Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed …
Prime Minister Mark Carney promises ‘good news’ in spring economic update
Prime Minister Mark Carney is suggesting there will be “good news” about Ottawa’s fiscal situation when the federal government tables its spring economic statement later today.
The mid-year update will offer Canadians a look at how the war in Iran and new spending items like a boost to the GST benefit are affecting federal finances.
Carney told reporters Monday that the Liberals are “good fiscal managers” and have made tough decisions about cutting spending to keep federal finances on a sustainable track.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre describes the Liberals’ spending strategy as “credit card budgeting” and is calling on the government to make deeper cuts to put the deficit back on a track to balance.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney introduces new member of Parliament Danielle Martin to the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, April 27, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Liberals formalize majority, pass motion to restructure committees
The federal government moved quickly to make use of its new majority powers on Monday, hours after three Liberals who won recent byelections took their seats in the House of Commons.
The Liberals passed a motion to restructure committees to give them a majority of seats on committees, and passed a motion to limit debate on the motion to make the changes, with opposition MPs accusing the Liberals of a power grab.
Committees study legislation and other government business and have the power to call witnesses and require the production of documents.
Government House leader Steven MacKinnon says the changes reflect the “long tradition” in Parliament that majority governments also hold a majority of seats on committees, but Opposition House leader Andrew Scheer decried the move as undemocratic.
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An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patch is seen in Ottawa, on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
OPP officer dead after crash on Highway 401 in Cobourg: police
An Ontario police officer who died in a highway crash east of Toronto is being remembered as a dedicated member whose life was taken “far too soon.”
Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Thomas Carrique says hearts are broken as officers mourn the on-duty loss of Sgt. Brandon Malcolm.
Northumberland O-P-P officers were called Monday just after 5:30 p-m to a single-vehicle crash involving a police motorcycle on the eastbound Highway 401 in Cobourg, and Malcolm died at the scene.
Investigators are looking into the circumstances of the crash, and Carrique says there’s no evidence to suggest another vehicle was involved.
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Workers use a heavy machine to remove the wreckage of a train after a collision in Bekasi, Indonesia, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana)
Rescuers recover last victims from Indonesia train wreck that killed 14 and injured dozens
Rescuers finished removing victims from a damaged commuter train car Tuesday, confirming that the crash outside Indonesia’s capital killed 14 women.
The crash occurred Monday when a long-distance train crashed into the rear car of the stopped commuter train at Bekasi Timur Station outside Jakarta — a car that was designated for women only (a common accommodation to stop harassment).
Bobby Rasyidin, CEO of state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia, said a total of 84 injured people were taken to hospitals for treatment.
The Indonesian Ministry of Transportation said authorities believe the incident began when another commuter train hit a stalled taxi near Bekasi Timur Station, leading staff to stop a second commuter train at the station, where it was struck by a long-distance commuter train.
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Founder and CEO of Children First Canada Sara Austin speaks during a ‘Time Is Up: Children and Families Take Over Parliament Hill to Demand Online Safety’ rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Monday, April 27, 2026.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
Parents who don’t allow kids to have smartphones say social media ban would ease their minds
Some parents say a proposed government social media ban would make their efforts to protect their children more effective.
Demand is mounting for the federal government to act quickly to prevent kids under 16 from using social media.
Jennifer Gill says she worries about what kind of content her three youngest kids might see online, such as sexual images and violent videos.
Rebecca Snow, with advocacy group Unplugged Canada, says governments have already set age limits for things like drinking and smoking, so it makes sense to implement one for social media, too.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
