5 things you need to know this morning: May 14, 2025

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning.

Five things you need to know

1. PM says he wants Canada to export more oil, 'not impressed' by UK's attitude to US

The prime minister sat down for a couple of interviews after the swearing-in of his second cabinet yesterday, one with CTV and one with the US-owned UK broadcaster Sky News. Speaking to CTV, Mark Carney said he will seek to increase Canada's oil exports, while he told Sky that Canadians "weren't impressed" by the British government's decision to offer Donald Trump a state this year. Sky's interviewer also mocked Canada's "tiny military" that has "a lot of broken equipment."

🇨🇦 Canadian PM ⁦⁦@MarkJCarney⁩ sat down with @SkySamW⁩ for exclusive wide-ranging interview - really interesting and well worth watching. 👇 https://t.co/n60LKkMlrN

— Mark Stone (@Stone_SkyNews) May 14, 2025

EXCLUSIVE: Prime Minister @MarkJCarney says his government will "change things at the federal level that need to be changed in order for projects to move forward."@VassyKapelos: "Does that include C-69 or the emissions cap?"

Carney: "It could include both. Absolutely."… pic.twitter.com/0Nvt9IlpmB

— CTV Power Play (@CTV_PowerPlay) May 13, 2025

2. PM meeting with new cabinet for 1st time

In more prime ministerial news, Mark Carney is meeting with his new cabinet for the first time this morning. The powerful positions in the cabinet are almost entirely held by Trudeau-era ministers, but the PM has sought to emphasize his decision to introduce 24 new faces in more junior jobs.

Prime Minister Carney holds his first meeting with new cabinet this morning https://t.co/Oj9UdcU8Es

— CityNews Ottawa (@CityNewsOttawa) May 14, 2025

3. First-past-the-post system amplifying separatist sentiment, academic says

An academic has said Canada's electoral system is amplifying separatist sentiment. Law professor Roderick Wood said the first-past-the-post framework distorts the political reality on the ground, with the likes of Alberta and Saskatchewan appearing to be entirely blue, rather than the patchwork outcome predicted under proportional representation.

No more blue wall, red wall: How electoral reform could stop regional election sweeps https://t.co/sCDhOoiuof

— CP24 (@CP24) May 14, 2025

4. Carney heading to Rome for Pope Leo's inaugural mass

In yet more Mark Carney news, the prime minister is off to Rome on Friday to attend Pope Leo's inaugural mass. His office said the PM, who is Catholic, will also meet with international leaders during the visit.

Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Rome, Italy, to attend the inaugural mass of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and meet with international counterparts and leaders. https://t.co/tDIBtVi65K

— Prime Minister of Canada (@CanadianPM) May 13, 2025

5. Trump lifts sanctions on Syria, calls ex-jihadi leader 'attractive'

Donald Trump, meanwhile, has been making headlines on his trip to the Middle East, promising to lift sanctions on Syria to give the country "a chance at greatness." The president also said Syria's new leader, a former jihadist terrorist who took charge of the country in a coup d'état last year, was an "attractive guy."

Today, President Trump, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. President Erdogan of Turkey joined by phone. President Erdogan praised President Trump for lifting sanctions on Syria and committed to working alongside Saudi… pic.twitter.com/0yhyZbQ1o0

— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) May 14, 2025