Past issues Subscribe

Oct 6 2023

Food fight. King Stays. Hacktivist rules. The Roundup

Oct 6, 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
Reality check on Champagne’s pledges to lower food prices
As Canadians struggle with food inflation, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has outlined a plan aimed at lowering grocery costs. Mackenzie Gray fact checks the promises, and explains what's new and what's not. [Global National]

The Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News further found 71 per cent of respondents live in communities where they say a housing crisis exists. [Global]
Putin said Thursday that the standing ovation for Hunka, who fought for the Wafen-SS unit against the Russians, was “disgusting” and it shows that Russia was right to “de-Nazify” Ukraine, the ongoing reason Russia has given for its invasion of the country. [Global]
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has hired a long-time Liberal Party insider and former top adviser to ex-Ontario premier Kathleen Wynne as her new chief of staff. [Globe and Mail]
A lawyer for King — among the original group of "Freedom Convoy" organizers — argued he is so notorious it would not be possible for him to get a fair trial in the capital. [Global]
Trisha Estabrooks announced Thursday that she is seeking the nomination for the NDP in the federal riding of Edmonton Centre. The riding has been held since 2015 by Liberal Randy Boissonnault. [Global]
From the provinces
Will the real Heather Stefanson please stand up?
Following the party's loss to the NDP, some high-profile Progressive Conservatives are questioning a decision to make Heather Stefanson campaign hard to the right. "I think what voters can see right through is when you're not being who you really are," said PC campaign co-chair Candice Bergen, a former Conservative MP who played what she describes as a mostly honorary role in the party's re-election effort. [CBC]
 Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long says he won’t quit as a federal MP to run for the provincial Liberals if a heavily rumoured snap election is called soon. Long has also told reporters he will not run again in the next federal election. [NB Telegraph Journal]
Le député libéral de Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Frédéric Beauchemin, nie les allégations de harcèlement psychologique portées contre lui et des membres de son équipe. [La Presse]
More than 1,000 British Columbians were surveyed about the B.C. government, including opinions of party leaders, voting intentions and important issues facing the province. [Global]
Abegweit First Nation Chief Roderick Gould Jr. and Terry White, mayor of Murray Harbour, say John Roberston should immediately step down from council. [Global]
Click to donate $3 a month to support this newsletter!
Elsewhere
Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi wins Nobel Peace Prize
Iran's jailed women's rights advocate Narges Mohammadi won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a rebuke to Tehran's theocratic leaders and boost for anti-government protesters. [Global]
Media
Social media traffic to top news sites craters
Website business models that depended on clicks from social media are now broken. [Axios]
The Canadian government plans to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in search results and when used to prioritize the display of content on search engines and social media services. The regulation plans are revealed in a letter from ISED Minister François-Philippe Champagne to the Industry committee studying Bill C-27, the privacy reform and AI regulation bill. The government is refusing to disclose the actual text of planned amendments to the bill. [MichaelGeist.ca]

This briefing binder, just published on the government's open data portal, was prepared for then-Heritage Minister Rodriguez for his appearance at the June 13, 2023 meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communication. Useful background for journalists and researchers. - DA [Government of Canada]
Can u spare $5 a month for this newsletter? Click now!
Sci/Tech
Rules of engagement issued to hacktivists after chaos
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has, for the first time, published rules of engagement for civilian hackers involved in conflicts. The eight rules include bans on attacks on hospitals, hacking tools that spread uncontrollably and threats that engender terror among civilians. [BBC]
The Calendar
  • 0900 ET: Centreville, NS - Treasury Board President Anita Anand and LPC MP Kody Blois make a funding announcement. 
  • 0915 ET: West Block - PM Trudeau meets with Chair of Wallenberg Investments AB, Marcus Wallenberg.
  • 1030 ET: Gander, NL - LPC MP Yvonne Jones makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1100 ET: Lac-Mégantic, QC - Transport Min Pablo Rodriguez speaks about the rail bypass project.
  • 1100 ET: Thetford Mines, QC - CEDQR Min Soraya Martinez Ferrada makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1130 ET: Montreal - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks about food prices.
  • 1430 ET: Southwestern Ontario - PM Trudeau attends a community festival.
  • 1545 ET: Southwestern Ontario - PM Trudeau visits a grocery store.
  • 1630 ET: Ottawa - Energy and Natural Resources Min Jonathan Wilkinson speaks at LIAMforum 2023.
  • 1830 ET: Montreal - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh attends the joint nomination meeting for the ridings of Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie and Laurier—Sainte-Marie. 
Issued this day ...
Issued this day in 1971: Sc #555 - Christmas - Snowflakes. Design: Lisl Levinsohn.
Generally speaking, Canada Post releases its annual series of Christmas stamps in late October or early November. But not in 1971 when Canada Post published the four-stamp  (6¢, 7¢, 10¢ and 15¢) "Snowflake" series on Oct. 6, the earliest in the year Canada Post has ever released its Christmas stamps.
Canada Post printed 108,500,000 of the 7¢ stamp pictured here. We don't send nearly as much Christmas mail as we used to -- which is probably a shame. Last year, Canada Post printed up just over 1 million of its "Permanent Rate" Christmas stamp. 

Previous Issues

Load More