Roundup: Dubious travel bans

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As a new policy announcement yesterday, Stephen Harper said that if the Conservatives were to continue to form government after the election, they would introduce legislation to curb “terrorist tourism,” all of which is an entirely ridiculous plan, whether it’s as an issue of mobility rights, of letting the RCMP or CSIS determine who is a “professional journalist” or humanitarian organisation, or the fact that this betrays any shred of libertarianism that the Conservatives profess to hold. (But then again, we already knew that they’re not an ideological party, but rather right-flavoured populists, right?) Justin Trudeau says this is just a distration from economic issues and that Harper has to answer more questions about limiting rights, while Thomas Mulcair doubted the move’s efficacy (while continually repeating that they’re not going to be against any move that reduces terrorism). Anyway, Paul Wells demolished the whole thing in a series of tweets.

https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/630499372606877696

https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/630499578689814529

https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/630500563919204352

https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/630502075395346433

https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/630503234944241664

https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/630505023206752256

https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/630509157045661700

https://twitter.com/inklesspw/status/630509646487359488

Good reads:

  • The Conservatives have attendees sign “gag orders” if they’re invited to party events on the campaign trail, so as not to share photos or talking points on social media.
  • The Duffy trial resumes Wednesday, and Nigel Wright will be first to testify.
  • NDP candidate Linda McQuaig’s musing about leaving the oilsands in the ground created a big stir over the weekend. Mulcair brushed it off with “sustainable development” talking points. (Here’s Andrew Leach’s take on the report that McQuaig was quoting).
  • Here are a couple of election explainers on national unity and the government’s economic levers, and a reality check on Harper’s comments on C-51.

Odds and ends:

That federal prosecutor who took unauthorised leave to run for the NDP after she was denied permission to seek the nomination has been fired.

The Conservatives’ other signature monument, the National Holocaust Memorial, has been delayed by a year thanks to tendering problems.

Today we find out if Thomas Mulcair will engage in any more debates, other than the TVA debate, if Harper doesn’t join in the Consortium debates.