Terror tale. SWO politics. Happy Ford.  August 8th 2024

Unsealed documents reveal past of Edmonton terror convict

Khaled Hussein was born in Edmonton but came to police attention after returning from Lebanon.

NDP joins call for probe into how terror suspect entered to Canada

The RCMP say Ahmed Eldidi is a Canadian citizen, but Global News has reported, based on unnamed sources, that the 62-year-old immigrated to Canada after having allegedly committed violence against an ISIS prisoner, according to a video released by the terrorist group.

Minister delays appointment of new human-rights commissioner after independent review

Virani launched the investigation after Canadian Jewish organizations raised concerns about allegations surrounding Dattani's past activities.

Bureaucrat says she was pressured to blame managers for ArriveCan

'I'm here to tell the truth, but I'm very concerned that if I tell the truth here, I'm going to lose my job'

Trudeau's Regatta Day appearance a sign of Liberal anxiety over N.L. seats, Brazil says

In spite of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's laid-back attitude at Quidi Vidi Lake on Wednesday, David Brazil saw his visit as entirely strategic — and indicative of fears the federal Liberals will lose some of their Newfoundland and Labrador strongholds in the next federal election. In my model, St John's East goes NDP if an election were held now. And I have Liberals losing all but the Mount Pearl seat currently held by Seamus O'Regan. The numbers just ain't there for the Trudeau Party in NL.

Focusing on Chrystia Freeland's fate? The stupid season has hit Canadian politics

Shachi Kurl: Say what you will about the finance minister’s efficacy in policy or as a political communicator, but to suggest she is somehow singlehandedly responsible for what has ailed the Liberals in their sustained unpopularity for more than two years — or that her removal would cure it — is imbecilic. The Liberals are where they are after nearly nine years of government building a cult of personality around the prime minister himself. He’s had his ups and his downs and recovered again. But by now, Canadians are simply tired of him. This, IMHO, is the correct take!

Pentagon North : Does Canada have a military-industrial complex

Adam Chapnick reviews a collection of essays titled Silent Partners: The Origins and Influence of Canada’s Military-Industrial Complex.: "Some of the book’s authors view the cooperation and collaboration of political leaders, the armed forces, industrial executives, and academics as a pernicious force to be guarded against," Chapnik writes. "Other contributors think such conclusions overreach, and I am inclined to agree with them. As the historian George Stanley put it seventy years ago, Canadians can be an “unmilitary people” and still fight wars. Nonetheless, Silent Partners is a fascinating introduction to elements of a military past that Stanley would never have considered." -DA

Pierre Poilievre stops in Halton to discuss policies, tax cuts

The Conservative Party leader is visiting a variety of facilities across the GTA this week

Pierre Poilievre "common-sense" campaign tour visits Hamilton

The opposition leader visited a Stoney Creek factory to support Hamilton East’s conservative candidate Ned Kuruc and to promote his party’s stance against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and many government policies.

[Press release] Conservative Party of Canada announces candidate for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas

This part of southwestern Ontario was last won by a Conservative -- David Sweet -- when the Harper Conservatives won their majority in 2011. The riding now known as Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas had different boundaries and a different name in that election. Back then, it was called Ancaster--Dundas--Flamborough--Westdale. Westdale is part of West Hamilton while the Flamborough part was mostly rural area stretching north towards Guelph. That rural part is now part of the riding of Flamborough--Glanbrook, currently held by Conservative Dan Muys.

As a result of that boundary change that took effect in the 2015 election, Hamilton West--Ancaster--Dundas is definitely more urban/suburban -- precisely the kind of riding the current Conservatives want to steal from the Liberals. Here, Liberal Filmonena Tassi, the current minister for the federal government's economic development agency for southern Ontario, is the incumbent. She won in 2015 and has been there ever since.

Tassi is the only cabinet minister from the region of southwestern Ontario west of Highway 6. This is a part of the country that has a population of roughly 3.5 million and includes Hamilton, Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Windsor, Sarnia, Chatham. Meanwhile, the four Atlantic Canada provinces -- combined population of 2.5 million -- have five seats at the cabinet table. (It was six before Seamus O'Regan departed).

Of course, Atlantic Canada is always going to have at least one minister from each province but, still, the relative lack of cabinet representation for such a populous part of the province says something to me, at least, about the Trudeau government's interest in what might be called Ontario's "rust belt".

And so it falls to Tassi, the only minister from the region to defend her seat and her government's record in the region. Will she be able to fend off her new Conservative challenger? Possibly not. Tassi won in 2021 by more than 9,000 votes or 15 points but current polling trends in Ontario show Liberal fortunes flagging so badly that, if an election were held now, there's good chance Alexander squeaks through by four points or more (2700 votes). -DA