Ottawa Observations: Saturday-Sunday, February 24-26, 2024

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for  Saturday-Monday, February 24-26, 2024

Hamas/Israel/Gaza 

Biden flags ceasefire soon as Israelis, Hamas take part in Qatar talks 

Majority of countries argue Israel violated international law in las historic hearing at UN court 

Palestinian PM  Mohammad Shtayyeh resigns 

Palestinian PM resigns as pressure grows over post-war Gaza plans

US airman who set himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in apparent act of protest has died 

Israel, Hamas clash throughout Gaza as ceasefire talks grind on abroad 

Canada investigating possibility of aid airdrop into Gaza, minister says 

Israeli strike kills 8 in Rafah, health officials say

Why Israel claims of UN bias have ramped up since the deadly October 7 Hamas attacks

Al Waxman statue vandalized with pro-Hamas message

Historians will look back shamefully at our ugly era of anti-Semitism 

If it's not anti-Jewish stop attacking Jews 

Quit telling me it's not anti-Semitism

Toronto Star's Shree Paradkar goes full Hamas apologist 

After backlash over cancelling Jewish speaker, International Women's Day event postponed

Israel-Hamas hostage deal could be finished within days, but no breakthrough yet 

Biden says he hopes Gaza ceasefire will start by next week:  'We're close'

Ukraine/Russia War           

Western troops on the ground in Ukraine is not 'ruled out' in the future, French leader says 

Ukrainian troops pull back again as Russia's onslaught pushes ahead in eastern Ukraine 

Ukraine's allies meet in Paris, as Macron, Zelensky warn of Russian attacks 

Two years on , the war in Ukraine becomes a test of Western staying power 

Canada's Biden?: Trudeau says Russia 'must win' war in embarrassing gaffe 

Action, not talk needed on Ukraine 

'No joke': Ottawa to give Ukraine $4 million to fund gender-inclusive demining

On the war's second anniversary, how do Canadians feel about the Russian Invasion of Ukraine?

Globe and Mail

Online harms bill would create a new hate-crime offence, impose big fine son platforms that fail to comply  

Serious questions and cartoon politics about internet regulation 

Mayors concerned Trudeau won't deliver promised long-term infrastructure deal in 2024 budget 

Ontario boosts post-secondary education funding by more than $1-billion over three years 

Liberals look to end all-night vote sessions,  set midnight cutoff time

Head of mayors' group pushes back on Poilievre, says Canadian cities are 'not gatekeepers'

Canada prepares to welcome thousands of Sudanese, but new pathway sparks questions

Some Halifax encampment residents vow to stay as city-imposed eviction deadline passes 

Theses days, Canada's politics are defined by doom and gloom 

The Senate should say no to yet another delay in expanding MAID

Lynx Air owes Ottawa $25 million in taxes and millions more to suppliers 

Alberta Health Minister says province wants ability to opt out of pharmacare plan  

More to do on defence, Trudeau says after meetings with Polish leaders in Warsaw 

Labour, environment groups make plea for sustainable jobs bill to pass 

Automakers urged to be transparent on tools to prevent thefts ahead of looming parliamentary debate 

Pharmacare will not jeopardize Canada's fiscal standing, Freeland says 

Empty desks, international students and the quest for Canadian work permits 

Two Chinese bloggers in exile warn that police are interrogating their followers 

CBC

Forces ombudsman calls on MPs to make his office independent of National Defence 

Trudeau takes a swipe at Poilievre over his stance on age verification for porn

Groups fighting anti-Black racism filed complaint against Canadian Human Rights Commission

Sooner or later, every NATO country will have to meet defence spending target, says Polish PM

Head of Mayor's group pushes back on Poilievre, says Canadian cities 'not gatekeepers'

The Liberals and NDP say they have a pharmacare deal - so what's left on their to-do list?

PSAC files grievance, seeks damages for public servants for messy Canada Life benefits switch

Forces ombudsman calls on MPs to make his office independent of National Defence 

Ambassadors raise alarm as government staff abroad struggle to access health coverage  

US ambassador says 'world is watching' Canada's military spending

Toronto/Vancouver Star

'I am going to make sure we have like-minded judges' Ford doubles down amid Ontario court outcry 

Toronto cop admits misconduct for Tasering, kneeing neck of U of T student in 'mistaken identity' case 

Parts of Ontario to be hit with heavy snow, as Toronto could see thunderstorms and flurries this week

Poilievre's Conservatives maintain lead over Trudeau's Liberals. Check our polling tool to track their performance 

Pierre Poilievre's housing plan slammed by Canada's mayors 

Trudeau government's contentious online harms bill would regulate dangerous content on the internet 

Doug Ford's Tories are surging at the expense of Marit Stiles' New Democrats, poll suggests 

Ford government falls short of funding boost, struggling colleges and universities say

As Toronto's 2026 FIFA World Cup costs jump, Ontario refuses to give extra cash

Liberal government wants voting health brakes for MPs after Opposition 'obstruction' 

Toronto Sun

Trudeau Liberals' online harms bill sure seems like problematic mess 

Trudeau pummelling 'punching bag' Alberta for votes, premier says 

Is ultra-violent Venezuelan gang poised to unleash slaughter here?

Sun setting on imploding federal Liberals 

Ford sides with students, freezes tuition for three more years

Lynx Air, like Flair, owes millions in unpaid taxes to Ottawa  

Welcome to Trudeau's cabinet. How do you like your steak?

Danielle Smith challenges Trudeau to call an election

Feds should stop the gimmicks, scrap the carbon tax

Appointing judges who share your philosophy part of the system

Trudeau's Alberta trip full of imaginary enemies 

It's time to go and Justin Trudeau knows it

National Post

Canada's 'selfish' free ride on defence 

Canadians are gluttons for punishment if Trudeau gets elected again: Joe Rogan 

Some bundled cellphone plans more expensive after Rogers-Shaw merger: competition watchdog 

British Columbians told to stop using term 'British Columbians' because its offensive now

Federal Liberals push to end all-night voting marathons, but increase late-night sittings

Government choosing how porn sites should verify age would be a disaster 

New Liberal 'online harms' bill to make online hate punishable up to life in prison 

The online harms bill risks replacing digital anarchy with a surveillance state 

Inquest into death of mass Killer Myles Anderson hears details of dangerous RCMP high-speed chase, arrest

Allegations of anti-Black racism at Canadian Human Rights Commission taken to global body

Some Canadians are choosing to live in a yurt due to housing crisis 

Academic workers go on strike after York University fails to meet demand to 'address affordability crisis'

Now TBA's Parker insults Poilievre. Will Premier Smith ever disown him?

How gender self-ID has affected Canadian women's sport

Homeless camps deserve to be stigmatized 

Time is running out for Iranians allowed to stay in Canada as protection from regime 

Ottawa rejects Taliban bid for Afghanistan's Canadian embassy

Why it's Danielle Smith vs Ottawa, over and over 

Global 

Online Harms Act aims to remove 'harmful content, address hate 

NDP's Singh questions provinces mulling pharmacies opt-out

Torture, drugs and Kidnapping: How a turf war in Quebec's organized crime world came to blows

Canada is facing 'irrelevance' on world stage, ex defence chief warns 

Insider threats a major risk to Canada's security: ex-CSIS official 

Some Ukrainians in Quebec struggle with French requirement for immigration 

Country musician Corb Lund criticizes Alberta minister over coal application support 

BC's minimum wage to jump 65 cents on June 1 

BC Conservatives pledge to eliminate Surrey portables by increasing class sizes 

No new trial for accused killer following IHIT evidence errors, BC's to court rules 

Details on BC's new home-flipping tax released

Child poverty rate rebounds ni BC: Report 

'Disturbing' T-shirt with Robert Pickton holding 'hookery smoked bacon' causes outrage 

Vancouver Island business broken into for 24th time in 25 years 

BC falls behind on $10 a day daycare funding but province says it's committed to program 

Court hits BC lawyer with costs over fake AI-generated cases, despite no intent to deceive 

'Totally insane': Safety concerns raised over materials tossed from Granville Bridge 

Miscellaneous            

Let's set a Maximum Wage for the Rich

How to resist the War on LGBTQ2S+ Kids

Danielles Smith plans o stick taxpayers with fossil fuel risks 

Whistleblower fired by the Target of Surgeons' complaint 

A Vancouver artists seeks the truth about Joe Fortes 

What's in the BC Budget for Renters?