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Aug 29 2023

Cyber Warnings. Guilbeault warned. Election delay.

Aug 29, 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
Canada's critical infrastructure vulnerable to cyberattacks: report
Ransomware attacks are now the most disruptive form of cybercrime on Canadians, according to a new report from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. 
The warnings paint a picture of what lengths countries such as Russia and Iran will go to, and what they’re targeting. Mackenzie Gray explains the findings, the attacks' consequences to the Canadian economy, and what hackers are expected to target next. [Global National]
Le gouvernement fédéral étudie de nouveaux endroits pour établir la résidence officielle du premier ministre du Canada et mettre fin à la saga entourant le 24 Sussex, a appris Radio-Canada. [Radio-Canada]
PM hears residents' concerns about the grocery rebate, affordable daycare and home ownership during stop in Milton. [Halton Hills Today]
Theo Argitis: Rising bond yields are putting Ottawa on a costly path when it comes to servicing the debt. [Financial Post]
'Even before the meeting starts, they're giving us our marching orders,' said one observer. [National Post]
[An Angus Reid poll] comes on the heels of the Saskatchewan government introducing new policies that would require parental consent if a child under 16 wants to go by different names or pronouns, as well as paused third-party sexual health educators presenting in schools and gave parents the option to opt out of their kid receiving sex ed. [Global]
As Canadians continue to enjoy the last bit of summer's sun-soaked days, doctors say they are bracing for a potential "tridemic" of influenza, RSV and COVID-19. [Global]
From the provinces
Workers at Manitoba's auto insurance Crown corporation went on strike Monday, as Premier Heather Stefanson criticized union leaders for rejecting a wage offer.
Members of the Northwest Territories legislature unanimously voted Monday to delay an election scheduled for October because of wildfires. I'm pretty sure this is a first. Even during the pandemic, no municipal, provincial or federal election was delayed.  [CP]
While officials outlined the five-step plan they have for having residents return to their communities, they stressed people should not return until they are told to do so. [Global]
According to a post by the Alberta Electric Systems Operator (AESO), unideal weather conditions and an outage in B.C. are straining the province's electrical grid. [Global]
Grassroots federal Conservatives want their party to pledge support to safeguard the vulnerable strip of land connecting New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. [NB Telegraph-Journal]
The surplus announced by the New Brunswick government on Monday is about $199.6 million, five times what was originally projected. [Global]
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Elsewhere
Who knowingly shares false political information online?
Using a 2022 U.S. survey, we found that 14 percent of respondents reported knowingly sharing misinformation, and that these respondents were more likely to also report support for political violence, a desire to run for office, and warm feelings toward extremists. These respondents were also more likely to have elevated levels of a psychological need for chaos, dark tetrad traits, and paranoia. [Harvard Kennedy School]
Sci/Tech
Unlimited GPT-4, encryption, 32K context, and more. Will it become an essential tool? [Ars Technica]
Microsoft is tossing out Math Solver and other features you probably didn’t know were in Edge. [The Verge]
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The Calendar
  • 1000 ET: Sydney, NS - Diversity and Inclusion Min Kamal  Khera and LPC MP Jaime Battiste make a funding announcement. 
  • 1100 ET: Scarborough, ON - LPC MP Shaun Chen makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1130 ET: Edmonton, AB - Employment Min Randy Boissonnault makes a funding announcement. 
Issued this day ...
... in 1973: Scott# 622: Nellie McClung. Design: Stephen Mennie.
From the press release issued by Canada Post back in 1973: 

“If there was one national voice of the Canadian feminist movement during the first quarter of this century, that voice would be Nellie McClung's. 
A prominent campaigner for female suffrage, temperance, urban renewal and social welfare, her slogan was "Never retract, never explain, never apologize - get the thing done and let them howl". 

Nellie Letitia Moodie was born on October 20, 1873 on her father's farm in Grey County, Ontario. When she was seven, the family moved to Manitoba. There, in 1896, she married Robert Wesley McClung. They lived in Manitoba until 1914, then moved to Alberta. Mrs. McClung died in Victoria, B.C. on September 1, 1951. 

In 1912 Mrs. McClung joined in organizing the Winnipeg Political Equality League, one of the country's most successful suffrage organizations. Created primarily to fight the miserable conditions under which women factory workers toiled, it expanded into other areas of particular concern to women, especially female suffrage. Manitoba became, in January 1916, the first province to grant full suffrage to its women. 

To Nellie McClung and Judge Emily Murphy, Canada's first woman magistrate, belong the credit for establishing that "women" are "persons" in the laws of the British Empire. After several years of court proceedings and appeals, the Privy Council declared in October 1929 that women are, in fact, persons, and can therefore be appointed to the Senate, a privilege previously denied them. 

She also served as an Alberta MLA from 1921 until 1926.

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