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Jun 3 2023

Prairie Pierre. CNN meltdown. Doughnut map.

Jun 3, 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
Lessons for Pierre Poilievre from the Alberta election
Don Martin: Danielle Smith's win in the Alberta election hands her the most starkly divided province confronting any premier in Canada. [CTV]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is welcoming Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to Canada Friday as the federal Liberals keep quiet about a democratic backslide in his country. [Global]
When the Conservative Party leader was asked whether he'd march in any Pride parades, Poilievre instead talked about the values of choice and openness. [Global]

“Maxime Bernier is a travelling stunt artist and a political tourist in Manitoba,” Poilievre said in a phone interview with the Sun. “He has no connection to the people or the children of the community and he couldn’t care less about anybody in Portage-Lisgar. He would need a map just to find Winkler or Portage.” [Brandon Sun]
Canadian Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Saturday that the country's critical infrastructure was increasingly being targeted by cyberattacks, posing a significant threat to the economy of the world's fourth-largest crude oil producer. [Reuters]
Authors [Leah West, Jake Norris, Michael Nesbitt] argue that the Commissioner failed to address the most contentious legal arguments offered by the government, particularly the assertion that economic harm can satisfy the requirement for serious damage to property. The paper highlights the ongoing significance of this missed opportunity. The authors offer recommendations for amending the EA to explicitly address economic harm and disruptions to critical infrastructure ensure that any powers available to address this new type of emergency are sufficiently tailored to meet this very specific threat. Finally, the authors caution against revising the EA or broadening the definition of threats to the security of Canada in the CSIS Act based on the bad facts of the Freedom Convoy protests. [Manitoba Law Journal]
Adam Lajeunesse: Of the many critical questions that will need addressing, perhaps the most strategically important is the future of Canada’s submarine fleet. Today, Canada’s four Victoria-class submarines are rapidly approaching obsolescence, with decommissioning expected to begin in the mid-2030s. While DND has launched a project to explore their replacement, that process has yet to result in firm decisions or a public commitment. [Canadian Global Affairs Institute]
From the provinces
The Ottawa Centre Liberal MP and former Ontario attorney general will formally enter the contest Saturday with hopes of guiding the Grits back to power in 2026. [TorStar]

As this year's crops start to spout, a recent report from ATB is highlighting an all-time-high performance for Alberta’s Ag and food industry from 2022. [Global]
Keith Gerein: Danielle Smith's idea for a council of UCP's unsuccessful candidates to advise her on Edmonton doesn't meet the test of democratic norms. [Edmonton Journal]
Rick Bell: Alberta election done and a campaigner for Danielle Smith's UCP speaks out against Take Back Alberta and how they hurt the party in Calgary. [Calgary Sun]
New provisions under Quebec's language law reform are now in effect. But one of the new changes -- and how it's being enforced -- has left many people scratching their heads. [Global]
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Elsewhere
American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says Washington would not stand for any “coercion and bullying” of its allies and partners by China, while assuring Beijing that the United States remains committed to maintaining the status quo on Taiwan and would prefer dialogue over conflict.  [AP]
China blasts US after Washington says talks key to avoid ‘crisis’
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin tells Asian security summit that lines of communication with China are crucial. [Al Jazeera]w

No country loves fried dough more than the United States. But is America split by a hidden doughnut divide? We investigate. Tim Horton's is on America's doughnut map!
Media

From "good riddance" to "don't unfriend us," independent publishers are expressing mixed feelings about Meta's decision to temporarily block news on Instagram and Facebook for some of its Canadian users. [CP]
CEO Chris Licht felt he was on a mission to restore the network’s reputation for serious journalism. How did it all go wrong? [The Atlantic]

Twitter was roiled by an organized pressure campaign by conservative pundits seeking to promote a 95-minute anti-transgender video called “What Is A Woman?” [NBC]
Tech
If you are working with a Google Sheet that has a large number of tabs, it can be difficult to find the sheet you need if they are not organized properly. Use Google Apps Script to sort sheets automatically. [Google]
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Issued this day ...
Issued this day in 1999: Sc 1799: Quebec Bar Association. Design: Pierre Fontaine. Sculpture: Morton Rosengarten. 
Marks the 150th anniversary of the Quebec Bar Association.

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