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Jan 25 2024

Supermassive leak. Trudeau review. Poor Halifax: The Roundup

Jan 25, 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
Experts urge vigilance in wake of ‘supermassive leak’ of digital data
“I haven’t seen anything like it,” Canada Research Chair in Security and Privacy Natalia Stakhanova told Global News Wednesday. “It’s a different scale.” [Global]
Liberal MP Ken McDonald says he thinks it’s time for his party to consider a leadership review of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. [CBC]
Federal New Democrats spent Wednesday seeking guidance from Albertans, who the party said are on the front lines of Canada's housing crisis, to help them form policies around addressing the needs of lower-income households. [CP]
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault accused Pierre Poilievre of searching for "conspiracy theories" after the Conservative leader mocked efforts to gauge wood-smoke pollution. [Montreal Gazette]
Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu made the promise that her government will fund a meeting for the youth council in Ottawa. [Global]
The federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference is looking to examine alleged meddling by India in the last two general elections. [Global]
Christopher Sands: Will Team Canada 2024’s engagement strategy be matched with a US administration willing to respond favorably in January 2025? It depends on the answers to three key questions. [Wilson Center]
From the provinces
‘Quite dire’: N.S. has the highest poverty rate in Canada, says new report
At a press conference, the United Way says Halifax has the highest poverty for Canadian cities as part of a new report released to help bring attention to the growing problem. [Global]
Québec Premier François Legault says he's ready to get his government back on track after plummeting in the polls and drawing criticism on several issues. [Global]
On the day B.C.’s chief coroner announced a record number of toxic drug deaths last year, newly released documents showed the B.C. NDP government has added 464 net new treatment beds over the past six years. [Vancouver Sun]
Vaughn Palmer: Ellis Ross is major loss to Kevin Falcon's team as MLA announces run for federal Conservatives. [Vancouver Sun]
Elsewhere
Trump's New Hampshire win had some bright red warning signs
Still, bright red warning signs are flashing for Trump. A wounded Haley is vowing to fight on, telling a crowd on Tuesday night that “this race is far from over.” A Supreme Court decision threatening Trump’s ballot status looms. And voters he’ll need in November are either, at best, not voting for him, or at worst vowing to never vote for him. Here are five things New Hampshire told us about the primary as it moves to Nevada, South Carolina, Michigan and beyond. [Politico]
Media
Don’t cover Imran Khan’s PTI: Pakistan’s media told to censor popular ex-PM
Several journalists say they have been asked to impose near-blanket ban on party’s coverage ahead of February 8 polls. [Al Jazeera]

Stewart's return marks a seminal moment for the program, which — like every other late-night comedy program — has struggled to retain viewers in the streaming era. [Axios]
The platform’s latest cuts do beg the question about the inner workings of the company. [Digiday]
Although conventional wisdom suggests that searching online when evaluating misinformation would reduce belief in it, there is little empirical evidence to evaluate this claim. Here, across five experiments, we present consistent evidence that online search to evaluate the truthfulness of false news articles actually increases the probability of believing them. [Nature]
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Sci/Tech
Japan's precision moon lander has hit its target, but it appears to be upside-down
Japan’s space agency said Thursday that its first lunar mission hit the tiny patch of the moon’s surface it was aiming for in a successful demonstration of its pinpoint landing system — although it appears to be sitting upside-down. [AP]
The Calendar
  • 0900 ET: West Block and Wellington  -  The LPC regional caucuses will meet.
  • 1100 ET: Edmonton -  The NDP national caucus will meet.
  • 1330 ET: 225A West Block  -  PM Trudeau will address the LPC national caucus will meet
  • 1345 ET: Edmonton - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks to the NDP national caucus.
  • 1400 ET: Edmonton - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh meets with Alberta labour leaders.
  • 2130 ET: Brentwood Bay, BC - GPC MP Elizabeth  May hosts a community meeting.
Issued this day ...
Issued this day in 2019: Scott #3165: Black History Month. Albert Jackson. Design: Andrew Perro. Illustration: Ron Dollekamp.
[Adapted from the Canada Post press release of the day] Thought to be the first Black letter carrier in Canada, Albert Jackson (1857-1918) earned his appointment to the civil service in 1882 but faced racism from his colleagues, media and members of the public as he pursued what ultimately turned out to be a successful 36-year career with the postal service.

Originally from Delaware, Jackson was born into slavery. He was just a toddler when his mother, Ann Maria, fled the United States with seven of her children. She made the daring escape after her two eldest sons had been sold. The family arrived in Toronto via the Underground Railroad in 1858 and settled in St. John’s Ward, near Osgoode Hall.

Growing up in Toronto, Jackson was able to pursue his education and, as an adult, he competed for and won a position as a letter carrier in 1882. However, when he reported for work his co-workers refused to train him and he was assigned a lower job as hall porter. After political pressure, particularly from Toronto’s Black community, and intervention from Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, Jackson was soon out walking his delivery route in Harbord Village, where a laneway has since been named after him.

He continued to deliver mail until his death at the age of 60 in January, 1918.

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