Canada
Keeping foreign meddling focus on MPs misses the mark: MP
National security is not a game and most certainly not a partisan one, said Liberal MP David McGuinty, the chair of the powerful National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), whose report last week assessing six years’ worth of intelligence and government action related to foreign interference included stunning conclusions about alleged complicity by MPs.
Canada gets new ambassador from China as tensions persist
Wang’s predecessor, Cong Peiwu, returned to China in April following allegations that the Asian powerhouse had interfered in Canada’s elections to tip the scales toward candidates deemed favourable to Beijing.
David Brazil running for federal Conservative nomination in St. John’s East
Former provincial PC leader David Brazil is making a political comeback, running for the federal Conservative nomination in St. John's East. Akin note: The Conservatives last won here in the general election of 2006 but then lost to New Democrat Jack Harris. Harris would give way to Nick Whalen of the LIberals in 2015 and it is now held by Liberal Joanne Thompson. The Liberals, in my model, stand a good chance of losing this seat -- to the New Democrats in what is essentially a toss-up (I have the NDP up by percentage point) and the Conservatives, who I expect will do well in the rest of the province, finishing third in this riding.
Darryl Berger running for federal Conservative nomination in Cardigan
Darryl Berger, a property management professional who worked on Pierre Poilievre's successful 2022 leadership campaign, has announced he will seek the nomination for the Conservative Party in the eastern P.E.I. riding of Cardigan.
The Provinces
B.C. premier repeats call for more federal cash, calls Ottawa's claims 'disingenuous'
Eby says Ottawa's "special treatment for Quebec and Ontario" eventually gets "to be too much" and it's "disingenuous" for federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller to suggest that B.C.'s concerns are simply about asylum seekers.
Developers say Ontario’s new affordable housing pricing will mean selling homes at a loss
New affordable housing definitions have been released by the provincial government but some in the building industry say they're too low to make any money.
Elsewhere
Biden, Zelensky to sign 10-year U.S.-Ukraine security deal at G-7 summit
The agreement — which Trump could undo if reelected — commits Washington to give Kyiv long-term support. Unlike NATO, it doesn’t require a U.S. military response if Ukraine is attacked.
G7 Summit in Italy Gathers West’s Wounded Leaders to Discuss Unruly World
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, who faces his own disenchanted public after more than eight years in office, spoke for his fellow leaders when he lamented the surge of populism in Europe and the United States. “We have seen around the world a rise of populist right-wing forces in just about every democracy,” Mr. Trudeau said on Monday. “It is of concern to see political parties choosing to instrumentalize anger, fear, division, anxiety.”
PM Modi to come face to face with Trudeau at G7, may take up separatist issue
[Modi] will participate in the G7 outreach session on Friday and is also expected to have many bilateral meetings with G7 and other invitee leaders. [India] Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra on Wednesday only confirmed a meeting with Italian PM and host Giorgia Meloni, as he said the list of bilateral meetings was still being finalised. A meeting with Trudeau wasn’t ruled out. Colleague Mackenzie Gray is in Italy covering the G7 summit and, so far at least, there is no indication from the Canadian side that a meeting with Modi will be on Trudeau's agenda.
Meet VIC, Wyoming’s First AI Candidate Running For Cheyenne Mayor
Meet VIC, an artificial intelligence-powered candidate for Cheyenne Mayor that is Wyoming’s first AI-powered political hopeful. The man behind VIC, Victor Miller, says if elected VIC will make all decisions related to the office.
Media
Global News lays off employees in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario
More than two dozen people in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario have been let go from their jobs at Global News this week, with its parent company placing blame on "the current economic and regulatory reality" for media organizations. Unifor, which represents me and other unionized employees at Global News, indicated 35 union members in Ottawa, Toronto, Alberta and BC were given layoff notices yesterday. I was not among them but some colleagues were. An unknown number of management positions were also eliminated.
Montreal's most popular radio personality will host his last show Friday
Known as the “king of the airwaves,” radio personality Paul Arcand will step away Friday from his wildly popular morning show on Montreal’s 98.5 FM.
Reader Notes
We've got 1,800+ subscribers to this thing and there are costs when one is sending out 70,000 or so e-mails a month. The costs of doing so are offset with contributions from sponsors like our friends at Aurora Strategy Global and from many generous readers who are also chipping in. But we could use a few more contributors. 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
AI and drone footage help accurately estimate protest crowd sizes
“Protest size matters,” said Steven Feldstein, who researches technology and politics at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank. “A small versus large crowd is an important signaling device to a regime about the relative strength of the opposition, especially in authoritarian environments where information is otherwise hard to come by.”
Why you shouldn’t use boxplots
Box plots are a very common tool in data visualization to show how your data is distributed. But they have a crucial flaw. Let’s find out what that flaw is. Love to geek out on stuff like this.
The Calendar
- 0430 ET: Apulia, Italy - PM Trudeau arrives at the G7 Summit.
- 0815 ET: 225-A West Block - Justice and Human Rights (JUST) | Meeting 110 - Consideration of George Dolhai for Appointment as Director of Public Prosecutions
- 0830 ET: Kanata, ON - Families and Social Development Min Jenna Sudds makes a funding announcement.
- 0845 ET: Newport, QC - Fisheries Min Diane Lebouthillier makes a funding announcement.
- 0900 ET: 135B West Block - The Forest Products Association of Canada and other NGOs release a report.
- 0915 ET: 125-B West Block - Official Languages (LANG) | Meeting 106 - Federal Funding for Minority-Language Post-Secondary Institutions
- 0930 ET: HoC Foyer - Treasury Board President Anita Anand speaks to reporters.
- 1015 ET: W120 1 Wellington - The Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources meets: Bill C-49
- 1030 ET: 135B West Block - NDP MPs Laurel Collins and Bonita Zarrillo speak about the disability tax credit.
- 1100 ET: 035-B West Block - Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) | Meeting 121 - Question of Privilege Related to Cyber Attacks Targeting Members of Parliament: Witnesses include CPC MPs James Bezan, Garnett Genuis, Tom Kmiec, Stephanie Kusie, and LPC MPs John McKay and Judy Sgro.
- 1100 ET: 125-B West Block - Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN) | Meeting 122 - Competition Act and Air Travel in Northern, Rural, and Remote Communities of Canada
- 1100 ET: 025-B West Block - Finance (FINA) | Meeting 149 - Policy Decisions and Market Forces that have led to Increases in the Cost of Buying or Renting a Home in Canada
- 1100 ET: 330 Wellington - Health (HESA) | Meeting 123 - Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines
- 1100 ET: 035-B West Block - Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) | Meeting 121 - Question of Privilege Related to Cyber Attacks Targeting Members of Parliament
- 1100 ET: 415 Wellington - Science and Research (SRSR) | Meeting 93 - Science and Research in Canada's Arctic in Relation to Climate Change
- 1100 ET: 125-B West Block - Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN) | Meeting 122 - Competition Act and Air Travel in Northern, Rural, and Remote Communities of Canada
- 1100 ET: 135B West Block - Restaurants Canada releases a report.
- 1100 ET: HoC Foyer - speaks about Canada's plan for nature.
- 1130 ET: 135B West Block - NDP MPs Niki Ashton and Heather McPherson call for an investigation into Canadian charities aiding Israel.
- 1230 ET: Apulia, Italy - PM Trudeau meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
- 1240 ET: Toronto - Labour Min Seamus O'Regan speaks to the Canadian Club.
- 1315 ET: Montreal, QC - Deputy PM and Fin Min Chrystia Freeland and CEDQR Min Soraya Martinez Ferrada makes a funding announcement.
- 1430 ET: Apulia, Italy - PM Trudeau attend the G7 official dinner hosted by the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella
- 1445 ET: 135B West Block - Environmental Defence and other NGOs speak about ENVI witnesses.
- 1515 ET: HoC Foyer - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh speaks about the recent NSICOP report.
- 1530 ET: 225-A West Block - Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI) | Meeting 114 - Environment and Climate Impacts Related to the Canadian Financial System
- 1530 ET: 025-B West Block - International Trade (CIIT) | Meeting 112 - 2026 CUSMA Review
- 1530 ET: 035-B West Block - Natural Resources (RNNR) | Meeting 101 - Canada's Electricity Grid and Network
- 1600 ET: Williams Lake, BC - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings makes a funding announcement.
