Roundup: Long on speeches and imported culture wars

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The Conservative convention this weekend was long on speeches—Poilievre’s speech very much needing an editor as it went on for well over an hour—and was full of praise for the so-called convoy occupiers (from Poilievre’s wife as well as the wife of the “anti-woke general”). Said “anti-woke general” proved himself to be so fragile that he thinks that things like racial equality and gender equality are “destroying” Canada. There was also the Brexiteer from the House of Lords who also showered Poilievre with praise, so some real talent on display there.

Policy resolutions were not focused on things like housing or affordability, but instead prioritised things like vaccines, and culture war bullshit that extended to two separate resolutions attacking trans people (which the party could have used mechanisms to de-prioritise but didn’t, meaning they wanted them to come up for a vote). The Canadian Press has compiled five take-aways from the convention.

https://twitter.com/dalybeauty/status/1700974631468052754

In pundit reaction, Althia Raj looks at how the Conservatives used their convention to woo Quebeckers, and how they are going after the Bloc along the way. Aaron Wherry notes that claims of “common sense” are easier said than done, particularly as Poilievre painted an idyllic 1950s picture of the future he wants. Shannon Proudfoot hones in on the feeling of “enough” that permeated the convention, and the swinging of the pendulum, but also cautioned about who limiting that can be.

Ukraine Dispatch:

Russian forces staged early-morning drone attacks against Kyiv on Sunday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that the counter-offensive has made more advances along the southern front, as well as near Bakhmut in the east.

Good reads:

  • Justin Trudeau expressed frustration that the G20 communiqué was weak on the situation in Ukraine, and on being tough with Russia.
  • Trudeau also reiterated that Canada will not recognise the sham “elections” happening in Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine.
  • Trudeau’s plane suffered “technical issues” in India, ensuring that they had to stay at least another night until it can be repaired.
  • Sean Fraser says he’s looking at a wide variety of options to deal with the housing crisis from a federal level (but doesn’t want to subsidise luxury apartments).
  • Global Affairs says they are reforming their risk-averse bureaucratic hurdles to make it easier for charities to help deliver developmental aid.
  • The federal government has delivered an official apology to Williams Lake First Nation in BC for illegally occupying their territory, after a settlement was reached.
  • The head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security was in Washington to say that Canada and the US need to work together on cyber-security issues.
  • In spite of social media shitposts going around claiming the government is banning WD-40, it’s not—the company is changing the formula to comply with regulations.
  • Michael Chong offered a preview of what he plans to tell American legislators when he testifies before them about foreign interference tomorrow.
  • Panicking because of the Greenbelt scandal, Doug Ford has decided to hitch his wagon to the trans student moral panic in order to save his fortunes.
  • Althia Raj hears from Liberal MPs feeling disaffected by the current state of the party, and the fact that the PM refuses to push back against Poilievre.
  • Raj also suspects that the anti-trans motions put forward at the Conservative convention will help galvanise the party’s base (because it’s working for Higgs).
  • Susan Delacourt surveys the trouble that Trudeau finds himself in as he prepares for the autumn sitting of Parliament.
  • Paul Wells notes the use of the PM’s plane’s breakdown as a metaphor for a government that is out of fuel and listless, and which isn’t taking advice.
  • My weekend column calls out the Liberals’ unwillingness or inability to counter Poilievre’s entirely mendacious messaging about the carbon price and inflation.

Odds and ends:

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2 thoughts on “Roundup: Long on speeches and imported culture wars”

  1. Tories have always been good at dividing the party internally. Already the leaders priorities are out of step with his far right rank and file members. Another night of long knives comes to mind.

  2. Polly is a joke! He alluded to the Liberals who balanced the budget but forgot to mention the surplus left to Harper who promptly blew that and then added 550 billion to the national debt. Are we to expect that in the months near the election Trudeau will start hammering the mendacious Polly?

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