Tag Archives: Procurement

Roundup: Doubling down on the lies about the Ukraine trade deal

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As the Conservatives flail about their voting against the Ukraine trade agreement, they are throwing out a number of excuses in order to double down on a stupid position that is backed by the lie that the agreement imposes a carbon price on Ukraine. It doesn’t, they’ve had a carbon price since 2011, but that doesn’t seem to matter. They insist that nothing they’re doing jeopardises the agreement, which is true—it’s already signed, and every other party is voting for this enabling legislation, but what the Conservatives seem to be forgetting is that all of this performance they’re doing for their domestic audience is being noticed aboard, and in particular by the Ukrainian government, and it’s not leaving a good impression.

To that end, they kept moving amendments at committee to include language about weapons sales, which is stupid because nothing precludes them currently, but that kept being out of order—again, because the deal is already signed. This is enabling legislation. And they kept trying to either remove the carbon price references or delay the bill until they could force the government to remove it, but they lost that gambit as well. But again, they’re sending signals to the people paying attention that they are deeply unserious and are going to be untrustworthy allies, and that’s going to do more damage in the long run, all for the sake of trying to score some cheap domestic points right now.

Ukraine Dispatch:

The death toll from the severe  snow storm in southern Ukraine has reached ten, with more injured as a result of accidents and power loss. During this, Russians struck a residential building and a coal mine in Nikopol, killing four and injuring ten others. The wife of Ukraine’s head of military intelligence is being treated for heavy metals poisoning, but no one will say if he was the intended target. Some in Ukraine are calling for defined ends to deployments, which are currently open-ended (as though the country were not in an existential war for its survival).

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QP: The lie that C-234 is supposedly a money bill

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The prime minister and his deputy were both present today, which was nice to see, but not every other leader was in the Chamber. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and he complained about the debt servicing costs, claiming the prime minister is spending “more for bankers than nurses,” never mind that healthcare is a provincial responsibility and government bonds aren’t lit on fire. Justin Trudeau responded that since last week, more Canadians are having harder believing Poilievre, and rattled off the talking points about Canada having the lowest debt and deficit in the G7, the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio, and that inflation is coming down, while Poilievre would only cut benefits. Poilievre cited food bank stats in Quebec and blamed deficit spending and carbon pricing for it, and demanded the government end both. Trudeau patted himself on the back for their responsible fiscal approach. Poilievre switched to English to turn to the Stellantis plant and the possibility of 900 temporary foreign workers, which he misleadingly called “replacement” workers. Trudeau read that there would be 2300 local workers to build the plant and 2500 local workers when the plant is in operation, and that Poilievre’s need to politicise everything wasn’t helping, while he only wants to cut. Poilievre said that the prime minister was to blame for people’s self-imposed austerity, and demanded he “stop obstructing” Bill C-234 in the Senate, which is of course nonsense as he has no such powers—but this was also the subject of the Conservatives’ Supply Day motion. Trudeau pointed out that there are plenty of reasons for global food price inflation, not the least of which was Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine, and took a dig at the Conservatives for voting against the trade agreement. Poilievre full-on flailed about Trudeau trying to change the channel from the misery he caused. Trudeau said that Poilievre was so desperate to score political points that he was standing against things that Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked for.

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and noted the rise in antisemitic incidents, and blamed them on the “loophole” in the Criminal Code around religious speech, and wanted support for his bill to remove that loophole (which is a hugely complex issue). Trudeau called out the rise in Islamophobia and antisemitism, and said he would study the bill. Blanchet insisted the bill was straightforward and wanted it passed immediately. Trudeau read a script that hate speech is already criminal, and that they would take a “close look” at the bill.

Alexandre Boulerice rose for the NDP, and in French, he demanded the “anti-scab” legislation be passed immediately. Trudeau took a bit of a jab at the NDP, saying that while they like to paint themselves as the party of workers the government has proved themselves to be, and that he was glad they worked together on this bill. Matthew Green took over in English and took credit for the bill, and demanded the bill be implemented sooner than the 18-month period in the bill. Trudeau repeated his same points in English.

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QP: Hyperventilating about Stellantis

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While the prime minister was present, his deputy was in the lock-up, meeting with reporters about the Fall Economic Statement in advance of its release at 4 PM. All of the other leaders were present, ready to demand to know what was in the update before its release. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, returns to the Scotiabank report he raised yesterday, and blamed the federal government for driving inflation, before demanding a balanced budget in the fiscal update. Justin Trudeau responded that the solution to this difficult period is not austerity, but strategic investments in helping families. Poilievre switched to English to repeat his same question, and lo, got very much the same response from Trudeau. Poilievre blamed the federal government for fast-rising rents, and demanded that the government cap the carbon price until the next election. Trudeau said the solution to rising rents is to build more units, which the government is doing, before mocking Poilievre’s assertion that the government is doing “damage” to Canada through child benefits, child care, or dental care. Poilievre then pivoted to the Stellantis plant and the overblown concern that it would use temporary foreign workers.  Trudeau noted that Poilievre would use any misinformation to denounce plans he doesn’t like, but he didn’t actually debunk the assertion. Poilievre said that no, it was Trudeau who spreading misinformation, and repeated his same overblown and false assertions. Trudeau said it was flat-out false and fear-mongering, but again, didn’t actually explain what the truth was, because of course not.

Yves-François Blanchet lead for the Bloc, and he demanded that the government include an increase in old-age security and an extension to CERB repayments in the economic update. Trudeau noted that they have been increasing payments for seniors, and that they supported those small businesses in COVID, but Blanchet would have to wait a couple of hours. Blanchet wondered if he should send his questions in advance so that he could get a real answer, before he repeated his same demand. Trudeau said he would be happy to send Blanchet a schedule that shows the update is released at 4 PM.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and he too raised the spectre of temporary foreign workers at the Stellantis plant, to which Trudeau said that while nobody was surprised that Poilievre would fall prey to disinformation but it was disappointing that Singh did too—but again, didn’t explain the truth. Singh switched to French to demand a competition changes to target grocery giants. Trudeau patted himself on the back for their plan to summon grocery CEOs, and said that there would be competition measures in the economic update.

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QP: The usual demands ahead of the fiscal update

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While the prime minister was in town today, he was not in QP, and neither was his deputy. Most of the other leaders were absent as well. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and cited a figure that claims the deficit is adding two percent of interest rates per month (erm…), and demanded a balanced budget. Anita Anand listed measures the government is taking to help people with affordability. Poilievre repeated the same claim and demand in English, to which Anand noted that much of the spending noted by that report was provincial and not federal, and that they were there for Canadians when they need it. Poilievre repeated his same points more emphatically, and this time Sean Fraser said it was hard to accept criticism from a member who didn’t get homes built when he was the minister charge of the housing file. Poilievre then pivoted to the carbon price, and proposed a “Canadian compromise” to freeze said price until the next election. Fraser then listed figures that poked holes in Poilievre’s revisionist history of his time as a minister. Poilievre pivoted again and worried that one of the battery plants the government is funding would rely on temporary foreign workers. Fraser got back up to carry on with the criticisms on housing, with a slight mention of the new economy. 

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and he demanded that the government extend the CERB repayment deadline lest there be millions of bankruptcies. Rechie Valdez read her talking points about extending the date and providing more flexibility. Therrien then demanded the fiscal update include the promise for a national school lunch programme, and more specifically transferring money to Quebec for it. Jenna Sudds reiterated that the government is working with the provinces to developing this programme together. 

Alexandre Boulerice rose for the NDP, and he decried the profits of grocery giants, and demanded a windfall tax in the economic update. Anand praised the government’s bill to increase competition, now that it is moving ahead again. Daniel Blaikie patted himself on the back for “improving” that bill and demanded more funds for housing in the fiscal update. Fraser suggested he wait for the update tomorrow.

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Roundup: The King will soon appear on your pocket change

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It was King Charles III’s 75th birthday yesterday (in his natural capacity—his official birthday as King of Canada is on Victoria Day and as King of the UK in June).

https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1724367291767267802

So, what did Canada get him? Well, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled the design of his effigy that will appear on circulation coins (and there’s no telling how long they’ve been sitting on this and waiting for his birthday to announce it, because there’s nothing more that this government loves than to time announcements to specific days), and he got a new lieutenant governor in Ontario.

https://twitter.com/adamgoldenberg/status/1724547305011867823

With the new LG in mind, here’s an exit interview with Elizabeth Dowdeswell, who has been the longest-serving LG in Ontario history, and is the last Harper vice-regal appointee who was still in office (who was chosen though the old vice-regal appointments committee process, which Justin Trudeau trashed for no reason, then replicated for senators).

Ukraine Dispatch:

Ukrainian forces say that Russians are pushing in several directions in the country’s east, and launching even more drones than they were before. European Union leaders are admitting that they’re having trouble meeting their promised ammunition donations to Ukraine because the defence industry is not producing them fast enough, which some are blaming on the EU’s focus on peace and soft power for decades.

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Roundup: No, you can’t challenge a censure motion in court

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Ontario MPP Sarah Jama has written to Doug Ford to ask him to retract his motion in the legislature to censure her and prevent her from speaking until she offers an apology for the comments she made at the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict. In it, Jama says that if Ford doesn’t, she’ll take the matter to the courts. The problem? The courts won’t touch any kind of legislative censure motion because it falls under the issue of parliamentary privilege and the separation of powers.

We have to remember that Parliament and the legislatures are self-governing, as they should be. That’s what keeps them independent of the powers of the King—and yes, the courts to count as the powers of the King, as the King is the fount of justice, and justice is carried out in his name. (That’s also why we have a doctrine by which the King can do no wrong, but rather, can merely act on bad advice, and the minister who offered that is responsible for it). Part of that self-governing power is the legislature’s ability to discipline its members, which is important because you don’t want an external authority able to do that, because it can create a great deal of interference in the workings of your legislature.

This being said, the fact that she was censured at all is a problem, and as I wrote in a column a couple of weeks ago, is part of a broader pattern that his happening that is extremely concerning (and is almost always hypocritically done by parties who claim to be all about free speech, but reveal themselves to only be pro-speech they like). And it should be up to voters to discipline parties that are abusing these powers to punish those they disagree with, but that also means keeping up the pressure on them so that they know that they are going to be punished for it.

Ukraine Dispatch:

Ukraine says that in spite of that Liberian-flagged ship getting hit by a Russian missile, their alternative Black Sea corridor is working. Really! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also hoping for a conference next month on a joint weapon production agreement with the US and defence contractors.

https://twitter.com/defenceu/status/1722903820684947654

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QP: Concern trolling over the Environment Commissioner’s report

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The prime minister was off in Quebec making housing announcements, while his deputy was in Winnipeg, while most of the other leaders were absent as well. Pierre Poilievre led off first in French saying that the Jewish community in Montreal is being targeted, and then switching to English to relay the recent incidents including gunfire at two different Jewish students, and decried the “theatrical words” of the prime minister and wondered what concrete action the government has taken. Karina Gould unequivocally condemned the incidents, stated there is no room for hate or antisemitism, and that they stand with Jewish Canadians, and that criminal investigations are ongoing. Poilievre returned to French to say that words don’t protect people, before he turned to the issue of Sustainable Development Technology Canada, and that the president of the Fund spent $200,000 of those funds on her own business and wondered why she wasn’t fired. François-Philippe Champagne responded in English that they demanded a third-party investigation the moment they heard the allegations, and that they took action once the report was received. Poilievre returned to English to again decry that the chair of the fund directed funds to her own company and demanded that she be fired. Champagne repeated in French this time that the second they heard the allegations, they called for an investigation and the corrective measures. Poilievre then got back up to decry that the government has no real climate plan because carbon pricing “doesn’t work” and insisted that the carbon on price is just a tax plan. (Drink!) Steven Guilbeault objected to this, and pointed to emissions reductions that were achieved. Poilievre repeated his same mocking assertions, and this time Guilbeault pointed out that they haven’t missed any of their targets because their only target was for 2030.

Alain Therrien led for the Bloc, and demanded that the government offer a tender for surveillance aircraft so that Bombardier has a chance to compete. Jean-Yves Duclos notes that they have supported the industry in Quebec throughout. Therrien decried that Bombardier doesn’t want a handout (erm…) but a chance to compete. Duclos reiterated that they have given plenty of work to Quebec, citing the Davie Shipyard as an example.

Alexandre Boulerice rose for the Bloc to pat himself on the back for getting anti-scab legislation tabled, and wanted a committment to making it law as soon as possible. Seamus O’Regan took his own turn to pat himself on the back for the work that went into the bill. Peter Julian then stood up to decry that two grocery giants rejecting the voluntary code of conduct, and demanded the government support their bill. Champagne got back up to thunder that the government did the right thing in calling in the grocery CEOs, and demanded they support the government’s legislation. 

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Roundup: An incompetent vaccine rollout

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In case you were under any illusion that the Ford government had somehow managed to get past their murderclown-level incompetence as the we’ve moved into the “ignore and hope it goes away” phase of the pandemic, well they haven’t. And the rollout of the latest round of COVID vaccines has proved this yet again as they have mishandled this spectacularly badly. Below is a thread from a Toronto-area pharmacist who is recounting that the Ford government had botched this so badly that they have to stop offering the vaccines. This is very, very bad, but like we’ve established, murderclown-level incompetence from the Ford government from top to bottom.

https://twitter.com/KyroMaseh/status/1722088649611776456

Way to go, Uncle Doug. Still managing to kill people after all this time.

Ukraine Dispatch:

Ukrainian forces continue to hold off Russian advances at Avdiivka, while Russians have started attacking energy systems again in advance of winter. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that they can still deliver battlefield results before the year is out. He also pledged that they can ensure that reconstruction is free of corruption. Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia were told they are advancing in their desire to join the European Union, while Balkan states are being moved to the back of the queue. Russian state media claims they are using Ukrainian POWs as soldiers for their side, but it’s hard to take the claim seriously.

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QP: More fiction, more soliloquies

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The prime minister was present today, while his deputy was on her way to Winnipeg. All of the other leaders were present, and it remained to be seen in today would be as abysmal as the past week has been. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and he started off with a slam of the Bloc for voting with the government, claiming this was a new “coalition” and wondered what deal he offered them. Justin Trudeau said that he offered Quebeckers what he offered all Canadians, which was a plan to grow the economy with a plan to fight climate change. Poilievre decried that he mixed up the Bloc with all Quebeckers, and repeated his demand to know about the supposed deal. Trudeau noted that half a million Quebeckers still use home heating oil, particularly those in lower-incomes, which is why they were offering to replace them with heat pumps. Poilievre switched to English to mouth some slogans and again repeated the falsehood that there is a coalition with the Bloc, and his demand to know what he offered them. Trudeau said that the only division in the country was within the Conservative Party on the issue of climate change, and praised the rebates that the carbon price system offers. Poilievre raised the Environment Commissioner’s report that the government’s climate plan wasn’t going to reach its targets, and again claimed there was a coalition. Trudeau trotted out his line that while the country agreed to phase out coal, they are now doing the same with heating oil. Poilievre raised the premiers’ objections to the heating oil pause, and said that Trudeau was partnering with the separatists to divide the country. Trudeau went into a tear about about how the government was helping Canadians while the Conservative had no plan.

Yves-François Blanchet led for the Bloc, and he wanted the government to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. Trudeau recited his call for a “humanitarian pause” that can get aid in and Canadians out, while they support a two-state solution. Blanchet noted that Israel has broken the trust or the international community, and demanded stronger action from Canada in calling for a ceasefire. Trudeau said that they are working with partners around the world to protect civilians and restore peace in the region, but we also need to beware of the rise in hate seen in Canada.

Jagmeet Singh rose for the NDP, and denounced the “Liberal and Conservative corporate coalition” before he demanded support for the NDP’s Supply Day motion on eliminating the GST on heating and imposing a windfall tax on oil companies. Trudeau noted his “confusion and consternation” the NDP’s incoherent position in the Conservative vote, and said that it disappointed progressives around the country. Singh declared that the government has missed all of their climate targets (not actually true), before repeating his question in French. Trudeau repeated his same response. 

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Roundup: The premiers want their cut

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I have to say that it’s extremely precious to see the premiers getting bent out of shape because the federal government has started taking action on the housing crisis by dealing directly with municipalities and using the Housing Accelerator Fund to incentivise them to get rid of restrictive zoning practices that limit housing development. They’re claiming that the federal government is encroaching on their jurisdiction, but these very same premiers have abdicated this responsibility for decades now. They have the ability to eliminate these zoning restrictions with provincial jurisdiction, and they have time and again refused to. So, the federal government stepped in, and now they’re getting huffy about it. And to their credit, the federal ministers are pushing back on this, as well they should (especially because once again, they’re being blamed for the provinces’ failure to act on this crisis).

One of the excuses is that Quebec had a deal for money that flows to the province and not municipalities, because the province has legislation that forbids the federal government from cutting such deals. Okay, but what’s the motivation here? Are they sore because they’re not being invited to the photo ops when these deals are signed? Or are they sore because they can’t take a cut of those funds and use them for their own purposes, you know, like they have done with health transfers for decades now, or how they took funds meant for pandemic supports and simply applied them to their bottom lines so that they could run surpluses while letting their health care systems collapse around them? Because neither is a good look.

Even more to the point, the provinces keep insisting that Ottawa should be the one to pay for things cities need, like transit, or social housing, or major infrastructure, because they don’t want to have to spend the money. They keep crying poor and saying Ottawa has all of the money, but that’s also bullshit because the provinces have the same ability to raise revenues as the federal government does, but they choose not to because they don’t want to be the bad guy by raising taxes, even though it’s all the same taxpayer in the end. But this is how federalism has degenerated in this country, and it’s time people start holding the premiers to account for their failures (for a change).

Ukraine Dispatch:

Ukrainian forces say that they repelled more pushes along the various front lines and in particular around Avdiivka. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is calling for unity as he dismisses the notion of wartime elections, and when he has been publicly disagreeing with his top general about the current phase of the war.

https://twitter.com/ukraine_world/status/1721960135759741409

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