Ottawa Observations: Thursday-Friday, September 7-8, 2023

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for  Thursday-Friday, September 7-8, 2023

BC, NWT Wildfires

Residents of West Kelowna fire zone get brief home access but restrictions extended

Fruit flies and bumper crops: Here's what some Yellowknife's have come home to

Yellowknife residents have returned but the tourists haven't  

Okanagan residents warned not to dodge wildfire checkpoints 

Wildfires in Canada could burn into late fall, winter  

Hay River evacuees won't know when they can return until next week

'It could flip like a with' Will BC move from fires to floods?

Conservative Policy Convention 

Tory convention seeks to dazzle supporters, but Poilievre the real draw

Conservative Party planning more Poilevre ads, says head of fundraising 

Pierre Poilievre appeals for support from Quebeckers at Conservative Policy convention

Poilievre invokes former Liberal prime minsters' fiscal records in speech at Conservative convention

Flush with cash, Conservatives plan to roll out more ads touting Poilievre  

Conservatives would love to win more seats in Quebec - but do they need to?

Poilievre riding high in polls as Conservatives meet for policy convention 

Where are Conservatives on trans rights? Pierre Poilievre is about to find out

Pierre Poilievre vows to restore 'promise of Canada' in convention speech with hallmarks of election-style rally

Cash rich Tories are ready to spend. First target? Justin Trudeau's 'failures' 

Poilievre rallies Conservatives hungry for a 'blue wave' with stump speech, base hits 

Conservatives say they have two ingredients to create a 'blue wave' Money and Unity

Is that common sense we see on the horizon?

Holding the course at upcoming Conservative convention 

Poilievre pops, Trudeau tanks in polls as CPC convention opens 

Poilievre's speech to Conservatives focuses on message of 'hope' for Canadians who have lost theirs  

Guilbeault crashes Conservative convention as Poilievre finds firmer footing in Quebec  

The fascinating demographics of the Conservative surge 

Social Conservatives are pushing to check Poilievre's power 

Poilievre presents himself as PM in waiting at Conservative convention 

Ukraine/Russia War           

Vladimir Putin is dragging the Pacific into Ukraine War

Globe and Mail

The Baptism by fire of Teck's new boss, Jonathon Price, who wants to put Canada on the critical metals map

Judge in Lich, Barber criminal trial says case has the potential to go 'off the rails'

Crown shows convoy organizer's TikTok in court, with hours of social media posts submitted as evidence 

Investors account for 30 percent of home buying in Canada, data show

Canada's top soldier calls news of former Canadian fighter pilots teaching in China 'very disturbing allegations' 

Delay in calling foreign interference inquiry could hurt Liberal party in next election

Bank of Canada is not transparent or accountable enough on monetary policy 

Trudeau expected to discuss foreign interference with Modi on sidelines of G20

Trudeau eyes Indo-Pacific trade deals to avoid China aim to 'play us off each other'

Quebec appeal court judge Marie-Josée Hogue to lead foreign-interference inquiry  

Foreign interference inquiry's short timeline, broad mandate raise concerns 

CBC stands to get larges share of cash from Online News Act, experts say

Ford government's appointee to Greenbelt Foundation had family ties to developer 

Christian group says it influenced Saskatchewan government over pronoun rules 

CBC

Marc Miller touts progress on reconciliation, has harsh words for Poilievre

Trudeau says he wants to raise the issue of Foreign interference with India's PM Modi

Canada added 40,000 jobs in August - but it added 100,000 more people too

Trudeau says he will testify with 'enthusiasm' if called as a witness at foreign interference inquiry. 

Foreign interference is a serious threat  - and it's finally getting a serious response 

There's now a Bank of Canada number for carbon tax's impact on inflation, It' small

Justice Marie-Josée Hogue 'honoured' to lead foreign interference inquiry, hearing start to be determined 

What we know so far about the public inquiry into foreign interference 

Blast horns 'as long as possible' if police move in, convoy protesters told in video 

LeBlanc says he'll meet with Han Dong soon to discuss his future with the Liberal Party  

Macklem stands firm on 2% inflation target and willingness to hike more to get there 

Business council says CSIS should start warning private companies of foreign interference 

Premier Doug Ford met by protesters in Kitchener, amid heavy police presence 

Toronto/Vancouver Star

Canadian researchers discover spyware infecting iPhones without users ever clicking on anything

Olivia Chow vows to ensure refugees aren't denied space in Toronto's main shelter system 

Ford government's plan to keep Toronto high school teachers on the job faces a new hurdle  

The unfair offering of extracurricular activities

Frustrated Liberals say Pierre Poilievre is crushing them -and some of them are blaming Justin Trudeau

Province's review of Greenbelt could 'destroy is integrity' critics charge 

Toronto police officer charged with aggravated assault inNorth York shooting 

Timing of evidence disclosure raises ire of judge in 'Freedom Convoy' trial

Justin Trudeau faces trouble on two fronts as summer winds down

In a province with a string of deficits, parties promise more spending, tax cuts 

Christian group says it influenced Saskatchewan government over pronoun rules 

Doug Ford's latest attack on the Greenbelt hits a new low

Taxes. Parking hikes. A housing plan. Olivia Chow is leading Toronto City Council in a radically different direction 

Toronto Sun

As StatsCan shows immigration soaring, is it time for pause?

Politicians enjoying high life as families scrounge for food, rent

China threatens 'consequences' over Canadian inquiry into alleged meddling

Teacher who wore prosthetic breasts is now indeed a mister 

Kerry Lemieux has shown what a joke Ontario's school system is

Trudeau's personal popularity plummeting in polls 

If Liberals are to survive, LeBlanc needs to tell PM to pack it in 

Report on LTC inspections during pandemic a depressing read

Students harmed by shuttered schools during pandemic: Report 

A public inquiry the PM never wanted 

National Post

'Honest government ad' about Canada goes viral for its 'fairly disturbing' message 

WD-40 says it will not be banned, will change formula to satisfy Ottawa's new rules 

Student expelled for political views, grilled over religious beliefs, choice of music 

'Very unhappy' Freedom Convoy judge says Crown's late evidence disclosure threatens to derail trial 

National Defence to roll out spending cuts over next three years - but extent of impact 'yet to be confirmed' 

Trudeau government claims victory after decisive defeat to New Zealand 

He murdered a woman in cold blood, but was given chance to stalk new victims 

Who really killed Canadian moderation?

Justin Trudeau hammered by devastating polls just before Parliament set to reconvene 

Canada's UN envoy warns of a North American migrant crisis unlike any other 

Ottawa taps Quebec judge to head foreign interference public inquiry 

Global          

What Canadians need to know about COVID rapid tests as fall approaches 

China 'strongly deplores' interference inquiry, embassy warns of 'consequences'

Trudeau suggests he could raise foreign interference with India's Modi

'Uninhabitable' 24 Sussex should still be restored, heritage advocates say

Hockey Canada  complaint process left woman feeling 'not safe' urging change 

Bank of Canada 'remains independent' amid political comments; Macklem

Canada to launch foreign interference inquiry. Here's what we know so far 

Elections Manitoba calls on young voters" 'Some choices mean more than your fit check. Vote'

Miscellaneous            

How to defeat Poilievre's Politics of Abandonment 

No moral struggle here: Search the landfill for lives lost 

The BC Greens are coming for Adrian Dix's MLA Seat

Forsaken and 'Urgent': Alberta's eroding coal roads 

Storage Buildings, Chicken Coops and the crisis in migrant farmworker housing

When a Social worker gives bad advice 

Kicked out of supportive housing after saying she was sexually assaulted