In the news today: Carney caucus meeting, BC election speculation, IKEA affordability

Among the Liberals’ first bills of the sitting will be legislation to enact the fuel excise tax extension that Carney announced on Sept. 2.

On Thursday, Carney returned from Strasbourg, France, where he looked to secure a stronger alliance with Europe focused primarily on trade, defence and people-to-people ties — the latest move in his campaign to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday she wants Canada to become the first “associate member” of the European Union.

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What would a Canada-EU energy alliance look like?

Canada has the potential to bolster Europe’s energy security through a new alliance, but experts say it doesn’t necessarily mean tankers crossing the Atlantic Ocean laden with oil or liquefied natural gas.

Prime Minister Mark Carney was in Strasbourg, France, this week where he and European Union leadership discussed strengthening ties on several fronts amid strained relations with the United States.

Werner Antweiler, an economist at the University of British Columbia, says Europe is in a “precarious situation” as it aims to pivot away from Russian energy imports following that country’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Canada has pipelines and port infrastructure to export oil and gas from the West Coast to Asia, but no such option exists in the east and any such project could take a decade or more to come to fruition.

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Premier Eby will speak to local politicians amid snap election speculation

British Columbia Premier David Eby will speak to local politicians at their annual convention today just as he contemplates disrupting their upcoming municipal elections with his own provincial vote.

The premier’s annual speech to delegates at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention comes days after he said he warned Elections BC and his caucus to be “election ready” amid disruptions posed by the U.S. trade war.

A vote just two years into the NDP government’s mandate could overlap with the municipal election campaign that runs from Sept. 19 to Oct. 17, and the union’s president, Cori Ramsay, says that would be a disservice to citizens.

The Prince George city councillor says provincial leaders must uphold the principle of separate periods for local and provincial campaigns, so residents can properly consider the issues as they choose among 3,500 candidates running in local races.

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Parole hearing today for Hamed Shafia, convicted of murdering his sisters and woman

A man convicted of murdering his three sisters and another woman more than 17 years ago is set to have a parole hearing today.

It wasn’t immediately clear what type of release Hamed Shafia is seeking from the Parole Board of Canada.

Shafia and his parents were found guilty in January 2012 of four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his teenage sisters and his father’s first wife in a polygamous marriage.

The four bodies were found in a car at the bottom of the Rideau Canal in Kingston, Ont., in June 2009.

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Dollar breakfasts, used Billy bookcases: Ikea’s latest affordability pitch

From second-hand Billy bookcases to cheaper meals, Ikea is leaning into its low-cost roots as cash-strapped Canadians look for more affordable ways to furnish their homes and feed their families.

The Swedish retailer says it’s doubling down on affordability by expanding its used-furniture business, keeping restaurant prices low and wringing savings from sustainable product design and supply chain efficiencies.

Two of Ikea’s top executives sat down with The Canadian Press to discuss how the retailer is trying to deliver more value as Canadians grapple with high costs for housing, food and other expenses.

Ikea Canada chief executive and chief sustainability officer Selwyn Crittendon said the retailer’s sell-back program, which gives customers store credit for gently used Ikea furniture that is then resold, is growing quickly.

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Goulet found a friend in Gilles Villeneuve while filming biopic premiering at TIFF

Actor Rémi Goulet was on the set of Canadian hockey movie “Major Junior” when a producer mentioned he was working on a film about the late Formula One star Gilles Villeneuve.

Christian Larouche was convinced Goulet was meant to play the Canadian race car driver, but years into his acting career, the actor knew better than to get his hopes up.

It was only when Goulet landed the role in 2021 and started intensely researching Villeneuve that he realized just how much he was meant to play the driver.

Villeneuve, who died after a racetrack collision in May 1982, was from Berthierville, Que. Goulet grew up 20 minutes away. They both liked snowmobiling in the same fields and shared a love for speed that was born in the back roads of Quebec.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2026.

The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press