Ottawa Observations: Saturday--Monday, July 8-10, 2023

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for Saturday--Monday, July 8-10, 2023

British Columbia Port Workers Strike

Archive of notes on the labour dispute available here.

Canadian Wildfires 

BC announces total campfire ban amid drastic wildfire surge, worsening drought 

Campfires banned province wide as lightning triples BC's active wildfires 

Everyone's wrong about what's behind the forest fires 

Forests used to catch fire like this all the time

State of Emergency declared in Northwestern BC as Little Blur River wildfire burns 

Ukraine/Russia War

Turkey agrees to support Swedens's NATO bid, alliance chief says

Cluster bombs 'should not be used' Trudeau says after US sends munitions to Ukraine 

Bold actions must be taken at the NATO Vilnius summit to ensure a free Ukraine prevails 

NATO has dropped requirement for Ukraine to follow Membership Action Plan, Kyiv says

Trudeau says cluster bombs 'should not be used' after US sends munitions to Ukraine  

Erdogan agrees to send vote on Sweden's NATO accession to Turkish parliament, Stoltenberg says 

Ukraine looks to Trudeau to play key role in NATO membership bid 

Giving Ukraine cluster bombs prompts a thorny question: As a nation fights for its life, what military help, if any, crosses the line?

Ukrainian minister says he fears Russia has 'no red lines' to prevent attacks on nuclear plant

Justin Trudeau says cluster bombs 'should not be used' after US sends munitions to Ukraine 

Trudeau criticizes US plans to send cluster munitions to Ukraine: 'They should not be used' 

NATO can't ignore China's challenges 

Putin held talks with Wagner leader Prigozhin after aborted mutiny: Kremlin

Globe and Mail

Postmedia, Toronto Star owner Nordstar end talks to merge after failing to agree on terms 

Minister drafting regulations to address Google's concerns over Bill C-18 

Ottawa promised a new low-carbon industrial strategy, Putting it in place is proving the hard part 

Premiers meeting in Winnipeg starts with discussion with Indigenous leaders 

Health care leaders urge premiers to take action now to fix system

Poilievre, Smith say they don't agree with 'straight pride' message in photos at Stampede 

Two former Rogers execs sue for wrongful dismissal after Shaw takeover  

Early morning shooting in Toronto may be case of road rage, police say

Ontario opens door to new wind, solar power projects as electrical demand to grow

The premiers need to get serious about health care reform, not just funding  

When allies seek Canada's natural gas, we say 'sorry' - that has global consequences 

How Ottawa can level a tilted field for small businesses 

Trudeau vows to double size of  Canada's contribution to NATO mission in Latvia 

Over half of Canadians want Trudeau, Poilievre replaced as party leaders before next election, poll suggests 

Elizabeth May recovering from fatigue as husband highlights strenuous MP workload

Canada's billions to Stellantis and Volkswagen make for a bad joke

CBC

Trudeau announces plans to more than double size of NATO deployment in Latvia

Alberta's Smith decries 'federal interference' ahead of premiers' meeting 

Merger talks between Postmedia and Toronto Star owner fall apart

Premiers meeting in Winnipeg to discuss affordability housing and health care 

New defence spending goals, timing of Ukraine's admission to NATO expected to dominate summit 

Where the federal government as been spending your money on social media

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May hospitalized for 'overwork, fatigue and stress' husband says

Frustration abounds as public service health plan gets switched to Canada Life 

Poilievre, Trudeau, Smith make rounds in annual political Calgary Stampede circuit 

The fight over C-18 isn't about journalism - it's about power 

Deputy minister had no reason to think Mendicino was unaware of Bernardo move, department says 

Blockchain could boost economic growth in Canada - but is Canada ready?

RCMP arrest two women repatriated to Canada from Syria, seek peace bonds 

As NATO firms up military spending target, Canada is trying to broaden what counts: sources 

Toronto/Vancouver Star

Staff at lodge for LNG workers approve strike, potentially disrupting Kitimat project  

Ukraine war proves value of LNG Canada, CEO tells global gas conference in Vancouver 

Man dead after apparent alleyway shooting in Surrey, burned out car found nearby

Teachers draw envy and ire over their two-month 'vacation's But do they really get the summer off?

Developers are turning 14 GTA malls into tiny cities, with Cloverdale leading the way - is this the solution to Toronto's housing crisis?

West Fraser Timber selling pulp mill in Hinton, Alberta to Mondi Group

Condos are coming for Toronto's last affordable downtown pocket. What happens to the people living there?

Pierre Poilievre 'does not agree' with 'straight pride' message in photo at Stampede 

Deputy Minister had no reason to think Marco Medicinco unaware of Paul Bernardo move: department

Northwest Territories to increase minimum wage by nearly 5.6 per cent 

Meta and google won't face unlimited costs to support Canadian media, Trudeau government says

Assembly of First Nations chooses interim national chief of annual meeting

Blockade continues at Winnipeg landfill as protesters demand search for missing women

Green Party leader Elizabeth May hospitalized from 'sheer overwork, fatigue and stress'

Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau got squeezed in a multi-billion dollar bidding war they couldn't afford to lose

Toronto Sun

Crime is up and criminals are more brazen in today's Toronto 

Road rage eyed in double shooting near Yonge and Bloor: Toronto cops 

Toronto Star owners end merger talks without deal

Poilievre 'does not agree' with 'straight pride' T-shirt at Stampede

Time for straight talk on our military funding 

Measured responses needed for climate guesswork

A message to Canada from Australia - don't let Google scare you

Ford asks Trudeau to let Bombardier bid on defence contract

Honest debate versus tribalism

Mendicino needs to go, so do the top staff at Public Safety 

Summertime odds and ends

Trudeau a fool in his WWII overture toward Big Tech 

Double standard in caring for kids

Feds need to listen on immigration levels 

National Post

Trudeau government increased federal employees 40% since election in 2015

Ottawa to adapt Online News Act in light of standoff with tech giants 

Canadian identity at stake in news media's battle with Big Tech 

Is Marco Mendicino the next special rapporteur? Canadians can only hope

Pierre Poilievre 'does not agree' with 'straight pride' message in photo from Stampede

Pro-Beijing groups claim credit for helping Olivia Chow win the Toronto mayoralty. she says she was unaware 

Our NATO allies have little patience left for Trudeau's freeloading 

Postmedia and owners of Toronto Star end merger talks with no deal 

'Every single' premier is 'frustrated with federal interference' Danielle Smith says ahead of provincial leaders meeting

It's amateur hour in Canadian politics. Time for big money 

Federal climate policy makes us poorer

Canada will more than double military presence in Latvia: Trudeau 

Discussion with Indigenous leaders kicks off annual premiers meeting in Winnipeg 

Global          

Co-owning a home with strangers on the rise in Vancouver, says realtor 

BC falling behind on wages for early childhood educators amidst staff shortages: Report 

Cheeky sign raises cycling safety issues at East Vancouver bike crossing

US cherries flooding BC, undercutting 'desperate' local producers: Growers' association  

1 dead in Surrey alleyway shooting near 96 Avenue 

Okanagan's 2023 real estate market in a 'better spot' than last year 

6 temperature records broken Sunday in BC amid heat warning

Off duty cop rescues 3 people from burning house on Vancouver Island 

'It is heartbreaking': Unhoused population dealing hot weather in the Okanagan 

Kitsilano business frustrated went 'open street' pilot project 

'Morally distressed': BC Nurses hold rally outside Victoria General Hospital 

'They have run amok', ousted national chief says ahead of AFN general assembly

What message does the Danielle Smith 'straight pride' photo send to Albertans?

More than half of Canadians $200 or less from missing bill payments: MNP

Elizabeth May home after hospital stay for 'overwork, fatigue': husband

Winnipeg landfill protesters refuse to budge agter evacuation deadline passes

Bombardier eyeing bid to replace Canada's aging military planes 

S&P/TSX composite ticks lower as telecom and utility stocks pull back, US stocks up

No way of 'adjudicating facts' in deals between corrupt firms and prosecutors: Quebec judge  

Hong Kong is on the hunt for activists abroad. This one isn't backing down 

New federal health funding set to be discussed at premiers meeting  

Brady Road landfill protesters say 'no' to evacuation order 

Are best before dates on food necessary? Some charities say it's time to reevaluate 

Miscellaneous            

A First Nation's Aggressive Logging has some members 'heartbroken' 

Harnessing the Ocean to provide a better solution for Droughts 

After 15 years, Little Mountain's Cousin promise still looks empty