Roundup: That’s not what the Canada Health Act means

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As much as I have some residual shreds of optimism that some people are starting to wake up to what is going on with the collapse of our healthcare system and are finally starting to apportion blame where it belongs—namely the provincial premiers—that doesn’t extend to everyone. And lo, there are still far too many members of the pundit class in this country, including its newest inductee, who refuse to get the memo, and who misconstrue the system in order to pin the problems on Justin Trudeau. To add to that, my reply feed is inundated with people who believe the disinformation that Trudeau has either cut or withheld half of the funding for provinces, which bears absolutely no resemblance to what is happening in reality.

https://twitter.com/EmmMacfarlane/status/1603795671760486411

https://twitter.com/EmmMacfarlane/status/1603796262276550657

And do not start handwaving about the Canada Health Act, because you can pretty much guarantee that it doesn’t mean what you think it means.

https://twitter.com/EmmMacfarlane/status/1603804047282151424

https://twitter.com/EmmMacfarlane/status/1603805458699259904

https://twitter.com/EmmMacfarlane/status/1603805932995182592

https://twitter.com/EmmMacfarlane/status/1603806417819168768

Ukraine Dispatch, Day 297:

Russia launched a major missile offensive against Ukraine, whose forces intercepted some 60 of the 76 missiles fired at them. That further damaged critical infrastructure in places like Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kryvhi Rih, and Zaporhizhzhia. This of course strained electrical grids even further, as each subsequent attack strains the system even further, making it harder to recover from each attack.

Good reads:

  • The snowstorm in Ottawa forced Justin Trudeau to cancel his planned meeting with François Legault in Montreal, and they met by phone instead.
  • The impasse over financing appears to be deepening at the COP15 biodiversity conference, endangering the ability to get to an agreement.
  • Bill Blair confirmed that he had seen memos regarding alleged Chinese interference in the 2019 election, but there is no reason to believe there was any effect.
  • Canada has recognised Peru’s new president, putting us offside several countries in the region including Mexico.
  • Experts including the chair of the panel on expanding MAiD disagree with the decision to delay, citing that nothing can meaningfully change in that time.
  • Another aspect of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsman’s report was the issue of non-filers, who are missing out in a lot of benefits because they don’t file their taxes.
  • The report on systemic racism in New Brunswick ignored the calls for an Indigenous-led inquiry to address said systemic racism.
  • Doug Ford is belatedly reviving a plan to help fast-track licensing of foreign-trained doctors, which he killed when he took power.
  • The Manitoba government is joining the federal government in providing resources to the feasibility study of searching the Winnipeg landfill for human remains.
  • First Nations in Saskatchewan are demanding the government withdraw the “Saskatchewan First Act” bill, and will blockade roads and railways if Moe doesn’t.
  • Kevin Carmichael looks at the first year of the Bank of Canada’s senior deputy governor, Carolyn Rogers, and bringing diversity into the governing council.
  • My weekend column on why even bills that are unconstitutional need to get royal assent from the Governor General or Lieutenant Governor.

Odds and ends:

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