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May 22 2024

Abortion law. NDP shift. Hyping AI: The Roundup

May 22, 2024
David Akin's Roundup
Clippings of #cdnpoli, #media, and #tech content aimed at those with an interest in Canadian politics and policy. And sometimes Canadian postage stamps.
Canada

Despite warning of looming threats to abortion rights in Canada, the Trudeau government does not plan to enshrine legislative protections of a woman's right to choose to end an unwanted pregnancy, says Health Minister Mark Holland. [TorStar]
CPC, BQ MPs renew calls for House Speaker Fergus to resign
The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois are calling for House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus to resign. He was elected as a Liberal MP, but is supposed to be neutral in his current role. The resignation calls mean Fergus could soon face his second non-confidence vote, despite being on the job for just seven months. David Akin explains what Fergus is being accused of and how the Liberals and NDP are reacting. [Global National]

The Liberal government will bring its proposal to increase the inclusion rate on capital gains to the House of Commons before the parliamentary summer break, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said. [CP]
Former provincial NDP candidate Billy Cann intends to seek the federal nomination for the Conservative Party in the Cardigan riding. Orange-blue switchers are more common in Western Canada but they exist in the east as well. Dominic Cardy, for example, once led the NB NDP -- and ended up in Blaine Higgs' cabinet! But back to Cardigan .... Liberal Lawrence MacAulay has held this riding since 1988!! Says something about the fall of the Liberals in Atlantic Canada that Cann is the second individual to step forward to contest the right to carry the CPC banner against him. [CBC]
From the Provinces

Some allegedly impaired drivers in Ontario have been allowed to avoid a criminal record if they accept Highway Traffic Act charges. How many? The province isn't counting. [Global]
Nova Scotia’s governing Progressive Conservatives easily retained the riding of Pictou West in a byelection held Tuesday, with first-time Tory candidate Marco MacLeod receiving more than four times the votes of his next-closest competitor. [CP]
The 'Redmonton' party no more: Alberta NDP's base has shifted to Calgary
After Rachel Notley, Calgary members now dominate her party. How will this reshape Alberta politics? [CBC]
During a debate, [PC candidate Lin] Paddock said the province needs to recruit health-care professionals in areas where people love this place, such as from Germany, where they adore the outdoors, and not in India and Pakistan, where they "come here and go to Toronto." [SaltWire]

A northeast New Brunswick Liberal MP is joining the Maritime Fishermen’s Union in calling for a better balance between protecting endangered North Atlantic right whales and allowing commercial fishing operations. [CBC]
A modification to the Quebec language charter scheduled to come into effect on June 1 states that a French translation must be provided "immediately and without delay." [Global]

La pression s’accentue sur le maire de Victoriaville, Antoine Tardif, pour qu’il se lance dans la course à la direction du Parti libéral du Québec (PLQ). [La Presse]
Michael Moses is currently in his first term on city council and has positioned himself as an outspoken advocate for reconciliation, housing and healthcare. The BC NDP last won this part of the province in 2005. It's been BC Liberal/BC United ever since. [The Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal]

Laura Lee Langley is leaving her provincial job to take over as president of the federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. [CBC]
Elsewhere
Trudeau visits US to promote 'Team Canada' strategy - YouTube
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Philadelphia to promote his government's renewed "Team Canada" strategy on U.S. relations. It is Trudeau’s first trip south of the border since launching that charm offensive, which is based on direct outreach to state governments and organized labour. As Jackson Proskow explains, Trudeau is looking to shore up cross-border cooperation, no matter who wins America's upcoming presidential election. [Global National]

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opted against taking a stance on a push from the International Criminal Court to prosecute the Israeli prime minister and Hamas leaders over the war in the Gaza Strip. [CP]

Trump's campaign said a staffer didn't see the words before reposting the video on the former president's account. [Axios]
Donald Trump’s support from white evangelicals and other conservative Christians is as strong as ever. [LA Times]
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Media
How news coverage, often uncritical, helps build up the AI hype
“Research suggests that reporting tends to be led by industry sources, and often takes claims at face value,” our Director Rasmus Nielsen writes. [Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism]
Meta’s advertising policies are once again in the spotlight as a watchdog group says the company approved more than a dozen “highly inflammatory” ads that broke its rules. [Endgadget]
The Qatari satellite channel is among thousands of clients that receive live video feeds from the AP and other news organizations. [AP]
Science and Tech
Thunderstorms are driving a surge in billion-dollar weather disasters
A significant influence on the rising storm damage trend has little to do with the weather. [WaPo]
A new self-driving truck — manufactured by Volvo and loaded with autonomous vehicle tech developed by Aurora Innovation — could be on public highways as early as this summer. [TechCrunch]
2024's developer conference felt like a presentation to convince Google fans that AI is it. [Gizmodo]
The Calendar
  • 0930 ET: West Block -  The NDP National Caucus will meet.
  • 0930 ET: 035A West Block -  The CPC National Caucus will meet.
  • 1000 ET: 225A West Block -  The LPC National Caucus will meet.
  • 1030 ET: Toronto - Deputy PM and Fin Min Chrystia Freeland and Health Min Mark Holland speak about the federal dental care plan.
  • 1130 ET: National Press Theatre -  National Church Leaders speak about the war in Gaza.
  • 1300 ET: 135B West Block - NDP MP Jenny Kwan , Matthew Green, and Blake Desjarlais speak about Palestinian and Sudanese refugeees.
  • 1300 ET: HoC Foyer - BQ MP Luc Theriault and Sylvia Berubé speak to reporters about medically-assisted dying.
  • 1315 ET: Confederation Building - GPC MP Elizabeth  May meets with the Mennonite Central Committee provincial executive directors.
  • 1400 ET: HoC Foyer - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to reporters.
  • 1630 ET: 035-B West Block - Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) | Meeting 100 - Drafting a letter and drafting a report.
  • 1630 ET: 125-B West Block - Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) | Meeting 123 - Drafting report
  • 1630 ET: 415 Wellington - Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) | Meeting 108 - FY25 Main Estimates. Indigenous Services Min Patty Hajdu, Crown-Indigenous Relations Min Gary Anandasangaree and Northern Affairs Min Dan Vandal testifying.
  • 1630 ET: 330 Wellington - Industry and Technology (INDU) | Meeting 124 - Bill C-27
  • 1630 ET: 430 Wellington - National Defence (NDDN) | Meeting 104 - Drafting report.
  • 1630 ET: 425 Wellington - Veterans Affairs (ACVA) | Meeting 95 - Committee Business
  • 1630 ET: 315 Wellington Bldg - Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) | Meeting 108 - Canada’s Approach to Africa
  • 1745 ET: Ottawa - GPC MP Elizabeth  May attends an event to mark the 45th anniversary of the election of Joe Clark.
Issued this day ...
… in 1981: Scott #887: Canadian Painters. Design: Pierre Fontaine.
One of a trio of stamps issued this day in 1987. The other two featured works by Varley and Borduas. This one reproduces what Canada Post titles “At Baie Saint-Paul” (1937) by Marc-Aurele Fortin (1888-1970) but which Le Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, which holds the painting in its collection, calls Averse passagère, Baie-Saint-Paul.  

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