Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the issue of a no-fly zone for Ukraine is “extraordinarily difficult” because of images of the impact of Russian bombs and cruise missiles falling on hospitals, schools and Ukrainian civilians.
“It is heartbreaking to see these images every day of Vladimir Putin’s violence against innocents across Ukraine,” Mr. Trudeau told a news conference in Alliston, Ont., on Wednesday that he attended with Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
“This is an extraordinarily difficult issue,” Mr. Trudeau said.
But the Prime Minister said the NATO alliance is looking at ways to help support and protect Ukrainians, and prevent the war from expanding elsewhere.
“These are heartbreaking decisions and choices we have to make,” he said.
In a speech to Canadian parliamentarians on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for a no-fly zone over Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues. Story here.
On Wednesday, Mr. Trudeau was responding to a journalist’s question about whether there was anything Mr. Zelensky said in his speech that made Mr. Trudeau reconsider Canada’s opposition to a no-fly zone.
Mr. Trudeau noted that in the early days of the conflict Ukrainians were far more successful than Russians expected at shooting down Russian aircraft.
“We’ve seen an emphasis away from aircraft flying into Ukrainian space and more bombs and cruise missiles launched from a distance, which is a challenge in terms of closing the skies.”
Asked Wednesday about the issue of a no-fly zone, Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly expressed concerns about the consequences of the measure.
“My answer has been, since the beginning, we need to make sure that we’re not triggering an international conflict. And, at the same time, we’re in creative mode and we’re willing to talk with allies to see how we can further support Ukraine,” she told journalists on Parliament Hill.
Mr. Trudeau also said he will be attending a March. 24 NATO summit at the organization’s headquarters in Brussels.
In a tweet, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he had convened the “extraordinary” summit to address Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, support for Ukraine, and “further strengthening NATO’s deterrence & defence.”
Of the summit, Mr. Trudeau said it will allow for continued conversations on the best way to help Ukraine.
Mr. Trudeau was in Alliston, about 100 kilometres north of Toronto, to announce a $131.6-million federal investment to help Honda Canada retool its manufacturing operations in the town to launch the next generation of hybrid-electric vehicles. The Ontario government is matching the investment.
Please check here for live Globe and Mail updates on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
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TODAY’S HEADLINES
NEW INFLATION HIGH – Canada’s inflation rate hit a new three-decade high in February as consumers paid sharply more for gasoline and groceries, highlighting the tough task ahead for central bankers looking to calm the situation. Story here.
O’TOOLE WAS PUSHED TO VACATE STORNOWAY – Erin O’Toole was pushed to vacate Stornoway, the residence of the Official Opposition leader, by new interim leader Candice Bergen within weeks of being turfed by Conservative MPs, according to three sources. Story here.
EXPANDING FIELD OF VANCOUVER MAYORAL CANDIDATES – After the already-crowded field of candidates in Vancouver’s mayoral election grew even larger earlier this week, Adriane Carr, a popular Green Party councillor, says she is seriously considering a run because she thinks Mayor Kennedy Stewart is unreliable on climate-change issues. Story here.
JEAN WINS ALBERTA BYELECTION – Brian Jean, the co-founder of the governing United Conservative Party, is back in the Alberta legislature, setting up a showdown with his fellow founder turned political foe, Premier Jason Kenney. Story here.
TOUGH FEW DAYS, SAYS MOE – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says it’s been a tough couple of days since a pickup truck registered in his name was impounded in British Columbia. Story here.
CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP RACE
TRANSCRIPT OF POLIEVRE INTERVIEW – Maclean’s magazine has posted the transcript of a one-hour interview with MP Pierre Poilievre, one of the contenders for the leadership of the federal Conservative party. The transcript is here.
HUAWEI ON CHAREST DUTIES – Huawei, the Chinese telecom company, says former Quebec premier Jean Charest, now running for the leadership of the federal Conservatives, focused on 5G issues when working with the company. Story here from Global News.
THIS AND THAT
TODAY IN THE COMMONS -The House of Commons is not sitting again until March 21.
GOVERNOR-GENERAL MEETS WITH QUEEN – On Tuesday, Governor-General Mary Simon met in person with Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. According to a statement from Rideau Hall, the meeting was intended to share Canadians’ best wishes in this year of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee. The Governor-General and her husband, Whit Fraser, also met with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. This was the Governor-General’s second encounter with the Queen after a virtual meeting on July 22, 2021.
THE DECIBEL
On Wednesday’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, business reporter Joe Castaldo talks about meme stock investors who got caught up in the momentum around stock price hikes for companies like GameStop and AMC. While the heights of the craze have passed, a lot of retail investors who got caught up in the momentum are still advocating for their stock picks – and risking a lot of money on their convictions. The Decibel is here.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
In Alliston, Ont., the Prime Minister had private meetings, spoke with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and then, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, visited the production facilities of Honda Canada Manufacturing. The Prime Minister then made an announcement with the Premier and held a media availability.
LEADERS
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, in Brampton, held a news conference and was scheduled, Wednesday evening, to meet with volunteers for the Ontario NDP.
No other schedules released for party leaders.
PUBLIC OPINION
CANADIAN VIEWS ON HELPING UKRAINE – A new study from the Angus Reid institute finds 48 per cent of Canadians are inclined to send more weaponry to the frontlines in Europe, with this representing a near tripling of support for Canada supplying Ukraine with lethal aid in the last six weeks. Details here.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Boardon when and how the war in Ukraine will end: “Starting a war is easy, as Vladimir Putin showed on Feb. 24. But ending a war, and ending it when it has reached a point where neither side has the strength to claim total victory, is a puzzle. The goal of the Western alliance is ending the war in Ukraine. That does not mean accepting any outcome that stops the fighting. But if and when Canada and its allies escalate in response to Moscow’s continued aggression – whether through more sanctions on Russia or more weapons transfers to Ukraine – we have to be sure that our actions aim at limiting the conflict, and bringing it to a conclusion, not expanding it.”
Campbell Clark (The Globe and Mail)on how answering Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call to create a no-fly zone would be an unthinkable mistake: “Mr. Zelensky essentially tells Western allies that a Third World War has already begun. There are level-headed experts in Western capitals that believe that may be true. But even if that’s so, it doesn’t mean the best course is to accelerate it to an end. It does mean that Canada and its allies should continue to arm and aid Ukraine, even when Mr. Putin responds with threats. It means preparing to confront further Russian aggression, defend NATO allies in Europe and accept new NATO allies. It means expanding sanctions to weaken Russia’s economy and preparing secondary sanctions in case China provides war matériel to Moscow. Yet responding to Mr. Zelensky’s heart-rending pleas for a no-fly zone means an unthinkable step across the line that risks global war.”
Andrew Coyne (The Globe and Mail)on the possible method to Pierre Poilievre’s nastiness: “For the moment, however, Mr. Poilievre bestrides the Conservative Party. The only way his rivals can dislodge him is by selling new memberships wholesale – tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands – in effect remaking the party. It’s a long shot. The day we see Mr. Poilievre launch a charm offensive, we will know it is beginning to work.”
Gary Mason (The Globe and Mail)on how the spectre of Donald Trump hangs over the federal Conservative leadership race:“Make no mistake: Mr. Poilievre is going after those CPC supporters who would pick a Trump ticket over a Biden one. If you’re looking for them, many can be found at any of these pop-up “freedom” rallies you see across the country. They were the ones flying Trump flags at the trucker convoy that squatted in the city of Ottawa for three weeks before being forced out. It’s why Mr. Poilievre reached out to them to offer his encouragement and support at the time, despite the havoc and hardship they were causing to residents of the capital. A large percentage of these folks can be found in Alberta and Saskatchewan, two provinces Mr. Poilievre hopes to own come the convention. He likely will. His angry, divisive style of politics sells well on the Prairies, where hatred for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau runs high.”
Rita Trichur (The Globe and Mail) on how Canada is an international haven for financial crime and the only antidote is transparency: “There’s a reason that dirty money from around the world washes up on Canadian shores. International consultants are promoting Canada as an ideal place to set up anonymous shell companies because Ottawa is unable to unmask their true owners, according to a new report. Published by Transparency International Canada, a non-governmental anti-corruption organization, the report is titled Snow-washing, Inc: How Canada is marketed abroad as a secrecy jurisdiction. The research in its pages provides a startling glimpse into how shell companies established in this country can be readily exploited by kleptocrats, money launderers, tax dodgers and other crooks.”
Don Braid (The Calgary Herald)on where Brian Jean winning a provincial byelection in Alberta leaves Alberta Premier Jason Kenney: ” So, Brian Jean will go to Edmonton, again. But will he even be admitted to Premier Jason Kenney’s UCP caucus? There is talk that he might be excluded. This would be another unlikely first, but in practical terms it is possible. Jean says Kenney isn’t fit for the premier’s office and should quit. That was the whole point of his campaign to return to the legislature. Allowing Jean into caucus would be like Abel inviting Cain into the family living room.”
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Outside of sports and a “Cold front coming down from Canada,” American news media only report on Canadian events that they believe are, or will be, influential to the US. Therefore, when Justin Trudeau’s announcement, having finally read the room, that Canada will be reducing the number of permanent residents admitted by more than 20 percent and temporary residents like skilled workers and college students will be cut by more than half made news south of the border, I knew the American media felt Trudeau’s about-face on immigration was newsworthy because many Americans would relate to Trudeau realizing Canada was accepting more immigrants than it could manage and are hoping their next POTUS will follow Trudeau’s playbook.
Canada, with lots of space and lacking convenient geographical ways for illegal immigrants to enter the country, though still many do, has a global reputation for being incredibly accepting of immigrants. On the surface, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver appear to be multicultural havens. However, as the saying goes, “Too much of a good thing is never good,” resulting in a sharp rise in anti-immigrant sentiment, which you can almost taste in the air. A growing number of Canadians, regardless of their political affiliation, are blaming recent immigrants for causing the housing affordability crises, inflation, rise in crime and unemployment/stagnant wages.
Throughout history, populations have engulfed themselves in a tribal frenzy, a psychological state where people identify strongly with their own group, often leading to a ‘us versus them’ mentality. This has led to quick shifts from complacency to panic and finger-pointing at groups outside their tribe, a phenomenon that is not unique to any particular culture or time period.
My take on why the American news media found Trudeau’s blatantly obvious attempt to save his political career, balancing appeasement between the pitchfork crowd, who want a halt to immigration until Canada gets its house in order, and immigrant voters, who traditionally vote Liberal, newsworthy; the American news media, as do I, believe immigration fatigue is why Kamala Harris is going to lose on November 5th.
Because they frequently get the outcome wrong, I don’t take polls seriously. According to polls in 2014, Tim Hudak’s Progressive Conservatives and Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals were in a dead heat in Ontario, yet Wynne won with more than twice as many seats. In the 2018 Quebec election, most polls had the Coalition Avenir Québec with a 1-to-5-point lead over the governing Liberals. The result: The Coalition Avenir Québec enjoyed a landslide victory, winning 74 of 125 seats. Then there’s how the 2016 US election polls showing Donald Trump didn’t have a chance of winning against Hillary Clinton were ridiculously way off, highlighting the importance of the election day poll and, applicable in this election as it was in 2016, not to discount ‘shy Trump supporters;’ voters who support Trump but are hesitant to express their views publicly due to social or political pressure.
My distrust in polls aside, polls indicate Harris is leading by a few points. One would think that Trump’s many over-the-top shenanigans, which would be entertaining were he not the POTUS or again seeking the Oval Office, would have him far down in the polls. Trump is toe-to-toe with Harris in the polls because his approach to the economy—middle-class Americans are nostalgic for the relatively strong economic performance during Trump’s first three years in office—and immigration, which Americans are hyper-focused on right now, appeals to many Americans. In his quest to win votes, Trump is doing what anyone seeking political office needs to do: telling the people what they want to hear, strategically using populism—populism that serves your best interests is good populism—to evoke emotional responses. Harris isn’t doing herself any favours, nor moving voters, by going the “But, but… the orange man is bad!” route, while Trump cultivates support from “weird” marginal voting groups.
To Harris’s credit, things could have fallen apart when Biden abruptly stepped aside. Instead, Harris quickly clinched the nomination and had a strong first few weeks, erasing the deficit Biden had given her. The Democratic convention was a success, as was her acceptance speech. Her performance at the September 10th debate with Donald Trump was first-rate.
Harris’ Achilles heel is she’s now making promises she could have made and implemented while VP, making immigration and the economy Harris’ liabilities, especially since she’s been sitting next to Biden, watching the US turn into the circus it has become. These liabilities, basically her only liabilities, negate her stance on abortion, democracy, healthcare, a long-winning issue for Democrats, and Trump’s character. All Harris has offered voters is “feel-good vibes” over substance. In contrast, Trump offers the tangible political tornado (read: steamroll the problems Americans are facing) many Americans seek. With Trump, there’s no doubt that change, admittedly in a messy fashion, will happen. If enough Americans believe the changes he’ll implement will benefit them and their country…
The case against Harris on immigration, at a time when there’s a huge global backlash to immigration, even as the American news media are pointing out, in famously immigrant-friendly Canada, is relatively straightforward: During the first three years of the Biden-Harris administration, illegal Southern border crossings increased significantly.
The words illegal immigration, to put it mildly, irks most Americans. On the legal immigration front, according to Forbes, most billion-dollar startups were founded by immigrants. Google, Microsoft, and Oracle, to name three, have immigrants as CEOs. Immigrants, with tech skills and an entrepreneurial thirst, have kept America leading the world. I like to think that Americans and Canadians understand the best immigration policy is to strategically let enough of these immigrants in who’ll increase GDP and tax base and not rely on social programs. In other words, Americans and Canadians, and arguably citizens of European countries, expect their governments to be more strategic about immigration.
The days of the words on a bronze plaque mounted inside the Statue of Liberty pedestal’s lower level, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” are no longer tolerated. Americans only want immigrants who’ll benefit America.
Does Trump demagogue the immigration issue with xenophobic and racist tropes, many of which are outright lies, such as claiming Haitian immigrants in Ohio are abducting and eating pets? Absolutely. However, such unhinged talk signals to Americans who are worried about the steady influx of illegal immigrants into their country that Trump can handle immigration so that it’s beneficial to the country as opposed to being an issue of economic stress.
In many ways, if polls are to be believed, Harris is paying the price for Biden and her lax policies early in their term. Yes, stimulus spending quickly rebuilt the job market, but at the cost of higher inflation. Loosen border policies at a time when anti-immigrant sentiment was increasing was a gross miscalculation, much like Trudeau’s immigration quota increase, and Biden indulging himself in running for re-election should never have happened.
If Trump wins, Democrats will proclaim that everyone is sexist, racist and misogynous, not to mention a likely White Supremacist, and for good measure, they’ll beat the “voter suppression” button. If Harris wins, Trump supporters will repeat voter fraud—since July, Elon Musk has tweeted on Twitter at least 22 times about voters being “imported” from abroad—being widespread.
Regardless of who wins tomorrow, Americans need to cool down; and give the divisive rhetoric a long overdue break. The right to an opinion belongs to everyone. Someone whose opinion differs from yours is not by default sexist, racist, a fascist or anything else; they simply disagree with you. Americans adopting the respectful mindset to agree to disagree would be the best thing they could do for the United States of America.
PHOENIX (AP) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent proponent of debunked public health claims whom Donald Trump has promised to put in charge of health initiatives, said Saturday that Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day in office if elected president.
Fluoride strengthens teeth and reduces cavities by replacing minerals lost during normal wear and tear, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The addition of low levels of fluoride to drinking water has long been considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the last century.
Kennedy made the declaration Saturday on the social media platform X alongside a variety of claims about the heath effects of fluoride.
“On January 20, the Trump White House will advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water,” Kennedy wrote. Trump and his wife, Melania Trump, “want to Make America Healthy Again,” he added, repeating a phrase Trump often uses and links to Kennedy.
Trump told NBC News on Sunday that he had not spoken to Kennedy about fluoride yet, “but it sounds OK to me. You know it’s possible.”
The former president declined to say whether he would seek a Cabinet role for Kennedy, a job that would require Senate confirmation, but added, “He’s going to have a big role in the administration.”
Asked whether banning certain vaccines would be on the table, Trump said he would talk to Kennedy and others about that. Trump described Kennedy as “a very talented guy and has strong views.”
The sudden and unexpected weekend social media post evoked the chaotic policymaking that defined Trump’s White House tenure, when he would issue policy declarations on Twitter at virtually all hours. It also underscored the concerns many experts have about Kennedy, who has long promoted debunked theories about vaccine safety, having influence over U.S. public health.
In 1950, federal officials endorsed water fluoridation to prevent tooth decay, and continued to promote it even after fluoride toothpaste brands hit the market several years later. Though fluoride can come from a number of sources, drinking water is the main source for Americans, researchers say.
Officials lowered their recommendation for drinking water fluoride levels in 2015 to address a tooth condition called fluorosis, that can cause splotches on teeth and was becoming more common in U.S. kids.
In August, a federal agency determined “with moderate confidence” that there is a link between higher levels of fluoride exposure and lower IQ in kids. The National Toxicology Program based its conclusion on studies involving fluoride levels at about twice the recommended limit for drinking water.
A federal judge later cited that study in ordering the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen cautioned that it’s not certain that the amount of fluoride typically added to water is causing lower IQ in kids, but he concluded that mounting research points to an unreasonable risk that it could be. He ordered the EPA to take steps to lower that risk, but didn’t say what those measures should be.
In his X post Saturday, Kennedy tagged Michael Connett, the lead attorney representing the plaintiff in that lawsuit, the environmental advocacy group Food & Water Watch.
Kennedy’s anti-vaccine organization has a lawsuit pending against news organizations including The Associated Press, accusing them of violating antitrust laws by taking action to identify misinformation, including about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines. Kennedy is on leave from the group but is listed as one of its attorneys in the lawsuit.
What role Kennedy might hold if Trump wins on Tuesday remains unclear. Kennedy recently told NewsNation that Trump asked him to “reorganize” agencies including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and some agencies under the Department of Agriculture.
But for now, the former independent presidential candidate has become one of Trump’s top surrogates. Trump frequently mentions having the support of Kennedy, a scion of a Democratic dynasty and the son of former Attorney General Robert Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy.
Kennedy traveled with Trump Friday and spoke at his rallies in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Trump said Saturday that he told Kennedy: “You can work on food, you can work on anything you want” except oil policy.
“He wants health, he wants women’s health, he wants men’s health, he wants kids, he wants everything,” Trump added.
