Politics Briefing: Ottawa sending 140 million COVID-19 rapid tests to provinces, territories this month to fight the pandemic - The Globe and Mail | Canada News Media
The federal government says it will be sending 140 million rapid tests to the provinces and territories this month.
However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that there will be no guidance on how the tests should be distributed.
During his first news conference of the year, Mr. Trudeau was repeatedly pressed on the issue given concerns around access to tests in various parts of Canada.
“Our job is to procure as many [tests] as we possibly can and get them to the provinces free of charge. They will make determinations around delivering them to people,” said the Prime Minister.
Mr. Trudeau said it’s clear that rapid testing is a tool for getting through the pandemic, and that certain jurisdictions such as Nova Scotia have made extensive use of rapid testing.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, attending the same news conference, said the 140 million adds up to one rapid test a week per person in Canada in January.
Before December, 2021, Mr. Duclos said the government delivered 85 million tests to provinces and territories, with 35 million tests delivered in December.
Reporter Colin Freeze recently looked at the supply crunch for rapid tests in a story here.
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TODAY’S HEADLINES
DAIRY MARKET RULING – The first dispute settlement panel struck under North America’s revised free-trade deal has ruled that Canada is violating the treaty and must change the way it grants preferential access to its heavily sheltered dairy market. Story here.
CENTRAL FIGURE IN KEY COURT RULING DIES – Delgamuukw, also known as Earl Muldon, died this week at the age of 85. Mr. Muldon was honored with the hereditary name in 1990, seven years before Delgamuukw v. British Columbia made its way to Canada’s highest court, leading to a ruling that defined the grounds for establishing Indigenous rights and title. Story here from The Northern Sentinel
DETAILS OF $40-BILLION AGREEMENT RELEASED – Details of agreements to settle cases of discrimination in the child welfare system for First Nations children have been released, with the federal government agreeing to pay $20-billion in compensation to First Nations children and $20-billion for long-term reform of the First Nations child welfare system under agreements-in-principle designed to settle a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal case and separate class-action lawsuits. Story here.
RANKIN STEPS DOWN – Former Nova Scotia premier Iain Rankin says he will resign as leader of the provincial Liberals, less than five months after his party lost to the Progressive Conservatives and failed to win a third-consecutive mandate. Story here. In a statement here, Premier Tim Houston thanked Mr. Rankin for his service.
TRUDEAU `FRUSTRATED’ WITH PARTYING TRAVELLERS – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s “extremely frustrated” with the actions of travellers – some apparently Quebec social-media influencers – on a Sunwing Airlines flight from Montreal to Cancun last month. The travellers were caught on video not wearing masks while in close proximity, singing and dancing in the aisle and on seats. “I can assure you that this is a situation that Transport Canada takes extremely seriously and we are definitely following up on that.” Story here.
PREMIER ACTS ON CABINET MINISTER OVER COVID-19 – Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson says she replaced the province’s former infrastructure minister because of his comments on COVID-19 vaccines. Story here.
SOMALI REGION SEEKS CANADIAN RECOGNITION – Somali’s breakaway Somaliland region is asking Canada for international recognition and aid, saying it’s important for Western countries to support a functioning democracy that’s resisting China’s influence in the Horn of Africa. Story here.
SPECIAL ENVOY CRITICIZES BILL-21 – Canada’s special envoy on combatting antisemitism has sharply criticized as “discriminatory” Quebec’s Bill-21 law banning teachers and some other public-sector employees from wearing religious symbols at work. Story here.
THIS AND THAT
The House of Commons has adjourned until Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. ET.
DEPUTY DEFENCE MINISTER BECOMES PM INTELLIGENCE ADVISER – The deputy defence minister who participated in last month’s government apology to victims of harassment in the military has a new job. Jody Thomas is the new national security and intelligence adviser to the Prime Minister as of Jan. 11. Ms. Thomas, who has been deputy defence minister since 2017, is being replaced by Bill Matthews, the current deputy minister of public services and procurement. He was senior associate deputy deputy defence minister from 2017 until 2019. The shift was announced Wednesday as part of a series of changes to the senior ranks of the public service affecting 18 public servants. Details are here.
O’TOOLE WANTS TO MEET WITH CBC CRITIC – Official Opposition Leader Erin O’Toole said, on Twitter, he wants to meet with the author of the article here for her thoughts on “how to fix the CBC.” In a subsequent tweet, the Conservative Leader wrote, “Even long-time CBC employees know the state broadcaster model is broken and getting worse. I’ll start by cancelling the $675-million Trudeau increase and by reviewing its mandate for the digital age.”
PM-PREMIERS’ TALKS THIS WEEK – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will be convening a call with the premiers this week “to discuss how governments are working together to keep Canadians safe.” The issue came up in a Tuesday phone conversation between Mr. Trudeau and B.C. Premier John Horgan, chronicled in a readout released by the Prime Minister’s Office. The summary also says Mr. Horgan, also chair of the Council of the Federation, and Mr. Trudeau also talked about the impact of the Omicron variant, and the Canada Health Transfer – the federal transfer to provinces and territories that provides health care funding.
THE DECIBEL – On the latest edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, Globe science reporter Ivan Semeniuk talks about how scientists map the genomes of COVID-19 variants. The Decibel is here.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
In Ottawa, the Prime Minister participated in private meetings and addressed Canadians on the COVID-19 situation along with Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Theresa Tam, and deputy chief public health officer of Canada Howard Njoo.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
In Toronto. Private meeting and the Deputy Prime Minister participated in a news conference with the Prime Minister, Health Minister and others on COVID-19.
LEADERS
No schedules released for party leaders.
OPINION
Andrew Coyne (The Globe and Mail)on the possible consequences of expected chaos in American democracy:”As the anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2020, assault on the Capitol approaches, the warnings of where America might be headed have grown darker. The darkest forecasts seem too fantastical to be likely. But if the collapse of American democracy, or at least its degradation into an authoritarian semi-democracy, is not inevitable, neither is it impossible.”
Robyn Urback (The Globe and Mail) on the question of when we admit Canada’s heath care system isn’t working: ”This pandemic should prompt Canadians to reckon with the reality that our health care system isn’t working. Indeed, when a province of millions is brought to a virtual standstill by the prospect of a few hundred additional people in acute care beds, that fact is undeniable. The changes needed to meaningfully improve health care quality and access in Canada have to be substantial, and there are myriad models to consider and explore: the German universal multi-payer system, Japan’s national insurance program, Britain’s system whereby private providers operate alongside the public NHS, to name just a few.”
Daphne Bramham (The Vancouver Sun)on Canada’s China conundrum: “Canadians’ view of the increasingly autocratic and belligerent China has rarely been so negative. Yet, Canada has also never been so reliant on China for trade with both exports and imports rising well above 2019 levels in the first six months of 2021 despite the pandemic, the Cold War over the incarceration of the two Michaels and the unanimous parliamentary condemnation of China’s cultural genocide of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. One of Canada’s biggest challenges in the coming year will be finding a balance between altruism and economics that satisfies both Canadians and the Chinese Communist government.”
Thomas Mulcair (The Montreal Gazette)on possible twists in this year’s Quebec election:“The pandemic may well be behind us by the time next fall’s election rolls around and Legault’s numbers eventually are going to start coming back down to earth, as Bouchard’s did in 1998. There will be a time of reckoning for Quebec’s last-place pandemic performance, but other political questions will also become central to the campaign. Big social issues like affordable housing will be back on the front burner, a subject Québec solidaire will pound. People worried about climate change will see in Quebec’s greenhouse-gas numbers a reason for concern, and both the Liberals and QS will zero-in on that. Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade will do her best to talk about the economy, which remains fragile even if there are hopeful signs of recovery. Language will remain a big issue and an occasion for the Parti Québécois to chip away at Legault’s armour.”
Les Perreaux (Policy Options) on the debate over adaptation to the shifting climate rather than taking difficult steps to cut greenhouse gas emissions: “In reality, adapting to climate change may be nearly as difficult as trying to cut greenhouse gases. The two should go hand-in-hand. Much like the slow movement of global leaders to arrest and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it may be too late to do much of the difficult and expensive mitigation work that would reduce the impact of climate-related disasters. The frequency and cost of those disasters are already growing rapidly. Insured disaster losses in Canada more than quadrupled to $1.9 billion per year in the 10-year period ending in 2018, compared with the previous 10-year period. Annual average federal payouts hit $427 million in the 10-year period ending in 2015, up from $303 million in the previous 10-year period and $56 million before 1994.”
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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.
