A new bill introduced today could lead to Canada taking up more space — outer-space that is.

Transport Minister Steven Mackinnon announced the Canadian Space Launch Act on Tuesday. It’s planned to build a domestic launch industry that’s estimated to be worth $40 billion.

“Canada has reached the moon, but still lacks its own way, its own sovereign way to space — and that changes today,” Mackinnon said.

The announcement comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney has called for reducing Canada’s “over-reliance” on the United States, in his most recent video message.

“The reliance on the U.S. sends investment out of our country, creates costly delays and leaves critical infrastructure exposed to decisions beyond our control,” MacKinnon said.

Canada is the only G7 country without its own space launch capabilities, a gap the government is now looking to close. Currently, the worldwide space economy is projected to hit $1.5 trillion by 2032, with Deloitte estimates Canada’s domestic market alone could reach $40 billion by 2040.

Sydney Ko has more. 

Also, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is accusing the prime minister of keeping Canadians in the dark on his plan to negotiate a new trade deal with the U.S., saying he needs to stop with the “showboating” and focus on “fighting the tariffs.”

Speaking to reporters in West Block on Tuesday, Poilievre dismissed Mark Carney’s video on Sunday outlining Canada’s road ahead as empty posturing and called on him to explain to Canadians how he was going to deliver a win for the country in upcoming trade talks.

“A serious prime minister would be able to tell you his plan. I’ve told you my plan. Nobody knows Mark Carney’s plan. Probably not even him. … he was elected on the single promise that he would negotiate a win with the U.S. And since that time he’s been losing, losing, losing.”

Carney released a video Sunday morning in which he pledged to “never sugar-coat” the challenges Canada faces in its relationship with U.S., and argued that connection has become a source of “weakness.”

Macro Vigliotti has more. 

The federal government is keeping an eye on potential changes to B.C.’s Indigenous law after Premier Eby backed down on plans to amend or suspend parts of DRIPA earlier this week.

But Justice Canada says its own United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) law provides a lasting framework and there are currently no plans to amend it.

The B.C. government was considering amending the provincial law until earlier this week, when the premier announced he wouldn’t be introducing the legislation in the spring session.

Instead, he released a joint statement with the First Nations Leadership Council indicating an intention to work together on a path forward for DRIPA.

The law does not create new stand-alone rights for Indigenous people, but it ensures that the standards of UNDRIP inform the interpretation of provincial laws and obligations.

Read more from Aya Dufour. 

In Other Headlines

Internationally

Elsewhere, the U.S. and Iran were expected to begin a new round of talks in Pakistan this week, but there’s increasing uncertainty about when or if they will happen.

Even the timing of when the temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire expires is unclear.

Vice President Vance, head of the U.S. delegation, remained in Washington on Tuesday instead of flying to Islamabad as planned.

“Additional policy meetings are taking place at the White House in which the vice president will participate,” a White House official said, on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

According to Iran’s semiofficial news outlet Tasnim, Iran later notified Pakistan it would not be sending a delegation for talks on Wednesday, contrary to some news reports stating otherwise. It cited alleged violations of the temporary U.S.-Iran ceasefire by the U.S. among the reasons.

NPR has more on this. 

Meanwhile, job cuts driven by A.I. are rising on Wall Street.

Less than four months ago, Bank of America’s chief executive, Brian T. Moynihan, volunteered in a TV interview what he would say to his 210,000 employees about the chance of artificial intelligence replacing human work.

“You don’t have to worry,” he said. “It’s not a threat to their jobs.”

Last week, after Bank of America reported $8.6 billion in profit for the first quarter — $1.6 billion more than the same period a year earlier — Mr. Moynihan struck a different tone.

The bank’s bottom line, he said, was helped by shedding 1,000 jobs through attrition by “eliminating work and applying technology,” which he repeatedly specified was artificial intelligence. He predicted more of that in the months and years to come.

“A.I. gives us places to go we haven’t gone,” Mr. Moynihan said.

The New York Times has more. 

In Other International Headlines

The Kicker

Spring allergies are back, and between the sniffles and the temperature swings, it’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s just your sinuses talking.

If you’re looking to stay indoors (and out of the pollen), a storytelling event at the Ruth E. Dickinson Public Library taking place tomorrow evening might be a fun escape. A few Ottawa writers will be discussing short fiction inspired by the city’s neighbourhoods and streets.

Find out more here. 

Also, just for giggles:

In Canada Hannah Montana is called Hannitoba Manitoba!

— DA VINKI (@VorosTwins) April 19, 2026