Ottawa Observations: Monday, January 4, 2021

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for   Monday, January 4, 2021


Canadians held in China / China tensions

2020 turned out to be an exceptionally good year -- for China

Is the US laying a trap for Meng Wanzhou?

China ends up Holding Four Aces

Canada's Pandemic Travelling politicians

Jason Kenney reverses course on holiday travel as minister, top aide resign

Jet setting MLA's create political crisis for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney

Alberta mother angry over travel scandal after Make-A-Wish trip postponed for sick son

Conservative Senator Don Plett back in Canada after holiday trip to Mexico

Senator Don Plett vacationed in Mexico over the holidays despite pandemic advisory on travel

Alberta cabinet minister, premier's chief of staff resign over holiday travel, other MLA's demoted

Two more Conservatives caught leaving Canada during the holidays

Jason Kenney blinks as Albertans on left and right unite in fury over travelling politicians

Hammer drops on vacationing Alberta politicos, including Premier's chief of staff

Saskatchewan cabinet minister resigns after California trip, home listing questioned

Hypocritical politicos have themselves to blame

Jet setting politicians undermine the case for lockdowns

Alberta Premier Kenney demotes seven MLAs and party staff found flouting international travel restrictions 

Kenney fires and demotes to spike scandal, but Albertans will decide if they forgive

Saskatchewan cabinet minister resigns over trip to California

Tory MP  'currently out of the country' resigns from ethics committee

Alberta MLAs who travelled during COVID-10 pandemic lose ministry portfolios

Jason Kenney announces resignations of international jet-setting minister and chief of staff

Seriously? Defiant Kenney defends holiday travels by MLA's, Ministers, staff

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Toronto naming companies with COVID-19 outbreaks

Scientists call on Canada to refocus efforts on addressing airborne spread of COVID-19

Where's the urgency in Canada's vaccine rollout?

Ontario has been slow to give COVID-19 vaccinations. Doug Ford says that's about to change

Health authorities to start naming specific Toronto workplaces with significant COVID-19 outbreaks

Advocates call on provinces to vaccinate long-term care residents and workers faster 

Ontario government slow to provide COVID-19 documents for nursing home probe, commission says

City rolls out new COVID-19 workplace measures, reporting

Vaccine doses are languishing in provincial freezers, with more coming in January

'A big question mark': South Africa's COVID-19 variant could be resistant to vaccines, expert says

BC reports 2,211 new cases, 45 deaths over four days in first COVID-19 update of 2021

'Incredibly lethal' outbreak at Vancouver long-term care home raises questions of transparency

BC aiming to have all First Nations communities immunized by end of March

Surrey high school records 50 COVID-19 cases across five classes

New COVID-19 school exposures in 2021

BC rolls out vaccines as 45 people die from COVID-19 in first four days of 2021

Globe and Mail

Suncor takes $425 million impairment charge on White Rose project in Newfoundland

Canadian pension plans end 2020 with pre-pandemic funding levels, but low interest rates mean risks remain

Candice Bergen's a strong speaker, but her secret power is the ability to listen

CBC
  

Federal government to close sickness benefit 'loophole' for quarantining travellers: LeBlanc

Liberals hold polling lead over Conservatives 

New rules on removal of illegal online content could help in battle against child pornography

The Trans Mountain project faces a year of challenges and opportunities

Toronto Star

        

A year after Iran shot down an airliner with dozens of Canadians onboard, this grieving husband and father fights on: "I've dedicated my life to this'

Court deals police informant a setback in bid to sue Canada

Families of downed Ukrainian Flight 752 victims struggle with loss a year later

NDP MP's post on Israeli vaccinations in West Bank sparks social media dust-up

BC's top doctor limits staff increases at five industrial worksites

Toronto Sun

Think tank suggests 1 more harsh lockdown, but will anybody buy it?

Crocodile tears not solving crisis in long-term care homes

Order of Ontario appointments overdue and warranted

Confusion swirls over city's hockey, tobogganing crackdown

City rolls out new COVID-19 workplace measures, reporting

Dragging people from their homes, fines for tobogganing, it's not OK 

Many businesses are quietly bending the rules -- who can blame them?

Hope losing to fear due to government failings

Canadians should reject faddish lockdown plans

National Post

Airlines, travellers concerned that new COVID-19 testing rules will create avoidable 'confusion'

The end of heroes: John A MacDonald and the fate of his successors

The vaccine race heats up

Maclean's

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Global

'It wasn't 100 people, it was 38': Vancouver restaurant owners speak out on COVID-19 fine

BC kids return to school Monday, but anxiety among some parents remains high

BC Assessment records show 2021 Metro Vancouver assessed property values up as much as 10%

$10.7M waterfront home tops list of 10 most expensive Okanagan properties

Home values 'moderately increase' in Thompson, Okanagan region

Fisheries Department to spend $2.3 million in cleanup at Nova Scotia harbour

Miscellaneous

Homeowner to see moderate increases in 2021 assessed value of properties

Assessed value of Lululemon founder Chip Wilson's home rises 2.9 percent, topping $66.8 million

Cheapest properties sold in 2020 were downtown parking stalls, storage rooms

Food delivery work is a big test for Unions in Canada

More BC residents blaming drugs, mental health issues for crime