Ottawa Observations: Saturday/Sunday, December 18 & 19, 2021

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for    Saturday/Sunday,  December 18 & 19, 2021

Canada / China tensions                 

By choosing China to hold the Winter Olympics in Beijing, the IOC has put athletes at risk

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

What we've learned about Omicron so far, including how severe illness from the variant appears to be

Omicron is discouraging but a strong response now may bring the end it sight

Canada's COVID-19 case count surges as provinces scramble to reimpose restrictions 

Northwest Territories says Omicron has arrived; updates advice for passengers of WestJet flight last week

Yes, pandemic fatigue is an issue, experts say. Will Omicron make it worse?

Canada is still considering a ban on non-essential travellers, sources say

With high cases of COVID-19, new measures are set to start Monday in Quebec

Travel bans are a flight of fantasy. They need to end

Experts, TV and Twitter docs have questionable records

New COVID-19 cases exceed 4,000 in Ontario as capacity limits kick in

Travel in the age of Omicron not for the faint of heart

We should be cautious of Omicron - but not terrified

Staying Health during COVID-19

New BC COVID-19 restriction stake effect Monday

Provinces break COVID-19 case records as mew restrictions set in

New COVID-19 protocols 'crushing': Kelowna Mayor

What masks work best against Omicron? Experts are divided, but most say ditch cloth masks

'High risk' that border rules may change abroad, stranding  Canadians: minister

NHL announces that Canucks weekend home games postponed against Toronto Maple Leafs and Arizona Coyotes 

BC needs to get serious about Omicron

Globe and Mail

Bombardier shares drop as Swedish corruption probe unfolds

Rio Tinto names Dominic Barton, outgoing Canadian ambassador to China, as chairman

What is the point of a fiscal forecast if the actual numbers are always billions more than projected?

CBC                                             

Trudeau says it's not just governments who can fight Quebec secularism law

Indigenous women make up almost half the female prison population, ombudsman says

Manchin says he won't back Biden's spending bill that contains major trade irritant with Canada

After a tumultuous 2020, did the House of Commons achieve a new normal this year?

The Town that built coal

Former, current ministers refuse to disclose documents in residential school case agains Catholic Church

O'Toole says Conservatives are consulting on the 'unfair' Bill 21

Toronto/Vancouver Star

Students concerns heard, exams will continue in-person : UBC

Stop criticizing Quebec's ban on religious symbols, Erin O'Toole warns Conservative MPs in tense meeting

Inside the CSIS probe that identified a Canadian mole who spied for Moscow 

Doug Ford's temporary truce with union leader shows the enemy of enemy is my friend

Justin Trudeau's position looks strong heading into 2022 - but only compared to his opponents

Three questions that will define the political state of play in 2022

Toronto Sun

Ontario tries to save some businesses from the gutter 

COVID spread pales to spread of love by QY Rangers

Use CO2 as a material to make cool things instead of taxing us for it

Trudeau's refusal to fund health care leads to COVID restrictions today

The CBC's ad revenue problem continues

COVID-19 exposed the folly of our approach to climate change

How savvy employers will ride out the Omicron wave

Canada's abandonment of Afghanistan created world crisis

Feds lose the plot on gun crime

National Post

Canada's vaccine mandate for foreign crews a headache for European airlines

Hey Twitter, we did 'read the room' but the capitalism is still awesome

Bill 21 opposition outside  Quebec could backfire

With child-care program Trudeau finds a model for influencing provincial policy  

Conrad Black on invincibility of Capitalism and re-establishing America's place in the world

From fighting Ivory trade in Canada to fixing your fridge: Six things you may have missed in Trudeau mandate letters

Macleans                           

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Global 

'A huge deal': BC's Coquihalla Highway to reopen to commercial traffic Monday

UBC says in-person exams to go ahead, amid pressure from students to cancel them due to COVID-19

CBSA detention of migrant mom outside BC school prompts call for sanctuary zones

'Significant delays' at Prince George airport due to de-icing equipment breakdown

The great COVID1-19 Infodemic: How disinformation networks are radicalizing Canadians

Feds silent as key US Senator Manchin turns down Biden's EV tax credit bill

Canadian Forces targeting 'heart of the problem' behind sexual misconduct: Culture Chief

Miscellaneous            

It's time to get to the root causes of healthcare worker burnout

Micheal Geller explains how Vancouver Rezoning plays on Cambie Corridor go 'round and round'

Evan Solomon's year-end interview with Justin Trudeau didn't include single question on climate or overdose crises

Climate Change Accountability Report reveals rising BC greenhouse-gas emissions under NDP in 2019

RBC Economics says 2021 housing market will end the 'way it started: scorching hot'

BC Supreme Court Chief Justice cancels police complaint's commissioner's decision to reduce rank of VPD sergeant