Two Quebecers Interested In Joining The Canadiens
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Two Quebecers Interested In Joining The Canadiens
Anthony Beauvillier and Nicholas Aube-Kubel would like to wear the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge. The 28-year-old left winger has played for the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals. The 6-foot-11 and 180-pound right winger has never put up more than 40 points in a season, a feat he achieved once when he split his time between New York and Vancouver in 2022-23. The Habs want to get bigger, and the needs they have to address up front are more in the top-six than the bottom-six. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Montreal GM Kent Hughes would be tempted to add right-shot defenseman Noah Dobson to the roster, as he is in all likelihood, done in all but likelihood, who could replace Michael Pezzetta, who is in the all-star game on Saturday. The Canadiens have an important date on Saturday when they host the New York Rangers.
Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak are set to hit the market. Armia has already said he’d like to return, while Dvorak preferred not to touch on the subject at his exit interview, but Montreal appears to be set to give the kids a chance. Still, could the Canadiens be active come July 1? If there are, a couple of Quebecers who would like to receive a call.
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La Presse’s Guillaume Lefrancois attended the Beauchemin-Fleury-Beauvillier-Aube-Kubel golf classic on Friday, and according to his article in the Quebec newspaper, both Anthony Beauvillier and Nicholas Aube-Kubel would like to wear the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge.
Beauvillier knows Hughes from his agent days, as he is a Quartexx client, and he has a lot of respect for the Canadiens’ GM, calling him a great hockey mind who sees things differently. He adds that he has always believed in what he’s doing and the deals he has been making.
The 28-year-old was a first-round pick for the New York Islanders at the 2015 draft and spent seven seasons on Long Island before being part of the package that brought Bo Horvat to town. Since then, he has played for the Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Washington Capitals.
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Beauvillier is coming off a one-year deal he signed with the Penguins, which had a $1.25 million cap hit. He felt the Capitals might want to bring him back in his exit interview, but there hasn’t been any discussion since. The 5-foot-11 and 180-pound left winger has never put up more than 40 points in a season, a feat he achieved once when he split his time between New York and Vancouver in 2022-23. This past season, he picked up 25 points in 81 games and landed 139 hits, which would have ranked fifth on the Canadiens.
If Hughes were to make an offer to Beauvillier, he would certainly listen, but it would be for little more than a depth forward, and it would be surprising given his frame. The Habs want to get bigger, and the needs they have to address up front are more in the top-six than the bottom-six. I would be surprised if such an offer were to be made, but you never know.
As for Aube-Kubel, he was born in Alberta but moved to Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, when he was just two years old, and would also like to join the Tricolore. A 6-foot and 213-pound right winger, he has spent most of his season in the AHL.
He started the year in Buffalo with the Sabres, but suffered a knee injury. He was put on waivers in January and remained unclaimed, leading to his eventual assignment to the Rochester Americans. He was traded to the New York Rangers in March, and he played three games with the big club and three with its AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
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It was a challenging year for him, and in 22 NHL games, he could only muster two points and 19 penalty minutes. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Hughes would be tempted to add the right winger to his NHL roster, as he would be nothing more than a depth player, perhaps the kind of player who could replace Michael Pezzetta, who is, in all likelihood, done in Montreal.
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
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How Canada parties differ on key issues, from US relations to housing
How Canada party platforms compare on key issues, from the US relationship to housing. The main theme of the campaign has been how Canada’s next prime minister will tackle a trade war with its closest economic ally and neighbour. Most of the leading federal parties agree on some form of retaliatory tariffs in response to those put in place by the US, though they have different ideas on how the money raised by these levies would be used. The Liberals have said they will spend C$5bn on measures to diversify trade internationally and within Canada and invest in infrastructure like ports and railroads. The Conservatives are also remove trade barriers between provinces, and will call a meeting with premiers within a month of taking office. The Bloc has called for pandemic-style support for affected workers and are pushing for more support for Quebec’s aluminium industry. The left-wing NDP has proposed scrapping the federal sales tax on essentials like energy, phone and internet bills. It has also vowed to double the income received by Canadians with disabilities.
24 April 2025 Share Save Nadine Yousif BBC News, Toronto Share Save
Getty Images Canadians head to the polls on 28 April
Canadians are set to vote on Monday in an election seen as one of the most consequential in years, as the country looks to its future amid a trade war with the US. So what are the main federal political parties promising? Their platforms address key issues on the minds of voters, from their approach a suddenly volatile US-Canada relationship to the rising cost of living to energy and climate change. Here is a breakdown on where each party stands on some of the major issues:
On the cost of living
Canada, like many countries, has been grappling with higher prices for everyday goods while wages have failed to keep up, and all the parties are pitching ways to keep more money in the pockets of Canadians. Both the Liberals and the Conservatives are proposing tax cuts for people in the lowest tax bracket, with the Liberals promising a one-percentage-point cut and the Conservatives proposing dropping the tax rate from 15% to 12.75%. Conservatives are also in favour of removing the federal sales tax on purchases of all new homes and Canadian-made cars, while the Liberals have vowed to scrap sales taxes on homes under C$1m ($720,000; £540,000) for first-time buyers. The Bloc Québécois, a party that focuses on Quebec interests and only runs candidates in the province, wants to pass a bill that would increase Old Age Security – benefits for pensioners – payments by 10%. The party also wants to limit credit card interest rates. The left-wing NDP has proposed scrapping the federal sales tax on essentials like energy, phone and internet bills. It has also vowed to double the income received by Canadians with disabilities.
On Trump’s tariffs and US-Canada relations
The main theme of the campaign has been how Canada’s next prime minister will tackle a trade war with its closest economic ally and neighbour, after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and threatened its sovereignty. Most of the leading federal parties agree on some form of retaliatory tariffs in response to those put in place by the US, though they have different ideas on how the money raised by these levies would be used. The Conservatives promised to put it towards tax relief, especially for workers affected by tariffs. The Liberals have also said they would use money raised by counter tariffs to help workers and businesses and the NDP vowed to put “every dollar” collected towards supporting those affected. Additionally, the Liberals have said they will spend C$5bn on measures to diversify trade internationally and within Canada and invest in infrastructure like ports and railroads, and C$2bn to protect Canada’s auto industry. The Conservatives are also remove trade barriers between provinces, and will call a meeting with premiers within a month of taking office. They also want to pursue a trade and mobility agreement with the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The Bloc has called for pandemic-style support for affected workers and are pushing for more support for Quebec’s aluminium industry, which has suffered under Trump’s metals levies. The NDP have proposed a 100% levy on all Tesla products if Trump moves ahead with his full threatened tariffs on all Canadian goods, and to bar the president from the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta in June.
On defence spending
Canada has been criticised – including by President Trump – for lagging behind on its military spending, falling well short of the Nato target (which is 2% of a country’s GDP). Both the Liberals and the Conservatives say they will aim to reach that goal by 2030. The Liberals say they will spend C$18bn over the next four years, which will go to purchasing new equipment like submarines and heavy icebreakers that can be used in Canada’s north. The Conservatives are pledging C$17bn in that same time frame, and are vowing to build new Arctic military bases in Iqaluit and Churchill, Manitoba. The NDP has a longer timeline of 2032 for reaching the Nato target. The party would also cancel Canadian contracts for US-built fighter jets and aircrafts, and also bolster and set up new military bases in the north.
On housing
Home prices have skyrocketed in the last decade across the country. The Liberals want to create a standalone federal entity that would act as a developer for affordable housing. Through it, a Liberal government would supply C$25bn in debt financing for prefabricated home builders. They have also vowed to more than double annual housing starts in Canada to 500,000. Conservatives want to tie federal funding to cities based on the number of homes they have built. Their goal is to build 2.3 million homes in Canada in the next five years – about 460,000 a year. Conservatives would also sell off 15% of federal buildings so the land can be used for the construction of affordable homes. The NDP’s platform is focused on building three million affordable homes in the next five years by speeding up approvals and spending C$1bn for the construction of rent-controlled homes. The party has also vowed to set aside federal land to build a total of 100,000 rent-controlled units by 2035.
On energy and climate
Separatist sentiment? Three-in-10 in Alberta & Saskatchewan say they’d like to leave if Liberals form next government –
Separatist sentiment is weaker now than in 2019, but persists in AB, SK, and Quebec. In both Alberta (24%) and Saskatchewan (25%) only one-quarter of residents feel their province is respected by the rest of Canada. If the Liberals were to form the next government, approximately three-in-10 in Alberta (30%) and Sask. (33%) say they would vote to leave federation, whether to form their own country or to join the U.S. Even in Quebec, Canada’s traditionally most separatism desiring province, 46 per cent feel respected. In 2019 just 17 per cent of Albertans said they felt treated fairly by Ottawa. In 2022, Alberta passed the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act, while in 2023 Saskatchewan passed the Saskatchewan First Act. The Fair Deal Panel was struck in 2019. Then, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said that Ottawa “must stop taking us for granted. They need to understand they’re killing the golden goose.”
April 6, 2025 – As if Election 45 could was looking for more drama, former opposition leader and Reform Party founder Preston Manning was rebuked by both Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and Liberal leader Mark Carney this week after Manning claimed that a vote for Carney and the Liberals represents a vote for Western secession and the breakup of Canada.
New data from the nonprofit Angus Reid Institute finds that while Manning is not wrong that Western separatism sentiment may increase if the Liberals win federally, Carney has the data in his favour. Indeed, if the Liberals were to form the next government, approximately three-in-10 in Alberta (30%) and Saskatchewan (33%) say they would vote to leave federation, whether to form their own country or to join the United States. While this is significant, the vast majority still say they would vote no in each province.
Much of this is about perceived respect. In both Alberta (24%) and Saskatchewan (25%) only one-quarter of residents feel their province is respected by the rest of the country. This is half the level of the national average (52%) and well behind Ontario (66%). Even in Quebec, Canada’s traditionally most separatism desiring province, 46 per cent feel respected.
Notable, too, are the changes in recent months as Canadians have rallied around the flag in the face of threats of annexation from American President Donald Trump. Compared to last June, the proportion of those who believe their province “is treated fairly by the national government” has risen 19 points or more in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec, while smaller but still positive changes have taken place in Alberta (+4), Saskatchewan (+6) and Atlantic Canada (+12).
INDEX
Part One: Respect and fairness
Majority in Alberta, Saskatchewan believe province is not respected by rest of Canada
Percentage of Canadians who believe province is treated fairly by feds rebounds
Separatist tone was stronger in 2019
Part Two: A referendum in the West?
Most would vote no to province leaving country or joining the U.S.
But minority ‘yes’ vote grows if Liberals win election
Part Three: Weighing in on Danielle Smith’s American outreach
Part One: Respect and fairness
Majority in Alberta, Saskatchewan believe province is not respected by rest of Canada
So far, 2025 has been a year where Canadians have come together, after threats from American President Donald Trump to make Canada the 51st state, and tariffs on Canadian goods entering the U.S.
Amid this, however, long-simmering regional divisions continue to bubble, with both Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe offering a more regional take on relations with the U.S. These actions continue to speak to electorates who feel they have been spurned by the rest of the country. In fact, Alberta and Saskatchewan have continually been at or near the bottom of the list when asked if their province is respected.
Percentage of Canadians who believe province is treated fairly by feds rebounds
In both prairie provinces, legislation has been passed in recent years to increase autonomy and reject federal influence. Much of this is in response to feeling of alienation within the population. In 2019 just 17 per cent of Albertans said they felt treated fairly by Ottawa. The Fair Deal Panel was struck in 2019. Then, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said that Ottawa “must stop taking us for granted. They need to understand they’re killing the golden goose.” The panel studied ways to give Alberta more autonomy, including a provincial revenue agency, a separate provincial pension plan, a provincial police force and a formal provincial constitution.
While twice as many Albertans now say they feel fairly treated, this level of sentiment still lags well behind all other regions, aside from Saskatchewan. In 2022, Alberta passed the Alberta Sovereignty within a United Canada Act, while in 2023 Saskatchewan passed the Saskatchewan First Act.
Separatist tone was stronger in 2019
In the wake of the cancellation of the Energy East pipeline, and a series of barriers put in front of the TransMountain expansion which threatened to upend the project – until the federal government stepped in – Albertans were frustrated with their province’s place in confederation and dissatisfied with the federal government.
In 2019, half (50%) of Albertans believed Alberta separatism “could” or “may very well” happen.
Related:
ARI found six years ago that majorities of those in Alberta (60%) and Saskatchewan (53%) were open to the concept of a western Canadian separatist movement:
That same year, 58 per cent of Albertans believed that “the only way to be heard” in confederation “is to threaten separation,” compared to 42 per cent who disagreed and said that provinces don’t need to go that far. That sentiment had cooled significantly when ARI re-asked the question in July 2024, when only two-in-five believed separation was the only way for a province’s voice to be heard. However, Albertans, and those in Saskatchewan, were still above the national average in believing that to be the case:
Part Two: A referendum in the West?
While threatening separatism is evidently seen as a good bargaining chip, few Canadians appear to actually want to leave federation, whether it’s to join the United States or to have their province become its own nation.
Most would vote no to province leaving country or joining the U.S.
Asked how they would vote in a referendum about their province leaving Canada, 15 per cent say they would prefer their province be its own country, while 11 per cent say they would join the United States. Quebec leads the way in desire to become its own country, while Albertans and Saskatchewanians are most likely to want to join the United States:
Politically, supporters of the separatist Bloc Québécois stand out from other partisans on this issue. That said, Conservatives are approximately four-times as likely as other party supporters to want to form their own country, and stand nearly alone in their desire to join the United States:
But minority ‘yes’ vote grows if Liberals win election
According to Preston Manning, Moe and Smith national unity is on the ballot this federal election campaign. If the Liberals were to form the next government, support for leaving Canada to become a separate nation rises five points in Alberta and 13 points in Saskatchewan. These are, notably vastly outweighed by the majority who would vote no in a referendum regardless of who forms government:
Two-in-five current Conservative Party voters say they would be interested in seeing their own province leave confederation if the Liberals win the forthcoming election. The same number would also be open to joining the U.S. after such a result. This, compared to approximately four per cent of Liberal and NDP voters:
Part Three: Weighing in on Danielle Smith’s American outreach
Smith recently attended a conference in Florida headlined by American Conservative podcaster Ben Shapiro, who has advocated for Canada’s annexation. She has also recently appeared on Breitbart News, where she stated that she suggested to American officials that they put tariffs on pause until after the federal election in order to help the Conservative Party.
Angus Reid Institute asked Canadians about this, noting that some people say that her frequent trips to the U.S. to engage with Americans, including Shapiro, who want to annex Canada are a betrayal of her country. Other people say she is making these trips to defend her country and change Americans’ minds. The majority (53%) say these activities are a betrayal, while three-in-10 (28%) say that they are a way of keeping the dialogue open and defending Canada. Notably, in here own province views are divided equally on both sides:
Conservatives, as noted previously, are much more open to leaving the country to create their own or join the United States and are also more likely to see Smith’s trips as defending Canada’s interests. Few other partisans agree:
METHODOLOGY
The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from March 20 – 24, 2025, among a randomized sample of 2,400 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to region, gender, age, household income, and education, based on the Canadian census. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
ARI conducted a second survey from March 28-31, 2025, among a randomized sample of 2,131 Canadian adults who are members of Angus Reid Forum. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to region, gender, age, household income, and education, based on the Canadian census. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI. Detailed tables are found at the end of this release.
Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI. Detailed tables are found at the end of this release.
For detailed results by age, gender, region, education, and other demographics, click here.
For PDF of full report, click here.
For Questionnaire, click here
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Shachi Kurl, President: 604.908.1693 shachi.kurl@angusreid.org @shachikurl
Dave Korzinski, Research Director: 250.899.0821 dave.korzinski@angusreid.org
Jon Roe, Research Associate: 825.437.1147 jon.roe@angusreid.org