Roundup: Exit Kenney

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It is now around day eighty-five of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and more than 260 fighters have left the Mariupol steel plant, into Russian custody, where their release will be negotiated. But there will be demands for them to stand trial, just as Russian soldiers are currently—one of them pleading guilty to killing civilians yesterday.

Closer to home, Alberta premier Jason Kenney announced that he will step down after receiving only 51.4% support in the UCP’s leadership review. It’s quite something, and he’s also the sixth premier in the last decade because it has become such a poisoned chalice, so good luck to his potential successors. I’ll write more about this in the next day or two, but it’s certainly a sign of how things are going in the province.

https://twitter.com/robert_hiltz/status/1527088935725412354

As for the royal tour, day two was spent in Ottawa, starting with a ceremony to lay a wreath at the National War Memorial, a service at a Ukrainian church, a visit to the Byward Market, the RCMP Musical Ride, a round table discussion on climate finance, and finally a reception at Rideau Hall. There were good crowds for all of them, and it’s a very different reception than the attention of certain other tours this year. At the reception, AFN national chief RoseAnne Archibald raised the notion of an apology from the Queen (which is a bad idea), for what it’s worth. Meanwhile, here is an in-depth look at the first day of the royal tour and its broader context after William and Catherine’s Caribbean royal tour.

https://twitter.com/ClarenceHouse/status/1527013393542131712

https://twitter.com/ClarenceHouse/status/1527053388428484608

Good reads:

  • Justin Trudeau rejected the NDP’s demands to hike the GST rebate (and pay for it by cancelling carbon capture subsidies).
  • Anita Anand says that Canada is on an “upward trajectory” with defence spending toward NATO targets as NORAD modernisation moves ahead.
  • The flights for Ukrainians to Canada paid for through Aeroplan donations will take place next month.
  • A report calls on the federal government to give more resources to parole officers in order to mitigate the strains on their mental health.
  • The House of Commons adopted a motion to create a day to recognise the genocide of Tamil people in Sri Lanka.
  • Liberal backbencher Sven Spengemann is stepping down in order to take up a job with the UN, meaning we’ll have our first by-election of this parliament.
  • The Conservative Party is investigating a complaint by Patrick Brown’s campaign about a racist letter sent to them by someone claiming to support Poilievre.
  • Ed Fast has stepped down as finance critic hours after he criticized Poilievre’s attacks on the Bank of Canada.
  • Conservative MP Larry Maguire continues his quest to get more briefings from the US on Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon.
  • Philippe Lagassé reflects on a recent Ontario court decision that challenges the construction of NSICOP that limits parliamentary privilege.
  • Michelle Rempel Garner calls out the use of “white replacement” conspiracy theories, particularly by members of her own party.
  • Heather Scoffield wants fewer reports and more action when it comes to dealing with climate change, given that its effects are all around us.
  • Susan Delacourt notices that Doug Ford has been touting his great cooperation with Justin Trudeau as part of his election pitch (which hasn’t been all that great).
  • My Xtra column wallows in the despair I feel about this Ontario election, where accountability for mass death is being met with competing levels of bland.

Odds and ends:

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3 thoughts on “Roundup: Exit Kenney”

  1. Larry Maguire is a complete moron. So are most voters in Brandon-Souris who have been election idiots like him for eons.

  2. I didn’t watch the prince’s visit for too long. Actually no more than most news these days. A lot of effort is needed to parse through the misinformation and hidden agenda in most reports. Another reason I didn’t watch him was I still don’t approve of the way he treated his wife Diana. Don’t ask how but I have intimate knowledge of the royal family and over a long history they have proven to be the randyist bunch one could find. It is beyond time for many other reasons to send this band of miscreants into the dustbin.

  3. Having disembarked from his high horse, Kudatah Kowpoke Kenney will probably move south and go work for Ted Cruz or some Texas oil lobbyists. If there’s any good fortune to be had, Scheer will follow him and fade into obscurity as a lay preacher in some white-nationalist Idaho backwater. Rempel-Garner might run for Kenney’s old job to “save Alberta” if/after Brown loses the leadership to Poilievre; she won’t last long there in any event, and will probably move to Oklahoma to go roll tumbleweeds and shoot at tornadoes. Really pathetic that this is all Canada’s “conservative” movement has to offer. Bunch of tacky yee-haw yahoos who worship the prosperity gospel, all hat and no cattle. Why do I hear the theme song from “Dallas” all of a sudden?

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