Roundup: A strategic turning point?

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We are in day seventeen of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the bombardment and shelling has intensified not only in Mariupol, but some other cities that have thus far been unaffected. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that they have achieved a strategic turning point, that they have lasted four times longer than Russia planned for them to, and asked his people for strength and patience. There are also concerns that Russians are targeting ports and grain silos, which could have a major impact on food supplies in the region as the crisis grows. In the meantime, the BBC has a chilling report out of Kharkiv, and it’s a bit grisly because of the number of Russian corpses just lying there.

https://twitter.com/sommervilletv/status/1502000265490227206

Justin Trudeau concluded his European trip, and announced yet more sanctions against Russian oligarchs including Roman Abramovich, who has interests in a steel company that has operations in Canada, so these sanctions could affect its operations.

Closer to home, Anita Anand addressed the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence yesterday, and spoke about a “robust package” to modernise NORAD, and said that they have not forgotten about the threats posed by China while the world is focused on Ukraine. At the same conference, a senior CSIS official spoke about the vulnerability posed by cyberspace, which is why they are focusing on protecting critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks.

Good reads:

  • The pandemic turned two yesterday, and no, it’s not over. Wear your mask.
  • Mary Ng has resumed trade talks with India (not that their human rights record is anything to write home about these days).
  • Canadian car parts manufacturers say they are ready to hire hundreds of Ukrainian refugees when they arrive in Canada (because there is a labour shortage).
  • A “wellness” magazine passing on vaccine disinformation got Canadian Periodical Fund money (but government shouldn’t be vetting content so there’s no scandal).
  • Blogger Raif Badawi has been released from Saudi prison, and the federal government is examining the conditions of his release, as his family is in Quebec.
  • The Auditor General says that her spring report will be delayed, possibly by months, because of the ongoing strike in her office.
  • Michael Chong has once again bowed out of the Conservative leadership race, citing that “now is not the time.”
  • Conservative MP John Williamson says that New Brunswick should return to the federal carbon price system because it at least comes with rebates.
  • More details were announced for federal and provincial help for Ottawa businesses affected by the three-week occupation.
  • Kevin Carmichael reviews the extremely good jobs numbers, puts it into context of COVID recovery, and what this signals for the next Bank of Canada rate hike.
  • Allan Woods describes the scene in Moscow, as sanctions start hitting the people.
  • Jen Gerson points out the huge symbolic weight of McDonald’s and other major western brands pulling out of Russia, given what it took to get them there.
  • Andrew Coyne declares that clowntime is over, and that the Conservatives need to elect a serious leader for serious times. (They almost certainly won’t).
  • My weekend column warns about the corrosive effect on democracy as New Brunswick’s independent legislative officers are pushing for greater independence.

Odds and ends:

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One thought on “Roundup: A strategic turning point?”

  1. Memo to Coyne: The Liberals are the ones showing serious leadership for serious times. The Cons have clowntime in their DNA. Charest is yesterday’s man, and his and Brown’s surrogates bragging to the Star of all places that they’re working together to launch a a hostile takeover bid is only going to aggravate the angry clowns further. If their gambit works (a long shot), it’ll only end up being a Pyrrhic victory that tears the party apart. As I’ve told some friends, it doesn’t matter who throws their name in: the real winner of this sideshow contest is going to be Orville Redenbacher.

    Meanwhile, in the realm of serious times: it’s going to be plenty awkward when Zelenskyy makes his historic address to Parliament and the only response Skippy can muster is to squawk about “muh ethical oil.” Plus bonus “Great Reset” content, an antisemitic dog whistle if there ever was one. But hey, the PM was being “divisive” by pointing out that the cons flirt with thugs who carry around swastika flags, right? They sound like Putin: “No Nazi, no Nazi, Liberals are the Nazis.”

    Disband the Clown Party of Canada, it is beyond saving.

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