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Apr 1 2024

Seniors advice. Popular PBO. Chinese Disinformation : The Roundup

Apr 1, 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.
Good morning -- and a warm welcome to new subscribers! Reminder: The headlines and excerpts are generated by the publishers to whom I'm linking. I might add a comment in italics. And if I write the entire excerpt, you'll see my initials - DA -  in bold at the end. Thanks for reading! - DA 
Canada
Canadian government pushed to boost seniors benefit as federal budget looms
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is set to deliver this year’s federal spending plan in the House of Commons April 16, and she's been getting lots of advice on what should be included. As our chief political correspondent David Akin reports, some of the recommendations are aimed squarely at making life more affordable for senior citizens. [Global National]
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said on The West Block that the carbon price increase is necessary to solve climate change and comes at a small cost to Canadians. [Global]
The national price on pollution will rise by $15 per tonne today. Here's some questions answered about what this could mean for you. [CP]
As a Conservative MP puts it, parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux has been in the news 'almost as much' as singer Taylor Swift. [National Post]
David Petraeus told The West Block host Mercedes Stephenson that the scale of Moscow's attack makes the current state of extremism and terrorist capabilities “very worrisome.” [Global]
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is making two stops on Vancouver Island this week with a rally in Nanaimo and a fundraiser in Campbell River. [Victoria Times Colonist]
From the Provinces
Debate over Confederation still lively in Newfoundland 75 years later
On the 75th anniversary of Newfoundland and Labrador joining Canada, the province celebrates with arts grants and commemorative license plates. Yet the legacy of confederation still stirs ongoing debate. Heidi Petracek explores other overlooked complexities, and how Newfoundlanders perceive the history today. [Global National]
The creation of Nunavut -- which means "Our land" in Inuktitut -- was part of a land claim settlement, the first major change to Canada’s map since Newfoundland and Labrador joined Confederation in 1949. It extends from the 60th parallel to the northern coast of Ellesmere Island, about one-fifth of Canada's land mass. [CP]
Manitoba's NDP government is set to deliver tax breaks, and some tax increases, as part of its first budget since winning last October's election. [CP]

Like Premier Andrew Furey’s friend Alan Doyle sings: “There isn’t that much ocean between Boston and St. John’s.” So why not set up an office there? [SaltWire]
Elsewhere
The Church of Trump: How He’s Infusing Christianity Into His Movement
Ending many of his rallies with a churchlike ritual and casting his prosecutions as persecution, the former president is demanding — and receiving — new levels of devotion from Republicans. [NYT]

The IORG analysis revealed that the narrative that Tsai planned to flee if war broke out with China, and that Taiwan’s military drills were rehearsals for this, originated with an outlet controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in June 2021, and was quickly repeated by other official Chinese news sources. [Reuters]

They’d head out to a church, a temple, a park and set up a stall. They’d seek out seniors in particular, those who are perhaps the most vulnerable citizens of the information-saturated society that has enveloped them. To get people to stop and listen, they’d offer free bars of soap — a metaphor for the scrubbing that they were undertaking. [ABC News]
The vote was seen as a barometer of Erdogan’s popularity as he sought to win back control of key urban areas he lost to the opposition in elections five years ago. The CHP’s victory in Ankara and Istanbul in 2019 had shattered Erdogan’s aura of invincibility. [AP]
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Media
The move, which will also see the tech giant abandon $70 million worth of deals with local media outlets, will put Meta in conflict with the Australian government for a second time, with regulators investigating whether it can force the company back to the bargaining table.  [Financial Review]

The media companies Gannett and McClatchy, which together control more than 200 news outlets including USA Today and the Miami Herald, say they will stop using stories, video and images from The Associated Press. [ABC News]
Science and Tech
No, birds won't fall out of the sky on April 8
The total solar eclipse on April 8 provides researchers with a unique opportunity to study how animals react. But while the sun plays a big role in how they orient themselves, it’s not their only cue. [CBC]
Companies like Anker, Speck, Peak Design and others make tons of chargers, cases, stands and more for iPhones that are just as good, if not better, than first-party offerings — and they typically cost less, too. [Editors] tested out a number of popular iPhone accessories to find the ones that are actually worth your money. [Endgadget]
The Calendar
  • 1130 ET: Toronto - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks about school lunch programs
  • 1130 ET: Esquimalt, BC - Labour Min Seamus O'Regan makes an "affordability" announcement.
  • 1230 ET: Toronto - PM Trudeau , Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Families and Social Development Min Jenna Sudds and Women and Gender Equality Min Marci Ien make a childhood development announcement.
  • 1330 ET: Hamilton, ON - FEDDEV Min Filomena Tassi , Justice Min Arif Virani, and Small Business Min Rechie Valdez make a funding announcement. 
  • 1400 ET: Vancouver - PACIFICCan Min Harjit Sajjan , Immigration Min Marc Miller, Sport Min Carla Qualtrough, and Natural Resources Min Jonathan Wilkinson make an "affordability" announcement.
  • 1430 ET: Montreal - CEDQR Min Soraya Martinez Ferrada and Transport Min Pablo Rodriguez make an "affordability" announcement.
  • 1530 ET: Edmonton - Employment Min Randy Boissonnault makes an "affordability" announcement.
  • 1600 ET: Nanaimo, BC - Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to reporters.
  • 2130 ET: Nanaimo, BC - Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks to supporters.
Issued this day ...
… in 1937: Sc #232: King George VI Mufti Issue. Design Herman Herbert Schwarz.

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