Ottawa Observations: Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for  Tuesday, February 16, 2021

Canadians held in China / China tensions

Senior Liberal MP urges Trudeau cabinet to 'wake-up and smell the roses' on China

Conservatives urge moving Beijing Olympics over Uyghur atrocities, but Trudeau disputes use of term 'genocide'

O'Toole calls for relocation of 2022 Olympic Games out of China

'Let's go learn': Not for Canada to tell China it's wrong, NS premier Stephen McNeil says

When it comes to China an 'genocide,' Trudeau is a panda in the headlights

What will it take for the Liberals to admit that China is dangerous?

CPPIB's $56 billion invested in Chinese companies is unethical

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The COVID-19 grading curve: Schools rethink expectations for students who have lost time

'Boom, this just hit': Newfoundland offers a cautionary tale about the threat of new COVID-19 variants

Patients receiving treatment abroad exempt from testing, quarantine rules

Canada's Pfizer vaccine shipment delayed by winter weather in US

Canada's public health authorities on edge as COVID-19 variants circulate and vaccines arrive slowly

Unconventional awareness campaign aims to build trust for COVID-19 vaccine among Indigenous people

Canada's vaccine supply from Europe remains secure: Trudeau

BC officials detect first Canadian case of new COVID-19 variant sweeping the world

Disband conflicted, secretive task force behind flawed COVID-19 vaccine effort, MPs told

It's only 'the end of the beginning.' COVID-19 will be with us for years

Soon vaccines will be a provincial problem

Most Canadians blame federal government rather than the provinces for COVID Vaccine delays: poll

BC reports 1,533 new COVID-19 cases, 26 deaths over four days

More COVID-19 vaccine is coming to BC, but questions remain about logistics

Some British Columbians over the age of 80 will receive COVID-19 vaccine at home

Uptick in cases, and sports centres, childcare, school ...

Globe and Mail

Canada lowers threshold for immigrants to get permanent residency

Dependent on foreign students, Canadian universities risk revenues as COVID-19 vaccines lag 

Ottawa urged to grant permanent residency to wrongfully arrested Quebec man

Snow disrupts return to in-person learning in three Ontario COVID-19 hot spots

The COVID-19 grading curve: Schools rethink expectations for students who have lost time

A dire forecast for today's graduates demands urgent action from policy makers

Liberals reverse course on mandatory assault-rifle buyback program, opting to make it voluntary

Why the Liberals insist on a handgun ban that nobody wants

Ontario government acknowledges sexual harassment by a director, damage to women's careers

Ford defends Ontario's reopening plan as stay-at-home order lifts for 27 regions

Ontario's proposed Highway 413 is a $6 billion sprawl accelerator

COVID-19 is spreading another disease: income inequality

Canada's nursing shortage is a gaping wound in our health care system

Finance committee releases 145 budget recommendations as opposition questions fiscal plan

Freeland appeals to Conservatives to hurry passage of COVID-19 relief bill

Ontario's new pandemic math doesn't add up

Ontario's proposed Highway 413 is a $6-billion sprawl accelerator

CBC
  

Liberals introduce buy-back program for banned firearms but price tag unclear

Petitclerc recounts her own experience with disability in final MAID bill debate

MPs vote for wrongfully arrested Mamadi III Fara Camara to become permanent resident  

Freeeland presses Tories to spend up passage of COVID-19 relief bill

Toronto Star

   

What will it take to trigger Ontario's COVID-19 'emergency brake'? Health official says the province is still trying to figure that out

Ontario College of Teachers names 28 teachers whose licences have been revoked for sexual misconduct

Never mind roads and bridges, here's what Canada needs to invest in to pull itself out of recession

Violence against Indigenous peoples is happening in plain sight

'So what is the future looking like for then:' This 30 year old Tory MP talks about the challenges facing Canada's post pandemic workforce

Ottawa urged to grant permanent residency to wrongfully arrested Quebec man

Ontario government says it will improve diversity with changes to the way provincial court judges are appointed

Quebec to reopen cinemas and some indoor sports, Outaouais region moves to 'orange'

Toronto Sun

Trudeau Liberals know gun bans won't work

Trudeau misfires with proposed gun-control measures

Landlord frustrate with slow pace of LTB during COVID

Ontario's numbers continue their massive drop

Many travel agents living off government support due to pandemic

19 Toronto 7-eleven stores apply for in store alcohol service

Counterfeit medical goods still a problem

Once again, a Liberal gun bill that punishes the law-abiding

Here's a policy reform to get Canada to a four day workweek

National Post

Liberals, Tories point fingers over lack of vaccine manufacturing, but experts say problem is long-term

Gun owners facing legal complaints can have firearms seized without warrant under new Liberal law

Maclean's

'Avoid creating new permanent spending'

Global

BC Teachers Federation calls on parents to withdraw kids from Foundation Skills Assessments

Vancouver will seek to ban handguns in city once Bill C-21 passes, mayor says

Ex-finance minister Carole James named to Royal BC Museum Board amid racism controversy

SFU warns of cyberattack impacting as many as 200,000 people

MPs vote in favour of forming special Canada-US economic relations committee

Ottawa urged to grant permanent residency to wrongfully arrested Montreal man

Trudeau unveils details of 'assault-style' gun buyback program, municipal gun ban

Miscellaneous

Immigration interrupted: RBC Economics predicts Canada falling short of 2021 target of new permanent residents

Stanley Park Seawall closure 'could last two weeks'

Richmond RCMP shut down two karaoke bars violating COVID-19 health orders

SFU hit by cyberattack involving personal data breach

Seamus O'Regan, Canada's 'We Can Have it All' Energy Minister

'I was 36 before I figured it out'

A support group for Trans Newcomers that goes 'Beyond Borders and Binaries'

Fossil fuel pollution kills eight million a year