Welcome to The Feed, your weekly resource to Canadian politics and policies broken down into itty bitty (super witty) bite-sized knowledge by Apathy is Boring.
Pun intended.

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At Apathy is Boring (AisB), we’ve spent 20 years inspiring action and engagement among Canadian youth. This milestone is a chance to reflect on our journey, celebrate our achievements, and look to the future with fresh energy and commitment.

Join us in Montreal for a two-part event that is not only a celebration of AisB's past, but a moment to reflect on its role in shaping a more inclusive, participatory future for all.

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WHAT'S THE SCOOP? 

PM Trudeau had a busy week. Last Wednesday, the Liberal gov survived its first confidence vote after the end of the governance agreement with the NDP. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre brought forward the non-confidence motion — which could topple the gov and trigger an early election — but the NDP and the Bloc Québécois didn’t support it. Then, less than 24 hours after the first motion failed, Poilievre tabled another non-confidence motion. Listen to this pod for more on why we’re likely to see many more non-confidence motions this fall. Also last Wednesday, the Bloc Québécois set an ultimatum for the Liberals: if two private member’s bills are not passed by October 29 — one involving increased pensions for seniors, the other to protect supply management — the party will work to bring down the gov. Oh, and Trudeau also appeared last week on the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and spoke at the UN’s first-ever Summit of the Future.

To Lebanon, where fighting between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah has escalated, and Canadians have been killed and injured in the violence. Tensions mounted after two waves of deadly explosions in Lebanon, involving explosives hidden in pagers and walkie-talkies. It’s widely believed Israel was behind those attacks. Next, Israeli airstrikes killed hundreds of people (including the leader of Hezbollah) and injured thousands, while Hezbollah fired hundreds of rockets and other munitions into Israel. So far, the fighting has displaced as many as one million people, Lebanon's PM says, and it's leading to fears of a wider war. PM Trudeau says it’s a horrific situation unfolding in Lebanon, and that both Israel and Hezbollah need to de-escalate. Head here for an explainer on what’s happened and what could come next. And listen to this pod to understand what Hezbollah is and this pod to hear more about the escalating conflict.   

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NEWS NUGGETS

Speaking Out: Michael Kovrig, the former Canadian diplomat held in China for more than 1,000 days, is talking. Kovrig recently sat down for interviews with numerous media outlets, nearly three years after he was released. He’s sharing his story for the first time, including the moment he was apprehended in 2018, details of his incarceration, finally being released, and arriving back in Canada and meeting his toddler daughter for the first time.   

Getting Vaxxed: There are a few new vaccines on the block. Health Canada just approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s updated COVID-19 vaccine, aka Comirnaty. And last week, the agency approved Moderna’s Spikevax mRNA vaccine and Novavax’s protein-based vaccine, aka Nuvaxovid. The updated vaccines target more recent variants of the virus, just in time for provinces and territories to begin their vaccine campaigns this fall. 

Finding a Way: The House of Commons’ foreign affairs committee has voted to study the quickest path for the federal gov to recognize a Palestinian state, despite objections from Conservative MPs on the committee. The motion, introduced by a Liberal MP, calls on the committee to dedicate no more than four meetings to immediately study the issue of how the gov can advance the recognition of the State of Palestine within a two-state solution. 

WHAT ELSE WE'RE NIBBLING ON

Monday marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, plus their families and communities. Ahead of the day, NDP MP Leah Gazan introduced a private member’s bill in the House of Commons to add residential school denialism to the Criminal Code. If the gov is serious about reconciliation, she said, then they need to protect survivors and their families from hate. And we’re listening to this podcast playlist curated for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, featuring discussions related to Indigenous history, justice, rights and resistance. 

CROSSWORD

And now it's time for dessert...your weekly crossword! A little hint for you: you can find all these words in last week's newsletter!

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