[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Barrister]

Speaking of MAID.

My GF's uncle has very late generalized cancer & is quickly deteriorating. Doctors original assessment from last fall was death within 6 months.
He has a ask about MAID and if he is eligible. He is. Where this gets interesting is that my GF's family is extremely religious and her uncle is the OG #1 of faith & fervor. Considering their original opposition to MAID when it was 1st introduced, I fell off my chair when I heard that story.

Such hypocrisy.
 

I mean - it's one thing to ask about your options.

I mean someone who is quickly deteriorating, was given a 6 month estimate several months ago - I would have few qualms about MAID...

[HVC]

Premiere Danielle Smith announces sweeping changes for youth trans medical care and schooling:

-surgery banned for those under 18 (so called "top" or "bottom" surgeries)
-hormones/puberty blockers banned for under 16.  Available ages 16-17 with parental consent
-any change of name or gender under 16 must have parental consent.  Ages 16-17 consent not required, but parental notification is
-if gender identity, sex orientation or sexual identity is taught in school, there must be parental opt-in

I kind of get the others, but I oppose the last point strongly.

[Barrister]

Premiere Danielle Smith announces sweeping changes for youth trans medical care and schooling:

-surgery banned for those under 18 (so called "top" or "bottom" surgeries)
-hormones/puberty blockers banned for under 16.  Available ages 16-17 with parental consent
-any change of name or gender under 16 must have parental consent.  Ages 16-17 consent not required, but parental notification is
-if gender identity, sex orientation or sexual identity is taught in school, there must be parental opt-in

I kind of get the others, but I oppose the last point strongly.

That's probably the smallest change.

Right now it's an "opt-out" system - you can pull your kids from any classes on those topics if you want.  This just makes it an "opt-in" - the school has to get the affirmative consent of parents first.

My wife works in a doctors office - not one that specializes in youth gender medicine.  But she confirmed they have youth trans students this would affect (they get referred out for the actual hormones).  So the hormone ban would definitely be a big change moving forward.

[Jacob]

Not a fan.

[HVC]

That's dumb too. Sex education is important.

[crazy canuck]

Speaking of MAID.

My GF's uncle has very late generalized cancer & is quickly deteriorating. Doctors original assessment from last fall was death within 6 months.
He has a ask about MAID and if he is eligible. He is. Where this gets interesting is that my GF's family is extremely religious and her uncle is the OG #1 of faith & fervor. Considering their original opposition to MAID when it was 1st introduced, I fell off my chair when I heard that story.

Such hypocrisy.
 

Experience tends to make people wiser.

Rather than hypocrisy I suggest it was the first time they had to fully consider the issue in a meaningful way.

[HVC]

Toronto is putting pigeons on birth control   . Starting with a pilot program in a few locations. A hawk breeding program would be more effective

[Sheilbh]

Mentionoed before that smart centre-right figures here are very taken by Poilievre in a "here's what you could have had" way. But just read a piece in the Times by a columnist who is very well-connected with Starmer's team that apparently Labour HQ are watching him very closely too.

Obviously no institutional links between the parties (and Justin Trudeau's campaign was in London and chatting with Labour figures this week), but still interesting.

[Barrister]

Mentionoed before that smart centre-right figures here are very taken by Poilievre in a "here's what you could have had" way. But just read a piece in the Times by a columnist who is very well-connected with Starmer's team that apparently Labour HQ are watching him very closely too.

Obviously no institutional links between the parties (and Justin Trudeau's campaign was in London and chatting with Labour figures this week), but still interesting.

No institutional links, but centre-right (and centre-left) parties in the anglosphere definitely talk to each other.

I do feel like some of the criticism from the Liberals of Poilievre is getting a little bit unhinged, so I think they must be doing something right.

[crazy canuck]

Interesting, Labour wanted to meet with the staff of a deeply unpopular Prime Minister to, I assume, understand how the deeply unpopular Prime Minister in the UK might do.

[HVC]

You can learn as much from others failures as you can from their successes.

[Barrister]

You can learn as much from others failures as you can from their successes.

Now I never cared for the man, and I never voted for him - but he has been our PM for 9+ years, and certain to make it to 10 unless he quits.  I'm sure there's something one can learn from him.

[Sheilbh]

Interesting, Labour wanted to meet with the staff of a deeply unpopular Prime Minister to, I assume, understand how the deeply unpopular Prime Minister in the UK might do.

Well that was one of the points actually. Although Labour will almost always be talking with the centre-left parties in the Anglo world (fewer institutional links with the Liberals than the Democrats or Labo(u)r parties in Australia and New Zealand).

A lot of the international teams Starmer had looked at as succssful models - Biden, Albanese, Ardern, Trudeau, Scholz - now perhaps look a little less promising. Either at risk of losing the next election or, in the case of New Zealand, having lost power. Still a lot to teach Labour, having recently won elections, but I think they're trying to learn lessons for government.

Apparently the conclusion is causing Labour to double down on planning reform/housing.

[Sheilbh]

Now I never cared for the man, and I never voted for him - but he has been our PM for 9+ years, and certain to make it to 10 unless he quits.  I'm sure there's something one can learn from him.

Yes. Labour have lost four elections in a row and the governing party has increased their share of the vote each time. They are not good enough to be above advice from Trudeau's team

[Jacob]

Apparently the conclusion is causing Labour to double down on planning reform/housing.

Well that's hopeful.