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Sep 2 2023

Border upgrade. Brainwashing trustee. Facebooking Liberals.

Sep 2, 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
New fences, gate controls among international border upgrades since 'Freedom Convoy'
The Canadian Border Services Agency is improving the perimeter fences, gate controls and road infrastructure at 11 border crossings between the United States and Canada following the "Freedom Convoy" protests. [CP]

CRA has fired 120 of its employees for illegally claiming the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) while working for the tax authority. [National Post]
From the provinces
‘Brainwashing’ social media post by Alberta school board trustee shows Nazi, Pride flags
The Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools Board of Trustees said the story shared by Trustee Monique LaGrange 'does not align with the principles and values that guide our division.' [Global]

Another day, another set of election promises from Manitoba politicians in the lead-up to the Oct. 3 provincial election. [Global]
The mysterious development consultant who Ontario's integrity commissioner identified only as "Mr. X" in a scathing report about the removal of land from the Greenbelt has been identified to CBC News as former Clarington, Ont., mayor John Mutton. [CBC]
A former Liberal premier’s chief of staff was jailed for wiping computer hard drives in the gas plants scandal a decade ago. [TorStar]
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Elsewhere
A one-time leader in the Proud Boys far-right extremist group has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. [AP]
Media
Feds try to force Google, Meta to pay $230M to Canadian media
The Canadian federal government released new draft regulations on Friday for its proposed Online News Act, which asks tech companies to compensate the media outlets they link to online. The bill has drawn the ire of social media giants Google and Meta, as Meta has already blocked Canadian media sites from its major platforms. The Liberal government has taken government ads off Facebook but, as my colleague Mackenzie Gray found, almost all 159 Liberal MPs are still using Facebook. One -- the heritage minister no less -- even took to Facebook to complain about Facebook. [Global National]

In the midst of a school shooting, UNC's student journalists kicked into action, covering the story as it unfolded. Now, the paper's front page — a block of heart-wrenching texts — is earning praise. [NPR]
Sci/Tech
The Early History of Counting
Why is it that a clock has 12 hours, an hour has 60 minutes, and a minute has 60 seconds? How ancient peoples learned to keep a tally. [Lapham's Quarterly]
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The Calendar
  • 1500 ET: Sannichton, BC - GPC MP Elizabeth  May speaks at the opening of the Saanich Fall Fair.
  • 2100 ET: Hubbards, NS - Veterans Affairs Min Ginette Petitpas Taylor marks the 25th anniversary of the Swissair Flight 111 tragedy.
Issued this day ...
... in 1898: Scott # 76: Queen Victoria "Numeral" Issue - 2¢ purple. Photograph: W. & D. Downey.

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