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Jul 11 2023

Pride problems. NATO message. AI tips.

Jul 11, 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
Canada under pressure to increase defence spending as NATO summit kicks off
Canada has agreed to the NATO target of two per cent of its GDP but has not revealed a plan to reach it, with current spending sitting just shy of 1.3 per cent. [Tabloid]
A spokesman for Pierre Poilievre said Monday the federal Conservative leader does not agree with the message of “straight pride,” after he was photographed next to a man wearing a t-shirt bearing those words. [TorStar]
According to Kidder, May spent a few days under observation at Saanich Peninsula Hospital before being discharged on Saturday, July 8. [Global]
From the provinces
Indigenous leaders speak at premiers conference in Winnipeg, as protestors call for landfill search
Canada's provincial and territorial leaders welcomed their Indigenous counterparts in Winnipeg today at the first meeting of Canada's Premier conference. [Global
Vaughn Palmer:  B.C. premier might get more action if he leaned on the federal NDP to support provincial concerns. [Vancouver Sun]
A photo of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and a Stampede-goer wearing a "straight pride" T-shirt has experts wondering where her office stands on the issue of gender rights. [Global]
Alberta's Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson said he has written a letter to the federal government requesting an AgriRecovery assessment. [Global]
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Elsewhere
Ukraine will get ‘positive message’ on NATO membership bid: Stoltenberg
While NATO members agree Kyiv cannot join during the war, they have disagreed over how quickly it could happen afterwards and under what conditions. [Global]
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday that Turkey has agreed to back Sweden’s bid to join the military alliance – a major development on the eve of the NATO summit. [CNN]
Russia’s war on Ukraine is in its 17 month and Western countries are sending increasingly hi-tech and long-range weapons and ammunition to help President Volodymyr Zelenskyy defend his country. [AP]
Media
Government announces 'next steps' for Online News Act
Canadian Heritage said on Monday that work was underway to determine how, when and which portions of the act will be implemented. [National Post]
In what appeared to be an olive branch to the online companies, Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez released a “backgrounder” to provide “clarity” about how the regulatory process will breathe life into the just-passed Online News Act. [TorStar]
Coverage of games, players and leagues will now come primarily from The Athletic, the sports website that the company bought last year. [NYT]
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Tech
Coding with AI: Tips and best practices from developers
AI pair programming could be a coder's dream or a nightmare in the making. Nine developers talk shop about how they're using generative AI today.  [InfoWorld]
A search for Threads content on Twitter currently brings up zero results, despite plenty of links to Meta’s microblogging rival being posted on the platform. [The Verge]
Issued this day in ...
Issued this day in 2003: Sc # 1991: Vancouver 2010. Design: Katalin Kovats and Stuart Bradley Ash. 
This stamp was actually announced on Jul 11, 2003 but was not available for sale in post offices until later. It was announced on the same day that Vancouver was awarded the 2010 Winter Olympics.
This stamp was part of the long-running "Flag Over ..." series of definitive stamps in which the flag was shown flying over mountains, lakes, rivers, and various landmarks. In this case, this is "Flag Over" Canada Post head office in Ottawa.

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