The day was marked by reflection on the part of political leaders on the hate crime that took place in London, Ontario, that killed a Muslim family, along with vows to do better. Of course, within each of those was their own particular issues. As much as Justin Trudeau insisted that this was a “terrorist attack” before such a designation could be applied by means of police investigation, he also vowed to keep dismantling far-right groups, patting himself on the back for the designation of the Proud Boys as a terror group, even though that really just drove its membership underground. Erin O’Toole steered clear of his party’s recent history of dog-whistling and the absolute histrionics they engaged in around M-103, which you may recall was to have a parliamentary committee deal with the issue of Islamophobia in Canada. (Conservatives and their defenders will point to a similar motion on systemic racism that the Liberals voted down, ignoring that the motion was essentially the parliamentary equivalent of “all lives matter”). Jagmeet Singh loudly wondered how many more attacks needed to happen before the government did something about it, though there are limits to what the federal government is able to do, and they have been putting resources into their anti-racism strategy.

But the part that really reflects poorly on Trudeau is the fact that at his media availability afterward, he was asked if he thinks that Quebec’s Bill 21 (dubbed their “secularism” law but really disproportionately attacks Muslim women) fosters hated or discrimination, and he said no. We’re not sure if he was simply saying no about the hatred part, given that he has called out the discrimination inherent in said bill before – but he also still hasn’t taken any moves to combat it, apparently waiting for it to reach the Supreme Court of Canada before he’ll intervene. Which is more than the other leaders would do (well, Singh has reluctantly said he also might intervene at the Supreme Court if he were prime minister, but that’s after being pressed). Trudeau also mused that perhaps all of the mask-wearing in the pandemic will change Quebeckers’ opinions on religious symbols and face-coverings, but apparently François Legault is not moved. Either way, it’s a sign that every federal leader is way too craven to stand up to Legault on this because they’re all eager for Quebec votes, and that’s pretty gross all around.

Today:

Q: Does Bill 21 foster hatred and discrimination?

Trudeau: No. I think it is extremely important to recognize that provinces have the right to put forward bills that align with their priorities. I think people have a right to question those and go to court.

— Marieke Walsh (@MariekeWalsh) June 8, 2021

https://twitter.com/AaronWherry/status/1402432194564526080

To that end, Susan Delacourt calls out Trudeau, O’Toole and Singh for their refusal to discuss Bill 21 (or in O’Toole’s case, acknowledge their past dog-whistles about “veiled voting” and “barbaric cultural practices tip lines”), and praises the courage of that former PC candidate who acknowledged the racism of his community that he shrugged off at the time.

https://twitter.com/MikePMoffatt/status/1402313600602157058

Good reads:

• Here is a look at what we know of the investigation into the London mass murder, including that the RCMP and CSIS are engaged, suggesting a terrorism charge.
• The Canadian Press has compiled a timeline of terrorism plots and allegations in Canada, going back to 1966.
• News on cross-border travel for fully-vaccinated people could be coming by Friday.
• The government announced two new pathways for permanent residency for Hong Kong residents who work here or who are recent graduates living in the country.
• The prime minister’s intelligence adviser wants an expanded definition of “national security” in an era of pandemics, climate change and threats to cyber-security.
• Library and Archives is apologising for keeping up web pages on Sir John A Macdonald and others, which deliberately excluded mention of Indigenous people.
• National Indigenous leaders plan to visit the Vatican in November to press the Pope on a proper apology for residential schools.
• Liberal MP Will Amos is apparently “working with a health team to address stress and time management challenges,” which is…curious code for exhibitionism.
• Conservatives are crying foul that Trudeau and staff will quarantine in a hotel in Ottawa, rather than one of the four designated international airports.
• The Greens’ internal meltdown continues apace as they let their top advisor’s contract lapse amid the accusations of antisemitism and discrimination.
• Kady O’Malley’s Process Nerd column recaps the point-of-order-palooza, the Amos contempt motion, and the coming fight over the release of unredacted documents.
• Kevin Carmichael makes the case that food will be the new oil, and that Canada’s agri-food sector has the potential to be a strategic player post-pandemic.
• My column wonders if the attempt to get governments to intervene in an arm’s length body’s decisions (i.e.  Canada Blood Services’) previews future interventions.

Odds and ends:

Colby Cosh notes that Boris Johnson is apparently Britain’s first Catholic prime minister since the Reformation, and why that has legal consequences in the UK.

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