Canada has imposed sanctions on more than 200 people who are loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
Global Affairs Canada says the new measures target 11 senior officials and 192 other members of the People’s Councils of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk for supporting Putin’s attack on the area.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asked about the new sanctions on Wednesday morning, said unity across the West will continue to put pressure on anyone who supported Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We are all looking at ways of moving forward and every conversation we have is about how we can do more as Western countries to demonstrate that Vladimir Putin made a terrible mistake,” Mr. Trudeau told the media as he arrived for a caucus meeting. “He needs to lose and anyone who supports him needs to face severe consequences.”
Meanwhile, senior parliamentary reporter Steven Chase reports here the Canadian government plans to give itself the power to sell off assets of foreigners seized under sanctions law, and then turn them over to affected victims or pay for rebuilding war-torn countries. The change would make Canada the first among Group of Seven countries to allow such actions.
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TODAY’S HEADLINES
BULLYING AND HARASSAMENT IN THE CRA – A team of psychological consultants hired by the Canada Revenue Agency found that a division responsible for working with multinational firms on global tax enforcement is rife with bullying and harassment and most of the staff feel their unit is ineffective. Story here.
ALL-TIME HIGH OF WORKING-AGE CANADIANS CLOSE TO RETIREMENT – More than one in five Canadians of working age are close to retirement, an all-time high that will have major ripple effects on the country’s economy, labour market and health care system, according to 2021 census details released by Statistics Canada on Wednesday. Story here.
TORIES SEEK RCMP INVESTIGATION OF PM’S AGA KHAN VACATION – Opposition Conservatives are asking the RCMP to pursue a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s trip to the Aga Khan’s private island six years ago, saying there’s new evidence. Story here Meanwhile the Prime Minister told Parliament, on Tuesday, that he did not authorize himself to take his family on an exclusive vacation at the Aga Khan’s private island in the Bahamas in 2016. Story here.
LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDED EMERGENCIES ACT: MENDICINO – The Liberal government invoked the never-before-used Emergencies Act because law enforcement advised that existing authorities were ineffective to restore public safety during blockades at ports of entry, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said on Tuesday evening. Story here.
QUEBEC AS LOUISIANA?: LEGAULT – Two newly formed political parties would prefer Quebec be bilingual, a move that is a sure ticket to becoming a new Louisiana, Premier François Legault said Tuesday. Story here.
FEDERAL COURT RULES AGAINST FEDERAL B.C. FISH FARM ORDER – A Federal Court judge has set aside a Department of Fisheries order that would have phased out fish farming in British Columbia’s Discovery Islands. Story here.
ALBERTA PLANS TO PROMOTE ITSELF IN U.S. – New documents reveal details of a multimillion-dollar plan from the province of Alberta to promote itself in the United States and expand its international diplomacy in an era of tension over energy policy. Story here from CBC.
LIGHT SHED ON FUNDRAISING DETAILS FOR RACE TO BE MANTOBA PREMIER – Former federal cabinet minister Shelly Glover came close last fall to becoming Manitoba’s premier with a third of the donations of the eventual winner, Heather Stefanson. Story here from CBC.
CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP RACE
SMALLER THAN USUAL CROWD FOR POILIEVRE – After rallies with crowds of hundreds or thousands in attendance, Pierre Poilievre, on Tuesday night, made his case for leading the federal Tories to a smaller crowd. Only about 200 were in attendance for a meet and greet held at a Gatineau hotel. Still, the crowd was lively, and many lined up for photos with the candidate after his remarks. The Poilievre campaign has yet to respond to Politics newsletter questions about the turnout. Mr. Poilievre asked for a show of hands for card-carrying Conservatives in the group. Most raised their hands. The candidate is holding a similar event in Brockville, Ont., on Wednesday night.
BABER IS IN – Roman Baber, an independent member of the Ontario legislature now seeking the Tory leadership, announced Wednesday he has submitted $300,000 to the Conservative Party of Canada alongside the required signatures from party members to warrant appearing on the ballot for the leadership race.
CHAREST VS. POILIEVRE ON THE ENVIRONMENT – Two high-profile candidates in the race to lead the federal Conservatives touted their climate change credentials on Tuesday, with Jean Charest releasing his environmental plan and Pierre Poilievre saying he would look at reviving some energy projects blocked by the Liberal government. Story here.
THIS AND THAT
TODAY IN THE COMMONS – Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, April. 27, accessible here.
FREELAND AT ALBRIGHT FUNERAL – Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was in Washington on Wednesday and scheduled to attend the funeral of the former United States secretary of state, Madeleine Albright at the Washington National Cathedral. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke at the ceremony. Ms. Albright was secretary of state from 1997 to 2001 under former president Bill Clinton. She died last month, aged 84.
HATE IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT COMMITTEE HEARING – House of Commons committee meetings on Wednesday include the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage gathering to hear witnesses on the “History of and Current Display of Hate Symbols and Emblems in Canada.” Witnesses include leaders from the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies and the Hindu Federation. The notice, including instructions for watching online, is here. Notices of all meetings are here.
BQ MP HAS COVID-19 – Bloc Québécois MP Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, who represents Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, has tested positive for COVID-19 with a rapid test. He is in isolation at home, according to a party statement.
THE DECIBEL
On Wednesday’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, The Globe’s technology reporter, Temur Durrani, talks about who is financing Elon Musk’s deal to buy Twitter, the social media platform, for US$44-billion as well as what Twitter’s users and advertisers think of it, and why it matters even if you’ve never written a single tweet. The Decibel is here.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
The Prime Minister held private meetings, attended the Liberal caucus meeting, was scheduled to attend Question Period and a reception hosted by Canada’s Building Trades Unions where he was to deliver remarks.
Conservative Leader Candace Bergen attended the Conservative caucus meeting, and Question Period.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh attended the NDP national caucus meeting, was scheduled to hold a media availability and participate in Question Period. In the evening, Mr. Singh was scheduled to attend the 22nd annual conference of the Association québécoise de la production médiatique , which advises, represents and supports independent production companies in film, television and the web, and present an award.
PUBLIC OPINION
TORIES LEADING LIBERALS IN NEW POLL – The Conservative Party of Canada has opened up a “statistically significant” lead over the governing Liberals, the latest polling from Nanos Research shows. Story here from CTV
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Boardon how the subject of the Rouleau inquiry is the Trudeau government, not the truckers: “It’s all too apparent that the Trudeau government doesn’t want the inquiry to focus too much on its decision to invoke the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14. What it appears to want is for the inquiry to put as much public attention on those who organized and took part in the trucker convoy that turned Parliament Hill into a giant parking lot for weeks on end. And that is wrong.”
Lawrence Martin (The Globe and Mail)on how the left is losing the language war: “The word “woke” used to have a positive connotation. It originated in Black culture and took on a more common, mainstream usage following the killing of Black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., in 2014. To be woke meant to be socially progressive, with an acute awareness of social injustices. Then, in the United States, Canada and elsewhere, the word woke was co-opted, hijacked by the political right and turned into a broad-sweep putdown of anyone with politically correct liberal values. Woke was newly reserved for lefty intellectuals and tree huggers, sushi eaters and faculty lounge highbrows, New York Times readers and the like.”
Diane Bellemare (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on how a basic income would be an unfair, complicated and costly way to eliminate poverty: “There is much to say about Bill S-233 tabled in the Senate. The bill – which proposes to oblige the federal Minister of Finance to develop a national framework to implement an unconditional guaranteed basic income program (GBI), unconditionally guaranteeing sufficient income (equivalent to or near the low-income threshold) for all Canadian citizens over age 17, as well as Canadian residents, refugees and temporary workers – strives to eliminate poverty and establish social equity. These are laudable goals. There is also no doubt about the positive effects of a stable basic income on an individual’s physical and mental health, as ample research has demonstrated.”
Noura Kevorkian (Contributed to The Globe and Mail)on how the Syrian refugee crisis still requires our urgent attention: “As the world rightfully focuses its attention on the current war in Ukraine and the displacement of millions of refugees, I notice how the focus has shifted off of Syrians. This year marks the 11th anniversary of the start of the Syrian refugee crisis. Since the beginning of the revolution in March, 2011, thousands have been killed, with families and a nation torn apart. With more than six million refugees, it remains one of the largest forced human migrations of our time, along with seven million displaced internally in Syria. This conflict is not being as widely reported in the media these days, but it is certainly just as deserving.”
Rob Shaw (The Orca)on how John Horgan’s F bomb in the B.C legislature raises questions about the premier’s future: “The quick apology, and the humorous deflection, will likely be enough to cauterize any lasting political wound from the incident. For some, seeing the premier drop an f-bomb in the chamber may even be a relatable moment, mirroring how they often react privately to seeing the shenanigans by politicians in Victoria or Ottawa. Eventually, BC New Democrats will get around to spinning the entire affair into a positive light, suggesting this was exactly the kind of folksy “Premier Dad” moment that holds Horgan so high in public opinion polls. But make no mistake – everyone, on both sides the house, was surprised at the Premier’s poor performance on Monday. I suspect, even himself. Horgan looks tired and spent. His quick apology will save him this time. But it will only accelerate quiet chatter in the legislature about whether his retirement is near.”
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HALIFAX – Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says it’s “disgraceful and demeaning” that a Halifax-area school would request that service members not wear military uniforms to its Remembrance Day ceremony.
Houston’s comments were part of a chorus of criticism levelled at the school — Sackville Heights Elementary — whose administration decided to back away from the plan after the outcry.
A November newsletter from the school in Middle Sackville, N.S., invited Armed Forces members to attend its ceremony but asked that all attendees arrive in civilian attire to “maintain a welcoming environment for all.”
Houston, who is currently running for re-election, accused the school’s leaders of “disgracing themselves while demeaning the people who protect our country” in a post on the social media platform X Thursday night.
“If the people behind this decision had a shred of the courage that our veterans have, this cowardly and insulting idea would have been rejected immediately,” Houston’s post read. There were also several calls for resignations within the school’s administration attached to Houston’s post.
In an email to families Thursday night, the school’s principal, Rachael Webster, apologized and welcomed military family members to attend “in the attire that makes them most comfortable.”
“I recognize this request has caused harm and I am deeply sorry,” Webster’s email read, adding later that the school has the “utmost respect for what the uniform represents.”
Webster said the initial request was out of concern for some students who come from countries experiencing conflict and who she said expressed discomfort with images of war, including military uniforms.
Her email said any students who have concerns about seeing Armed Forces members in uniform can be accommodated in a way that makes them feel safe, but she provided no further details in the message.
Webster did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At a news conference Friday, Houston said he’s glad the initial request was reversed but said he is still concerned.
“I can’t actually fathom how a decision like that was made,” Houston told reporters Friday, adding that he grew up moving between military bases around the country while his father was in the Armed Forces.
“My story of growing up in a military family is not unique in our province. The tradition of service is something so many of us share,” he said.
“Saying ‘lest we forget’ is a solemn promise to the fallen. It’s our commitment to those that continue to serve and our commitment that we will pass on our respects to the next generation.”
Liberal Leader Zach Churchill also said he’s happy with the school’s decision to allow uniformed Armed Forces members to attend the ceremony, but he said he didn’t think it was fair to question the intentions of those behind the original decision.
“We need to have them (uniforms) on display at Remembrance Day,” he said. “Not only are we celebrating (veterans) … we’re also commemorating our dead who gave the greatest sacrifice for our country and for the freedoms we have.”
NDP Leader Claudia Chender said that while Remembrance Day is an important occasion to honour veterans and current service members’ sacrifices, she said she hopes Houston wasn’t taking advantage of the decision to “play politics with this solemn occasion for his own political gain.”
“I hope Tim Houston reached out to the principal of the school before making a public statement,” she said in a statement.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
REGINA – Saskatchewan Opposition NDP Leader Carla Beck says she wants to prove to residents her party is the government in waiting as she heads into the incoming legislative session.
Beck held her first caucus meeting with 27 members, nearly double than what she had before the Oct. 28 election but short of the 31 required to form a majority in the 61-seat legislature.
She says her priorities will be health care and cost-of-living issues.
Beck says people need affordability help right now and will press Premier Scott Moe’s Saskatchewan Party government to cut the gas tax and the provincial sales tax on children’s clothing and some grocery items.
Beck’s NDP is Saskatchewan’s largest Opposition in nearly two decades after sweeping Regina and winning all but one seat in Saskatoon.
The Saskatchewan Party won 34 seats, retaining its hold on all of the rural ridings and smaller cities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
HALIFAX – Nova Scotia‘s growing population was the subject of debate on Day 12 of the provincial election campaign, with Liberal Leader Zach Churchill arguing immigration levels must be reduced until the province can provide enough housing and health-care services.
Churchill said Thursday a plan by the incumbent Progressive Conservatives to double the province’s population to two million people by the year 2060 is unrealistic and unsustainable.
“That’s a big leap and it’s making life harder for people who live here, (including ) young people looking for a place to live and seniors looking to downsize,” he told a news conference at his campaign headquarters in Halifax.
Anticipating that his call for less immigration might provoke protests from the immigrant community, Churchill was careful to note that he is among the third generation of a family that moved to Nova Scotia from Lebanon.
“I know the value of immigration, the importance of it to our province. We have been built on the backs of an immigrant population. But we just need to do it in a responsible way.”
The Liberal leader said Tim Houston’s Tories, who are seeking a second term in office, have made a mistake by exceeding immigration targets set by the province’s Department of Labour and Immigration. Churchill said a Liberal government would abide by the department’s targets.
In the most recent fiscal year, the government welcomed almost 12,000 immigrants through its nominee program, exceeding the department’s limit by more than 4,000, he said. The numbers aren’t huge, but the increase won’t help ease the province’s shortages in housing and doctors, and the increased strain on its infrastructure, including roads, schools and cellphone networks, Churchill said.
“(The Immigration Department) has done the hard work on this,” he said. “They know where the labour gaps are, and they know what growth is sustainable.”
In response, Houston said his commitment to double the population was a “stretch goal.” And he said the province had long struggled with a declining population before that trend was recently reversed.
“The only immigration that can come into this province at this time is if they are a skilled trade worker or a health-care worker,” Houston said. “The population has grown by two per cent a year, actually quite similar growth to what we experienced under the Liberal government before us.”
Still, Houston said he’s heard Nova Scotians’ concerns about population growth, and he then pivoted to criticize Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for trying to send 6,000 asylum seekers to Nova Scotia, an assertion the federal government has denied.
Churchill said Houston’s claim about asylum seekers was shameful.
“It’s smoke and mirrors,” the Liberal leader said. “He is overshooting his own department’s numbers for sustainable population growth and yet he is trying to blame this on asylum seekers … who aren’t even here.”
In September, federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller said there is no plan to send any asylum seekers to the province without compensation or the consent of the premier. He said the 6,000 number was an “aspirational” figure based on models that reflect each province’s population.
In Halifax, NDP Leader Claudia Chender said it’s clear Nova Scotia needs more doctors, nurses and skilled trades people.
“Immigration has been and always will be a part of the Nova Scotia story, but we need to build as we grow,” Chender said. “This is why we have been pushing the Houston government to build more affordable housing.”
Chender was in a Halifax cafe on Thursday when she promised her party would remove the province’s portion of the harmonized sales tax from all grocery, cellphone and internet bills if elected to govern on Nov. 26. The tax would also be removed from the sale and installation of heat pumps.
“Our focus is on helping people to afford their lives,” Chender told reporters. “We know there are certain things that you can’t live without: food, internet and a phone …. So we know this will have the single biggest impact.”
The party estimates the measure would save the average Nova Scotia family about $1,300 a year.
“That’s a lot more than a one or two per cent HST cut,” Chender said, referring to the Progressive Conservative pledge to reduce the tax by one percentage point and the Liberal promise to trim it by two percentage points.
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Houston announced that a Progressive Conservative government would make parking free at all Nova Scotia hospitals and health-care centres. The promise was also made by the Liberals in their election platform released Monday.
“Free parking may not seem like a big deal to some, but … the parking, especially for people working at the facilities, can add up to hundreds of dollars,” the premier told a news conference at his campaign headquarters in Halifax.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2024.
