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Nov 1 2023

Absolutely not. Deepfake target. Everything app. The Roundup

Nov 1, 2023
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
Trudeau says ‘absolutely not’ to more carbon tax exemptions
Atlantic Canadians are getting a three-year break on paying the carbon tax on oil to heat their homes. So will anyone else get a reprieve? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says "absolutely not." [Global National]
Mark Carney pressed for Canada to stick with predictable climate policy on Tuesday, as he questioned the federal government's move to lift the carbon price on home heating oil. [TorStar]
Trevor Tombe: Whatever you think of the carbon tax as a policy, it’s days may be numbered. The same government that introduced it delivered the potentially fatal blow. [The Hub]

In a letter to the ministers, Freeland said the province had the right to withdraw from the CPP, but that it should be "informed by a clear understanding of the risks" of doing so. [Global]
The Conservative party is maintaining a steady lead over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberals, a new poll suggests, at a time when Canadians are reporting limited trust in their institutions. The article does not mention it but the polling firm here is Leger. [CP]
Immigration Minister Marc Miller is laying out the federal government's priorities for improving Canada's immigration system today with a newly released report. [TorStar]
An online survey which the Liberal government used as a basis for choosing the design of Canada's national memorial to the Afghan war was not scientific, but the veterans minister says that doesn't mean it should be discounted. [CBC]
The YouTube video appears to show a person who looks like Liu Xin making unfounded remarks about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying among other things that "he is a man who loves porn." [CP]
Former Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner, who was most recently Canada's consul general in Boston, has been named a senator for Nova Scotia. [Global]
Although a majority of Canadians have already received or intend to get a COVID-19 booster shot, 40 per cent of the population does not plan on rolling up their sleeves this fall. [Global]
Still the all-time champ for #cdnpoli costumes 👇 NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair at Stornoway in 2014. - DA
From the provinces

Saskatchewan's natural gas utility could face hefty fines for not remitting the carbon tax to the federal government, and its executives may also face jail for failing to do so. [CP]
The provincial government painted a mostly rosy picture of its fiscal situation on Tuesday, Oct. 31, raising the eyebrows of opposition parties, who said it isn’t so sunny for regular people. [SaltWire]
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Elsewhere
Information from Gaza difficult to verify
Israel and Hamas' violent conflict has seen both sides provide conflicting information on several deadly incidents, and those claims are nearly impossible to independently verify from the Gaza Strip, where nobody is allowed in or out. Mike Armstrong reports on the info war being fought; Israel's deadly bombing of Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza; and the UN's warning of an imminent public health catastrophe. [Global National]
With Israel's war on Hamas showing no signs of slowing down, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is encouraging civilians to arm themselves. Daniele Hamamdjian looks at how gun licence applications in Israel are soaring, and speaks with some new first-time gun owners. [Global National]

Gaza was plunged into another communications blackout, with internet and phone service cut for several hours as Israeli troops battled Hamas militants. [AP]

... the transfer of priceless artifacts by Russian occupying forces around different parts of Ukraine currently under their control or to Russia itself [is] a process Ukrainian experts say is a nearly unprecedented case of cultural expropriation that amounts to a war crime. [Radio Free Europe]
A meeting between Biden and Xi will mark the latest and most high-profile effort to stabilize relations between the two global superpowers amid growing international conflicts. [Global]

Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Lindell who pushed various false claims about 2020 election face six- and seven-figure bills. [The Guardian]
Media
Elon Musk shares X ‘everything app’ plan in leaked all-hands
During an internal meeting, Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino said they want to turn Twitter into the X “everything app” for banking, video on TVs, hiring, and more. [The Verge]
The Mainland Affairs Council has reached out to temples across Taiwan to promote awareness of Chinese misinformation campaigns, after national security agencies reported a “high occurrence” of election disinformation being spread among the religious community, a senior government official said. [Taipei Times]
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Sci/Tech
This 90-passenger school bus has nearly 300 miles of range
GreenPower has launched the Mega Beast electric school bus with a massive 300 miles of range. [Endgadget]
The Calendar
  • 0920 ET: Ottawa - Deputy PM and Fin Min Chrystia Freeland speaks to the Sustainable Finance Forum.
  • 0930 ET: 025B West Block -  The Conservative National Caucus will meet.
  • 0930 ET: Ottawa -  The NDP national caucus will meet
  • 1000 ET: 225A West Block -  The Liberal National Caucus will meet.
  • 1130 ET: B45 Senate Building - Bill C-21 Meeting of the Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs : Bill C-21
  • 1600 ET: HoC Foyer - Immigration Min Marc Miller speaks about federal immigration plans.
  • 1615 ET: C128 Senate Building - Study on foreign relations and international trade generally Meeting of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade : Study on foreign relations and international trade generally
  • 1615 ET: B45 Senate Building - Bill C-35 Meeting of the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology : Bill C-35
  • 1615 ET: B30 Senate Building - Bill S-13 Meeting of the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs : Bill S-13
  • 1615 ET: W110 1 Wellington - Study matters relating to banking and commerce generally Meeting of the Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy : Study matters relating to banking and commerce generally
  • 1630 ET: 415 Wellington - Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) | Meeting 86 - Implications of Artificial Intelligence Technologies for the Canadian Labor Force
  • 1630 ET: 330 Wellington - Standing Committee on Science and Research (SRSR) | Meeting  62 - Drafting report
  • 1630 ET: 035B West Block - Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) | Meeting  80 - Situation at the Russia-Ukraine Border and Implications for Peace and Security
  • 1630 ET: 410 Wellington - Standing Committee on Official Languages (LANG) | Meeting  73 - Economic Development of Official Language Minority Communities
  • 1630 ET: 425 Wellington - Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) | Meeting 80 - Bill C-20
  • 1630 ET: 035B West Block - Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN) | Meeting  86 - C-30 - Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez to testify.
  • 1845 ET: C128 Senate Building - Examine the constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples Meeting of the Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples : Examine the constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples
  • 1845 ET: W110 1 Wellington - Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024 Meeting of the Senate Committee on National Finance : Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024
  • 1845 ET: B45 Senate Building - Study the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors Meeting of the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications : Study the impacts of climate change on critical infrastructure in the transportation and communications sectors
  • 1930 ET: 025B West Block - Standing Committee on Health (HESA) | Meeting  86 - Briefing by Health Minister Mark Holland and Mental Health Min Ya'ara Saks on their mandate letters
Issued this day ...
.. in 2004: Scott #2053iv reprint (lighter blue) - Coil Reprints. Design: Joseph Gault. 

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