Every news outlet in the country is framing Liberal MP Bruce Fanjoy as “breaking ranks” because he wrote a letter to the government in opposition to the latest return-to-office mandate for civil servants. Why is this language suspect? Because he’s not a member of Cabinet, so the expectation that he must be a compliant sheep and not step out of line is frankly wrong and non-existent. Backbenchers are there to hold the government to account, even if they’re in the same party. In fact, especially if they’re in the same party, because they are no good to anyone if they are nothing more than mindless clapping seals whose only purpose is to stand up and vote for the government and its programme at every opportunity.

The thing about Fanjoy is that he worked that riding in order to oust Pierre Poilievre, and part of that was the message that Poilievre took them for granted, and that he was going to actually represent them, and that’s what he’s doing, because there are a lot of civil servants in that riding. After all of the work in his winning the riding, can you imagine the message it would send for him to say absolutely nothing as the government moves ahead with its very ill-thought-out plan for return-to-office? It’s likely he wouldn’t win it again if that were the case. So yeah, he’s going to “break ranks” to deliver this very gentle message to the government.

This being said, I am once again going to absolutely rage at the expectation that this kind of framing devices places on MPs. It’s an old media dichotomy—we insist we want MPs to act more independently, but the moment they do, they have “broken ranks,” or the leader is “losing control,” or any other means by which We The Media police MPs into being good little drones and just following the (presidentialised) leader when that’s not what they should be doing. It’s beyond frustrating that we are worse whips than the actual party whips, which is saying something in this country with our parliament. It’s just ridiculous that this keeps happening, even when the party has room for disagreement (see: Nate Erskine-Smith).

Ukraine Dispatch

Russia launched 149 drones and 11 missiles early Monday, killing four people. Russian forces are also trying to push ahead at Pokrovsk, in spite of previously claiming they had already captured it. Ukraine is opening up sales of its domestically-produced weapons to help finance the war effort.

Good reads:

• Trump’s latest outburst is to threaten the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge, which Canada paid for the construction of.
• There is talk that Carney and Poilievre could be coming to some kind of agreement to stave off a potential election (which would be disastrous for Poilievre).
• Anita Anand has issued a statement of “disappointment” in China’s sentencing of Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai.
• The government rejected the Conservatives’ call to ensure that severance packages for GM workers don’t hold back amounts for taxes (which the union didn’t ask for).
• Since 2014, 616 RCMP officers and civilian members have faced disciplinary charges related to gender-based violence, including sexual harassment and assault.
• The Information Commissioner has renewed her call for Access to Information laws to cover PMO and PCO.
• Here is a preview of what is up for discussion at the Munich Security Conference, which Carney will be attending.
• Canadian airlines are suspending flights to Cuba because of the aviation fuel shortage in the country (which could be a prelude to American intervention).
• The Star looks into the problems facing Kimberly Prost, the Canadian judge on the International Criminal Court, since the Americans sanctioned her and colleagues.
• The Conservative Party could be facing heavy financial penalties after delegates at their convention walked off with the voting devices (worth $1000 apiece).
• Here is a look into the aftermath of Jamil Jivani’s trip to Washington.
• Marty Patriquin points out the Quebec government’s stubborn insistence on attacking English-language universities in the province in spite of a court order.
• Justin Ling reflects on the Bad Bunny performance as an exercise in soft power.
• Susan Delacourt muses about the potential justification for a federal election at some point this year.
• Paul Wells takes Jamil Jivani at his word for what he accomplished in Washington, and then compares it to reality.

Odds and ends:

Why, I ask, is it such a fucking chore to look up what "post-national state" actually means? Does Canada have a defined ethnicity? Language? Religion? No. We're bound by civic and not ethnic nationalism. That's what it means!For. Fuck. Sakes! macleans.ca/politics/im-…

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-02-10T02:33:09.952Z

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