Roundup: Politics and blame for Lac-Mégantic

As the blame and politics around the Lac-Mégantic explosion swirl about, which you can parse in all sorts of different ways – including the company saying that the locomotive may have been tampered with – it does bear reminding that Transport Canada has been slapped by auditors in the past for not having clear training regimes and procedures for their inspectors – so that even if inspections were conducted, were they all conducted the same, and what kind of follow-up was done, given the rates at which the same problems were found in successive inspections. The CBC’s extensive coverage can be found here. Liza Ch. Savage looks at how it figures into the Keystone XL pipeline debate in the States. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall also send their condolences, as well as those for the floods in Alberta.

The Lac-Mégantic explosion has also apparently forced the cabinet shuffle to be delayed, which will likely be next week instead of the original plan of this week. Peter O’Neil looks like the prospects for BC Ministers in the shuffle.

Peter MacKay has hinted that the RCAF may also have its Commonwealth rank designations restored. Just think of how cool it would be to have the Chief of Defence Staff referred to as Air Chief Marshal Lawson rather than General as he currently is.

The three-person steering subcommittee of the Senate’s Internal Economy Committee will get first crack at Senator Wallin’s audit report when it is completed, though the Liberals feel assured that after the Duffy debacle that the Conservatives won’t try any monkey business this time around.

A Ryerson report commissioned by the federal government shows that international alliances are needed to protect our cyber-security, as it would be impossible for any one country to go it alone.

Despite the Conservative government’s threats of “consequences” for UN recognition of de facto statehood for the Palestinians, Israel has urged Canada not to cut funding for the Palestinian Authority, lest the destabilization push more people toward groups like Hamas. It appears to be an area where the government’s desire to be a supporter of Israel butts up against what Israel actually wants.

The lawyer for one of the alleged Canada Day bombers in BC says that there are the hallmarks of police entrapment in the case.

The Saskatchewan Party has decided to embrace civic illiteracy and kneejerk overreaction, and has voted to make Senate abolition their party policy. Good job, guys. Slow clap.

Here’s a bit of history with the marking of the 70th anniversary of the Canadian contribution to the Sicilian campaign in the Second World War.

And because this amuses me far too much, it’s a Sontaran from Doctor Who – with the voice of Mike Duffy. Amazing (and a little terrifying).