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Dec 1 2023

English please. Replacing Trudeau. Christmas saved. The Roundup

Dec 1, 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
The state of the Royal Canadian Navy
Vice Admiral Angus Topshee: The RCN faces some very serious challenges right now that could mean that we fail to meet our force posture and readiness commitments in 2024 and beyond. There's being brutally honest and then there's this .. [Royal Canadian Navy]
Angus Topshee, the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy, on thin crews and late boats. [Substack]
Conservative MP Rachael Thomas has apologized after drawing criticism from other members of Parliament for asking Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge to answer questions in English at a committee. A huge 'own goal' from Thomas here. Poilievre and his Quebec MPs have been hammering away at the BQ for weeks with the possibility of winning new seats in QC and Thomas just set that all back with a cheap committee stunt. [CP]
New polling shows the Liberal Party's biggest liability is its leader Justin Trudeau. Would a new leader help? And how will the party win support despite Trudeau's unpopularity? Latest from me ...  [Global]

The House of Commons has unanimously adopted a Bloc Quebecois motion Thursday that denounces a recent discussion paper suggesting the Christmas statutory holiday amounts to “systemic religious discrimination.” Let me stress that one descriptive: "unanimously". [Global]
A discussion paper from the Canadian Human Rights Commission argued that Christian holidays being the only religious stat-holidays is an example of religious intolerance. [Global]

One of Canada’s former top spies says that the American indictment linking an alleged assassination attempt orchestrated by an Indian government employee re-enforces the validity of allegations made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September. [Global]

Recent Canadian media reports said businessman Michael Spavor blamed Michael Kovrig for his detention after he shared information on North Korea, without knowing it would be passed on. [South China Morning Post]
A group representing more than 130 First Nations in Ontario are asking a court to review what they call Canada's "discriminatory" carbon price system. [Global]
Federal ministers on Thursday defended the government’s decision to award Boeing a multibillion-dollar sole-source contract to replace the military’s aging patrol aircraft by explaining the U.S. company’s plane was the only one available that can offer what the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) needs. [Global]
Two covert officers said they were sexually assaulted by a senior colleague while on duty with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. [Global]
The Department of Canadian Heritage has taken legal action in order to recoup funds it doled out to a consultant accused of posting antisemitic material online. [CP]
Based on what we have seen during previous strong El Niño winters, it is possible that a mild pattern will continue to dominate for most of the winter. However, we have several reasons to believe that this winter will break tradition in Canada's eastern half. [The Weather Network]

Although over half of researchers were not restricted from speaking to the media (54%), and most had never been asked to make “undue modifications” to their work (84%), the vast majority (92%) reported at least some degree of interference in their work during their careers. [Facets Journal]

Report No. 4 of the House of Commons Special Committee on the Canada-People's Republic of China Relationship. [House of Commons]
From the provinces
Higgs PCs face more internal division over party's direction
New Brunswick’s Progressive Conservative Party is facing more internal division over its socially conservative message ahead of next year’s provincial election. [CBC]
John Michael McGrath: Yes, Olivia Chow backed down on Ontario Place. But she walked away with a structural improvement in the city’s finances that will help forestall a disaster. [TVO]
Choose wisely. Notley's successor could be the next Premier of Alberta. [Daveberta]

Speaking in the House of Commons, Angus stated, “Thornloe Cheese Factory is a symbol of the resilience, skill and determination." [Northern News]
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Elsewhere
Israel-Hamas war: Israel resumes combat in Gaza Strip as truce expires
 Israeli fighter jets hit targets in the Gaza Strip minutes after a weeklong truce expired on Friday, as the war with Hamas resumed in full force. Black smoke billowed from the besieged territory, and Israel dropped leaflets over parts of southern Gaza urging people to leave their homes, suggesting it was preparing to widen its offensive. [AP]
The Ukrainian president said he fears the Israel-Hamas war is threatening to overshadow the conflict in Ukraine. [AP]

The Red vs. Blue State featuring Govs. Ron DeSantis, of Florida, and Gavin Newsom, of California, had several tense moments as the pair clashed over crime, taxes and the pandemic. [Fox News]
Media
Forget the link tax. Focus on one key metric to “save local news”
Ken Doctor: ...the link tax idea may be ending its life in politics in North America.
That would be good news for all who care about rebuilding local news. And it should help us refocus on the key question underlying all such legislation: How does this actually help pay more local journalists to report on and for their communities? [NIeman Journalism Lab]
Haaretz, an independent daily newspaper, has been publishing since 1919, and has frequently been the target of right-wing administrations. [Nieman Journalism Lab]

New tax filings reveal Tucker Carlson is no longer associated with The Daily Caller in any form—and that the news organization also had a PPP loan forgiven. [Daily Beast]
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Sci/Tech
Automatic bike transmission concept is wild and spiky—and could be a big shift
"Automatic Transmission System for a Bicycle," a US patent filed by Haven Mercer and published on November 23, has caught the attention of bicycle enthusiasts. If it works like it says it does and can be produced as a reliable product at scale, it could make for some interesting bikes. [Ars Technica]

Building a robot that’s both human-like and useful is a decades-old engineering dream inspired by popular science fiction. [AP]
The Calendar
  • 0200 ET: Dubai, UAE - Environment Min Steven Guilbeault participates in a COP28 event.
  • 0730 ET: 268 Valour - LPC MP Jenica Atwin speaks at an event marking Indigenous AIDS Awareness Week.
  • 1000 ET: Halifax, NS - Transport Min Pablo Rodriguez and LPC MP Andy Fillmore make a funding announcement. 
  • 1000 ET: Dubai, UAE - Environment Min Steven Guilbeault speaks to reporters.
  • 1100 ET: Toronto - Diversity and Inclusion MIn Kamal Khera and LPC MP Michael Coteau make a funding announcement. 
  • 1100 ET: Sherbrooke, QC - Immigration Min Marc Miller and LPC MP Elisabeth Briére participate in a citizenship ceremony.
  • 1100 ET: London, ON - LPC MP Peter Fragiskatos makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1300 ET: Vancouver - LPC MP Taleeb Noormohamed makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1415 ET: Gibsons, BC - Fisheries Min Diane Lebouthillier and LPC MP Patrick Weiler make a funding announcement.
  • 1430 ET: Vancouver - Energy and Natural Resources Min Jonathan Wilkinson makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1445 ET: GTA - PM Trudeau speaks about child care.
  • 1500 ET: Edmonton - Employment Min Randy Boissonnault makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1800 ET: Toronto - PM Trudeau speaks at a Liberal Party of Canada fundraising event.
Issued this day...
... in 1932: Scott # 195 King George V “Medallion” Issue: 1¢ dark green. Sculpture by Edgar Bertram Mackenna.
Note: December is not normally a busy month for stamp issues — or at least, for the ones in my collection from which these scans originate — so I would expect this space to be empty more often than it’s filled until the new year. - DA

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