Ottawa Observations: Friday, December 13, 2019

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for  Friday, December  13, 2019 


Canadians held in China / China tensions

The China committee is a victory for Canadians ... and a problem for Beijing


Globe and Mail

Conservative Party fires executive director, launches internal probe over private-school fees
Who should be the next Conservative leader? First, consider their values, then choose
With Scheer's exit, will the Tories get serious about climate change?
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland given mandate to play key role in every top federal government file
Trudeau asks Morneau to review Canada's mortgage stress test
Jody Wilson-Raybould facing possible eviction from Parliament Hill office space
New rules needed to stop vaping promotion to young people, PM tells Health Minister
Canadians want less plastic. But will they pay the price?
Bill Morneau's first fiscal update since federal election not expected to contain new policy announcements
Lametti says he's looking ahead to larger reforms on medically assisted death
Weaker GDP growth means Canada's defence spending looks better for NATO
Champagne opens door to possible compensation for Kovrig, Spavor as they remain detained in China

CBC

New Speaker says he'll evict Wilson-Raybould if she doesn't leave willingly
Morneau to release fall economic and fiscal update next week
Erin O'Toole tells Tories he'll join Conservative leadership race
Speedier airport screening, universal pharmacare: Trudeau hands cabinet ministers their to-do lists
Legault urges Blanchet to back free trade deal, cautions Trudeau on Bill 21
Sajjan given mandate to modernize NORAD, buy fighter jet fleet
How Andrew Scheer ranks among Conservative leaders
Who's next? Conservative speculation about Scheer's replacement breaks into the open
New compensation rules for flight delays, cancellations kick in Sunday



Toronto Star

Scheer facing an internal audit over use of Conservative Party funds
Jailed for seven years, Canada to press the case of human rights blogger Raif Badawi with Saudi Arabia 
Petty politics or white privilege? Jody Wislon-Raybould's office spat could get messy
How will Ottawa pay for the demands coming from provinces and opposition parties?
Safety advocate Ralph Nader urges Canada to do its own review of the Boeing 737 Max before clearing it to fly
Erin O'Toole and Peter MacKay are preparing to enter the race to replace Andrew Scheer
By refusing to budge, Jody Wilson-Raybould goes all Trump on us
New NAFTA was supposed to be a win for labour. Thanks to tortured language and a lot of vagueness, it's hard to tell
Brad Wall not interested in Conservative party leadership, but hopes Rona Ambrose is
Auditor general looking ahead to larger reforms on doctor-assisted death
Justin Trudeau makes Chrystia Freeland his implementer-in-chief and minister of everything
Scheer's quitting give Trudeau a short-term gain with maybe some long-term pain



Toronto Sun

New crime stats fly in the face of Justin Trudeau's gun ban
Conservatives eat their own once again
Kudos due to Andrew Scheer


National Post

All Conservatives deserved a say in Scheer's fate, not just 'GTA activists'
Scheer resignation tips Conservative Party into internal war over school tuition payments
Pick a philosophy first, then a leader, Conservatives
Trudeau gives nearly 300 tasks for ministers to take on in new parliament
Why Jody Wilson-Raybould doesn't really have a choice about moving offices
Judging by the throne speech, Canada is en route to a train wreck
The Liberals are in trouble now


Maclean's

Andrew Scheer's would-be successors
Jason Kenney's 'triggered' culture reaches Alberta students


Global

With NDP in fourth place, Singh says he'd rather press Liberals than work with tories
Trudeau's special representative to the Prairies looking to listen
Top Tory fired after approving use of party funds for Scheer children private school
5 takeaways from Trudeau's 'mandate letters' to his cabinet
Andrew Scheer didn't know when to hold 'em and when to fold em'
Brad Wall not interested in Conservative Party leaderhsip, hopes Rona Ambrose is
Earth to Andrew Scheer - never tick off Stephen Harper
First Mi'kmaw MP asks question in his language in House of Commons
Canadian businesses brace for 'Hard Brexit' following U.K. election results


Miscellaneous

Next Conservative leader will have to boost party's appeal to female voters to have a chance of becoming Prime Minister