Ottawa Observations: Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for  Wednesday,  December 15, 2021

Canada / China tensions                 

Engineer accused of trying to leak Canadian government secrets to China no longer being prosecuted

Judge stays protection of man accused of trying to spy for China

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Ontario expands COVID-19 booster shots, Ottawa reimposes international travel advisory, as Omicron variant drives infections

Omicron variant drives highest number of daily COVID-19 cases since pandemic began in Britain

Canada re-evaluating travel ban on 10 African countries

Ontario to speed up COVID-19 booster shots as early as Friday, cut capacity at large sporting events by 50%

COVID-19 restrictions cut Toronto's Scotiabank Arena capacity in half

'Now is not the time': Federal government warns against travel abroad as Omicron spreads

Ottawa to toughen international travel restrictions as Omicron concerns escalate

Dix says Omicron variant upending holiday plans, health restrictions being considered

Is Omicron a reason to speed up COVID Vaccine doses for kids? Here's what the experts say

Omicron is on the rise. But Jason Kenney wants a 'balance' on COVID restrictions. Critics say it's pandering, pure and simple.

Omicron is making the holidays complicated. 50 COVId experts weigh in with their advice

Don't travel abroad, Ottawa tells Canadians as case of COVID-19's Omicron variant surge

International Travellers face uncertainty as they depart Pearson

Ford right to reject lockdowns while targeting Omicron 

Docs warn isolation of close contacts needs to end 

Ontarians 18 and up to be offered accelerated booster

Canadians hitting 'outer limits' of what public-health restrictions they'll accept, Kenney says

Federal government warns against non-essential travel in response to Omicron 

Caught flat footed, Canada once again fumbles its pandemic response

BC reports 584 new cases and 7 deaths, says new restrictions possible

BC to provide at-home COVID-19 rapid tests, but not until January

Interior health's 3 Omicron cases 'not travel-related'

Canada advising against non-essential travel abroad as Omicron spreads worldwide

Omicron could swamp BC Hospitals

Globe and Mail

Liberals reopened the government books to backdate nearly $10 billion in spending

Canadian home prices rise 25% in November to hit record high

The Charter can't save Quebec's religious minorities. But federal leadership can

Trudeau, Blanchet spar over Quebec's Bill 21 amid heated debate across Ottawa on secularism law

Ottawa intends to fill charging-station deserts to encourage EV adoption, Guilbeault says

Canada's inflation surge may have peaked, but it is seeping beyond high-profile goods into the broader economy

Quebec's commission on academic freedom takes a outrageous stand

The underfunding of Canadian health care makes it vulnerable to cyberthreats 

CBC

Soldiers challenging military's vaccine mandate bring challenge to Federal Court

Blood service recommends ending ban on gay men donating blood 

Inflation isn't a major political problem for the Liberals,  - not yet, at any rate

Coquihalla Highway reopening to commercial traffic and inter-city buses on Dec 20

Toronto/Vancouver Star

Main BC highway to reopen to essential traffic by Monday after storms

He's been attacked  by the far right. But Justin Trudeau is more worried about the 'casual cynicism' of the left

'Unnecessary disruption and chaos': Travel sector livid as Ottawa issue new advisory

Conservative MP's free to travel internationally, Liberal, NDP MPs must stay at home

NWT joins nine provinces and Yukon in new $10 a day national child care plan

Federal Court of Appeal sides with government in CSIS warrant case

Trudeau government committing $1 billion to help provinces - and maybe cities - get rid of handguns

More research is needed to connect climate change to BC's extreme weather: analyst

Critics still worried about immigration backlog after feds pledge $85M

Why does it take a GTA Mayor to stick up for minority rights in Quebec?

National modelling suggests Canada's opioid overdose crisis could worsen through 2022

Toronto Sun

Trudeau only acts to make it look like he's doing something 

Let's stop pretending Trudeau's deficit projections are real

Religion not the be-all answer to end all answers 

Fewer holiday parties mean a ripple effect for bars, salons

Enhanced mask protocol starts Saturday at Scotiabank Arena: MLSE

It's time for Canadians to just say no

Quebec's Bill 21 is back in the news 

Pandemic leads to record medical wait times for Canadians 

National Post

Freeland's tough choices over $50B in election promises not covered by fiscal update

English Canada falls head first into the separatist's Bill 21 trap

Prominent Conservatives condemn Quebec's Bill 21: 'We can't let laws like that go unchallenged'

Federal digital services tax legislation now would be risky considering strained US trade relations: critics

No time for an Omicron lockdown

Macleans                           

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Global 

BC's Coquihalla Highway set to reopen December 20 for commercial travel, buses

Vancouver woman brutally assaulted in Mexico recovering from surgery at home in BC

Video shows reckless BC driver trying to pass trucks and cars on Highway 3

Petition urges City of Surrey not to pay for Mayor's legal fees in alleged mischief case

Police release new photos of Vancouver park caretaker the day he was killed

BC's alcohol consumption highest in two decades during first year of COVID-19

Miscellaneous            

Photos of Nuremberg hangings included in liability notices for employers, health officials, media, judiciary and unions

BCREA reports home sales set new best annual record and there's 'still one month to go in 2011"