Roundup: Legal fictions around the carbon levy refusal

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While we all emerge from our holiday slumber, the big story domestically remains that Saskatchewan is planning to move ahead with their plans to stop collecting the carbon levy on heat, and hoping that they won’t suffer any repercussions for it. This includes trying to put forward some legal fictions like trying to register the Government of Saskatchewan that’s the seller of natural gas and electricity rather than Crown corporations like SaskEnergy, which the federal government would be well within their rights to reject outright because it’s a fig leaf attempting to protect those Crown corps for breaking federal law. And to add to that, the provincial minister has been spinning the falsehood that the federal “pause” on heating oil won’t reduce the rebate, and that the rebates in his province should be secure if they stop collecting the levy, which is also false–the rebates will be reduced because that money comes from collecting the carbon price—it’s not a federal entitlement programme out of general revenue.

Here’s University of Alberta’s Andrew Leach with more:

In case you missed it:

  • My Xtra story on the Ontario court decision that ruled that calling queer people and drag queens “groomers” is a slur and is not protected speech.
  • My weekend column on an NDP private member’s bill initiative on a Middle East peace plan that looks like a Kickstarter, but is promising things it cannot deliver.
  • My column on the complete lack of serious responses in any of the Conservatives’ year-ender interviews (and the ongoing attempts to justify their Ukraine votes).
  • My year-ender column traces how the shift and fragmentation of social media turned the our politics into an even more toxic snake pit than ever.
  • My latest column on Poilievre’s “debt bomb” disinformation documentary and why it’s just hysteria to rile up the Boomers and Gen-Xers.
  • My Loonie Politics Quick Take on the way the housing issue is going to dominate the political scene for the foreseeable part of 2024.

Ukraine Dispatch:

Kyiv and Kharkiv have come under heavy bombardment in the past several days, in particular striking apartment buildings. There have been Ukrainian drone strikes in the Russian province of Belgorod.

Good reads:

  • Sean Fraser says the government will be rolling out a “renewed” housing plan in the New Year, which will include an industrial strategy to boost productivity.
  • Marc Miller says that Canada will accept up to 1000 Gazans who have family in Canada for a three-year visa, which Muslim groups say isn’t sufficient.
  • Pascale St-Onge says she wants CBC/Radio-Canada’s mandate reviewed and updated before the next election, as part of trying to protect their future.
  • The federal government is looking into a plastics registry to track the life cycle of plastics in the economy, especially as provincial data is inconsistent.
  • Here’s a look at the consultations on creating a foreign agent registry, and why it’s going to be more complex than some people seem to think.
  • The NASAMS air-defence system Canada was buying from the Americans to send to Ukraine still hasn’t been delivered yet, and National Defence won’t say why.
  • More than twenty percent of the RMCP’s hard body armour vests are expired, apparently because of supply chain issues.
  • The Star has a look at the nastier tone in the Commons in 2023, while Global interviews outgoing MPs about their experiences with the increasing toxicity.
  • Here’s an interview with Parliament’s head chef, who has been in the role 32 years, but who likely won’t be there for the return to the Centre Block.
  • Jagmeet Singh says he won’t sign on for a coalition after the next election. (Sounds a lot like counting seats before they have been elected).
  • Here’s a look at how the NDP are hoping to tout gains for workers thanks to their deal with the Liberals, as the Conservatives scoop up working-class voters.
  • Justin Ling calls out the Conservatives for putting their political fortunes ahead of Ukraine’s survival.
  • Mike Moffatt has a really insightful thread about six main challenges the Canadian economy is facing, while Jennifer Robson adds thoughts to the state capacity issue.
  • Susan Delacourt looks through the various interviews Trudeau gave and the question of his staying on to lead the party, and the hints that it’s for real.

Odds and Ends:

The prime minister’s official photographer, Adam Scotti, has his year-in-review of photos, and it’s quite a journey.

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