A new paper from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute explores the financial cost of war using links between taxation and defence spending and drawing on data from 100 countries, including Ukraine. It offers evidence to understand how increases in military spending may affect tax structures, but also how low-income, autocratic and conflict-affected countries fund their military spending.
KEN POLE
(FrontLine News)
Canada’s international reputation in question as Cameron Ortis, former head of the RCMP’s National Intelligence Coordination Centre, is again free on bail pending his trial on security violations in late 2023.
On December 6th, a 26-hour long moment of silence will begin. Beginning on Finland's Independence Day, the conflict resolution organization CMI - Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation will hold a 26-hour long moment of silence in Helsinki, Finland to honour people who have lost their homes due to a conflict.
CHRIS MacLEAN
Interference is typically an extremely valid and indisputable concern, but in the case of the NS shooting spree, that argument is being used to obfuscate the real issue of communication negligence which resulted in deaths that could have been avoided.
CHRIS MacLEAN
Alberta awarded third prize of “Her Vision Inspires” contest to an essayist who argues that women should pick babies over careers, writing that importing "foreigners to replace ourselves is a sickly mentality that amounts to a drive for cultural suicide.”
Jan 31
(Globe & Mail)
Amira Elghawaby, recently appointed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a special representative on combatting Islamophobia, co-authored a 2019 article which critical of Quebec’s Bill 21, which bans some public servants from wearing “religious symbols” such as traditional head-coverings. Pushback in the National Assembly and Parliament prompted the PM to seek clarification of her comment after which said he said he is satisfied and prepared to move on.
Jan 31
(Ottawa Citizen)
A Public Service Alliance of Canada unit representing more than 10,400 federal workers who operate government buildings and services is asking for a 47 per cent increase in total compensation over three years. A Public Interest Commission tribunal says the proposal “would result in an increase to compensation far beyond what is reasonable.”
Jan 31
(CP)
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told a parliamentary committee January 30 that while testing continues, there is no reason to believe national security is at risk from a RCMP standing order for radio-frequency filtering gear from Sinclair Technologies. The Ontario firm is a subsidiary of Norsat International in B.C. which is owned by Shenzen-based Hytera, banned in the U.S. because of its links to the Chinese military.
Jan 25
(CNN)
Boeing today reported a fourth-quarter 2022 loss of US$650 million, blaming “abnormal production costs” as it tried to deliver a backlog of 737 Max jets, accelerate 787 Dreamliner deliveries and address lagging 787 production. “We continue to face a few too many stoppages in our lines . . . as we run into supply chain shortfalls,” CEO Dave Calhoun said, expecting a first-quarter 2023 loss.
 Polar Knowledge Canada |
 EZ Raider |
 Accenture |
Aug 18 –
Interference is typically an extremely valid and indisputable concern, but in the case of the NS shooting spree, that argument is being used to obfuscate the real issue of communication negligence which resulted in deaths that could have been avoided.
Aug 10 –
Alberta awarded third prize of “Her Vision Inspires” contest to an essayist who argues that women should pick babies over careers, writing that importing "foreigners to replace ourselves is a sickly mentality that amounts to a drive for cultural suicide.”
Jun 27 –
Keeping Russia "at bay" is not a solution to the carnage happening in Ukraine. With Russia firing 10 times the amount of ammunition than Ukraine, Putin knows he will win, unless something changes.
Jun 20 –
It is now 11 years since I served in Afghanistan, and almost a year since those who helped us were abandoned to the increasing brutality of Taliban rule, it's time the govt cut the red tape and made good on its promises.
TBD July/Aug 2023
St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
27 January 2023
(Reuters)
A gunman killed at least seven people and wounded 10 others today in an attack on a synagogue on the outskirts of Jerusalem, a day after a deadly Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank. Police, who described the dead shooter as a Palestinian, called it a “terrorist incident” but a Hamas spokesman said it was “a natural response to the occupation criminal actions.”
27 January 2023
(National Post)
The Supreme Court of Canada ruled today that mandatory minimum sentences for convicted criminals who use firearms are constitutionally valid. In handing out its decision, the court was ruling on separate appeals (Docket Nos. 38438 and 39338) by two Alberta men sentenced for armed robbery.
27 January 2023
(CBC)
Personal information on thousands of Green Party of Canada members and supporters were published online for an indefinite period of time in violation of the party’s own rules but the party closed down access to the Google Drive document January 26. Anne Cavoukian, a former Ontario information and privacy commissioner, called it an “appalling” breach of trust
27 January 2023
(Al Jazeera)
Fiji’s new government, elected in December, today suspended its police commissioner and its elections supervisor as it beefs up ties with Australia and New Zealand and prepares to terminate a contentious policing agreement with China. “Our system of democracy and justice systems are different so we will go back to those that have similar systems with us,” explained Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
27 January 2023
(Al Jazeera)
Human rights advocate Amira Elghawaby is Canada’s first special representative on combatting Islamophobia. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s decision to appoint the Egyptian-born former journalist, who immigrated with her parents as an infant, is part of a move to stem hatred and discrimination after a series of attacks against Muslims in recent years.
27 January 2023
(CTV)
U.S. Commerce Department signals that it will maintain a protectionist tariff on Canadian softwood lumber have sparked a quick response from the federal and B.C. governments. Their common reaction was to reiterate that the protectionist tax hurts consumers in both countries. Federal Trade Minister Mary Ng says the federal government is prepared to litigate under the auspices of the North American free trade agreement.
27 January 2023
(CP)
The Council of Canadian Academies says coronavirus misinformation fostered vaccine hesitancy and contributed to more than 2,800 Canadian deaths as well at least $300 million in hospital and intensive care costs. It reports that 2.35 million people postponed or refused vaccination between between March and November 2021, effectively setting themselves up for infection.
27 January 2023
(CP)
Federal Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne disclosed January 26 that Home Depot shared details from customers’ electronic receipts with Meta, the corporate parent of the Facebook social media platform. The information included encoded email addresses and purchase details which the social media used to target the chain’s customers with specific advertising.
27 January 2023
(BBC)
In what is being described as the deadliest Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank in years, nine Palestinians were killed January 25. The military said it went in the town of Jenin to arrest Islamic Jihad “terror operatives” it said were planning “major attacks.” The Palestinian presidency accused Israel of a “massacre” and announced it had ended security coordination with Israel.
27 January 2023
(BBC)
A Texas court preparing to hear accusations that Boeing concealed flight control systems information in the aftermath of 737 Max jetliner crashes in October 2018 was told by the company January 26 that nothing had been withheld. Relatives of the 346 victims want to reopen what they say was a “sweetheart agreement” with the Justice Department in 2021 whereby Boeing paid $2.5 billion in fines and compensation.
25 January 2023
(Moscow Times)
Today’s announcements that Germany, Poland and the U.S. as well as other NATO members would be sending up to 88 main battle tanks to Ukraine yielded a predictable initial response from Russia. “This extremely dangerous decision takes the conflict to a new level of confrontation,” said its envoy in Germany, Sergei Nechayev, warning that it would lead to “the death of not only Russian soldiers, but also the civilian population.” He also said Ukraine’s allies are “not interested in a diplomatic solution.”
25 January 2023
(NBC)
Meta, the corporate parent of Facebook and Instagram, announced today that it will reinstate Donald Trump’s accounts “in the coming weeks” after shutting him down over his inflammatory posts about the January 2021 assault on Capitol Hill . However, Global Affairs President Nick Clegg said there will be “new guardrails in place to deter repeat offences.” Trump continues to insist he did nothing wrong.
