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Oct 26 2023

Macklem warning. Fighting Hamas. CPP fears. The Roundup

Oct 26, 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
Pace of government spending ‘not helpful’ in efforts to tame inflation: Macklem
The governor of the Bank of Canada is urging governments' fiscal policymakers to keep the inflationary impact of their spending plans in mind when setting their budgets. [Global]
India's high commission in Canada said on Tuesday the country's officials will resume processing visa applications in Ottawa and at consulates in Toronto and Vancouver. [Global]
Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy is asking federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland to convene a meeting to discuss Alberta's proposal to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan, saying the move could cause "serious harm." [TorStar]
Child-care fees have been cut in half in 18 big Canadian cities across all age groups, but some are still falling short on the federal target, according to a new report. [Global]
Jean Chretien discusses why he thinks debate in the House of Commons has become 'dull as hell.' The former prime minister also dives in to how he'd 'confront' the current Quebec tuition debacle. [CTV]

Surgeon's former wife cited "discomfort and anxiety," security concerns over "new relationship" in their divorce, months before announcement of Trudeau separation. [Glen McGregor Substack]
Israel-Gaza
“Hell came to visit us”: New details emerge about Oct. 7 Hamas attack
Global's Jeff Semple spoke with residents from Sufa, where militants went on a rampage, about what they endured and how armed civilians there fought back. For this piece, Jeff combines body-cam video from Hamas attackers with interviews of  a man who fought back and survivors of their attacks. [Global National]
Health Minister Mark Holland said Hamas needs to be 'wiped out' as Canada joins the calls for a 'humanitarian pause' to get aid to Gaza. [Global]
'I think that a pause is a starting point for a ceasefire,' said René Arseneault, a Liberal MP from New Brunswick who co-signed the letter. [National Post]
Government House leader Karina Gould says there doesn't need to be a choice between calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas and advocating for "humanitarian pauses" in its war with Israel. [TorStar]
From the provinces
Quebec premier says comparison to Jean Charest is ‘insulting’
Jean Charest's son is sticking up for his father after Quebec Premier François Legault suggested it's an insult to be compared to the former premier. [Global]
Smith says her government has heard from Albertans that they want the hard numbers and it is committed to getting them. [Global]
A 42 per cent of PST rebate for new home builds is part of government's plan to address affordability concerns in Saskatchewan. [Leader Post]
In a letter to municipalities in Ontario, the province's housing minister has suggested the government will count long-term care beds toward its goal of building 1.5 million homes. [Global]

Dinn is forbidden from speaking in the House of Assembly until he apologizes for accusing the government of lying, an accusation he made after CBC journalist Rob Antle uncovered that 11 housing units have been built since 2021, despite government ministers touting 750 (they have since claimed they misspoke — that they actually meant to say 750 housing “options”). [SaltWire]
At first, Oromocto-Lincoln-Fredericton MLA Mary Wilson vouched for a constituent who believed kitty litter boxes were being placed in schools but then backed away from supporting the claim. - DA
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Elsewhere
House Elects Mike Johnson as Speaker, Ending Three Weeks of Chaos
Republicans worn down by three weeks of infighting and dysfunction turned to a little-known conservative hard-liner beloved by the far right to end their paralysis. The elevation of Mr. Johnson, 51, an architect of the effort to overturn the 2020 election and a religious conservative opposed to abortion rights, homosexuality and gay marriage, further cemented the Republican Party’s lurch to the right. [NYT]

For the Democratic Party, recent polling offers one sign: the relatively weak support from non-white voters, especially younger Black voters. [Campaigns and Elections]
Media
[Press release] Veteran Reporter Daniele Hamamdjian Joins Global National as Special Correspondent
Global News is pleased to announce that highly respected freelance broadcaster, Daniele Hamamdjian, is joining Global National, starting today on a temporary basis, as a Special Correspondent reporting from the Middle East on the conflict between Israel and Hamas for the Global News network on all platforms. Danielle, a former Parliamentary Press Gallery member, will complement the fantastic work Jeff Semple, Crystal Goomansingh and the teams supporting them have been doing in Israel since Hamas attacked. [Corus]

"... new data suggests that what a lot of people do most often in their car is listen to AM/FM radio. Yes, it’s 2023, and you might think AM/FM radio is on the way out, but new data show that to not be the case for a lot of people…" [9To5Mac]
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Sci/Tech

The tool, called Nightshade, could be used to damage future iterations of image-generating AI models, leveling the playing field between AI companies and artists. [MIT Technology Review]
The Calendar
  • 0645 ET: St John's - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings speaks to a trade show.
  • 0805 ET: St John's - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings attends the MNL Conference and trade show.
  • 0815 ET: 425 Wellington - Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC) | Meeting  94 - Committee Business
  • 0815 ET: 035B West Block - Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food (AGRI) | Meeting  78 - Electronic Logging Device Requirements and Animal Transport
  • 0910 ET: St John's - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings meets with College of the Atlantic representatives
  • 0915 ET: B30 Senate Building -  Meeting of the Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources : S-234
  • 1030 ET: St John's - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings speaks to the MNL Luncheon.
  • 1100 ET: 315 Wellington - Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) | Meeting  84 - Fisheries Min Diane Lebouthillier briefing on her mandate letter
  • 1100 ET: 025B West Block - Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) | Meeting  91 - Question of Privilege Related to the Intimidation Campaign against the Member for Wellington—Halton Hills and other Members
  • 1130 ET: B45 Senate Building -  Meeting of the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology : C-35
  • 1130 ET: W110 1 Wellington -  Meeting of the Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy : Study matters relating to banking and commerce generally.
  • 1130 ET: C128 Senate Building -  Meeting of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade : Study on foreign relations and international trade generally
  • 1145 ET: B30 Senate Building -  Meeting of the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs : S-13
  • 1215 ET: St John's - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings visits the techNL Innovation Centre.
  • 1230 ET: HoC foyer - Environment Min Steven Guilbeault speaks about the Impact Assessment Act.
  • 1330 ET: Calgary - Energy and Natural Resources Min Jonathan Wilkinson speaks to the Pembina 2023 Alberta Climate Summit.
  • 1415 ET: St John's - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings meets with the Iron Ore Company of Canada.
  • 1530 ET: 425 Wellington - Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs (ACVA) | Meeting  67 - Experience of Women Veterans
  • 1530 ET: 330 Wellington - Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN) | Meeting  77 - Briefing on the Parliamentary Budget Officer's Report, Entitled ''A Force Structure Model of Canada’s Military: Costs and Personnel''
  • 1530 ET: Burnaby, BC - PACIFICCan Min Harjit Sajjan makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1530 ET: 425 Wellington - Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI) | Meeting  80 - Freshwater
  • 1530 ET: 420 Wellington - Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (JUST) | Meeting  80 - C-321. Testimony from CPC MP Todd Doherty.
  • 1730 ET: Windsor, NS - Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre meets with supporters. 
  • 1830 ET: Quebec City - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh meets with supporters
  • 2000 ET: Victoria - GPC MP Elizabeth  May marks the centennial of the Victoria Harbour Miigratory Bird Sanctuary
Issued this day ...
... in 1951: Sc 315: Royal Visit. Design: Herman Herbert Schwarz. Photography: Sterling Henry Nahum. 

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