The Conservatives went ahead with their Supply Day motion of scapegoating asylum claimants for the strain on the healthcare system, and so many of their claims are based on falsehoods. The claim that a failed claimant is “bogus” of “fraudulent” is not true, and plenty of claimants rejected by the IRB win their appeal in Federal Court. The numbers of actually fraudulent claims are very small, and even rejected claimants may be rejected on technical grounds. Trying to conflate everyone as “bogus” or “fraudulent” is more of the MAGA mindset that they’re trying to tap into, because this is who the party has become. It’s too bad the government is too invested in their own attempts to scapegoat newcomers for problems that the premiers mostly created and refuse to fix, because they should be absolutely savaging the Conservatives on this, and they can’t—and won’t.

— Effin' Birds (@effinbirds.com) 2026-02-24T22:22:02.270Z

Ukraine Anniversary

Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which was supposed to be a “three-day war.” There were a number of speeches and a moment of silence in the House of Commons to mark the occasion, so it didn’t go unnoticed. Prime minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will extend Operation Unifier to keep training Ukrainian troops for another three years, as well as donating another 400 armoured vehicles, and extending more sanctions. (Not announced were any resources or a competent federal policing agency to enforce those sanctions).

Four years have passed since Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia was supposed to win in three days. Instead, Ukraine reinvented modern warfare, built a drone industry, and can destroy a thousand Russian soldiers in a day. Ukraine can win.

— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum.bsky.social) 2026-02-24T09:58:52.954Z

Prime minister Carney's statement on the 4th anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-02-24T15:30:17.057Z

Conservative statement on the 4th anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-02-24T15:26:12.386Z

NDP statement on the 4th anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

— Dale Smith (@journodale.bsky.social) 2026-02-24T15:26:12.387Z

Ukraine Dispatch

European leaders were in Kyiv to show support on the anniversary of the start of the war. Here is a look at how the attacks on energy infrastructure is dragging down Ukraine’s economy, and here is a look at how drone warfare has changed the nature of the conflict over the past four years.

Good reads:

• Mark Carney was apparently aware of South Bow’s plans to revive parts of the Keystone XL pipeline before he raised it with Trump in October.
• The Vancouver Police Department has warned Sikh activists about credible threats against them, just as Carney heads to India to meet with Modi.
• Evan Solomon was “disappointed” after his meeting with OpenAI about the Tumbler Ridge shooter’s activities. (But he’s still going to give a regulatory “light touch”).
• Anita Anand says that Canada will be sending some kind of humanitarian assistance to Cuba, but hasn’t specified what kind of assistance and when.
• David McGuinty announced $3.7 billion in capital improvements for housing on military bases across the country.
• Canadian embassy staff are remaining in place in Beirut after the US pulled their own staff in advance of a possible military conflict with Iran.
• The Canadian Commercial Corporation warned Dominic LeBlanc last March that some ammunition produced was likely being re-sold from the US to Israel.
• Canadian aviation regulators have given the all-clear to those Gulfstream jets that Trump was throwing a tantrum and making threats over.
• Here is a look at why it’s difficult to design a trigger for digital asbestos companies to alert police to potential threats.
• Newly-crossed Liberal MP Matt Jeneroux will be joining Carney on his India/Japan/Australia trip. (Scott Moe and Susan Holt will also be going).
• Conservative riding associations were warned not to give their membership lists to anyone, after one list was used by a BC Conservative leadership candidate.
• Nova Scotia is making it more expensive to drive EVs or hybrids in the province.
• The CBC has a fact-check on Danielle Smith’s false claims that 80 percent of federally-appointed judges are Liberal donors. (It’s more like 14 percent).
• Artur Wilczynski recounts being in Puerta Vallarta during the recent unrest, and why the biggest problem was disinformation on social media.
• Susan Delacourt tees up Poilievre’s anticipated foreign policy speech on Thursday, and what his past statements on the topic have been.
• Althia Raj notes how the government has been trying to expand its powers in the budget bill and C-4, and how the Conservatives are enabling them along the way.
• My column calls out the Conservatives for their increased scapegoating of immigrants and refugee claimants, and the government’s tepid response to it.

Odds and ends:

Speech from the Throne > State of the Union

— Aaron Wherry (@aaronwherry.bsky.social) 2026-02-24T14:28:04.493Z

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