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May 10 2024

Everyone unpopular. MacAulay’s nemesis? Counting people: The Roundup

May 10, 2024
David Akin's Roundup
Everyone unpopular. MacAulay’s nemesis? Counting people.
Canada
Canada’s national party leaders have never been less popular, and 50 years of data demonstrates that
Conservative and Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre is most “popular” with a negative 12 net rating (favourability minus unfavourability) while NDP leader Jagmeet Singh scores his worst ever rating at negative 14. Prime Minister Trudeau’s approval has dropped to its lowest point at just 28 per cent, with a net approval of negative 38. [Angus Reid Institute]
Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron is urging allies, including Canada, to spend more on their militaries, warning the West needs a 'harder edge for a tougher world.' [Global]
Minister for Women Marci Ien on Wednesday suggested Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre could use the notwithstanding clause on abortion. His office says "never." [Global]
Former provincial cabinet minister James Aylward announced Thursday he will seek the Conservative Party nomination to run in Cardigan in the next federal election. I can't believe I'm writing this but, yes, things are so bad for the Liberals in Atlantic Canada right now that I do believe there's a chance  Lawrence MacAulay -- who has held this riding since 1988 (!!) loses to the blue team. In fact, I would not be surprised to see all four PEI seats turn Tory. Last time that happened: Joe Clark in 1979!  [Eastern Graphic]
Sabrina Maddeaux announced the suspension of her campaign for the Conservative nomination in Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, citing concerns over what she described as another candidate’s “highly unethical and potentially illegal efforts” to secure the bid. [iPolitics] 
'I don't know about you but until Tim Hortons gets rid of this paper lid, I'm done with Tim Hortons,' says MP for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex. [National Post]
Report No. 10 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research. [House of Commons]

Report No. 13 of the House of Commons Standing Committe on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. [House of Commons]

Report No. 14 of the House of Commons Standing Committe on Indigenous and Northern Affairs. [House of Commons]
From the Provinces
Ontario launched audits to find ‘waste’ at city hall. No one knows what they say
After backlash over changes to the fees developers pay municipalities at the end of 2022, the province launched audits of local finances. A year later, they were cancelled. [Global]

P.E.I.’s four Liberal members of Parliament have made a counter-proposal to Premier Dennis King’s request that Ottawa reduce its carbon tax. They’ve told the premier to lower his own gas tax. [CBC]
Kelowna councillor Loyal Wooldridge has been officially nominated by the BC NDP ahead of October’s provincial election. The BC NDP, FWIW, has never won a Kelowna riding. But with a split on the right between BC Conservatives and the BC United, could this be their moment? [Kelowna Now]
A current look at the state of the trades. The construction industry is doing more to attract young workers, but it's not enough to keep up with the number of journeymen retiring. [Global]
Elsewhere
Drones and AI are rewriting the rulebook on naval warfare — with uncertain consequences
Ukraine, a nation with virtually no navy, humiliated Russia's mighty Black Sea Fleet using cheap, fast, disposable drones. Combined with artificial intelligence, drones are set to change the nature of naval warfare. But are the world's militaries prepared for the risks? [CBC]
The Balikatan joint military exercises conclude on Friday after weeks of live fire drills and new weapons deployment. [Al Jazeera]
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Media
Click through 👆 for the thread and the replies. In this thread, I explain how many I counted manually -- and then I asked an AI bot to estimate the crowd size. Some were hilariously wrong -- but one got pretty much the same answer I did. Again, click to read the thread to find out which one!
From a blog post I wrote during the 2006 election campaign, about journalism and counting crowds. - DA

Awarded investigative stories are increasingly relying on machine learning, whether covering Chicago police negligence or Israeli weapons in Gaza. [Nieman Lab]
With Apple's latest ad, the problem is not the media but the message. [TechCrunch]

As he battled cancer, Murphy continued to file, writing about Hamas and Christmas and interviewing Pierre Poilievre with his usual panache. [National Post]
Science and Tech
Robot dogs armed with AI-targeting rifles undergo US Marines Special Ops evaluation
Quadrupeds being reviewed have automatic targeting systems but require human oversight to fire. What could go wrong?  [Ars Technica]

Since the 1960s, BASIC has introduced countless beginners to computer programming. Here's how the language got started, the paths it cleared for Windows and Apple, and where you can still find it today. [ ZDNet]
The Calendar
  • 0910 ET: Ottawa - Defence Min Bill Blair and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius lay a wreath at the National War Memorial.
  • 1000 ET: HoC Foyer - BQ MP Christine Normandin speaks to reporters.
  • 1030 ET: East Angus, QC - Revenue Min Marie-Claude Bibeau makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1100 ET: Toronto - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks about the grocery store industry.
  • 1100 ET: Vineland Station, ON - LPC MP Vance Badawey and Chris Bittle make a funding announcement. 
  • 1130 ET: Blainville, QC - Environment Min Steven Guilbeault speaks about new Environment Canada radar stations
  • 1140 ET: Ottawa - Defence Min Bill Blair and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius speak to reporters.
  • 1200 ET: Toronto - Deputy PM and Fin Min Chrystia Freeland speaks about Budget 2024.
  • 1330 ET: Toronto - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh joins striking workers on a picket line.
  • 1400 ET: Wood Islands, PE - LPC MP Sean Casey  makes an infrastructure funding announcement.
  • 1600 ET: Montreal - Immigration Min Marc Miller speaks to reporter following a meeting with provincial counterparts.
  • 1700 ET: Burnaby, BC - Citizen Services Minh Terry Beech makes a funding announcement. 
Issued this day ...
… in 1937. Scott #237: King George VI Coronation. Photographs: Peter North. Bertram Park.
Also issued this day ...
... in 1964. Me! 

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