Ottawa Observations: Saturday-Monday, March 16-18, 2024

Our compilation of some of the stories of note from the day, reviewing the political developments from the Federal scene for Saturday-Monday, March 16-18, 2024

Hamas/Israel/Gaza 

House passes motion after NDP removes call for recognition of Palestinian state 

UN says 'famine is imminent' in northern Gaza as Israel launches another raid on main hospital 

More families will be allowed to apply to come to Canada from Gaza, Immigration Minister says 

Vaughn bylaw proposal aims to restrict protests near certain sites 

NDP motion on Palestinian  statehood passes after major amendments 

An NDP motion puts a big question to the test. Will Canada recognize Palestinian statehood?

EU official accuses Israel of weaponizing hunger as report warns Gaza famine imminent 

Israeli military launches night raid on Gaza's Al-Shifa Hospital

NDP motion on Palestinian statehood passes after tense negotiations with Liberals yield major amendments 

Israel urges UN court to reject South Africa's request for more emergency orders in genocide case 

An FYI to MPs, Hamas is lying about death toll in Gaza 

Chaotic day ends with chaotic vote on Israel-Palestinian motion 

Voting to recognize a Palestinian state only rewards Hamas

Jewish Canadians feel abandoned by politicians, police and you

Reject NDP motion on the war in Gaza

Liberals dodge a Palestinian bullet, but the NDP's bill is yet to come

NDP, Liberals drop recognition of Palestinian statehood to pass controversial motion 

'They're incentivizing terrorism': Canadian relative of Gaza hostage calls NDP's Palestinian motion disgusting 

NDP motion to recognize at Palestinian state tests Liberal caucus divisions over Israel-Hamas

'Refugees in their own country': Israelis who lived in Hezzbollah's shadow still can't go home 

Will an NDP call to recognize Palestinian statehood split Liberal MPs 

Ukraine/Russia War           

Putin seals 5th term in predetermined election landslide 

Russians cast ballots in an election preordained to extend Putin's rule 

Russia will be asked for ceasefire during Paris Olympics, says French president 

Globe and Mail

Niagara Falls braces for record crowds hoping to take in eclipse's path of totality 

Unplanned shutdown of Imperial pipeline will affect delivery of fuel to Winnipeg for months

Manitoba premier says trucks and trains can replace fuel flow from distrupted pipeline  

BC prepares for what could be a dangerous wildfire season 

Federation opposes proposal to boost number of days retired Ontario teachers can work in classrooms

'Motel medicine': Alberta NDP urge apology after stroke patient sent to motel 

Is Danielle Smith winning?

Canada has plenty of good housing ideas. They need to be turned into action 

How Canada can better combat Uyghur forced labour   

Canada's immigration system isn't living up to its potential. Here's how to fix it

Prime Minister and other party leaders pay tribute to Brian Mulroney  

Ottawa appeals Federal Court decision requiring action on 'appalling' level of judicial vacancies 

Taiwan seeks bilateral trade agreement with Canada as it waits to join pan-Pacific trade pact 

Ottawa to release review of ArriveCan  contractor's use of Indigenous program 

Hate speech complaints under Human Rights Act could take years to resolve, experts warn 

Majority of Canadians are hoping for a Biden win in upcoming election, poll finds 

We must consider serious, structural changes for the Bank of Canada

The future of public transit ins't a hyper loop or a high-speed train - it's your smartphone 

Celebrating Irish-Canadian relations past present and future 

CBC

Telecom execs insist wireless prices going down as MPs voice concern over cots 

Brian Mulroney's sons thank Canadians, politicians for outpouring of support 

Natural Resources minister defends carbon tax as provinces pile on

How a Silicon Valley trend is impacting an $8B Canadian farm industry  

Liberals say Poilievre 'doesn't care' about the housing shortage and mock his record

AI could have catastrophic consequences - is Canada ready?

The world is sending soldiers back to Haiti - this time without Canada's help 

Ontario Liberals rule out provincial carbon tax as part of 2026 election platform 

Toronto/Vancouver Star

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau opening up about her separation from Justin Trudeau 

Toronto cop took credit cards and a luxury watch from dead people, had a stolen car and abused databases: Crown says at start of trial

Don't want to end up in a nursing or retirement home? Some seniors are finding creative solutions - on their terms 

How these four Toronto hospitals are making your ER visits less frustrating 

'This is simply unacceptable behaviour': What a former Governor General wants the city to do about Annex frat houses 

'Perfect storm' of challenges sees small business insolvencies skyrocket 41% in Q4 last year

Bonnie Crombie promises no provincial carbon tax if her Liberals defeat Doug Ford's Tories 

Justin Trudeau and Pierre Poilievre share their personal memories of Brian Mulroney 

Carjackings have more than doubled in Toronto so far this year: Police chief 

Prime Minister Pierre Poilievre? That's bad news for Doug Ford 

'Tone deaf': MPs grill telecom CEOs about wireless prices at committee 

Feds appeal decision requiring action on 'appalling' level of judicial vacancies 

The carbon levy will haunt Justin Trudeau whether he raises it or not 

An expected defeat was unexpectedly painful for Justin Trudeau's Liberals. That should set off alarm bells 

Toronto Sun

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau looks ahead to life away from Justin: 'Sometimes I just want to run in a field'

Crombie says no to Ontario carbon tax, stays quiet on federal hike 

'Sad' State of Affairs: Viral videos show huge lineups at Ontario job fairs 

Carbon tax defence full of hot air

When it rains taxes, it puts illogical political rhetoric 

Trudeau should end undemocratic alcohol tax hikes 

Use of gender-neutral language raises serious concerns 

Del Duca steps up when other politicians won't 

Does Canada's Foreign Affairs Department have an anti-Semitism problem?

Trudeau wants us to know he feels his pain

Liberal housing plan is rotting at the foundation

Cozy deals betray our trust in government 

National Post

Canada is becoming a globally recognized lesson in what not to do

Telecoms tell MPs mobile plans are getting cheaper despite government policy adding costs 

Liberals cry 'racism' to cover up another Chinese interference scandal 

Life in Canada  is 'more expensive' than most immigrants expected, new poll finds 

They disappear without a trace after landing in Toronto. Then came one missing a passport 

'A great Canadian': MPs pay tribute to former prime minister Brian Mulroney 

Retired Quebec Judge arrested by anti-corruption police for allegedly inflating hours worked

Guilbeault threatens to invoke federal powers to protect Quebec's woodland caribou 

Deepfake Trudeau selling crypto with an accent is an uneasy look at the AI disinformation future 

Global 

No emergency debate on carbon price hike, Speaker tells Poilievre 

As Brian Mulroney's state funeral nears, here's what to expect this week 

Poilievre says ahead of carbon price hike: 'Eby's constituents can't even afford baloney'

In Haiti, how gangs working together are adding to the 'uncertainty' 

Trudeau says he thinks about quitting 'crazy, super tough' job daily, but is determined to continue 

Vancouver Police investigating 'very serious' sex assault in Stanley Park 

Cleanup at sanctioned encampment in Vancouver's CRAB Park to begin next Monday 

David Eby rejects Poilievre letter asking BC to stop carbon tax hike 

BC woman says she can't get transplant because of cost to stay in Vancouver

No charges in vandalism of mural in Vancouver's Chinatown caught on camera 

Brilliant Bubble gum blue: Eye-catching herring spawn filmed off BC coast 

Union warns of growing burnout, reliance on uncertified teachers amid BC staffing crunch 

BC puts up $80M to help drought stricken farmers 

'The climate crisis is here': BC warns of early start to 2024 wildfire season 

In BC's forests, a debate over watershed science with lives and billions at stake 

Miscellaneous            

Green energy or Greenwashing? Inside FortisBC's 'Renewable Gas' claims  

Please Advise! Which politicians have futures pitching products?

Youth and Tenants with mental illness lived in a filthy, Violent Government SRO

The thriving business of rewilding