Roundup: A different debate

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This weekend we finally saw our first NDP leadership debate, which was actually more watchable than pretty much any Conservative debate we’ve had so far, so that’s something. Having only four candidates on stage instead of fourteen makes a difference, as does having everyone already in caucus rather than coming in from the outside, and no one so far seems to be running against their own caucus, so that’s also something. As with any NDP debate, however, it was less “debate” and more statements by which they could vehemently agree with and then say “I agree, and let me take that further and say…”

https://twitter.com/mariedanielles/status/841001462532567043

The only real cleavage that there was over the course of the event was over the role of the resource economy and if there could be a case made for pipelines, and a couple of the candidates were more strident than others. Otherwise, there was a lot of the usual key words and phrases that signal their audience, like the “neoliberal agenda,” the growing one percent (err, except they’re not growing in Canada, and have in fact been shrinking), “unfair trade deals,” and renegotiating NAFTA. If one wasn’t careful, it could be mistaken for a Trump rally.

The format and fewer candidates did allow for a number of non-policy related questions, but some of them were a bit…suspicious, if I can use the word, like they were designed to ensure that they were reinforcing in-group credentials vouching. Maybe it’s just me, but it felt a bit creepy in places.

Meanwhile, I would encourage you to read the very trenchant observations from John Geddes, who nailed pretty much what each of the four candidates are running on out of the gate.

Good reads:

  • The Senate rejected former Senator Carstairs’ bid to have her legal fees reimbursed.
  • Former Supreme Court of Canada justice Louise Arbour has been named as special representative to the UN on international migration.
  • Here’s a bit of a longread on how the justice system is trying to cope with the time limits imposed on trials by the Supreme Court of Canada.
  • Here’s a lengthy profile of immigration minister Ahmed Hussen.
  • FINTRAC is checking the social media posts of people who make suspicious transactions.
  • The government is trying to figure out how to spend its $800 million innovation fund, while National Defence is struggling to cut its own inefficiencies.
  • There is frustration that the government is taking so long to act on its promise to apologise for persecuting LGBT Canadians.
  • Hey, the Bloc finally have a leadership candidate.
  • The debate on the future direction of the NDP is going well as they seek to embrace left-wing populism.
  • Guy Caron has fleshed out some of his basic income plans.
  • Here’s a look at why Kevin O’Leary seems to be gaining so much traction in the Conservative leadership race.
  • Here’s a look at the movement of people joining the Conservative Party for the first time to try and defeat Kellie Leitch and Kevin O’Leary.

Odds and ends:

CRA’s website was down most of the weekend to plug a vulnerability. StatsCan’s website was down because Shared Services Canada is an omnishambles.