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Articles by E. McIntosh
Trudeau cleared, Morneau condemned in We Charity affair
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the WE Charity affair by the federal ethics watchdog but opposition parties aren't willing to let the politically fraught controversy drop just yet. Ethics commissioner Mario Dion ruled Thursday that Trudeau did not breach the Conflict of Interest Act when he failed to recuse himself from a cabinet decision last spring to have WE Charity administer a since-cancelled student services grant program.
Infrastructure plan could miss target, AG warns
Only 5 days left to save big on a National Observer subscription Get 3 years for only $99! The federal auditor general says the government can't show that the Liberals' $188-billion infrastructure plan is meeting its lofty goals, and warns the spending may fall short of expectations without changes in oversight.
MP Derek Sloan booted from Conservative caucus for ‘destructive behaviour’
OTTAWA — Controversial MP Derek Sloan was kicked out of the Conservative caucus Wednesday, a move party leader Erin O'Toole said was due to a "pattern of destructive behaviour" that had become a distraction. O'Toole's acknowledgment that Sloan's dismissal was not solely over a donation he'd taken from a white nationalist came after hours of heated debate within caucus that saw MPs castigate both Sloan for his record and O'Toole for how he'd handled the issue.
How about less patronizing, more positive reinforcement in COVID-19 messaging in 2021?
Time and again, we hear politicians condemning irresponsible behaviour around COVID-19 guidelines. We can “throw billions at the problem,” Premier Doug Ford tells Ontarians, but it will not make a difference unless we follow public health guidelines. The implication, of course, is that we are not following those rules. But the fact is that many, if not most Canadians, are following the guidelines.
Budget officer provokes fresh round of suspicion over Trans Mountain profitability
Only 1 day left to reach our goal! Thank you for your support. Thanks to you, we can afford 3 investigative pieces on how a big industry is bullying Canada. Canada’s parliamentary budget officer has provoked a fresh round of suspicion about the long-term profitability of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline and expansion project. The Dec.
Corporate obstructionism endangers meaningful climate action - and the stakes couldn't be higher
Only 6 days day left to reach our goal! Help make 3 major investigative reports happen in 2021. With COVID-19 cases soaring in Canada and abroad, the immediacy of the pandemic is understandably sidelining public attention on the climate crisis barrelling down the tracks — with catastrophic effects if not reversed over the next 10 years. The federal government introduced Bill C-12 on Nov.
Extra income support for hard-hit workers may end post-pandemic, PM says
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the more generous benefits being provided to out-of-work Canadians during the pandemic shouldn't be seen as permanent changes to the social safety net. Millions of people have received emergency benefits since March, when the first wave of COVID-19 struck Canada and led to widespread lockdowns and historic job losses. A new round of $500-a-week benefits for the unemployed has since been put in place and extended to next summer.
New report questions Trans Mountain expansion’s ‘Asian markets’ rationale
A new study is questioning one of the central rationales for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project — that it would allow Canada to fetch a fair price for its oil. Practically all of Canada’s oil exports, 98 per cent, go to the United States, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government ministers have often said the Trans Mountain expansion (TMX) will ensure the country can get a “fair price” for its natural resources by opening up non-U.S. markets.
Green coalition says more federal action needed for habitat, wildlife protection
The Trudeau government can boost jobs and economic growth by stepping up funding for habitat restoration and protected wildlife areas, according to a coalition of more than two dozen environmental and conservation groups in Canada.
Missing ballots, donations have two Green candidates questioning the race
Missing ballots and donations, combined with last-minute rule changes, have two contenders for the federal Green party's leadership questioning the legitimacy of the race. Leadership hopeful Glen Murray said Wednesday that the final results, to be tallied Saturday, will likely be announced before the full picture is known about how many of his campaign donations never got properly forwarded from the central party.
House of Commons first virtual vote had a bumpy start
Members of Parliament have completed their first-ever virtual vote in the House of Commons, a historic occasion marked by numerous technical glitches, lengthy delays and cameo appearances by some of their kids and even a family dog. The vote was on a Bloc Quebecois sub-amendment to a Conservative amendment denouncing last week's throne speech, a routine matter that normally would have taken 15 minutes.
380 whales dead in worst mass stranding in Australia's history
This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration About 380 pilot whales were confirmed dead in Tasmania’s west on Wednesday afternoon with rescuers fighting to save the remaining 30 that are still alive. More than 450 long-finned pilot whales were caught on sandbanks and beaches inside Macquarie Harbour, with a rescue effort starting on Tuesday morning. Some 50 whales have been rescued and coaxed back to the open ocean.
WE Charity controversy prompts examination of group's overseas impact
The controversy around WE Charity in Canada is opening the door to a public discussion about whether WE — and groups like it — actually help the African communities where they operate. Firoze Manji, the former Africa program director for Amnesty International, said one of the big problems with groups such as WE is that they aren't accountable to the people they claim to serve.
Indigenous communities in Russia are begging Tesla not to get its nickel from this major polluter
This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Every year in August and September, the people of Ust’-Avam, a remote indigenous community located in the Taimyr region of the Russian Arctic, toss nets into the Avam River to catch tugunok fish, an important traditional food. This year, the community stopped fishing early, around the start of the month. There were no tugunok to be found.
Both Republicans and Democrats used to love the carbon tax. So why are they giving up on it?
This story was originally published by Grist and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration It was a cold February day in Salem, Oregon, and Republican state senators were fleeing the capitol. It was weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the country and kept Americans huddled inside. So members of Oregon’s legislature were still showing up for work to haggle over language, introduce bills, and cast votes.
Green Recovery 101: Governments and the manufacturing sector must work together
The stakes are high for the economic recovery, but it has never been higher for the Canadian manufacturing industry. What the federal government does in the months following the long-awaited throne speech has the chance to either leapfrog or derail our producing sector. The main focus needs to absolutely be on containing the COVID-19 pandemic and alleviating the immediate brunt of its economic and social impact.
Trudeau stresses vigilance
Quebeckers were urged to stop socializing, Ontarians were barred from late-night pub-hopping, and the entire country was sternly warned of "critical" containment measures required in coming weeks as soaring COVID-19 case counts edged past 150,000 on Friday.
PM Trudeau 'disappointed' by RCMP treatment of Sikh officers
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he is disappointed that Sikh RCMP officers have been removed from front line policing during the pandemic because their religiously mandated facial hair makes it difficult to properly wear a face covering. The World Sikh Organization of Canada says officers have been placed on desk duty for almost six months, as the RCMP found the N100 mask does not seal with facial hair.
The sad story of Covid 'green recovery'
This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Few countries are living up to their promises of a “green recovery” from the coronavirus crisis, with hundreds of billions of dollars likely to be spent on economic rescue packages that increase greenhouse gas emissions, research has found.
Ottawa gives $320M to help Newfoundland and Labrador fossil fuel industry
The Canadian government is giving $320 million to Newfoundland and Labrador's struggling offshore oil and gas industry. Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan made the funding announcement Friday at a news conference in St. John’s. Premier Andrew Furey told reporters the province is creating an oil and gas sector recovery task force. Furey said the task force will focus on supporting the industry and on figuring out how to best spend the $320 million from Ottawa.
Wilkinson aims to be B.C. premier
Former cabinet colleague Bill Bennett warns anyone verbally sparring with B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson to be prepared. "It's easy to fall into a trap when you're arguing with Andrew," Bennett said in an interview. "Without knowing it you end up in a dead-end canyon, wondering how the heck you're going to get out of it.
Liberals promise action on biases in justice system and policing
The Liberal government is promising legislation and money to address systemic inequities in all phases of the criminal justice system. The commitments come amid mounting concerns about unfair treatment of Black and Indigenous people, who are overrepresented in courts and jails. The throne speech pledges action on issues ranging from sentencing and rehabilitation to improved civilian oversight of the RCMP and standards on police use of force.
Cities in U.S. erupt as Breonna Taylor decision inflames racial divide
America's streets are again pulsing with anger and frustration, this time over the deadly police shooting of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor ⏤ and a survey suggests the racial reckoning appears more popular in Canada than in the United States. Protesters returned en masse to city centres across the U.S. in the latest display of racial outrage in 2020 after a grand jury in Kentucky opted Wednesday to not indict the officers who fired the fatal shots.
Don't pressure Health Canada to approve rapid COVID-19 tests: Freeland
The federal government is "lining up advance deals" to buy rapid tests for COVID-19 so as soon as the technology is approved for use in Canada, it can be put to work, says Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. But Health Canada, which has to approve the tests, won't say anything about when that approval might come, and Freeland said it would be wrong for politicians to influence the process.
Liberals to set five-year climate targets as highest priority this fall
Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says he plans to move quickly this fall to set legislated targets to cut Canada's greenhouse gas emissions that go even further than what has already been promised. Wilkinson told The Canadian Press in an interview this week that COVID-19 is a priority but that Canada cannot take its eye off the ball when it comes to climate change.
Trudeau reinstates COVID-19 updates as second wave worsens
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will join Canada's top public health officers today for their daily update on the worsening COVID-19 health crisis. Trudeau is expected to have an announcement about his government's ongoing efforts to protect Canadians and combat the potentially deadly novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Liberal promise on national child care provokes mixed response
Advocates say they're heartened by the Trudeau government’s throne speech pledging a national child-care program, but the NDP says it's holding off any praise until concrete plans and dollars are in place. “I’m very hopeful because the throne speech made it clear that the federal government understands that this is an ambitious program,” said Morna Ballantyne, executive director of Child Care Now, a national child-care advocacy organization.
Trans Mountain pipeline expansion could be at least two months late
Last week, Trans Mountain said its pipeline expansion project is on schedule to be done by the end of 2022. But the environmental non-profit Wilderness Committee says it appears Trans Mountain has missed its window to start key construction work in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, meaning the project is at risk of at least a two-month delay. And that’s if everything else goes perfectly — if not, it could be up to 14 months late.
Botswana's mass elephant die-off
This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Hundreds of elephants died in Botswana earlier this year from ingesting toxins produced by cyanobacteria, according to government officials who say they will be testing waterholes for algal blooms next rainy season to reduce the risk of another mass die-off.
Questions swirl after Green Party reinstates leadership candidate Meryam Haddad
The Green Party of Canada reinstated leadership candidate Meryam Haddad on Thursday, two days after it kicked her out of the race for publicly criticizing the B.C. Greens. The party declined to divulge details on why it originally expelled Haddad, a Montreal immigration lawyer who is running as a socialist, and why it accepted her appeal of the 11th-hour decision. Mail-in voting in the race to become the next leader of the federal Greens has already begun, and online voting will start Sept. 26.
Botswana says it has solved mystery of mass elephant die-off
This story was originally published by The Guardian and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Hundreds of elephants died in Botswana earlier this year from ingesting toxins produced by cyanobacteria, according to government officials who say they will be testing waterholes for algal blooms next rainy season to reduce the risk of another mass die-off.
B.C.'s struggling tourism industry will press recovery agenda during election
B.C.'s struggling tourism industry was hoping for more when the B.C. government unveiled its $1.5-billion economic recovery plan just prior to calling a snap election Monday. The beleaguered tourism industry was promised $100 million in the government’s StrongerBC plan launched last week. But though the money on the table falls well short of what the tourism sector asked for, it’s a start, industry advocates say.
Parliament resumes operations today with debate on throne speech
The fate of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberal government hangs in the balance as Parliament resumes all normal operations today for the first time in six months.
Want a green, inclusive recovery? You can't rush that
The COVID-19 pandemic has battered the Canadian economy. As people across the country experience hard times, the discussion amongst governments decision-makers has turned to a more hopeful future. One where we can build back better by advancing an economic recovery that is both green and inclusive. These green and inclusive recovery plans make for smart economics, and will lay the groundwork for future prosperity. But a full recovery can't start while this pandemic continues.
Liberal throne speech targets COVID-19 over climate
Though the Trudeau Liberals promised an “ambitious green agenda” ahead of the throne speech, the vision for the coming months unveiled Wednesday focused more on COVID-19 and its economic fallout. The government reiterated existing climate promises and made a few new ones, including a fund meant to attract investments in clean technology.
Green Party boots second candidate from leadership race
Green leadership candidate Meryam Haddad says she will appeal after the party expelled her from the race to succeed Elizabeth May, days before online voting was due to begin. Haddad, a Montreal lawyer who was running as a socialist and pushed the idea of a green new deal, said the party informed her Tuesday that she had been kicked out of the leadership race. "This is an attack on democracy, youth, progress and ideas that threaten the status quo," she said in a statement.
Young Canadians eye basic income, climate action in throne speech
Young people are eager for word that universal basic income and an ambitiously green recovery are on the agenda when the Liberal government unveils its reworked COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan. “We need it to be visionary,” said Catherine Abreu, the executive director of Climate Action Network Canada, about the throne speech coming Wednesday.
B.C. headed to polls amid pandemic as NDP calls snap election
B.C. Premier John Horgan confirmed the rumours and called a snap election this fall, even as the number of COVID-19 cases in the province is on the rise. The NDP leader announced on Monday that the election will take place Oct. 24, in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. Horgan met Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin and said she has granted his request to dissolve B.C’s legislative assembly.
Canada’s Just Transition Task Force can offer lessons for a green recovery
After her swearing in, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated “all Canadians understand that the restart of our economy needs to be green.” While Freeland is correct that Canadians are more supportive than not of this approach, support is far from unanimous. Recent polling reveals pockets of strong opposition to addressing climate change during this recession.
Post-secondary students call on Trudeau to abandon TMX
With the Liberal government’s throne speech days away, groups representing 180,000 post-secondary students are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to abandon the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project. In an open letter signed by student unions from schools in Canada and the United States, the youth urged Trudeau to invest in Indigenous-led green infrastructure instead of pipelines. The letter comes as the government appears to back off from its initially lofty promises of a green recovery.
Climate strikers are trying to trademark Erin O’Toole’s ‘Take Back Canada’ slogan
A group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth climate activists have filed to trademark the 'Take Back Canada’ slogan used by Conservative Party of Canada Leader Erin O’Toole. Climate Strike Canada, which organized nationwide climate strikes last September, served O’Toole and the Conservatives with a cease and desist letter Thursday morning, saying the activist group has used the slogan since 2019, before the Tories.
Conservative Leader O'Toole gets tested for coronavirus, goes into isolation
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday that “one of the core elements of our democracy” could be at risk just hours after Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole announced that he, his family and some of his staff would be tested for COVID-19 and self-isolating. Trudeau was referring to the ability of parliamentarians to vote on behalf of their constituents during the upcoming session of Parliament without putting themselves, their families or their communities at risk of contracting the virus.
Liberal House leader points to B.C.'s vote-by-Zoom legislature
Government House leader Pablo Rodríguez on Tuesday pointed to British Columbia’s vote-by-Zoom method as a temporary measure for MPs when they return next week for a new session of Parliament. The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia sat this summer using a hybrid model where some MLAs participated in person, and others virtually, voting over video conference. Such video voting has also been used by some municipal councils in Canada.
When it comes to WE, there are unanswered questions that go beyond politics
Amid a political firestorm, WE Charity announced last week that it would wind down its Canadian operations. “I wish that the certain politicians had recused themselves, but there's no one we blame,” said co-founder Craig Kielburger in an interview with CTV News that aired that evening. In a statement at the time, the charity blamed both COVID-19 and the controversy it was embroiled in this summer for its troubles.
The Conservative Party has a new direction on climate. Will it work?
Already, Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole is striking a different tone on climate than his predecessor. Like former leader Andrew Scheer, O’Toole has rejected the current Liberal government’s carbon tax. And like Scheer, O’Toole has been friendly toward emissions-intensive oil and gas in Western Canada.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denies conflict of interest in WE scandal
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denied that he breached conflict of ethics rules in the WE scandal on Friday. Speaking to reporters in Sudbury, Ont., Trudeau said he was “regretful” that he didn’t recuse himself from the decision to outsource a $544-million student volunteer grant program to WE Charity. He also sidestepped a question about whether his government is to blame for the charity’s decision, announced earlier this week, to shutter its Canadian operations.
Green Party leadership candidates to square off in foreign policy debate
Eight candidates in the race to succeed Elizabeth May as leader of the Green Party of Canada will face off tonight in a debate over foreign policy. The new leader of the party will be chosen Oct. 3, with online voting opening Sept. 26. May, who had led the party for 14 years, stepped down last fall after the 2019 federal election. The Green Party has three MPs in Parliament, its highest number ever.
Ottawa Insider
Conservative, Bloc leaders both test positive for COVID-19, Quebec premier in isolation The news of O’Toole’s positive test result led Quebec Premier François Legault, who had met with O’Toole earlier in the week, to self-isolate and get tested himself. “No one is immune to contagion,” he said. By Carl Meyer | News, Politics, Ottawa Insider | September 19th 2020 Post-secondary students call on Trudeau to abandon TMX The throne speech will happen Sept. 23.
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