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Feb 16 2024

Project Wideawake. NDP breakup. Wine worries: The Roundup

Feb 16, 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.
Did everybody get Wednesday's newsletter? Weirdly: I didn't! My wife didn't! But the analytics this platform operator provides suggest almost all of you did get it. In any event: If there's ever a hiccup -- a link to the day's newsletter (along with my contact info and disclosure statement) is always at www.davidakin.com . Have a great Friday and thanks for reading! 
Canada
RCMP slammed for private surveillance use to trawl social media, “darknet”
The national police force has been quietly using “third-party” surveillance companies to search social media, including private accounts in “Project Wideawake,” a new report finds. [Global]
While the prime minister and Governor General are given permanent protective details, other MPs, ministers, senators and party leaders receive protection on a "case-by-case basis." Not looking for sympathy but I've been a journalist for more than 40 years and it's only been in the last two years that a) someone has phoned me up in the middle of the night threatening to blow up my house and b) I've had to file complaints to the local constabulary about threats telephoned made to me and family -- all in response to my reporting political. And my experience is a relatively common one among my journalism peers. I'm sure the threats made against the politicians I'm reporting on are much worse and more frequent. Just thought you should know.   [Global]
Susan Delacourt: Within a matter of days, that deal will either collapse or carry on — depending on whether the two sides can come to some kind of agreement to bring pharmacare. [TorStar]
This week Elizabeth chats with Dave Sommer, Vice President of Strategic Communication at Enterprise Canada, former Head of Politics and Government at Instagram in Washington, D.C., and former Deputy Director of Communications, Digital, for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa. They chat about the use of social media in political campaigning, where personal influence fits in, and how it has evolved over time. [Polcommtech]
D'Arcy Keene to seek nomination for new Milton East-Halton Hills South riding. Yeah, but -- the party has appointed Parm Gill to run in this riding, hasn't it? Vs incumbent LPC MP Adam van Koeverden. Have asked the CPC to clear this confusion up. In any event, my model has this riding swinging to the CPC by double-digits.  [Halton Hills Today}
From the Provinces
Rakhi Pancholi is running to be the leader of the Alberta NDP. She opened her campaign by declaring the federal government should indeed axe the carbon tax. She got endorsements from three caucus members yesterday. And now she's advocating for a step that could have deep ramifications for federal politics: The formal separation of the federal New Democratic Party from its provincial wings. Click through on the thread above 👆 to read her rationale as to why buying a membership in her party shouldn't automatically make you a member of Singh's party (as it does right now). - DA
Calgary mayor ‘can’t believe’ comments made by federal minister about not funding new road projects
“(If Guilbeault) wants to have conversations with local leaders and find out why we need improved roadways … we’re happy to chat with him,” she said, adding that in some cases additional roads may be planned by municipalities to make more room for transit buses. [Global]

Industry faces drop of 97-99 per cent in grape/wine production, costing almost $450 million in projected lost revenue. [Vancouver Sun]
New Brunswick's chief electoral officer offered an inside look Thursday at the province's elections office as it scrambled to get ready for a snap election that Premier Blaine Higgs hinted would come last year but never did. [CP]
British Columbia's Opposition Leader Kevin Falcon pitched a housing plan Thursday to get more first-time buyers into homes just days after Premier David Eby promised to build more affordable rental units for the middle class. [CP]
Rattée’s legislative aspirations follow two unsuccessful bids for a seat as a federal member of Parliament with the Conservative Party of Canada. (She lost twice to New Democrat Taylor Bachrach). [Haida Gwaii Observer]
Elsewhere
South Koreans blame feminism for demographic collapse
Dylan Motin: South Korea's pressing fertility challenge is complex and solely linking it to feminism deflects focus from underlying societal and structural contributors to the demographic crisis. To boost natality rates, addressing factors such as extended work hours, economic stress, mounting household debts and cultural expectations on childcare and marriage is crucial. Policymakers must tackle the issue with unbiased, trans-partisan efforts rooted in comprehensive diagnoses, rather than succumbing to ideological divides. [East Asia Forum]
Media
Sask. Indigenous newspaper on hiatus after Meta ban tanks ad sales: editor-in-chief
Eagle Feather News, an Indigenous newspaper covering communities across Saskatchewan, says it is taking a "hopefully brief" but indefinite hiatus because it can't afford to pay journalists or print its next edition. Message to the Trudeau govt: You're not helping. [CBC]
Matthew Ingram: Last July, Meta launched Threads, a new social network it hoped would compete with X (formerly Twitter), and within twenty-four hours the new app had hit thirty million sign-ups; a few months later it would have almost a hundred million monthly users, according to Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO.  [Columbia Journalism Review]
How can an industry experiencing systemic failure get back on its feet? [The Conversation]
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Sci/Tech
Google to launch anti-misinformation campaign ahead of EU elections
Google is preparing to launch an anti-misinformation campaign across five countries in the European Union (EU), the company told Reuters ahead of the bloc's parliamentary elections and tougher new rules tackling online content. [Reuters]
At least six major technology companies are planning to sign an agreement this week that would guide how they try to put a stop to the use of artificial intelligence tools to disrupt democratic elections. [ABC News]
The Calendar
  • 0930 ET: Halifax, NS - Families and Social Development Min Jenna Sudds and LPC MP Andy Fillmore make a funding announcement. 
  • 1000 ET: Guelph, ON - GPC MP Elizabeth May speaks with Chamber of Commerce officials.
  • 1300 ET: Guelph, ON - GPC MP Elizabeth  May visits a University of Guelph research facility.
  • 1415 ET: Coquitlam, BC - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to reporters.
  • 1430 ET: Guelph, ON - GPC MP Elizabeth  May speaks with university students.
  • 1430 ET: 135B West Block,  -  Representatives of Freedom Convoy participants speak to reporters.
  • 1500 ET: Victoria, BC - Labour Min Seamus O'Regan makes a funding announcement. 
  • 1530 ET: Coquitlam, BC - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and NDP MP Jenny Kwan speak to Chinese community media.
  • 2100 ET: Coquitlam, BC - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh attends a Unifor Lunar New Year celebration
  • 1540 ET: Ottawa, ON - Agriculture Min Lawrence MacAulay speaks to the annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
  • 1600 ET: Ottawa, ON - NDP MP Alistair MacGregor speaks to the annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
  • 1620 ET: Ottawa, ON - BQ MP Yves Perron speaks to the annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
  • 1640 ET: Ottawa, ON - CPC MP John Barlow speaks to the annual meeting of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Issued this day ...
... in 1948: Scott #276: Royal Wedding. Design: Herman Herbert Schwarz. Photograph: Dorothy Wilding. 
Elizabeth and Philip were wed on Nov 20 1947. My mom still remembers watching it on TV. (Was a big deal then!). But odd that Canada Post didn't put the groom on the stamp. 
Odder still, I suppose: Canada Post did not even issue a stamp when the Prince of Wales, our current King, got married in 1981 to Diana. And yet, Canada Post issued multiple stamps and souvenir sheets when Will married Kate. Go figger. 

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