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This week was an eventful one, but most importantly, we celebrate one year of Carney. Happy Carneyversary everyone!
On the first anniversary of his 2025 election victory, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of a $25 billion sovereign wealth fund. The new Crown corporation aims to fund major infrastructure projects through partnerships with Indigenous peoples and organized labor. Carney stated the fund would avoid the historical displacement associated with projects like the Canadian Pacific Railway. Specific financial details remain vague, with the Prime Minister stating that the upcoming economic update will clarify how the initial $25 billion investment will be sourced. A consultation period will take place over the coming months to finalize the fund's investment strategy.
In Quebec provincial politics, Minister Gilles Bélanger resigned from the CAQ after Premier Fréchette appointed Bernard Drainville as Minister of Energy and Finance. Bélanger had been one of Fréchette’s earliest supporters. Simultaneously, Fréchette announced a $400 million investment for preparatory infrastructure work in eastern Montreal, specifically targeting water, sewage, and power networks for the expansion of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. This pivot toward public reinvestment has led to a slight recovery for the CAQ in polls, though the Parti Québécois (PQ) remains positioned to win the next election. A poll indicated the PQ could win a supermajority if they dropped their referendum proposal, but leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon rejected the idea as dishonest.
A shooting occurred at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. A gunman is in custody, but the lack of footage from the media event has fueled online conspiracy theories claiming the event was staged. These rumors follow similar unverified claims regarding a previous shooting incident in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Other News
A Canadian woman was killed and 13 others injured in a shooting at the Teotihuacán pyramids in Mexico. Mexican officials report that a lone gunman opened fire at the tourist site, striking eight individuals, including another Canadian and citizens from the United States, Colombia, Russia, Brazil, and the Netherlands. Two minors, aged six and 13, were among the wounded. The woman’s identity has not been officially released.