Ottawa Observations: Thursday, January 6, 2021

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for  Thursday, January 6, 2022

Canada / China tensions                 

Trudeau's new national security adviser Jody Thomas is hawkish on China

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Quebec to expand use of COVID-19 vaccine passports to liquor, pot stores

Erin O'Toole urges accommodation for unvaccinated Canadians amid Omicron wave

Moderna CEO says people may need another COVID-19 booster in fall of 2022

Canada, US take sharply contrasting approaches to containing Omicron

Omicron variant could boost waning immunity, Canada's COVID-19 Immunity Task Force says

Why you should get a 3rd shot even after you've had COVID-19

Quebec hospitals overwhelmed and it's only going to get worse, health officials say

Quebec expands vaccine passports in liquor, cannabis stores, with third does requirement on the way

Saskatchewan health-care providers sound alarm as hospitals deal with overcapacity, shortages 

Manitoba reports jump in COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations as case counts continue precipitous climb

Frustration mounts as demand for Alberta's rapid test kits outstrip supply

COVID-19 affects eight of 20 firefighters in Prince Rupert, BC

The glacially show - and then very fast - rise of rapid testing in Canada

Bearskin Lake First Nation waiting for military help after COVID-19 outbreak

Hospital 'pauses' policy of mandatory vax for staff

Fast spreading Omicron crushes Atlantic Canada's acclaimed COVID-Zero strategy

Ontario shortens isolation requirement if two COVID rapid tests come back negative

Moderna CEO says people likely need another booster in fall of 2022 'and forward'

BC police, first responders brace for staffing impacts of Omicron surge 

BC confirms 3 deaths, 3,223 new cases as number in hospital, ICU climbs

'We should have the right to exercise':  BC gym owner decries $2,300 COVID fine for staying open

BC hospitalizations could hit 2K to 10K this month amid Omicron surge: data

'Not sustainable': Vernon parents told school contract tracing won't continue

Internal government polling shows sharp shifts in attitude on COVID-19

Critics of COVID-19 vaccines plan protests outside BC media outlets 

The N95 is the mask we all should be wearing. Here's why

Globe and Mail

The disturbing reality is that millions of Canadians support Trump

SunWing trip could have been diverted mid-flight as party broke out, experts say

Report says tax on homes $1 million and more could be key to making housing more affordable  

Court gives go-ahead to class-action lawsuit over bread price fixing 

New wave of COVID-19 forces Bank of Canada to reassess interest rate decision

NDP Leader Jagmeet Sigh and wife welcome baby girl - a 'birthday present for life'

Erin O'Toole voices support for First Nations settlement on child welfare

CBC                                             

O'Toole accuses Trudeau of 'normalizing lockdowns' by failing to provide enough rapid tests, PPE

As Omicron sweeps across Ontario, how will it impact Doug Ford's political future?

'Millions of people are believing crazy things': Former ambassador 

American democracy had near-death experience a year ago. This year will test its vital signs

Families of Flight PS752 victims say RCMP isn't doing enough to help Ukraine's criminal probe

Critics, industry call on Ottawa to reconsider trucker vaccine mandate to protect supply chains

Toronto/Vancouver Star

BC Long term care residents are entitled to a designated visitor: seniors advocate

Snow covers southern BC, rain and freezing rain to come, as cold still grips north

Would as surtax on $1 million houses stall home prices? This UBC professor thinks so

Why did Doug Ford flip-flop on closing schools? Here's the inside story

COVID-19 affects eight of 20 firefighters in Prince Rupert, BC

Toronto Sun

Let's excise Ford's nonsensical  non-hospital surgery ban 

City 'laser-focused' on maintaining essential services: Tory

Alberta, Hicksville? CBC keeps sharing the prairie province! Why?

Opposition shockingly silent on PM's hatred of unvaccinated Canadians 

Stop vilifying the unvaccinated 

National Post

Hating Sunwing's Cancun 'idiots' only distracts from bigger screw ups right here

Flying blind, Doug Ford pulls old lockdown levers that won't work anymore 

A dumb citizenship law, easily fixed, is finally headed to court 

Ontario sacrifices schools again for a health system it can barely run in normal times

Macleans                           

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Global 

BC South Coast gets classic west coast winter storm as two air masses 'battle it out'

Seniors surprised by rental rates at new 'affordable housing' building in Nanaimo 

Seniors' advocate says BC must ensure all long-term care residents have an essential visitor 

Burnaby RCMP stop hundreds of drivers with dangerously snow-covered vehicles 

Canada heading for nursing shortage 'beyond anything' we've ever experienced': experts

As Omicron surges, O'Toole pressed on calls to 'accommodate' vaccine holdouts

Ontarians face 'unnecessary suffering and death' without health staff pay raises: union

Iran plane crash negotiations are 'futile', feds shifting focus to legal recourse

A year after January 6 riot, Americans and Canadians agree US democracy in peril: poll

Miscellaneous            

New left-wing Vancouver party raises prospect of defunding, detaching and disarming the Vancouver Police Department

'Thin little red house' on regular Vancouver lot gets new owner for $2,642,000

4 Vancouver homes listed as land assembly for Cambie Corridor project sold nearly $16 million

Canada's new$40-Billion Child Welfare Agreements Explained

Why I'nm not leaving Alberta

Waiting for COVID Test results, My kid and I founded a farm