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Perry Bellegarde has fended off criticism that he is too cozy with Ottawa, winning re-election for a second term as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations.
Mr. Bellegarde, who was first elected in 2014, will serve another three-year term, which will include the continued debate about the divisive Trans Mountain pipeline, as well as next year’s federal election. He defended his time as national chief by arguing that his close relationship with the federal government has secured billions of dollars in new funding for Indigenous issues over the last three budgets.
He described the election as “humbling” and says the AFN now has work to do on files such as housing, health-care and resource access.
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TODAY’S HEADLINES
Mexico has joined Canada in insisting that a renegotiated NAFTA remain a three-way agreement and not include the five-year termination clause demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump. The Mexican government’s demands, ahead of talks in Washington, raise doubts about Mr. Trump’s recent optimistic tone.
Mr. Trump, meanwhile, has agreed to talks with European leaders to remove trade barriers, potentially pulling back from a trade war with the EU.
Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government has introduced legislation to kill the province’s cap-and-trade system. The legislation is in line with Premier Doug Ford’s election platform and will set the stage for a fight with the federal government over carbon pricing.
A number of Ontario school districts are calling for Mr. Ford’s government to maintain the 2015 sex-education curriculum, with some suggesting they may continue teaching topics such as gender identity and consent even if the province removes them from official guidelines.
Transport Minister Marc Garneau says the government won’t subsidize Greyhound passenger bus service in Western Canada, where the company plans to cancel all domestic routes later this year. Mr. Garneau says the government instead prefers loan guarantees to help local bus services fill the gap.
Ottawa is committing to confronting growing concerns about “fake news” by bolstering Canadian democratic institutions in the digital age. The promise is contained in a draft of federal commitments for open government and democracy, though there are no specifics.
Alberta Premier Rachel Notley is condemning former prime minister Stephen Harper’s plan to doorknock for the United Conservative Party in next year’s provincial election.
B.C. will require anyone involved in real estate purchases using a corporation or trust to disclose their full identity and citizenship, as the province continues to crack down on money laundering and tax evasion in the housing market.
The RCMP say no charges will be laid following an investigation into a controversial land deal involving the provincial government. The deal led to allegations that Crown corporation Global Transportation Hub overpaid and then sold off some of the assets for half of the purchase price.
A new poll from the Angus Reid Institute suggests the premiers of Ontario and Saskatchewan are finding support in their fight against federal carbon pricing. About two-thirds of respondents said carbon pricing should be a provincial responsibility, while 72 per cent said Saskatchewan is right to take Ottawa to court over the issue. The survey has a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he’s delayed a proposed meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin until at least next year, citing the ongoing special prosecutor investigation. National security adviser John Bolton says Trump believed his next meeting with Putin should take place “after the Russia witch hunt is over.”
Campbell Clark (The Globe and Mail) on Trump and NAFTA: “The U.S. has leverage in a trade war with Canada and Mexico because of its bigger economy. The other two depend more on trade with their neighbour. But together their retaliatory tariffs have more impact, notably when it comes to the Trump Administration’s soft spot, agriculture.”
Konrad Yakabuski (The Globe and Mail) on marijuana in Quebec: “In and of itself, the Oct. 17 legalization of marijuana is unlikely to be a make-or-break issue for the Liberals in the 2019 election. But if the roll-out of legal cannabis is less than smooth, it’s more likely to cause the Liberals political damage in Quebec than elsewhere. “
John Ibbitson (The Globe and Mail) on Jay Hill’s Western separatism: “What Mr. Hill should be advocating for is reform of the voting system. The Liberals promised that reform, but reneged when a parliamentary committee recommended a referendum on moving to proportional representation, which Mr. Trudeau doesn’t favour.”
Lori Turnbull (The Globe and Mail) on Senate expenses: “Relaxing the rules will make people worry that the Duffy situation could happen all over again. Worse still, statements from senators and the Senate communications office to the effect that “some senators do not have sufficient budgets to cover their living expenses” is a slap in the face to Canadians who are struggling”
Robert Muggah and Richard Florida (The Globe and Mail) on gun violence: “Many lethal shootings are connected to turf wars between highly territorial rival gangs. The key to turning around gun violence requires mobilizing the marginalized communities that are most affected by it.”
Dan Moulton (The Globe and Mail) on Ontario’s hydro system: “Showy acts such as firing the chief executive of Hydro One or shuffling the leadership at provincially owned electricity agencies and regulators can be early political victories for a government that promised hard, fast change. But establishing a system for the long term is far more difficult.”
Luc-André Brunet (The Globe and Mail) on Trudeau and the environmental movement: “If the current Prime Minister seeks to bolster his environmentalist credentials ahead of the 2019 election, launching a high-profile initiative on this file could help restore his credibility and succeed in overshadowing and even overcoming opposition to his pipeline policies. “
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James Keller