Good evening, readers.

Prime Minister Mark Carney made an unexpected appearance at question period on Tuesday but the big question facing the PM was all about the Middle East.

During a back-and-forth with MPs, Carney said Canada is not involved in the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and “will never participate in it.”

The prime minister changed his schedule to attend Tuesday’s question period after being criticized for not answering to parliamentarians about Canada’s position on the war in Iran.

Carney was asked few questions about the conflict Tuesday. Conservatives chose to grill the prime minister on public safety, inflation and affordability.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet did raise the war in Iran and criticized Carney for “travelling the globe like Marco Polo.”

Blanchet called on Carney to share with parliamentarians his vision for the Middle East.

“Canada’s stance is clear: Canada supports the necessity to prevent Iran’s nuclear program and the export of terrorism,” Carney said in French.

“Canada is not participating in the United States and Israeli offensive and will never participate in it.”

The Canadian Press has more.

Speaking of the U.S. president, his ears must be ringing because he took to social media to resurrect a favourite insult for Canada’s leader that we all thought had gone dormant.

In a Truth Social post (because like where else are going to poise missives about other world leaders), Donald Trump referred to Carney as the “future Governor of Canada.”

Was the post a shot at the PM’s comments on the conflict in the Middle East?

Oh, definitely not. Instead, it was in reference to working with U.S. governors to “save The Great Lakes from the rather violent and destructive Asian Carp.”

The last time Trump pulled out this insult was in January but he’s done it a lot less with Carney than with former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

CTV News has this one.

Here’s something to soothe the surely rattled PM.

A new poll has his governing Liberals opening up a double-digit lead over the Conservatives and making major gains in the usually Grit-averse Prairies.

It’s the latest public opinion survey to show a competitive race in Alberta and also suggests a tightening in neighbouring Saskatchewan.

The Spark Insights poll, released on Monday, has the Mark Carney-led Liberals the top choice of 46 per cent of respondents, with the Conservatives sitting a distant second at 31 per cent.

The NDP is far back in third at 10 per cent, while the Greens are at five and the other party option — which includes the Bloc Quebecois and People’s Party — sits at eight.

Marco Vigliotti explains.

Back to the House, MPs approved ending debate on a motion to streamline the review the government’s contentious anti-hate bill, known as C-9.

It came after some sparring between the Liberals and Conservatives, who are accusing the government of using the legislation to “limit free speech.”

At its core, Bill C-9 creates new penalties to criminalize efforts to harass or obstruct access to places of worship, known as a bubble-zone law.

It comes directly from a campaign promise from the Liberals in the run-up to last year’s election, largely in response to concerns about anti-Israel protesters behaving aggressively towards Jewish residents and making chants glorifying violence against Jews.

Conservative MP Roman Baber said Tuesday that the law wouldn’t do anything to address concerns around violence, calling it a “Trojan horse” that will be used to restrict free speech and accusing the Liberals of using the Jewish community as “props.”

Secretary of State for Combatting Crime Ruby Sahota said Baber was looking for empty gestures when the Jewish community was asking for concrete actions.

“It seems like the member is saying, do something now, but don’t do anything. Don’t put this bill forward. We don’t want tweets, but yet just pressure the mayors. So therefore just tweet,” she said.

Vigliotti has this one too.

Free the booze!

That’s the message Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took to Canadians on Tuesday.

One of his MPs introduced a private member’s bill to enable shipments of Canadian alcohol across the country.

Dan Albas’s bill seeks to amend the Canada Post Corporation Act to remove restrictions on direct interprovincial shipments of alcohol to consumers.

At a press conference this morning, Poilievre said there are more barriers to trade between provinces than there are with many countries, and it’s against the law for Canada Post to deliver Canadian beer, wine or liquor in six provinces.

CP has more.

In Other Headlines

Internationally

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday morning that “today will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran.” Speaking at the same Pentagon news briefing, U.S. Joint Chiefs chairman said Iran’s missile attacks have fallen 90%.

Iran launched new attacks on Israel and Gulf countries on Tuesday, keeping up pressure on the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry said nine drones hit the country and reported two more deaths. Authorities in Bahrain said an Iranian attack killed one person and wounded eight others. Saudi Arabia said it destroyed two drones over its oil-rich eastern region, and Kuwait’s National Guard said it shot down six drones.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump sent contradictory messages on Monday, telling Republican lawmakers the war was likely to be a “short excursion,” but threatening in a social media post hours later that the U.S. would dramatically increase attacks if Iran tried to close the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been targeting energy infrastructure and traffic through the strait, which is a vital waterway for traded oil.

The U.S. stock market steadied early Tuesday after Trump’s comments fuelled wild swings on hopes for a quick end to the war. Oil prices briefly shot to their highest level since 2022 after Iran selected Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his late father as Iran’s supreme leader.

The death toll continues to rise. The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 486 in Lebanon and 11 in Israel, according to officials in those countries.

AP has more.

In Other International Headlines

In Featured Opinion

The Kicker

Is this ironic?

Luka Doncic has been fined $50,000 for making a gesture toward an official during the Lakers’ 110-97 win over the Knicks, the NBA announced Tuesday.

The incident occurred with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter on Sunday when Doncic fell backward after contact from Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara, who was driving to the basket. Doncic threw his hands up and did a “money” gesture toward the official by rubbing his fingers together.

AP has this one.