, international students filed 5,500 asylum claims, a 22 per cent increase from the same period last year.
#immigration
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🇲🇽 Mexican asylum claims drop after Canada reinstates visa requirements

Refugee claims made by Mexican nationals dropped by 75 percent following Canada’s decision to reimpose visa requirements.

The change came after years of rising claims that placed increasing pressure on Canada's asylum system, especially in Quebec.
#Mexico #immigration #Quebec
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🇻🇦Prime Minister Carney to attend Pope Leo's inaugural mass

Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Rome this weekend to attend the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV.

The new pontiff, who was elected in a conclave that ended last Thursday, will be officially installed as the leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics at a mass in St. Peter's Square on Sunday.
#Carney
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Pierre Poilievre opposes Alberta separatism, acknowledges provincial frustrations

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has voiced his opposition to Alberta separatism while acknowledging the province's frustrations with the federal government. Poilievre highlighted Alberta's grievances, including federal policies affecting its oil and gas industry, pipeline cancellations, and the carbon tax. He emphasized his commitment to a united Canada but argued that Albertans deserve respect and fair treatment from Ottawa.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is introducing legislation to facilitate referendums, including on separation, citing growing alienation from the federal government.
#Alberta #Poilievre #Smith
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📈 Alberta reaches 5 million people, according to StatsCan

According to Statistics Canada, Alberta has now reached five million people.

Based on the medium-growth projection from Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, the province will reach six million by 2036 and seven million by 2048. Most of that growth will be in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge and Red Deer.
#Alberta
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💰MPs, Senators get a salary boost, Carney will now earn $419,600, Scheer $308,800, and Blanchet $261,500

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🇺🇸 Canada-U.S. travel drops for 4th straight month, new data suggests

Return trips by Canadians from the U.S. declined for a fourth consecutive month compared with the year prior, data released by Statistics Canada shows, while travel by Americans coming to Canada is also on the decline.

The number of Canadians who had returned from the U.S. in April by vehicle totalled 1.2 million, a 35.2 per cent decline from what was seen the same month last year.
#US
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❌💰CBC to stop paying individual bonuses after controversy

The CBC’s board of directors says the Crown corporation will no longer pay individual bonuses to employees.

The board says in a statement it will discontinue what CBC refers to as “performance pay” and adjust salaries of affected staff to compensate them.

The move comes after the public broadcaster was criticized for paying out millions in bonuses after eliminating hundreds of jobs.

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Carney delays Canada Budget, plans to cut income tax by July

Canada will cut the lowest personal income tax rate to 14% from 15% on July 1, but Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new government won’t release a budget before the summer months.

The tax cut is expected to cost $27 billion over five years, according to a document released by the government.

We are setting the stage for economic growth by helping hard-working Canadians keep more of their paychecks to spend on the priorities that matter most to them.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a news release.

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