Roundup: The premier has no clothes

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Alberta premier Danielle Smith is threatening to invoke her so-called “Sovereignty Act” next week to shield power companies from federal clean energy regulations—but that will do absolutely nothing. The province doesn’t enforce federal environmental regulations, so it can’t shield the power companies from said regulations. Smith might as well get up in the legislature and perform some kind of magical incantation, because it’ll have pretty much the exact same effect.

This being said, a lot of journalists seem to either believe that the Act is going to somehow do what she’s claiming, or they’re just both-sidesing it, because guess what—this is all performance. Smith has woven you the most extravagant outfit that is so magnificent that you can’t even see it. Right? “The Emperor Has No Clothes”? Or in this case, the premier has no clothes. Don’t take this invocation at face value. Point out that it does nothing, and that she is trying to pull a fast one to keep rage-farming.

Ukraine Dispatch:

Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks on Russian positions in occupied Crimea, while Russians made a renewed push to take Avdiivka. Russians also launched a massive drone attack on Kyiv, where debris has caused injuries. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered reform proposals to the country’s troop mobilisation programme as the war drags on.

Good reads:

  • While making announcements with top EU leadership, Justin Trudeau took shots at the Conservatives for their votes against the Ukraine trade deal.
  • Trudeau also said he hopes that the current humanitarian pause in Gaza will help build a road to a more lasting peace, including a two-state solution.
  • There are warnings that Canada’s next EU summit could be very different as more far-right parties are forming government in Europe.
  • Mary Ng is boasting that the NAFTA dispute resolution panel ruled in Canada’s favour on Supply Management shenanigans around how quotas are allocated.
  • The government will be doing more consultations around other measures they can take beyond the foreign agent registry legislation.
  • CSIS is warning about a Chinese programme to try and recruit Canadian government employees and academics in the hopes of siphoning information.
  • Canada’s Chief Information Officer is leaving the job having accomplished precious little when it comes to the long-delayed digital transformation that was promised.
  • At the CRTC hearings on the online streaming regulations, APTN called for a fund to help promote Indigenous content and languages in its programming.
  • Michael Koevrig talks to the Star about the shoddy reporting in the Globe and Mail that alleges he was spying (he wasn’t), and says this handed China propaganda.
  • The Star has an explainer on just what is in the Canada-Ukraine trade agreement.
  • Other aerospace players in Canada are casting doubt on Bombardier’s claims around their vapourware “surveillance aircraft.”
  • Justin Ling writes about the proliferation of far-right cults around North America.
  • Paul Wells engages in some trenchant media analysis to demonstrate how Poilievre plays them so well, but also warns that people like the Ukrainians are watching him.
  • My weekend column looks at the recent incidences of bullying and intimidation in the Senate, and why for Andrew Scheer in particular, it’s the point.

Odds and ends:

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