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May 8 2024

Diplomat's worries. AI at work. Russian attacks: The Roundup

May 8, 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.
Readers note: Well, readers, it looks like we may be publishing this newsletter back on this, the goodbits.io platform. Many of you told me you like the look and feel of the platform we've been using for the last couple of weeks -- Curated.co -- but, today, that platform crashed: It failed to hold images and, more egregiously, failed to actually send today's edition. 

Goodbits, in the meantime, has corrected its image retention problem.

So, though I'd built today's newsletter on Curated.co, I've had to rebuild it here -- and that's why it's a little late coming to you today.  Now, you may yet receive an additional copy from the Curated.co platform if that platform's problems get resolved later today. If so, apologies for the extra e-mail.

Thanks for all your patience and support. - DA
Canada
Foreign interference bill welcomed but needs work, diaspora groups say
The federal government has tabled a bill meant to counter foreign interference, which includes a foreign agent registry and changes to legislation governing CSIS. It comes as pressure piles on Canada to strengthen its measures against alleged meddling into the country’s democratic processes. As David Akin reports on Global National, diaspora groups are welcoming the legislation, but have concerns about its implementation. [Global National]
Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder: Top Indian diplomat worries about Sikh activists in Canada
Karan Brar, Kamalpreet Singh, Karanpreet Singh have all been charged with first-degree murder in the June 2023 fatal shooting of Canadian Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, B.C.
Canada accusing India's government of being involved in his death has ignited a diplomatic rift between the two countries. On Global National, Eric Sorensen looks at why India says it's worried about Sikh activists in Canada. [Global National]
The registry shows Poilievre’s meetings have been with a variety of groups including companies advancing resource projects, like mining giant Rio Tinto and Woodfibre Management, a firm proposing an LNG export facility near Squamish, B.C., Imperial Oil and Cenovus. [National Post]
Drouin, who has described himself as an “ardent Ontario defender” of Quebec’s Charter of the French Language, then explained that as president of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, he has seen that even France is anglicizing: “Do you really think the big problem with Quebec anglicizing is McGill and Dawson College? [Montreal Gazette]
Canada Post reported a sixth consecutive annual loss in 2023, prompting the Crown corporation to acknowledge its current business model is not working. [Global]
Catherine Blewett, who is going on leave for health reasons, recently announced that public servants must work in the office three days a week. [Ottawa Citizen]
No one covers the public service like Kathryn May and she's got all the deets here on 👆 the latest turmoil. Let’s take a quick look at some of the fallout from last week’s mandatory order for three days a week in the office. The countdown begins. By September, all public servants must be in the office three days a week and executives for four days. [The Functionary]
From the Provinces
Rainstorm ‘not enough’ to pull Alberta out of drought, expert says
The rain event hitting much of Alberta for several days is well timed and well located but it's not enough to pull Alberta out of drought, experts say. [Global]
The Tuxedo seat was vacated on Monday by former premier Heather Stefanson. The Tuxedo seat has historically been a stronghold of the Progressive Conservatives, but in last year’s provincial election, the NDP came within 300 votes of taking the seat as the New Democrats swept to power. [Global]
Elsewhere
Joly says Israeli Rafah invasion would be ‘unacceptable,’ urges ceasefire
As Israeli forces take control of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly warns of a 'catastrophic' situation. [Global]

Russia pummeled Ukrainian energy infrastructure early Wednesday morning, as the Kremlin geared up to celebrate the May 9 Victory Day holiday that traditionally marks the Soviet triumph over Nazi Germany, but has more recently become emblematic of the war on Ukraine. [Politico Europe]
Chairman of All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF) Maninderjeet Singh Bitta launched a no-hold-barred attack on Canada over the Khalistan issue. MS Bitta claimed that Canada has become the second Pakistan and if Canada wants to make a Khalistan then Canada should make a Khalistan within Canada itself. A dreminder that the publisher of this item -- The Economic Times -- writes the headlines and the excerpt here, not Akin. [Economic Times]

Polling officers in Gujarat make a two-day trip by bus on bumpy roads to ensure a Hindu monk could vote.

Hong Kong’s appeals court has ruled that a protest song is illegal to sing or play in the city. “Glory to Hong Kong” emerged as an anthem for protesters during the massive anti-government protests in 2019. Judge Jeremy Poon sided in favor of the government in his ruling Wednesday, saying the composer intended for the song to be used as a "weapon." [Voice of America]
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Media
CBC head spars with Conservative MPs as she testifies about executive bonuses
An appearance by the CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. at a parliamentary committee turned personal Tuesday, even before Catherine Tait faced a barrage of questions from Conservative MPs over executive bonuses. Before Tait's testimony, the public broadcaster published a letter it had sent to the committee chair in March, which accused Conservative MPs of deliberately spreading false accusations about the company and Tait. [CP]

Jeffrey Gedmin joins Robert McMahon and Carla Anne Robbins to discuss the global state of press freedom. They cover the challenges that a growing number of journalists face in exile or imprisonment, the U.S. role in upholding freedom of the press, and more. [Council on Foreign Relations]
Science and Tech
Daimler’s driverless semi trucks will hit the road in 2027
The demonstrator is an all-electric version of Daimler’s popular Freightliner Cascadia models. The so-called eCascadia has been fitted with a suite of high-powered, long-range sensors that enable it to “see” its surrounding environment as well as a high-powered computer that can process the sensor data and make navigation decisions. [The Verge]

NASA engineers managed to diagnose and repair Voyager 1 from 24 billion kilometers away—all while working within the constraints of the vintage technology. “We had some people left that we could rely on [who] could remember working on bits of the hardware,” says project scientist Linda Spilker. “But a lot of it was going back through old memos, like an archeological dig to try and find information on the best way to proceed.” [IEEE Spectrum]
The Calendar
  • 0930 ET: West Block -  The NDP national caucus will meet.
  • 0930 ET: 025B West Block -  The CPC national caucus will meet.
  • 0930 ET: Ottawa - GPC MP Elizabeth  May meets with Salvation Army leaders.
  • 0930 ET: Ottawa - GPC MP Elizabeth  May meetrs with First Nations' Emergency Services Society of BC officials.
  • 1000 ET: 135B West Block -  Christian Heritage Party Leader Rod Taylor speaks to reporters.
  • 1000 ET: 225-A West Block -  The LPC national caucus will meet.
  • 1100 ET: 135B West Block -  Society of Queer Momentum speaks to reporters.
  • 1115 ET: Brantford, ON - Deputy PM and Fin Min Chrystia Freeland and Emergency Preparedness Min Harjit Sajjan meet with first responders and speak to reporters. 
  • 1130 ET: 135B West Block -  Federal public service workers speak to reporters.
  • 1200 ET: National Press Theatre - Mental Health Min Ya'ara Saks and LPC MPs Anthony Housefather, Marco Mendicino, Julie Dabrusin, Anna Gainey, Ben Carr and CPC MP Tako Van Popta speak about antisemitism on university campuses.
  • 1400 ET: HoC Foyer - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and NDP MP Lori Idlout speak to reporters.
  • 1630 ET: 415 Wellington - Indigenous and Northern Affairs (INAN) | Meeting 107 - Nutrition North Canada. Northern Affairs Min Dan Vandal testifies.
  • 1630 ET: 425 Wellington - Veterans Affairs (ACVA) | Meeting 94 - FY25 Main Estimates. Veterans Affairs Min Ginette Petitpas Taylor testifies.
  • 1630 ET: 035B West Block - Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) | Meeting 99  - Drafting letter
  • 1630 ET: 315 Wellington - Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) | Meeting 107 - Canada's Approach to Africa
  • 1630 ET: 025 West Block - Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) | Meeting 120 - Debate on motion from CPC MP Garnet Genuis
  • 1630 ET: 330 Wellington - Industry and Technology (INDU) | Meeting 123 - Development and Deployment of ELYSIS Technology at Rio Tinto and Alcoa Facilities: Innovation Science and Industry Min François-Philippe Champagne testifies. 
  • 1630 ET: 410 Wellington - National Defence (NDDN) | Meeting 103 - Transparency within the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces
  • 1830 ET: Ottawa - Diversity and Inclusion Min Kamal Khera marks Asian Heritage Month.
Issued this day ...
... … in  1986. Scott #1094. Canadian Forces Postal Services. Design: Jacques DesRosiers.  Marks the 75th anniversary of Canadian military postal service.

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