The US State Department’s report on the Keystone XL pipeline has been released, and they have determined that it won’t have any significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions, and also gave figures for what would happen if all of that oil were to be transported by rail, which would mean not only more emissions, but also more injuries and fatalities. Energy economist Andrew Leach parses what’s in the report here. Luisa Ch. Savage details the reception in Washington DC to the report and among environmentalists, who continue to remain opposed. Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall thinks the report is a cause for optimism that the pipeline will eventually happen.
As the reactions to the Senate announcement continue to reverberate, we hear from Senate reform rabble-rousers the Canada West Foundation who not only approve of the move, but say that they oppose Harper’s plan because it would diminish western representation in the Senate (in other words, Triple-E or no-E). Not that their position makes all that much actual sense, or that they’ve ever really had an actual, reasonable position on Senate reform. The Liberals are looking to amend their party’s constitution at their policy convention later this month in order to remove the special standing that senators are given. Senator Cowan writes about how free agency for Senators is a good thing for the country.
Veterans around the country held mock memorial services for the eight service offices that closed on Friday, and they vow to work to defeat the Conservatives in the next election.
The Commissioner of CSE responded to the latest Snowden revelation around metadata collection in airports, and says that while he was aware of the metadata project I airports, he didn’t think it violated the law, but he’s going to check again. The Senate’s security and national defence committee is going to hear from the chief of CSE and the director of CSIS on Monday in order to get some answers on the various spying allegations that have been making the rounds. (Note that the Commons wouldn’t hear from both at the same time as they would end up in two separate committees). CSE’s activities will be the subject of the Liberals’ opposition day on Tuesday.
The Senate’s science committee released a report that calls for better electronic medical systems in the country, particularly in order to track the uses of off-label prescription drugs, for which there is insufficient study.
Conrad Black has been stripped of his Order of Canada honours, as well as his place in the Queen’s Privy Council of Canada.
Liberal MP John McKay is resigning himself to having his bill on corporate social responsibility for the mining sector being defeated, his second attempt at such a bill.
The party fourth quarter fundraising numbers are in, and surprise, the Conservatives still raked in more money than anyone else. But the Liberal numbers are way up, well over the NPD, and even the Bloc’s figures are up.
And Susan Delacourt notes the recent trend in Canadian politics of giving the back of the hand to the older generation – be it Trudeau dumping his senators, Julian Fantino’s treatment of the veterans, or Canada Post’s changes affecting seniors disproportionately – and notes that in the rush to embrace the younger votes, some of our most pressing issues are the elderly and they are also the most politically engaged demographic, so these moves against them are best made with caution.