Roundup: Huffing those culture war fumes

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My absolute exasperation with the need to constantly import American culture war bullshit into Canadian politics continues to grow, as we see yet another example playing out in the House of Commons. This time, it’s opposition whip Kerry-Lynne Findlay using the far-right gotcha of “What is the definition of a woman,” in the hopes that the response is some kind of confused mess in order to include trans women in the definition of women.

This being said, I’m not surprised that it was Findlay, because she has a growing record of doing things like this, most especially when she was tweeting her concern about how Chrystia Freeland once interviewed George Soros when she was a journalist. Findlay was greatly alarmed by what she saw, and in case you’ve been living under a rock, the attacks on Soros are largely rooted in antisemitic tropes that date back to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Findlay has repeatedly shown that she hasn’t learned her lesson from that incident, and this latest one is more proof of that.

The panic over trans people continues to infiltrate the discourse in Canada. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute, a thinktank that initially billed itself as a centrist endeavour in the mode of the two pivotal prime ministers who helped build and shape the country as we know it, has increasingly been pulling further and further to the right, and adopting anti-trans rhetoric as part of their offerings, which is a little alarming (and people who are associated with the Institute should start distancing themselves the more this kind of bullshit takes hold). This is also in the context that CSIS is seeing threats coming from the “anti-gender” movement, and for a group like MLI to pander to those sentiments is irresponsible, and dangerous.

Ukraine Dispatch:

Russia launched one of its biggest air strikes against Ukrainian thermal power generation stations in weeks, causing blackouts throughout the country. A separate air attack hit a school stadium in Kharkiv. It was Victory Day in Russia, celebrating their victory in WWII, and it should be noted that they did not take Chasiv Yar like they were hoping to beforehand.

Good reads:

  • Jonathan Wilkinson insists that carbon capture is still viable, after major projects in Alberta have been abandoned.
  • Mark Holland says he can’t see why there should be a pay disparity between independent dental hygienists and those in dentists’ offices, and promises changes.
  • More than 7500 Gazans have applied for a Canadian visa, but have issues with getting the right documents, or getting through the Rafah border crossing.
  • In spite of spiking applications to join the Canadian Forces, the number actually recruited has flatlined because of the “complexity” of the process.
  • The new screening criteria for sperm donation has gone into effect, reducing the discrimination around men who have sex with men.
  • Passport offices are still facing delays throughout the chain.
  • There still isn’t a date for when Citizenship and Immigration will appoint an internal ombuds person to deal with alleged workplace racism.
  • Former CTV bureau chief Joyce Napier has been appointed ambassador to the Vatican, with a planned focus on Indigenous reconciliation.
  • Here is a look at why the current abuse-in-sport programmes are not working.
  • Public sector unions are promising a “summer of discontent” over the plans to have civil servants back in the office three days a week (but good luck with that).
  • Canada Post wants the government to consider changing its legislation to move away from daily delivery, because of their major annual losses.
  • Here is a discussion about the current immigration points system and whether it is still fit for purpose.
  • CBC has a deep dive into why it’s so hard to attract a new grocery chain to Canada.
  • Mark Carney appeared at a Senate committee on a climate finance bill (as is his job with the UN), and Conservative senators hounded him about carbon pricing.
  • Randy Boissonnault and the Ethics Commissioner are being summoned to the ethics committee regarding allegations around Boissonnault’s former companies.
  • In an attempt to avoid paying doctors more, Ontario’s health minister insists there’s no recruitment or retention problem. (Sure, Jan).
  • BC government networks are experiencing a “sophisticated cybersecurity incident.”
  • Kevin Carmichael reflects on this year’s mental health survey from BDC, and how entrepreneurs are feeling a little bit better this year than they were last year.

Odds and ends:

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