House Watch: Your weekly political briefing
1. U.S. President Barack Obama used his speech to Parliament to pass the torch to his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau.
"My time in office may be nearing an end, but I know that Canada and the world will benefit from your leadership in the years to come," he said.
Obama's address touched on several themes: the two nations' shared history, the fight against climate change, and the importance of trade and understanding its impact on citizens.
Obama's address also included a dig on defence spending.
The President urged Canada to contribute more to NATO, something that Canada, it turns out, is about to do in Eastern Europe.
The one major irritant seemed to be the softwood lumber dispute, but that played out behind closed doors.
2. Three Amigos find common ground on the environment... and a lot more.
The three leaders also confirmed a joint environmental action plan.
They had committed to making sure that 50 per cent of North America's electricity will come from clean power sources by 2025.
The agreement is part of an effort to use the three countries' already integrated economic relationship to harmonize environmental policies.
The leaders also discussed several more topics including trade and security.
Ultimately, they also had to field questions about certain comments by a certain candidate for president.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto did more than squeeze in a little run ahead of the Three Amigos meeting.
The two leaders announced that, despite concerns raised by bureaucrats, Canada will lift its visa requirements for travellers from Mexico as of Dec. 1.
In return, Mexico will fully re-open its beef market to Canadian imports, an irritant that dates back to the discovery of a BSE case in Alberta in 2003.
4. Justin Trudeau celebrated his first Canada Day as Prime Minister.
After the Three Amigos summit wrapped up, Justin Trudeau got to celebrate Canada turning 149.
On the same week, Canada's colours (and Prime Minister) got the superhero treatment.
5. Brexit won't throw Canada's free trade deal with the European Union off track.
At least that's according to Canada's International Trade Minister, Chrystia Freeland.
She said this week that she expects the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the EU to be signed before the U.K. has time to trigger Article 50, which would kick-start the country's withdrawal from the 28-nation bloc.
6. Canadian troops heading to Latvia.
The Trudeau government has decided it will send hundreds of troops to join a NATO high-readiness brigade preparing to deploy in Latvia.
Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says Canada will take a leadership role and establish one of the battle group formations requested by the alliance.
With Crimea still under Moscow's rule and war raging in Ukraine, Sajjan acknowledged Friday the fielding of the new NATO brigade is a serious step, but one that Canada is prepared to wholeheartedly support.
The minister declined to release further details about equipment or force size, saying there will be a formal announcement at the upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw.
7. Cities and provinces are on an unsustainable fiscal path.
At least according to the parliamentary budget officer.
In his 2016 fiscal sustainability report, Jean-Denis Fréchette says the subnational debt-to-gross domestic product ratio could balloon to 200 per cent over the next 75 years, unless there are significant changes.
"Subnational debt is unsustainable," Fréchette writes. "The consolidation does not need to be made immediately. However, the longer this adjustment is delayed, the greater the required adjustment. "
8. A first legal test for the country's new assisted-dying law.
A B.C. woman with spinal muscular atrophy has joined the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association to challenge the federal government's new legislation.
The Liberal government's controversial assisted-dying legislation was approved on June 17.
9. Ottawa struggling with "Phoenix" pay system.
A dozen unions representing federal government workers have filed a notice of application in Federal Court to force the federal government to pay its employees properly and on time.
Five months after the government launched its problem-plagued pay system called Phoenix, some civil servants are still getting short-changed or not paid at all. The most recent wave of complaints comes from among 2,000 recently hired seasonal workers at Parks Canada.
Treasury Board President Scott Brison is encouraging affected workers to give him a call.
A satellite pay centre being set up by the federal government will start tackling a huge backlog of requests next week.
10. The road to marijuana legalization.
The federal government has launched a task force that will advise ministers on how to best move forward with plans to legalize marijuana.
The nine-member task-force was announced by Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and Health Minister Jane Philpott. The panel will be chaired by Anne McLellan, a former deputy prime minister under Paul Martin, and will report back to the government by November.
Federal legislation is expected to be introduced in the spring of 2017.