☕ TLDR: Canada's election

Good morning!

It’s a big day for 22-year-old quarterback Cam Ward, who was officially announced as the No.1 draft pick in the NFL’s draft last night. Ward is headed to the Tennessee Titans, who won only three of 17 games last season.

Football fans and experts weren't surprised - the trade of Ward to the Titans has been predicted for a few weeks now. There was a chance the Titans would trade their pick, but the prospect of snapping up a star quarterback was too good to pass up.

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Some headlines from this morning:

• Pakistan and India have continued to impose punitive measures on each other as tensions escalate between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. The conflict follows a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed at least 25 people. A group called “The Resistance Front” has claimed responsibility for the attack, though Pakistan insists it has no connection with the organization. India has responded by closing its border with Pakistan, suspending water sharing agreements, and revoking all Pakistani visas, while ordering Pakistani citizens currently in India to leave the country. Pakistan has retaliated by restricting Indian use of its airspace and suspending trade between the two nations.

• The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and M23 rebels have agreed to a ceasefire while peace talks continue, raising hopes that the country's long-running civil war may be nearing an end. Qatar has been hosting the negotiations, which led to a historic meeting between DRC and M23 leaders last month. The conflict has lasted decades and intensified in January 2025, when M23 launched a major offensive, capturing Goma and Bukavu, two of the largest cities in eastern DRC. At least six previous ceasefire agreements since 2021 have failed to hold.

• President Trump has asked the Supreme Court to lift a lower court's block on his administration's order to remove transgender troops from the U.S. military. The January order, which cited that transgender personnel do not meet the military's "rigorous standard," was temporarily blocked when eight transgender service members challenged it in district court. The administration has requested the Supreme Court allow the policy to take effect while the case works its way through the legal system. Government lawyers argue the lower court's ruling fails to recognize the "substantial deference" owed to military leadership decisions. The Supreme Court judge reviewing the application has requested a response from the opposing side by May 1.

• Robert Crimo III, the 23-year-old gunman who killed seven people at a 2022 Independence Day parade in Highland Park, Illinois, has received seven consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. Crimo pleaded guilty last month to murder and attempted murder charges stemming from the mass shooting at the Fourth of July celebration. Judge Rossetti imposed a life sentence for each person killed, plus an additional 50 years for attempted murder charges related to the dozens injured. Crimo's father was previously sentenced to 60 days in jail in 2023 for recklessly helping his son obtain firearms despite warning signs about his mental state.

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President Trump has publicly criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russian forces bombed Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, killing nine people and injuring more. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP!" before calling for a peace deal.

The President's criticism comes after Ukraine rejected a U.S.-proposed peace deal and amid growing U.S. frustration with the slow progress of negotiations.

Peace talks so far

During his presidential campaign, Trump promised to end the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. While this hasn't happened, his administration continues to push for a quick resolution to the conflict.

Multiple ceasefire proposals have been put forward, but Russia has not agreed to any of them. Last weekend, US officials warned they might abandon negotiations if a deal isn't reached soon.

Ukraine recently rejected a U.S. proposal that would have required it to surrender territory seized by Russia, including Crimea and 20% of Ukraine, and accept a veto on its NATO membership application. Trump suggested Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy should make concessions now or risk fighting for three more years and potentially losing the entire country.

When asked what concessions were expected from Putin, Trump responded: "Stopping taking the whole country, pretty big concession."

Kyiv attack

On Wednesday night, Putin ordered the bombing of Kyiv. According to Zelenskyy, 70 drones and 150 missiles targeted the capital in the deadliest attack since June. The attack killed at least eight people and injured at least 77.

The bombings caused President Trump to revise his usually more sympathetic tone with Putin and demand that the killings stop. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, the President said: "I didn't like last night."

World leaders have condemned the bombing and called on America to hold Russia responsible for prolonging the war.

What’s next?

A peace conference in London recently produced a plan that Zelenskyy says has been presented to President Trump, though top U.S. officials did not attend this meeting.

President Trump maintains that a peace deal is close and has announced that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Moscow this week as talks continue through the weekend.

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Canadians will choose their ruling party on Monday. Key campaign issues are the changing relationship with the US and the cost of living. Polls are tight, but the centre-left Liberals, now led by Mark Carney, are slightly ahead.

In January, Carney was announced as the replacement for long-time Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. After that announcement, the Conservatives, under Pierre Poilievre, lost a significant lead in the polls.

A majority vote for either party is not certain, drawing attention to minor parties that could hold significant influence after the election.

How does voting work in Canada?

Canada has 343 federal ridings (electoral districts), each electing one representative to parliament. Major parties contest every riding, while minor parties compete in some. Canada uses a "first past the post" system - whichever candidate gets the most votes in a riding wins that seat.

A party needs 172 seats to form a majority government. Without one, the leading party must form a coalition with smaller parties to govern effectively.

Polievre and the Conservatives

Pierre Poilievre, a career politician, leads the Conservative Party. He was the election frontrunner until the Liberals replaced Justin Trudeau with Mark Carney and President Trump began threatening tariffs and a takeover of Canada.

To tackle the cost-of-living crisis, the Conservatives propose cutting the lowest income tax rate from 15% to 12.75%, and scrapping the federal sales tax on new homes and Canadian-made cars. In response to President Trump's trade threats, Poilievre has promised tax relief funded by retaliatory tariffs.

Carney and the Liberals

Mark Carney is a prominent banker who previously headed both the Canadian and British central banks. He became Prime Minister after replacing Justin Trudeau in a leadership contest and now leads the Conservatives by 3.6 points in the polls.

The Liberals promise a 1% tax cut for low-income Canadians, no tax on first-time home purchases under $1 million (approximately $US750,000), and plans to reinvest tariff revenue into supporting workers and diversifying Canada's trade relationships.

Minor parties

With no party projected to win a majority, the next government will likely rely on support from minor parties. The New Democrats (NDP) and Bloc Québécois are the largest of these smaller political forces.

The NDP proposes removing federal taxes from essentials like energy, phone, and power bills. The Bloc, which only runs candidates in Quebec, promises a 10% pension boost and financial support for workers affected by U.S. tariffs.

How are Canadians feeling?

Pundits are calling this Carney's election to lose. However, nothing is certain until after Monday's polls close.

Canadians view this as a historic election, with the winner tasked with countering US trade pressure while addressing the country's rising cost of living.