The Commons will be seized today with debating the Iraq combat deployment, which will culminate in a confidence vote (which has been phrased in such a way that it’s confidence in the government after they have made the decision, as opposed to a vote to authorize deployment, which would make for fuzzy lines of accountability going forward – and yes, there is a big difference). The issue of civilian casualties being a likelihood given the air strikes is likely to come up, as it is in the States. Rob Nicholson is also refusing to say whether or not there will be an extension, which is all well and good from the point of nobody being able to tell the future, but given that ISIS is already adapting to the threat of air strikes means that our ability to contribute will likely soon be a fairly moot point. Also, the piece led to this interesting exchange.
@rolandparis you make more sense than Nicholson even if we disagree about creepiness. Being vague about renewal is typical Harper crap
— Steve Saideman (@smsaideman) October 6, 2014
@smsaideman Why do you assume the gov't knows the answer to that question? Surely it depends on how the operation goes.
— Kim Campbell (@AKimCampbell) October 6, 2014
@AKimCampbell the war is unlikely to be over in six months, so they can be clearer about assessing than suggest over in six months
— Steve Saideman (@smsaideman) October 6, 2014
@smsaideman Yes, but the nature of the mission that will be optimal for Canada after 6 mos is not clear.
— Kim Campbell (@AKimCampbell) October 6, 2014
@AKimCampbell I am. It surprised by an initial six month mandate but the spin seems wrong to me, as if a renewal would not be likely
— Steve Saideman (@smsaideman) October 6, 2014
The Maclean’s panel has some interesting observations about Harper’s mission proposition and the politics behind it.
Given all of the talk about what Parliament should and should not be doing with regards to the decision on deploying to Iraq, Philippe Lagassé offers a refresher course on how it all works in terms of executive authority, ministerial responsibility and the role of accountability.
Ontario’s new health minister is talking about creating a pharmacare programme, but wants a national strategy if only for the sheer bulk purchasing power – something the government is fairly reluctant to do. Not that there’s anything really stopping the provinces from working together to achieve one on their own.
Canada is sending a second mobile lab to west Africa to deal with the Ebola outbreak there.
Here’s a look at how Canada’s space industry risks falling behind as we are increasingly vulnerable by not having our own launch capabilities, especially as tensions with Russia are ramping up, impacting on our reliance upon them for said launch capability.
Amy Minsky profiles Parliamentary Budget Officer Jean-Denis Frechette.
The veteran who plans to challenge Peter MacKay under the Liberal banner talks about how his political transformation came about, given that he held provincial Progressive Conservative memberships previously.
Former Liberal MP Ruby Dhalla held a “special event” which sounded like she was about to announce her intention to run again…and then she announced that she wouldn’t, where all the signs in the area had the Liberal logo blacked out (seeing as it would have been illegal for her to use them). Theories abound that the party was going to block her nomination, others say no, but it was a pretty strange turn of events.
https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/518942964467646464
https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/518943029311578114
And Sonya Bell and Jessie Willms offer a handy reference guide for telling the difference between Paul Calandra and Doug Ford. The final point is probably the most salient.