Ottawa Observations: Thursday-Friday, March 31-April 1, 2022

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for   Thursday-Friday, March 31-April 1, 2022

A Papal Apology

Ukraine/Russia War

Villageers in Ukrainian town of Horenychi determined to stay put despite living under constant threat of shelling

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says retreating Russian troops leaving mines behind

How Ukraine is drowning out the noise of Russia's propaganda operation

Ukraine will soon be able to better protect its skies, envoy to Japan says

Ship fuel suppliers stop serving Russian vessels in the Mediterranean Sea, sources say

Ukrainian MPs urge Canada to send 'heavy weaponry' to help defend against Russian invasion

The war in Ukraine shows that Western values are worth defending

Canadian intelligence Agency calls out false Russian claim that Ukraine is harvesting organs

Trudeau calls on G20 to reconsider Russia's seat at the table

Russian units 'are not withdrawing, they are repositioning' says NATO Secretary General

Veteran Canadian paramedic running rescue missions out of Ukraine

Will Vladimir Putin be allowed to lose gracefully? The West wants to end the war, but also wants to humiliate the Russian leader

One more Joe Biden 'gaffe'? There's more to his comment on removing Vladimir Putin than that

Biden's gaffe should no drive US policies on Russia

History should be our guide in Ukraine

Ukrainians harvesting soldiers' organs? Canada's digital spy agency warns of new Russian disinformation

Despite new measures relaxing visa rules, months-long wait remains for Ukrainians war refugees

Old resort brings new life for Ukrainian refugees in East Sooke

British Columbia launches hotline to support arrival of Ukrainian immigrants

As Russia pulls back, life slowly returns to Kyiv

Russia's Putin targets enemies at home amid Ukraine invasion: report

Russia drafts 134,500 new conscripts, but they won't go to Ukraine, defence ministry says

A Papal Apology

Pope Francis's apology for abuses at church-run residential schools unlikely to have legal ramifications, experts say

Pope Francis apologizes to Indigenous delegation for residential school abuse in Canada

Truth and Reconciliation commissioners welcome papal apology for residential schools, but urge more action

Reconciliation does not stop at the Vatican. It will not end until we bring all our children home

Read Pope Francis's full remarks, apology for abuses by some Catholic Church members in residential schools

Pope Francis apologizes to Indigenous delegates for 'deplorable' abuses at residential schools

'It's scratching the surface of what I would hope to hear': former TFC commissioner Marie Wilson

First Nations delegates say they believe Pope Francis will apologize for residential schools

Pope's apology a powerful gesture, but unlikely to affect court cases in Canada, experts say

A Pope's apology for residential schools gives way to a river of tears, generations of anguish - and 'hope shining brightly'

As Pope Francis prepares to come to Canada, a look at past papal visits

Restoring Faith in the Catholic Church one apology at a time

Pope utters apology that First Nations, Inuit, Metis 'have been longing to hear for decades'

'The meaning of Pope Francis' apology to Indigenous people

'The sun is shining on the Vatican': BC First Nations leaders react to Pope Francis' apology

Pope Francis apologizes for residential schools at Vatican: "I ask for God's forgiveness'

Pope Francis could visit Canada within a year, Indigenous delegates in Rome say

The Global Coronavirus (COVID-19)

You may soon be offered a fourth COVID-19 shot. Here's what to know about second boosters

COVID-19 is on the rise again, but politicians are actin like the pandemic is over

'We're empowered' to make COVID-19 decisions, public health officials say. So why do we feel so powerless?

Green Party of Canada MP Elizabeth May says she has tested positive for COVID-19

COVID related hospitalizations at a low point but BA.2 subvariant is driving new infections: modelling

British Columbia's COVID-19 death toll surpasses 3,000

'We're really heading into the storm': Wastewater readings show Ontario has entered 6th COVID wave

Green Party of Canada MP Elizabeth May says she has tested positive for COVID-19

COVID-19 resurgence likely underway, 'more bumps' expected, Tam warns

Study estimates Quebec recorded up to 32, 000 new daily COVID-19 infections last week

A COVID wave without lockdowns

Health care system likely able to handle new 'bump' in COVID cases: Tam

WHO: Pfizer vaccine potentially linked to hearing loss

Total deaths in BC top 3,000, cases in ICU lowest since early August

What Businesses need to know about requesting proof of vaccination

Globe and Mail

What does the national child-care deal mean for unlicensed operators?

Bank of Canada's Tiff Macklem takes on new role overseeing global bank rules

In 2022's budget, Chrystia Freeland must tell Liberals they can't have it all

Trudeau and Ford's political bromance is bad news for opposition parties

Canada edges farther away from NATO spending target in latest estimate

Former Afghan translators stage hunger strike on Parliament Hill to plead for families' evacuation

Politicians are poisoning our own democracy

It's too easy being green: Canada's new national urban parks must be more ambitious in their scope

Jean Charest's biggest obstacle could be in his own political past

CBC

As Mounties celebrate pay raise, municipalities look to upcoming budget for federal help

Senators overwhelmed by emails, calls pushing conspiracy theories about basic income legislation

Canada's defence spending fell behind NATO's forecast last year, alliance says

7 months after Kabul's fall, Canada has yet to Brin in 30,000 Afghans

Conservatives say membership data is safe at reports of an alleged hack

Conservative leadership candidates jockeys for position on the carbon tax

Catherine McKenna to chair UN panel on climate change progress at corporate, local levels

The carbon price rises today - here's what you can expect

Toronto/Vancouver Star

BC defers logging across an additional 1.7 million hectares of old-growth forests

More BC public workers now covered by whistleblower law protections

Public health notice warns of norovirus outbreak linked to BC oysters

Watching the 'gals': First Nations guardians for caribou cows helps BC herd triple

New BC Hydrogen office to help investment and emissions reduction: Horgan

'This is a new thing': Is Pierre Poilievre's campaign attracting a different type of Conservative?

Carbon price rises by $10, adds 2.2 cents to a litre of as amid pressure for a break

Trudeau announces funds to fix Iqaluit water infrastructure after fuel contamination

Justin Trudeau's cheap shots won't help solve Canada's climate crisis

Minimum wage meets maximum politics in pre-election Ontario

Toronto Sun

A beef with greed

Is Trudeau a Dictator? Kinsella: It's not that black and white!

Ontario's iGaming market competitive, safe and legal

Throwing around the word 'dictator' unhelpful and corrosive

Artificially low interest rates -we're paying the price

Happy Carbon Tax Day! It's no April Fool's Joke; will this be another nail in PM's coffin?

Ford spending at faster pace than Wynne, study finds

National Post

The Liberal plan to smother the energy industry

Ottawa opposes plane crash victims' bid to seize former Iranian embassy property in Canada

Mélanie Joly should not take cues from dictators in fight against propaganda

Liberal-NDP deal heralds the era of state overlordship

Inflation, housing costs more important to Ontario voters than COVID: Poll

Macleans                           

How WestJet got back in the sky

Global          

Bargain hunting British Columbians head south as COVID-19 border test requirement lifts

Heavy rainfall, strong wind forecast for BC's Lower Mainland Sunday

BC nurses facing hundreds in parking tickets not that free pandemic parking cancelled

'Your kind isn't welcome here': BC family targeted with hate-filled messages

BC filmmaker helping empower Indigenous youth with free travelling film school

White Rock Lake officially lightning caused, other major 2021 wildfire investigations ongoing

Fired contractor takes Metro Vancouver to court over troubled sewage plant

New BC Hydrogen office to help investment and emissions reduction: Horgan

Feds issue norovirus warning as 279 people fall ill after eating raw BC Oysters

Ex Wildrose leader Danielle Smith returns to Alberta politics, will vote against Kenny leadership

Trudeau not commenting on whether Vance should keep Order of Military Merit after guilty plea

Quebec justice minister vows no more shadow trials as feds express concerns

Miscellaneous            

NDP MLA Grace Lore calls on BC Liberal to apologize for tweet

It's time to harness the arts and cultural sector in our fight against climate change

Vancouver commission endorses designation of Fleck Brothers Warehouse as heritage property

Abbot and Costello or Eby and Dix? Who's really responsible for protecting legal rights of the immunocompromised?

Vancouver endorses Sky Train extension to UBC, with stations at Macdonald, Alma and the Jericho Lands

BC tribunal rules mice problem a 'material latent defect' in dispute over townhouse sale

Parsing Adrian Dix's response to Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender's letter to Dr. Bonnie Henry

In praise of the rooming house

No Boys allowed

BC Liberals grill government on promised SFU Medical School

What's next for facemasks

When will we learn if the Convoy protest was a real emergency?

Canadian Banks keep financing fossil fuels