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In the Westminster parliamentary system used in Canada, the legitimacy of an elected government hinges on its ability to command the confidence of the House of Commons. During an election period, the House is shut and so the prime minister cannot seek approval from the elected chamber.

Because of that, the prime minister and cabinet are directed by the convention to act with restraint, which means they shouldn't introduce big, new things or make changes that would be onerous for the next government to roll back.

This does not mean that the government is prevented from making decisions. Prime Minister Mark Carney still has the responsibility of ensuring the routine operation of the government continues and must also be able to respond to emergencies such as natural disasters, wars or economic crises.

[Former Clerk of the Privy Council Michael Wernick] says that deciding what must be done — and what should not be done — comes down to the judgment of the prime minister guided by tradition, such as ensuring government actions demonstrate respect for the democratic will of Canadians.

"There's no rule book to go to that would tell you exactly where that threshold is," Wernick said.

When it comes to responding to tariffs being imposed on Canada by the Trump administration, the prime minister and his cabinet have the power and authority they need to respond with retaliatory tariffs or help for workers.

UK-based distributor Sphere Abacus is run by MD Jonathan Ford and sells shows including Leaving Neverland, Catch You Later, and Travels with Agatha with Sir David Suchet internationally. Bell Media will fold its programming into Sphere Abacus library in the wake of the deal, meaning that catalog swells to about 5,500 hours.

As well making a big move into international distribution with the Sphere Abacus deal, Bell Media’s Cohan tells Deadline about a project dubbed internally as ‘Northern Lights’. It will see the Canadian outfit forge a range of new international programming partnerships and seek to elevate Canadian talent and content on the global stage.