In the news today: Liberals table budget, blue wave reaction, Kutryk spacewalk

The Canadian federal government is set to release its 2026 budget today, as reported by The Canadian Press. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced measures to make Canada more resilient to external shocks, such as U.S. trade aggression and global disruptions. Champagne hinted at removing common irritants from Canada's tax code for small- and medium-sized businesses.

Despite most fiscal experts anticipating lower deficits due to elevated global oil prices, some express concerns that Ottawa may have limited capacity to address future shocks. Meanwhile, the U.S. midterm elections have resulted in a Democratic sweep, sparking both joy among Canadians and lingering trust issues in the American administration.

Despite changes in the political landscape, Canada-U.S. trade minister Dominic LeBlanc emphasized that Canada's diversification of trade partners won't be altered as Democrats take control of Congress. A Canadian astronaut, Joshua Kutryk, is scheduled to conduct his second spacewalk in just two weeks, joining NASA astronaut Anil Menon to install the final solar array on the International Space Station.

The spacewalk is a challenging and dangerous task, essential for maintaining and upgrading the station's infrastructure. Separately, a class action lawsuit has been certified, alleging that gross negligence at a Toronto long-term care home led to hundreds of COVID-19 deaths and numerous infections between late 2020 and early 2023.