Leadership in the Safety & Security sectors
A decision by the U.S. Administration to nominate Alaskan geographer Mike Sfraga as an ambassador-at-large for the Arctic is seen as a direct response to Russia’s ramped-up northern military presence and Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski says that dealing with national security threats from China as well as Russia and China in the region will be a challenge. [node:read-more:link]
Two key members of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s cabinet, Finance Minister Travis Toews and Environment & Protected Areas Minister Sonya Savage, announced March 24 that they will not contest the province’s next general election, expected on May 29. Both cited family reasons for their decision but said they would serve out their mandate. [node:read-more:link]
Prime Minister Trudeau’s chief of staff, Katie Telford, has agreed to testify next month before a House committee investigating the extent of Chinese meddling in Canada’s electoral processes. However, the PM’s office noted March 21 that Telford, a Trudeau advisor since at least 2015, is under “serious constraints on what can be said in public about sensitive intelligence matters.” [node:read-more:link]
Russian President Vladimir Putin will play host to his Chinese counterpart March 20-21 to discuss what Kremlin officials said today would be “a comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation.” For its part, Beijing said China would uphold “an objective and fair position on the war in Ukraine and “play a constructive role in promoting talks for peace.” [node:read-more:link]
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that former Governor General David Johnston is the government’s “special rapporteur” investigating Opposition-fuelled allegations of Chinese meddling in Canada’s last two elections. Appointed in 2010 by Conservative PM Minister Stephen Harper, Johnston remained in the vice-regal post until 2017 and in agreeing to his latest assignment, he steps down as head of the independent Leaders’ Debates Commission. [node:read-more:link]
NORAD, Russia, bilateral trade, industrial supply chains, climate change, clean energy and cross-border travel concerns are expected to feature prominently in U.S. President Joe Biden’s March 23-24 visit to Ottawa. Confirmed today, it will be Biden’s first visit as president since he assumed office in January 2021. [node:read-more:link]
Nearly four years after two Chinese scientists were fired from a federal laboratory in Winnipeg on alleged national security grounds, the RCMP investigation continues. “Investigations are often complex, multijurisdictional and resource-intensive,” an RCMP spokeswoman offered without further comment. The two scientists have since returned home. [node:read-more:link]
Montreal Liberal MP Marc Garneau announced today that he is resigning from the House of Commons at the age of 74. The former naval combat systems engineer was the first Canadian astronaut on a Space Shuttle mission, in 1984, and headed the Canadian Space Agency from 2001 to 2005 before being elected to Parliament in 2008. He held the Transport and then Foreign Affairs portfolios before being dropped from cabinet in 2021. [node:read-more:link]
A complaint about the absence of justice Russell brown from the nine-member Supreme Court of Canada bench for more than a month is being reviewed by the Canadian Judicial Council. The court has said only that “we cannot disclose” the reason for Brown’s absence and the CJC also is declining further comment. [node:read-more:link]
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in Canada for a short visit aimed at promoting transatlantic ties. Her schedule today included meeting with Canadian Armed Forces personnel who had deployed to Poland to help Ukrainian refugees and an evening speech to the House of Commons. [node:read-more:link]
Toronto Liberal MP Han Dong, at the centre of a political controversy about alleged Chinese meddling in Canada’s electoral process, was not present for two House of Commons votes targetting China’s treatment of its Uyigher Muslim minority. In the most recent case, February 1, he was present for votes on other motions bracketing the one critical of China which was passed unanimously by the House. [node:read-more:link]
Two brothers from Pakistan have been released without charge and repatriated after two decades in Guantánamo Bay. Abdul and Mohammed Ahmed Rabbani, who were arrested as"terrorists" in Pakistan in 2002, claim to have been tortured by CIA officers in Afghanistan before they were shipped to the U.S. military prison. [node:read-more:link]
Pakistani national Ahmed Rabbani, once described as one of “the worst terrorists” in the world, has been repatriated from Guantánamo after more than 20 years without charge. He had been handed over by Pakistani officials in September 2002 in return for a bounty despite his insistence that he was only a taxi driver. His British human rights lawyer says his treatment is more evidence of how the U.S. intelligence and military communities had mishandled most Guantánamo detainees’ cases. [node:read-more:link]
Three Ontario members of the Conservative caucus in the House of Commons have been rebuked by Party Leader Pierre Poilievre for having met with a far-right German member of the European Parliament touring Canada in support of the “Freedom Convoy” movement. Dean Allison, Colin Carrie and Leslyn Lewis say they were unaware of Christine Anderson’s views. [node:read-more:link]
Supreme Court of Canada Justice Russell Brown, generally considered a strong voice for provincial rights, has taken a leave of absence from the nine-member bench. It comes only a few weeks before the court is scheduled to review environmental legislation which enables the federal government to regulate a wide range of industrial projects despite strong objections by Alberta. The court declined to explain the decision by the 57-year-old jurist who was appointed in 2015. [node:read-more:link]
