Roundup: The $3.5 million witch hunt finds no witches

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In Alberta, the Committee on Un-Albertan Activities – err, Allan Inquiry – released its final report, a year late and millions of dollars over-budget, and it concluded that there was no illegality or nefarious activity with regard to environmental groups who may have received some funding from international donors when it comes to opposing the oil sands and other oil and gas activities. Dollars that went toward campaigns against the energy sector were fairly minor, and had little-to-no impact on projects not moving forward (because market forces did the job just fine, thank you very much). In other words, the province spent $3.5 million on this joke of an inquiry, and tried to claim it was money well spent, because the government is nothing more than a total clown show.

And then there were the lies – the minister insisted that the inquiry was never about finding illegality (untrue – there are receipts), and Jason Kenney outright lying about what the numbers in the report stated, because he needs to try and spin it in the worst possible light to both justify the exercise, and to continue trying to point the populists he stoked in a direction other than his.

https://twitter.com/charlesrusnell/status/1451353269708603397

https://twitter.com/charlesrusnell/status/1451353273781293094

Meanwhile, prime minister Justin Trudeau is pouring cold water on Kenney’s referendum rhetoric, reminding him that a provincial referendum is not an amending formula for the constitution – seven provinces representing fifty percent of the population is. More to the point, Kenney sat around the Cabinet table when the current equalisation formula was last amended, so he can’t claim it’s unfair as he’s the one who helped put it into place. Because seriously – claiming it’s unfair because Albertans pay the same federal taxes as everyone else is just political bullshit masquerading as a grievance, even though it’s a grievance that has largely been created for the sole purpose of driving populist anger.

Good reads:

  • Justin Trudeau said that in lieu of a national vaccination travel document, provinces will provide them on a common standard (because they control those records).
  • Trudeau also said that Pfizer will supply vaccine doses for children once Health Canada has given its approval.
  • In light of disputes whether the federal government has turned over all residential school documents, PMO says they will verify and ensure any remaining are found.
  • Chrystia Freeland announced that the CRB and other pandemic benefits are winding down, and new targeted benefits will roll out (under a curious spending authority).
  • Carla Qualtrough says that if you lose your job for refusal to vaccinate, it means you likely no longer meet a condition of employment, and won’t be eligible for EI.
  • The Canadian who served as a top NORAD commander who was sidelined for an affair has been under investigation in spite of assurances there was no wrongdoing.
  • CBC enumerates the current and former senior military personnel under investigation for sexual misconduct, and…oof. It’s a lot.
  • The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that municipalities can be sued when their snow removal causes injuries, as operational decisions are not “core policy.”
  • Erin O’Toole says the Conservatives will respect the vaccine mandate for the House of Commons (assuming his position doesn’t change again another few times).
  • François Legault says the federal childcare dollars his province received will go toward creating 37,000 more child care spaces by 2025.
  • Matt Gurney talks to economist Trevor Tombe about inflation, with some of the basics, and about the current spike (and why it’s likely transitory).
  • Heather Scoffield calls out the Conservatives’ false narratives about what is driving inflation, and sets out some of the facts.
  • Scoffield also looks at the new pandemic benefits and finds them vague, and potentially unresponsive should we have another spike in COVID cases.
  • Robert Hiltz sees Stephen Harper back in the news praising Saudi Arabia and other despotic regimes, and looks at the succour that he offers them.

Odds and ends:

The Queen spent the night in hospital for “preliminary investigations” but is back at Windsor Castle resting.

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2 thoughts on “Roundup: The $3.5 million witch hunt finds no witches”

  2. No wonder Kenney backed Blarney O’Toole. Jean Chretien summed up Conservatives accurately when he said that they’re the ones who speak out both sides of their mouths.

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