(Insert own head-shake here):
The Liberals haven’t implemented a federal dental care program, but they did announce a stop-gap program in which low-income families could apply for $650 cheques that could presumably be spent on dental care.
And notably, the official announcement made zero mention whatsoever of the federal NDP. Rather, the policy was pitched as a generous offering conceived by the Liberal cabinet. “We will always be there for families who need it most, when they need it most,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the official press release. It fell to the NDP to remind everyone that the policy only came about in exchange for their party “not forcing a snap election.”
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We've known who the government works for and we've known since 2013:
The group Safeguard Defenders said in a report in September that there were Chinese police operations around the world, including three in Toronto, and an updated report names another 48 locations.
Safeguard Defenders - a not-for-profit human rights group - says two of the new locations are in Canada: one in Vancouver and the second unknown.
The group's previous report alleges employees from the overseas police system use intimidation and threats to enforce the “involuntary" return of immigrants back to China for persecution.
The onset of Covid meant that the Chinese population, in common with those in other countries around the world, was initially prepared to tolerate even greater curtailment of their freedoms in order to combat the virus. Drivers still have to scan a code held up by a drone in order to enter cities; once inside everyone must produce their phones at the many checkpoints and display a green QR code.
However, acceptance of this way of life is waning as the pandemic drags into a fourth year. Residents in Chengdu, a city of 22m people, were barred from leaving their flats in September even when an earthquake hit. Many people are upset they have been unable to earn a living even as the price of food spirals. This was all tolerable while the virus was kept under control perhaps. But now Covid is spreading and the death toll is rising.
“Despite their relatively small size, it is notable that protests and expressions of dissent are happening both online and offline, and in very different parts of the country,” says Katja Drinhausen of the Mercator Institute for China Studies.
"While protesters mainly raise livelihood issues, they also target a key policy adopted by the central government [zero Covid] and in some cases systemic issues, such as lack of respect for freedom of expression, rule of law and individual human rights.”
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Canada’s Bill C-18, which is now before Parliament, is similar to Australia’s reforms and aims to stop the erosion of local media. Between 2008 and 2021, nearly 450 news outlets closed in Canada. Since 2010, at least one-third of journalism jobs have disappeared.
Unfortunately, Bill C-18 is being slowed by the tech giants, but also by Canadian politicians and media hopefuls who want to use it to finance tiny and often questionable startups. This is only serving to delay what needs to be done. Canada should simply adopt the Australian model, instead of trying to re-invent the wheel.
No, this is merely a measure to ensure that the government's mouthpiece is the only one that gets a piece of the action.
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Cabinet is “figuring out how we can improve the system” that sees air passengers wait two years for federal regulators to review complaints, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said yesterday. The current backlog at the Canadian Transportation Agency is 30,000 complaints: “I know the Agency is doing their best.”
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Canada’s new Arctic patrol ship HMCS Harry DeWolf will be out of service until April because of ongoing mechanical problems, but the military doesn’t yet have an idea how much repairs are going to cost taxpayers.
In addition, a second Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, HMCS Max Bernays, was accepted in September from Irving Shipbuilding even though a system that allows the vessel to manoeuvre wasn’t functioning properly, this newspaper confirmed.
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Quebec is special:
QUEBEC!
— Alexandra Lavoie (@ThevoiceAlexa) December 3, 2022
Now we will need to cut down our electricity?
Turn down our heat and prevent us from washing and dishwashing during peak hours?
Sorry for all electric car owners!
Who would have thought that one of the most prosperous place in terms of energy will now deal with this? pic.twitter.com/5psB5pZscU
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Alberta doesn't need Ottawa:
Federal Bill C-21, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Firearms Act, among other legislation, is now being debated by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.If passed, the act will ban most semi-automatic shotguns and rifles, many of which some gun owners say are ordinary hunting shotguns and rifles purchased legally, and which are unrestricted and unregistered. The proposed amendments would also ban any gun that can hold a detachable magazine.Alberta plans to follow Saskatchewan’s lead in introducing its own firearms act in response to the federal gun control legislation, Smith said. Sask. Premier Scott Moe introduced the Saskatchewan Firearms Act on Dec.1.“The Constitution gives us powers of property and civil rights regulating how people use their property, this [legislation] is totally within our jurisdiction,” Smith said.The premier said that policing and the administration of justice also fall within the provincial domain.
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The United Conservative Party, which leads the Alberta government with a majority, said on Dec. 5 it is putting forward two amendments to Bill 1, the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, to clarify clauses that raised public concerns.
The party said it will change the bill to ensure any changes that the cabinet makes to laws under the sovereignty act will be done in the House with debate and approval. The amendment will specify that any changes to laws cannot be made in secret. The party also voted to change the act to clarify when cabinet can take action on federal policies or legislation that could be harmful to Albertans.The amendments have not been published yet, but with the amendment, harm would be more narrowly defined by Bill 1 as anything a majority of the legislature deems to be unconstitutional federal intrusion into provincial areas of responsibility.
The Saskatchewan NDP is charging the government’s planned tax collection agency will come at a huge cost despite assurances from the finance minister the new Crown corporation may be revenue neutral.
The Saskatchewan Revenue Agency, outlined in new legislation tabled on Monday, would administer taxes and related programs, including taking control of the provincial portion of the corporate income tax system from the federal government.
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