<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Christy Clark – Routine Proceedings</title> <atom:link href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/tag/christy-clark/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com</link> <description>The adventures of a Press Gallery journalist</description> <lastBuildDate>Sat, 11 Jan 2025 06:48:57 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-CA</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2</generator> <image> <url>https://www.routineproceedings.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cropped-DSmith-2024-32x32.jpg</url> <title>Christy Clark – Routine Proceedings</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">34256478</site> <item> <title>Roundup: Putting a stake in pharmacare</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/11/roundup-putting-a-stake-in-pharmacare/</link> <comments>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/11/roundup-putting-a-stake-in-pharmacare/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 11 Jan 2025 10:48:14 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jagmeet Singh]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Liberal Leadership]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mélanie Joly]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Trade]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Yves-François Blanchet]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=13022</guid> <description><![CDATA[In the wake of his announced departure, it sounds like Justin Trudeau made calls to Jagmeet Singh and Yves-François Blanchet to try and secure votes on the Supplementary Estimates in order to extend the life of this parliament a little … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/11/roundup-putting-a-stake-in-pharmacare/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In the wake of his announced departure, it sounds like Justin Trudeau <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-asked-ndp-bloc-for-confidence-1.7427790">made calls</a> to Jagmeet Singh and Yves-François Blanchet to try and secure votes on the Supplementary Estimates in order to extend the life of this parliament a little further, and both of them told him no. What is particularly curious here however is that Trudeau pointed out to Singh that more time would give them time to extend the dental care programme beyond seniors and children, and give them time enough to get the nascent pharmacare up and running (as so far, there is only cooperation from one or two provinces). Per the CBC, “An NDP source with knowledge of the conversation said the government already has all the powers it needs.”</p> <p>*sighs, pinches bridge of nose*</p> <p>It’s not a question of not having power, it’s a question of time. Implementation takes time to do properly, and with dental care, they went slowly on the groups eligible to ensure that everything was going to work before they rolled it out to the majority of the population, and they haven’t felt that they worked out all of the kinks yet. They want time enough to so. And the nascent pharmacare plan needs cooperation with the provinces, which takes time to negotiate, but also requires some assurance for those provinces that if the government does fall, that they have some guarantees for funding for a set period of time so that they’re not left holding the bag. Singh and the NDP should know this, but, well, they don’t actually know how government works because they’ve never formed it. They have now guaranteed that the premiers won’t bother to sign a deal because Poilievre will just kill the programme as soon as he’s in power, so why set up expectations?</p> <p>What is most ironic in this is that by refusing to give the government more time so that he can look tough, Singh has doomed the very programmes that he was so insistent that the government set up as part of their agreement with the Liberals (which I will remind you, the Liberals fulfilled in good faith only for Singh to tear up the agreement for the sake of optics). And because the NDP insisted that dental care be a fully federal insurance programme rather than a cost-shared programme with provinces, they have guaranteed that it will be an easy kill for Poilievre, because they’re actually incapable of long-term or strategic thinking. I am reminded of how Jack Layton extracted all kinds of concessions from Paul Martin’s budget, but then brought him down before the budget implementation bill could be passed, and they spent years patting themselves on the back for a hollow victory that didn’t achieve anything they said they did. It’s looking an awful lot like there’s going to be a repeat of that particular folly.</p> <p>Ukraine Dispatch</p> <p>Russia <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-attacks-ukraine-with-72-drones-overnight-kyiv-says-2025-01-10/">attacked</a> Ukraine with 72 drones overnight, and five struck buildings in Chernihiv in the north, another fell on a building in Kyiv.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1877669181153304715</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ukraine struck a Russian drone warehouse in Rostov Oblast using a domestically-made Neptune missile; Ukrainian forces struck a Russian army command post in Svitlodarsk in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast; and more. <a href="https://t.co/70JkKK1IId">https://t.co/70JkKK1IId</a></p> <p>— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1877812162388803827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><span id="more-13022"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>Justin Trudeau told American media that the topic of annexation did come up at his dinner at Mar-a-Lago, and he <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/trudeau-confirms-trump-broached-annexation-during-in-person-conversation-1.7172041">countered</a> with trading for California and Vermont.</li> <li>Canada’s <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/canada-g7-leaders-denounce-venezuelas-suppression-of-political-opposition/article_e1ef5d31-6ffe-537e-9aaa-5bbe7226e3ca.html">first G7 statement</a> as chair was to denounce the crackdown on democracy in Venezuela.</li> <li>Mélanie Joly will <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/foreign-affairs-minister-m-lanie-joly-off-to-washington-next-week-to-talk-tariffs/article_c26ad7d1-2d95-500f-8632-de3b11736147.html">head to Washington</a> next week to fight the tariff threats.</li> <li>Mark Holland says new Canada Health Act rules will see nurse practitioners and pharmacists bill the public system, <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/provincial-health-plans-to-cover-primary-care-by-nurse-practitioners-health-minister/article_b8322818-392b-5d9b-9fc9-bb291278cb80.html">closing a loophole</a> that allowed private fees.</li> <li>The federal government is <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/health/provinces-now-responsible-for-buying-covid-19-vaccines-as-feds-issue-new-guidance/article_2338b98b-a49b-57b6-9266-d74e58390d8a.html">ending</a> its funding for COVID vaccines, meaning the provinces will be responsible for them (as is their jobs, if they bothered to do them).</li> <li>Quebec and BC are <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/quebec/quebec-b-c-sending-more-resources-to-california-to-combat-l-a-wildfires/article_88c2b9a7-8e24-57e4-b2a5-f331d4c40326.html">sending</a> more firefighters and equipment to Los Angeles.</li> <li>Mélanie Joly has <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberal-leadership-m%C3%A9lanie-joly-1.7427856">bowed out</a> of the Liberal leadership race (at least this time around), while Mark Carney is expected to announce next week.</li> <li>Christy Clark <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/christy-clark-considering-leadership-bid-liberals-1.7428626">claimed</a> she never joined the Conservatives and didn’t get a leadership ballot, and then the Conservatives produced receipts. Oops.</li> <li>Justin Ling <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/canada-doesnt-just-need-a-new-government-it-needs-new-political-parties/article_f5bc3ae8-cd2f-11ef-a064-8789f63a04d7.html">thinks</a> we need new political parties to re-invigorate our democracy. I am very, very dubious (because it doesn’t fix the actual problems).</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Joly, with what reads like a ‘it’s not no, it’s just not right now’ statement about her leadership aspirations. </p> <p>Says she’s “ready to become the first woman to lead” her party, but she’s choosing to focus right now on Trump’s “unjustified” tariff threat. <a href="https://t.co/QBYihWsbMR">https://t.co/QBYihWsbMR</a></p> <p>— Rachel Aiello (@rachaiello) <a href="https://twitter.com/rachaiello/status/1877742213796331675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 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> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/11/roundup-putting-a-stake-in-pharmacare/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">13022</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: Leadership rules released</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/10/roundup-leadership-rules-released/</link> <comments>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/10/roundup-leadership-rules-released/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 10 Jan 2025 10:49:29 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Donald Trump]]></category> <category><![CDATA[First Nations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Harjit Sajjan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Liberal Leadership]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pierre Poilievre]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Venezuela]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=13020</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Liberal Party National Council met last night, and around 10:30 PM released the rules of the forthcoming leadership contest. The voting ends March 2nd, with the announcement made on March 9th. There will be a $350,000 entry fee (high … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/10/roundup-leadership-rules-released/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Liberal Party National Council met last night, and around 10:30 PM <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/when-will-liberal-leader-chosen-march-9th-1.7427723">released the rules</a> of the forthcoming leadership contest. The voting ends March 2nd, with the announcement made on March 9th. There will be a $350,000 entry fee (high enough to discourage no-hope candidates), and candidates must declare by January 23rd. People registering to vote in the contest have until January 27th to sign up (remember, the Liberals don’t have memberships you need to buy), and they have tightened those rules to only include citizens and permanent residents, following all of the talk at the Foreign Interference Inquiry.</p> <blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:4xqt7t2zph634drigtdxdmro/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfeb7cfhqk2l" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreifjr7d42hssjshto72z3ev44rjkxcq3kqrgrpisqn4o6gtcpjkh7m"> <p lang="en">The Liberal leadership rules are out.High entry fee to discourage no-hope candidates, and they have tightened who can be a "supporter" to just be citizens or permanent residents. #cdnpoli</p> <p>— <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/3lfeb7cfhqk2l?ref_src=embed">2025-01-10T03:35:50.365Z</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>There are already complaints over social media that the entry fee is too high, meaning the field will be narrow, but that’s kind of the point—this is a race to be prime minister, not leader of the third party like it was the last time around, so you only want serious people, not those looking to build a profile (as far, far too many people do in leadership races). Yes, it’s a <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/how-the-liberals-leadership-race-rules-could-favour-some-candidates/article_20a00e54-ceb8-11ef-aa6f-33802d65262e.html">barrier to entry</a>, but again, this needs to be a race for serious candidates only. As for the changes to who can register, there were a number of people on social media talking about how they registered their cats to vote, and things like that, because they thought they were being terribly clever in proving a point about how easy the system is to game. The Party spokesperson tweeted out that those fraudulent “memberships” (which they’re not really) will be removed, because again, the point of this exercise is really to collect data to populate a voter identification database, and it’s not too difficult to tell that your pets don’t have voter identification to match to in the system.</p> <p>Speaking of unserious entrants, backbencher Chandra Arya <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/backbench-ottawa-mp-chandra-arya-to-run-for-liberal-leadership/article_fc3abb40-bae5-5c0e-b637-d76d7551790b.html">announced</a> he was running yesterday, and included a list of ridiculous plans including ending Canada’s monarchy, which is not only disqualifyingly dumb, but would mean getting unanimous consent of the provinces to essentially rewrite the constitution to do so. He also speaks no French and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberals-leadership-race-meeting-rules-1.7426292">dismissed</a> its importance (and good luck with that too). Christy Clark is apparently due to <a href="https://nationalpost.com/news/chandra-arya-frank-baylis-replace-trudeau">announce her bid</a> shortly, but I did notice that Chantal Hébert was calling her out over social media for refusing to do an interview in French (to say nothing about actually knowing which party she belongs to, as she apparently took out a Conservative membership to vote for Jean Charest in their last leadership race after musing about her own bid for that leadership).</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="fr" dir="ltr">Si <a href="https://twitter.com/christyclarkbc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@christyclarkbc</a> parle suffisamment français pour débattre avec <a href="https://twitter.com/yfblanchet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@yfblanchet</a> dans 3 ou 4 mois, elle n'a qu'à le démontrer en donnant une entrevue. Ce n'est pas sorcier. Ou autrement se consacrer au français plutôt qu'à la succession de <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JustinTrudeau</a> … <a href="https://t.co/ANCTNC1UtD">https://t.co/ANCTNC1UtD</a></p> <p>— chantal hébert (@ChantalHbert) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChantalHbert/status/1877425927900049491?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 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/3lfcybk4spc2l" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreib642k7zo6gpwhdjwcmlt6qpzoalxf3bvlnovvkbkdajetkofwmpm"> <p lang="en">All of it. #cdnpoli</p> <p>— <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/3lfcybk4spc2l?ref_src=embed">2025-01-09T15:23:22.169Z</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>Ukraine Dispatch</p> <p>Two people were killed in Russian <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/four-dead-shelling-incidents-ukraine-officials-say-2025-01-09/">shelling</a> of the town of Siversk in the Donetsk region. Ukraine’s air force says that Russia has launched <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-says-russia-dropped-over-51000-guided-bombs-since-start-war-2025-01-09/">over 51,000</a> guided aerial bombs on Ukraine since the start of the invasion. And that oil depot that Ukraine hit near a strategic Russian airfield has <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-plant-fire-rages-24-hours-after-ukrainian-attack-2025-01-09/">continued to burn</a> for more than 24 hours.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1877283979574845612</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Canada has pledged $305 million (CAD $440 million) in additional military assistance to Ukraine, Canadian Defense Minister Bill Blair announced at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Jan. 9.<a href="https://t.co/iv9SH7c8Fi">https://t.co/iv9SH7c8Fi</a></p> <p>— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1877500740677284119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 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;" />4,000 North Korean troops killed or wounded fighting against Ukraine, Zelensky claims.</p> <p>North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine have suffered 4,000 casualties, including both wounded and killed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on…</p> <p>— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1877390121655226610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><span id="more-13020"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>Following Jimmy Carter’s funeral, Justin Trudeau went on CNN to say that Trump’s annexation threats are a <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/pm-trudeau-says-he-thinks-trump-is-using-talk-of-canada-becoming-51st-state-to-distract-from-tariff-impact-1.7170299">distraction</a> from the impact of his tariff threat.</li> <li>Harjit Sajjan says that Canadian firefighters and military, and aircraft are <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/canadian-military-firefighters-ready-to-join-los-angeles-wildfire-battle/article_e353b2bc-788b-5c6e-b416-8513b6552bd7.html">standing by</a> to deploy to California to help fight the wildfires there.</li> <li>Patty Hajdu is warning about how <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/hajdu-says-failing-to-pass-first-nations-water-bill-would-be-deep-disappointment/article_3257e235-52f1-5384-a54c-13a11f6b8bed.html">disappointing</a> it will be if the First Nations clean water bill doesn’t pass Parliament before the election.</li> <li>Canada <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/venezuela-opposition-machado-abduction-1.7427473">formally recognized</a> the opposition leader in Venezuela as the legitimate president following the stolen election last year.</li> <li>Minister Gudie Hutchings says she <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/longtime-liberal-mp-cabinet-minister-gudie-hutchings-not-running-in-next-election/article_e81f6d37-12c8-57f0-b637-228c48a579da.html">won’t run again</a>, and Yvonne Jones is <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/mp-gudie-hutchings-not-running-1.7426842">set to announce</a> the same, leaving only one Newfoundland and Labrador incumbent.</li> <li>Pierre Poilievre held his first media availability since Trudeau’s announcement, and he still <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/poilievre-says-the-next-canadian-election-will-be-about-the-carbon-price/article_0e156c93-76c8-560a-ac59-b74fa3a69681.html">insists</a> it will be an election about the carbon levy (as opposed to Trump).</li> <li>The BC Conservatives are looking to <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/b-c-conservatives-seek-inquiry-into-votes-from-mental-health-and-drug-facility/article_e324a9ea-31ad-57fd-8112-15ea1deb7003.html">challenge</a> some election results, months later, after “new evidence” that sounds suspiciously like American conspiracy theories.</li> <li>Stephen Marche <a href="https://macleans.ca/society/canada-51st-state-america/">explains</a> some of Trump’s current bullying as masking for certain other weaknesses, which Canada needs to be strong against as chaos looms.</li> <li>Emmett Macfarlane <a href="https://emmettmacfarlane.substack.com/p/how-canadian-political-parties-select">points to</a> how the way parties choose leaders is broken and that affects our political system (which is a drum I’ve been banging on for years).</li> <li>Philippe Lagassé <a href="https://lagassep.substack.com/p/crisis-government-and-the-caretaker">explains</a> just what the caretaker convention actually is, and why the current situation is not it (but would be once an election is called).</li> <li>Althia Raj <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/white-knight-dark-horse-or-former-loyalist-the-fight-to-replace-justin-trudeau-is-shaping/article_b96fe09a-cea5-11ef-bf81-1b31da577b33.html">assesses</a> the early state of the Liberal leadership contest.</li> <li>My <a href="https://xtramagazine.com/power/politics/justin-trudeau-liberal-resignation-270368"><em>Xtra</em> column</a> looks at how Trudeau’s pending resignation has changed the dynamics of the election year facing us.</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:w3miivoaldds6rqccvwjnvnc/app.bsky.feed.post/3lfdgufon5k2u" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreihsspbgz5xmdkqtgiciqs65uoemxwvvku4jhsklegj6ekqcfbpn7y"> <p lang="en">On national security grounds, we should ban Tesla, Starlink and everything else associated with Musk from Canada.</p> <p>— <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:w3miivoaldds6rqccvwjnvnc?ref_src=embed">Emmett Macfarlane (@emmettmacfarlane.com)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:w3miivoaldds6rqccvwjnvnc/post/3lfdgufon5k2u?ref_src=embed">2025-01-09T19:44:27.431Z</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">All of Canada to Trump: <a href="https://t.co/LAwnuHIiCO">https://t.co/LAwnuHIiCO</a></p> <p>— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1877405300799443452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 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> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2025/01/10/roundup-leadership-rules-released/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">13020</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: Preparing for the backbench rebellion</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/10/22/roundup-preparing-for-the-backbench-rebellion/</link> <comments>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/10/22/roundup-preparing-for-the-backbench-rebellion/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:31:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Blaine Higgs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Canadian Forces]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Foreign Interference]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Infrastructure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jane Philpott]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Marie-Claude Bibeau]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mark Carney]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Susan Holt]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Trans Mountain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=12817</guid> <description><![CDATA[In advance of Liberal caucus tomorrow, media is rife with attempts to figure out just how many MPs will be pushing for Trudeau to go, and it sounds like between twenty to forty, but nobody knows anything for sure, and … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/10/22/roundup-preparing-for-the-backbench-rebellion/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In advance of Liberal caucus tomorrow, media is rife with attempts to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-liberal-party-leadership-1.7358839">figure out</a> just how many MPs will be pushing for Trudeau to go, and it sounds like between <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/liberal-mps-seek-reflection-and-change-with-letter-calling-on-justin-trudeau-to-step-down/article_7d80d7c6-8fec-11ef-830b-fb709f403873.html">twenty to forty</a>, but nobody knows anything for sure, and much like the past two caucus retreats where the backbenchers were restive, it could all fizzle out by the end, because Trudeau apparently has some kind of magic he can weave when he’s in the room. This could also just be a means of applying pressure to force the PMO to start showing that they are committed to a change of direction or just showing that they are capable of change, but so far Trudeau’s response has been to double-down and stare down his naysayers, but you have to admit, that even twenty backbenchers being ready to push you out is a bad sign, and forty is an indication that you’re not able to read the room.</p> <p>This of course has led to future leadership speculation, and jumping right into things was former BC Liberal premier Christy Clark, who says she’s <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/christy-clark-justin-trudeau-step-down-1.7357740">taking French classes</a>, but I find this whole thing a bit of a laughable charade. While I know of several federal Liberals who will vouch for her Liberal-status, she also previously mused about running for the leadership of the Conservatives save for her lack of French skills, and was also organizing with the “Centre Ice conservatives,” now the upstart wannabe party that Dominic Cardy is leading. On top of that, Clark’s record as premier is pretty problematic, so I would have some very big questions about just what kind of reception she thinks she’s going to get outside of the few Liberal insiders who knew her ack in the day.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">No one: </p> <p>Christy Clark: <a href="https://t.co/zptdxareh6">pic.twitter.com/zptdxareh6</a></p> <p>— Alheli Picazo (@a_picazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/a_picazo/status/1848460348866617654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>And then there’s Mark Carney, who told Nathaniel Erskine-Smith on his podcast over the weekend that he’s <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/mark-carney-says-he-plans-to-enter-elected-politics-as-liberals-begin-to-organize-leadership/article_0eaf81b4-8fbd-11ef-b46a-b7a3e36cae79.html">planning to run</a> for a seat at some point, but won’t say where and when, and is vague about a lot of it other than saying that this is because he owes Canada “a lot.” Of course, none of this changes the fact that as a former central bank governor, he should stay the hell out of electoral politics for the rest of his life, because of what it does to his successors and the institution. Central banks need to be scrupulously politically neutral because what they say needs to be believed if they are to control inflation.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">*siiiiiiiigh* <br />As a former central bank governor, he needs to stay the hell out of elected politics for the good of the institution he used to lead, and no, it doesn’t matter that it’s been ten years. <a href="https://t.co/TITSiDMsTE">https://t.co/TITSiDMsTE</a></p> <p>— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1848466770753163761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 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">Because central banks need to be scrupulously politically neutral if they are to be believed, and being believed is a major part of their power to control inflation. If this is seen as a jumping off point for a future political career, it means their pronouncements lose weight. <a href="https://t.co/yDD55f6Hzb">https://t.co/yDD55f6Hzb</a></p> <p>— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1848503596611940825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 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">I ask myself this daily, if not hourly. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cdnpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cdnpoli</a> <a href="https://t.co/lLZCsgjXjx">https://t.co/lLZCsgjXjx</a></p> <p>— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1848504371228930073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 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 attacks <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-attacks-kill-three-zaporizhzhia-three-donetsk-region-officials-say-2024-10-21/">killed</a> three people in Zaporizhzhia, and three in the Donetsk region. A Ukrainian drone attack <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-drone-attack-damages-distilleries-russias-tula-region-governor-says-2024-10-22/">damaged</a> two distilleries in Russia, just south of Moscow. And this is what is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/what-we-know-about-north-korean-troops-joining-russias-war-ukraine-2024-10-21/">known so far</a> about North Korean troops joining the Russian invasion.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">10 040—russian personnel losses during last week </p> <p>It's the highest weekly number since the invasion began.<br />We make the occupiers pay the highest price for every meter of our land. <a href="https://t.co/yDJrquQEqX">pic.twitter.com/yDJrquQEqX</a></p> <p>— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceU/status/1848359332544655663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 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"><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;" /> Update: Russian attack against Zaporizhzhia kills 2, injures 15.</p> <p>The death toll of a Russian attack against Zaporizhzhia early on Oct. 21 has risen to two, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported. Fifteen people were injured.<a href="https://t.co/aUNyJ8WtlI">https://t.co/aUNyJ8WtlI</a></p> <p>— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) <a href="https://twitter.com/KyivIndependent/status/1848341638436851994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><span id="more-12817"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>Revenue minister Marie-Claude Bibeau says she’s not running again because she plans to <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/national-revenue-minister-to-leave-federal-politics-run-for-sherbrooke-mayor/article_1e879d13-490e-516e-b64f-af7132b2c98f.html">run for mayor</a> of Sherbrooke.</li> <li>Statistics Canada <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cost-to-replace-canada-water-road-infrastructure-1.7358394">estimates</a> the cost of replacing crumbling public infrastructure across the country will be some $356.7 billion.</li> <li>The Foreign Interference inquiry is now in its <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/public-inquiry-grapples-with-definition-of-foreign-interference-in-its-final-week/article_5c2189df-3669-5be1-91cb-ca3360cf20e7.html">final week</a> of hearings and consultations before Justice Hogue goes to write her final report.</li> <li>The new CEO of the Trans Mountain pipeline says the government <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trans-mountain-pipeline-maki-1.7358534">shouldn’t rush</a> to sell it, because capital markets need to see its stability before offering a fair price.</li> <li>A civilian working with Canadian forces in Latvia was not given an apology after she was sexually assaulted because they <a href="https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/dnd-didnt-apologize-to-sexually-assaulted-employee-because-ottawa-citizen-would-write-about-it">feared</a> it would spark media attention.</li> <li>Deputy Speaker Chris d’Entremont <a href="https://www.hilltimes.com/story/2024/10/21/dentremont-denies-pressure-from-conservative-mps-in-reprimand-ruling-of-grit-mp-baker/438259/">disputes</a> Yvan Baker’s recounting that he said he only gave the speaking prohibition after pressure from his caucus.</li> <li>Liberal and Bloc members of the heritage committee <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/politics/liberal-bloc-mps-vote-against-questioning-canada-soccer-officials-over-drone-scandal/article_a65abc57-c5ff-557c-a6c0-d7d177d4f51a.html">voted down</a> a study of the Soccer Canada drone scandal, citing the ongoing external investigation.</li> <li>Poilievre says that if he forms government, he’ll cut provincial social transfers if they don’t <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/pierre-poilievre-says-he-wants-provinces-to-overhaul-their-disability-programs-and-he-could-withhold/article_992f65a8-8189-11ef-96ff-8b61b1372f5e.html">end clawbacks</a> of disability benefits (and good luck with that).</li> <li>The Liberals <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/atlantic/new-brunswick-liberals-win-majority-susan-holt-first-woman-to-lead-province/article_a52ff715-b2e9-59d3-919b-1bd0369bd56c.html">won a majority</a> in New Brunswick, and Blaine Higgs lost his own seat; Liberal leader Susan Holt is set to become the <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/national/a-look-at-susan-holt-liberal-premier-designate-of-new-brunswick/article_7958263f-44d5-571e-a7e9-79b22e2d32df.html">first female premier</a> in that province.</li> <li>Doug Ford has <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/health/ontario-appoints-former-federal-liberal-health-minister-as-chair-of-primary-care-team/article_de9e08fe-5e2d-507f-83b0-5ffcca5a7d58.html">appointed</a> former federal health minister Jane Philpott to lead a “primary care action team” to get more family doctors. (<a href="https://x.com/journo_dale/status/1848354070316085323">Good luck</a> with that).</li> <li>It appears that there was an added <a href="https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/prairies_bc/saskatchewan/sask-partys-moe-says-he-was-unaware-of-kids-identities-in-change-room-complaint/article_e23ebe42-a90b-5031-b3bd-5a3ee9f461fa.html">partisan dimension</a> to the alleged complaints about trans people in change rooms that prompted Scott Moe’s pledge.</li> <li>Here is Anne Applebaum’s <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/10/russia-ukraine-democracy-applebaum/680318/?gift=hVZeG3M9DnxL4CekrWGK36JMCw9mt_Sil3JbsZzR6Dc">speech</a> at the German Peace Prize about pacifism, complacency, and fighting the pessimism on the future of democracy.</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:4xqt7t2zph634drigtdxdmro/app.bsky.feed.post/3l72qszlsyg2h" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreibmbrmsykchxscqe62kuimctu3cuvrawg2rxcbq6ipfnanww7vmpm"> <p lang="en"> <p>— <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/3l72qszlsyg2h?ref_src=embed">2024-10-22T00:17:31.045Z</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://embed.bsky.app/static/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Christian nationalism losing big in the New Brunswick election. <a href="https://t.co/7fSpZjs5Xg">https://t.co/7fSpZjs5Xg</a></p> <p>— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/1848539496788172957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 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> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2024/10/22/roundup-preparing-for-the-backbench-rebellion/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">12817</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: Fallout from the Stanley decision</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2018/02/12/roundup-fallout-from-the-stanley-decision/</link> <comments>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2018/02/12/roundup-fallout-from-the-stanley-decision/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 12 Feb 2018 10:32:49 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[CF-18 Fighters]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[First Nations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Harassment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kinder Morgan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nominations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Procurement]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=6399</guid> <description><![CDATA[The verdict in the Gerald Stanley trial came down late Friday night, and the Saskatchewan farmer was found not guilty in the shooting death of 22-year-old Colten Boushie for the same kinds of actions that a white person would not … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2018/02/12/roundup-fallout-from-the-stanley-decision/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The verdict in the Gerald Stanley trial came down late Friday night, and the Saskatchewan farmer was <a href="http://www.macleans.ca/news/the-gerald-stanley-verdict-is-a-blow-to-reconciliation-and-a-terrifying-one-at-that/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found not guilty</a> in the shooting death of 22-year-old Colten Boushie for the same kinds of actions that a white person would not have been shot at for. That the jury did not contemplate a manslaughter conviction instead of second-degree murder is the more puzzling aspect of the verdict, and why there is such a cry about racism in the justice system – especially since the defence counsel was able to successfully challenge any of the potential Indigenous jurors and wind up with an all-white jury, which is when the family knew that the fix was in, and that this was not doing any favours to the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-leaders-gerald-stanley-colten-boushie-not-guilty-1.4529777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cause of reconciliation</a>, nor for <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/gerald-stanley-colten-boushie-justice-1.4530471" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faith in the justice system</a> for people who aren’t white.</p> <p>The <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/trudeau-ministers-boushie-verdict-reaction-1.4530093" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PM and justice minister tweeted</a> that more needs to be done when it comes to ensuring that there is justice for Indigenous people in this country, leaving some Conservative observers a little aghast that they got involved. That said, the wording was carefully chosen in order to not criticise the jury itself, or promise that there would be an appeal or some kind of attempt to overturn the verdict. That’s probably a good thing overall, while it acknowledges that there is a problem and that the government is aware of it, and it’s worth nothing that the government is talking about this situation where there is a good chance that they wouldn’t have just a couple of years ago. Meanwhile, this hasn’t stopped the Conservatives from <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2018/02/11/tories-accuse-pm-of-political-interference-after-comments-on-boushie-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accusing</a> the government of “political interference” with the courts (never mind how many times they criticised court decisions, especially by the Supreme Court of Canada, while they were in power). But what can be done? Well, there is already an ongoing review of the criminal justice system that this government has undertaken (but is very, very slow about rolling out any concrete measures about), so we can be sure that this will be part of it. But better resourcing the justice system is something that they need to confront, which means hiring more Crown attorneys, and giving them more time and resources to tackle cases is going to be part of the solution as well (and we can all think of a number of high profile cases in recent years that the Crowns have utterly ballsed up). And indeed, in this case, there were apparently questions going in as to whether the Crown attorney in this case was <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/cameron-moe-gerald-stanley-colten-boushie-1.4529784" target="_blank" rel="noopener">capable of handling</a> a trial like this. But this is also a provincial issue as well. Ontario is working on a strategy about getting more Indigenous representation on juries, but its report is already more than a year overdue. The Boushie family has <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/boushie-verdict-ottawa-parliament-meeting-1.4530880" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived in Ottawa</a> to meet with ministers, so one suspects we may hear more later in the day.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/michaelplaxton/status/962195300721967104</p> <p>And there has been no dearth of commentary around this case already. Lawyer David Butt talks about the <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/how-the-justice-system-let-race-taint-the-stanley-verdict/article37931748/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">need to limit</a> the peremptory challenges that allowed Stanley’s defence lawyer to create an all-white jury. Defence Lawyer Allan Rouben suggests that maybe it’s time to <a href="http://nationalpost.com/opinion/allan-rouben-let-the-jurors-talk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">loosen the rules</a> that forbid jurors from discussing what happens during deliberations. Tammy Robert reminds us that no, <a href="http://www.macleans.ca/news/no-rural-prairie-dwellers-you-cant-shoot-to-protect-your-property/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">you can’t shoot someone</a> to protect your property in Canada. Robert Jago says that the trial and verdict show that the <a href="http://www.canadalandshow.com/gerald-stanley-colten-boushie-and-fear-of-the-indian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attitude remains</a> that Indigenous people are simply animals that Canadians are taught to fear.</p> <p><span id="more-6399"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>Jim Carr says the government might <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bc-alberta-pipeline-trans-mountain-expansion-1.4529422" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offer incentives</a> for BC to back down from the Kinder Morgan dispute, but various BC officials insist they can’t be bought.</li> <li>Catherine McKenna says that <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4016425/catherine-mckenna-pipeline-approval-alberta/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emissions caps</a> like Alberta has in place will help with the new environmental assessment legislation because it provides certainty.</li> <li>Those used Australian jets will start <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/aussie-fighter-jets-1.4530875" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arriving in 2019</a>, and will be staggered over three years as Australia gets its new fighters.</li> <li>An Ontario judge <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/archives-secret-document-indigenous-children-removal-hospital-1.4513267" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled against</a> turning over 98-year-old documents related to Indigenous healthcare records to researchers tracking tuberculosis rates.</li> <li>Christy Clark says that a province blocking a pipeline is <a href="http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/former-b-c-premier-christy-clark-says-blocking-trans-mountain-is-illegal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">illegal</a>. Apparently the unconstitutional conditions she added to approval were just fine.</li> <li>The Conservatives say they’re <a href="https://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2018/02/11/conservatives-also-reviewing-internal-policy-in-wake-of-dykstra-incident/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reviewing</a> their internal candidate policies following the revelations about Rick Dykstra.</li> <li>Erin O’Toole <a href="http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/conservatives-confirm-they-believe-jerusalem-is-the-capital-of-israel-echoing-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">staked out</a> the Conservative foreign policy position that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.</li> <li>The <em>Star</em> tries to <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2018/02/11/ndp-leader-jagmeet-singh-has-been-touring-the-country-instead-of-trying-to-win-a-seat-heres-where-hes-gone-so-far.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">determine</a> where Jagmeet Singh has been, and whether it’s an effective electoral strategy.</li> <li>Yet more <a href="http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/more-allegations-about-ex-mp-peter-stoffer-emerge-as-ndp-plans-harassment-policy-updates-at-convention" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegations</a> about former NDP MP Peter Stoffer’s behaviour are coming out of the woodwork.</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <p>Here’s an <a href="https://ipolitics.ca/article/one-one-senator-cools-months-departure-upper-chamber/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Senator Anne Cools.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2018/02/12/roundup-fallout-from-the-stanley-decision/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">6399</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: Brown’s creepy town hall</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2017/07/29/roundup-browns-creepy-town-hall/</link> <comments>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2017/07/29/roundup-browns-creepy-town-hall/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 29 Jul 2017 09:28:54 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Andrew Scheer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Border]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Budget 2017]]></category> <category><![CDATA[CBSA]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[First Nations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Immigration]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Omar Khadr]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Procurement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Saudi Arabia]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Supreme Court]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Telecom]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Trade]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=5880</guid> <description><![CDATA[A story out of Brockville yesterday is a bit disconcerting, where local Conservative MP Gord Brown held a town hall in the community about the Omar Khadr settlement, saying that he wanted to get people’s views because everywhere he went, … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2017/07/29/roundup-browns-creepy-town-hall/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A story out of Brockville yesterday is a bit disconcerting, where local Conservative MP Gord Brown <a href="http://www.recorder.ca/2017/07/26/khadr-decision-exposes-community-split" target="_blank" rel="noopener">held a town hall</a> in the community about the Omar Khadr settlement, saying that he wanted to get people’s views because everywhere he went, it was all people would ask about. He also claimed that it “wasn’t a partisan issue,” but I would be willing to bet actual money that the way in which Brown presented the case was through a deeply partisan lens, regurgitating the party’s disingenuous talking points and legal prevarications that distort the crux of the matter. And what disturbs me the most is that listening to the reactions in the write-up of the event, it starts sounding an awful lot like a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_Minutes_Hate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two Mintues Hate</a> than anything, where people recited the completely wrong tropes about Khadr’s situation and situation as it regards the rule of law. It was at least heartening that a local lawyer turned up at the event, brandishing a copy of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and laying down the law about why there was a settlement, and it’s quite the photo that ran with the piece – but I doubt that it would change very many minds, considering the distortions that are continually spread by the partisans (on all sides, to be completely fair, given that many a Liberal partisan conveniently forgets the roles that Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin played in this). Nevertheless, the fact remains that holding a town hall on this issue is deeply creepy.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">I can't help wondering if this was precisely the headline/photo combo that Gord Brown had hoped would ensue (c/o <a href="https://twitter.com/wordford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@wordford</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/RecorderTimes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RecorderTimes</a> <a href="https://t.co/f3Sq9s6OsW">pic.twitter.com/f3Sq9s6OsW</a></p> <p>— kady o'malley (@kady) <a href="https://twitter.com/kady/status/890885036228173824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2017</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p><span id="more-5880"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>Here’s an <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/3631395/justin-trudeau-summer-travel-strategy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attempt</a> to discern the strategy in the PM’s summer tour schedule.</li> <li>The economy <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/07/28/economic-growth-blows-past-expectations-in-may-powered-by-energy-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blew past growth expectations</a> in May due in large part to the oil and gas sector back on the rebound.</li> <li>The demise of the plans for a US border adjustment tax could mean <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2017/07/28/prime-minister-says-border-tax-in-u-s-would-have-been-serious-impediment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less pressure</a> for Canada to lower corporate income taxes even further.</li> <li>Some Canadians would like <a href="http://ipolitics.ca/2017/07/28/use-nafta-talks-to-lift-canadian-telecom-protections-prof-argues/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">telecom liberalization</a> to be part of NAFTA renegotiation (but aren’t holding their breaths).</li> <li>Evidence <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/saudi-arabia-appears-to-be-deploying-canadian-made-armoured-vehicles-against-its-own-citizens/article35831864/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggests</a> that the Saudi government is using Canadian-made LAVs against civilians, which puts this government in a tough spot.</li> <li>Here are a couple of <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/supreme-court-pipeline-proponents-good-news-1.4224416" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deep dives</a> into this week’s Supreme Court of Canada rulings on the <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/scc-resource-decisions-do-not-put-blind-faith-in-the-neb/article35823222/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">duty to consult</a> Indigenous communities and how it affects pipelines.</li> <li>The First Nation that lost their SCC case <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/chippewas-enbridge-court-line-9-legal-fees-1.4224972" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was ordered to pay</a> Enbridge’s court costs, which Enbridge says they’re still evaluating.</li> <li>In the decade that we’ve armed CBSA officers at the border, they’ve <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cbsa-border-guards-guns-1.4201882" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fired 18 times</a>, eleven of those accidentally, the rest regarding animals.</li> <li>The government has signed an agreement with the Canadian Red Cross to <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/red-cross-cbsa-immigration-detention-1.4226095" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monitor</a> immigration detention while they work on reforming the system.</li> <li>For the record, National Defence <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/navy-frigate-program-1.4226768" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insists</a> that the bids for the new surface combatants is on track. (<a href="https://youtu.be/E8fM1NMGEsM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sure, Jan</a>).</li> <li>As many as a quarter of MPs have <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/taxation-corporations-morneau-mps-1.4224863" target="_blank" rel="noopener">private corporations</a> that could be taxed higher under the changes announced last week.</li> <li><em>Chatelaine</em> <a href="http://www.chatelaine.com/living/politics/andrew-scheer-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talked to Andrew Scheer</a> about feminism and Islamophobia.</li> <li>Former BC Premier Christy Clark has <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/christy-clark-resigns-as-leader-of-b-c-liberal-party-1.4226286" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tendered her resignation</a> as of next Friday.</li> <li>Susan Delacourt reflects on the pervasiveness of <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2017/07/28/julie-payette-controversy-a-lesson-on-power-of-digital-memory-delacourt.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital memory</a> when it comes to high profile figures in controversy, per Julie Payette.</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <p>Here is the <a href="http://nationalpost.com/news/politics/so-which-is-it-the-st-john-river-or-the-saint-john-river-a-national-post-investigation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation</a> into the conundrum of whether it’s the “Saint John River” or “St. John River,” and yes, this is an issue.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2017/07/29/roundup-browns-creepy-town-hall/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>1</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5880</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: A small government climbdown</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2016/12/12/roundup-a-small-government-climbdown/</link> <comments>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2016/12/12/roundup-a-small-government-climbdown/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 12 Dec 2016 10:30:42 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brad Trost]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Budget 2016]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Conservative Leadership]]></category> <category><![CDATA[CSE]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[First Nations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kevin O'Leary]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Senate]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Veterans]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=5299</guid> <description><![CDATA[Sometimes it’s not just that the Senate is everyone’s convenient punching bag in federal politics – it’s also what they like to dangle before the media to show that they’re serious about some issue or another. Early on in the … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2016/12/12/roundup-a-small-government-climbdown/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sometimes it’s not just that the Senate is everyone’s convenient punching bag in federal politics – it’s also what they like to dangle before the media to show that they’re serious about some issue or another. Early on in the parliament, it was Conservatives who were supposedly going to flex their muscles to defeat all kinds of government bills in the Senate, which never happened, and now we’re getting threats from the new independent cohort. This time, it’s Bill C-29, the government’s budget implementation act, and a provision therein that has Quebec all <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/morneaus-budget-bill-under-fire-in-senate-while-quebec-warns-of-challenge/article33268944/" target="_blank">hot and bothered</a> because it would affect their consumer protection legislation as it relates to the banks.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yet again the question arises: who governs Canada — the people we elected a year ago, or a clique of appointees? <a href="https://t.co/gG7U4Yp1Uq">https://t.co/gG7U4Yp1Uq</a></p> <p>— Andrew Coyne <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1fa.png" alt="🇺" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1e6-1f1ee.png" alt="🇦🇮" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1f1.png" alt="🇱" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1ec-1f1ea.png" alt="🇬🇪" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1f2-1f1e9.png" alt="🇲🇩" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> (@acoyne) <a href="https://twitter.com/acoyne/status/807715472296833024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2016</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">Hardly a week goes by now without some story or other about senators conspiring to defeat or amend a bill based by the Commons.</p> <p>— Andrew Coyne <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1fa.png" alt="🇺" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1e6-1f1ee.png" alt="🇦🇮" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1f1.png" alt="🇱" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1ec-1f1ea.png" alt="🇬🇪" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1f2-1f1e9.png" alt="🇲🇩" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> (@acoyne) <a href="https://twitter.com/acoyne/status/807715828141584384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2016</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 convention that senators would not override the Commons was never airtight, but in the “reformed” Senate it seems to be eroding rapidly.</p> <p>— Andrew Coyne <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1fa.png" alt="🇺" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1e6-1f1ee.png" alt="🇦🇮" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1f1.png" alt="🇱" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1ec-1f1ea.png" alt="🇬🇪" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /><img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f1f2-1f1e9.png" alt="🇲🇩" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> (@acoyne) <a href="https://twitter.com/acoyne/status/807716568276856832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 10, 2016</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> <p>The government has maintained that because this is a federally-regulated sector that they have jurisdiction. Quebec disputes this, says that they have a Supreme Court of Canada decision to back up their position, and premier Couillard has been asking the government to remove this section from the bill, and impressing upon Senators to do something if the government won’t. New Quebec Senator André Pratte has apparently been making the rounds to do just that, while Government Leader in the Senate – err, “government representative” – Senator Peter Harder has responded with the usual plaintive wail that the Senate should respect the will of the House of Commons, never mind how much he was praising up and down the work they did on amending the assisted dying legislation just a few months ago.</p> <p>But the pressure from the Senate may have already come to good effect. In Question Period of Friday, the finance minister’s parliamentary secretary, François-Philippe Champagne, announced a particular government climbdown on the issue:</p> <blockquote><p>We are going to continue working with consumer groups, stakeholders, and the provinces and territories to develop regulations and enforce the law. We are going to delay the implementation of some provisions of division 5 of the bill so that the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce can examine this important issue more closely.</p></blockquote> <p>In light of this development, should the Andrew Coynes of the world really be wailing and gnashing their teeth about the Senate supposedly overstepping their authority, or not respecting the will of the Commons? Or should we acknowledge that they heard the concerns that the government steamrolled over with their majority and forced the government to acknowledge that hey, maybe there is a problem that we should fix? Because I’m getting awfully tired of constantly hearing about how the Senate is somehow becoming this de facto ruling body of appointees, when it’s anything but. It’s doing the job that it was intended to do, which is sober second thought – particularly when there is a government with a majority, and with more independent senators in the chamber, they’re not taking orders from PMO to push things through. This is their job. This is what they’re supposed to do. Can we please tone down the histrionics about it?</p> <p><span id="more-5299"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>Catherine McKenna is sure that Manitoba <a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/catherine-mckenna-expects-hold-out-manitoba-to-sign-climate-deal-1.3197728" target="_blank">will sign</a> onto the climate deal, which is not a surprise given that Brian Pallister has said he’s holding out for healthcare.</li> <li>A small committee has been working to completely <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/unheralded-committee-seeks-monumental-change-to-the-way-first-nations-get-billions-in-federal-funds" target="_blank">overhaul</a> the fiscal relationship between the federal government and First Nations.</li> <li>The Government Operations Centre, which is supposed to manage crises, is <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/government-crisis-response-centre-audit-1.3890052" target="_blank">outdated, understaffed, and inadequate</a> for coordinating responses. Wheeee!</li> <li>The military has called on CSE to help them <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/ottawas-electronic-spy-agency-helping-military-track-someone-in-canada-censored-documents-reveal" target="_blank">track someone</a> in Canada over the past year, redacted documents have revealed.</li> <li>Pension <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/vets-homelessness-pension-1.3891594" target="_blank">delays</a> are forcing more veterans into financial difficulty, as the department also tries to tackle homeless vets.</li> <li>Ezra Levant held a rally in Calgary yesterday and Kellie Leitch, Brad Trost and Chris Alexander all <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/anti-carbon-tax-rally-calgary-1.3891723" target="_blank">made the trek</a> to be out there. Trost then denied climate change.</li> <li>Conservative leadership also-ran Pierre Lemieux said he would <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/12/11/tory-leadership-hopeful-lemieux-pledges-to-end-sex-selective-abortion-3/" target="_blank">ban sex-selective abortions</a>.</li> <li>Kevin O’Leary is hosting an “<a href="http://www.cp24.com/news/o-leary-won-t-announce-tory-leadership-run-on-monday-spokesperson-1.3198053" target="_blank">exploratory event</a>” in Ottawa today, but not announcing a leadership bid (yet).</li> <li>John Geddes has a behind-the-scenes look at the “<a href="http://www.macleans.ca/politics/christy-clark-climate-change-brinksmanship/" target="_blank">concession</a>” Christy Clark demanded on the climate change deal.</li> <li>Alheli Picazo asks why Canada can’t start holding homeopathic remedies up to the same <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/homeopathy-labels-1.3882746" target="_blank">labelling standards</a> that are now being applied in the US.</li> <li>Paul Wells writes about the <a href="https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/12/09/the-publics-ardour-can-make-for-a-long-honeymoon-in-politics-paul-wells.html" target="_blank">constant worrying</a> about the Trudeau “honeymoon” which has been declared to be over constantly, and yet persists.</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <p>Here is the strange tale of Diefenbaker’s burial requests, including <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/the-bizarre-reason-john-diefenbaker-is-entombed-in-concrete-he-was-afraid-enemies-would-steal-his-corpse" target="_blank">concrete entombment</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2016/12/12/roundup-a-small-government-climbdown/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>4</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">5299</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: Making adjustments on the fly</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2016/02/06/roundup-making-adjustments-on-the-fly/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 06 Feb 2016 10:34:07 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Election 2015]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Infrastructure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Iran]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Iraq]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jim Carr]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Privilege]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Public Service]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rona Ambrose]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Syria]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Senate]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Mulcair]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Veterans]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=4435</guid> <description><![CDATA[Lots of developments in the Senate, so let’s get to it, shall we? Kady O’Malley looks into the ways that the Senate is going through the process of reshaping itself to fit the new reality that they find themselves in, … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2016/02/06/roundup-making-adjustments-on-the-fly/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Lots of developments in the Senate, so let’s get to it, shall we? Kady O’Malley looks into the ways that the Senate is going through the process of <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/storyline/kady-can-the-senate-be-saved-by-itself" target="_blank">reshaping itself</a> to fit the new reality that they find themselves in, and so far they’ve been doing it in a fair-minded way, tempering some the partisan excesses of the previous parliament while they start adjusting their rules around things like Question Period in the new scheme they’ve developed. I’m still a little <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2016/02/03/senate-qp-a-bold-experiment/" target="_blank">hesitant</a>, considering that they’re losing some of the pacing and ability to make exchanges that made Senate QP such a refreshing change from Commons QP, but we’ll see once they start working out the kinks. Meanwhile, the Senate is <a href="http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/Sen/Chamber/421/Debates/012db_2016-02-04-e.htm#35" target="_blank">trying to adapt</a> its Conflict of Interest committee to a reality where there are no “government” senators, and more debate about how to include the growing number of independent senators into that structure. We’ll see how the debate unfolds in the next week, but this is something they are cognisant about needing to tackle, just as they are with how to better accommodate independent MPs with committee selection as a whole. Also, the Senate Speaker has ruled that the lack of a Leader of the Government in the Senate <a href="http://sen.parl.gc.ca/georgefurey/English/Rulings/Rulings-020416-e.htm" target="_blank">does not constitute</a> a <em>prima facia</em> breach of privilege, convinced by the argument that the lack of a government leader doesn’t affect the Senate’s core ability to review and amend legislation, and that the primary role of the chamber isn’t to hold government to account. I would probably argue that it may not be the primary role, but it is a role nevertheless, but perhaps I’m not qualified enough to say whether that still constitutes an actual breach of privilege, as opposed to just making the whole exercise damned inconvenient and leading to a great number of unintended consequences as they venture into this brave new world of unencumbered independence. At this stage, however, things are all still up in the air, and nothing has really crashed down yet, but it’s a bit yet. By the time that Parliament rises for the summer, we’ll see if all of those broken eggs wound up making a cake, or if we just wind up with a mess.</p> <p><span id="more-4435"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>Big city mayors have been in Ottawa for meetings, and are praising Trudeau for “<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justin-trudeau-big-city-mayors-1.3435212" target="_blank">rebooting</a>” the relationship with cities, as infrastructure dollars start flowing.</li> <li>Also visiting was Christy Clark, who wants <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/02/05/clark-says-b-c-s-economic-engine-needs-cash-from-ottawa-to-continue-at-top-spot-2/" target="_blank">federal dollars</a> for transit and the hydroelectric grid between BC and Alberta, and to call for <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/christy-clark-tpp-1.3436397" target="_blank">TPP ratification</a>.</li> <li>Some of the sanctions against Iran are <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-iran-economic-sanctions-1.3435675" target="_blank">being lifted</a>, to which the Conservatives are apoplectic.</li> <li>Jim Carr was in Calgary to talk to the resource sector, saying he is looking to get resources to tidewater but <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/jim-carr-natural-resources-calgary-chamber-commerce-1.3435192" target="_blank">won’t cheerlead</a> any one project.</li> <li>It looks like the sick leave showdown is <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/ps-bargaining-proposal" target="_blank">ramping back up</a> between public service unions and the new government.</li> <li>The election cost <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/02/05/cost-of-2015-election-soars-partly-due-to-marathon-78-day-campaign-3/" target="_blank">53 percent more</a> than the one in 2011, which is just fine because this one was longer, engaged more people and voter turnout went way up.</li> <li>The <em>Globe and Mail</em> <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/canada-to-expand-military-mission-against-islamic-state/article28588558/" target="_blank">has a leak</a> about some of the plans for the next phase of the ISIS mission. Meanwhile, there are concerns about our <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/the-ripple-effect-canadas-support-for-the-kurds-brings-unintended-consequences" target="_blank">Kurdish allies</a> in the region.</li> <li>Some veterans are <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/disabled-veterans-still-await-the-governments-plan" target="_blank">concerned</a> about what the promised return to lifelong disability pensions means.</li> <li>Rona Ambrose is talking to the women in her caucus about the <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/rona-ambrose-counsels-tory-mps-on-balancing-the-house-and-their-home/article28583981/" target="_blank">work-life balance</a>, citing her own failed first marriage.</li> <li>Thomas Muclair has started to <a href="http://www.hilltimes.com/news/politics/2016/02/05/mulcair-begins-campaign-for-support-as-leadership-review-nears/45143" target="_blank">campaign</a> the party membership to keep his job.</li> <li>Colby Cosh writes about what <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/colby-cosh-spare-some-equalization" target="_blank">fiscal stabilization</a> means for Alberta.</li> <li>Tabatha Southey casts her <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/us-senate-hearing-once-again-calls-on-canada-to-help-settle-an-argument/article28600321/" target="_blank">sardonic eye</a> at the US Senate hearings on Canada’s refugee policy.</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <p>BuzzFeed has a look at why the Germans still <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/paulmcleod/its-been-100-years-so-why-do-we-still-suspect-germans-burned#.wyvJjo5gB" target="_blank">keep getting blamed</a> for the Great Centre Block fire, even though the theory is constantly disproven.</p> <p>The Mother Canada statue project has officially <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2016/02/05/parks-canada-pulling-out-of-mother-canada-monument-project-in-cape-breton/" target="_blank">been axed</a>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">From the pool report on the Justin Trudeau-Christy Clark photo op. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cdnpoli?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cdnpoli</a> <a href="https://t.co/NFzPf3kZZl">pic.twitter.com/NFzPf3kZZl</a></p> <p>— Dale Smith (@journo_dale) <a href="https://twitter.com/journo_dale/status/695656882736750592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2016</a></p></blockquote> <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4435</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: Looking forward to the first QP</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2015/12/07/roundup-looking-forward-to-the-first-qp/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 07 Dec 2015 10:38:45 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Catherine McKenna]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Parliament Hill]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Refugees]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Speaker Regan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Senate]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=4296</guid> <description><![CDATA[It’s the first full sitting of the new parliament, which includes the first Question Period of the new session. Hooray! It’s going to be exciting, but there remains so much to be seen, so it’s hard to pre-judge the whole … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2015/12/07/roundup-looking-forward-to-the-first-qp/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It’s the first full sitting of the new parliament, which includes the first Question Period of the new session. Hooray! It’s going to be exciting, but there remains so much to be seen, so it’s hard to pre-judge the whole thing. Not to mention, the Liberals are keen to change the rules around QP by the New Year, so what happens this week may be a glimpse into a future that never will be. Will Speaker Regan enforce his heckle ban? Will MPs respect it? While Kady O’Malley offers a <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/storyline/lights-camera-raw-uncensored-parliamentary-action-kadys-guide-to-watching-question-periodhttp://ottawacitizen.com/storyline/lights-camera-raw-uncensored-parliamentary-action-kadys-guide-to-watching-question-period" target="_blank">preview</a> of what to expect, and the rest of the <em>Ottawa Citizen</em> staff gives their expectations for some of the <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/parliamentary-stand-offs-let-the-sparring-begin" target="_blank">match-ups</a>, I’ll offer a few of my own observations. First of all, the first few QPs of any new parliament aren’t likely to be exciting because, frankly, everyone’s still a bit sanctimonious at this point. There’s all this hope and optimism, and of course they’re going to be civil and constructive because why wouldn’t they be? It’s also early enough that there really haven’t been too many screw-ups or missteps by the new government yet, so there’s not too much for the opposition to sink their teeth into just yet. We’ll see if Trudeau is going to show up, and how many questions he’ll answer, seeing as he plans to change the rules so that he’ll only be required to show up one day per week (but answer all questions on that day). As for some of these match-ups the <em>Citizen</em> staff came up with, well, it’s pretty obvious that they didn’t really watch QP in their last parliament because some of their descriptions and predicted “winners” are complete nonsense. Advantage Irene Mathyssen over Kent Hehr? Seriously? Mathyssen who reads her questions with sheets of legal-sized paper in front of her face is more impressive than Hehr, who has years of provincial experience? Sorry, no. Cullen as a “strong performer?” Seriously, did anyone actually listen to him ask questions in the last parliament? Because he didn’t so much ask questions as give soliloquies as to how terrible the government was with no actual question asked. Not sure how that makes him a “strong performer.”</p> <p><span id="more-4296"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>First up on the agenda is that <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/first-up-for-new-government-a-fight-over-tax-policy" target="_blank">tax cut</a> the Liberals are promising, but the other two parties aren’t too keen on the idea.</li> <li>The two Senate leaders, Carignan and Cowan, say that a non-partisan Senate <a href="http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/not-possible-to-have-non-partisan-senate-leadership-carignan-says-1.2688823" target="_blank">isn’t possible</a> – simply a less partisan one, which isn’t just a debating chamber.</li> <li>Christy Clark apparently <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/2383307/senate-has-no-legitimacy-says-bc-premier-christy-clark/" target="_blank">doesn’t understand</a> the concept of regional, not provincial, equality in the Senate, or the way it is designed to protect minority provinces.</li> <li>Catherine McKenna has been named as one of 14 international ministers to act as a <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2015/12/06/catherine-mckenna-named-as-one-of-14-facilitators-of-paris-climate-conference/" target="_blank">facilitator</a> at COP21 – an honour Canada has been denied the past decade.</li> <li>Here’s an interesting <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/there-will-be-some-hard-things-said-muslim-group-hears-about-truth-and-reconciliation" target="_blank">dialogue</a> between Indigenous and Muslim Canadians.</li> <li>Two newly arrived Syrian refugee brothers attended the Speech From the Throne, and here is <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/12/04/from-civil-war-to-parliament-hill-like-a-dream-for-syrian-brothers.html" target="_blank">their story</a>.</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <p>Here’s a <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bank-of-montreal-transformed-into-3rd-hall-of-parliament-1.3352061" target="_blank">look inside</a> the newly renovated Sir John A Macdonald building, which houses Parliament’s new ballroom.</p> <p>Here’s what research tell us about the <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/face-of-the-threat-a-profile-of-islamic-state-recruits-and-sympathizers-from-the-u-s" target="_blank">profile</a> of radicalized individuals.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">4296</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: A largely fictitious distinction</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2014/12/09/roundup-a-largely-fictitious-distinction/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 09 Dec 2014 10:31:08 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[David Bertschi]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Elizabeth May]]></category> <category><![CDATA[First Nations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Fiscal Austerity]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nominations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pensions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Procurement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Monarchy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ukraine]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Veterans]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=3349</guid> <description><![CDATA[While the battle over what’s happening at Veterans Affairs continues to rage, we are continually reassured by both the Prime Minister and the Original Series duotronic computer system known as Julian Fantino that we shouldn’t worry – that any cuts that … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2014/12/09/roundup-a-largely-fictitious-distinction/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>While the battle over what’s happening at Veterans Affairs <a href="http://www.macleans.ca/politics/the-morass-of-the-veterans-affairs-controversy/" target="_blank">continues to rage</a>, we are continually reassured by both the Prime Minister and the Original Series duotronic computer system known as Julian Fantino that we shouldn’t worry – that any cuts that have been made are all “back office” bureaucrats, and that front-line services haven’t been affected. Really! And while the <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/12/08/tories-on-hot-seat-over-veterans-affairs-cuts/" target="_blank">example</a> of cutting 12 photocopy clerks by moving to digitised medical records may be an example of those “back office” cuts, we should stop kidding ourselves – there is no neat dividing line between what is a front-line service position and a back-office bureaucrat because it’s the job of those bureaucrats to process the work of the front-line providers. If anything, this notion that back-office positions are being eliminated means anything, it’s that it forces more front-line workers to do the processing work themselves, essentially increasing their workload and making them less able to help veterans because they’re the ones busy processing the paperwork rather than focusing on the service aspect. Using the excuse of it being “back office” is largely a fictional distinction made for the sake of optics – but then again, that is the way that this government likes to operate, by photo op and announcement rather than by actual results, so this really should surprise nobody.</p> <p><span id="more-3349"></span>Good reads:</p> <ul> <li>Samara gave the NDP marks for <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/new-democrats-dominate-list-of-best-mp-websites" target="_blank">best MP websites</a>, but considering how many of theirs seem to be out of a box – the party has pre-made sites for them – the fact that they’re getting similar high marks shouldn’t be a surprise.</li> <li>The NDP are <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/1714393/ndp-wants-conservatives-to-change-despicable-parliamentary-pension-bill/" target="_blank">demanding changes</a> to the private members’ bill on removing MP and Senator pensions if they are convicted of wrongdoing to be expanded to capture Dean Del Mastro.</li> <li>The government is going to <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/12/08/harper-government-goes-to-federal-court-to-force-first-nations-to-post-finances/" target="_blank">ask the courts</a> to force six First Nations to post their financial information, while another 50 will be denied non-essential funding until they comply. One does wonder what qualifies as “non-essential funding.”</li> <li>Christy Clark says the province’s deal with Petronas over LNG terminals <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/12/08/christy-clark-says-petronas-lng-project-is-a-done-deal-despite-delay/" target="_blank">is done</a>, but there are still hurdles to overcome – mostly market conditions.</li> <li>Australia is going on a <a href="http://o.canada.com/news/fisher-australian-military-spending-spree-puts-canadas-defence-budget-to-shame" target="_blank">military spending spree</a> while Canada’s procurement remains bogged down. Of note is that Australia is getting other countries to build their ships.</li> <li>It sounds like we’re going to <a href="http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/2014/12/08/canadians-to-train-ukrainian-military-police/" target="_blank">help train</a> Ukrainian military police. I wonder if James Bezan will join them on the ride over too.</li> <li>David Bertschi hints that he’s <a href="http://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/bertschi-sends-liberals-libel-notice-over-orleans-nomination-fight" target="_blank">going to sue</a> the Liberals for defamation in the wake of his failed nomination bid. My <a href="http://looniepolitics.com/ego-sore-loserism/" target="_blank">column</a> this week looks at some of the factors in soured nominations like this one.</li> </ul> <p>Odds and ends:</p> <p>Here is Elizabeth May’s “<a href="http://globalnews.ca/video/1712305/plane-talk-with-elizabeth-may-extended-version/" target="_blank">Plane Talk</a>” interview from <em>The West Block</em>.</p> <p>Here is more about <a href="http://www.macleans.ca/society/will-and-kate-in-the-big-apple/#" target="_blank">Will & Kate’s visit</a> to America.</p> <p>https://twitter.com/telegramjames/status/541991115516178432</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3349</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Roundup: A looming second empty Quebec seat</title> <link>https://www.routineproceedings.com/2014/05/24/roundup-a-looming-second-empty-quebec-seat/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dale]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 24 May 2014 09:30:28 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Political Roundup]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Abortion]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Christy Clark]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eve Adams]]></category> <category><![CDATA[First Nations]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Foreign Policy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[GLBT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Justin Trudeau]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Privacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Stephen Harper]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Supreme Court]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.routineproceedings.com/?p=2774</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Chief Justice has written to the Prime Minister to remind him that Justice LeBel will retire on November 30th, which would mean a second Quebec seat vacant on the bench. It’s notable because often a soon-to-retire Justice would retire … <a href="https://www.routineproceedings.com/2014/05/24/roundup-a-looming-second-empty-quebec-seat/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">→</span></a>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Chief Justice has written to the Prime Minister to remind him that Justice LeBel <a href="http://scc-csc.lexum.com/scc-csc/news/en/item/4624/index.do" target="_blank">will retire on November 30<sup>th</sup></a>, which would mean a second Quebec seat vacant on the bench. It’s notable because often a soon-to-retire Justice would retire before the next session began, and just finish off any decisions still in the works on their way out. Instead, Justice LeBel is staying on to the bitter end, likely because the Court is not confident that the PM will have a suitable replacement in time, given the way that they handled the vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Fish. Peter MacKay has promised that they’ll have a name for the currently vacant seat (that Justice Nadon was retroactively never appointed to) “soon,” but it’s also a reminder that they’d better get the process started for the next appointment as well. It’s also leading to more calls that the process as it stands needs to be reformed so as to be more transparent, so this might be the impetus to make those changes.</p> <p><span id="more-2774"></span>Nowhere is the need for those changes made apparent than in this <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/the-secret-short-list-that-caused-a-rift-between-chief-justice-and-pmo/article18823392/?page=all" target="_blank">explosive piece from the <em>Globe</em></a>, which pulls back the curtains of the Nadon selection process and exposes it for the sham that it was – four of six names on the list were Federal Court justices because they could give the PM more of what he wanted, and definite cause for concern for the Chief Justice, making her call to the Justice Minister to warn him about eligibility issues all the more necessary and salient – and vindicating her in the process. It raises all kinds of troubling questions about the way that the PM treated the process and used the “open and transparent” committee process to launder it for public consumption, which is an extremely troubling precedent going forward.</p> <p>The NDP are sounding the alarm that opposition parties have <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/maternal-health-summit-excludes-opposition-parties-ndp-says-1.2652168" target="_blank">not been invited</a> to the maternal and child health summit next week, despite reaching out and asking to be included. I’m not sure why this would surprise anyone.</p> <p>With Assembly of First Nations chiefs <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/afn-s-future-at-issue-when-chiefs-hold-emergency-meeting-1.2651510" target="_blank">meeting next week</a>, there is a renewed interest in having the organisation renew itself and its mandate given the changing demographics among First Nations communities, and finding a new way to deal with contentious issues like the First Nations education bill. It is also said that the vocal opposing chiefs are in the minority, but there will need to be a leader who can present some kind of unifying vision going forward.</p> <p>A group of academics and civil liberties groups have signed a <a href="http://o.canada.com/news/academics-and-privacy-groups-call-for-changes-to-electronic-surveillance-451179" target="_blank">seven-point declaration</a> of mass surveillance, which calls on the government for greater transparency and oversight with surveillance, and an end to the attempts to expand warrantless access.</p> <p>As the rail grain bill heads closer toward passing Parliament, there is talk about the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/grain-backlog-points-to-need-to-modernize-supply-chain-1.2652446" target="_blank">need to modernize</a> the entire grain supply chain in the wake of the demise of the Canadian Wheat Board.</p> <p>Rainbow Day takes place on the Hill on Tuesday next week, where queer youth <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/1348609/a-day-to-let-teens-and-politicians-know-its-ok-to-come-out-on-the-hill/" target="_blank">shadow gay and lesbian MPs</a> around the Hill for a day. Out lesbian Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth was apparently not invited to participate, though she doesn’t see the value in shadowing as much as a more educational seminar for queer youth would be.</p> <p>The organizer behind the campaign of Eve Adams’ rival in Oakville North–Burlington is also <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/dufferin-caledon-nomination-race-features-familiar-tory-face-1.2652144" target="_blank">backing another campaign</a> to oust the incumbent, David Tilson, in Dufferin–Caledon. (He didn’t succeed). Meanwhile, Eve Adams and Dimitri Soudas are <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/eve-adams-dimitri-soudas-fight-fraud-allegations-after-nixed-vote-1.2652787" target="_blank">proclaiming their innocence</a> against allegations of shenanigans, Adams insisting that she always takes the high road and doesn’t attack fellow Conservatives.</p> <p>Over in BC, the BC Liberals (no relation to the federal Liberals) are holding their convention this weekend, and Premier Christy Clark wants the party to <a href="http://www.canada.com/news/Christy+Clark+wants+overhaul+Liberal+Party/9868854/story.html" target="_blank">transform itself</a> into a more grassroots-driven party that better engages people between elections. The talk of rebranding the party has moved off the table since their latest majority election victory.</p> <p>And Susan Delacourt looks at the Justin Trudeau/abortion issue, and wonders about the growing tendency of <a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2014/05/23/justin_trudeau_with_abortion_stand_the_champion_of_freedom_and_choice_stumbles_again.html" target="_blank">arbitrary decision-making</a> that Trudeau seems to be demonstrating.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2774</post-id> </item> </channel> </rss>