Hello,
A Conservative MP whose Toronto-area office was vandalized this week is among several federal politicians under visible police protection on Parliament Hill.
Melissa Lantsman’s office in Thornhill, Ont., was plastered with anti-Israel posters overnight, including one warning “the Jews of Thornhill” that history is watching how they respond to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Canadian Press reports that a Conservative official has confirmed that the deputy Conservative leader has RCMP protection, but has not said why.
CP also notes that RCMP or Parliamentary Protective Service officers have been assigned in recent weeks to protect Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
The Prime Minister has a protective detail and cabinet ministers occasionally do, but it is rare for an opposition MP to require or receive that level of protection.
Sajjan’s office says he currently has a protective detail assigned, and officers have been seen accompanying him to meetings inside the Parliament buildings.
He declined this week to discuss the situation in detail with The Canadian Press.
“I am well-protected,” Sajjan said Tuesday in response to a question about his security. “We have a good system here in Canada to protect ministers.”
Last fall, Sajjan gave a lengthy interview to the New York Times in which he said that as a Sikh in a position of power in Canada, threats have not been unusual for him.
Prior to running for office, Sajjan was a military intelligence officer and a Vancouver police detective. He told the Times the threats had ramped up in recent years.
Sajjan’s interview took place after Canada accused the Indian government of being involved in the murder of a Canadian Sikh leader in British Columbia last year.
Meanwhile. Greenpeace activists stormed Freeland’s Toronto office, demanding climate laws for banks.
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TODAY'S HEADLINES
Trudeau and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announce $633-million in health funding: Almost $434-million is to support Manitoba’s three-year plan to improve health care and about $199-million is to bolster care for seniors. Story here.
Blair announces more than $273-million in military equipment for Latvia mission: Defence Minister Bill Blair says it’s the first time that the Canadian Armed Forces will have an air defence capability since 2012, and the equipment being acquired on an “urgent basis” will be delivered later this year.
Poilievre says he would ‘cut wasteful foreign aid,’ work toward NATO spending target: The federal Conservative Leader made the comment today in response to a question about his position on NATO’s military spending targets, as ministers from the military alliance meet in Brussels. Story here.
Key Liberal MP rips his government’s policy on Gaza war in private call with constituent: As parliamentary secretary to foreign affairs ministers, Rob Oliphant is supposed to explain and defend Canada’s foreign policy in Parliament, but in his conversation with the constituent, recorded without the MP’s knowledge, CBC reports that Oliphant was clearly less than keen to defend the government.
RCMP studying ArriveCan report after meeting with top auditor: Auditor-General Karen Hogan also told MPs she met with the RCMP to discuss her report’s findings before it was released and is prepared to hand over relevant documents upon request. Story here.
Canadian academics involved in joint research with Iranian counterparts on drone technology: Neil Bisson, a former senior intelligence officer with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said Western academics often fail to understand hostile countries like Iran will use university collaboration as a means to give them military advantage.
Alberta credit union sees burst of growth after Tucker Carlson sponsorship, executive says: Brett Oland, the chief executive of Bow Valley Credit Union, says the organization signed up 91 new members since the provocateur addressed crowds in Calgary and Edmonton on Jan. 24.
A get-together that provided a break from overly partisan politics: Steve Paikin, of TVO, recalls a luncheon that brought together experienced politicians from across Ontario, with former B.C. premier Christy Clark travelling from the West Coast to join the proceedings.
TODAY’S POLITICAL QUOTES
“It is an example of the fact that the Trudeau government and Minister Joly have failed to present a clear and predictable strong and wise position on the conflict in Gaza, which creates a situation where nobody trusts, nobody listens to what Canada says.” - Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet on the significance of a CBC report that Rob Oliphant, parliamentary secretary to the foreign affairs minister, was critical of Canada’s Middle East policy in a private call with a constituent.
“You’re telling me to repeat it in English? OK. We’re in Quebec, right?” - Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to a journalist asking him to repeat his answer to a question in English at a news conference in the Montreal-area community of Pointe-Claire.
“The minister clarified his comments that he was speaking about a very specific project in Quebec City.” - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during a news conference in Winnipeg, on his environment ministers’ remarks that Ottawa would no longer pay for road infrastructure. Steven Guilbeault walked back the comments.
THIS AND THAT
Today in the Commons: – Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, Feb. 15, accessible here.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Day: Private meetings in Toronto, and Chrystia Freeland held meetings, as part of prebudget consultations, with Quebec housing advocates and experts, and young leaders. Freeland also attended a Black History Month event at a local cultural centre.
Ministers on the Road: Defence Minister Bill Blair, in Brussels, participated in a meeting of NATO defence ministers at NATO headquarters. Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, in London, delivered remarks and made a critical minerals funding announcement at the Canada-UK Industrial Decarbonization Forum.
Commons Committee Highlights: Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc appeared before the public safety committee on Bill C-26. Unifor National President Lana Payne appeared before the Canadian Heritage committee on the national forum on the media. Small Business Minister Rechie Valdez appeared before the status-of-women committee on women’s economic empowerment. Alexis von Hoensbroech, the chief executive officer of Westjet Airlines Ltd., was among executives from the airline who appeared before the transport committee on accessible transportation for persons with disabilities.
Mammoliti seeks political return: Giorgio Mammoliti, a former NDP member of the provincial legislature and Toronto city councillor, will be running for the People’s Party of Canada in the riding of Simcoe―Grey, the party announced today. The riding is currently held by Conservative Terry Dowdall, who won with 36 per cent of the vote in 2021.
“Women like me aren’t supposed to run for office:” Sarah Hoffman, the former deputy premier of Alberta, launches her bid to lead the provincial NDP with an unusual video appeal that was posted on X.
PRIME MINISTER'S DAY
In Winnipeg, Justin Trudeau met with nursing students, accompanied by Premier Wab Kinew. Later, he made a health care announcement with the Premier, federal Health Minister Mark Holland and other officials, including Manitoba Deputy Premier Uzoma Asagwara. Trudeau later met with Kinew.
LEADERS
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet held a news conference at the House of Commons.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a news conference in the Montreal-area municipality of Pointe-Claire.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May attended the House of Commons, and then travelled to Toronto ahead of a Green leaders’ tour that begins Friday in Guelph.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh had no public events scheduled.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, Globe telecom reporter Alexandra Posadzki talks about her new book Rogers v. Rogers: The Battle for Control over Canada’s Telecom Empire on the story of the Rogers family battling for control of Rogers Communications Inc. The Decibel is here.
TRIBUTE
Jodi White: There’s an obituary here to White, whose professional career spanned the worlds of journalism, politics, business and the non-profit sector. She died Feb. 10 in Ottawa.
OPINION
The ArriveCan app is the graveyard of accountability and common sense
“A bromide often given lip service by politicians is that Ottawa ought to run more like a business. It’s never clear what that means. The federal government is not a private corporation seeking profits. It is a vast public bureaucracy that oversees the delivery of programs and services critical to the well-being of citizens – justice, health care, education, infrastructure, national defence, foreign affairs and so on. Parliament, acting as the taxpayer’s representative, raises revenues through taxes and borrowing that it then allots to the various departments and agencies.” - The Globe and Mail Editorial Board.
Dodging the NATO spending target for defence is a shrug that Canada can no longer afford from its politicians
“Future PM Poilievre, we now know, won’t spend 2 per cent of gross domestic product that NATO members are theoretically supposed to devote to defence. Here in 2024, Mr. Poilievre’s spokesman told The Globe and Mail that he would “work towards” meeting the spending guideline. Luckily, there is a chance that this kind of empty guff would work on re-elected Mr. Trump, if there ever is one, as long as Mr. Poilievre accompanies it with tributes to his greatness and keeps calling him “sir.” But for the long-run purposes of Canada’s security, and its place in the world, it means a growing shortfall with reality.” - Campbell Clark
Canada’s Liberals and America’s Democrats need to find the courage to stand up to their leaders
“If they had their druthers, Democrats in the United States and Liberals in Canada would prefer candidates other than incumbents Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau to lead them in their coming elections. But they’re afraid to speak out. They’re hushed. They’re giving the leaders a pass, no matter that the consequences may well be a progressive’s nightmare: Donald Trump as president again, and Pierre Poilievre as prime minister. In such an eventuality, they will look back on their current silence with deep regret. Why, they will ask, were we so gutless?” - Lawrence Martin
Doug Ford’s government of gimmicks presents its next schtick
“Step right up, folks. The Doug Ford sideshow is just about to present its next act. Normally, Ontarians are treated to spectacular displays of acrobatics: gravity-defying flip-flops on just about every low-polling decision the Progressive Conservative government fleetingly stands behind. But if you’re tired of watching backflips – on the Greenbelt, on dissolving Peel region, on new licence plates, on cancelling plans for a French-language university, on autism funding – Mr. Ford has something new for you: a feel-good diversionary spectacle in the form of new legislation that will require future governments to hold a referendum before introducing any new provincial carbon-pricing programs.” - Robyn Urback
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Ian Bailey