Ottawa Observations: Thursday-Friday, March 10-11, 2022

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for Thursday-Friday,  March10-11, 2022

Ukraine/Russia War

Russia recruiting fighters from Middle East in invasion of Ukraine

Ukrainian children, uprooted from home and family, struggle to process war's traumas in Poland

Mariupol 'on the edge of total desperation,' official says, as death toll mounts in besieged Ukrainian city 

Putin's war in Ukraine has left the world in search of energy. Can Canada help without undermining its climate ambitions?

In Vladimir Putin's Russia, the doors to the world are closing

The forgotten victims of Putin's war: Young Russian men

My advice to Ukrainians, from one refugee mother to another 

How NATO jets are tracking Russian bombing missions in amazing detail

Russians liquidating cryptocurrency in the UAE to seek safe havens

At what point do we consider this the Third World War?

Canada puts sanctions on Russian billionaire and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich 

British sanctions on Roman Abramovich cloud Evraz North America's operations in Canada

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expected to address Canada's Parliament next week

The West is turning to xenophobia against individual Russians to respond to Putin's invasion

Sanctioning Russia's diamond trade would be a blow to Putin's oligarchs

Ukraine looking for foreign volunteers with military, medical experience, embassy says

Canada slaps sanctions on Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich

Volodymyr Zelensky to address House of Commons

Trudeau meets Polish president to talk about getting Ukrainian refugees to Canada

'It's awful pictures, it's awful video, but it's or real life' Mariupol Deputy Mayor Serhiy Orlov

War in Ukraine's impact on food supply 'extremely serious' agriculture minister says

Vladimir Putin says Russia to send Middle East fighters to Ukraine

Average Russians are reeling - with dismay, defiance and departures galore - in a world that's turned upside-down

US slashes Russia trade status, bans alcohol and seafood

Russia threatens to leave American astronaut stranded in space

The war in Ukraine is not new - it is a return to the Cold War

China watches warily as the West puts an economic squeeze on Russia

Two Ukrainian children killed 'in front of my own eyes' while trying to evacuate, official says

Actions not words needed to stop Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Vlad for the boy! US politician calls Zelendskyy a thug', government 'incredibly evil'

Be wary of Russian misinformation 

How the West can help level the playing field in Ukraine

Trudeau's trip to Europe heavy on photo-ops, light on substance

'Where there's God, there's victory': Canadian priest is territorial-defence chaplain in war-ravaged Ukraine

Russians targeting Ukrainian food supply, including grain silos and ports: minister

Biden says he'd fight World War III for NATO but not for Ukraine

Elite Canadian sniper leaves family behind to fight for Ukraine: 'I had to go'

So many Canadian fighters in Ukraine, they have their own batallion, sources say

Trudeau says Putin will lose the war in Ukraine

Russia no longer has 'most favoured nation' trade status. What happens next?

Russia widens airplane, artillery assault on Ukraine, striking major industrial hub

Ukraine says Russian forces have kidnapped mayor of Melitopol city

Canadians support actions against Russia over Ukraine, but have economic concerns: poll

Nukes kill 1 billion: defence expert recalls 2019 US simulation of "NATO-Russia war over Ukraine"

China lets ruble tumble against yuan as its media reinforces Russian claims about biological weapons in Ukraine

The Russian Economy is headed for collapse

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Lessons from two years of pandemic living

Is it time for Canada to drop the mask?

BC reports three new COVID-19 deaths as mask mandate is lifted

BC to ease COVID-19 restrictions on masks, long term care visits, vaccine cards

Respecting mask choices

BC reports three new deaths, fewest cases in ICU since mid-August

Masks still required in some indoor public spaces, despite lifting of BC's mandate

'People are feeling more positive': Okanagan reacts to easing COVID-19 restrictions 

BC scrapping requirement for health-care workers in all sectors to be vaccinated

Province drops mask requirement for TransLink, BC Ferries most public spaces

BC ending Mask Mandate, Vaccine Card program

Globe and Mail

Details of Nova Scotia mass shooters' violent life revealed by former Mountie, uncle

Canada to unveil 'robust package' to modernize NORAD, Defence Minister Anita Anand says

'Get a hobby' BC premier tells those considering protesting COVID-19 mandates

Doug Ford tells school boards to stick to march 21 mask mandate removal

A message to Conservatives: Smarten up - serious times need serious leaders

Biden's search for more oil ignores an obvious source 

Leaders of truck convoy protests sought to overthrow government, national security adviser says

India and Canada agree to relaunch trade talks, seek 'early progress' agreement

Jean Charest is against trucker blockades. Will he clash with the Conservative mood?

Labour dispute at Auditor-General's office affecting ability to fulfill mandate, union says

No need to delay the release of the 2022 budget because of war in Ukraine, says Parliamentary Budget Officer

Conservative leadership hopeful Jean Charest says he's opposed to Bill 21 and favours more oil and gas production 

In their 'fight for freedom and democracy' Canadian Hong Kongers and Taiwanese see parallels in Russia's invasion of Ukraine

CBC

Military readiness 'one of the things that keeps me awake at night' says Canada's top solider 

Canada added 337,000 jobs last month, twice what was expected 

The war in Ukraine threatens to stall progress on tackling the climate crisis

Raif Badawi freed from Saudi prison

Governor General Mary Simon's appointment did not violate official languages act, commissioner rules

Conservative leadership race grows from one candidates to five by this Sunday

Federal department gave money to magazine publishing pandemic misinformation

NAVY hits MP  Kevin Vuong wit a service offence charge for failing to disclose 2019 arrest

Trudeau's intelligence adviser backs use of Emergencies Act to clear Ottawa convoy protest

Charest embraces pipelines and his 'underdog' status as he launches Conservative leadership bid

Ex Canadian government worker extradited to US to face more ransomware charges

Canadians fighting proposed condo development at Juno Beach D-Day site

Immigration Canada probing claims of systemic racism at two offices, union says

We are seeing what a serious response to a crisis looks like, let's apply this focus to energy transition

Toronto/Vancouver Star

'Get a hobby,' BC premier tells those considering protesting COVID-19 mandates

BC ski hills, churches, campuses and homes preparing for Ukrainian refugees: Horgan

B C coroner says January was third-deadliest month for toxic illicit drug deaths

RCMP say one dead after shooting in North Vancouver grocery store parking lot

BC lost 207 people to toxic drugs in January

No politics involved? Ontario's two-faced approach to the end of masking

Don't forget China during Russian invasion of Ukraine, Canada's defence minister warns

China is surely taking note as the world rallies around Ukraine

Jean Charest makes a calculated bet with a tough line on Quebec's Bill 21

Toronto Sun

March breaking for it! Pearson airport has its busiest day in two years

TDSB teacher under investigation after mask segregation tweet 

CBC retracts another convoy story

The Canadian military deserves the best equipment

Trustees who want to keep mandatory masking in school should be ignore

Charest's track record not what Canada needs in a leader

Doubling down on the wrong energy

National Post

'We're effectively a border state with Russia': Defending Canada's far north called key to protecting sovereignty  

Canada's big banks have much to answer for after blindly following Trudeau's emergency orders

'They should apologize': Kenney hits back at environmental groups as he files defence in defamation lawsuit

Irwin Cotler controversy renews anti-Semitism debate at University of Toronto

Auditor General's Spring reports could be delayed for months due to ongoing strike at her office

MP Kevin Vuong co-operating with Navy over charge he failed to disclose sexual assault case

Will other provinces follow Alberta's lead and cut record-high gas prices?

Patrick Brown to enter Conservative leadership race on Sunday

Belarus opposition leader pleads for Canada to recognize her 'government in exile'

Federal spending on health care going up faster than planned:  budget office

Pierre Poilievre the favourite among Conservative voters to lead party in next election, poll finds

Charest's path to the Conservative leadership is rocky, narrow and hostile 

Macleans                           

Why is Pierre Poilievre so angry?

Jean Charest's (near) impossible task

Global          

Shooting in North Vancouver Superstore parking lot leaves man dead

BC woman helping Ukrainian family flee to Canada says system too complicated

BC Premier tells trucker convoy planning to occupy Victoria to 'get a hobby'

Delta Police Chief and wife sued over 2020 garden hose incident

BC premier asking for patience as BC manages calls for support for Ukraine

Victoria braces for 'Freedom Convoy' COVID-19 mandate protest

'They don't want to drive' Volutneer-driver BC charities hit hard by rising gas prices

BC businesses hail end of mask mandate, but face long road to recovery

BC orders review of Maple Ridge social housing complex amid 'serious' allegations from residents

TransLink, BC Transit, BC Ferries to drop mask requirement in alignment with province

Masks still required inside BC airports and while flying, despite mandate ending

Oil and gas here to stay for 'decades' despite demand for green energy: Alberta energy minister

Domestic extremism 'here to stay' in Canada, Trudeau's security advisor says

Miscellaneous            

Brentwood SkyTrain station to undergo extensive renovations for the next year

Stanley Park seawall open again between Second and Third beaches

Women entrepreneurs struggle to recover from pandemic impacts

Ableism, the Great Barrington Declaration and the BC NDP government's response to COVID-19

Ottawa must end all financing for fossil fuels 'abated' or not

BC Health officials warn about deadly HarryPotter poison in Burnaby ginger powder

Fuelling a climate of uncertainty while cynically exploring the Russia-Ukraine crisis

Now over $1 million, price of typical East Vancouver Townhouse seems to defy gravity

The pandemic stalled rents. Now they're climbing again

BC approved Wet'suwete'en Police enforcement during  flooding

BC lost 207 people to toxic drugs in January

How Canada's Net Zero strategy is bad news for the planet

Well, Jean Charest, This will be interesting

John Diefenbaker would be ashamed