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Jul 31 2025

The Roundup: Recognizing Palestine. Alberta referendum. Lithuania PM.

THU JUL 31 2025
David Akin's Roundup
Recognizing Palestine. Alberta referendum. Lithuania PM.
Canada
Canada intends to recognize Palestinian state based on key reforms: Carney
The group of 15 demanded “an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages of Hamas. We, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain, have already recognized, have expressed or express the willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognize the State of Palestine, as an essential step towards the two-State solution, and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call,” the statement read. [Global]

“Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh’ Canada!!!” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday. [Al Jazeera]
Lieutenant-General says he doesn’t know how deep extremism runs in the Canadian Armed Forces, after two soldiers were charged in connection with alleged terrorist activity. [Globe and Mail] (🎁 link)

The Ipsos poll says 57 per cent of respondents either believed they didn’t have enough local news or could have used more to assess candidates back in April. Many respondents pointed to social media as among their most influential news sources, with 14 per cent specifically citing Facebook even though the social media site banned news content in Canada. [CP]
"Be they attacks on prosecutorial independence or sexist attacks on principles of fundamental justice, these actions are affronts to the rule of law," Donna Kellway wrote in an open letter. "Personal attacks on Crowns seeking a significant sentence are nothing less than attacks on prosecutorial independence. These attacks do not — nor will they ever — drive the decisions made by our prosecutors." [CP]

As outlined in its latest departmental plan, WAGE's planned spending is expected to drop from $407 million in 2025-26 to $76 million in 2027-28. Over the same time period, the department's number of full-time employees is expected to decrease from 444 to 254. [CP]
The Provinces
Petition seeking vote on Alberta remaining within Canada approved
"We need all Albertans to put their pride and love of Canada into writing now and put their signature on a petition," campaign leader Thomas Lukaszuk said. [Edmonton Journal]

The institute says the population will decrease due to a number of factors including recent government policies to reduce the number of temporary immigrants. The agency also said its estimates were based on trends related to fertility rates and international migration patterns. [CP]

Ontario won't officially say how much the fee it agreed to pay Starlink amounted to. One source said it was substantially less than the full contract but 'not zero.' [Global]

Premier David Eby says the federal government cannot forget about the fate of British Columbia's softwood lumber industry as the deadline for a trade deal with the U.S. looms. [Global]
Aurora
Elsewhere
Trump says he has trade deal with South Korea as Friday deadline nears
Trump’s announcement is a framework of an agreement. Finalized trade deals are massive and can take years to negotiate. But if the arrangement with South Korea is implemented, the White House will have brokered new arrangements with 11 of the country’s top 15 trading partners. [WaPo] (🎁 link)
The company estimated that duties on imported cars and car parts would cost it $2 billion this year. [NYT] (🎁 link)
Paluckas, a newly established leader of the center-left Social Democrats, ascended to the role late last year after a three-party coalition formed following parliamentary elections in October. His entire cabinet is now expected also to resign, potentially leaving the country without an effective government weeks before Russia holds joint military exercises with neighboring Belarus. [The Independent]

It’s a potentially seismic moment for the House, with Democratic governors in states like California vowing to attempt the same tactics to help their party win more seats if Republicans did indeed do this in Texas – leading to what one House Democratic lawmaker described to CNN as a “redistricting arms race.” [CNN]
Media

Media company Ziff Davis is laying off 15 percent of its unionized workforce, with the majority being from tech outlet CNET. [The Verge]
Science and Technology
NSF plans abrupt end to lone U.S. Antarctic research icebreaker
The waters around Antarctica are the harshest on Earth. They contain thick sea ice and mountainous icebergs that menace even the “icebreaker” ships capable of exploring the Arctic. For nearly 60 years, however, the United States has continuously operated science-dedicated icebreakers in the Southern Ocean. [Science]
Medical isotopes are also used to diagnose other types of cancers and in medical imaging techniques. The move is part of the province’s pivot to attract life sciences companies and manufacturers, following a $146-million investment in the sector last fall.  [Global]
The Calendar
  • 0900 ET : Mexico City, - NDP Interim Leader Don Davies and NDP MPs Leah Gazan and Lori Idlout attend the Panamerican Congress.
  • 1000 ET : Charlottetown, - LPC MP Sean Casey makes a funding announcement
  • 1245 ET : Toronto, - FEDDEV Min Evan Solomon speaks at the Black Ideas Grant (B.I.G) 2.0 event
Issued this day ...
… in 1995. Sc 1361. Domestic First-Class Rate: Flag Over Building. Design:Gottschalk + Ash International

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