Canada
International students brought by some for ‘abuse,’ not learning: Freeland
Freeland’s comments came after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government is moving to restrict the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in Canada.
Most Canadians think immigration levels are too high: poll
he government plans to bring in 500,000 newcomers in both 2025 and 2026. Only 20% of respondents said that amount is appropriate and 3% said it is too low.
Explained: Why Indian students in Canada are worried about PM Trudeau's plans on reducing low-wage foreign workers
Indian students in Canada are growing concerned following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plan to reduce low-wage foreign workers, impacting their prospects for permanent residency. The author does not quote a single Indian student in this piece in support of the claim they are worried but, nonetheless, this is how the The Times of India is framing this Canadian issue for its audience.
Poilievre urges Singh to force fall election by ending NDP deal with Liberals
Pierre Poilievre's letter to Jagmeet Singh says the NDP does not have a mandate from voters to keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in power for another year. The Opposition leader took just three questions from the Parliament Hill media at a press conference he called on this subject.
NDP lose five points of support in new national poll
“It’s the first poll that there’s been that kind of movement. Let’s see if they park in sort of the mid to high teens, or are they going to sort of get back up over that into that 20 or 21 per cent that they have been at for a fair amount of time,” [the pollster] said.
The ‘era’ of shorter commutes is officially over, StatCan says
The amount of time it's taking commuters to get into work is growing longer, with the average reaching 26 minutes, and for those who take public transit, it's even longer.
Battle brewing between AG and MPs over 'green slush fund' documents
“If a member believes there was a breach of privilege, the member can raise a question of privilege once the House resumes its sitting,” Mathieu Gravel said in an email. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s office did not respond to questions about his party’s next move.
Russian player’s induction into Hockey Hall of Fame ‘deeply offensive’: Ukrainian Canadian Congress
A planned induction of a former Russian ice hockey player into the Hall of Fame has raised concern over the athlete’s alleged endorsement of his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Provinces
What to expect from Saskatchewan’s 2 main political parties ahead of the fall election
On Thursday Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck kicked off the party’s campaign heading into the fall. With the announcement, Beck said her government would have no new tax hikes on provincial income tax, PST or small business and corporate during their first term.
Conservatives scramble to integrate B.C. United candidates by Monday
B.C. United candidates speak out as Conservatives try to get all candidates approved by Labour Day.
High cost of travel nurses helps drive deficit forecast in New Brunswick
The figure marks a sharp reversal from the $40.9-million surplus initially forecast in the provincial budget unveiled in March.
Concordia University reports 30% drop in enrolment following Quebec tuition hike
Concordia University is reporting a nearly 30 per cent drop in new registrations of out-of-province students following a tuition hike announced last year by the Quebec government.
New National Police Federation Survey of Albertans shows High Satisfaction with Alberta RCMP; Low Support for New Independent Police Service
A poll in reaction to plans by the Government of Alberta to replace the RCMP with its own provincial police force. -DA
Elsewhere
Afghan women sing in defiance of Taliban morality laws
Laws issued by the Taliban last week forbid women from singing and reading aloud in public because a woman's voice is deemed 'intimate.'
Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia building Baltic defense line
Baltic countries are moving to protect NATO's eastern flank in the face of Russian aggression. The Baltic defense line — a new fortification system along their borders with Russia and Belarus — is meant to shield NATO allies from potential attacks. VOA’s Myroslava Gongadze reports.
24 hours of Trump: QAnon tributes, crude attacks and hawking pieces of his suit
With fewer than 70 days until the election, Trump is zigging and zagging with an arsenal of unfocused broadsides and peripheral pursuits.
Memes, GIFs and selfies: How social media is influencing political campaigns
A poll conducted by ABC News, The Washington Post, and Ipsos found that Harris is winning voters 18-39 59 percent versus former President Donald Trump at 34 percent, improving on Biden’s margins by about 10 percentage points.
Media
Most AI avatars look female, young and attractive. Are they a passing trend or here to stay?
Two technologists explain how and why they created these figures. Critics fear this can reinforce negative stereotypes about women.
China uses media trips in soft power play to boost image
Beijing is sending international reporters to Chinese cities to showcase culture, technology and tourism. What’s missing, say analysts, is an uncensored picture of China and its human rights abuses. A reminder that my disclosure statement is always online here and that my employer always pays for any travel I do and where it cannot pay directly for that travel, as in the case of travelling on a campaign plane or on the prime minister's aircraft, my employer pays the group organizing that travel the commercial equivalent of provided travel. Bottom line: No free travel.
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.
Science and tech
Carbon emissions from the 2023 Canadian wildfires
We find that the magnitude of the carbon emissions is 647 TgC (570–727 TgC), comparable to the annual fossil fuel emissions of large nations, with only India, China and the USA releasing more carbon per year2. We find that widespread hot–dry weather was a principal driver of fire spread, with 2023 being the warmest and driest year since at least 19803. Although temperatures were extreme relative to the historical record, climate projections indicate that these temperatures are likely to be typical during the 2050s, even under a moderate climate mitigation scenario (shared socioeconomic pathway, SSP 2–4.5)4. Such conditions are likely to drive increased fire activity and suppress carbon uptake by Canadian forests, adding to concerns about the long-term durability of these forests as a carbon sink5,6,7,8.
The Calendar
- Sault Ste Marie, ON - PM Trudeau meets with steel workers.
- 1045 ET: Trois-Rivières, QC - Environment Min Steven Guilbeault and Innovation Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne make a funding announcement.
- 1115 ET: Toronto - Diversity and Inclusion Min Kamal Khera and LPC MP Judy Sgro makes a funding announcement
- 1130 ET: Hamilton, ON - Deputy PM and Fin Min Chrystia Freeland meets with steel workers.
- 1300 ET: 330 Wellington - Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI) | Meeting 118 - Emergency Order for Boreal Caribou Protection under the Species at Risk Act
Yesterday
- Winnipeg - PM Trudeau met with Premier Wab Kinew.
Issued this day ...
… in 2002: Sc 1947 souvenir sheet of 4. Tulips. Design: Monique Dufour and Sophie Lafortune.
It seems an odd time of the year — end of summer — to issue a stamp featuring floral features one has in the garden in early spring but the stamps in this souvenir sheet were first issued as a booklet in the spring of 2002 (May 3 to be precise) and, as the fine print on this souvenir sheet notes, it appears to have been Canada Post's contribution to Amphilex 2002, a big international stamp show held that year in Amsterdam.
Other interesting note: These were the first stamps to be printed by Lowe-Martin which is still Canada Post’s stamp printer today. L-M’s state-of-the-art printing facility is on Hunt Club in Ottawa, just near the Ottawa airport. I’ve had the opportunity to tour it and, for a stamp geek/publishing geek, it was a pretty cool way to spend a few hours.