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May 18 2024

Loblaw’s code. Defending Harrison. Ukraine battered: The Roundup

May 18, 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.
Canada
Loblaw grocery code of conduct shift is ‘step in the right direction’: Trudeau
Canada’s biggest grocery chain, Loblaw, says it's ready to sign on to a grocery code of conduct. The agreement, years in the making, is aimed at levelling the playing field between larger grocers and smaller retailers in the food industry. However, as David Akin reports, there's no guarantee it'll lead to lower prices. [Global National]
Federal Opposition Leader continues his attacks on Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. [Oak Bay News]
A former Conservative is accusing party brass of blocking him from running to be nominated as a candidate in the next election. Anthony Yacub, 24, said he believes the party made him ineligible for the nomination in order to run a “star” candidate in the riding. [CBC]
John Aldag was facing the prospect of defeat in next year's federal election in a riding he narrowly won first in 2015, narrowly lost in 2019, then narrowly won again in 2021. My model has Conservatives winning Cloverdale-Langley City in a romp -- by 22 points. But jumping to the BC NDP is no guarantee he'll remain in elected office. While I don't have a model for the pending BC Election, Philippe Fournier does and he has the provincial riding of Langley-Abbotsford as "leaning" to the BC Conservatives. - DA  [Abbotsford News]
Don Braid: The Justin Trudeau Liberals are now alienating nearly everyone, including Canada's powerful climate lobby. [Calgary Herald]

Many Canadians will likely face an emergency evacuation order or alert for the first time this summer. Here’s what you need to know before it happens. [Global]
From the Provinces
The Higgs government is being criticized for producing a taxpayer-funded government video with similar messaging to a new Progressive Conservative pre-election advertisement. [CBC]
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says he has met with MLA Jeremy Harrison to discuss harassment allegations by Speaker Randy Weekes. Moe says the allegations are not true. [Global]
L’intelligence artificielle peut améliorer les services aux citoyens. [Le Devoir]

2022 Ontario Liberal Party candidate Tyler Watt launched his campaign to seek the Ontario Liberal Party nomination for the riding of Nepean. [Barrhaven Independent]
Elsewhere
Ukraine struggles to hold eastern front as Russians advance on cities
Resurgent Russian forces, which outnumber and outgun the Ukrainians, have mounted multiple attacks on the eastern front. [Reuters]
Election-related fraud is very rare. And safeguards are in place for mailed ballots. Yet distrust in the system remains high among Republican voters. [Christian Science Monitor]
In 1864, Lincoln ran under the National Union banner with great success. It could work again in 2024. [Time]
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Media
CBC chief says broadcaster isn't making specific plans for loss of public subsidy
Catherine Tait says that while the CBC is working to make itself more efficient and responsive to Canadians, it doesn't have a specific plan to prepare for a future Conservative government possibly terminating its federal subsidy. [CBC]
Science and Tech

A major international report on the safety of artificial intelligence says experts can’t agree on the risk the technology poses — and it’s unclear whether AI will help or harm us. [CP]
Europe is uncertain whether its ambitious Mercury probe can reach the planet
This is an ambitious mission, with an estimated cost of $2 billion. Undertaken jointly with the Japanese space agency, JAXA, BepiColombo launched on an Ariane 5 rocket in October 2018. So there is a lot riding on these thrusters. The critical question is, at this power level, can BepiColombo still perform its primary task of reaching orbit around Mercury? The answer to this question is not so clear. [Ars Technica]
The Calendar
  • 1030 ET: Kingston, ON - LPC MP Mark Gerretsen marks the reopening of Bellevue House National Historic Site.
  • 1200 ET: Mayne Island, BC - GPC MP Elizabeth May participates in May Day.
Issued this day ...
… in 1933: Scott #202: UPU Meeting.
Douglas and Mary Patrick write in their 1964 reference guide, Canada’s Postage Stamps: “The "Commission préparatoire" or World's Executive Committee of the International Postal Union held its sessions in Ottawa from 18th May to 28th June, 1933. This committee was constituted after World War I to deal with innumerable problems of international postal service arising after that upheaval. The Commission performed a valuable service in simplifying objectives by reducing the agenda of the various World Postal Congresses to the minimum.” Not clear who the designer of the stamp was nor the photographer who took the picture that appears on the stamp. Those who know the National Capital Region will know that the photographer was standing on the Gatineau side of the Ottawa River for this view, a view which, in the fall, is an especially marvelous one.

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