Canada
Singh says alleged colluders of foreign interference are "traitors"
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he is "alarmed" about allegations of MPs colluding with foreign states, after reading the unredacted version of that bombshell report from the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP). David Akin reports on Singh's assessment of the report, how it contrasts with Green Party Co-Leader Elizabeth May's opinion and who else will or won't read the report.
BQ leader to read NSICOP next, reacts to interpretations by May and SIngh
The following statement was issued late yesterday by Bloc Québecois leader Yves-François Blanchet:
« L’accréditation de sécurité, me semble-t-il, a pour but de donner accès à de l’information classifiée à des gens dignes de confiance, donc n’allant pas en rompre le secret édicté par les autorités responsables en matière de sécurité. Madame May dans un premier temps puis M. Singh ensuite, ayant pris connaissance du rapport du Comité des parlementaires sur la sécurité et le renseignement, ont décidé d’en révéler indirectement le contenu. Pire : ils ont lu le même rapport, et alors que l’une se dit rassurée, l’autre semble alarmé par ce qu’ils ont lu! Aucun des deux ne semble avoir été digne de l’accréditation de sécurité qui leur a été octroyée.
En outre, les deux prétendent que le rapport ne contient pas de liste de noms. Ça reste ambigu. Je me demande alors comment il permettrait aux chefs de partis d’identifier les élus sous influence étrangère au sein de leurs caucus respectifs ni moi au sein du mien. Je vais quand même compléter la démarche d’accréditation de sécurité afin de contribuer en connaissance de cause à la sortie d’une crise dont plusieurs chefs ne semblent pas prendre la mesure, et qui passe par un renforcement de la Commission Hogue. »
-DA
Foreign interference: Singh “more disturbed” after reading unredacted NSICOP report
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said in Ottawa on Thursday that he is “more disturbed” after reading an unredacted version of a National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) report on foreign interference, and said that it shows a number of Canadian MPs have “knowingly provided help to foreign governments.” Here is the first six minutes of his presentation Thursday in the House of Commons foyer.
Foreign interference bill gets unanimous final passage in House of Commons
The House of Commons unanimously passed a wide-ranging bill Thursday to combat foreign interference as the government faces growing scrutiny over its handling of the issue.
Canada sanctions Summit Series goalie Vladislav Tretiak
The sanctions target 11 people and 16 entities who "supply key technology and electrical components in support of Russia's war of aggression," the Prime Minister's Office said in a news release. The sanctions also target individuals and entities "implicated in disinformation and propaganda operations," the news release said.
MPs upset about being kept in the dark on cyberattacks
'This attack appears on the surface to have been minimal impact, but it indicates a far greater concern that someone is watching'
Automatic tax filing could see Canadians get billions in unclaimed benefits: PBO
Canadian non-filers could collectively get up to $1.6 billion this year in unclaimed tax benefits if an automatic filing system were to roll out, the federal fiscal watchdog says.
Tories appeal to Jewish community ahead of byelection, allege 'betrayal' by Trudeau
The Conservative party recently circulated a letter received by Jewish households in the riding detailing what it called Trudeau's "silence" about a rise in "Jew hatred" since the Israel-Hamas war began last fall.
Real change. The one promise he kept
This is a new "attack" ad released Thursday night by the Conservative Party of Canada. The party says this ad will run during legacy TV programs and on digital platforms starting with Thursday night's Oilers-Panthers Stanley Cup playoff game. - DA
Invisible No More. The Experiences of Canadian Women Veterans
Report No. 15 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.
A Canada-Ecuador Trade Agreement: Selected Canadian Priorities
Report No. 19 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade.
The Provinces
NDP questions Moe's comments at conspiracy theory-filled town hall
Carla Beck said it was "disappointing" that Premier Scott Moe did not push back on harmful theories related to Sask. health-care workers.
Quebec Premier Legault relaunches third link option
The new justification for the project — economic security — is “100 per cent political,” said Rudy Husny, a political analyst and former federal Conservative adviser. “The CAQ was able to get in power with the support of Quebec City and Lévis and all that region. It started there, their climb into power.”
Pierre Poilievre n’investirait « pas une cenne » du fédéral pour un tramway
Un gouvernement fédéral conservateur dirigé par Pierre Poilievre n’investirait « pas une cenne d’argent fédéral » dans un projet de tramway à Québec.
B.C. politics: After recent dropouts, how do parties vet candidates?
This spring, at least a handful of candidates have withdrawn or been dropped from the election race following criticism over past online posts.
‘We don’t track data as well as we should,’ Ontario housing minister says
Housing Minister Paul Calandra told a committee at the Ontario legislature he had encountered issues with the data it keeps to measure affordable housing progress.
Elsewhere
Canada’s military tracking Russian navy vessels visiting Cuba
Canada is monitoring Russian naval ships in Cuba with a surveillance plane and Royal Canadian Navy frigate, according to a statement.
G7 leaders agree on US$50B loan for Ukraine using frozen Russian assets
G7 leaders have agreed to engineer a US$50-billion loan to help Ukraine that would use interest earned on profits from Russia’s frozen central bank assets as collateral.
Favourability of Nations: U.S. rebounds, India drops double-digits, China remains historically low
Three-quarters of Americans view Canada favourably, just one-half of Canadians say the same of U.S.
Media
Publishers want tighter rules for doling out $100 million Google fund
A federally incorporated, non-profit created for the purpose of distributing Google’s compensation, the collective was founded in May by a group of independent publishers and broadcasters. The steering committee is composed of a dozen independent media outlets that represent French language, community and Indigenous news, and publications that specifically represent Black and minority Canadians.
If Google Kills News Media, Who Will Feed the AI Beast?
Summarization tools from OpenAI and Google offer a CliffsNotes version of journalism that may further dumb down public discourse and deliver a brutal blow to an already battered media business.
Science and tech
If Paris Agreement Goals Are Missed, These Polar Bears Could Go Extinct
One group in Hudson Bay might have roughly a decade left because sea ice is becoming too thin to support them as they hunt, according to new research.
Apple brings free call recording and transcription to iPhones; journalists rejoice
You’ll soon be able to use your iPhone to record interviews over the phone. And after you hang up, your phone will transcribe those recordings for you. This is a process that used to take up, conservatively, 172% of journalists’ time and even today requires third-party apps, most of which require a subscription. BUT ... will journalists -- or anyone else for that matter -- want recordings of their calls with sources to be stored on Apple's servers?
The Calendar
- 0315 ET: Apulia, Italy - PM Trudeau meets with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
- 0330 ET: Apulia, Italy - PM Trudeau attends a G7 working sesssion
- 0745 ET: Apulia, Italy - PM Trudeau meets with Pope Francis
- 0900 ET: Toronto - LPC MP Pam Damoff makes a funding announcement.
- 0900 ET: Ottawa - LPC MP Yasir Naqvi and Ryan Turnbull make a funding announcement.
- 1100 ET: Rivière-du-Loup, QC - CEDQR Min Soraya Martinez Ferrada makes a funding announcement.
- 1155 ET: Apulia, Italy - PM Trudeau meets with Japan PM Kishida Fumio
- 1300 ET: Quebec City - Public Services and Procurement Min Jean-Yves Duclos makes an infrastructure funding announcement.
- 1330 ET: Montreal - CEDQR Min Soraya Martinez Ferrada makes a funding announcement.
- 1400 ET: Rocky Mountain House, AB - ACOA Min Gudie Hutchings makes a funding announcement.
- 1400 ET: Scarborough, ON - Justice Min Arif Virani and FEDDEV Min Filomena Tassi makes a funding announcement.
- 1430 ET: Moncton, NB - Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Veterans Affairs Min Ginette Petitpas Taylor make a funding announcement.
- 1515 ET: North Vancouver, BC - Energy and Natural Resources Min Jonathan Wilkinson and LPC MP Patrick Weiler make a funding announcement.
- 1800 ET: Toronto - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will campaign in the riding of Toronto--St Paul's
