What's coming up next in Canadian politics? Here are five key stories to watch in 2026

After a wild year in Canadian politics that began with Justin Trudeau's resignation and ended with Conservative MPs crossing the floor to join Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government, 2026 is shaping up to be just as action-packed.

It'll be a year where U.S. trade talks will loom large. Meanwhile, federal opposition parties will make key decisions on their futures as the Liberal government — just one seat shy of a majority government — strategizes what to do next.

Here are five key Canadian politics stories to watch in 2026:

A mandatory review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement on trade will begin next year. Earlier this month, Carney said Canada will enter into formal discussions with the United States in January. 

The agreement has given Canada some crucial protection since the beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump's global trade war. Several tariffs that Trump has imposed since March have included carve-outs for CUSMA-compliant goods.

But the Canadian economy is still being battered by a litany of sectoral tariffs on key sectors like steel, aluminum, automobiles and lumber. 

Earlier this month, Trump's point-person on trade laid out a series of conditions that Canada must meet to extend the agreement, and it's not cheap.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Congress that Canada must bolster "market access for U.S. dairy products" — a swipe at supply-management — and the Canadian government must address provincial bans on U.S. alcohol.

Greer also said the U.S. will take aim at the Online Streaming Act, which brought online platforms like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube under Canadian broadcasting rules.

That legislation was brought about to force U.S. web giants to contribute financially to the domestic media ecosystem and make Canadian content readily available on their platforms, which have become ubiquitous as traditional TV, cable and satellite providers shed subscribers.

Carney has said Trump hasn't given him any indication he's willing to walk away from CUSMA, which the U.S. president struck during his first term at the White House.

Canada will also be watching the U.S. Supreme Court, which is currently considering whether some of Trump's tariffs are legal and whether he overstepped his authority by invoking his emergency powers to impose them.

The White House, for its part, appears ready for that possibility and has backup plans ready to go should they lose that case.

At the end of January, Conservative members will gather in Calgary to map out the party's future, which includes a key decision on whether Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre should stay in the top job — as required by the party after an election loss.