View this email in your browser ([link removed])

It is hard to believe this will be my final report of 2025, given how quickly this year has passed. From a federal political perspective, it has been an exceptionally eventful year.

Canadians witnessed the departure of former Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the arrival of a new Liberal leader—former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney. A federal election followed, resulting in the near-total collapse of the NDP and the resignation of former NDP leader Jagmeet Singh after losing his seat. Canadians returned a Liberal minority government, which now sits just one seat shy of a majority after two Conservative MPs crossed the floor to join the Liberals.

The new Liberal government moved quickly to adopt the Conservative call to “axe the carbon tax” and rolled back several key Trudeau-era climate policies. A major turning point was the memorandum of understanding with Alberta to explore a northern pipeline project. This agreement, which signaled a significant departure from previous federal climate commitments, was widely seen as the final straw for former Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, who resigned from Cabinet in protest. The government has stated it will not support such projects without provincial consent—effectively granting British Columbia’s NDP government a practical veto.

Despite these policy shifts, many former ministers remain in Cabinet, and progress on issues important to Canadians has been limited. Crime remains a serious concern, the air passenger bill of rights continues to fail travelers despite years of promises, grocery prices keep rising, and despite pledges to “spend less,” Prime Minister Carney is proposing higher spending and deficits nearly double those under Trudeau.

Another major challenge is trade. Prime Minister Carney has been unable to secure tariff relief from President Trump, despite campaign promises. The government now appears to be waiting for the 2026 review of CUSMA (the Canada–U.S.–Mexico Agreement). This should concern British Columbians, if softwood lumber—one of BC’s largest export industries—remains excluded from these talks as it has in the past (the issue has always been handled outside of CUSMA/ NAFTA), would be an incredibly impactful to BC’s economy if sectors like steel and autos dominate the agenda and it is not addressed.

In response to trade setbacks, the Prime Minister has been pursuing new deals abroad. While expanding trade opportunities is important, we must also address domestic bottlenecks—such as Canada’s ports. The Port of Vancouver, our largest, ranks 347th out of 348 global container ports and suffers from some of the world’s longest vessel wait times. This inefficiency is so severe that Saskatchewan-based Nutrien recently announced plans for up to $1 billion in investment to build a new terminal at the Port of Longview in Washington State, citing greater ease and efficiency in the U.S.

This should sound alarm bells for both Prime Minister Carney and BC Premier David Eby. As the Prime Minister often says, “we need to focus on things we can control.” Improving port efficiency is a perfect opportunity to deliver real results for Canada’s economy without relying on the United States.

As the official critic on the Transportation file, I will continue to hold this government accountable while supporting meaningful efforts to resolve serious problems like this one—issues that can make Canada more competitive and prosperous in trade.

To all of you, I extend my sincere best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year in 2026.

My questions for you this week: Are you making a New Year’s resolution? If so, what is it? If not, why not?

Let me know your thoughts by joining in the lively discussion on my Facebook page, or you reach me at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or toll-free at 1-800-665-8711.



============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
** Email (mailto:[email protected])
Dan Albas is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Okanagan Lake West - South Kelowna, Shadow Minister for Transport and the Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Dan's riding includes the communities of Kelowna (Mission, South Kelowna & East Kelowna within specific boundaries), West Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland.
You can reach Dan by calling 1-800-665-8711, emailing [email protected] or please visit: DanAlbasMP.ca
Our mailing address is:
Dan Albas MP
101-3731 Old Okanagan Hwy
West Kelowna, British Columbia V4T 0G7
Canada

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.
Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
[link removed]