Hello,
Former federal cabinet minister Carolyn Bennett is headed to Denmark as Canada’s ambassador to the country.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced the appointment in a statement today.
“As Canada’s ambassador to Denmark, she will deepen the relationship between our two countries, including by advancing our shared commitment to protect the Arctic, take climate action, create good middle-class jobs, and build a better future for everyone,” Justin Trudeau said.
The former mental health and addictions minister said last year she would not be seeking another term as MP for Toronto-St. Paul’s, the riding she has represented since 1997. She was shuffled out of cabinet as a result.
In a posting on social media platform X, Bennett, 73, said she submitted her resignation as MP to the Speaker yesterday, and thanked her constituency team for their service.
Bennett, a former family doctor, spent about 10 years in cabinet, most of them as Crown-Indigenous relations minister.
She’s the latest high-profile diplomatic appointment. In November, the Trudeau government announced that former B.C. premier John Horgan would be Canada’s new ambassador to Germany.
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TODAY'S HEADLINES
Trudeau defends family vacation in Jamaica as House of Commons committee votes to hear from ethics commissioner: Justin Trudeau defended his decision to accept a free luxury vacation over the holidays from a family friend, as a House committee unanimously voted to have the ethics commissioner give testimony on travel, vacations and gifts accepted by MPs.
Study permits to students from India drop because of dispute, Miller says: Immigration Minister Marc Miller added in an interview that he believes the number of study permits to Indians is unlikely to rebound soon.
Judges dismiss Jordan Peterson’s request to challenge order he undergo social media training: A spokesperson for the Court of Appeal for Ontario says that a panel of judges has decided to not grant the psychologist leave to appeal a 2023 divisional court ruling that affirmed that the College of Psychologists of Ontario could order him to undergo training on professionalism in public statements. Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre expressed his concern about the ruling on X.
Ukrainian officials say delay in delivery of air defence promised by Canada has high price: The secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council said his own nephew is among the many who have died in the 53 weeks since Canada announced the “high-priority donation” of an advanced air defence system to Ukraine that hasn’t yet been delivered.
Why a Toronto daycare is exiting the $10-a-day program over funding uncertainty: Ola Daycare says the funding model has saddled it with unsustainable levels of debt, leaving families scrambling to either find other care, absorb an $800 monthly increase to their budgets or leave the work force.
Hate crimes, protests, police costs surge since Middle East war, Vancouver police say: The force says it responded to 1,018 protests in the city last year, up from both the prepandemic average of about 600 annually and an elevated average of 800 for 2021 and 2022.
Chrétien-era effort to soften UN’s Indigenous language a ‘stain’ on Canada, Hajdu says: Every Liberal government is different, Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu said, adding that every act of colonization and undermining Indigenous rights leaves a “stain” on the country.
Treasury board secretary announces exit, ending three-decade career in public service: Over nearly three decades, Graham Flack served 31 federal ministers – half of them as deputy minister.
THIS AND THAT
National Post columnist seeks Tory nomination: Sabrina Maddeaux has announced she wants to be the Conservative candidate in Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill. She says she will take a leave from her columnist’s role at the Post to seek the Tory nod in the Liberal-held riding. Meanwhile, Jack Hundial, a former city councilor in Surrey, B.C., is seeking the Conservative nomination in Fleetwood-Port Kells, held by Liberal Ken Hardie, who has announced he won’t seek re-election.
New job for former Quebec premier: Jean Charest, who sought the leadership of the federal Conservatives but lost to Pierre Poilievre, is joining the law firm Therrien Couture Joli-Cœur as a partner. He will conduct his practice from Montreal as well as his hometown of Sherbrooke, the firm said in a statement issued today. Charest, Quebec’s premier between 2003 and 2012, has been associated with the law firm, McCarthy Tétrault, based in Montreal.
Commons and Senate on a break: The House of Commons is on a break until Jan. 29. The Senate sits again on Feb. 6.
Deputy Prime Minister’s day: Chrystia Freeland is in Davos, Switzerland, attending the World Economic Forum, and meeting with business leaders and other gathering participants.
Ministers on the road: National Revenue Minister Marie‑Claude Bibeau, in the Quebec city of Saint-Rémi, announced a repayable contribution of $335,000 for Luxo Marbre to help the business be more competitive. Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, in Regina, participated in a fireside chat hosted by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, in the Quebec city of Mirabel, announced a $2.28-billion contract award to Bell Textron Canada Ltd. to provide in-service support for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s active fleet of CH-146 Griffon helicopters. Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu, at Treaty 6 territory in Alberta, helped celebrate the official opening of the Chief Aranazhi School, located on Alexis Nakota First Nation in Alberta. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay, in the Ontario community of New Hamburg, announced investments to support food security. International Trade Minister Mary Ng, in Edmonton, met with business and Ukrainian communities. Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, in Winnipeg with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, made a funding announcement to support clean-fuels production.
Commons committee highlights: The access to information, privacy and ethics committee meets on the issue of whether to undertake a study of the Prime Minister’s vacation to Jamaica.
PRIME MINISTER'S DAY
In Saint John, Justin Trudeau toured an affordable housing development, made a housing announcement and took media questions. Trudeau was also scheduled to tour the city’s port.
LEADERS
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May travelled to Mayne Island to host an evening community meeting.
No schedules released for other party leaders.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, Globe columnist Marsha Lederman talks about the case of author Steven Galloway, who was fired from the University of British Columbia after allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. There has been a recent development in the case.
TRIBUTE
Mary Dawson: The former federal ethics commissioner and senior Department of Justice bureaucrat has died at the age of 81. An obituary.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board on how the U.S. may be on the brink, but no democracy can be taken for granted: “As expected, Donald Trump walked away with the Iowa caucuses on Monday, taking more than 50 per cent of the votes and leaving his rivals in the dust. There is, of course, a lot more politicking to go before the U.S. presidential election in November, and taking Iowa is no guarantee that the winner will go on to become the Republican nominee. But the results are still far from comforting for people who fear the consequences of a return to power by the authoritarian-adjacent Mr. Trump. And that, apparently, includes a majority of Canadians.”
Andrew Coyne (The Globe and Mail) on how we’re not in a population trap, we’re in an investment desert: “I see we are having one of our periodic panic attacks over immigration again. Admittedly there is some entertainment value in it, notably the sight of Liberal cabinet ministers professing themselves shocked, shocked at the state of immigration policy in this country. “It’s really a system that has gotten out of control,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller has charged. Somebody should really look at capping the number of international students entering the country, he feels, as “that volume is disconcerting.”
John Ibbitson (The Globe and Mail) on why Canada will continue to be a dumping ground of products made with forced labour: “The federal government’s refusal to confront China on this issue offers yet another instance of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s strange reluctance to stand up to the regime in Beijing. Why is that?”
Gary Mason (The Globe and Mail) on how negativity is the prevailing political trend from the federal to provincial levels: “There have been Canadian premiers who have been critical of Ottawa in the past, including people like Ralph Klein of Alberta. But it wasn’t their raison d’être. It wasn’t a political tactic that was to be used daily, regardless of what it did to the state of the country. What we’re seeing today is just sad. Because some of those elected to lead us, elected to help build a better country, haven’t the slightest interest in doing that. They’re more interested in tearing it down.”
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