Roundup: Looking to avoid mistakes

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The defence minister’s slow rollout of the new plans going forward in the Iraq mission to combat ISIS has been providing the government an opening in which to be attacked by both sides, but when Harjit Sajjan hits back against the government, there have been a few cries by the Conservatives that are a wee bit defensive. When Sajjan suggests that there were failures, the Conservatives wonder aloud if that means the girls who are going to school, or the humanitarian work that’s been done over the years. Sajjan, who was on the ground in Afghanistan for three tours, and has mused openly about looking to avoid the same kinds of mistakes, has plenty of ammunition to choose from. Read any book about the mission, and you’ll find countless examples of problems of poor management, poor communication, and as Sajjan has noted, unintended consequences of actions we’ve taken that helped our enemies in the longer term, particularly with recruitment. That he wants to take the time to get a new mission on the ground in Iraq right is hardly surprising in this context, but everyone demands answers. Meanwhile, Canada’s in the bottom third of allies in NATO for defence spending, which shouldn’t surprise anyone, though it has noted that capability and spending levels are not necessarily the same thing, and that countries who meet spending targets are generally useless.

Good reads:

  • Following his meeting with Rachel Notley, Justin Trudeau said that infrastructure dollars were being fast-tracked, but wouldn’t put a firm timeline on EI changes.
  • Canada has now signed the TPP – but not ratified it, which we have two years to do. Consultations are proceeding apace.
  • Vancouver and Toronto are getting a warm welcome in proposing to use city-owned land to match up with federal dollars for affordable housing.
  • It sounds like the government will table legislation to repeal the Conservative changes to public servants’ sick leave provisions.
  • The National Energy Board is has asked TransCanada to resubmit the EnergyEast application in a format that’s more understandable.
  • The defence in the Del Mastro cousin trial wants certain evidence tossed.
  • The investigations into who leaked the Auditor General’s report on the Senate look like they’ll be getting underway soon.
  • Parliamentary Secretary Mark Holland is leaving the door open to a referendum on electoral reform.
  • Here’s a more legal look at the Conservatives’ re-appointment spree and the subsequent letters to those tribunal members.
  • More on the 100th anniversary of the Center Block fire from Arthur Milnes, Jennifer Ditchburn, and Tom Korski.

Odds and ends:

Oops, it looks like more computer problems are keeping the consultation forms for the Victims of Communism display hidden.

American senators are playing politics with Canada’s Syrian refugee resettlement.