Ottawa Observations: Thursday/Friday, February 3 & 4, 2022

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for  Thursday/Friday,  February 3 & 4, 2022

Convoy to Ottawa/Other convoy plans

Go Fund Me scuttles campaign for trucker convoy, stops release of $10 million in donations

Ottawa police to implement hard-line approach toward pandemic-restriction protesters

Ottawa business say protests over COVID-19 restrictions have 'traumatized' employees, customers

With the trucker convoy, the Ottawa Police deliver a masterclass on how not to handle a protest

Cities in British Columbia prepare for trucker convoy protests

Protests is a legal right. But a blockade isn't a legal protest 

Military response to Ottawa protest 'not in the cards' Trudeau says

What's happening in Ottawa is an assault on democracy

GoFundMe ends payment to convoy protest, citing reports of violence and harassment 

Thousands in lost revenue, wages as protest hits one-week mark

Ottawa police launch 'surge and contain' strategy to manage protests

MPs vote to call GoFundMe to testify at Commons committee on convoy protest 

Black Parliamentarians say protest convoy is a venue for 'white supremacists' 

Toronto police shut down roads, plan to limit disruption as convoy protesters arrive in city

Cities in British Columbia prepare for trucker convoy protests

Appalled by far-right symbols at the Ottawa protest? The hate was in plain sight all along

'Remain vigilant': U of T braces for protests at Queen's Park as students return to campus 

Protest must end - and police must restore order

Let's call these protesters what they actually are

Sending in army isn't solution to ending protests in Ottawa

Convoy organizers fuming after Go Fund Me hits brakes on fundraiser cash

Go Fund Me pulls plug on fundraiser for Ottawa convoy protesters

Hospital access a top priority ahead of planned protest

I'm an MP and I support the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa -- here's why

Military unleashed? Why the army shouldn't interfere with the trucker blockades!

Governor General's office inundated by protest supporters demanding the PM be fired

'An occupation': GoFundMe pulls plug on fundraiser for convoy protesters

Cities across Canada mobilize as anti-mandate protests spread

Who is Tamara Lich - the 'spark that lit the fire'?

Ottawa Police are here to help ... further erode confidence in government 

Toronto Police barricade streets in advance of truckers' protest, aiming for 'minimal disruptions'

Military tells Ottawa to find someone else to evict the truckers

The curse of the convoy

Victoria police deploy security cameras ahead of weekend 'convoy' protest

GoFundMe for Canada's trucker convoy removed for violating 'terms of service'

Trucker convoy: What options do police have amid 'illegal, unlawful' conduct?

Go Fund Me removes Freedom Convoy 2022 fundraiser from its platform after police suggest guns brought to protest

Obviously not afraid of being unfollowed like you, Stephen Colbert takes aim at the fools of the Freedom Convoy

There is no place for the sale and display of hate symbols in Canada

Go Fund Me page for Freedom Convoy 2022 is under review

Enough with Toxic Musk-ulinity 

Most Disagree with Convoy Truckers on Vaccine mandates and Lockdowns

OK, Trudeau, time to shut down the mob

Canada / China tensions                 

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping close ranks against US and NATO at Winter Olympics

'No forbidden areas' in Russia-China friendship when it comes to defying US

Ukraine/Russia tensions

Belarusian opposition leader asks West for help on troop buildup

Odessa tries to keep it cool as Russian ships head for a Ukrainian coast still scarred by 2014's Crimea conflict

Canada moved to stop arrest of former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko, sources say

Conservative Caucus Revolt

Nunavut Senator quits Conservative caucus over Ottawa convoy protests

Candice Bergen shakes up Erin O'Toole's parliamentary leadership team, drops Quebec MP

Already, it looks like no Conservative will be able to challenge Pierre Poilievre

Interim Tory Leader Candice Bergen advocated against asking protesters to leave Ottawa

O'Toole pushed around caucus, as leaders always have. He didn't count on caucus pushing back

The Conservatives need an affable, relatable new leader more than a right-wing one

The Conservatives' divided response to Ottawa protests 

With Erin O'Toole out as leader, where do the Conservatives go from here?

Cracks appear in Conservative caucus over anti-vaccine mandate protest

All eyes on Pierre Poilievre as Conservatives prepare for leadership race

The inside story of the plot to topple Erin O'toole: "It's about character'

The experiment has failed. Unifying the right under one national Conservative party isn't working

Candice Bergen shakes up O'Toole's parliamentary leadership team, drops Quebec MP

Canada needs a strong Conservative party

Tories shouldn't listen to liberal media in picking next leader

Standing alone in the big tent looking for supporters

A real Conservative leader would have given the truckers a hearing

Nunavut Senator quits Conservative caucus over party support for Ottawa protests

Who is Candice Bergen, the Interim Conservative leader?

The Conservative Party's identity crisis, post O'Toole

Concern for the right with the ouster of Erin O'toole

Popular choice for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on #JustinFlation and the 'housing bubble'

Pierre Poilievre's Drive to Power

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

New advice to wait 3 months after COVID-19 infection before booster comes amid mixed messages, lack of tests

Canada needs to adopt a 'more sustainable' approach to COVID-19, Tam says

BC reports 946 patients in hospital, 19 more deaths due to COVID

Does shifting COVID-19 strategy mean PCR tests have thad their day?

May be possible for Omicron cases to ge reinfected: Experts  

Vaccine certificates should be reassessed, but masks will the last COVID measure to go: Ontario's top doctor

BC reports 19 deaths, cases in hospital drop for fifth straight day

COVID-19 won't disappear and provinces need to 'evolve' says Canada's top doctor

Could provincial governments mandate children's vaccinations for school attendance?

Using Fat People in COVID thought experiments is unjust and regressive

Globe and Mail

Kenney looks to avoid O'toole's fate in Alberta trucker standoff

Quebec reaches $1.2 billion investment deal with Airbus on A220 jetliner production

A lighter touch is needed for the government's online harms bill

Lack of access to data is hindering Canada's efforts to achieve net-zero targets 

Thunder Bay's policing crisis is a reflection of Canada's policing issues

CBC                                             

Canada lost 200,000 jobs in January as Omicron hit hard

Quebec invests another $300M US to maintain stake in old C Series program

Why the reversal of a decades old coal policy sparked controversy in Alberta 

Toronto/Vancouver Star

First Nations bid for the Winter Olympics could be the antidote to Beijing

Unions reach pattern contract with Canfor paying 8% wage increase, signing bonus

Judge to decide Saturday on petition over BC Liberal leadership vote

BC First Nations plan to appeal Nechako River ruling to restore natural flows

Interfor caps off blockbuster year on a sour note as fourth-quarter profit plunges

St, Patrick's Day parade is on tap for next month, It isn't just the luck of the Irish that got us to this point

Toronto health workers say they're exhausted, frustrated and demoralized by threat of 'hateful' protests

Conservatives should ask serious questions about Canada's economic recovery

Toronto Sun

Other jurisdictions are dropping COVID restrictions. Ontario should do the same

Protests or not, the mandates still need to go

Censorship déjà vu on Parliament Hill

Trudeau Liberals still want to regulate the internet in a way that should concern you

EU gets it right on 'green' energy

National Post

'Normalcy is underrated:" Premier Jason Kenney on Alberta's plans to lift COVID-19 restrictions

As Queen Elizabeth II reaches her platinum jubilee, a look at her vital role I the partition of Canada's constitution  

Canadian Army kicks out dozens of unvaccinated soldiers, puts hundreds more on notice 

Macleans                           

How the world is legitimizing the Taliban

Global 

Vancouver hospital workers told not to wear scrubs, ID outside during COVID-19 protests

'Extreme': BC Paramedics' union on shift with only 1 staffed ambulance in Vancouver 

Friend of BC woman killed in UK says she sent a text for help hours before she was killed

'So upsetting:' Vancouver's Chinese Cultural Centre hit with graffiti again

Greater Victoria residents warned of poisonous invasive plant spreading from Washington state

BC Liberal Party warns of text messages sharing false voter registration codes

Voting underway in BC Liberal leadership contest as party faces court challenge

'Ecstatic': BC allows schools to resume sports tournaments

BC inquiry into hate during COVID-19 pandemic wants public to share their experiences

Vancouver suspends short-term rental licences amid court battle over host privacy 

Protesters target New Westminster COVID-19 vaccine clinic

BC court ruling is likely bad news for environmental protesters 

Prince George hospital drummers continue rally for health workers, COVID patients

Liberals to re-introduce anti-hate bill 'as soon as possible' minister says

Saskatchewan Legislature building closes temporarily due to security risk

Miscellaneous            

When to be outraged about privacy issues (and when not to)

Metro Vancouver faces more housing 'pressure' as 55,000 new immigrants seen coming in 2022

Canadian border cops stop production of 3-D printed guns after parcel interception 

Vancouver asks residents to report broken street lights as city embarks on four year replacement plan

One in four British Columbians have encountered Pandemic Hate

Will BC Listen to the Oil and Gas Industry, or the Public?

Loss, Hope and Where We Go from Here

Challenging 'Who we are'

Vancouver parents and students want more say in Gifted Program Changes