A Conservative MP arriving for Wednesday’s party caucus meeting promised debate behind closed doors on the Quebec secularism law, suggesting the party should challenge it in court.
Mark Strahl, the MP for Chilliwack–Hope, said the Conservatives need to take a different approach to Bill 21, which has been in the spotlight since it was used to justify the removal of a third-grade teacher in Quebec because she wears a hijab.
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, in response, last week said that he personally opposes the law, which bans teachers and some other public-sector workers from wearing religious symbols on the job, but added that Quebecers should be allowed to deal with such issues themselves.
Mr. Strahl disagreed. “I personally think when people are being targeted because of their religion or the things they wear because of their religion, we should speak out against that as Canadians,” he told journalists.
On Mr. O’Toole’s view, Mr. Strahl said, “I think some issues transcend jurisdiction, and I think Bill 21 is one of them.”
Asked if the Conservatives should commit to challenging the legislation in court, Mr. Strahl said, “We can’t let laws like that go unchallenged. So yes, that would be my position.”
He added that his view is shared by “many, many of my colleagues” and that the issue would be brought up during the caucus meeting.
There’s a story here outlining some views on the issue among members of the Conservative caucus.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said he disagrees with Bill 21 and his government has not ruled out intervening in a legal battle against the law. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has said he would support federal intervention in a court challenge – a position detailed in a story here.
Departing the caucus meeting, Conservative MP Garnett Genuis also expressed concerns about Bill 21.
“Well, I’ve been very clear always that I’m very opposed to Bill 21. I’ve tabled petitions in the House opposing Bill 21 and I will always stand with my Muslim, Sikh and Jewish brothers and sisters who are concerned about how this bill’s affecting them,” he told journalists.
Asked about federal intervention, the MP for Sherwood Park–Fort Saskatchewan said, “I’m not a lawyer,” and that he would leave it to others with more expertise.
Of Mr. O’Toole’s position, Mr. Genius said the Conservative leader has made it clear that he personally opposes the legislation.
Upon leaving the caucus meeting on Wednesday, Mr. O’Toole repeated his views on the Quebec law
“I do not approve of Bill 21. I would not introduce legislation like that at the federal level. We will continue to talk about important issues in Quebec and across the country,” he said.
“We must speak as a team, but it is also important to recognize provincial jurisdiction and the judicial process in Quebec.”
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TODAY’S HEADLINES
BREAKING – The federal government is advising against all non-essential international travel in the face of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19. Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos made the announcement at a 1:30 p.m. EST news conference in Ottawa, following a Tuesday evening meeting between premiers and the Prime Minister. There’s a story here on where things stand now. Watch The Globe and Mail for updates.
FALL FISCAL UPDATE – Ottawa’s bottom line is benefitting from billions in new tax revenue since the April budget, with the Liberal government opting to divert about half of that substantial gain toward new spending, the fall fiscal update shows.
INFLATION HITS THREE-DECADE HIGH – Canadian inflation hit a three-decade high in November as the economy now deals with rapidly increasing infections tied to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, threatening to exacerbate supply disruptions that have pushed up prices and become a top concern for households. Story here.
B.C. WELCOMES OTTAWA FLOOD-DISASTER AID – British Columbia’s finance minister says the federal government’s $5-billion contribution to flood recovery efforts in the province is a historic amount of cash that reflects the extreme nature of the disaster. Story here.
RALLY TO PROTEST REMOVAL OF QUEBEC TEACHER – Nearly 200 people gathered this week outside the Gatineau constituency office of the Quebec MNA whose riding includes the school where a third-grade teacher was told she couldn’t continue to teach her class so long as she wears a hijab, because of Quebec’s secularism law. Story here from The Ottawa Citizen.
CANADIAN PRIVACY OFFICIALS ACT – Privacy officials in Canada have formally ordered a U.S. facial-recognition software company to delete images of Canadians in its database and are preparing to take steps, which could include large fines, if the order is refused.
NO PUBLIC DISCUSSION ON RYERSON NAME CHANGE – Ryerson University will not hold a public discussion about possible options for its renaming. Instead, the Toronto postsecondary institution will be guided primarily by a survey of public opinion and the recommendations of a committee. Story here.
SLOAN JOINS NEW PARTY – Former Conservative MP Derek Sloan has been appointed to lead a new party. Details here from Global News.
THIS AND THAT
TODAY IN THE COMMONS – Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, Dec. 15, accessible here.
CAUCUS MEETINGS – Wednesday is caucus day in Ottawa, but there was a twist this week as the Liberals and the NDP held their meetings virtually due to concerns about the Omicron variant. However, the Conservatives gathered in person across the street from the House of Commons. “We’re following all the rules as we always have,” party leader Erin O’Toole said as he arrived for the meeting. CBC reports here Omicron’s impact on House business.
TRUDEAU WARNING – Heading to his office to dial into the virtual Liberal caucus meeting on Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered a caution to Canadians about the path ahead during the holidays amid the impact of the Omicron variant. “People are going to have to be careful,” Mr. Trudeau told journalists, speaking in French. “Canadians have been paying attention for months and months. We saw the ability of people to do the right things. They will have to make careful decisions about Christmas.”
MACKLEM SPEECH – Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, will be delivering an end-of-year speech at noon Wednesday to the to the Empire Club of Canada.
TORY MP TABLES BEREAVEMENT BILL – Conservative MP Tom Kmiec (Calgary–Shepard) has tabled Bill C-211: An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code, which would expand bereavement leave to eight weeks of unpaid leave for parents who have experienced a stillbirth, the death of a child under the age of 18, or the death of a disabled child in the parent’s care. The current Canada Labour Code allows for three days of paid leave and two days of unpaid leave. In June, Mr. Kmiec, who has been an MP since 2015, tabled Bill C-307 on bereavement leave, but it did not proceed due to the federal election. Mr. Kmiec’s daughter died in August, 2018, after living for 18 days. The text of his bill is here.
POILIEVRE EXPECTING A SCREAM-FILLED HOLIDAY – Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre appears to be expecting a rather noisy Christmas this year. Asked, as he left Wednesday’s caucus meeting, about whether he was changing his Christmas plans due to Omicron, the Carleton MP offered a this response: “No. My Christmas plans were already boring. I was planning to stay home with two screaming kids and now as a result of this variant, I’m planning to stay home with two screaming kids. So thanks very much.” In response, a journalist observed, “That’s the clip that everybody’s going to use, and you know it.”
THE DECIBEL – Wednesday’s episode of The Globe and Mail podcast The Decibel features guest Dr. Dalia Hasan, who started the COVID Test Finders Twitter account to share information about finding rapid tests, to raise money for those who can’t afford them, and to advocate for more equitable access to rapid testing. Listen here.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
Private meetings. The Prime Minister virtually attends the national Liberal caucus meeting, then attends Question Period. The Prime Minister was scheduled to meet with Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane, and to announce a childcare agreement with Premier Cochrane. In the evening, the Prime Minister was scheduled to virtually join members of the Liberal Party’s Laurier Club for an online iteration of the annual Laurier Club holiday appreciation event.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Private meetings. The Deputy Prime Minister virtually attends the national caucus meeting and then attends Question Period. Virtually joins federal ministers at a news conference to announce new measures to address the Omicron variant of concern.
LEADERS
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole attended the national Conservative caucus meeting.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet held a news conference on the Bloc Québécois year in review.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh attended the NDP national caucus meeting, then held a news conference and was scheduled to attend Question Period.
OPINION
Andrew Coyne (The Globe and Mail)on how the Charter can’t save Quebec’s religious minorities, but federal leadership can: “Let’s be clear. It isn’t the hijab, the turban or the kippa that have been banned: it’s the people who wear them. A policy of what amounts to religious segregation – No Religious Minorities Need Apply – has been imposed across much of the public sector in one of our largest provinces. And the response of most of our leaders is: none of our business. But it is “our business,” because (to borrow a phrase) Canada is our business. Every citizen of Canada is entitled to equal treatment under the law, no matter which part of the country they live in. That is a matter not only of law, but of justice, and if we fail to uphold either – if we fail to defend the Fatemeh Anvaris among us, when their rights are under attack – then we are as much implicated as those more directly responsible.”
Robyn Urback (The Globe and Mail)on politicians finally acknowledging the great shame of Bill 21: “It was mystifying to watch last week as a handful of federal politicians discovered their voices on Quebec’s 2019 religious symbols ban. It was like seeing babies discover their feet for the first time – You mean to tell me I’ve had toes this whole time?! – except these infants were seasoned politicians who had chosen to look away for years as the country’s second-most populous province actively discriminated against its own residents.”
Thomas Mulcair (The Montreal Gazette) on the necessary next step involving Bill 21: “Bill 21 can and should be referred to the Supreme Court for a clear decision. That’s what was done when the question of Quebec’s right to secede needed clarification. It was a worthwhile effort that concluded that it was not enough to have just quantitative clarity, a clear majority. The Supreme Court also required qualitative clarity: clear question, clean rules and a fair process. There was no fiddling about. It was sent straight to the Supreme Court. That’s what should happen with Bill 21. Given that it is inevitable the Supreme Court will decide its fate, the stalling is pointless and causes real harm to those being discriminated against.”
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NEW YORK (AP) — In a new video posted early Election Day, Beyoncé channels Pamela Anderson in the television program “Baywatch” – red one-piece swimsuit and all – and asks viewers to vote.
In the two-and-a-half-minute clip, set to most of “Bodyguard,” a four-minute cut from her 2024 country album “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé cosplays as Anderson’s character before concluding with a simple message, written in white text: “Happy Beylloween,” followed by “Vote.”
At a rally for Donald Trump in Pittsburgh on Monday night, the former president spoke dismissively about Beyoncé’s appearance at a Kamala Harris rally in Houston in October, drawing boos for the megastar from his supporters.
“Beyoncé would come in. Everyone’s expecting a couple of songs. There were no songs. There was no happiness,” Trump said.
She did not perform — unlike in 2016, when she performed at a presidential campaign rally for Hillary Clinton in Cleveland – but she endorsed Harris and gave a moving speech, initially joined onstage by her Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland.
“I’m not here as a celebrity, I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother,” Beyoncé said.
“A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in, a world where we have the freedom to control our bodies, a world where we’re not divided,” she said at the rally in Houston, her hometown.
“Imagine our daughters growing up seeing what’s possible with no ceilings, no limitations,” she continued. “We must vote, and we need you.”
Harris used the song in July during her first official public appearance as a presidential candidate at her campaign headquarters in Delaware. That same month, Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, publicly endorsed Harris for president.
Beyoncé gave permission to Harris to use the song, a campaign official who was granted anonymity to discuss private campaign operations confirmed to The Associated Press.
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.
