Roundup: Fighting on the economy

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There are a couple of interesting threads out on the wires right now about the direction that the government is headed in as we head toward an election, and one of them is that Liberals in Ontario would rather their party fight the election based on the economy rather than the environment – this as the Liberals and NDP are trying to compete as to who can talk a better game on climate in order to head off the surge in Green Party support in the polls, and the recent Green by-election win. I’m sure this is going to be a very lively discussion behind the caucus room doors, and in the party’s election planning meetings, but that sentiment is clearly there.

At the same time, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Business Council of Canada are expressing some displeasure with the government, but as Paul Wells notes here, some of it is a bit…dubious, such as demanding balanced budgets and lower taxes while the Americans are fuelling their tax cuts with trillion-dollar deficits. Wells also noted that both of these lobby groups aren’t really acknowledging that much of the drag on our economy is caused by outside forces – namely the brewing trade war between the US and China, and before that, Donald Trump’s threats to tear up NAFTA – and that these groups have studiously avoided talking about climate and the need to deal with our emissions. Nevertheless, there is a malaise between Corporate Canada and the Liberals possibly because the party seems to be setting their Blue Liberal base loose as they try to move further to the left in order to claim the space the NDP usually occupies, and that may wind up costing them in the longer term, if history is any guide.

Kevin Milligan, meanwhile, finds himself a bit puzzled at how little these same Corporate Canada voices have acknowledged the very significant changes that the government made in the fall economic update to deal with the US tax changes.

https://twitter.com/kevinmilligan/status/1127275895859716096

https://twitter.com/kevinmilligan/status/1127278184821444608

Good reads:

  • Justin Trudeau is off to Paris to sign the Christchurch Call to get international cooperation on getting social media companies to deal with hate content.
  • While a Mexican congresswoman is confident that the steel and aluminium tariffs will soon be lifted, Canadian officials are tempering that enthusiasm.
  • Chrystia Freeland is off to Washington today to meet with Robert Lighthizer and other members of Congress about said steel and aluminium tariffs.
  • Marc Garneau says the government is open to amendments on Bill C-48 (the Northwest BC tanker ban) – but then, they always say that and rarely adopt any.
  • Canadian media in Russia are being told to brace for retaliation after Russian and Venezuelan outlets were denied accreditation for a Lima Group meeting here.
  • The RCMP investigators who recommended charges in the Mark Norman case say they want to see the new evidence that caused the case to collapse.
  • Chief of Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance, attended Cabinet yesterday but said it had nothing to do with Norman.
  • After Question Period yesterday, the House of Commons unanimously adopted a motion to offer an apology to Norman.
  • David Lametti was grilled in Committee of the Whole last night, and it was largely a rehash of the same SNC-Lavalin and Mark Norman questions as in QP.
  • It looks like the gun control bill could pass the Senate unamended this week.
  • Public Works is planning new extensive underground space under Centre Block as part of the renovations for security, visitor spaces, and new committee rooms.
  • Retiring Supreme Court of Justice Clement Gascon admitted that he struggles with depression and anxiety, and had a panic attack before his brief disappearance.
  • The Liberals and NDP have tabled competing climate emergency motions in the House of Commons.
  • When asked directly if he supports the BC LNG project, Jagmeet Singh refuses to answer and talks about BC’s climate plan. Over and over again.
  • While the Conservatives are howling that the Liberals are “disrespecting” Quebec with their infrastructure announcements, François Legault isn’t playing along.
  • Jason Kenney has invited Alberta senators to a private lunch to offer his concerns about Bills C-48 and C-69.
  • Susan Delacout details some moves in the PMO, and what it may signal for the upcoming election.
  • Heather Scoffield argues that while the US is starting to talk tough about breaking up web giants, Canada doesn’t have the same leverage that they do.
  • My column argues why the Samara Canada study on populism got things wrong, and why it’s a bigger danger than they’re letting on.

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