Speculating over a possible cabinet shuffle is one of Ottawa’s most beloved pastimes.

It seems every few months the city is abuzz with rumours of movement in the front bench. In recent weeks, the speculation has hit a fever pitch, though Prime Minister Mark Carney has yet to make a move.

But in the spirit of reading the tea leaves, iPolitics is looking at who might get the call up to cabinet should the PM make a change, with a specific focus on backbench MPs that fit the mould of a “Carney Liberal”: a background in business or finance, a moderate political leaning and a record free of controversy.

Here’s a few names that fit the bill, starting with some backbenchers that could get a promotion.

Read more about it from Marco Vigliotti. 

Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy says it would be shocking to the average American to see the United States invade Canada.

Dunleavy made his remarks in an onstage discussion at the Global Business Forum in Banff, Alta., days after Prime Minister Mark Carney told the New York Times that his government has studied the “extreme tail risk” of U.S.-led military action in Canada.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly asserted he wants to make Canada the 51st state, but has said he would do so through economic coercion.

Dunleavy, a Republican, says there’s “zero chance” that the United States would contemplate a military incursion, and that “Pennsylvania has a better chance of being invaded by West Virginia.”

The Canadian Press has more. 

Atlantic Canada could become one of the country’s most prosperous regions if it leverages its abundant talent and resources as a “single economy,”  a group of business leaders say.

The Atlantic Economic Panel — made up of seven well-known executives and entrepreneurs  — released a report Friday that they say could serve as a guide for the economic transformation of the four provinces by 2035.

The panel says the region’s economy is suffering from low productivity, labour shortages and complex regulations and trade barriers that prevent businesses from being nimble. As a result, Atlantic Canada is not growing as quickly as other parts of Canada, and it has the country’s most rapidly aging workforce.

To address those challenges, the report puts forward seven recommendations, the first of which advocates for the creation of a “One Atlantic Canada” agenda. The goal is to bring the provinces together to function as one economy for its 2.7 million residents, while maintaining their own governments.

CP’s got more. 

In Other Headlines

Internationally

There’s a rare thing happening inside President Trump’s Republican Party: dissent.

The president has long insisted on loyalty, but in recent weeks, a growing number of Republican candidates and elected officials have distanced themselves from core pieces of his agenda: from calling for an end to the U.S. war with Iran and relief from high prices, to criticizing his handling of key agenda issues like immigration.

It comes at a critical moment for the GOP. With less than 40 days until voting ends, the party is scrambling to hold onto a slim majority in Congress, where control of both the Senate and House of Representatives could come down to just a handful of toss-up races.

Trump’s presence in the midterms looms large. He has repeatedly told voters to vote like he is on the ballot, despite facing historically low approval ratings. That could backfire, according to the latest NPR/PBS News/Marist poll, which finds that a plurality of registered voters, 45%, and a majority of independents, view their vote as a vote against Trump.

NPR has more. 

Leaders from Imran Khan’s party have vowed to go ahead with a nationwide demonstration in Pakistan to demand the former prime minister’s release, even as the government deployed tens of thousands of police to Islamabad, barricaded highways and issued arrest warrants to try to stop the march.

The state has taken extreme measures to prevent Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from proceeding with the march. It was announced after mounting concerns of the treatment of Khan, who has been in jail since 2023 on corruption charges.

On Friday, PTI leaders said they would postpone the start of the march until 4 October, a week after the original 27 September date, saying they hoped the delay would put further strain on the government.

Analysts said the protest could present a major challenge to the military-backed government, which is widely regarded as weak, illegitimate and unpopular, while Khan remains a popular rallying figure. The ruling coalition is led by the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, but the army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is widely seen as the country’s de facto leader.

Read more from The Guardian. 

In Other International Headlines

The Kicker

Ottawa is blowing out 200 candles this weekend, with a city-wide celebration that folks can attend for free.

The celebration will kick off at Marion Dewar Plaza at City Hall at 10 a.m to 10 p.m.

The event will feature pow wow featuring drumming, singing, jingle and hoop dancing before an evening full of more performances.

Read more here.