Ottawa Observations: Monday, December 16. 2019

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for  Monday, December  16, 2019 


Canadians held in China / China tensions

Richmond federal candidate defends China's re-education camps
Why are Canadian authorities passing on an alleged case of foreign bribery in China?


Globe and Mail

Member of Conservative Fund says use of donations for Scheer's children's tuition didn't follow proper protocols
Larger deficits leave Liberals with little room for new spending ahead of first minority budget
Rona Ambrose is the type of candidate an electable Conservative Party needs
Carbon-tax law gives Ottawa to regulate day-to-day lives of Albertans, lawyers argue
The Liberals can't keep election promises, maintain the debt-to-GDP ratio and 'preserve fiscal firepower'
Morneau set to hear from provinces pushing for more financial help
Ottawa announces revised carbon-tax rebate amounts for four provinces
Larger deficits leave Liberals with little room for new spending ahead of first minority budget


CBC

Morneau 'open' to Alberta Premier Kenney's request for a boost to fiscal stabilization program
Ontario asks Ottawa to double number of economic immigrants
Canada's economy 'sound and growing,' says Morneau as he unveils fiscal update
RCMP not planning to reimburse cost of stay on Aga Khan's island
Conservative leadership gets committed candidate as political heavyweights mull options
Why Boris Johnson's win may be to Canada's trade advantage 
Faster service for veterans at centre of ministerial mandate letter
New draft ethics guidelines for judges caution them about  post-bench work
Trans Mountain pipeline expansion approval 'unlawful', First Nations argue as a new court challenge begins


Toronto Star

Former chair of Conservative leadership race says quick vote on leader possible
What campaign promises? Liberals put focus on a tax cut and debt control
Doug Ford won't answer your calls anymore. He won'g even answer questions in the Legislature
Ottawa doesn't rule out carbon price hike
Ottawa MP Pierre Poilievre considering run for Conservative leadership
Ottawa's fall fiscal update projects bigger federal deficit


Toronto Sun

Latest deficit numbers continue reckless trend
Ford calls for real solutions on violence, not Trudeau's dreams
All the best to Justin Trudeau on his semi-retirement
Trudeau's $1 billion surplus now a $26.6 billion deficit
The slow but successful choking of Andrew Scheer's leadership


National Post

Morneau's deficits are ballooning before the Liberal spending promises even hit
Liberal deficit soars to $27B demolishing projections, with another $35B in surprise red ink on the way
How Health Canada turned Jack and Jill nursery rhyme into epic fail about STI's and incest
Federal government reduces carbon-tax rebate amounts in dissenting provinces
Liberals want to force Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime to show more Canadian content
What the new USMCA trade deal really means for Canada


Maclean's

Deficits are here to stay. But how sustainable is that?
The Liberal government's foreign policy cop out
Wanted: big ideas, Conservative style


Global

Lawyers argue before Alberta Court of Appeal over federal carbon tax dispute
New Brunswick premier hopeful final sign-off on carbon plan coming early in the new year
Federal carbon tax 'sets a dangerous precedent' as constitutional review starts: Alberta justice minister
Morneau's fiscal update shows Canada's deficit increased by billions for next 2 years


Miscellaneous

Jagmeet Singh hopes people learn to tell Sikh politicians apart
Trudeau's mandate letter for Canada's new health minister leaves the opioid epidemic off its priorities list
Protesters rally in support of First Nations' Trans Mountain pipeline appeal