Ottawa Observations: Thursday-Friday, January 27-28, 2022

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for Thursday-Friday,  January 27-28, 2022

Convoy to Ottawa

Police preparing for 'significant' protests at Parliament Hill as trucker convoy converges on Ottawa

Trucker convoy has evolved into something far more dangerous

Erin O'Toole takes big gamble by siding with trucker convoy protesters

Erin O'toole  has to unhitch Conservatives from the 'Freedom Convoy' or get run over

GoFundMe has released $1M of more than $6M raised for protest convoy

Ottawa ready to deal with violence, extremists as protest convoy arrives, says public safety minister

NDP's Jagmeet Singh denounces trucker convoy, disagrees with brother-in-law's donation to the cause

Police on guard against 'lone wolf individuals' as protest convoy arrives in Ottawa

Large number of donations to support convoy came from aliases, unnamed donors

Erin O'Toole plans to meet with truckers protesting vaccine mandates in Ottawa

American media personalities have jumped onto the convoy story. Here's what that could mean for Canada

Canada's 'Freedom Rally' is being watched by the world - and seen in very different ways

The 'Freedom Rally' is rolling through Toronto on Thursday. Here's what you need to know

We have to live with the dangerous Freedom Convoy fringe. But politicians don't have to lend them support

Trudeau concerned trucker convoy converging on Parliament Hill could turn violent

Ottawa Police warn residents to stay away as 'Freedom Convoy' arrives in the city

American media personalities have jumped on the convoy story Here's what that could mean for Canada

Erin O'Toole says he'll meet with representatives from trucker convoy

Ottawa Police call in reinforcements as convoy takes up positions around Parliament

Don Cherry '100 per cent' behind convoy truckers he calls 'great Canadians'

Media's handling of trucker convoy one-sided, inflammatory, shameful

Ottawa police caution against 'lone wolf individuals' taking advantage of trucker protests

For organizes, Ottawa protest is about much more than just ending trucker vaccine mandate 

'Of course I'm concerned' Trudeau admits about possibility of violence at weekend protest

There's a lot of trucks in Freedom Convoy 2022 - but not nearly the 50,000 they claim

Should Justin Trudeau be deciding what views are 'acceptable'?

Meet the truckers: The men and women of the Freedom Convoy 2022

O'Toole says he will meet with the truckers, tell politicians to 'take the temperature down' over protest

Parliamentary security, Ottawa police prepare as truckers' protest convoy nears Ottawa

When truckers arrive, Trudeau will be self-isolating at home after COVID exposure

Ottawa Police brace for 'parallel groups' when trucker convoy reaches Ottawa

Freedom convoy plans to gridlock Ottawa until all vaccine mandates repealed

Trudeau says 'very small, very angry' trucker convoy is trying to 'lash out'

Organizer of GoFundMe campaign for trucker convoy withdraws $1M, company confirms

Singh's brother in law has asked for his $13K trucker convoy donation back, sources say

Ottawa Police working with national security agencies as trucker convoy reaches capital

Check out this behaviour from supporters of Freedom Convoy 2022

Canada / China tensions                 

Industry Minister mum on when he became aware of Chinese firm's plans to acquire Neo Lithium

Sale of Canadian owned lithium mine was reviewed by national security experts, minister tells committee

Ukraine/Russia tensions

US to keep supplying weapons to Ukraine in face of potential Russian invasion

Ukraine plans to employ sleeper agents behind Russian lines if Moscow invades

Canada expands training mission to Ukraine, promises non-lethal aid

On NATO's front lines, a difference of opinion on how best to respond to Russia

The false Manichaeans dichotomy of the 'new' Cold War

The great irony of Russia's face-off against Ukraine is that it has made NATO relevant again

Canadian aid 'fuels the conflict' in Ukraine, Russian ambassador charges

Sending weapons isn't best way for Canada to help Ukraine, some experts say

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

We should debate the best COVID treatments. But let's eschew revisionist history

Vulnerable adolescents 12 to 17 years old should get COVID-19 booster shots, NACI says

Omicron infections have peaked nationally, Canada's top doctor says

Early evidence that boosters seem to hold up against Omicron sub variant BA.2

Manitoba extends COVID-19 health orders for 1 more week

BC could lift more COVID-19 restrictions by February 21: top doctor

BC reports 13 more COVID-19 deaths, 141 in intensive care

It's time to end COVID rules in Canada

Who are the unvaccinated? Why some Canadians still haven't had the COVID-19 vaccine

Omicron infections past peak in Canada, but hospitalizations still rising, Tam says

BC hospitalizations still hovering under 1,000, 9 more deaths reported

About 40% of January 2022 COVID-19 deaths in BC tied to long-term care outbreaks

BC could lift some COVID-19 restrictions by February 21, top doctor says

COVID-19 vaccine rules for organ transplants are about aiming for 'best possible outcome'; experts

Camp workers share COVID Fears as companies withhold Information

Globe and Mail

Bank of Canada's Governor Tiff Macklem would like you to know that he doesn't like inflation

Dairy supply management is about to inflate our grocery bills - again

Art Gallery of Ontario plans $60 million expansion, including six floor tower

Justin Trudeau isolating because child tested positive for COVID-19

Canada shut out of Western allies' talks with the Taliban in Norway

Thunder Bay Deputy Police Chief suspended pending investigation

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Marc Miller concerned about 'concerted' efforts to deny experience of residential schools

BC Housing Minister eager to spur supply

Métis National Council audit uncovers 'concerning' results, president says

Federal government posts $1.4 billion deficit for November 2021, down from $15.4 billion in November 2020

Treasury board won't consider mandatory systemic racism, harassment training for public service workers, says union

Election review report calls on Conservatives to improve outreach with racialized communities, source says

Chrystia Freeland tops Justin Trudeau as preferred Liberal leader, poll finds

Split within the Conservative Party reflects division within the country

Carving out a Black community in the "Texas of Canada"

CBC                                             

Two days set aside for former vaccine task force chief's sexual assault trial

Conservative post-election report says O'Toole was 'over-.managed' during the campaign

Potato exports to the US should get 'green light' within weeks, minister says

New post-pandemic standards for long-term care proposed to federal government

Trudeau says he's isolating after exposure to COVID-19

Central banks talk about inflation, but are they losing credibility when interest rates don't budge?

'We're here to stay': Quebecers who fought to get Muslim cemeteries built say they're a sign of progress 

Toronto/Vancouver Star

BC Crown says recent documents identified could be 'exculpatory' in James case

BC clerk says she didn't see rationale for predecessor's retirement benefit

CN Rail will not pursue contempt case related to 2020 rail blockade in BC

Fortin Sex assault case scheduled for two day sin September

Métis National Council takes former president, Manitoba Métis to court

Iqaluit lifts precautionary boil-water advisory, bypass system still being used

Top Alberta court denies appeal of regulator's refusal to approve coal mine

Indigenous directors named to oversee Catholic Church fundraising efforts

Justin Trudeau should show he has nothing to hide and fix the whistleblower law

Democracy is under attack - and Justin Trudeau is committing Canada to the fight

Erin O'Toole says he was partly to blame for Conservative party's election loss

Public Safety minister 'shocked' by Twitters decision to leave untouched an Ontario MPP''s tweet

Justin Trudeau in isolation after COVID-19 exposure

Toronto Sun

Tory says Toronto working hard to help city's economy bounce back

Ontario-approved online gaming sites as early as April 4

Consultant resigns Metrolinx title but public needs answers on billions in transit spending

Feds waste billions on private consultations

Unvaccinated truckers face perfect storm

Governments aren't keen to learn from their COVID failures

National Post

GG's office paid $237,000 in secret settlements the year Julie Payette resigned

Ontario election polling suggests fierce battle ahead - for second place

Canada now has zero street credit on the world stage

Changes are going to come, Erin O'Toole says in response to review on election performance

What's in the Cumming Report? Leaked details from the Tory review on election failures

Review faults infighting, O'Toole's poor communication for Conservative election loss: Sources

Macleans                           

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Global 

'We didn't get it right': City of Vancouver to revisit new single use cup fees

Third Victoria area medical clinic announces closure in as many weeks

Surrey's council  to vote on pausing new ethics complaints until next election

BC launching new camping reservation website in March

Washington officials mull plan to create flood corridor clearing path to Abbotsford 

Erin O'Toole hoping for another chance after campaign review blames brand, data issues  

Conservatives' post-election report gives mixed reviews on O'Toole's performance: source

Trudeau isolating after COVID-19 exposure, says rapid test was negative

Ontario still hasn't shown how it would spend child-care funding, federal minister says

Miscellaneous            

Ottawa's phaseout of fossil finance must be swift and complete

Burnaby approves TransLink gondola to SFU and Burnaby Mountain

RBC Economics tells Canadian homebuyers to 'brace for more bidding wars in 2022"

City of Vancouver creates chief safety officer position after employee killed in accident

South Campbell Heights and moving toward leadership and innovation on industrial lands

Langara College announces new president and CEO

BC Party leaders commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day

'It's insane': realtor gets 41 offers for Coquitlam detached listing, 15 bids on Port Coquitlam condo

It hurts to be a real Doctor now

The Ziggurats of Richmond

Alberta court to Australian Coal Baron: You Lose

New BC Indigenous Housing Strategy the First in Canada

Four ways to fix Canada's Long Term Care System

Tasting Chinese Food around the world

A message from the Public Health Office for Nice Feelings

Eby's wrong turn on housing