[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, it is at least a move by the Feds to get back into it.  The devil will be in the details, but this should provide housing for a lot of people who are currently having struggles finding a place to live outside the main cities.

[Josephus]

Speaking of which...how are the Liberals doing in Canada? I have frankly been too scared to check.

Not so good, I think.
Carney is being criticized for not holding up his end of his campaign promises. He was all about "elbows up" and how he was going to fight Trump, but so far all he's done is conceded on two things (the Netflix tax, and removing all reciprocal tariffs), and he's gotten nothing from Trump.
He criticized PP during the campaign, saying he'll cut a lot of things, yet is promising "austerity" in his next budget.

In my opinion, he's too much of a "blue" Liberal, and would fit nicely in the old Conservative Party.

His upcoming budget will be his big test.

[Jacob]

"Not so good" as in "I'm disappointed in what they're doing" or as in "their voters are losing faith in them and they're vulnerable to a right wing resurgence in the vein of Starmer in the UK"?

[Jacob]

Rustad, leader of the BC Conservative Party, is going rough a leadership review right now.

Here's an article on the topic, with a fairly catchy opening paragraph:

The more than 2,100 new members signed up suddenly to the BC Conservative party late last month had many fishy signs. But perhaps the most suspicious of all? Some of them were dead.

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/economy-law-politics/rob-shaw-phantom-bc-conservatives-cast-shadow-over-rustads-leadership-review-11212235

[Josephus]

"Not so good" as in "I'm disappointed in what they're doing" or as in "their voters are losing faith in them and they're vulnerable to a right wing resurgence in the vein of Starmer in the UK"?

Can't talk about voters per se, but I k ow the Toronto Star wrote an editorial calling out Carney in his about face, as have many commentators on other media including CBC. Fact is Carney only won the election because of his campaign to fight Trump, which he's not doing as he said he would

Re: right wing resurgence. It's not as bad as the UK so far no.  But I am seeing a lot more anti immigration sentiment (there was a rally in Toronto to last weekend) and people in my hometown here in Oshawa, as blue collar a town as you can get, are organizing a memorial for that Kirk dude this weekend

[Neil]

It's so difficult having a member of the oligarchy as PM.  On the one hand, his housing policy seems pretty sound, getting as many new units as possible deployed.  But there's always that suspicion, since his housing plan also happens to bring enormous benefits to the company that he owns.  There's always that level of doubt whether we're actually following the right path or if policy is being directed for the benefit of the PM's business interests. 

[Josephus]

Hearing Freeland will be leaving her cabinet post.

[crazy canuck]

It's so difficult having a member of the oligarchy as PM.  On the one hand, his housing policy seems pretty sound, getting as many new units as possible deployed.  But there's always that suspicion, since his housing plan also happens to bring enormous benefits to the company that he owns.  There's always that level of doubt whether we're actually following the right path or if policy is being directed for the benefit of the PM's business interests. 

What company does he own?  And what oligarchy are you talking about?

Is this what the cool kids are saying over on the alt right Canadian social media?

[PRC]

Re: right wing resurgence. It's not as bad as the UK so far no.  But I am seeing a lot more anti immigration sentiment (there was a rally in Toronto to last weekend) and people in my hometown here in Oshawa, as blue collar a town as you can get, are organizing a memorial for that Kirk dude this weekend

Alberta will be introducing "citizenship markers" on new editions of driver's licenses and identification cards.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-drivers-licence-identification-card-citizenship-1.7634163

[crazy canuck]

Hearing Freeland will be leaving her cabinet post.

Yeah, with her latest blunder I am not at all surprised.  It's too bad, back in 15 she had a great deal of potential to become a great politician, but she bought into the Trudeau fuzzy think (I tried to think of a polite way of describing it) and I don't think there is any coming back from that.

[Jacob]

What company does he own?  And what oligarchy are you talking about?

Is this what the cool kids are saying over on the alt right Canadian social media?

I'm guessing the right wing has realized that "oligarchy" is the current way to describe the way Capital is capturing and attempting to monopolize political power and undermine democracy (and thus bad), so they're trying to dilute the meaning by applying it to anyone and anything they don't like.

Just watch the definition shift and be diluted over the next few years.

[viper37]

Shit like this is why western liberals are fucked.

*edit* I'm all for more diversity in politics, but this is a short sighted way to go about it.

I can't read the article. Paywalled.

However, business as usual complacency is killing us in most mainstream parties. Biden and Democrats came to power with a mandate to save the Republic, did a bunch of half measures, and then left power meekly in 2022 in the House and the Senate and White House in 2024. And look at Labour fucking it all up in Britain. So the NDP having a bunch of pathetic priorities in the face of a global crisis isn't surprising.

Speaking of which...how are the Liberals doing in Canada? I have frankly been too scared to check.

Gifted article

[Jacob]

Can't talk about voters per se, but I k ow the Toronto Star wrote an editorial calling out Carney in his about face, as have many commentators on other media including CBC. Fact is Carney only won the election because of his campaign to fight Trump, which he's not doing as he said he would

Re: right wing resurgence. It's not as bad as the UK so far no.  But I am seeing a lot more anti immigration sentiment (there was a rally in Toronto to last weekend) and people in my hometown here in Oshawa, as blue collar a town as you can get, are organizing a memorial for that Kirk dude this weekend

Thanks.

And yeah, anti-immigrant sentiment has really taken hold in the last couple of years. I expect it's only going to get worse.

[crazy canuck]

Re: right wing resurgence. It's not as bad as the UK so far no.  But I am seeing a lot more anti immigration sentiment (there was a rally in Toronto to last weekend) and people in my hometown here in Oshawa, as blue collar a town as you can get, are organizing a memorial for that Kirk dude this weekend

Alberta will be introducing "citizenship markers" on new editions of driver's licenses and identification cards.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-drivers-licence-identification-card-citizenship-1.7634163

I am concerned that this won't be recognized for what it is - an attempt to limit the ability to vote for people who are more likely to support the NDP in Alberta.

To get the "C" notation on the drivers license a Canadian citizen will need to have a passport.  Guess what group of Canadians tend not to have passports.

[crazy canuck]

Hearing Freeland will be leaving her cabinet post.

Yeah, with her latest blunder I am not at all surprised.  It's too bad, back in 15 she had a great deal of potential to become a great politician, but she bought into the Trudeau fuzzy think (I tried to think of a polite way of describing it) and I don't think there is any coming back from that.

And it's official

Chrystia Freeland says she is leaving her cabinet post as Transport and Internal Trade Minister to serve as Canada's Special Representative for the Reconstruction of Ukraine.

Ms. Freeland met separately Monday with Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Chief of Staff Marc-André Blanchard to discuss her future plans.

The Prime Minister said in a statement that Ms. Freeland served the country with great distinction.

"As a former G7 minister of Finance, Foreign Affairs and International Trade with deep relationships and understanding of Ukraine and its economy, Chrystia is truly uniquely positioned for this timely and essential work towards a better future for Ukrainians and peace in Europe," he said.

In her own a statement posted on X, Ms. Freeland said she is stepping down after 12 years of active political involvement to pursue new opportunities.

"I have decided to step down from cabinet today and turn the page on this chapter in my life. I do not intend to run in the next election," she wrote. "I am not leaving to spend more time with my family or because the burden of elected office is too heavy to bear."

Translation, she was given a face saving way to exit.