We’re starting the newsletter tonight with an announcement updates on Canada’s AI sovereignty.

Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon was in Vancouver today to announce that TELUS is moving forward on plans to grow its AI data centre footprint in B.C.

The expansion will span Kamloops, Mount Pleasant and downtown Vancouver.

The company’s AI cluster pitch is the first to be supported by the federal government as part of its calls for large-scale AI centre proposals.

At a Vancouver-area announcement Monday, federal Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Minister Evan Solomon said “Canada cannot compete in the AI company without the infrastructure to back it up.”

“By advancing this project with TELUS, we are taking concrete action to build sovereign AI capacity here in Canada,” he added.

There are no federal dollars involved at this stage, said a spokesperson for Minister Solomon in response to questions on financing from iPolitics. 

Aya Dufour and Sydney Ko have this one. 

Also, the CEO of Hanwha Defence Canada says Ottawa wants the bid to build the Canada’s next submarine fleet to revitalize domestic industries hit hard by U.S.-trade uncertainty.

“Simply said: give us your best economic package,” said Glenn Copeland, who sat down for a conversation with iPolitics’ editor-in-chief Marco Vigliotti. “The economic package came about as the stressors that were placed on the prevailing situation relative to the lack of trade, or the lack of certainty that we’ve had with the U.S.”

Copeland became the managing director and CEO of Hanwha Defence Canada in early 2026. He’s taken the lead on securing a deal on the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project for the new Ottawa-based subsidiary of South Korean defence giant Hanwha Oceans.

Hanwha is locked in a battle with German maritime defence company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) over who will get to build Canada’s next fleet of 12 under-ice capable submarines. The contract will be worth tens of billions of dollars for the bidder that wins it, but both companies say that a deal would also mean a longer-term relationship to create initiatives in economic sectors like steel, mining and defence.

Marco Vigliotti and Thomas Desormeaux have more. 

More Canadians now say economic growth should be a bigger priority in Canada’s energy policy than protecting the environment, a new Angus Reid Institute report suggests.

The pollster released a report today that suggests 61 per cent of Canadians now see economic growth as the biggest priority in energy policy.

That’s a shift in public opinion since seven years ago, when the same question had 55 per cent of Canadians saying that the environment should be the top priority in energy policy.

The poll suggests almost two thirds of British Columbians support the recently approved $4-billion expansion of Enbridge’s Westcoast natural gas pipeline, while 55 per cent support the project nationally.

The Canadian Press has this one. 

In Other Headlines

Internationally

Elsewhere, more than 60 MPs have called on Keir Starmer to set a timetable to depart as prime minister, including backers of his leadership rivals Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting.

MPs from across the party’s ranks said the prime minister had failed to convince them he had what it took to lead the country into the next election.

In a speech earlier on Monday, Starmer said he would not resign and would prove his doubters wrong, saying Labour was facing “very dangerous opponents” in Reform UK. He said he would fight any leadership challenge and would not walk away from his responsibilities as prime minister.

But his speech did not stem the steady flow of statements from MPs which called for the prime minister to announce an orderly transition.

Catherine West, who had said she would seek to challenge Starmer if no other candidate emerged, said she would not mount a challenge but instead would collect names of those who wanted to see the PM resign.

The Guardian has more. 

Meanwhile, President Trump says he wants the gas tax to be temporarily suspended as the war in Iran extends into its 11th week and keeps oil prices elevated.

He told CBS News on Monday morning he wants the tax suspended “for a period of time” and would want it reintroduced “when gas goes down.”

Asked by reporters in the Oval Office later in the day how long the gas tax would be suspended, the president responded, “Till it’s appropriate.”

Suspending the gas tax would require an act of Congress. Currently, the tax is 18.4 cents per gallon of gas and 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel.

Regular gasoline cost just under $3 per gallon on average before the U.S. bombed Iran. Now, the average cost per gallon has soared by more than 50% to $4.52, according to AAA.

Read more from NPR. 

In Other International Headlines

The Kicker

We’re ending tonight’s newsletter in Japan, where Nintendo meets baseball.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary Super Mario Bros., Nippon Professional Baseball had Mario throw the ceremonial frist pitch at Yokohama Stadium last Wednesday.

Luigi’s probably waiting for his call-up somewhere.

Have a great evening!