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Feb 1 2024

China interference. Alberta consent. Anchor wardrobes: The Roundup

Feb 1, 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.
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Canada
Briefing report obtained by Global News says China 'sought to clandestinely and deceptively influence the 2019 and 2021 federal elections'. [Global]
Ex-spymasters warn of ‘over-protection’ in Canada’s security culture
Some former top security officials told the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference that Canada's national security agencies tend to "over-classify" and encouraged the Commission to "push" to put secret information on the record. In the meantime, the Commission must deal with requests from the Conservative Party of Canada, the World Sikh Organization of Canada and the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project. [Global National]
Commissioner’s decision to grant standing to certain politicians behind the move to withdraw, group says. [Globe and Mail]

The Conservative Party of Canada raised more than $35 million during Pierre Poilievre's first full year as leader — and the federal Liberals brought in less than half that amount. [CP]
The report found the vacancy rate now sitting at 1.5 per cent, the lowest recorded rate since 1988 when the CMHC began recording a national vacancy rate. [Global]
From the provinces
Alberta proposes parental consent for name changes in schools, age limits on gender affirmation care
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the government will be requiring parental notification and consent if a child 15 years or younger changes their name and pronouns at school. [Global]
Ray Orb, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, said more than 80 rural municipalities declared agricultural disaster last year due to the drought, and he expects to get more calls in the spring. [Global]

A new poll from Vancouver-based Research Co. found B.C.'s Official Opposition BC United party is trailing not only the governing BC NDP, but also the upstart BC Conservative Party. [Global]

B.C. Greens Leader Sonia Furstenau says she'll be switching ridings when the province goes to the polls in October. [CP]
The suggestion to end citizen donations comes amid strong criticism from opposition parties, which have accused the CAQ governing party of monetizing access to its ministers. [Global]

But the party is open to overhauling Quebec's electoral financing law, it says as it defends its ethics record. [Montreal Gazette]
Saskatchewan Party MLA Greg Lawrence announced his resignation following a police investigation where he was charged with assault. [Global]
Elsewhere
EU summit agrees on Ukraine aid, overcoming Hungary objections
European Union leaders unanimously agreed on Thursday to extend 50 billion euros in aid to Ukraine, the chairman of the summit said, overcoming weeks of resistance from Hungary. [Reuters]

In testimony before Congress, Christopher A. Wray, the agency’s director, said Beijing was preparing to sow chaos if disputes with the United States flared into conflict. [NYT]
Media
‘I’m sorry for everything’: Zuckerberg among social media execs testifying before U.S. Senate
The chief executives of the world's biggest social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok were on the hot seat on Capitol Hill, where U.S. Senators accused the tech titans of failing to protect children from abuse, exploitation, and bullying. Abigail Bimman reports on the hopes this will create social media safeguards; Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's apology to grieving parents; their reaction; and where Canada is at on regulating social media. [Global National]
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How many journalists have been killed in Gaza?
Organizations like Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists have reported large numbers of Palestinian journalists killed in the war in Gaza. How are these NGOs documenting their deaths? [Le Monde]
The Messenger hired 300 people across a few short months and paid them above market wage. The Messenger is not offering any severance to its employees, many of whom it recruited from major media outlets, per two sources familiar.
Staff was notified of the decision about one hour after it was made. [Axios]
Kendra Strauss, a geographer and feminist political economist at Simon Fraser University, said the results of the clothing experiment were not particularly surprising. [Global]
Sci/Tech
The US Wants to Know How Much Electricity Crypto Miners Use
The mining of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies uses more electricity than some countries. Is all that demand raising your power bill? [CNET]
Google announced its largest offshore wind agreement yet to reduce pollution stemming from its data centers in the Netherlands. [The Verge]
No one likes robocalls to begin with, but using AI-generated voices of people like President Biden makes them even worse. As such the FCC is proposing to outlaw voice cloning tech in robocalls. [TechCrunch]
The Calendar
  • 0815 ET: 425 Wellington - Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST) | Meeting  92 - Bill C-40
  • 0815 ET: 415 Wellington - Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) | Meeting 91 - Bill C-26
  • 1000 ET: National Press Theatre -  Senators Stan Kutcher, Pamela Wallin and Marie-Françoise Mégie speak about MAID.
  • 1100 ET: 315 Wellington - Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) | Meeting  100 - Federal Government's Use of Technological Tools Capable of Extracting Personal Data from Mobile Devices and Computers
  • 1100 ET: 025-B West Block - Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) | Meeting  103 - Drafting report.
  • 1100 ET: 035B West Block - Standing Committee on Health (HESA) | Meeting  98 - Opioid Epidemic and Toxic Drug Crisis in Canada. Mental Health Min Ya'ara Saks to testify.
  • 1100 ET: 410 Wellington - Standing Committee on Science and Research (SRSR) | Meeting  70 - Committee business
  • 1100 ET: 125B West Block - Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN) | Meeting  98 - Drafting report.
  • 1130 ET: 225A West Block - Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) | Meeting  124 - Report of the Bank of Canada on Monetary Policy
  • 1530 ET: 315 Wellington - Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) | Meeting  95 - Illegal, Unreported, and unregulated fishing
  • 1530 ET: 330 Wellington - Standing Committee on International Trade (CIIT) | Meeting  90 - Canadian Businesses in Supply Chains and Global Markets
  • 1530 ET: 035B West Block - Standing Committee on Natural Resources (RNNR) | Meeting  82 - Bill C-49. Labour Min Seamus O'Regan to testify.
  • 1530 ET: 225A West Block - Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP) | Meeting  95 - Drafting reports
  • 1630 ET: 125B West Block - Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC) | Meeting  107 - Committee business
  • 1700 ET: Toronto -  The CPC holds a fundraising event for the Jean Charest Leadership Campaign.
  • 1830 ET: Ottawa - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to the Douglas Coldwell Layton Foundation's Mouseland Gala
Issued this day ...
Issued this day in 1989: Scott #1232a se-tenant block of 4: Small Craft — I: Native Boats
Featuring, clockwise from top left, a Chipewyan canoe, a Haida canoe, an Inuit kayak, and a Micmac canoe. 

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