Ottawa Observations: Thursday-Friday, November 24-25, 2022

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for   Thursday-Friday, November 24-25, 2022

Emergencies Act Inquiry

Trudeau says he made the 'right choice' to use Emergencies Act to end convoy protests

Readout notes reveal Big Six banks' role in Freelands' convoy plan

The legal test the government must pass: not was it right, but was it reasonable 

Animosity and distrust smouldered between PM and protesters as Trudeau testified 

Trudeau makes a confident case for Emergencies Act's invocation. It's now up to Justice Rouleau to judge the decider 

It's Trudeau's show and Friday he will have to answer for it

Text messages from government officials hold the Emergencies Act inquiry's most interesting revelations 

Trudeau ends testimony, says 'politic' was not the motivation at all' for invocation

It is the legal question, not the political one, that Trudeau mis answer 

PMO staff say Bergen privately acknowledged concerns over engaging with protests 

Bank CEOs warned Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland about threat to Canada's reputation during convoy protests 

Trudeau 'serene' about invoking Emergencies Act, says police plan to clear protest 'wasn't a plan at all'

RCMP wanted to keep Emergencies Act in place for weeks 'to finish what we started,' docs show

US concern about convoy blockades meant a 'dangerous moment for Canada' Freeland tells inquiry

Lawyer for convoy protest organizers served with defamation notice 

'Bad humour' and short fuses: How politicians' texts played out at the Emergencies Act inquiry 

Emergencies Act inquiry lawyer calls out an 'absence of transparency' as solicitor-client privilege invoked 

Security tightened for eight cabinet ministers and Thersa Tam before convoy protest arrived

PMO staff say Bergen privately acknowledged concerns over engaging with protesters

Freedom Convoy lawyer called 'idiot' after mistaken identity

'An amazing feat': Emergencies Act inquiry wraps up six weeks of hearings 

The climax of the Emergencies Act hearings is supposed to be Justin Trudeau - but the best part came at the start 

Transcript reveals Justin Trudeau's call with former Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen

Inquiry document says Bergen, PM talked about setting 'bad precedent' with convoy

Did the 'Freedom Convoy' start the most Canadian crisis ever?

Just one moment of hesitation, Justin Trudeau says he's 'serene' he made the right call to use Emergencies Act, inquiry hears

Trudeau staffers' evidence contradicts former Conservative interim leaders' recollection of call with Prime Minister 

Trudeau testifies he's 'serene', confident that I made the right 'choice' as inquiry wraps up

Trudeau tries to defend using the Emergencies Act

Trudeau's secret reasons for invoking the Emergencies Act

Trudeau government won't share secret legal basis for invoking Emergencies Act

Liberals on invoking EA - trust us

No confidence in police plan: Trudeau says he had no alternative to Emergencies Act 

As Emergencies Act inquiry closes, commissioner says he has the evidence he needs 

A 'serene' Justin Trudeau fails to justify using the Emergencies Act

Justin Trudeaus Emergencies Ac testimony proves just as divisive as Freedom Convoy

After six weeks of Emergencies Act testimony, questions remain about legal advice and redactions  

Liberals make a mockery of Canadian democracy 

Jokes about sending tanks into Ottawa elucidate the ruling-class psyche 

Freelands's fears of the Freedom Convoy weren't out of line, but the response still was 

Freedom Convoy lawyer behind 'false flag' allegations is served libel notice, then chases someone

RCMP wanted Emergencies Act to stay in place for up to three weeks: documents 

Emergencies Act 'in the back of our minds' early but seriously' weighed later:Trudeau

'Freedom Convoy' risked irreparable harm to Canada-US trade:  Freeland

Ukraine/Russia War

 

Russia steps up missile barrage of recaptured Ukrainian city of Kherson

NATO vows to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia 'for as long as it takes'

The horrors of the Holdover are being repeated in Ukraine

'Half (of) me is dead': A Ukrainian survivor of the Azovstal siege waits to reunite her family 

What will end the war in Ukraine? Only the two sides determining they will gain form from peace than fighting 

Globe and Mail

The lifeblood of Montreal's downtown core used to be office workers. Now, they're missing 

New Ontario law makes hospital admission the only route to securing a long-term care bed, advocates say 

Thank you, Doug Ford, for exposing the lie at the heart of Canada's modern democracy 

Jagmeet Singh's comments on Khalistan risk undermining Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy  

Tuberculosis cases more than doubled in Nunavut in 2021

Harjit Sajjan tweets about raising Qatar human rights at World Cup after criticism

Federal government posts $1.7 billion surplus for April to September period 

New leadership could be the answer to Canada's fraught federal-provincial relations 

Afghans who worked on Canadian-funded projects feel abandoned waiting for refuge in Pakistan

Liberals, Tories spar over scope of proposed assault-style firearm definition

After much fanfare, Canada has hardly used the Sergei Magnitsky Law to target human-rights abusers

Ottawa meets with members of air transport sector to discuss summer mistakes ahead of winter travel

CBC

Luring pedophiles through fake online ads is not entrapment, Supreme Court says 

Canada unveils new climate adaptation strategy with more than $1 billion commitment 

Independent agency probing CSIS after claim that operative smuggled teenage girls into Syria 

Federal government to extend EI sickness benefits from 15 to 26 weeks 

Why Canada won't say a word about Trump's return to politics 

Inflation relief measures should be well targeted and temporary, says Macklem

Ottawa, AFN file court challenges on tribunal's decision to reject $20B child welfare deal

Assault-style firearm definition draws applause from gun-control group

Toronto/Vancouver Star

BC forecasts surplus of $5.7 billion, but 'shock rebound' may not last: minister 

BC retracts plan to scrap individualized autism funding 

BC ready to cancel surgeries as respiratory cases flood overcrowded hospitals 

Snowfall warnings, storm watches issued for Southern BC

Suicide of Vancouver police officer will be subject of coroner's inquest 

Crews find wreckage of fatal BC plane crash, TSB team deployed to the site

Blame for deadly heat dome, Lytton blaze pinned on climate change in new study

In 2022, are we reliving 1917 all over again?

Jordan Bitove takes immediate ownership of Torstar, Neil Oliver to become Torstar CEO

Toronto Sun

Insiders say chaos reigns at York Memorial Collegiate Institute

Slammed if you build housing, damned if you don't 

Toronto Mayor John Tory says new power wouldn't change his collaborative style 

Shut down the so-called police stations

Over last 20 years, school staffing has increased 25% while enrolment remained flat 

Trudeau's shifting story on China's interference in Canada a real problem

Poilievre presses Trudeau on what he knew about Chinese interference 

National Post

Conservative legal group ordered to pay $150,000 after failed case against Seneca College vaccine mandates 

Food industry leaders close to finalizing grocery code of conduct, internal documents reveal

'Largest gun ban in Canadian history': Bill amendment could criminalize millions of hunting rifles 

Liberal MP on committee studying Bill C-18 apologizes for saying online outlets are 'not news'

Toronto Star parent company names new CEO, newspaper parting ways with ex president 

Liberals' mandatory gun buyback is another boondoggle waiting to happen

New group with Beijing links to promote friendly candidates in Canadian elections 

Alberta vans mask mandates in schools, guarantees in-person learning option for students 

Global          

VPD officer who engaged in 'sexual activity' with high school student in Cuba demoted 

Surrey needs 161 new Mounties if police transition scrapped,  cost still unclear: report 

City of Vancouver ends $320,000 Block Stewardship contract awarded to VANDU 

Following backlash BC to maintain current model to fund autism support 

Opposition question spending as Eby pledges $1.2B in first week 

BC Housing's record-keeping, financial transactions under microscope in financial Audit 

No charges for BC RCMP officer who shot and injured impaired driving suspect 

BC fiscal update's $5.7B surplus dwarfs previous estimate 

Tk'emlups te Secwepemc, Kamloops bidding to host 2027 North American Indigenous Games 

Omicron changed the course of the pandemic 1 year ago and still dominates. What's next?

Liberals, Tories quarrel over scope of proposed assault-style firearm definition  

Alberta projects $12.3B surplus for budget in latest fiscal update 

Miscellaneous            

Conflict of Interest alleged in BC Housing Decisions

A Fast track to Addiction Treatment is coming to St. Paul's 

Retired Forester Blasts Professional Association in Resignation Letter 

Space is for Machines, Earth is for people

A new model for responding to Mental Health Crises

Is family medicine suffering from a bad case of Stigma?

Why Desperate people are suing Immigration Canada 

Why is Vancouver's Mayor in Qatar?