Wednesday, 7 November 2018

Daily Digest November 2, 2018.



The DAILY DIGEST: INFORMATION and OPINION>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>HEADLINES ACROSS CANADA <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>NATIONAL NEWSWATCH<<<<<<<< http://www.nationalnewswatch.com/

I’m no longer Governor-General, but I still serve Canada

Minister loses top staffer after damaging news story        Liberal MP says he has ‘responsibilities’ that justify absence from House of CommonsNew Brunswick Tories prepare for power after Liberal government falls        Irving Shipbuilding wades into court fight over Mark Norman documents

NDP joins Conservatives, asks Trudeau Liberals to shut down controversial StatCan projects        Canadian Government Introducing Anti-Poverty Legislation Next Week, Duclos SaysSupreme Court sides with Hydro-Quebec in historic Churchill Falls dispute        The real problem with David Frum debating Steve BannonThe animosity between Ontario and Ottawa is just the warmup before the big game        The GG retirement package reeks of entitlement and extravaganceI’m no longer Governor-General, but I still serve Canada        The Trudeau government believes in decorum, not like those goons across the aisle

Ontario ‘open for business’ signs cost over $106,000, government says           Alberta Energy Regulator CEO Jim Ellis to resign in JanuaryBrian Gallant joins long list of young former New Brunswick premiers        Oilsands companies pull back on production as ‘crisis’ hits sectorOttawa not ruling out blocking Huawei from 5G supply contracts        Ottawa buys another Arctic and offshore patrol ship to be built in HalifaxNew Brunswick’s next premier is a fiscal hawk and former Irving Oil executive        Senators are being lobbied more than ever ­ and some are feeling overwhelmedBrian Gallant’s minority government defeated after losing confidence vote        Statscan must justify request for personal banking data, former chief says
Ex-Trump strategist Steve Bannon set to defend populism at Toronto debate        Hussen says Ford government engaged in ‘fear mongering and demonizing of asylum seekers’Conservatives, Liberals offer billions in promises to win support in Quebec City        ‘Missing’ Liberal MP Di Iorio at the centre of nomination fightPallister defends Manitoba climate plan, amid widespread public skepticism        Maxime Bernier believes in climate change, but defends argument that CO2 is just ‘food for plants’Man fired from PBS for saying Meghan Markle is ‘not bad.’ The woman who complained had called Trudeau ‘hot’        United Conservative Leader Kenney not stopping for questions on former workerGap in privacy law leaves elections open to ‘misuse’ of personal information: privacy commissioner        Liberals launch pro-immigration campaign to calm ‘anxieties’ as Conservatives turn up heat
Tories, NDP, push bill that would improve mental-health support for jurors
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>LOONIE POLITICS<<<<<<<<<<<<<< http://looniepolitics.com/Premier Ford unveils ‘Ontario open for business’ sign - Ryan Rocca, Global News
        Learning to not-hate-quite-as-much the carbon tax in Saskatchewan - Macleans
Ottawa to purchase a sixth Arctic and offshore patrol vessel: Sajjan - Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press, CTV News
        Spotlight is on Canada heading into the G20, former PM Martin says - Elise von Scheel, CBC News
Next week’s U.S. midterm elections could upend Trudeau’s world. Again - Lawrence Solomon, Financial Post
        Carbon price not exempt from GST despite promise it be revenue neutral - Mia Rabson, The Canadian Press, CTV News
Ottawa rolls out new worker protections, blasts Ontario’s ‘politics of cruelty’ - Sara Mojtehedzadeh, Toronto Star
        Trudeau to apologize Wednesday for 1939 decision to turn back Jewish refugee ship - CBC News
Liberals complain to B.C. conflict commissioner about Eby recall bill - Rob Shaw, Vancouver Sun
        PCs criticized for using chief medical officer in video - Rob Ferguson, Toronto Star

Ford honest about ending cap-and-trade - Editorial, Toronto Sun
        Rempel says Trudeau has ‘no credibility’ on immigration - Ryan Flanagan and Josh Dehaas, CTV News
Bell beefs up CraveTV to include new HBO shows without cable TV subscription- CBC News
        Auto sales dip 1.9 per cent in October as passenger car sales fall- The Canadian Press, Toronto Star
It’s not just taxes ­ here is what’s really killing Canada’s competitiveness- Naomi Powell, Financial Post
        Apple warns weakness in emerging markets could hamper sales, shares sink- Reuters, The Globe & Mail
Canada Goose buys Baffin Inc. for $32.5 million to expand into footwear- CTV News
TOUTES LES NOUVELLES PUBLIES DEPUIS 24 HEURES http://fr.canoe.ca/infos/aujourdhui/

Le gouvernement Legault hérite d'un magot libéral de 3 milliardsPlus        Obama dénonce une «manoeuvre politique» derrière l'envoi de militaires à la frontièrePlusCouple séquestré en Mauricie: un des accusés se dit victime d'une vengeance d'amis qu'il a «pris en pitié»Plus        Portneuf: deux arrestations pour trafic de stupéfiantsPlusArrestations pour vente de cannabis illégalPlus        Au moins 17 piétons heurtés jeudi soir à TorontoPlusL'ordre de tuer Khashoggi émanait des «plus hauts niveaux» du gouvernement saoudienPlus        Sanctions américaines contre l'Iran: inquiétude pour les biens humanitairesPlus[PHOTOS] Des corridors de l'UQAM saccagés avec de la peinture par des vandalesPlus        Migrants: 7000 militaires américains près de la frontière mexicaine cette fin de semainePlus
L'enlèvement d'une femme et de son bébé capté par un témoinPlus        Trump accuse les médias « Fake News » d'engendrer la « violence » en AmériquePlusCommerce: Trump optimiste sur un « très bon accord » avec la ChinePlus        Des tensions raciales marquent la campagne électorale américainePlusL'homme accusé de l'envoi de colis piégés sera transféré à New YorkPlus        L'un est exemplaire, l'autre est infatué et roublardPlusPittsburgh enterre la plus âgée des victimes Plus        Iran: Washington confirme le retour des sanctions, 8 pays autorisés à importer du pétrolePlusWashington rétablit ses sanctions controversées pour faire plier l'IranPlus        À 85 ans, elle va courir son 16e marathon de New YorkPlus
Enquête Khashoggi: le corps aurait été «dissous», la fiancée demande justicePlus        Enquête Khashoggi: le corps démembré pour être dissousPlusAccident d'avion en Indonésie: les plongeurs continuent de repêcher des débrisPlus        Enquête criminelle sur des accusations d'antisémitisme au sein du LabourPlusEspionnage économique: la Chine demande aux États-Unis de montrer leurs «preuves»Plus

FOREIGN AFFAIRS & GENERAL INFO

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>LOONIE WORLD<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< http://looniepolitics.com/
Republicans Used to Have a Health Plan–Now They Just Have Lies - Ezra Klein, Vox
        Black Caucus wants top House leadership post in case of Democratic shakeup - Mike DeBonis, Washington Post
The Jewish vote is key in Florida, and Ron DeSantis just picked up a huge endorsement - Philip Wegmann, Washington Examiner
        Dems move from optimism to confidence about winning House - Melanie Zanona, The Hill
The Democratic Party vs. the American Way of Life - Rachel Stoltzfoos, The Federalist
        In Red-Leaning Kansas, Democrat’s Target Isn’t on Ballot (and It’s Not Trump) - Mitch Smith, New York Times
What a Republican Hold in the House Might Look Like - Sean Trende, Real Clear Politics
        Cuba’s president set to meet Putin in Moscow for economic talks- Al Jazeera
Greece resumes flights to Macedonia after 12-year pause- BBC News
        Ethiopia appoints first woman to head Supreme Court- France 24

Brazil president-elect Bolsonaro says he plans to move embassy to Jerusalem- The Associated Press, The Guardian
        Saudi King’s dissident brother returns to Riyadh as royals battle- New York Times, The Times Of India
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>THE LEBANON DAILY STAR<<<<<<<< http://www.dailystar.com
Erdogan says Khashoggi killing ordered at Saudi 'highest levels'        France fears ramifications of govt delay: Jreissati Record imports balloon US trade deficit in September        EU stress tests show banks more robust against a crisisFrance, Germany, UK, EU condemn US' new Iran sanctions        US to grant Iraq waiver over Iran sanctions for gas, food items: Iraqi officialsPakistan's 'Father of the Taliban' cleric killed in knife attack        Gaza border protest more subdued as Egypt pushes for calmNew potential murder victim in Vatican skeleton probe        South Africans make bricks from human urine
US allows eight 'jurisdictions' to keep buying Iran oil for now        Kremlin says Putin, Trump to hold substantive meeting at G20 in ArgentinaTesla seeks to reduce tariff impact for Model 3 by making cars in China        Israel's Netanyahu warns Europe of possible attacks by IranThe Brexitization of European politics: Shifts in euroskepticism         The danger of an unpopular Russian president U.N. urges end to U.S. embargo on Cuba        Why Trump’s Iran sanctions will failTrade war impact deepens across Asia, but ‘real economic shock’ yet to hit        Labor market in U.S. tightening, manufacturing slowing
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sign Of The Times <<<<<<<<<<<<<<< http://www.sott.net/
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From: John Feldsted <jfeldsted@shaw.ca>
Subject: Canadian Politics Has Entered Era Of 'Extreme Partisanship': Samara Report "It’s territorial."
By Zi-Ann Lum
Huffington Post
0/31/2018
OTTAWA ­ Politics is ingrained in an era of "extreme partisanship" and unless parliamentarians tone down "anti-democratic" rivalries, public confidence in federal parties will deteriorate, warns a new report by the Samara Centre for Democracy.
The Toronto-based non-partisan charity published a report Wednesday titled "The Real House Lives," encouraging parties adopt changes to limit the influence party leaders have over caucus members. The Samara Centre interviewed 54 former MPs from the last Parliament who were swept from office after the Liberals won a majority mandate in 2015.
Jane Hilderman, the organization's executive editor, said it was surprising to hear MPs say they saw partisanship intensify in the last Parliament. She said several MPs claimed the relationship between MP and party leader had grown even more unequal in caucus.
"I think we've entered an age of leader-centric politics," Hilderman told HuffPost Canada, adding that a new level of self-censorship is permeating Parliament, increasing partisanship.
"MPs weren't necessarily getting heat from their leader, but that they were getting from their own colleagues if they were seen to be stepping a little out of line," she explained.
Samara Canada spoke to former MPs from all parties across the country: 25 from the NDP, 23 Tories, three Liberals, and three Green and independent MPs. With more than 100 hours of interviews collected, authors threaded the 50-page report with stories shared by former MPs, but didn't attribute names to quotes.
"The Real House Lives" is the third report in a series published in concert with the organization's ongoing exit interview project. Hilderman called its finding a "bellweather" for what might come if federal parties fail to take timely action.
"Trust in democratic institutions and facts is decreasing and I think that Canada is not immune to these things," she said.
Frustrations flagged by the former MPs were distilled into six general issues: extreme partisanship, useless caucus deliberations, unchecked party leaders, intense peer pressure, shrinking local party associations, and the growing influence of staffers.
An atmosphere of extreme partisanship was evident for one MP who said when they arrived in Ottawa in 2011, their cohort immediately settled into cliques. And as plum party roles were awarded and reassessed, people's competitive edges began to flare.
"People silo-ed. Like, they'd be given a role and they'd go into protectionism.... It's territorial. You don't keep your ministerial role or parliamentary secretarial role for long and the general assumption is that everybody wants your job."
Read on – its worth it:  https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/10/31/canadian-politics-has-entered-era-of-extreme-partisanship-samara-report_a_23576385/?utm_campaign=canada_newsletter
The report is a couple of decades late. Elections were once run on the ground in electoral districts (ridings) but TV and the Internet have changed that dramatically. We are flooded by political party advertising dominated by highlighting the party leader.
In five decades of participating in federal elections, I have never seen nasty partisan politics equal to the 2015 campaign. I was reminded of the lyrics from a Johnny Cash song:
Well I hit him hard right between the eyes
And he went down but to my surprise
He came up with a knife and cut off a piece of my ear
But I busted a chair right across his teeth
And we crashed through the wall and into the street
Kicking and a’ gouging in the mud and the blood and the beer
I tell ya, I’ve fought tougher men, but I really can’t remember when
He kicked like a mule and bit like a crocodile

Partisan politics cause us to lose all sense of reality. We have no chance to compare the positions of political parties on key issues that matter to us.

We need to know what each party’s governance plans are – budgets, deficits, public safety, taxation, immigration, health care, support for seniors and low income people, reductions in bureaucracy and regulations, development of our resources and other things that matter most to Canadians.

Partisan politics allow political parties to avoid the nitty gritty and later claim they have ‘a mandate to govern’ when they don’t. The party that wins the most seats forms a cabinet to run government. The cabinet should be making governance decisions in consultation with all elected party MPs.

What we get instead is the party leader, now Prime Minister, together with party officials and select unelected advisors dictating to cabinet what they want and the cabinet shaming the rest into obedience. How is that democratically representing the electorate and society?

Partisan bickering continues in house sittings making the work of committees more difficult and that is where the real work of parliament is done. Politicians and staffers are too busy gaining an edge on the ‘other guys’ at committee level to be effective; they are certainly not efficient.

Rivalry between the MPs for appointments and positions is as old as parliament. It is intensified by their mistreatment by party bosses. They did not run for office and win their seat to be marginalized when they arrive in Ottawa.

Run the numbers: There are 338 seats in the House of Commons. A political party has win at least 170 seats to form a majority government and needs 180 seats for a comfortable majority. The governing liberals have 182 seats. Only 35 are members of cabinet (including the Prime Minister). Another 37 are named parliamentary secretaries. The secretaries are subservient to the Ministers. The remaining 110 liberal MPs sit on one or more committees, but their participation is managed by party staffers and Ministers. Independent opinion and thinking are frowned on. MPs who analyze the legislation they are dealing with and propose amendments are ostracised as not being ‘team players’. 

The numbers for opposition parties are smaller but follow the same pattern. It is fair to surmise that at least 200 elected MPs have little voice in the parties they represent and none in governance decisions. That is appalling and unacceptable.

After each election a Prime Minister chooses a cabinet. Pundits and the media speculate on who will represent the cabinet from each province and whether enough women will be included. Why not pick the best person for the job? The cabinet exists to serve all Canadians, not regions or provinces. Why have we been sidetracked into appeasing regions rather than seeking effective governance? The Senate is formed along regional lines. That is where and how regions are protected.

Our Parliament has deteriorated into an oligarchy. Nearly 60% of elected members have no voice in proceedings. Democracy has been stolen from us. Those who demand a change to elections to ‘fix’ parliament have no idea how the institution operates. The problem is abuse of power by unelected political party officials, not how we elect representatives. Proportional representation will only make matters far worse.
The solution is simple. Ban all political party election advertising except at electoral district level, where we vote for our representatives. Get rid of the fog, smog, smoke and mirrors. Political parties use huge sums of your donations to hire advertising agencies and pollsters, so they can appeal to feelings and fuel indignation and outrage rather than setting out their plans for governance. We are voting based on slick advertising and social media gossip rather than vital information on governance plans. Trolls on social media influence our elections because we too readily accept rumours as fact.

Political parties moan about low voter turnouts, but they are the problem. An increasing number of electors are done with electing a representative who winds up marginalized despite sound thinking ability, common sense and substantial abilities. We are stifling hundreds of years of experience and ability that can only lead us to better governance.

A few dozen political party officials who have clawed their way into position of power within political parties have gained power over governments and our elected representatives.

Shame on us for allowing it.

John Feldsted
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