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TODAY’S HEADLINES
Today is the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families and communities.
The day is a direct response to The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 80, which called for a federal statutory day of commemoration to acknowledge those affected by residential schools and to educate Canadians.
It also coincides with Orange Shirt Day, a movement that began on Sept. 30, 2013, when residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation opened up about her trauma caused by residential schools.
In a statement today, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations urged all Canadians to spend Sept. 30 reflecting on how to contribute to the healing path forward from the harms of the institutions of assimilation and genocide.
“Today, and every day, I stand in support of survivors and intergenerational trauma Survivors,” said RoseAnne Archibald. “I honour September 30 as a day of remembrance and grief.”
The Queen took note of the day.
“I join with all Canadians on this first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to reflect on the painful history that Indigenous peoples endured in residential schools in Canada, and on the work that remains to heal and to continue to build an inclusive society,” Queen Elizabeth said in a statement.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to the milestone day on Wednesday night, noting reconciliation doesn’t just mean understanding the mistakes of the past, but also looking at how those mistakes shape the country today.
Today, he elaborated in a statement.
“We must all learn about the history and legacy of residential schools. It’s only by facing these hard truths, and righting these wrongs, that we can move together forward together toward a more positive, fair and better future,” he said.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, in a statement, said more work needs to be done to address the devastating and harmful effects of residential schools, and reconciliation must be central to those efforts.
Mary Simon, Canada’s Governor-General, and the first Indigenous person to hold the office, is to participate in the one-hour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation broadcast special.
A statement from her office said it will air tonight at8 p.m. on APTN, CBC, CBC Gem, ICI TÉLÉ and ICI TOU.TV.
Elsewhere, check here for continuing Globe and Mail updates on ceremonies and events marking this milestone day.
NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION – HEADLINES
MEMORIAL CEREMONY – The Cowessess First Nation are holding a memorial ceremony at the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School in their territory to honour the Indigenous children who died and those who survived there – one of several ceremonies planned across the country to mark Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. “We are going to gather, we are going to share, we are going to learn and we are going to walk forward in what we consider reconciliation,” says Chief Cadmus Delorme. Story here.
SURVEY MEASURES CANADA’S VIEW ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES – A new survey suggests that there is a growing awareness in Canada of the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples, and more willingness among Canadians to blame governments for the fact that First Nations continue to suffer inequality. Story here.
CANADA’S FIRST INDIGENOUS GG ON THE DAY – Governor-General Mary Simon had some very personal reflections Wednesday on the eve of Canada’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, declaring in a statement that as the daughter of a white father and an Inuk mother she was not allowed to attend a residential school so stayed behind while other children were ripped away from their homes. Story here, from The Canadian Press.
AFN HEAD MAKES A POINT BY FISHING – On the west coast of Vancouver Island, RoseAnne Archibald fishes for salmon as part of a symbolic journey to highlight Nuu-chah-nulth fishing rights and emphasize issues Ms. Archibald raised earlier in the month in Nova Scotia. “Both the West Coast and the East Coast [First Nations] are asking for the same thing – which is to have their inherent and treaty rights to their fishery honoured, implemented and respected by the federal government,” the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations told Wendy Stueck. Story here.
EXPLAINER – There’s an explainer here on how to show unity with Indigenous communities.
Reporter’s Comment Kristy Kirkup:“This inaugural National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is taking place at a very emotional time for the country and there is a more sustained amount of attention being paid to systemic racism and discrimination toward Indigenous people. The focus is not only on the historical impacts of residential schools, but the modern-day implications for this government-funded, church-run system. Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, has talked about the fact that as time goes on, the country may be commemorating this day in a different way and that’s okay. He says it is extremely important for the survivors to be able to have this formal recognition and that everyone is in the process of learning. That was also sentiment picked up on Parliament Hill on Thursday by Elder Claudette Commanda , who was talking about the country being in a process of learning.”
NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION – THE DECIBEL
The Globe and Mail Editorial Boardon why a day of remembrance is good, but fixing the legacy of residential schools is better: “The first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an opportunity to reflect on the past and acknowledge the harms done by the residential school system. It needs to be more than that, though. It needs to be a day that prompts all Canadians to start asking about the future, and why it’s taking so long to get here.”
Clayton Thomas-Müller (Contributor to The Globe and Mail)on how Canada should commit to a Just Transition for Indigenous Peoples: “We need the rest of Canada to use the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and take a deep dive into a real healing process with Indigenous Peoples that is rooted in the idea of Land Back – returning land to Indigenous Peoples’ control – and the implementation of the 94 TRC recommendations, if we are going to achieve climate justice, peace and healing. A good start is a Just Transition Act that leaves no worker, First Nation or rural community behind. We need Trudeau and this government to hear us, work with us and act in a way this moment demands. We must learn from our past and prepare in the present to break the cycle and defend our collective future.”
Doug Anderson and Alexandra Flynn (Contributor to The Globe and Mail) on how municipalities must serve urban Indigenous Peoples in a mutually beneficial, respectful relationship: “Municipalities must acknowledge their obligations to Indigenous peoples by creating mutually beneficial, respectful relationships that recognize and endorse Indigenous rights and responsibilities. This is preferable to a one-sided consultative model where governments are the ultimate decision maker and merely consider the views of Indigenous peoples. Relationships can express themselves in many forms, but municipal governments must listen and learn from First Nations and Indigenous peoples, including their laws and governance practices.”
OTHER HEADLINES:
EARLY PRIORITIES FOR RE-ELECTED LIBERALS – Pushing ahead with contentious plans to overhaul Canada’s internet rules in areas like broadcasting, curbing online hate speech and requiring Google and Facebook to support Canadian news organizations are set to be early priorities for the re-elected Liberal government.
NUMBER OF FEMALE MPS FALLS BELOW 50-PER-CENT MARK – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has pledged that he will once again create a cabinet with an equal number of men and women, but the number of female MPs in the House of Commons still falls well below the 50-per-cent mark. Story here.
KENNEY FACES LEADERSHIP REVIEW – Alberta Premier Jason Kenney will face a leadership review during a newly scheduled United Conservative Party annual general meeting in April. This is earlier than the fall 2022 review that had originally been planned by the party. But it’s still not as early as some party members would like. Story here.
“Private meetings” according to an advisory from the Prime Minister’s Office.
LEADERS
No schedules released for federal leaders.
OPINION
John Ibbitson (The Globe and Mail)on why Canada’s department of foreign affairs needs to become more permeable: “There is a general feeling within the government that foreign affairs, the foreign-policy shops in other departments, officials within the Privy Council Office and those in the Prime Minister’s Office collectively lack the numbers and depth to think through the big challenges facing Canada. This is why the American model is so much better. With each change of administration, the senior ranks of the federal public service in Washington are replaced by the new administration’s nominees. Yes, it’s cumbersome, partisan, time-consuming and wasteful. But, as I have written in the past, it also provides the United States with a more open government, and with a public-policy elite who shift between stints in government, universities, think tanks and corporations. Government benefits from that real-world experience.”
John McCarthy (Contributor to The Globe and Mail)on advice to Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, from one hostage to another: “The two Michaels will need plenty of rest, I imagine, as well as space and calm. I was lucky enough to have the invaluable counsel of psychiatrists who were at the forefront of what was then a relatively new field, studying post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They warned me that at times I might be overwhelmed by my new free life – by choices I had to make and the responsibilities I’d have to face. They also cautioned that I might find myself lost in a fog of memories of captivity – that sometimes I would want to talk and talk about my experiences, while at other times I’d want to shut down the subject and focus on other things. All this, they told me, was totally normal and I should try to remember that if I was getting stressed. Gradually, they said, it would pass – and they were right.”
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Anand thanked Rodriguez for his contributions to the government and the country, saying she’s grateful for his guidance and friendship.
She sidestepped a question about the message it sends to have him leave the federal Liberal fold.
“That is a decision that he made independently, and I wish him well,” she said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was not present for the swearing-in ceremony, nor were any other members of the Liberal government.
The shakeup in cabinet comes just days after the Liberals lost a key seat in a Montreal byelection to the Bloc Québécois and amid renewed calls for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down and make way for a new leader.
Anand said she is not actively seeking leadership of the party, saying she is focused on her roles as minister and as MP.
“My view is that we are a team, and we are a team that has to keep delivering for our country,” she said.
The minority Liberal government is in a more challenging position in the House of Commons after the NDP ended a supply-and-confidence deal that provided parliamentary stability for more than two years.
Non-confidence votes are guaranteed to come from the Opposition Conservatives, who are eager to bring the government down.
On Thursday morning, Rodriguez made a symbolic walk over the Alexandra Bridge from Parliament Hill to Gatineau, Que., where he formally announced his plans to run for the Quebec Liberal party leadership.
He said he will now sit as an Independent member of Parliament, which will allow him to focus on his own priorities.
“I was defending the priorities of the government, and I did it in a very loyal way,” he said.
“It’s normal and it’s what I had to do. But now it’s more about my vision, the vision of the team that I’m building.”
Rodriguez said he will stay on as an MP until the Quebec Liberal leadership campaign officially launches in January.
He said that will “avoid a costly byelection a few weeks, or months, before a general election.”
The next federal election must be held by October 2025.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he will try to topple the government sooner than that, beginning with a non-confidence motion that is set to be debated Sept. 24 and voted on Sept. 25.
Poilievre has called on the NDP and the Bloc Québécois to support him, but both Jagmeet Singh and Yves-François Blanchet have said they will not support the Conservatives.
Rodriguez said he doesn’t want a federal election right away and will vote against the non-confidence motion.
As for how he would vote on other matters before the House of Commons, “it would depend on the votes.”
Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will become the government’s new Quebec lieutenant, a non-cabinet role Rodriguez held since 2019.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
— With files from Nojoud Al Mallees and Dylan Robertson
OTTAWA – Several federal political parties are expressing reservations about the prospect of fresh regulations to prevent foreign meddlers from tainting their candidate nomination processes.
Elections Canada has suggested possible changes to safeguard nominations, including barring non-citizens from helping choose candidates, requiring parties to publish contest rules and explicitly outlawing behaviour such as voting more than once.
However, representatives of the Bloc Québécois, Green Party and NDP have told a federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference that such changes may be unwelcome, difficult to implement or counterproductive.
The Canada Elections Act currently provides for limited regulation of federal nomination races and contestants.
For instance, only contestants who accept $1,000 in contributions or incur $1,000 in expenses have to file a financial return. In addition, the act does not include specific obligations concerning candidacy, voting, counting or results reporting other than the identity of the successful nominee.
A report released in June by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians expressed concern about how easily foreign actors can take advantage of loopholes and vulnerabilities to support preferred candidates.
Lucy Watson, national director of the NDP, told the inquiry Thursday she had concerns about the way in which new legislation would interact with the internal decision-making of the party.
“We are very proud of the fact that our members play such a significant role in shaping the internal policies and procedures and infrastructure of the party, and I would not want to see that lost,” she said.
“There are guidelines, there are best practices that we would welcome, but if we were to talk about legal requirements and legislation, that’s something I would have to take away and put further thought into, and have discussions with folks who are integral to the party’s governance.”
In an August interview with the commission of inquiry, Bloc Québécois executive director Mathieu Desquilbet said the party would be opposed to any external body monitoring nomination and leadership contest rules.
A summary tabled Thursday says Desquilbet expressed doubts about the appropriateness of requiring nomination candidates to file a full financial report with Elections Canada, saying the agency’s existing regulatory framework and the Bloc’s internal rules on the matter are sufficient.
Green Party representatives Jon Irwin and Robin Marty told the inquiry in an August interview it would not be realistic for an external body, like Elections Canada, to administer nomination or leadership contests as the resources required would exceed the federal agency’s capacity.
A summary of the interview says Irwin and Marty “also did not believe that rules violations could effectively be investigated by an external body like the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections.”
“The types of complaints that get raised during nomination contests can be highly personal, politically driven, and could overwhelm an external body.”
Marty, national campaign director for the party, told the inquiry Thursday that more reporting requirements would also place an administrative burden on volunteers and riding workers.
In addition, he said that disclosing the vote tally of a nomination contest could actually help foreign meddlers by flagging the precise number of ballots needed for a candidate to be chosen.
Irwin, interim executive director of the Greens, said the ideal tactic for a foreign country would be working to get someone in a “position of power” within a Canadian political party.
He said “the bad guys are always a step ahead” when it comes to meddling in the Canadian political process.
In May, David Vigneault, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service at the time, said it was very clear from the design of popular social media app TikTok that data gleaned from its users is available to the Chinese government.
A December 2022 CSIS memo tabled at the inquiry Thursday said TikTok “has the potential to be exploited” by Beijing to “bolster its influence and power overseas, including in Canada.”
Asked about the app, Marty told the inquiry the Greens would benefit from more “direction and guidance,” given the party’s lack of resources to address such things.
Representatives of the Liberal and Conservative parties are slated to appear at the inquiry Friday, while chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault is to testify at a later date.
After her party representatives appeared Thursday, Green Leader Elizabeth May told reporters it was important for all party leaders to work together to come up with acceptable rules.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
FREDERICTON – A look at David Coon, leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick:
Born: Oct. 28, 1956.
Early years: Born in Toronto and raised in Montreal, he spent about three decades as an environmental advocate.
Education: A trained biologist, he graduated with a bachelor of science from McGill University in Montreal in 1978.
Family: He and his wife Janice Harvey have two daughters, Caroline and Laura.
Before politics: Worked as an environmental educator, organizer, activist and manager for 33 years, mainly with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.
Politics: Joined the Green Party of Canada in May 2006 and was elected leader of the New Brunswick Green Party in September 2012. Won a seat in the legislature in 2014 — a first for the province’s Greens.
Quote: “It was despicable. He’s clearly decided to take the low road in this campaign, to adopt some Trump-lite fearmongering.” — David Coon on Sept. 12, 2024, reacting to Blaine Higgs’s claim that the federal government had decided to send 4,600 asylum seekers to New Brunswick.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
