The National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians tabled their redacted report on the prime minister’s India trip yesterday, and, well, there were a number of redactions. But what wasn’t redacted did paint a picture of an RCMP that bungled security arrangements, and that didn’t have good lines of communication with the prime minister’s security detail, and where they left a voicemail for someone who was on vacation, while someone else in Ottawa decided to not bother trying to reach out until the following day because it was the end of their shift. So yeah, there were a “few issues” that the RCMP fell down on. And because of the redactions (done by security agencies and not PMO, for reasons related to national security or because revelations could be injurious to our international relations), we don’t have any idea if the former national security advisor’s warnings about “rogue elements” of the Indian government were involved was true or not.

https://twitter.com/SkinnerLyle/status/1069736311785951234

The CBC, meanwhile, got documents under Access to Information to show what kind of gong show was touched off with the communications side of things as the government tried to manage the fallout of the revelations of Atwal’s appearance on the trip (and in many senses, it wasn’t until the prime minister gave a very self-deprecating speech on the trip at the Press Gallery Dinner that the narratives started to die down). Because remember, this is a government that can’t communicate their way out of a wet paper bag.

In order to get some national security expert reaction, here’s Stephanie Carvin and Craig Forcese:

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1069747574435995648

https://twitter.com/cforcese/status/1069718997937995776

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1069708639479451649

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1069708795134308362

It should also be pointed out that the opposition parties are trying to make some hay over the redactions, and are intimating that they’re the product of PMO for partisan reasons. It’s not supposed to work that way, but hey, why deal in facts when you can proffer conspiracy theories, or in Andrew Scheer’s case, shitposts on Twitter?

1) NSCIOP is an executive committee, not a parliamentary one. It reports to PMO.
2) Security officials did the redaction, not the “Trudeau Liberals.” https://t.co/SsPB9w5t6V

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) December 3, 2018

https://twitter.com/RobynUrback/status/1069786954756173825

Good reads:

• Justin Trudeau timed the announcement of $50 million in foreign aid money to a tweet with Trevor Noah, and everyone lost their minds.
• Oil prices rebounded somewhat on the news that Rachel Notely mandated a production cut.
• Here’s a look at the tight legislative timeline for the government to pass the enabling legislation for the New NAFTA in advance of the next election.
• All of the labour and environmental standards that were derided by the opposition may be what gets New NAFTA through the US Congress, says our ambassador.
• Groups who represent judges are pushing back at the proactive disclosure of their expenses in the Access to Information bill, citing fairness and personal safety.
• The government doubled spending on programmes that track gender-based violence.
• National Defence plans to contract out some CF-18 maintenance in order to deal with the shortage of front-line technicians and mechanics.
• Ukraine is asking Canada to renew their training mission in their country as the tensions with Russia ratchet up.
• The Conservatives held their seat in the Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands by-election last night.
• Andrew Scheer promised more fund for police and to prevent gang violence, but his proposals are vague and seem to point to a renewed gun registry. Oops.
• The NDP claim that Raj Grewal’s parliamentary privilege will shield him from a police investigation that may or may not exist – but it won’t really.
• Charlie Angus thinks Parliament should create a standing committee on digital issues because of issues like Facebook and privacy.
• Here’s a look at the role of the unpopular Speaker in the BC legislature as the drama with the Clerk and Sergeant-at-Arms continues to unfold.
• Paul Wells talks to General Vance about the threat of China and Russia against Canada.
• Kady O’Malley’s Process Nerd column looks at whether MPs can force someone to give up their seat.
• Jen Gerson says that Notley’s production cut was the right thing to do, but that her mistake was trusting Trudeau (yet doesn’t back up why).
• In the run-up to the first ministers’ meeting, Chantal Hébert examines the changed landscape between Trudeau and the premiers, three years later.
• Andrew Coyne says the GM closure in Oshawa should be a lesson against subsidies (but he ignores the other facilities GM is keeping in Canada).

Odds and ends:

Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques blasted off successfully and reached the International Space Station yesterday.

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