Canada
Justin Trudeau’s office intervened to keep Han Dong off Canada-China committee
Han Dong remains an independent MP after intelligence indicated Chinese officials interfered with the Liberals’ 2019 nomination race in Don Valley North.
Liberal backbencher calls on Justin Trudeau to resign as Liberal leader
Casey is the first MP to call publicly for Trudeau's resignation since it was reported last week that a growing number of anxious Liberals are working to force the prime minister to step down as Liberal leader. Casey is also the first MP who plans to run again to publicly come out against Trudeau's leadership. In my 'Predictionator' model right now -- recognizing that PEI-specific polling is very hard to come by -- I have the Conservatives sweeping all four seats if an election were held today, including Casey's by about 6 points.
Samidoun, group behind ‘death to Canada’ chant, listed as terrorist entity
Listing Samidoun, also known as the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, as a terrorist entity was done alongside the U.S. Treasury Department making a similar move.
[Press release] Prime Minister announces changes in the senior ranks of the public service
Some pretty significant changes to the leadership in civil service. Chris Fox takes on more responsibility. A new DM at Industry. And a new head of CSIS. -DA
The Provinces
BC Conservative candidate refuses to answer questions at campaign office
Global News visited Chapman’s office on Tuesday but he did not make himself available for questions. Global News was invited in and was initially told Chapman was there. However, his campaign manager then told Global News that Chapman wasn’t available and had already answered questions.
Conservatives defend their no-shows at all-candidates debates ahead of B.C. election
A trend has emerged ahead of the 2024 provincial election in B.C. It involves Conservative candidates, many of whom are not showing up at all-candidates debates and in many cases, avoiding media interviews. This is not a new phenomenon. Candidates for small-c conservative provincial and federal parties have been avoiding all-candidates debates for a decade or more. Why? They say there are no persuadable voters at these debates so what's the point? The time of the candidate, staff, and volunteers who would otherwise go to these debates is better spent knocking on doors. You may not agree -- but that's what small-c conservatives have been telling me for ages.
B.C. Conservatives plan $11B deficit in first year, higher than NDP or Greens
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad said Tuesday that if elected on Oct. 19, his party's plans for economic reforms and tax cuts would produce a balanced budget at some point during a second term in office.
Rapper turned Saskatchewan NDP candidate says sorry for lyrics called misogynistic
A former rapper turned Saskatchewan N-D-P candidate says he's sorry for lyrics he used in songs that have been criticized as misogynistic by the Saskatchewan Party. Vetting matters: The SK NDP have no chance, not a snowball's chance in you-know-where, of winning in the southeast riding of Estevan-Big Muddy. This is a new riding for 2024 but once you transpose the votes from 2020 on to the new boundaries, the NDP here would be the third place party in a province where, to be honest, we're in a two-horse race. The Sask Party got 65% of the vote; Buffalo Party got 22% (watch out!!) and the NDP got just 7% of the vote. In fact, there is no riding in the entire province where the NDP got a smaller share of the transposed vote, than Estevan---Big Muddy. So the provincial campaign can fire Smith -- or leader Carla Beck can let her message get derailed for the next day or two about a candidate that has no hope of winning. If you want to see how oppo research digging up stuff on candidatates can derail an opponents campaign, see the BC election and how Brent Chapman has derailed Rustad's Conservatives.
New Brunswick election: Fewer events, promises mark Tories' 'super quiet' campaign
Since the Sept. 19 election call, there have been at least 10 days on which Tory Leader Blaine Higgs has had no public events. Higgs, who is vying for a third term as premier, was also absent from the second leaders debate, held Oct. 9.
Longtime Wellington County MPP Ted Arnott won't be seeking re-election
"The time has come for me to consider whether I will run in the next provincial election, whenever it comes. After many conversations with my family in recent weeks, I have decided that I will not be a candidate in the provincial riding of Wellington-Halton Hills when that election is called," the 61-year-old Fergus native said in a written statement sent to media. Arnott, first elected in 1990, is the longest-serving member of Ontario's legislature.
Elsewhere
Justin Trudeau’s Accusations Spotlight Reach of India’s Intelligence Agencies
... because of the public way Canada has laid out its case, the wider world is now getting a glimpse of how diplomats, spies, bureaucrats and police officers who work in Indian intelligence likely operate, and how senior government officials may direct their activities. 'Gifted article. No paywall.'
U.S. Presidential Elections and Stock Markets: It’s the Economy…Obviously
The current state of the economic cycle could have a greater impact on market performance than the election outcome. If the Federal Reserve manages a soft landing, the economic cycle would be extended, allowing markets to benefit from mid-cycle momentum, but a hard landing could lead to significant market weakness.
Finnish FM warns about growing Ukraine fatigue among Western allies
The Western countries are growing tired of their support of Ukraine, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen warned, calling for stronger resolve in backing Kyiv, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Oct. 15.
Media
The Vibes Are Off: Did Elon Musk Push Academics Off Twitter?
Political Science and Politics: "... we show that academics in these fields reduced their “engagement” with the platform, measured by either the number of active accounts (i.e., those registering any behavior on a given day) or the number of tweets written (including original tweets, replies, retweets, and quote tweets). We further tested whether this decrease in engagement differed by account type; we found that verified users were significantly more likely to reduce their production of content (i.e., writing new tweets and quoting others’ tweets) but not their engagement with the platform writ large..."
Robert Fulford, longtime National Post columnist, has died
His famously clear prose was the product of fastidious rewriting, always at least twice, a rule he shared with the generations of younger writers he edited and mentored. Publishing, as he used to say, was a “necessary evil” that sadly stopped the rewriting process.
Reader Notes
This newsletter is curated by David Akin, chief political correspondent at Global News. The headlines, excerpts, and photos are generated by the publishers of the clipping. The publisher is at the bottom left of the clipping. If I've got a comment, you''ll see that in italics. But if I've generated the headline and the excerpt, you'll see me taking attribution by finishing with -DA in bold. The stuff about the stamps at the bottom — that’s all me.
You can help keep this newsletter going with a monthly pledge -- Just $5 would do it -- via Patreon or, if you want to make a one-time donation, send an e-transfer to jda@davidakin.com. Thanks for all your help!
Science and tech
Trees and land absorbed almost no CO2 last year. Is nature’s carbon sink failing?
The sudden collapse of carbon sinks was not factored into climate models – and could rapidly accelerate global heating.
Instagram is introducing profile cards to help users find new friends
You can now create profile cards on Instagram, which can be shared easily.
The Calendar
- 0900 ET: Welland, ON - LPC MP Vance Badawey and LPC MP Chris Bittle make a funding announcement
- 0905 ET: Montreal - Employment Min Randy Boissonnault speaks to the Workforce Summit 2024 conference.
- 0930 ET: Ottawa - PM Trudeau testifies at the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference.
- 1000 ET: Québec City - Public Services and Procurement Min Jean-Yves Duclos speaks about federal housing policy.
- 1000 ET: Ottawa - Families and Social Development Min Jenna Sudds speaks about federal housing policy.
- 1030 ET: Winnipeg - Environment Min Steven Guilbeault and LPC MP Terry Duguid launch the Canada Water Agency.
- 1030 ET: Benoit's Cove, NL - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings makes a funding announcement
- 1030 ET: Calgary - Indigenous Services Min Patty Hajdu and Mental Health Min Ya'ara Saks speak at the National Summit on Indigenous Mental Wellness
- 1030 ET: Montreal - Intl Development Min Ahmed Hussen makes a funding announcement.
- 1200 ET: Sydney, NS - LPC MP Jaime Battiste and LPC MP Mike Kelloway make an infrastructure funding announcement.
- 1300 ET: Montreal - Labour Min Steven MacKinnon speaks to the Workforce Summit 2024 conference.
- 1300 ET: Oakville, ON - Treasury Board President Anita Anand speaks about federal plans to combat auto theft.
- 1330 ET: Calgary - LPC MP George Chahal makes a funding announcement
- 1430 ET: Lac La Ronge FN, SK - Crown-Indigenous Affairs Min Gary Anandasangaree makes an announcement.
- 1730 ET: Toronto - Women and Gender Equality Min Marci Ien speaks to the Board of Trade
