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Apr 15 2024

Budget expectations. Referendum pledge. Genome editing: The Roundup

Apr 15, 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
Budget 2024 sets up a ‘hard year’ for the Liberals. Here’s what to expect
The Liberals are set to table the 2024 federal budget on Tuesday. Here's what to expect as the economy struggles and Canadians seek financial relief. [Global]
With the unveiling of the 2024 federal budget Tuesday, Canadians may be anxiously awaiting insights into the plans for tackling the strains on the health-care system. [Global]
Windsor West EDA president Al Teshuba says they'd like to receive all potential nominees' statements of interest as soon as possible, as a mass email was sent to registered members and supporters on Tuesday. Think this will be a long shot for the Tories in 2025. The riding was created in 1968 and was held by Liberal Herb Gray from its creation until his retirement in 2002. It's been held ever since by New Democrat Brian Masse, the longest-serving NDP MP, winner in seven general elections. The Liberals tried to take a run at him a couple of times but Masse's political machine in Windsor is pretty formidable and was able to fend off two challenges in 2019 and 2021 by former Ontario Liberal cabinet minister Sandra Pupatello. Masse is only 55 and expects to run again in 2025. In my model right now, he'd win by 30 points. [CKLW]
The official home of prime ministers in Ottawa has been closed and decommissioned for more than a year. [Ottawa Citizen]
From the Provinces
Parti Québécois leader pledges referendum, claiming Ottawa poses 'existential threat'
Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is reiterating his pledge for a third referendum on independence should his party take power in the next election. [CP]
The latest spat between Quebec and Ottawa over immigration is based on politics and not the reality of the labour market, says the head of a major employers group. [CP]
Eight years to the day after British Columbia declared a public health emergency, Premier David Eby says the toxic drug crisis has had a "catastrophic impact" on families and communities. [CP]
The province announced last month that it had reached a proposed deal with the Haida, which was called a "foundational step in the reconciliation pathway of Haida Nation and B.C." [Global]
Elsewhere
Iran's weekend attack on Israel marks a further step toward destabilization of the Middle East and risks provoking "an uncontrollable regional escalation," leaders from Canada and the other G7 countries said Sunday. [CP]
Israeli officials said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's five-member war cabinet favored retaliation in a meeting on Sunday. [Global]

Americans are increasingly self-segregating themselves by cultural, social, and political beliefs in terms of where they are choosing to live. Much is made of the national political map of the United States, and how the country is divided into blue states and red states and much has been made of the urban versus rural divide. But zooming into neighborhoods across the country, it’s clear that Americans are increasingly sorting themselves block-by-block and street-by-street by their political beliefs, ideology, and indeed their political identity. [Campaigns and Elections]
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Media
A post from the official Bluesky account on Friday notified users that it's lifted its ban on heads of state. The policy has been in place for the last year. Bluesky recently opened itself up to public signups after previously requiring invite codes. [Endgadget]
Meta is starting to test messaging features for Threads that rely on Instagram’s inbox but allow new messages to be initiated from the Threads app. [Endgadget]
Are you making the most of Threads and its many helpful features? Here's how to find out. [ZDNet]
Science and Tech
Eric Topol: Professor Doudna was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Professor Emmanuelle Charpentier for their pioneering work in CRISPR genome editing. The first genome editing therapy (Casgevy) was just FDA approved, only a decade after the CRISPR-Cas9 editing system discovery. But It’s just the beginning of a much bigger impact story for medicine and life science. [Ground Truths]
The Calendar
1000 ET: Ottawa - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks at the IAFF Canadian Legislative Conference
1030 ET: 135B West Block - GPC MP Elizabeth  May speaks about Budget 2024
1030 ET: Ottawa - PM Trudeau meets with Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
1100 ET: National Press Theatre - NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo and health care experts speak to reporters.
1100 ET: 025-B West Block - Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) | Meeting  117 - Postal Service in Canada’s Rural and Remote Communities
1100 ET: 430 Wellington - Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) | Meeting  103 - Drafting report
1100 ET: 330 Wellington - Industry and Technology (INDU) | Meeting  118 - Bill C-27
1100 ET: 410 Wellington - Justice and Human Rights (JUST) | Meeting  101 - Bill C-273
1100 ET: 125-B West Block - National Defence (NDDN) | Meeting  98 - Defence Policy Update. Defence Min Bill Blair to testify
1100 ET: 425 Wellington - Veterans Affairs (ACVA) | Meeting  89 - Drafting report
1130 ET: Ottawa - Deputy PM and Fin Min Chrystia Freeland purchases her Budget 2024 footwear.
1400 ET: HoC Foyer - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to reporters.
1500 ET: Ottawa - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh meets with Burnaby firefighters.
1500 ET: Ottawa - PM Trudeau speaks to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
1530 ET: 315 Wellington - Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) | Meeting  102 - Canada’s Approach to Africa
1530 ET: 410 Wellington - Health (HESA) | Meeting  110 - Opioid Epidemic and Toxic Drug Crisis in Canada
1530 ET: 330 Wellington - Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) | Meeting 108 - Bill C-58
1530 ET: 035-B West Block - Natural Resources (RNNR) | Meeting  93 - Drafting report
1530 ET: 125-B West Block - Official Languages (LANG) | Meeting  94 - Federal Funding for Minority-Language Post-Secondary Institutions
1530 ET: 425 Wellington - Public Safety and National Security (SECU) | Meeting 102 - Growing Problem of Car Thefts in Canada
1815 ET: Ottawa - PM Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speak at an Eid al-Fitr dinner
1830 ET: 025-B West Block - Special Committee on the Canada–People’s Republic of China Relationship (CACN) | Meeting  37 - Canada–People’s Republic of China Relations. Democratic Institutions Min Dominic LeBlanc to testify.
Issued this day ...
… in 1937: Scott #240 pair: King George VI Coil Stamps. Design: Herman Herbert Schwartz. Photograph: Bertram Park. 

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