It’s kind of amazing how little thought goes into some of the slogan-laden thinking in so much of the politics in this country, and no party is exempt from it. It’s also funny how some of these policies are just rehashing of old programmes that they hated before. Case in point? Alberta trying to make hay about New Brunswick importing oil rather than getting it from Alberta.

I assume that Brian Jean is also suggesting there would be domestic priority (Irving gets first right to domestic barrels)? Or some form of ban on imports? We could call it the National Oil program.

— Andrew Leach (@andrew_leach) February 9, 2024

Edit : should have been the National Oil Policy, the Diefenbaker era policy to force Ontario to use Alberta crude even though imports were cheaper.

— Andrew Leach (@andrew_leach) February 9, 2024

Or as I like to say:

It’s *amazing* how many conservatives are calling for National Energy Program 2.0. pic.twitter.com/LmuMqJseT9

— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) February 9, 2024

Ukraine Dispatch:

Russian drones hit a petrol station in Kharkiv, causing a massive explosion. The new commander-in-chief wants to regain momentum in the conflict, but problems with manpower and dwindling ammunition remain structural challenges for him.

7 people died, including 3 children: 6 month-old, 4-year-old, 7-year-old. 15 houses burnt down completely. Russian drone attack on Kharkiv today, on civilian houses.

Russian genocide of Ukrainians goes on..

🎥 Kharkiv regional administration pic.twitter.com/JXSi7sfGL4

— UkraineWorld (@ukraine_world) February 10, 2024

⚡️Russian attack on Odesa injures 1.

A Russian drone attack on the city of Odesa injured a 44-year-old man, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper reported.https://t.co/nO6GYLpeGB

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 9, 2024

Good reads:

• Justin Trudeau sounded off about the Bell Media cuts and the corporate practices that are eroding journalism and threatening democracy.
• Trudeau also insisted that Canadians won’t be fooled by Putin’s propaganda about the war in Ukraine. (Wanna bet?)
• Military police have been ignoring orders and ministerial instructions in how they transfer sexual assault cases to civilian courts.
• The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the federal legislation that devolves child and family service to Indigenous governments is constitutional.
• Pierre Poilievre wants tougher mandatory minimum sentences for extortion, because there’s no crime for which that’s not a solution. (It’s not).
• Grassroots Conservative members in Milton are not happy that the party parachuted Parm Gill as their candidate, with no vetting by the members.
• Jagmeet Singh is warning his caucus to prepare to end the Supply and Confidence agreement, and says they will use delay tactics if they don’t get pharmacare.
• Alberta has made little progress in protecting caribou herds after signing an agreement with the federal government promising to do so. (Who is surprised?)
• The number of family doctors is increasing in BC after they reformed their billing practices, but they still face a major shortage.
• Matt Gurney declares it’s time to stop being so polite and non-confrontational about the state of healthcare (and he’s right).
• Philippe Lagassé outlines the three things that need to change in order to reform defence procurement in this country.
• Chris Selley finds the current back-and-forth over whose staffers are now lobbying for Loblaws to be instructive on just how grubby Canadian politics can be.
• Paul Wells is unimpressed with Trudeau’s rant on the state of media, because he hasn’t exactly used his policy tools effectively to do anything about it.

Odds and Ends:

PMJT just went off on Bell, saying it was a “garbage decision from a corperation that should know better" to layoff journalists and other workers.

“I’m pretty pissed off about what's just happened” #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/cGgShqJKhj

— Mackenzie Gray (@Gray_Mackenzie) February 9, 2024

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