Roundup: Call in the Incident Response Group

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Given the ongoing protests and rail blockades, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has opted to skip the Caribbean leaders’ summit next week, and will instead be remaining in Ottawa to convene with his Cabinet ministers and the Incident Response Group over the ongoing situation. Layoffs have already begun, and there are concerns about shortages along the supply chains as the blockades continue. On Saturday, minister Marc Miller met with Mohawk leaders in Ontario, responsible for the blockade there, and after a day-long meeting reported “modest progress” and items that he would have to discuss with his Cabinet colleagues as a result. Minister Carolyn Bennett, meanwhile, is holding conversations with chiefs in BC, and is awaiting a meeting between them and the province’s Indigenous affairs minister, but it all may be for naught as the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs insist that they won’t allow the pipeline regardless.

Meanwhile, when it comes to that pipeline route, here is a look at some of the backstory involved – particularly why the alternate routes that those hereditary chiefs proposed were deemed unsuitable by the company (and there is a lengthy thread here where the journalists shows his work). This will be an interesting question around duty to consult, attempts at offering accommodations, and what the legal paths are in light of the police actions to enforce court orders (which led to the sympathetic protests and blockades).

At the same time, the calls continue by certain voices that the police need to step in and enforce the “rule of law.” Except that the government can’t actually order them to do anything. Here’s Jennifer Robson with an explanation as to why not.

https://twitter.com/JenniferRobson8/status/1228805396179116033

Good reads:

  • The PMO won’t say if they recorded Justin Trudeau’s meeting with Iran’s foreign minister (all in relation to the meltdown certain people are having over diplomacy).
  • The government has chartered a plane to evacuate Canadians under quarantine on a cruise ship docked in Japan, but they’ll be headed into another 14-day quarantine.
  • There are suggestions that Canada’s response to COVID-19 is helping to thaw Canada-China relations (though still no word on the two Michaels).
  • Here’s a look at how Canada is waking up to China’s attempts to reshape the world order in its own image.
  • Bombardier’s beleaguered train division may also be sold soon.
  • Chantal Hébert suggests that the Indigenous blockades are an example of how Trudeau is having increasing difficulty with his energy versus environment balance.

Odds and ends:

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4 thoughts on “Roundup: Call in the Incident Response Group”

  1. This week isn’t railway blockades, last week it was the coronavirus pandemic, the week before that it was war with Iran.
    Maybe the we-must-always-be-panicking state of cable news and Twittersphere might be issue too to reconsider?

    • I miss the good old days when the biggest crisis was that Trudeau grew a beard and bought doughnuts.

      Oh wait, that was a month ago.

  2. “At the same time, the calls continue by certain voices that the police need to step in and enforce the ‘rule of law.’ Except that the government can’t actually order them to do anything.”

    But of course, it was about this time a year ago that those same voices were lighting their hair (or lack thereof) on fire accusing Trudeau of interfering with the rule of law. Not like consistency matters when there are ratings and manufactured scandals to be had.

    I’d say they should check their privilege, but it’s more like, pick a lane.

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