Roundup: Vaccine trials approved

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For his only media appearance of the Victoria Day long weekend, prime minister Justin Trudeau held his daily presser outside of Rideau Cottage, wearing a white and blue checked shirt unbuttoned at the collar under his usual blue blazer, and he started by first mentioning International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, and then spoke about the support they have given to shelters for women escaping domestic violence. Trudeau also announced new money for the Canadian Red Cross, that the Canada Child Benefit would be once again increasing in July to keep indexed with inflation, that they were providing another $15 million for women entrepreneurs, and that the first Canadian clinical trials for a potential COVID-19 vaccine had been approved. During the Q&A, he was constantly peppered with demands to know whether the government would partially nationalize Air Canada in some fashion given the announced layoffs, but he remained non-committal citing that it was too early to make any kinds of decisions.

During the ministerial presser that followed, Ahmed Hussen announced funds for Black communities, while Maryam Monsef spoke about the “shadow pandemic” of domestic violence, and also modelled a hand signal that people could make on video chats to show that they need assistance but are unable to speak out loud about it.

And it’s Victoria Day long weekend, so there won’t be any other pressers until Tuesday (and we could all use the break). But don’t forget that while we do remember the first Queen of a united Canada, we are also celebrating the official birthday of the current Queen of Canada, so be sure to raise a glass to her Majesty on Monday.

Good reads:

  • While the Procedure and House Affairs committee calls for more virtual sittings, it also outlines that interpreters are at capacity and there are IT challenges.
  • Erin O’Toole is being accused of using parliamentary resources (read: MP email account) for leadership activities. Senator Housakos got busted for the same.
  • Peter MacKay is claiming that he sold more memberships than anyone else in the leadership race. (That doesn’t mean he still can’t lose based on second ballots).
  • Jason Kenney’s “Fair Deal” panel has concluded its report, but Kenney won’t release it until the pandemic is past.
  • Kevin Carmichael looks at the lost-pandemic debt landscape and wonders if we should have the government take more equity stakes in companies.
  • Chantal Hébert warns that Peter MacKay and Erin O’Toole aggressively courting social conservatives for second-ballot support could cost support in Quebec.
  • Susan Delacourt talks to Marco Mendicino about the immigration file in the face of a global pandemic and shuttered borders.

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