As there are only three narratives available to mainstream journalists in this country, and the first of those is speculating about an early election, that’s what we got a lot of over the weekend. Yes, it is looking more likely these days, but eventually this starts looking like a self-fulfilling prophecy more than anything else.

To that end, we got an examination of the electoral considerations that each of the main party leaders is hoping to access in BC, and why they have focused so much attention there over the past week. We got an examination of how pre-writ advertising limitations don’t apply to early elections under the current legislation – though nobody is pulling the trigger on early ads just yet anyway (especially not when TikToks and social media shitposts are free). And there was a state of play when it comes to conservative premiers around the country and how much of a fight they’ll manage to put up against Trudeau if and when an election comes, considering how badly wounded most of them are at this point.

Now, as for the summer tours and announcements that the leaders have been on, apparently much of the media either has amnesia, or they’re being wilfully blind to history because they have a narrative to maintain. While some of these tour activities may be electioneering, but this is also typical after the Commons rises for the summer – leaders always head out across the country, and there is a pent-up desire to do so after some sixteen months of public health restrictions related to the pandemic. Not to mention, the budget has just passed, and the government wants to spread the good news and largesse, which happens every year, election or not. So while I can understand why my fellows in the media want to put everything in the election speculation box, these are also the same things that happen every other normal year, so maybe – just maybe – we should cool it a little until we get some actual signs that Trudeau is going to march over to Rideau Hall to demand a dissolution. And maybe we should ban the phrase “campaign-style” for the time being (maybe permanently), because it’s starting to look embarrassing.

Good reads:

• From the G20 finance ministers’ meeting, Chrystia Freeland says that Canada is committed to the proposed global minimum corporate tax rate.
• Freeland also spoke about the “practical and moral duty” to fight the pandemic globally, and ensuring that vaccines are more widely available.
• Some new rail safety rules are coming in for areas under threat of wildfire, as investigations are underway to see if freight trains sparked some of the BC fires.
• Here is a discussion on the federal pay equity regulations coming into force, but why it may not be enough given it only covers federally-regulated sectors.
• Canadians who fought in Panjwaii in Afghanistan, have particularly mixed feelings about the Taliban reclaiming the region as the Americans withdraw their forces.
• Here are some additional reactions to the election of RoseAnne Archibald as the new AFN national chief.
• The Ontario government has been making changes to how it appoints justices of the peace, to better “align” with their values, which can skew outcomes.
• Heather Scoffield both-sides the Conservative and Liberal job plans, and worries they’re not keeping their eye on things like automation.
• Susan Delacourt considers the messages of both Mary Simon’s appointment and RoseAnne Archibald’s election as Jody Wilson-Raybould plans her resignation.

Odds and ends:

It’s *amazing* the number of people who desperately want Stephen Harper to be some kind of Bond villain with a master plan rather than admitting that he was a mediocre public figure that became a mediocre prime minister, and that he’s a marginal figure post-politics. https://t.co/vtptz77wZf

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) July 11, 2021

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