We Still Have a Government, Right?: Canadian Politics 2020

I was thinking it was strange that afaict Trudeau has not made any comment at all about the assassination of Soleimani and resulting tensions in the Middle East. (Afaik, this fairly wishy-washy statement from the Foreign Affairs Minister is the only official comment I've seen reported?: https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/canada-calls-for-restraint-in-iran-following-death-of-iranian-general-qassem-soleimani. Singh came out against it.) Then I started wondering if it might actually be a smart move to completely wait things out.

Keeping in mind that four of the passengers killed were from my university, so I am in no way taking any of this lightly, I'm really nervous about what Trudeau's active response to all of this will be.

don't really expect anything drastic from trudeau regarding this? i mean it's not really his mo and not much canada could do unilaterally in any case.

Isn't this something:
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/a-majority-of-canadians-want-prince-harry-to-become-governor-general?fbclid=IwAR2Rj6eNn7es_404GoZX56TbIfvdUfUCpQjSIQ7zZna2vDszhtaY0vd_MeQ

It would be a reversion to pre-1952 norms to have an actual British noble as GG.

Isn't this something:
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/a-majority-of-canadians-want-prince-harry-to-become-governor-general?fbclid=IwAR2Rj6eNn7es_404GoZX56TbIfvdUfUCpQjSIQ7zZna2vDszhtaY0vd_MeQ🕸

It would be a reversion to pre-1952 norms to have an actual British noble as GG.

As long as we don’t have to pay for their retinue...

I mean, we pay for every GG's housing and retinue but, yeah, it would be a bit obnoxious if the cost were to significantly increase bc we have an actual! Royal! in that position.

he seems underqualified to be governor general

Sorry, I meant that GG or no, Royals settling in Canada theoretically means we as taxpayers would have to pay for their security. Or so I gather.

good thing BC has that foreign property buyers tax

not that I support this idea in any way, but what qualifications are required to be governor general? All it seems to be is about participating in various ceremonies and dissolving parliament every once in a while. I'm sure he'd be fine.

xxp

I try to ignore hearing anything about these people, but wouldn't H becoming GG conflict with their desire to not be a Royal or do Royal-style things? Maybe I missed some nuance here

As far as I know, he hasn't expressed any interest in the job of GG. I'm not sure where this idea came from but I think it's just some weird hypothetical.

it's dumb and i hate it.

gg should be what it is. some non-partisan canadian prominent member of civil society like, you know, an astronaut or a figure from sports or culture

I actually thought Trudeau was pretty good on Flight 752 here (not that informative on the coastal gaslink pipeline): https://globalnews.ca/news/6404191/justin-trudeau-iran-plane-crash-2020/

“If there were no tensions, if there was no escalation recently in the region, those Canadians would be right now home with their families,” said Trudeau.

“This is something that happens when you have conflict and war. Innocents bear the brunt of it and it is a reminder why all of us need to work so hard on de-escalation, moving forward to reduce tensions and find a pathway that doesn’t involve further conflict and killing.”

Didn't hold back from both expressing that he would have preferred a heads-up wrt the assassination and that there are concerns about being able to trust the Iranian regime wrt investigating this.

Short of shrugging off our centuries-old American yoke and dealing with the ensuing fallout, I have no idea what Trudeau could do to make Canada look like less of a pushover on the world stage.

Surely the yoke was British before the mid-20th century?

Why not both? But yes, hyperbole got the better of me.

Not all heroes wear capes. pic.twitter.com/Z1qD2t0OL2

— Waylon, vicariously (@BannockHammock) January 15, 2020

I've never been to Vancouver and this is exactly how I picture it.

that is some excellent microphone use.

i see that guy around at after hours and stuff lol. has gone very viral in my east vancouver bubble

don't know that I'd be able to get that many words in, in such a short time

https://newrepublic.com/article/156214/colonizer-always-comes

Guess who was picked to build an extension to our disaster of a new LRT/subway in Ottawa: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/snc-lavalin-technical-evaluation-1.5438697?cmp=rss

SNC-Lavalin was awarded the $1.6-billion contract to extend Ottawa's north-south Trillium Line last March even though the team assembled to assess the bids reached a "unanimous consensus that the proposal should not be considered further in the evaluation process," according to documents released by the city Thursday night.

The SNC-Lavalin bid failed to include a signalling or train control system, had no plan for snow removal and, at one point, appeared to believe the trains that run on the Trillium Line were electric, not diesel...

On Oct. 3, the team concluded SNC-Lavalin's proposal "failed all four technical categories."

It sometimes seems like Ford is paying Watson to throw the next election to a hard-right populist.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-tuesday-edition-1.5443076/montreal-family-stranded-in-china-during-coronavirus-lockdown-seeks-help-from-canada-1.5443082

Not even picking up the phone is unfortunately par for the course, in my experience.

:(

USMCA ratification legislation tabled, with only the Bloc dissenting on the ways and means bill: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/liberal-government-nafta-implementation-bill-trump-1.5444947

Haven't seen anything in the mainstream press yet but this seems like it might shape up to be an odd story: https://pressprogress.ca/mysterious-group-uses-made-up-name-and-fake-mom-to-attack-teachers-in-canadas-biggest-newspapers/

FFS. 🤦‍♂️

See the Vaughan Working Families twitter account, thanking Lecce for the fight against teachers? Check out the photo they used.

That's dead NYC billionaire Matthew Mellon. Ironically, the Mellons spend millions to fight for more teacher engagement. 🙄#onpoli pic.twitter.com/vXVV3wY8Ba

— Stephen Punwasi (@StephenPunwasi) February 3, 2020

That's pathetically low.

I'm hearing a lot about this on Radio-Canada: https://www.google.com/amp/s/montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/legault-blasts-trudeau-for-federal-funding-granted-to-emsbs-bill-21-challenge/amp

Afaict, the EMSB is receiving funding through the Court Challenges Program, which, afaik, is a program that allows any group to receive funds for a charter rights court challenge. I'm not sure that Trudeau even has much to do with it? He did make a supportive statement at the least, though.

Major strike day for teachers in ON today I gather (albeit not at the schools where I worked).

Update on 'Vaughan Working Families':https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/9845588-ad-critical-of-teacher-unions-linked-to-lawyer-with-progressive-conservative-connections/?utm_source=facebook&source=yorkregion.com&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign&utm_campaign_id&utm_content&fbclid=iwar39lhi6hgn7nqjomtoni1aosighsdh1jm0ri2dlcle5xeksarylhnkd96m

Holy shit

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheers says the "protesters" need to check their "privilege" and let the rail system open again. #Wet'suwet'en. pic.twitter.com/dQKZ6IKouU

— APTN National News (@APTNNews) February 14, 2020

amazing.

inject it into my veins!

been out at actions most days for the last week so thank you, scheer for the added impetus to keep on going

So positive reports from the first day of negotiations with the hereditary chiefs?

Will admit I've been finding the Coastal Gaslink issue hard to fully get a handle on/take a position on, insofar as I can see why both the band leaders and the hereditary chiefs hold the positions they do. The BC govt's support for it is also interesting in light of their opposition to TransMountain.

I know many (maybe most) Canadian ILX people aren't big on Trudeau. Are you okay with him in charge of the coronavirus response? Maybe I shouldn't be, but I am. I think he'll at least take counsel from the right people, act on it, and spend whatever needs to be spent.

My one big international work trip this year is Montreal, so he better be on his game

I might just be lowering the bar and comparing him to Trump, but at the very least, I can't see him ever, under any circumstances, looking to Trump for the right response (even if he might pay lip service in public--there has to be a certain amount of coordination between the two countries).

I'm no expert but it mostly seems appropriate so far?

seems fine

Blockades come down in Quebec: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-kahnawake-blockade-1.5486733

I owe them another donation.

New ON Lib leader: https://toronto.citynews.ca/2020/03/07/ontario-liberals-new-leader/

I freely admit to remembering nothing about him from his cabinet days.

I said to a friend yesterday that when I try to get my mind around two weeks from now, I can't.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/trudeau-self-isolating-as-wife-sophie-awaits-result-of-covid-19-test-1.4850159

Legault just asked everyone who is arriving from abroad to self-isolate for 14 days. This will be me tomorrow.

This was posted 10 hours ago, but I just heard it now from CNN--I thought my FB wall would have been filled.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/sophie-gregoire-trudeau-tests-positive-for-covid-19-1.4850159

i live in bc now and it’s definitely relevant that the culture prior to covid was that no one has friends or does anything social ever, except occasionally going outdoors on weekends

― flopson, Sunday, January 10, 2021 3:01 AM (fifteen hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

it's speculation, but vancouver/bc numbers are on the rise at a lower rate possibly due to more mask compliance, right?

like you said, weather-wise, people do stay inside in bc, but our winters are not as brutal, so people still get out more compared to montreal/quebec, and being outside reduces spread for sure

here is a cool graph that some devs did on a ctv article (it's from august, but it was updated and pulling in data from this month):

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/covid-19-in-the-u-s-how-do-canada-s-provinces-rank-against-american-states-1.5051033

it's from the csse at john hopkins university github repo:

https://github.com/CSSEGISandData/COVID-19

count difference between quebec and alberta aren't as bad now

low mask compliance (due to whatever reason, probably cultural/political, sure) would also account for saskatchewan being in the top 3

there was a discussion in the states whether more efforts should be put into better air filtration as opposed to surface sanitation, which i think was worth considering, but it's probably too expensive and too late now

Went for a long hike yesterday near Seattle and was pretty horrified by how few people on the trail were wearing masks or making any attempt at distancing. I did my best to hold my breath as I was passing people, but when you've got a group of six maskless people sauntering down a narrow trail past you, and they're all talking, there's only so much you can do.

it's speculation, but vancouver/bc numbers are on the rise at a lower rate possibly due to more mask compliance, right?

It's been mandatory in all indoor public venues since July 18 in Quebec (November 24 for BC).

sure, but what are the compliance rates? it's a hard thing to measure, but it's probably worth looking into

BC's relative success was discussed earlier in the thread. I don't think sheer strictness in and of itself was really one of the reasons given.

I can't remember the last time I saw someone without a mask at the grocery store. Actually I can: it was the day the measure came into effect.

You get fined if you don't, it's as simple as that.

This was from the summer; d/k if things have changed: https://globalnews.ca/news/7085828/bc-coronavirus-strategy/

I did my best to hold my breath as I was passing people

This is something I asked about way near the beginning of the pandemic, and to this day, I'm still clear about it. From the Star article Kim linked to above:

Winter versus summer is an important distinction. In hot humid air, droplets settle quickly to the ground and COVID does not survive long. In cold dry air, droplets evaporate rapidly, leaving COVID airborne as well as alive for much longer.

How long is "much longer"? My worst fear has always been that when I'm out walking, I walk into some space where someone else coughed three minutes earlier. They're not there, or even close anymore, but those evaporated airborne droplets are. My assumption has always been that if the droplets weren't gone, the infection rate would have long since been 100%. But that's all I have, an assumption.

Still unclear, that is.

Before the mask thing came in in BC in November most people didnt wear masks in stores and even now next to nobody wears them outside. Yet our numbers have never been crazy.

Can never really understand why we're a comparative success story

Have LTC homes been better managed? They account for the majority of deaths in ON and QC. This seemed significant:

In Quebec, massive outbreaks in long term care facilities contributed to the province’s high case numbers and death rates, Buckeridge said. Policies like allowing staff to work at multiple facilities just facilitated the virus’ spread in vulnerable populations, he said, and it was allowed for a long time. B.C. issued an order in March to stop this, although it took some time for the practice to end.

In ON, privatization of LTC has been a disaster:
https://canadatrends.ca/news/84390/for-profit-long-term-care-homes-once-again-seeing-significantly-worse-outcomes-in-ontario-s-second-wave-star-analysis-finds
https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2020/11/18/long-term-care-fiasco-a-warning-about-private-ownership.html

It just gets worse… again:

https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1762250/soins-intensifs-debordement-covid-quebec-hopitaux-delestage-opatrny

Several QC hospitals are now at capacity and patients are being transferred to other regions. And this is on top of all the non-elective surgeries, cancer screenings, etc., that are being postponed. I maintain that re-opening schools is a huge mistake in light of our current circumstances. Kids themselves are not at risk, but if they do catch it, they pass it on to more vulnerable individuals, further burdening our already enfeebled health care system.

Ford's new modelling reportedly says Ontario ICUs will be beyond capacity by February.

The school call is so tough. I really believe the best solution is to move teachers up the priority list for vaccines. Obviously, front-line workers, seniors, and vulnerable groups first. Give it to grocery store employees next. After that, I think teachers should be among the next to get it. It's the risk now vs. long-term fallout, and they're both terrible options--I know kids are resilient, but I believe the fallout will be very real. I'm thinking back to a couple of students of mine who I still see when I supply: one who's in grade 5 now and can't read, and another with vision issues plus ESL and academic issues on top of that. They were just barely hanging on before this; online for the rest of the year, and I can't see them ever recovering. They'll hopefully find their place after they leave school, but the next few years will be hell.

I really believe the best solution is to move teachers up the priority list for vaccines.

It would have been a decent start, but Legault suggested that it won't happen before April or May.

If that's the timeline--I'm sure Ontario's the same--no, it won't make a difference.

As far as I know, this is Ontario's vaccine timeline. It mentions no priority status for teachers at all: https://files.ontario.ca/moh-covid-19-vaccine-distribution-implementation-plan-en-2020-12-11-v3.pdf

Some scary numbers in the Radio-Canada piece:

Samedi, l'Hôpital Anna-Laberge, de Châteauguay et celui du Suroît, à Valleyfield, ont annoncé l'interdiction des visites jusqu'à nouvel ordre, sauf exceptions. Le taux d'occupation des urgences de ces hôpitaux est de 141 %.

no priority status for teachers at all

Not surprised at all. Maybe I'm missing something--and I am admittedly biased--but to me it seems like the most obvious thing in the world if you want schools to stay open.

The schools being open as much and as long as low caseload can allow is an approach I still agree with. Aside from it being the best scenario for kids mental health, with the alternative being school at home, and problems with childcare, stats are starting to show how terrible this whole thing has been for working women. So many are dropping out of jobs to be there with the kids. And it’s worth noting how ironic it is that the most conservative types are complaining the loudest about restrictions, because it’s delivering them the biggest “win” for a return to traditional roles that many have had in their lifetimes. It is definitely an item of concern.

Vaccinating teachers wouldn't solve Parent A to Student A to Student B to Parent B transmission, but it would, presumably, eliminate the danger of Parent A to Student A to Teacher A to half the rest of the class and then back home.

Four more cases here--0-8 in the first 5 months, now 8-24 in 16 days. (Some have been cleared off; 11 active, I think.)

Yeah, teachers probably should be prioritized since the risk is coming because of the job. Families (like mine) can opt in based on knowing we can accept some risk but keep ourselves a closed circle that won’t pass further it to a vulnerable member, but the teacher is at the centre of all those circles combined and it makes sense to give them all protection possible.

The schools being open as much and as long as low caseload can allow is an approach I still agree with.

Me too, the key words being 'low caseload'. I think that ship has sailed in Quebec, less so elsewhere in Canada.

moving groups up and down priority won’t do much with the slow rollout horizon. we need to approve the AstraZeneca and Jansen vaccines asap

More grist for the mill:

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/emsb-unveils-air-purifiers-maintaining-they-will-slow-spread-of-covid-19

Even the BBC is talking about it: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55631198

So proud of my province rn.

I was out in the car when they interrupted programming for Ford's announcement. My most immediate reaction was "Can I still go for a walk?" If I interpret correctly, I can. That's good--that's really important to me, and pretty much all I ask. So a good thing.

Same for me.

I'm finding it a little difficult to figure out if this all semantics or if anything has actually changed. Ford is talking tough about big-box stores, but are there tangible differences I'm missing?

Props to Ford for taking action before it's too late. Gotta give credit where credit is due.

Agree, but they need to be clearer. Because I'm still not sure what changes on Thursday, except at the margins (i.e., younger grades have to be masked now--which, where I was supplying, they 100% were already).

ok sorry but what is "essential work" at this point

Perfect illustration of how all this really does seem like a lot of legerdemain. Non-essential curbside pickup is now restricted to the hours between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Huh? Was anybody doing curbside pickup outside those hours? The three things I can identify are 1) the primary-grade mask provision (which, as I say, is kind of needless); 2) a limit in outdoor gatherings of 5 (down from 10); and 3) Ford saying he'll really come down on big-box stores that don't follow the 50%-capacity rule.

That's great if that's true. Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a lot here.

Am I understanding correctly that e.g. Long & McQuade can still offer curbside pickup but I would be violating the stay-at-home order and could get a fine if I went there to rent mics via curbside pickup? Unless I can make a case that it is essential?

Hadn't thought about that. Not sure they have either.

Went for my 9:00 walk, stopping into Tim Hortons (empty, double-masked) for a takeout coffee that I drink on the way back. I do this every night.

On Thursday, 1) I can still go for a walk (I think), 2) Tim Hortons will still be open for takeout (I think--even they weren't sure, but 3) if I combine the two, am I now making a non-essential trip and leaving myself open to being charged? As with Sund4r's question above, there are either incompatibilities or I'm not understanding.

will I get arrested if I go for a night jog

Double double jeopardy

Afaik, there is no curfew and leaving the house for exercise is OK so that one actually seems a little clearer.xp lol

Yes, I’m still sort of generous about his position and intentions here, simply vs what his conduct could have been, but omg... it’s super fucking stupid how contradictory and confusing these announcements still are! It isn’t clear, The actual rules not much different, but the only real takeaway today is that now they are moving towards enforcement vs suggestion.

Simon: I think the answer is no to that--Ford seemed adamant today that that was the difference in not imposing a curfew. But I don't know, maybe that question is trickier in Toronto than St. Marys (though the order is province-wide...).

So cringe

Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) Tweeted:
So @JustinTrudeau’s senior advisor just called for people to be thrown out a window to their death. Now, will the PM denounce this incitement to violence? Does this violate any kind of community standard for Twitter. https://t.co/BUhA7EUILY

our inept right really is a blessing

this was my favourite moronic andrew scheer bit

Omar Khadr is a convicted terrorist who murdered a medic and blinded another. He is not a victim, nor should he be portrayed in this way alongside real Canadian heroes. @googlecanada: fix this. pic.twitter.com/qywUGQihVb

— Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) January 29, 2019

Apparently I don’t know how to properly embed a tweet. That one is hilarious. He should do comedy.

just copy/pasting the link works

I think he had to scroll through a few pages of photos to find khadr, as the arrows and other "canadian soldiers" indicate

Somewhat helpful:

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/questions-about-ontario-s-stay-at-home-order-answered-1.5264068

How will the government know who is out for legitimate reasons and who isn't?

The province said that residents will have a duty to identify themselves when a police officer has "reasonable and probable grounds" that there has been a breach of the orders made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

Walking, running, A-OK.

New thread: Defenestrate Them All: Canadian Politics 2021