It has been an extraordinary day in Ottawa, with MPs agreeing to suspend the House of Commons for at least two weeks to limit the spread of COVID-19. A day after going into self-isolation after his wife tested positive for the virus, Prime (...)

Prime Minister Trudeau announced today that he has placed himself in self-isolation at home, after his wife began experiencing flu-like symptoms. As a result, the federal government has indefinitely postponed its face-to-face meeting with (...)

Just as the World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a global pandemic, Ottawa is freeing up more than a billion dollars to respond to the coronavirus and its impact on the Canadian economy. Marc-André Cossette breaks down what’s (...)

The Trudeau government is facing growing calls to reveal its plan to deal with the economic impact of COVID-19. Opposition parties want a clearer answer as to what measures the Liberals are considering to help businesses and workers (...)

Fears of the coronavirus and its impact on the global economy continue to spread. Stock markets took a dramatic plunge today, just as Canada recorded its first COVID-19-related death. Marc-André Cossette has the latest. Also on the show: (...)

Former Quebec minister of Aboriginal affairs, Geoff Kelley, shares his view on the Trudeau government’s response to the rail blockade crisis, while Frédéric Boily, political scientist at the University of Alberta, weighs in on the (...)

After three weeks of rail blockades, the federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations finally sat down face-to-face today with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs and her provincial counterpart, in an attempt to find a way out of (...)

Tensions are still running high in the Mohawk community of Tyendinaga, Ont., where protesters are again trying to block rail service, throwing debris and lighting fires on the tracks. Marc-André Cossette has the latest on the story. Also (...)

The OPP has charged 10 people today after clearing the barricade in Tyendinaga, Ont., where Mohawk protesters have been blocking rail traffic for nearly three weeks. Meanwhile, the government also finds itself on the defensive with news (...)

After more than two weeks of rail blockades, the Trudeau government is still confident it can reach a peaceful solution that would see the barricades lifted. Esther Bégin analyzes the federal government’s response to the crisis with (...)

The Trudeau government continues to call for patience as it tries to find a way out of the rail blockade impasse. Meanwhile, opposition parties are piling on the criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis, at the same time that (...)

With several railway blockades still in place across the country, Prime Minister Trudeau insists his government has a plan to end the crisis. Meanwhile, Quebec Premier François Legault isn’t ruling out the use of force. CPAC’s (...)

It’s been nearly two weeks since blockades in support of the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs first paralysed Canada’s rail system. With no clear solution to the impasse in sight, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (...)

What should we make of the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak? And how is the Conservative leadership race shaping up so far? Hill journos Joël-Denis Bellavance (La Presse), Daniel Leblanc (Globe and Mail) and (...)

A first plane carrying Canadians from the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, is now on its way to Canada. The aircraft will first touch down in Vancouver to refuel, before heading to CFB Trenton, in Ontario. (...)

Canadians stuck in Wuhan, China — the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak — will have to wait at least a day longer before they can be repatriated to Canada, after inclement weather delayed the arrival of the plane chartered to fly (...)

Canadians repatriated from the Chinese city of Wuhan will be quarantined as soon as they land in Canada. Marc-André Cossette has the latest details of the government’s plan, while political scientists Geneviève Tellier and Daniel (...)

Tonight on the show, Esther Bégin talks about the highlights of the week. Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s national director of public health, and Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian Ambassador to China, take stock of the coronavirus. Also (...)

Tonight on the show, Esther Bégin takes stock of the coronavirus and efforts to contain it with Laurence Monnais, professor of history at the Center for Asian Studies at the University of Montreal, and François Audet, professor at UQAM (...)

The Bloc Québécois believes that the Quebec aluminum industry will not benefit from the new Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement and are therefore against fast-tracking the ratification of NAFTA 2.0. Meanwhile, the expert panel’s (...)

A third case of coronavirus in Canada raises public concerns and sparks discussions between parliamentarians. Esther Bégin takes stock of the situation with journalist Marc-André Cossette and Horacio Arruda, the national director of (...)

MPs are back at the House of Commons after the holiday break. Several hot topics are on the menu, including gun control, ratification of the United-States-Canada-Mexico trade agreement and the Conservative Party of Canada’s (...)

The parliamentary sitting ended with the resignation of Andrew Scheer. François Legault finally met Justin Trudeau for the first time since the federal election and the aluminum industry asks Ottawa to review NAFTA 2.0 Esther Bégin chats (...)

Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer announced his resignation today, after rumors have been circulating about it for weeks within his party. He will, however, remain a member of his riding of Regina – Qu’Appelle. Esther Bégin (...)

The new United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a “net gain” for the aluminum sector, says Justin Trudeau, which means no financial aid will be given to this sector. The Bloc Québécois promises to vote against (...)

The new Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) will finally be ratified. The three countries said on Tuesday that they had found common ground. In the United States, the agreement will have to be submitted to Congress before (...)

The Liberal government is taking action by honoring an election promise it repeated throughout the campaign: lowering taxes for the middle class. Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Minister of Middle Class Prosperity Mona Fortier made the (...)

A look at the impacts of decisions made in Ottawa on the lives of Canadians through in-depth analysis, context, and points of view.

Today was the opening of the 43rd Parliament at the House of Commons. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivered his Speech from the Throne and a new Speaker of the House was elected: Anthony Rota. For the occasion, L’Essentiel is (...)

Donald Trump said Justin Trudeau was “two-faced” after watching a video where the prime minister seems to be making fun of the U.S. president. Although Trudeau refuted these allegations, this didn’t help to alleviate tensions (...)