it seems to me that both things can be true: the popular economic indicators can be looking good and everyday people can be experiencing greater levels of financial hardship than they or their parents have ever known.

Absolutely - data-based decision making is good, but the data has to be robust enough to fully capture the reality.

Regularly including cost of living measures alongside GDP would be a good start.

There’s no formal coalition agreement, and I don’t see Trudeau scrambling to offer cabinet posts to NDP MPs.

The less formal arrangement they had lasted a pretty long time, all things considered.

But Singh doesn’t owe him anything.

Well, no.

I want a system that’s actually designed to support multiple parties. Westminster ain’t it.

I’m torn on this.

On the one hand, I agree that a PP government is a terrible thing.

On the other hand, it’s hardly the NDP’s job to prop up another political party.

WTF is he thinking?

For better or worse, he’s probably reached the point where he thinks they need to cut all remaining ties to the Liberals, and not be seen as propping them up, formally or otherwise.

Get ready for one of the ugliest campaigns in living memory.

It looks like Trudeau wasn’t asking her to resign - he was looking to shuffle her out of the role and into a different cabinet post. Which isn’t exactly a vote of confidence.

I swear, this story said something about Canada Post agreeing to a 5% intirim raise last night, but that doesn’t seem to be in there any more.

Well, that’s a bombshell.

Yeah, unfortunately basic geography means there’s likely a hard limit on how much diversification is realistic.

We absolutely should do everything we can to reduce our reliance on the US, but options become limited once you remove rail and road from the equation.

Pfft you’re gonna believe some ivory tower elites in…

checks notes

…Alberta?

“I left Mr. Brown’s campaign completely of my own volition,” she said in that statement.

“In no instance was I coerced in any manner, by anyone, at any time. I am an experienced parliamentarian, seasoned communicator, and former cabinet minister who has proven more than capable of developing senior grade positions entirely based on my own read of a situation … to suggest that I’m not is ridiculous.”

This is specifically not a denial that interference was attempted.

And this…well…

“Preventing that division is why I’ve always taken into account the perspectives of many different Canadian interest groups and stakeholders before addressing issues that pertain to diaspora communities,” she said.

I’ve never been on opiods, so I guess that’s not worth discussing, right?

Fair enough - I do think the article makes it clear who the “everyone” is in this case - provincial and federal leadership - but I totally get why you’d bristle at it.

Yeah, the article breezes by it, but Canada’s ridiculous procurement efforts have been well-documented elsewhere.

Yeah, I don’t think we actually disagree with much - I certainly agree with the priorities you listed.

However, I also think that defense is also a priority - one that is becoming increasingly urgent with the general state of the world and the unreliability of our closest ally, and that has been neglected for decades.

And I’m not sure I buy in to the idea that we have to choose amongst those priorities. That kind of rhetoric is used to justify all kinds of cuts.

Shh, the grownups are talking.

Sure, and I agree. Your point?

Unfortunately, I think the need for defense spending is increasingly clear these days, no?

Yeah, it’s nice to hear they can still get things done, if they’re (a) motivated and (b) not being whipped by their leadership.

No doubt assisted by the bloody cut on the throwing hand of Blue Bombers’ starting QB, Zach Callaros, in the 3rd quarter.

No question, though it seemed like the Bombers sort of lost the plot at halftime. Maybe they enjoyed the Jonas Brothers a little too much.

Yeah, in October. That’s nearly a year away.

There’s potentially a lot of time before the next election, and campaigns matter.

Things look bleak, but I don’t think I’d call it a “foregone conclusion.”

This honestly warms my frozen Manitoban heart.

It would be great if we would all show a little more collective pride and promote the places we live as, you know, nice places to visit.

Every place in this country has something to offer.

Except that Trump-style government will have negative knock-on effects on the Canadian status quo, and people will inevitably blame the current administration for that…

That’s because the so-called “fixed election date” leglisation only circumvents the 5-year limit laid out in the consitution. The federal and provincial Crown representatives retain the ability to call a general election - I don’t think that can be changed without an amendment to the constitution, which ain’t gonna happen.

It’s always been smoke and mirrors.

It seems that they have problems with the entire process, and want to restart on more equitable terms.

“This resolution speaks to the desired process that we see as path forward to getting the final settlement agreement back on track, to address the flaws identified by regions across the country and to create fairer, more equitable, more open, transparent process,” Khelsilem, council chairperson of the Squamish Nation in B.C., told the assembly.

The resolution directs the AFN executive committee to establish a national Children’s Chiefs Commission with regional representation to provide direction and oversight of the long-term reform agreement negotiations.

It also directs the AFN to postpone any votes on settlement agreements until all First Nations have had at least 90 days to review them.

Okay yeah, I fully agree that they could have started much sooner. Getting things done quickly isn’t exactly the Liberals’ forté.

I guess I’m not sure what you think he should have done differently?

Like, this whole situation is a mess, and there’s a mix of possible “foreign influence” in play, ranging from “unsuccessful attempts” to “this person is an active foreign agent,” and it’s all based on classified CSIS intelligence. And these people are still elected officials, so it’s there more that even could be done beyond perhaps booting them out of caucus?

Surely we can agree that the situation isn’t as straightforward as we’d like it to be.

There’s already another article posted about this, but I would think the concerns around releasing classified information are self-evident.

The Liberals are being insincere when they throw their hands up and say there’s nothing they can do because Poilievre won’t do something he’s made clear he won’t do.

I don’t think they’ve said this?

Poilievre and the Conservatives have been calling on Trudeau to release the names of allegedly compromised parliamentarians. They repeated that demand on Wednesday.

But law enforcement and national security agencies have been clear on this point: sharing any classified information is a crime.

“Anyone who reveals classified information is subject to the law equally and obviously, in this case, those names are classified at this time and to reveal them publicly would be a criminal offence,” RCMP Deputy Commissioner Mark Flynn told MPs on the public accounts committee in June.

When CBC News later asked Flynn whether the names could be released in the House of Commons, where MPs enjoy certain legal protections, he suggested that could be a legal grey area.

“That’s a question that should be asked, due to the complexities of parliamentary privilege, of a legal expert,” Flynn said.

Stephanie Carvin, a former CSIS national security analyst, said there are several reasons why national security agencies wouldn’t want the names made public — starting with the fact that it could compromise ongoing investigations.

“We don’t want foreign governments knowing how we are collecting information. That’s why we protect our sources and methods,” she said.

“Did it advance the cause of national security? Did it advance the interest of the inquiry and the commissioners’ work? I’m not so sure.”

If it leads to Polievre getting his fucking security clearance, I would argue it does.

There would be no “partisan turn” to take if he would meet this basic expectation.

When questioned by Conservative Party lawyer Nando De Luca, Trudeau also said the names of Liberal parliamentarians and individuals from other parties are on the list of parliamentarians at risk of being compromised by foreign interference.

Wow, what a cudgel.

That would be irresponsible - this is intelligence, not evidence that would hold up in court.

Trudeau himself says that some of the intel could be wrong.

Of course, if they have irrefutable evidence regarding any individuals, I agree with you.

It seems like JT is handling the situation just about as well as could be expected.

Fair Vote Canada had some thoughts on that portion of the interview.

I’m glad the CBC is revisiting the story now that they have the other side.

Flag restrictions are typically a way to ban Pride flags without actually saying it out loud.

This article does not say threats were made - it says, “according to Chinese Canadian interview subjects, this invoked a widespread fear amongst electors, described as a fear of retributive measures from Chinese authorities should a CPC government be elected.”

That’s bad, to be sure, but if there was no direct threat, you’re going to have a pretty hard time prosecuting the issue.