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Apr 20 2024

Trumpian denialism. Ministers quitting. Ukraine vote: The Roundup

Apr 20, 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
Senator references ‘Trumpian denialism’ in foreign interference debate around China
Broad consensus after phase one of foreign interference inquiry holds that while countries tried to influence Canadian elections, the integrity of the vote held. [Global]
Liberal and NDP MPs are lamenting the loss of the longtime Conservative chair of the parliamentary committee on the Status of Women, saying they hope the change doesn't hurt their ability to work together across party lines. Also: As all committee chairs earn an extra $13,800 a year on top of their $203,100/year salary, this amounts to a pay raise for Kramp-Neumann and a pay cut for Vecchio. [CP]
Federal officials in charge of the National Microbiology Lab are defending security protocols at the Winnipeg institution against accusations of incompetence from opposition MPs. [TorStar]
Some family doctors have warned that the changes to capital gains taxation will affect their ability to save for retirement and their families' futures. [Global]
Lawyer and longtime party volunteer Stephen Curran has been nominated as the Conservative Party of Canada’s federal candidate in North Vancouver. Akin riding notes: The numbers for the Liberals right now in BC are just not any good and lots of Liberals would lose their seats if a vote were held this weekend. But not Jonaathan Wilkinson, the natural resources minister who is the incumbent here. He won in 2021 by 15 points (redistributed results) and prevails in my model by about 5 points if an election were held now. [North Shore News]
From the Provinces
N.S. justice minister resigns after saying domestic violence not an epidemic
Brad Johns made the controversial comments while responding to a reporter’s question on the inquiry into the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting, [Global]
“My personal and political beliefs no longer align in many ways with the direction of our party and government,” Crossman wrote. He did not specify which of his beliefs diverged from those of the party. [Global]
Alberta has done little to advance its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions a year after introducing it, an analysis suggests. [CP]
John Tibbits and Conestoga College are being sued by David Orazietti and Sault College over comments that Tibbits made in February including calling Orazietti "a whore". [Global]
Elsewhere
House Set to Vote on Foreign Aid Bills for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan
After clearing a critical hurdle on Friday, the pieces of the $95 billion package was expected to pass in a series of votes, putting the legislation on track for enactment after a tortured journey through Congress. [NYT]
A Russian victory over Ukraine would embolden other authoritarian regimes, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence said. He said China is waiting to see the West "falter." [Global]
Over the past week, Donald Trump has been forced to sit inside a frigid New York courtroom and listen to a parade of potential jurors share their unvarnished assessments of him. [AP]
Former President Donald Trump’s political operation said Thursday that it plans to deploy more than 100,000 attorneys and volunteers across battleground states to monitor — and potentially challenge — vote counting in November. [Politico]
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Media
Video cameras stationed outside the Manhattan courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial caught the gruesome scene Friday of a man who lit himself on fire. The man would later perish from his injuries. [CP]
Science and Tech
Meta says you can’t turn off its new AI tool on Facebook, Instagram
Meta has now integrated AI into Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and Messenger in Canada — but its presence may not be welcomed by all. [Global]
Meta's WhatsApp and Threads were removed from the store on Friday after Chinese officials cited unspecified national security concerns. [Global]
An attractive, accessible interface, coding smarts, and the ability to answer questions accurately make Gemini 1.0 Ultra the best AI chatbot we tested, especially for newbies. [PCMag]
Issued this day ...
… in 2006: Scott #2149: Canadian Labour Congress. Design: Steven Spazuk. 
Issued to mark the 50th anniversary of the CLC.

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