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Mar 29 2024

Nomination interference. Social sued. Exiled journalists: The Roundup

Mar 29, 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
CSIS reached out to chief electoral officer on possible foreign interference
Canada’s spy agency told chief electoral officer Stéphane Perrault that it believed there could be a case of foreign interference in a 2019 nomination race in a Toronto-area riding. [Global]

An undated briefing document from Canada’s Security and Intelligence Threats to Elections (SITE) Task Force to Perrault that was tabled at the inquiry Thursday also revealed that security agencies appear to be monitoring attempted foreign interference by Pakistan. It is one of the first, if not the first, time a Canadian government document identifying Pakistan as a potential source of foreign interference is made public. [National Post]
The new dataset regime was meant to put rules around how the Canadian Security Intelligence Service can harvest big data for investigations and operations. [Global]
Douglass Todd: The theme of declining standard of living rings particularly strongly among people in the suburbs of Toronto and Vancouver. [Vancouer Sun]
While a spokesman for regional Muslim advocacy group warns Pierre Poilievre's stand on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians, another advocate accuses the Liberals of only responding to their concerns for the purpose of getting their votes. [CP]
There is speculation that Anthony Housefather might leave the Liberals to join the Conservatives, but would his constituents support such a move? [Global]

The advocacy organization says as part of Canada’s national apprenticeship program and other initiatives, it received grants last year totalling $48 million. This year, revenue dropped to $10 million. [Global]
From the Provinces
Ontario schools are suing firms behind TikTok, Meta, Snapchat. Here’s why
Four of Ontario's biggest school boards have said social media platforms are disrupting education and causing social withdrawal and anxiety among students. [Global]
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Thursday he supports Manitoba's request for an exemption from the federally imposed carbon price. [CP]
The Alberta government has about 14 active and proposed legal challenges against the federal government alleging constitutional overreach, Premier Danielle Smith said Thursday. [CBC]

Stephen Malthouse, a family doctor from Denman Island, has been outspoken against COVID-19 mandates. His licence was suspended in 2022. [Vancouver Sun]
The longest-serving member of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives says he won't be running in the upcoming election. [CP]
Ottawa city council previously supported a motion by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario urging the province to beef up the law. [Ottawa Citizen]
The Quebec government says it will ask the province's language watchdog to investigate after the leader of the Parti Québécois complained about a lack of French on a hockey team's jersey. [CP]
Elsewhere
Christian Caryl: After his death those who wish for change in Russia face a daunting challenge. Navalny is irreplaceable, and trying to find a substitute would be a pointless exercise. Yet it is a poor politician who fails to create a legacy capable of surviving him. In Navalny’s case, he bequeaths a great deal to those who follow in his footsteps. Above all else, Navalny—under-appreciated as a political innovator—succeeded in finding an approach to democratic politics that would appeal to a new generation of Russians whose lives have been shaped by Putin and who now yearn to imagine alternatives. [New York Review of Books]
The emergence of generative AI has left governments around the world scrambling to legislate against the risks posed by the fast-evolving technology. But India is especially vulnerable – and even Modi’s concerned. [South China Morning Post]
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Media

At least 460 left their home countries in 2023. Exiled reporters from Afghanistan, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Ukraine discuss their challenges. [Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism]

If your podcast queue is out of control, these tips for your podcasts and podcast apps will help: Boost the playback speed, trim silences, skip the intros, and more. [Lifehacker]
Science and Tech
What is a negative leap second? How climate change is changing the Earth's rotation
Timekeepers have discovered the world's clocks may need to lose one second to stay on time with the Earth's rotation, which has slightly slowed down. Eric Sorensen explains how this "negative leap second" is linked to climate change, and why losing one second of time matters much more than you might think. [Global National]

We assess that financially motivated cybercrime, particularly business email compromise and ransomware, is almost certainly the main cyber threat facing the Canadian oil and gas sector. Ransomware is almost certainly the primary cyber threat to the reliable supply of oil and gas to Canadians. [Canadian Centre for Cyber Security]

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