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	<title>Anita Anand &#8211; Routine Proceedings</title>
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	<title>Anita Anand &#8211; Routine Proceedings</title>
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		<title>Roundup: Cautious optimism on trade barriers</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/02/06/roundup-cautious-optimism-on-trade-barriers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Feb 2025 10:40:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Appointments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Border]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Doug Ford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Government Ads]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Inuit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liberal Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pierre Poilievre]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tough on Crime]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trade]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=13073</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Anita Anand told reporters yesterday that she is making progress with provinces when it comes to eliminating interprovincial trade barriers, which sounds great. In fact, she claims that some of those barriers could be “wiped away” in the next thirty &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/02/06/roundup-cautious-optimism-on-trade-barriers/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Anita Anand told reporters yesterday that she is making progress with provinces when it comes to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/interprovincial-trade-barriers-rules-regulations-standards-1.7451128">eliminating</a> interprovincial trade barriers, which sounds great. In fact, she claims that some of those barriers could be “wiped away” in the next thirty days. It would be great news if that’s true, but I have my doubts because these barriers are incredibly difficult to harmonise around the country, and they’re mostly differing regulations, which are perfectly valid exercise of provincial powers. They’re extremely difficult to harmonize because sometimes they differ for a reason. Kevin Milligan explains in this thread if you click through. (He also throws cold water on the notion that we could or should join the EU).</p>
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhev7i26w22b" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreiheqqutbwsrthjjfa43bbgwiz4xysf4bynsjcqguhehsulw4tp364">
<p lang="en">Glad we got through the tariff emergency (at least the first wave of it&#8230;.). Also glad that people are bringing creativity, energy, and determination to figuring out a medium and long-run response.But I want to throw cold water on three ideas I&#39;ve seen floated. I&#39;ll explain&#8230;</p>
<p>&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk?ref_src=embed">Kevin Milligan (@kevinmilligan.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk/post/3lhev7i26w22b?ref_src=embed">2025-02-04T20:24:14.385Z</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>I have to say that I am very curious regarding the method by which Anand is securing these changes, because I have heard no chatter about provinces being willing to surrender some of their provincial sovereignty in order to eliminate some of these barriers. I have also heard nothing about any kind of common regulatory body that could make determinations and that the provinces would adhere to, because they’ve all eschewed a common securities regulator, which should be low-hanging fruit for regulatory harmonisation, and yet… That would seem to imply that they have been establishing some sort of framework around mutual recognition of standards or credentials, but as of yet we have no real details.</p>
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhhge3dp7226" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreibzhzgl5deqs2g5ruewhwm263e7jbvwt6j65zmr6ramx6skxsrbne">
<p lang="en">As one example from that story:  size and weight regulations for transport trucks.There is a very good reason that BC has detailed rules about snow chains for trucks and other provs may not. We have snowy mountains; some provs do not&#8230;.www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/&#8230;</p>
<p>&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk?ref_src=embed">Kevin Milligan (@kevinmilligan.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk/post/3lhhge3dp7226?ref_src=embed">2025-02-05T20:36:21.924Z</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk/app.bsky.feed.post/3lhhgkqr2b226" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreihwifhep2iunlydux7zcg27dw4xcffb5iwe7xweiqwaqlvk2zibcm">
<p lang="en">&#8230;so this doesn&#39;t mean we can&#39;t have a Canada-wide standard for truck size/weight. It means you really have to work hard to ensure the standard makes sense for each prov.If you get this wrong, people die. Regs that are too loose result in trucking accidents. So it takes work to get it right.</p>
<p>&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk?ref_src=embed">Kevin Milligan (@kevinmilligan.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:oao444ddyuysxp4zukfvdzmk/post/3lhhgkqr2b226?ref_src=embed">2025-02-05T20:40:05.709Z</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The other note of caution I would make is that even if these barriers were reduced or eliminated, it would take time to reorient supply chains east-to-west rather than north-to-south, so there would be no immediate cushioning effect from any Trump tariffs. People will need to have realistic expectations about what this will achieve, particularly in the short-to-medium term.</p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch</p>
<p>Ukraine is blaming an explosion at a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/blast-near-west-ukraine-military-conscription-office-kills-one-hurts-four-report-2025-02-05/">draft office</a> in Khmelnytskyi region that killed one person and wounded several others as a series of Russian spies orchestrating attacks. 150 Ukrainian POWs were returned in a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-brings-back-150-pows-latest-swap-with-russia-zelenskiy-says-2025-02-05/">prisoner swap</a> with Russia. Here are some of the details about how Ukrainians <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/inside-the-operations-that-took-captive-2-north-korean-soldiers-fighting-ukraine/article_de1a8e33-61f3-5a76-945f-17d7194e006d.html">captured</a> two North Korean soldiers fighting in Kursk region. Ukrainians are also noting a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraine-sees-marked-improvement-accuracy-russias-north-korean-missiles-2025-02-06/">marked improvement</a> in the accuracy of North Korean missiles fired at Ukraine.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/26a1.png" alt="⚡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> 1 killed, 24 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day.</p>
<p>Russia launched 77 Shahed-type attack and decoy drones overnight, the Air Force reported.<a href="https://t.co/2XkzOrlrAl">https://t.co/2XkzOrlrAl</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1887407790471196896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/26a1.png" alt="⚡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> Ukraine strikes Shahed-type drone launch site in Russia&#39;s Krasnodar Krai, military claims.</p>
<p>Confirmed hit and explosions in the target area,&quot; the General Staff reported.<a href="https://t.co/hIUTgkeliY">https://t.co/hIUTgkeliY</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1887396799528173785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span id="more-13073"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>Justin Trudeau announced that he will be <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/republican-senator-pleads-with-trump-to-exempt-potash-from-threatened-tariffs/article_98f8b0b7-917a-5e6a-bfed-3fa5794190c7.html">holding</a> a Canada-US economic summit in Toronto on Friday to help build a long-term prosperity agenda.</li>
<li>Bill Blair says that we can <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/11005951/donald-trump-tariffs-bill-blair/">avoid tariffs</a> if we can demonstrate progress on the border, and it’s so cute that he seems to actually believe that.</li>
<li>Arif Virani says he is <a href="https://www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articles/law/judiciary/2025/filling-judicial-vacancies-and-strengthening-judicial-institutions">down to 31</a> judicial vacancies left to fill, meaning he has appointed judges at the fastest pace in Canadian history.</li>
<li>Anita Anand announced <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/business/ottawa-spending-25-million-to-make-the-port-of-halifax-greener-and-more-efficient/article_a476119b-faab-547d-ba47-21b0459ef427.html">$25 million</a> to make the Port of Halifax greener and more efficient, which includes facilities for alternative fuels.</li>
<li>The government <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/canadian-government-ends-meta-advertising-ban-launches-up-to-100k-gst-break-ad-buy/">ended their ban</a> on advertising on Meta products in order to promote their stupid HST “holiday,” which makes it all the greasier.</li>
<li>Former Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, says that reducing the size of the civil service by attrition is the <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/attrition-is-the-worst-way-to-shrink-federal-public-service-says-former-clerk/article_7ead39c2-6d8a-5326-bdfc-8b3900c98ed4.html">worst way</a> to do it, and it will lower productivity.</li>
<li>There is a <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/new-wrongful-conviction-review-body-could-see-hundreds-of-applications/article_a3ecd6f5-c25b-5a48-bbf7-f05aca5f4275.html">sense</a> that the new Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission will probably hear a lot more wrongful conviction cases than initially anticipated.</li>
<li>Trump’s tariff plan includes <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/tariff-border-canada-us-1.7450495">removing</a> the $800 de minimis exemption for duties of goods crossing the border, making crossings more costly.</li>
<li>California builders say they have <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/california-builders-say-few-alternatives-to-canadian-timber-despite-tariff-threat/article_34c36bc3-b3f0-5ac5-993d-51623da2f5ac.html">little choice</a> but to use Canadian lumber in spite of tariffs (even before the additional ones Trump is threatening).</li>
<li>Mark Carney was <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/mark-carney-outlines-vision-for-protecting-canada-against-american-aggression-and-spurring-the-economy/article_6221065a-e3d3-11ef-a77c-23081c0268fb.html">promising</a> a tax cut and increased defence spending, while Chrystia Freeland outlined a ten-point plan to shore up the economy.</li>
<li>Pierre Poilievre wants <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/poilievre-would-impose-life-sentences-for-trafficking-more-than-40-mg-of-fentanyl/article_ff222f58-8180-5ab4-b4d5-0e75b78951e0.html">life sentences</a> for anyone who traffics more than 40mg of fentanyl, and claims a wholly bullshit Charter argument to justify it.</li>
<li>Conservatives are conducting <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-conservatives-message-1.7449835">internal surveys</a> to figure out how to best pivot now that Trudeau and the carbon levy are no longer going to be targets.</li>
<li>Lori Idlout wants the Inuit Child First Initiative funding <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/nunavut-mp-calls-on-liberals-to-extend-inuit-child-funding-program/article_6083a17c-e66a-5743-bf98-47432c68d6c3.html">renewed</a>. Patty Hajdu’s office says that depends on whether those upcoming supply votes pass. (Hint).</li>
<li>A former Ford staffer is <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/the-former-ford-government-staffer-at-the-heart-of-the-greenbelt-scandal-has-been-accused/article_3170a152-e403-11ef-9aa0-db3dcf4aa3a4.html">being sued</a> by a property developer who said he was promised use of back channels in exchange for “discreet payments.”</li>
<li>It looks like the head of Alberta Health Services <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/alberta/article-alberta-ousted-health-services-ceo-amid-probe-into-medical-contracts/">was fired</a> as she was prepared to go to the Auditor General with concerns about procurement and political interference.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<p><iframe title="Considerations with Cabinet Size" width="584" height="329" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R-PZYaejnwE?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">After the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FireOf1916?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FireOf1916</a>, the construction of the Parliament Building began a new era for Canada. Explore these fascinating construction photos taken between 1916 and 1921. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1e8-1f1e6.png" alt="🇨🇦" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> <a href="https://t.co/3OdLnXhedi">pic.twitter.com/3OdLnXhedi</a></p>
<p>&mdash; House of Commons (@OurCommons) <a href="https://twitter.com/OurCommons/status/1887200173392048485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Want more Routine Proceedings? <a href="https://www.patreon.com/journo_dale">Become a patron</a> and get exclusive new content. </strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">13073</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: The heresy of well-wishes</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/13/roundup-the-heresy-of-well-wishes/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Jan 2025 10:50:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Broadcasting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chrystia Freeland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citizenship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Danielle Smith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Erin O'Toole]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liberal Leadership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pierre Poilievre]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Steve MacKinnon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=13024</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It began with Anita Anand writing that she was not only going to stay out of the Liberal leadership race (which was a surprise given that she had previously been organizing an effort before the job was even open), but &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/13/roundup-the-heresy-of-well-wishes/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It began with Anita Anand writing that she was not only going to stay out of the Liberal leadership race (which was a surprise given that she had previously been organizing an effort before the job was even open), but was also not going to be running again in the next election—which is a shame, because she was not only an extremely competent minister, but probably the best defence minister the country has had in a couple of decades at least. Former Conservative leader Erin O’Toole did the classy and dignified thing and saluted her work.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/erinotoole/status/1878482424193073181</p>
<p>That simply wasn’t going to be on.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/jenni_byrne/status/1878513929229320380</p>
<p>Whether Byrne misgendered O’Toole by accident or deliberately (because Conservatives thought it was hilarious to call Trudeau “Justine” and feminise him at every single opportunity), or if she was referring to Anand, it almost doesn’t matter because this is the kind of toxic, purity-test bullshit that she thinks the party really needs—and make no mistake, she is running the party. (If people thought it was bad that Katie Telford was running the PMO, should Poilievre win it’ll be Byrne doing the same). There’s a reason why Conservative MPs aren’t allowed to travel with anyone from other parties anymore, or why Byrne is attacking O’Toole for showing a modicum of human decency is praising someone from the other side—because in her conception of the world, they are not rivals or people who disagree on matters of policy, but rather they are the enemy, and if you don’t realise that you are a heretic and the problem. This is going to make Canadian politics even more toxic the more this takes hold.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">To all the young people involved in <a href="https://twitter.com/CPC_HQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CPC_HQ</a>, and politics in Canada generally, this is exactly how not to behave in those inevitably fleeting moments when you feel you are on top. Be humble in leadership. Jenni, as one of our party’s current leaders, you should take this down. <a href="https://t.co/5dzt7gdISc">https://t.co/5dzt7gdISc</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Walied Soliman (@waliedesq) <a href="https://twitter.com/waliedesq/status/1878545343626752361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Trust me. You don’t want to start down this road, Jenni. Be better.</p>
<p>&mdash; Walied Soliman (@waliedesq) <a href="https://twitter.com/waliedesq/status/1878558437379907899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>This in turn led to people praising O’Toole for being a decent Conservative, which is in and of itself revisionist history, and ignores his own behaviour during his leadership contest and right up until his ignoble ouster as leader, where he lied about everything under the sun, and acted imperiously with his own caucus, going so far as to kick Senator Batters out of caucus for daring to challenge him. That, in his retirement, he did the classy thing to wish Anand well, doesn’t change his prior behaviour, and it makes me <a href="https://youtu.be/gx9O6q0pDAU?si=xpKFC2Yl4jTTZ-zG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feel like I’m taking crazy pills</a> that everyone else has memory-holed his actual record.</p>
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:4xqt7t2zph634drigtdxdmro/app.bsky.feed.post/3lflu37vats24" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreiesdptbpiyst46vejl2meuzovsq72ypdzb7jssp5gi2albv74qrpu">
<p lang="en">The #cdnpoli vibes&#8230;</p>
<p>&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4xqt7t2zph634drigtdxdmro?ref_src=embed">Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4xqt7t2zph634drigtdxdmro/post/3lflu37vats24?ref_src=embed">2025-01-13T04:02:12.787Z</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch</p>
<p>Russian forces <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/thousands-without-power-after-russian-strike-ukraines-kherson-officials-say-2025-01-12/">shelled</a> Kherson, targeting power systems that left tens of thousands without power. Russia also claims it <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-captured-settlement-near-key-town-pokrovsk-eastern-ukraine-2025-01-11/">captured</a> Shevchenko, near Pokrovsk. South Korean intelligence says that North Korean troops <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/world/asia/seouls-spy-agency-says-north-korean-soldiers-captured-in-ukraine-havent-shown-desire-to-defect/article_a4ced3cf-9456-54a5-9087-88f589de4e01.html">captured</a> by Ukrainians in Kursk haven’t expressed a desire to defect. It is believed there have been there have been more than <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/north-korean-troop-fatalities-injuries-exceed-3000-ukraine-seoul-says-2025-01-13/">3000 North Korean fatalities</a> to date (which includes suicides to avoid capture).</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Over the past week, the Russians have launched hundreds of strikes on Ukrainian cities, villages, and the positions of our warriors on the front lines. Nearly 700 aerial bombs and over 600 attack drones were used just in a week. </p>
<p>Every week, the Russian war continues only… <a href="https://t.co/EkvB9fOUmv">pic.twitter.com/EkvB9fOUmv</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1878389114220744890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/26a1.png" alt="⚡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />Russian drone strikes on Sumy Oblast spark fire at children&#39;s wellness center, 2 injured in attack on bus.</p>
<p>Russian drones struck civilian infrastructure in Sumy Oblast on Jan. 12, leading to multiple casualties.<a href="https://t.co/7Mwkmmy4FB">https://t.co/7Mwkmmy4FB</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1878636902963925497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span id="more-13024"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>In an MSNBC interview, Justin Trudeau says that the “51st state” stuff is an attempt to <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/trudeau-says-trumps-comments-on-51st-state-flattering-but-a-non-starter/article_56b8f085-3212-5e89-aa9d-1c961636b8f0.html">distract</a> from the impact the tariffs will have on the American market.</li>
<li>Harjit Sajjan says that dozens of firefighters from BC and Alberta are <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/alberta/minister-says-dozens-of-firefighters-from-alberta-and-b-c-to-deploy-in-california/article_b3792c59-f77a-55ee-bc30-fd4b9666c635.html">deploying</a> to California to fight wildfires, starting today.</li>
<li>There are <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/entertainment/with-conservatives-promising-to-defund-could-the-next-election-kill-the-cbc/article_e5656176-e182-5412-a39e-dbebf518a23d.html">questions</a> whether the government’s plans to reform the CBC’s mandate will be presented before the next election is called.</li>
<li>There are <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/an-ordeal-that-doesnt-end-lost-canadians-citizenship-at-risk-with-parliament-suspended/article_5e2266d4-cd3f-11ef-b5fe-5b1cc31f94b0.html">concerns</a> about what might happen if the “Lost Canadians” bill doesn’t get passed when Parliament resumes, and the courts don’t grant another extension.</li>
<li>The <em>Star</em> has a <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/justin-trudeau-had-thought-about-resigning-for-a-long-time-the-inside-story-of-what/article_fd804a4c-cf7f-11ef-a97c-5b6446b049ec.html">behind-the-scenes</a> look at the Freeland resignation and how it all led to Trudeau’s resignation.</li>
<li>Anita Anand says she <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/anita-anand-says-she-will-not-run-for-liberal-party-leadership-or-re-election/article_f35fe90b-9311-5c62-a303-449088e42497.html">won’t run</a> for the leadership and isn’t going to run again in the next election. Steve MacKinnon has also <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/mackinnon-wont-join-liberal-leadership-race-cites-lack-of-time-to-mount-campaign/article_969416d6-ab6e-5837-8bf2-60b41a0ec1a1.html">declined</a> to run for leadership.</li>
<li>The Quebec Liberal leadership race also <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/quebec-liberals-at-a-crossroads-as-leadership-race-kicks-off-monday/article_49d1966a-2d16-5a6e-9123-3b0f4d618db1.html">gets underway</a> today.</li>
<li>Danielle Smith <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/alberta-premier-danielle-smith-peterson-visit-mar-a-lago">went to Mar-a-Lago</a> and hung out with Kevin O’Leary and Jordan Peterson before <a href="https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/alberta-premier-danielle-smith-meets-with-trump-at-impromptu-mar-a-lago-visit-1.7172949">meeting Trump</a>, because of course she did.</li>
<li>Kevin Carmichael <a href="https://thelogic.co/comment/kevin-carmichael-pierre-poilievre-jordan-peterson-conversation/">listens</a> to Poilievre’s interview with Jordan Peterson, finds holes in his arguments, and finds his plans wanting.</li>
<li>Dan Gardner makes a few <a href="https://dgardner.substack.com/p/the-long-strange-psycho-sexual-history">strong zingers</a> about America’s strange horny obsession with possessing Canada over the course of history.</li>
<li>Susan Delacourt and Matt Gurney <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/is-it-good-for-pierre-poilievre-if-donald-trump-likes-him-or-very-very-bad/article_c30ca16e-ce01-11ef-b575-873e9369ca74.html">debate</a> on how they see a future Poilievre vs Trump battle, particularly given how thin-skinned Poilievre can be.</li>
<li>My <a href="https://looniepolitics.com/yes-we-still-have-a-functioning-government/">weekend column</a> points out that yes, we do still have a functioning government, despite what certain Toronto columnists and talking heads seem to think.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">King of Canada has an audience with his outgoing PM.  <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MapleCrown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MapleCrown</a> <a href="https://t.co/QwZN5RkYG5">https://t.co/QwZN5RkYG5</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1878172359779082669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:4xqt7t2zph634drigtdxdmro/app.bsky.feed.post/3lflaye4pr224" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreiegcmahjxappfcjwpr2yifdjk37ihijrg5omuwllsfobyx2f2qufi">
<p lang="en">New episodes released early for C$7&#43; subscribers.This week I talk to @smsaideman.bsky.social about the accusation that Trudeau “hollowed out” the military over his time in office. #cdnpoli</p>
<p>&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4xqt7t2zph634drigtdxdmro?ref_src=embed">Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:4xqt7t2zph634drigtdxdmro/post/3lflaye4pr224?ref_src=embed">2025-01-12T22:20:35.466Z</a></p></blockquote>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">13024</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: Pushing back against PMO</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/10/28/roundup-pushing-back-against-pmo/</link>
					<comments>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/10/28/roundup-pushing-back-against-pmo/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:45:10 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Catherine McKenna]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[First Nations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PMO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tim Houston]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Veterans]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=12840</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[There was an op-ed in the Star over the weekend from former Cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy, in which he lamented the increasing centralization of power under the PMO, and that under Trudeau, ministers have become “infantilised,” particularly after seeing testimony &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/10/28/roundup-pushing-back-against-pmo/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There was an op-ed in the <em>Star</em> over the weekend from former Cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy, in which he <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/justin-trudeau-has-infantilized-his-ministers-they-need-more-power-for-our-government-to-work/article_911a737e-8ff0-11ef-ab73-cbe38150a156.html">lamented</a> the increasing centralization of power under the PMO, and that under Trudeau, ministers have become “infantilised,” particularly after seeing testimony at the Foreign Interference inquiry where chiefs of staff were keeping ministers in the dark about certain files. It’s a valid complaint, but not one unique to the Trudeau PMO, as Canadian academics have been making it since the previous Trudeau government, and was particularly egregious in the Harper government where everything flowed through the PMO—most especially message control—and ministers were rarely without approved talking points on their files.</p>
<p>I will also note that the current Trudeau did make an attempt to return to a system of “government by Cabinet,” and while certain ministers were free and capable to run their files, there was not an equitable distribution of talent in Cabinet as much as there was of gender, ethnicity and geography, so PMO did need to step in for some ministers. But there is also an inescapable reality that governing has also become more difficult than in the days of the first Trudeau government, and power is distributed much more horizontally because most issues require the cooperation of several ministries, and that requires a lot more central coordination from PMO or PCO. This being said, the real sin of the current government is that everything requires the sign-off from his chief of staff, which creates bottlenecks in decision-making, and that has been a continual problem.</p>
<p>In response to the Axworthy op-ed were a couple of tweets from Catherine McKenna about her experience—that PMO would say something, and she would push back if it didn’t come from Trudeau directly. It shows that a minister in charge of their file and who has the spine enough to stand their ground can do so, but not every minister is capable, and it’s something we need more ministers to learn how to do, because that’s how they will actually manage to own their own files.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good piece by <a href="https://twitter.com/lloydaxworthy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lloydaxworthy</a>. By the end of my time as Minister, I would often be told by my awesome staff &quot;the Prime Minister&#39;s Office says you need to &#8230; &quot; I&#39;d say did the PM say that? No? Well I&#39;m the Minister so this is what we&#39;re doing.&quot;  <a href="https://t.co/JQOgfDmis8">https://t.co/JQOgfDmis8</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Catherine McKenna (@cathmckenna) <a href="https://twitter.com/cathmckenna/status/1850180918851309787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">And a shout out to caucus who would tell me the views of their constituents   so we could work together and do a better job on climate action &amp; infrastructure investments. That included the need to give all the money from carbon pricing back in transparent way.</p>
<p>&mdash; Catherine McKenna (@cathmckenna) <a href="https://twitter.com/cathmckenna/status/1850183950536241634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch</p>
<p>Two civilians were <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-air-defence-downed-41-80-russian-drones-military-says-2024-10-27/">killed</a> in a Russian attack on the southern Kherson region, while Russians have been making air attacks against <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-air-attacks-pound-kharkiv-injure-several-people-ukraines-officials-say-2024-10-28/">Kharkiv</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-launches-drone-attack-kyiv-second-night-ukraine-says-2024-10-27/">Kyiv</a>. Ukraine continue to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-drones-target-ethanol-plants-russia-telegram-channels-say-2024-10-28/">target ethanol plants</a> in Russia with drones. A high-level South Korean delegation will be <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/south-korean-delegation-brief-nato-north-korean-troops-russia-alliance-says-2024-10-27/">briefing</a> the NATO Council about the North Korean troops now fighting on Russia’s behalf.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Russia does not stop its terror against Ukraine. Daily, it launches aggression against our people, cities, and villages, using various types of weapons. This week alone, the occupiers have used over 1,100 guided aerial bombs, more than 560 strike drones, and approximately 20… <a href="https://t.co/UC7dPvH5pD">pic.twitter.com/UC7dPvH5pD</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1850478157331103933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Canada has provided Ukraine with a new shipment of Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs) 6.0 ACSV specially configured as ambulances, the Canadian Armed Forces’ Operation UNIFIER announced on Oct. 26.<a href="https://t.co/stVvNs0L2N">https://t.co/stVvNs0L2N</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1850724701884371416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span id="more-12840"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>Justin Trudeau told a Village Media podcast that he has <a href="https://www.baytoday.ca/insidethevillage/exclusive-trudeau-tells-our-inside-the-village-podcast-why-he-has-no-intention-of-quitting-9715218">no intention</a> of quitting.</li>
<li>Anita Anand is <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/transportation-minister-looks-for-provinces-territories-to-collaborate-on-car-thefts/article_a0a112b1-712b-50a3-9468-c835de280fcd.html">looking for</a> more provincial cooperation when it comes to stopping car-thefts, especially for things like criminals re-VINning cars to re-sell them.</li>
<li>Gary Anandasangaree has offered a <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/minister-apologizes-for-governments-handling-of-first-nations-money-in-1800s/article_eff7d240-288d-5050-9e5f-23086245d6c4.html">formal apology</a> to Ontario First Nations for government mismanagement of their funds after an 1862 agreement.</li>
<li>Here’s a look at how cities are trying to <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/canadian-cities-struggling-to-get-past-whac-a-mole-solution-to-homeless-encampments/article_473aae64-5052-5292-a948-ecd67d19d89a.html">cope with</a> homeless encampments that essentially become whac-a-mole.</li>
<li>A recent report <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/homeless-veterans-canada">suggests</a> there could be a new wave of homeless veterans given the demographics and time elapsed since the end of the Afghan mission.</li>
<li>Conservative MP Larry Brock had to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/larry-brock-apologizes-french-english-comment-1.7362739">apologise</a> for criticising that a question he asked was responded to in French.</li>
<li>Tim Houston has called a <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/nova-scotia-premier-dissolves-legislature-calls-snap-election-for-nov-26/article_d64a3e63-68b6-524a-b452-a70b7c23718a.html">snap election</a> in Nova Scotia, in spite of his first act as premier being to implement “fixed” election date legislation.</li>
<li>It’s <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/saskatchewan-election-race-tightens-as-parties-spend-final-day-campaigning/article_d8958390-c2fa-55e2-a00b-0b6baa602504.html">election day</a> in Saskatchewan.</li>
<li>Kevin Carmichael <a href="https://thelogic.co/comment/kevin-carmichael-imf-meetings-washington/">heads to</a> the IMF annual meeting to hear that Canada is doing well, and that the worry is that the US election could tumble the international system.</li>
<li>Althia Raj <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/trudeau-should-listen-to-the-dissidents-who-want-change-but-there-s-a-reason-why/article_5c7a73e2-948e-11ef-96e4-bbda427b9105.html">revisits</a> last week’s Liberal caucus meeting, the reasons why the message isn’t getting through to Trudeau, and why he may want to reconsider it.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It&#39;s important in this to pay attention to the use of language about how everything is broken in order to soften people up so that they can create the permission structure for the incoming autocrats dismantling the state. <a href="https://t.co/cH4bVlMLGv">https://t.co/cH4bVlMLGv</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1850264035867898344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We could get through <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QP</a> in less than five minutes that way. <a href="https://t.co/1DBFOjRf5T">https://t.co/1DBFOjRf5T</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1850610918800937020?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">12840</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: Speaker Fergus on the spot in new privilege battle</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/09/20/roundup-speaker-fergus-on-the-spot-in-new-privilege-battle/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Sep 2024 09:42:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Interference]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Métis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Security]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pablo Rodriguez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Parliament Hill]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Privilege]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Russia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Speaker Fergus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=12722</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The brewing privilege battle over the Sustainable Development Technologies Canada documents is largely going under-reported, save for the National Post, but it’s going to be an interesting showdown with the Speaker about the refusal to turn over these documents. The &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/09/20/roundup-speaker-fergus-on-the-spot-in-new-privilege-battle/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The brewing <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/green-slush-fund-documents-rcmp">privilege battle</a> over the Sustainable Development Technologies Canada documents is largely going under-reported, save for the <em>National Post</em>, but it’s going to be an interesting showdown with the Speaker about the refusal to turn over these documents. The government’s argument is that the stated purpose for demanding these documents is not for Parliamentary business, such as committee study, but because they intend to be turned over to the RCMP, which is in and of itself a problem because it does violate the separation of powers and really, really looks like politicians trying to direct the police (who have said that they don’t want the documents, because it would violate the Charter rights of any accused). I think this is a sound argument, and one that is necessary because of the ongoing abuses of privilege that the past couple of parliaments have engaged in.</p>
<p>Yes, Parliament has unfettered authority to send for the production of papers, but there have to be limits on this privilege, or it can be abused, and I think that this case demonstrates the limits. The complicating factor is that limits are especially difficult to maintain in a minority parliament situation because all of the opposition parties tend to be all be interested in embarrassing the government at any turn (and this is not unique to this government, but any government). It’s partly why NSICOP was fine during a majority Parliament but became the subject of political manoeuvring during the minority years—because opposition parties will try to use their leverage to embarrass a government or score points when they think they can.</p>
<p>I don’t envy Speaker Fergus in having to make this decision, but this kind of exercise is clearly beyond the pale. It’s not up to MPs to get information on behalf of the RCMP, and that crosses so many red lines that it should be blinding. He’s going to be criticized whatever he makes, but hopefully for the sake of precedent, he makes the right choice and rein in some of this foolishness, because once MPs feel empowered enough to do this to one organisation—SDTC in this case—they’re going to start going after anyone they disagree with ideologically on an increasing base going forward.</p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch</p>
<p>Russians <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-it-downed-42-drones-one-missile-russian-attacks-overnight-2024-09-19/">targeted</a> a geriatric centre in Sumy, as well as the power grid, which a UN body believes is probably <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-attacks-ukraine-power-grid-probably-violate-humanitarian-law-says-un-2024-09-19/">against</a> international humanitarian law. Russia says they are <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-says-drone-supplies-russian-army-increase-tenfold-2024-2024-09-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ramping up</a> their drone production tenfold (but that may just be all talk, given the sanctions and the availability of components).</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1836807096391676132</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Volodymyr Zelensky&#39;s latest figure of Russian soldiers redeployed to Kursk Oblast is lower than the one announced in early September, where he put their number at 60,000.</p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1836830248035660181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span id="more-12722"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>Anita Anand is the new transport minister (on top of Treasury Board president) after Pablo Rodriguez <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/anita-anand-sworn-in-as-transport-minister-after-pablo-rodriguez-resigns/article_dd5ef2c4-ef09-5c51-bc6e-d0e8c2b89c45.html">resigned</a> and sits as an independent (to avoid a by-election).</li>
<li>The government <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/trudeau-government-to-release-report-on-how-toronto-terror-suspects-were-allowed-into-canada/article_4a3b4082-769b-11ef-b52c-c33f2ba74b81.html">will release</a> their report on how the two terror suspects came into Canada within the next two weeks.</li>
<li>The federal government <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/environment/climate-food-security-arctic-among-canadas-intelligence-priorities-ottawa-says/article_bbf8c21c-e904-59e4-bb60-203b4d0fddc6.html">released</a> a report detailing their intelligence priorities for the first time ever.</li>
<li>The Clerk of the Privy Council has <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/senior-civil-servant-invites-provincial-counterparts-to-seek-top-secret-clearance/article_485d63a0-a9b6-5c97-8322-4d41510973f1.html">invited</a> his provincial and territorial counterparts to get top secret security clearance to help fight foreign interference and threats.</li>
<li>The Canadian Climate Institute’s latest report shows emission are once again <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/canadas-carbon-emissions-drop-for-first-time-since-the-pandemic/article_ab1ba558-75e8-11ef-a444-13cb58f2879b.html">falling</a>—but there is a long way to go for the 2030 target.</li>
<li>Representatives of political parties were at the Foreign Interference inquiry to <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/political-parties-cool-to-idea-of-new-federal-regulations-for-nomination-contests/article_c369d2d1-5b13-5192-a389-2a0df244cea9.html">push back against</a> the idea of further regulation of nomination contests.</li>
<li>The Métis Nation of Saskatchewan has <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/m-tis-nation-saskatchewan-leaves-national-council-cites-concerns-with-ontario-group/article_5b5a150a-6d33-5145-abb5-27353fad997a.html">pulled out</a> of the Métis National Council because of problems with the Ontario Métis group (whose status is dubious at best).</li>
<li>Legal organizations across the country are <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/law-organizations-call-for-manitoba-ndp-to-reinstate-turfed-backbencher/article_4ed3c368-7924-5e20-a895-8215ef60512c.html">calling on</a> the Manitoba NDP to reinstate the backbencher they turfed allegedly because his firm represents Peter Nygard.</li>
<li>The Federal Court has <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/far-right-rebel-news-not-eligible-for-journalism-tax-credits-federal-court-rules/article_bb52c758-3201-5e5a-8fae-839bbdd5b3c5.html">ruled</a> that Rebel Media is not eligible for journalism tax credits because they don’t produce original news content.</li>
<li>The Commons’ public safety committee <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/entertainment/mps-want-canadians-tied-to-alleged-russian-influencer-op-to-testify-at-committee/article_ed96eb8c-6ec5-5095-98b2-5bfef9408a55.html">voted unanimous</a> to study Russian funding of right-wing media outlets such as Tenet Media.</li>
<li>Hill security has been <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/pam-damoff-sergeant-at-arms-mp-security-1.7327950">beefed up</a> after Jagmeet Singh’s confrontation with the Asshole Brigade, but MPs say that’s still not enough.</li>
<li>The NDP have also <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/ndp-to-join-bloc-in-defeating-conservatives-non-confidence-motion/article_70abbe84-6dc0-50ff-bcb2-50f8c7a94018.html">decided</a> not to join in the Conservative non-confidence motion, while Quebec premier François Legault is <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/quebec-premier-calls-on-bloc-qu-b-cois-to-help-topple-trudeau-government-next-week/article_69cbc258-60bd-5a0e-bf8c-43aa5a4bed7a.html">telling</a> the Bloc to bring the Liberals down.</li>
<li>The New Brunswick election is now <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/new-brunswick-tory-leader-kicks-off-provincial-election-campaign-with-fed-bashing/article_566033cb-ebd5-5e89-86cb-b944c4887acc.html">officially underway</a>, and Blaine Higgs wants to run against Justin Trudeau rather than on his own record.</li>
<li>Stephen Saideman <a href="https://saideman.blogspot.com/2024/09/participant-observer-methodology.html">recounts</a> his appearance at the Commons’ defence committee.</li>
<li>Justin Ling <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/liberal-mps-it-s-time-to-stage-an-intervention/article_a98d568c-76ab-11ef-b876-7355c395675d.html">suggests</a> that the Liberal caucus force the issue with Trudeau that his government needs to actually deliver, not just worry about communicating.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just directly mainlining MAGA talking points. <a href="https://t.co/L5feknLsiT">https://t.co/L5feknLsiT</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1836777661131014437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Want more Routine Proceedings? <a href="https://www.patreon.com/journo_dale">Become a patron</a> and get exclusive new content. </strong></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">12722</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: Poking holes in all of Singh&#8217;s arguments</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/09/06/roundup-poking-holes-in-all-of-singhs-arguments/</link>
					<comments>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/09/06/roundup-poking-holes-in-all-of-singhs-arguments/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Sep 2024 09:22:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jagmeet Singh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Privacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Procurement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RCMP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=12689</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Today was the day that NDP leader Jagmeet Singh went before the media to answer questions about his decision to pull out of the agreement with the Liberals, but he didn’t really. He repeated the same lines about 75 times, &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/09/06/roundup-poking-holes-in-all-of-singhs-arguments/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today was the day that NDP leader Jagmeet Singh went before the media to answer questions about his decision to pull out of the agreement with the Liberals, but he didn’t really. He repeated the same lines about 75 times, but wouldn’t answer any specific or concrete questions, which is not unsurprising, but considering that he made this huge announcement and lobbed a bunch of grenades as part of it, you would think he could actually explain himself. Nope.</p>
<p>Singh went on<em> Power &amp; Politics</em>, and got absolutely eviscerated by David Cochrane. He did confirm that they shot the video <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/singh-deal-liberals-1.7313971">weeks ago</a>, but wouldn’t say why they waited this long, or what had changed to make them release it this week. He refused to give a phone call to Trudeau to explain himself, because he didn’t want any new deals. He also pretty much straight-up admitted that he was the one acting in bad faith, which was amazing. The longer it went on, the worse it went for Singh as Cochrane poked holes in absolutely every one of Singh’s answers, up to and including demanding to know what concrete policy solutions he was demanding were, the issues around provincial jurisdiction, and forcing Singh to admit that he was acting in bad faith by refusing to live up to his end of the agreement with the Liberals when they lived up to theirs, and probably most damning of all, pointing to all of the ways the Liberals have been trying to rein in big corporations, such as the digital services tax, the global minimum tax negotiations, and the works. And Singh couldn’t do more than sputter his talking points. Just an empty suit with a few hollow talking points that are all sound and fury signifying absolutely nothing. Politics in 2024 is bad, you guys.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you want to watch David Cochrane absolutely eviscerate Jagmeet Singh on national television, it’s the first twenty minutes of this clip. <a href="https://t.co/WvceDwK39d">https://t.co/WvceDwK39d</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1831854340119916621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Singh comes out and says he wants price caps on groceries.<br />You know that didn’t work in the 70s, right? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PnPCBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PnPCBC</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1831800739863392452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/G04NNoVPN9">pic.twitter.com/G04NNoVPN9</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1831803097884324161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cochrane keeps punching holes in everything Singh says. Absolutely everything. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PnPCBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PnPCBC</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z1wy3SAlqo">pic.twitter.com/Z1wy3SAlqo</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1831804866534240438?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Programming Note:</strong> I am taking the weekend off of blogging for my birthday, and then I’m away for the early part of next week, so I’ll see you probably on Thursday.</p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch</p>
<p>While the death toll from the attack on Poltava continues to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/death-toll-russian-strike-ukraines-poltava-up-55-2024-09-05/">climb</a>, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-parliament-accepts-foreign-minister-kulebas-resignation-lawmaker-says-2024-09-05/">shuffled his Cabinet</a> yesterday, hoping that new faces can bring fresh energy to their portfolios at this critical stage of the war. Zelenskyy is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-attend-ramstein-meeting-push-long-range-missiles-spiegel-says-2024-09-05/">headed off</a> to a meeting in Ramstein in order to argue for more long-range missiles that can strike military targets in Russia.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1831598527077630079</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/26a1.png" alt="⚡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />Warehouses in flames after Russian drone attack against Lviv. </p>
<p>Fragments from falling drones caused fires at warehouses in the village of Malekhiv on Lviv&#39;s northern outskirts, Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said on Sept. 6. No casualties have been reported.<a href="https://t.co/UW7iv6gb86">https://t.co/UW7iv6gb86</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1831874395847241892?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span id="more-12689"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>The RCMP have <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-former-federal-public-servant-pleads-guilty-to-awarding-72-sole-source/">charged</a> a former federal civil servant for directing 72 sole-sourced contracts to his own company.</li>
<li>Here is a case for <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/drones-helped-in-big-vancouver-arrest-its-time-for-policy-scrutiny-researchers-say/article_b30b03ae-faa3-5301-9227-32ab16b0aa09.html">greater policy scrutiny</a> around police use of drones, which is starting to cross lines around privacy and Charter rights.</li>
<li>The Liberals’ campaign director has decided to <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/liberals-national-campaign-director-tells-justin-trudeau-he-is-quitting/article_8d01add6-670d-11ef-acde-7322956cb786.html">step down</a>, citing health and family reasons, and that may have had to do with the survivability of the next election.</li>
<li>The Conservatives <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/conservative-cuts-party-to-share-platform-closer-to-the-next-election-scheer-says-1.7027214">refuse</a> to answer questions on policy, and say it’ll come out closer to the next election.</li>
<li>Matt Gurney <a href="https://www.readtheline.ca/p/matt-gurney-i-support-singhs-right">points to</a> how Jagmeet Singh behaved in a half-pregnant manner with the agreement, and that he could have made better choices.</li>
<li>Paul Wells <a href="https://paulwells.substack.com/p/minister-anand-would-like-a-word">hears from</a> Anita Anand on her productivity consultations, and that her focus is on public sector productivity, which is different than previous reports.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/hFAC2oVAeb">https://t.co/hFAC2oVAeb</a> <a href="https://t.co/k1m82Nbddv">pic.twitter.com/k1m82Nbddv</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1831777055404597744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Want more Routine Proceedings? <a href="https://www.patreon.com/journo_dale">Become a patron</a> and get exclusive new content. </strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
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			<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">12689</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: Asking about Canadian LNG like it&#8217;s a free cookie</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/04/29/roundup-asking-about-canadian-lng-like-its-a-free-cookie/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 09:36:09 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Budget 2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Foreign Aid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LNG]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Public Service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=12398</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Once again, CTV’s Vassy Kapelos asks a visiting European leader if they’d like Canadian LNG, and spins a whole story out of the fact that they say yes, while absolutely ignoring all of the many reasons why it’s never going &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/04/29/roundup-asking-about-canadian-lng-like-its-a-free-cookie/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Once again, CTV’s Vassy Kapelos asks a visiting European leader if they’d like Canadian LNG, and <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/of-course-yes-poland-latest-european-country-with-interest-in-canadian-lng-1.6864746">spins a whole story</a> out of the fact that they say yes, while absolutely ignoring all of the many reasons why it’s never going to happen. This has happened with at least three leaders now, the latest being the president of Poland, who was visiting Canada last week (the taped interview aired over the weekend), and predictably, the story is making rounds with people insisting that Trudeau is wrong to say there’s no business case for it.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CTV keeps asking this question, ignoring both the price that Canada could offer it, if we spent the requisite years building the infrastructure for it, because they think it’s a gotcha for the government pointing out the lack of business case. <a href="https://t.co/bSU1TRK4WH">https://t.co/bSU1TRK4WH</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1784643189481099423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>To wit: There is no ready supply of natural gas to be liquified on the East Coast, because they get it shipped from the north-eastern US. Blaine Higgs’ ambitions aside, nobody wants to be fracking in New Brunswick (not the First Nations, not the people who live in the region), and that would mean either paying even more to import American gas to liquefy, or build a pipeline from Alberta (and just as a reminder, Energy East was killed by the proponent because they didn’t have enough contracts to fill it and Keystone XL, and the latter was the surer bet at the time), and it costs money to ship gas across the country in a pipeline like that, which would increase the selling price. Then they would have to build a new export terminal to liquefy said gas, (there is one existing import terminal that could theoretically be converted), but all of this takes years, billions of dollars, and would need guaranteed operations for about 45 years to pay off, which is going to put them past the 2050 Net Zero date for a rapidly decarbonizing Europe to still want the LNG—which would be at a higher price than they can get it from Algeria or the Persian Gulf. That’s why there is no business case. There have been proposals to build terminals on the east coast before, and nobody in Europe wanted to sign a contract to make it a worthwhile investment to pursue. Hell, there are plenty of fully permitted projects on the west coast not moving ahead because nobody wants to sign contracts for the product.</p>
<p>But Kapelos and the CTV team keep ignoring all of these issues when they ask this question, which as one reply on Twitter stated, is like asking someone if they want a free cookie. The most the story says about the feasibility of east coast LNG is “There has been political debate for years around whether Canada could or should plan to export to European countries, as well.” That’s it. Seriously? This is malpractice at this point, and no, this is not because she or anyone is “in the pocket of Poilievre,” or anyone. It’s just lazy journalism, plain and simple. It’s not serving anyone, and frankly, is distracting from the actual issues.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="qme" dir="ltr"> <a href="https://t.co/MkZngdwHlS">pic.twitter.com/MkZngdwHlS</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1784783954559582249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/NkHBhkBxBQ">pic.twitter.com/NkHBhkBxBQ</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Effin&#39; Birds (@EffinBirds) <a href="https://twitter.com/EffinBirds/status/1784239335589413345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch:</p>
<p>Russian drones <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/russian-drones-set-a-black-sea-hotel-ablaze-as-ukraine-army-chief-warns-about-front/article_f05cd85f-bcf1-5e4c-83ea-96b7ebc80f0f.html">struck a hotel</a> in Mykolaiv on the Black Sea, severely damaging it and local energy infrastructure, but fortunately there were no casualties. Another Russian oil refinery has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/oil-refinery-russias-krasnodar-region-damaged-ukraine-drone-attack-authorities-2024-04-27/">suspended operations</a> after a Ukrainian drone attack. While Ukraine waits on the arrival of more American aid, their forces have had to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kyivs-top-general-says-fighting-east-ukraine-worsens-troops-fall-back-2024-04-28/">fall back</a> from three more villages northwest of Avdiivka.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, Russia chose a psychiatric hospital in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kharkiv?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kharkiv</a> as a target for its <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/missile?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#missile</a> strike.</p>
<p>60 patients and 5 hospital employees were in one of its buildings at the time of the hit. One patient, born in 1970, suffered shrapnel wounds, reported the Oblast police.</p>
<p>&mdash; UkraineWorld (@ukraine_world) <a href="https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1784138372665028775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="ro" dir="ltr"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/26a1.png" alt="⚡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />ISW: Russia unlikely to achieve significant near-term gains near Avdiivka, despite limited Ukrainian retreat.</p>
<p>Russian forces are unlikely to achieve &quot;operationally significant penetration&quot; in the area west of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast, despite limited Ukrainian troop…</p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1784777458606129196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span id="more-12398"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>Here is a look back over the prime minister’s <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/what-trudeaus-podcast-appearances-say-about-the-liberals-next-ballot-box-question/article_2e53a3aa-696c-5e5a-bb8a-bebf25110875.html">podcast tour</a> last week.</li>
<li>Anita Anand talks about <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/first-she-aimed-to-transform-canadas-military-culture-the-public-service-is-next/article_2e0b5e9b-dd3a-56a2-9542-ff34de512b02.html">changing the culture</a> of the civil service, especially by increasing its diversity.</li>
<li>Mark Holland says that while he <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/health-minister-deeply-appreciative-of-doctors-but-capital-gains-changes-here-to-stay-1.6864750">deeply appreciates</a> doctors, the capital gains changes are staying. (<em>We should not be remunerating doctors with tax loopholes!</em>)</li>
<li>Aid to Afghanistan is still very slow because of <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/the-world-is-too-messy-for-bureaucratic-hurdles-canada-still-bars-afghanistan-aid/article_a2ecc226-7a19-530b-826e-a53bcbd130ee.html">bureaucratic hurdles</a>.</li>
<li>The <em>Star</em> has a look at the <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/new-federal-ridings-will-create-big-changes-in-the-gta-heres-where-the-drama-will/article_c1da7396-031a-11ef-a75e-778d2d8f50c6.html">changed riding boundaries</a> in the GTA, now that they are official, and where that will mean drama with incumbents who plan to run again.</li>
<li>Quebec is “<a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/quebec-unveils-603-million-five-year-plan-to-protect-french-language/article_d0ce4b50-5c24-5664-9690-622eaed8c474.html">going on the offensive</a>” around protecting the French language (and one can only imagine how many rights violations that is going to entail).</li>
<li>Kevin Carmichael <a href="https://thelogic.co/comment/carmichael-canadas-productivity-crisis-challenges-our-image-of-ourselves/">laments</a> the latest data on our productivity and declining GDP per capita, but sees a few rays of hope among those clouds.</li>
<li>Susan Delacourt <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/many-canadians-have-heard-enough-from-justin-trudeau-but-americans-are-a-different-story/article_4f716d10-03f0-11ef-9469-47a3cbf4d260.html">notes</a> Trudeau’s interviews with American podcasts, how they differ from Canadian ones, and what Trudeau may hope to get out of them.</li>
<li>Delacourt and Matt Gurney <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/jagmeet-singh-looks-vulnerable-in-the-liberal-ndp-deal-is-it-time-for-him-to/article_61f50eb6-03e0-11ef-9758-ab2c6c3310eb.html">discuss</a> the future of the Supply and Confidence Agreement between the Liberals and the NDP (with a detour into “Borgen.”)</li>
<li>My <a href="https://looniepolitics.com/the-capital-gains-changes-should-spur-a-conversation-about-how-we-pay-doctors/">weekend column</a> suggests that with the capital gains changes should come a major re-think of how we’re paying doctors (particularly those in primary care).</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and Ends:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">How dare Trudeau expect a provincial premier to follow the law! <a href="https://t.co/xYnjaCdK3w">pic.twitter.com/xYnjaCdK3w</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1784774794811974046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">12398</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: NSIRA spanks Global Affair&#8217;s intelligence program</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2023/12/21/roundup-nsira-spanks-global-affairs-intelligence-program/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:38:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Appointments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of Canada]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CRA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[India]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NATO]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NSIRA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Senate]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=12063</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A long-delayed public release of NSIRA’s report into the activities of the Global Security Reporting Program—the “intelligence” arm of Global Affairs, which has diplomats openly engaging with persons of interest abroad—was finally released, and it’s making some waves. In particular, &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2023/12/21/roundup-nsira-spanks-global-affairs-intelligence-program/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A long-delayed public release of NSIRA’s report into the activities of the Global Security Reporting Program—the “intelligence” arm of Global Affairs, which has diplomats openly engaging with persons of interest abroad—was finally released, and it’s <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/intelligence-watchdogs-delayed-report-says-global-affairs-program-risks-blowback/article_eb0b3b06-582b-54bd-b5b1-1e0e1fcb96dc.html">making some waves</a>. In particular, for a programme that isn’t actual covert intelligence gathering has some governance problems, with a lack of coherent policies or training that has led to some lines being blurred, which can make some countries believe this is an actual foreign intelligence service (it’s not, and we don’t have one).</p>
<p>So, with this in mind, here are four threads from some very reputable sources. <a href="https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1737569161042096138">Stephanie Carvin</a> walks through the report, and breaks down its components, as well as the government’s responses.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1737569161042096138</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/jessmarindavis/status/1737569588739506389">Jessica Davis</a> has a shorter walkthrough (with paragraph numbers!) about her own concerns about what she reads in it.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Folks, we need to talk about this GSRP review. </p>
<p>Canada&#39;s national security intelligence review agency (NSIRA) just released their review of our Global Security Reporting Program.</p>
<p>It&#39;s wild times. <a href="https://t.co/yCAM6Ql4no">https://t.co/yCAM6Ql4no</a></p>
<p>&mdash; JMDavis (@JessMarinDavis) <a href="https://twitter.com/JessMarinDavis/status/1737569588739506389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/leahwest_nsl/status/1737568916233166856">Leah West</a> has a few legal observations about the report.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">NSIRA Review of GAC GSRP program out and it is a doozy. I&#39;m not someone who believes GSRP requires domestic legislation; its authorities and constraints are sufficient under existing Canadian and International law for what the GSRP is designed to do.<a href="https://t.co/Kb16JBhLtq">https://t.co/Kb16JBhLtq</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Leah West (@leahwest_nsl) <a href="https://twitter.com/leahwest_nsl/status/1737568916233166856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>And <a href="https://twitter.com/thomasjuneau/status/1737562540698112252">Thomas Juneau</a> gives a much more generous read, and places some of the GSRP’s work into better context.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) has finally released a redacted verison of its report on Global Affairs Canada&#39;s Global Security Reporting Porgram (GSRP), which has attracted some attention recently. Quick thread.<a href="https://t.co/KS6UuE5wPi">https://t.co/KS6UuE5wPi</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Thomas Juneau (@thomasjuneau) <a href="https://twitter.com/thomasjuneau/status/1737562540698112252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch:</p>
<p>President Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/zelenskyy-says-ukraine-not-losing-1.7064068">dismissed</a> journalists’ questions about whether Ukraine is losing the war, but acknowledges challenges of being in a country under siege. Ukraine’s forces appear to be moving to a more <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/world/europe/analysts-say-ukraines-forces-are-pivoting-to-defense-after-russia-held-off-their-counteroffensive/article_52828966-fef6-5158-a37b-1f7caed6788d.html">defensive posture</a>, likely because of the artillery shortage.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ukrainian Advent Calendar: Day 20</p>
<p>Leopard 2 is the weapon of the day!<br />10 countries joined the Leopard Coalition and provided these tanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAarmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAarmy</a>. We are grateful to Germany (<a href="https://twitter.com/BMVg_Bundeswehr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BMVg_Bundeswehr</a>), Netherlands (<a href="https://twitter.com/Defensie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Defensie</a>), Denmark (<a href="https://twitter.com/Forsvarsmin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Forsvarsmin</a>), Poland (<a href="https://twitter.com/MON_GOV_PL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MON_GOV_PL</a>), Spain… <a href="https://t.co/LSeN8zZPje">pic.twitter.com/LSeN8zZPje</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1737509572493877449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The attack, targeting Rosvodkanal&#39;s digital infrastructure, was likely supported by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the sources told Ukrainska Pravda.</p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1737584422151471540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span id="more-12063"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>As part of his year-ender with CBC, Justin Trudeau says he’s noted a “<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/india-canada-indictment-nijjar-1.7064437">tonal shift</a>” with India, now that they know they can’t bluster their way through this crisis.</li>
<li>Trudeau <a href="https://nationalnewswatch.com/2023/12/20/olympian-philanthropist-head-of-canadian-womens-foundation-appointed-to-senate">appointed</a> three new senators for Ontario, including former Olympian Marnie McBean, the head of YWCA Canada and a senior public servant.</li>
<li>Chrystia Freeland was in Calgary to <a href="https://nationalnewswatch.com/2023/12/20/federal-government-backstops-carbon-price-in-first-of-its-kind-deal">announce</a> a deal between a carbon capture company and the Canada Growth Fund around a particular carbon credit scheme.</li>
<li><em>The Logic</em> <a href="https://thelogic.co/news/the-interview/anita-anand-on-her-search-for-30000-digital-workers-to-revamp-the-federal-government/">talks to</a> Anita Anand about government digitalisation, modernisation, and the shortage of 30,000 digital workers they are contending with.</li>
<li>Thus far, the CRA has <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/cra-has-fired-185-employees-who-illegally-received-cerb-while-working-at-tax-agency">fired</a> 185 of its employees who illegally accessed CERB.</li>
<li>Here is a look at the issue of <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/canada-electric-vehicles-charging-ports-1.7058158">building enough</a> charging infrastructure for future EVs.</li>
<li>Sweden is <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/sweden-nato-canada-latvia-turkey-hungary-1.7064302">set to join</a> the Canadian-led NATO brigade in Latvia, once Hungary and Türkiye stop blocking the final ratification of their accession.</li>
<li>One of Hamas’ senior leaders made a <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/hamas-thanks-canada-for-backing-ceasefire">troll video</a> thanking Canada for the ceasefire vote, and wouldn’t you know it, the usual terminally online suspects took the bait.</li>
<li>The Liberals are <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/new-liberal-ads-in-prairie-ridings-target-conservatives-over-ukraine-trade-deal/article_3633cb98-c59e-5e47-80ca-1d631798ac55.html">running newspaper ads</a> in Prairie ridings—where there is a large Ukrainian diaspora—about the Conservative votes against Ukraine’s interests.</li>
<li>In New Brunswick, a “Christian” TV host will be <a href="https://nationalnewswatch.com/2023/12/20/new-brunswick-pc-party-picks-christian-conservative-candidate-for-next-election">running</a> for the PCs in the next election, and has been pushing hard on the “parental rights” moral panic.</li>
<li>The <em>Star</em> has a look at the <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/one-thing-doug-ford-bonnie-crombie-and-marit-stiles-agree-on-tis-the-season-for/article_e1946608-9531-11ee-89ca-738f1ed6b213.html">Christmas cards</a> of Ontario’s provincial party leaders, as well as some MPPs.</li>
<li>Kevin Carmichael <a href="https://thelogic.co/comment/carmichael-why-interest-rate-cuts-will-come-to-the-u-s-before-canada/">notes</a> that the Americans are likely to start cutting interest rates before Canada because their higher labour productivity can absorb shocks better.</li>
<li>Susan Delacourt <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/justin-trudeau-fears-pierre-poilievre-is-bringing-trump-style-politics-to-canada/article_0cee61d8-9eaa-11ee-9371-9b72292c57e0.html">recounts</a> some of the highlights of Trudeu’s year-ender with Terry Dimonte, particularly about linking Poilievre to American political nihilism.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What was I saying about Poilievre’s votes sending signals? Coming in pretty loud and clear here. <a href="https://t.co/RugjTMZiMv">https://t.co/RugjTMZiMv</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1737688065672372638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">12063</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: Morneau&#8217;s sore hindsight bias</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2023/08/18/roundup-morneaus-sore-hindsight-bias/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Aug 2023 09:19:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bill Morneau]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Canadian Forces]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Doug Ford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Austerity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mélanie Joly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tough on Crime]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=11707</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[As he tries to rehabilitate his reputation after his book was largely ridiculed and lambasted, Bill Morneau is back out there asserting that the pandemic spending programmes were too generous, went on too long, and are one of the causes &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2023/08/18/roundup-morneaus-sore-hindsight-bias/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As he tries to rehabilitate his reputation after his book was largely ridiculed and lambasted, Bill Morneau is back out there asserting that the pandemic spending programmes were too generous, went on too long, and are one of the causes for high inflation. This is clearly hindsight bias—economist Stephen Gordon resurrected a couple of tweets to push back against these kinds of assertions because they ignore the gravity of the situation at the time, and just how many unknowns they were dealing with at the time. And I do recall that Morneau was proposing measures at the time that were clearly inadequate and were politically unsaleable, which he didn’t seem to understand and then got huffy when PMO override his judgment—likely for the best, because we wound up with the actual desirable outcome. Higher inflation was the good outcome scenario. The alternative was deflation that would have spiralled into a depression, which was what everyone worked to avoid. Morneau just continues to be sore that he was overridden, and possibly that people aren’t taking his post-political attempts at reputation rehabilitation more seriously.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/dgardner/status/1692258336815624347</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">If someone from the future had visited me in April 2020 and told me that two years later, the most pressing economic concern in Canada would be an overheating economy and inflation, I would have been ecstatic. </p>
<p>That was the *good news* scenario in April 2020. <a href="https://t.co/RqXhplCFXI">https://t.co/RqXhplCFXI</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Stephen Gordon (@stephenfgordon) <a href="https://twitter.com/stephenfgordon/status/1600521197178978307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">That this point even needs to be made speaks to how short people&#39;s memories are.</p>
<p>Employment fell by just over 15% in the space of two months (Feb-Apr). </p>
<p>For context, employment losses during the Great Depression were just under 10%, spread over 5 years (1928-33). <a href="https://t.co/ov4dqirB9T">https://t.co/ov4dqirB9T</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Stephen Gordon (@stephenfgordon) <a href="https://twitter.com/stephenfgordon/status/1608213860577681408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Some additional data from Jennifer Robson:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here&#39;s a figure from Jordà &amp; Nechio (2023) <a href="https://t.co/4GWC7pOlNW">https://t.co/4GWC7pOlNW</a> suggesting a higher than expected inflationary rate relative to COVID spending in Canada , but also the US. Read the paper &#8212; it reveals lots of noise in many of the estimates when comparing countries. <a href="https://t.co/EDyOxdR8MD">pic.twitter.com/EDyOxdR8MD</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dr. J Robson (@JenniferRobson8) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferRobson8/status/1692283961265778710?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yep. The impact of &quot;domestic stimulus&quot; here was nearly equal to the effect of exposure to foreign &quot;stimulus&quot; &#8212; namely the US. We got spillover here. <br />Now, as my niece famously said &quot;I don&#39;t have a time machine!&quot;. We can&#39;t re-run the tape to see definite alternate outcomes.</p>
<p>&mdash; Dr. J Robson (@JenniferRobson8) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferRobson8/status/1692283967762788394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Last thing, if the complaint is that workers and households got far too much too easily and simultaneously business groups should have their aid forgiven/extended, then it may be worth paying attention to who is speaking about which parts of the overall COVID response.</p>
<p>&mdash; Dr. J Robson (@JenniferRobson8) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferRobson8/status/1692283970921156691?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch:</p>
<p>Ukrainian forces are <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-claims-success-its-southeastern-front-military-2023-08-17/">claiming progress</a> on the south-eastern front as they push toward the Sea of Azov, which would split Russia’s forces in the occupied south; there has been fierce fighting in the north-eastern front in the Kharkiv region. The defence ministry is telling military-aged citizens to update their data at enlistment offices and to “<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-tells-military-age-citizens-overcome-their-fear-recruitment-campaign-2023-08-17/">overcome their fear</a>.” The US has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-approves-sending-f-16s-ukraine-denmark-netherlands-2023-08-17/">approved</a> sending F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine, once their pilots are fully trained—probably early in 2024. Meanwhile, Russia claims that two of their warships <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-war-ships-thwart-ukraines-attack-near-crimea-russian-military-2023-08-17/">repelled</a> drone attacks near occupied Crimea, and that a drone attack <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/drone-attack-damaged-building-moscow-centre-2023-08-18/">damaged</a> a building at the centre of Moscow.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">These included attempts to gain ground in Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast and Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast.<a href="https://t.co/N3vSCJOe1o">https://t.co/N3vSCJOe1o</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1692255535226093842?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">&quot;Time goes on. So whatever you&#39;re going to do, do it. Do it now. Don&#39;t wait.&quot;<br />Robert De Niro</p>
<p>Total combat losses of the enemy from February 24, 2022 to August 17, 2023: <a href="https://t.co/MQjNiy4iWK">pic.twitter.com/MQjNiy4iWK</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1692095390361751913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span id="more-11707"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>From his vacation in BC, Justin Trudeau <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/trudeau-to-convene-n-w-t-wildfires-meeting-amid-territorial-emergency-evacuation-orders-1.6523190">convened</a> a  meeting of the Incident Response Group to discuss the wildfire and mass evacuation situation.</li>
<li>Mélanie Joly says the government is <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/17/canada-mulling-game-plan-if-u-s-takes-far-right-authoritarian-shift-joly/">working on</a> potential game plans should the US take a hard-right authoritarian turn after their next election.</li>
<li>Anita Anand <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/trudeau-cabinet-told-to-scrap-15b-in-spending-anand-says-cutbacks-won-t-mean-job-losses-1.6523628">insists</a> that the planned $15 billion in spending cuts won’t mean job losses beyond “normal attrition or redeployment.”</li>
<li>Arif Virani says he <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/17/justice-minister-says-canada-remains-open-to-criminalizing-coercive-control/">remains open</a> to criminalising coercive control as part of combatting gender-based violence.</li>
<li>Bill Blair says he is <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-wildfires-yellowknife-nwt-1.6939126">ready to order</a> a military airlift of residents of Yellowknife within a couple of hours’ notice if it becomes necessary.</li>
<li>Here is a look at items in ministerial mandate letters that don’t seem to have <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/liberals-to-do-list-includes-several-housing-promises-they-have-yet-to-implement">made progress</a> yet (though they insist consultations have been ongoing).</li>
<li>Canada’s social housing stock lags behind other comparator countries, so naturally the cries are for the federal government <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/17/canadas-social-housing-stock-lags-peer-countries-liberals-called-on-to-bridge-gap-2/">to fix it</a> (while it’s really a provincial issue).</li>
<li>While access to electric vehicle charging is <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/17/access-to-electric-vehicle-charging-getting-better-but-not-quickly-enough/">improving</a> across the country, it’s not fast enough to keep it from becoming a barrier to more widespread adoption of EVs.</li>
<li>Jagmeet Singh <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/17/ndp-calls-on-feds-to-give-study-permits-to-institutions-with-credible-housing-plan-2/">proposes</a> only allocating student visas to post-secondary institutions with credible housing plans.</li>
<li>Former Ontario Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/17/former-ontario-lt-gov-james-bartleman-dies-2/">passed away</a>.</li>
<li>Doug Ford appears to have <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/provincial/insiders-say-doug-ford-saved-staffer-blamed-in-greenbelt-scandal-despite-advice-to-let-him/article_7305dc13-c376-5e5e-a552-d869d4c853ea.html">personally intervened</a> to keep the chief of staff at the centre of the Greenbelt scandal from being fired, which makes him complicit.</li>
<li>Evacuations have <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/17/reaction-to-wildfires-forcing-evacuation-of-yellowknife-other-n-w-t-communities/">begun</a> in Yellowknife because of approaching wildfires, as well as <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/17/cp-newsalert-west-kelowna-b-c-declares-state-of-emergency-over-wildfire/">properties</a> west of Kelowna.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It’s *almost* like the actual problem is climate effects on food-producing regions (mostly drought, but sometimes flood or hurricanes), and the impact that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had on the world grain market… <a href="https://t.co/uO0Rs6q7YU">https://t.co/uO0Rs6q7YU</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1692250424047182147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">11707</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: Promising a spending cut—for real this time!</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2023/08/16/roundup-promising-a-spending-cut-for-real-this-time/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Aug 2023 09:30:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Appointments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Budget 2023]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Canadian Forces]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emergencies Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ethics Commissioner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fiscal Austerity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GLBT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Procurement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=11701</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has paid attention, but word has come down that new Treasury Board president Anita Anand will be tasking other ministers to find $15.4 billion in spending cuts with a deadline of October &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2023/08/16/roundup-promising-a-spending-cut-for-real-this-time/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who has paid attention, but word has come down that new Treasury Board president Anita Anand will be tasking other ministers to find <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/15/ministers-told-to-find-15-billion-in-government-spending-cuts-by-october-deadline-2/">$15.4 billion in spending cuts</a> with a deadline of October 2nd, and they really mean it this time. For realsies. The Liberals have been promising programme spending reviews for years now, but haven’t seemed to show any progress on them, or at least not in any public or transparent way, and that’s generally a problem for any government, and particularly one who has been in power for as long as this one has. Anand’s expertise is in governance, so she might have a chance to pull this off, but the civil service has fought back against Treasury Board presidents trying to make reforms—Scott Brison tried to reform the Estimates process and bring it back into line with the budget cycle, and he lost that battle, and it doesn’t look like any of his successors have even tried since. The other thing here is that $15.2 billion is going to be hard to justify if the military is excluded, but can they actually make cuts (setting aside the lapsed funding they can’t spend because of capacity issues)?</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">DND&#39;s share will be ~ $1Byr.<br />The fungible part of the review base is ~ $4B when spending that can&#39;t be adjusted due to constraints like contractual commitments are factored in.<br />Executing this &#39;without impacting service delivery&#39; is impossible.<a href="https://t.co/exP6ovkeQf">https://t.co/exP6ovkeQf</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dave Perry (@DavePerryCGAI) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavePerryCGAI/status/1691401668095528960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The reaction has pretty much been predictable—public sector unions <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/public-sector-union-federal-cuts-1.6937217">freaking out</a>, Jagmeet Singh concern trolling that this means “essential services” will be cut, and Pierre Poilievre says the Liberals can’t be trusted to make cuts. (Erm, you remember the Chrétien-Martin era, right?) But for some more practical thinking, here’s Jennifer Robson, who teaches public administration:</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/JenniferRobson8/status/1691613225677144349</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Second problem : FIN &amp; TB don’t always understand cycles &amp; mechanics of line departments. At end of Q2, not all programs will have major spending tied up. What looks like unused/lapsed $ to central agency can be booked / about to be booked but unspent.</p>
<p>&mdash; Dr. J Robson (@JenniferRobson8) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferRobson8/status/1691616434202316863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I 100% get why Anand would have been picked as safe hands to manage this task. My points have NOTHING to do with her skill or competence. They have everything to do with the informational &amp; political challenges that would confront any gov’t, of any stripe.</p>
<p>&mdash; Dr. J Robson (@JenniferRobson8) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferRobson8/status/1691625723189170189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch:</p>
<p>Russian missiles have <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-strikes-western-ukraine-large-scale-air-attack-officials-2023-08-15/">struck Lviv</a> and other parts of western Ukraine, which is far from the fighting, including a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/missile-hits-skf-factory-ukraine-killing-three-2023-08-15/">factory</a> in Lutsk. In the early hours of Wednesday, Russian drones have been <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-russian-drones-threatened-danube-port-key-grain-exports-2023-08-16/">spotted</a> heading for the Izmail port on the Danube River, which threatens more grain shipments. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was on the front lines in Zaporizhzhia to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-zelenskiy-visits-zaporizhzhia-region-meets-troops-2023-08-15/">meet troops</a> there. Meanwhile, farmers in Ukraine are facing the prospect of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-frontline-farmers-face-russian-rockets-rock-bottom-prices-2023-08-15/">rock-bottom grain prices</a> if they can’t ship it, which means it’s worth more to store than to sell.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/zelenskyyua/status/1691510365304102915</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/defenceu/status/1691366868760829953</p>
<p><span id="more-11701"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>Dominic LeBlanc says the government will <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/emergencies-act-recommendations-1.6936840">roll out</a> its responses to the Emergencies Act Inquiry recommendations “within days.”</li>
<li>More proof that the government has been <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/two-billion-trees-environmental-sustainability-1.6936232">padding their numbers</a> on their two billion trees promise, because why do the work when you can use messaging?</li>
<li>The government recently gave Irving Shipyards <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/national/defence-watch/analysis-irving-gets-463-million-more-from-taxpayers-for-troubled-warship-program/wcm/e850128f-37af-47fb-8fef-afd649145826">$463 million</a> to help modernise their facility…which was supposed to have been a precondition for contract bids.</li>
<li>Six months later the government still <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/15/federal-liberals-have-gone-more-than-six-months-without-appointing-ethics-watchdog/">hasn’t found</a> a new Ethics Commissioner, because the criteria are too narrow and nobody wants the job. <a href="https://looniepolitics.com/its-time-to-rewrite-the-ethics-commissioners-legislation/">What a surprise</a>!</li>
<li>Members of the military can now <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/15/military-members-can-now-take-sexual-misconduct-complaints-to-human-rights-commission-2/">take complaints</a> of sexual misconduct, harassment or discrimination to the Human Rights Commission instead of the internal process.</li>
<li>The Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise is <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/15/canadian-corporate-ethics-czar-launches-china-forced-labour-probe-into-ralph-lauren/">launching an investigation</a> into Ralph Lauren over possible use of forced labour in their supply chain.</li>
<li>Grassroots Conservatives are <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/pierre-poilievre-has-avoided-talking-about-gender-identity-politics-here-s-why-he-soon-may/article_3b2eb962-87f8-5882-86d2-e004a0dcfca6.html">pushing policy resolutions</a> around gender identity and “single-sex spaces,” which are topics Poilievre has been trying to avoid.</li>
<li>New Brunswick’s Child and Youth Advocate <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-policy-713-review-advocate-1.6935967">issued</a> a scathing report on the changes  made to the policy creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ students in schools.</li>
<li>Mike Moffatt, Tim Richter and Michael Brooks <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/overhaul-of-canada-s-housing-system-needed/article_1a701317-199c-5853-9c77-9aa46da47601.html">preview</a> their new report on ways to help fix the rental housing crisis (which will help solve the other housing crisis).</li>
<li>My <a href="https://looniepolitics.com/the-conservatives-winking-to-conspiracy-theories-threatens-democracy/">column</a> notes the ways in which the Conservatives’ continued winking to conspiracy theories threatens our democracy.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/ibpzTgaNSw">https://t.co/ibpzTgaNSw</a> <a href="https://t.co/jYQ0SyhpmJ">pic.twitter.com/jYQ0SyhpmJ</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Beaverton (@TheBeaverton) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBeaverton/status/1691601717668856037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">11701</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Roundup: Smith can&#8217;t get her story or timeline straight</title>
		<link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2023/08/15/roundup-smith-cant-get-her-story-or-timeline-straight/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 09:26:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anita Anand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Appointments]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Danielle Smith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Doug Ford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Housing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jagmeet Singh]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NSICOP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[RCMP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=11699</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Danielle Smith took to the microphones yesterday to thump her chest about the proposed clean electricity regulations, but what wound up happening was a series of wrong facts about her government’s “pause” on approvals for new clean electricity projects. Smith &#8230; <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2023/08/15/roundup-smith-cant-get-her-story-or-timeline-straight/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Danielle Smith took to the microphones yesterday to thump her chest about the proposed clean electricity regulations, but what wound up happening was a series of <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/14/alberta-premier-offers-up-contradictory-versions-for-imposed-wind-and-solar-pause/">wrong facts</a> about her government’s “pause” on approvals for new clean electricity projects. Smith claims that the moratorium came at the request of the Alberta Utilities Commission and the Alberta Electric System Operator, except neither requested it, the timelines don’t add up, and it looks a lot like Smith’s government has been going out of their way to screw with clean energy stakeholders.</p>
<p>Receipts are all below.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There&#39;s something fishy about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ableg</a> moratorium timing. Work with me: in today&#39;s presser the Premier said that pause was initiated at the request of the AUC and the AESO. But, as <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmaLGraney?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EmmaLGraney</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/CGriwkowsky?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CGriwkowsky</a> pointed out, that&#39;s not what letters say nor do the dates line up. 1/</p>
<p>&mdash; Andrew Leach (@andrew_leach) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrew_leach/status/1691177563060867077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There is, indeed, a letter from the AUC, but it does not request a pause. It identifies some issues, and requests government direction, but the letter does not ask the government to order the AUC to pause approvals. This letter is dates July 21, 2023. 3/ <a href="https://t.co/SxeS2rRmkl">pic.twitter.com/SxeS2rRmkl</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Andrew Leach (@andrew_leach) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrew_leach/status/1691178871910219776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Focus on the 1st paragraph: this is the AESO thanking the Minister for &quot;advising&quot; the AESO that they were going to institute a six-month pause. The AESO letter is dated July 21, the same date as the AUC letter. And, by that point, the government had already decided on a pause. 5/ <a href="https://t.co/3nQxPdnWC6">pic.twitter.com/3nQxPdnWC6</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Andrew Leach (@andrew_leach) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrew_leach/status/1691179973586096129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">And now, for the kicker. This tells you that the GoA had made the decision to pause AUC wind and solar approvals for six months two full weeks before they announced it. And yet they managed to consult with nobody connected to the industry, it would seem. Scheduling conflicts? 7/</p>
<p>&mdash; Andrew Leach (@andrew_leach) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrew_leach/status/1691181148934950912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The only thing they can&#39;t do is consider the economic &quot;need&quot; for the generation source (because it&#39;s a merchant market and that&#39;s for investors to determine) <a href="https://t.co/qBfCk5JiXO">pic.twitter.com/qBfCk5JiXO</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Andrew Leach (@andrew_leach) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrew_leach/status/1691197483236626432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">How will Danielle Smith exempt Alberta power generators from the Canadian Environmental Protection Act? </p>
<p>There is no mechanism for her to do what she claims. She can attempt to challenge the regulations or work to elect a federal gov&#39;t that will repeal them. </p>
<p>That&#39;s it. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ableg</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Andrew Leach (@andrew_leach) <a href="https://twitter.com/andrew_leach/status/1691229312769568772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Smith also refused to say whether our record wildfire season across the country is related to climate change, but <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/a-climate-connection-to-alberta-wildfires-smith-says-most-in-province-caused-by-humans-1.6519201">insisted</a> that most of the fires in her province were set by humans. That’s also a lie, but that’s Smith’s modus operandi.</p>
<p>Ukraine Dispatch:</p>
<p>Russia launched a large-scale <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-strikes-western-ukraine-large-scale-air-attack-officials-2023-08-15/">air attack</a> against western Ukraine including the city of Lviv, which was the largest attack on the city since the start of the war. There were missile and drone <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-three-wounded-russian-attack-odesa-2023-08-14/">strikes</a> against Odessa which wounded three in the early hours of Monday. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-zelenskiy-visits-troops-near-eastern-frontline-presidents-website-2023-08-14/">visited troops</a> near the eastern front line yesterday.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today, I visited our brigades in the Donetsk region to speak directly with our warriors.</p>
<p>3rd and 5th Assault, 80th Airborne, 57th Motorized, 22nd and 24th Mechanized, 26th Artillery, 92nd Mechanized.</p>
<p>I was honored to thank each of them for their bravery and results for Ukraine. <a href="https://t.co/W0IJeqwJKz">pic.twitter.com/W0IJeqwJKz</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1691163500574330880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/26a1.png" alt="⚡" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />Russia hits Dnipro, Lviv, Lutsk during night attack.</p>
<p>Following Russia&#39;s missile attack that targeted western Ukraine&#39;s oblasts, Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi said, &quot;a few rockets were downed,&quot; but several residential buildings were hit. </p>
<p>Photo: Andrii Sadovyi/Telegram <a href="https://t.co/PrMJbpDIRI">pic.twitter.com/PrMJbpDIRI</a></p>
<p>&mdash; The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1691294456786632704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
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<p><span id="more-11699"></span>Good reads:</p>
<ul>
<li>The Cabinet will be holding a <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/14/recently-shuffled-federal-cabinet-to-hold-three-day-retreat-in-prince-edward-island/">three-day retreat</a> in PEI next week (never mind that they still don’t have the chiefs of staff to the shuffled ministers sorted yet).</li>
<li>Sean Fraser says past federal governments <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/housing-minister-says-federal-government-should-have-stayed-in-housing-game/article_a7c236ba-24e0-5cf6-b590-61b4c6eb1846.html">should never have retreated</a> from affordable housing, but they did. (Thank the deficit-slaying Chrétien-Martin budget).</li>
<li>An accidental post <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/government-consulting-on-generative-ai-code-of-conduct">revealed</a> that the government is consulting with AI experts on a possible code of conduct around generative AI programmes.</li>
<li>NSICOP has <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/14/national-security-committee-submits-classified-report-about-rcmp-federal-policing/">given PMO their report</a> on the RCMP’s federal policing role, and the declassified version needs to be released within 30 sitting days.</li>
<li>The sexual assault trial of the former military head of personnel was <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/14/sexual-assault-trial-to-begin-for-haydn-edmundson-former-head-of-military-hr-2/">delayed</a> by the absence of the judge.</li>
<li>The <em>National Post</em>’s series on judicial appointments <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/political-donations-probed-by-judicial-watchdog">finds two cases</a> where judges may have donated post-appointment, and fifteen tribunal members may also have.</li>
<li>Jagmeet Singh <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2023/08/14/singh-mum-on-preferred-target-for-net-zero-grid-as-alberta-sask-ndp-split-on-date-2/">refused to pick sides</a> between the Alberta and Saskatchewan NDP on the clean electricity targets, until his staffer came down on the Alberta/2035 side.</li>
<li>Paul Wells <a href="https://paulwells.substack.com/p/anand-in-the-middle">reflects</a> on Anita Anand’s shuffle to Treasury Board and the signals that it sends about the government as a whole.</li>
</ul>
<p>Odds and ends:</p>
<p>My <em>Loonie Politics</em> <a href="https://looniepolitics.com/videos/dale-smiths-quick-take-66/">Quick Take</a> looks at Doug Ford, the Greenbelt scandal, and the meaning of ministerial responsibility.</p>
<p><strong>Want more Routine Proceedings? <a href="https://www.patreon.com/journo_dale">Become a patron</a> and get exclusive new content. </strong></p>
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