Welcome to The Feed, your bi-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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WHAT'S THE SCOOP?

It’s a no. That’s the decision reached by David Johnston, who, you may remember, was the one deciding whether or not a public inquiry into foreign interference in Canadian politics was warranted. Johnston, a former governor general and now a special rapporteur appointed by PM Trudeau, made the recommendation last week, following two months of reviewing documents and interviewing policy makers. Johnston released a report — head here for the report’s highlights — and although he said no to a public inquiry, he did say public hearings should be conducted on the allegations, and he’ll produce another report later this year. The opposition parties previously called for an inquiry, so now opposition MPs are asking Johnston to appear at a parliamentary committee and explain his decision.   

The Group of Seven summit, aka G7, recently took place in Hiroshima, Japan. The group involves seven member states — Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Japan — who meet annually for an international forum. What went on this year? Much of the summit’s focus was on Ukraine, with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy giving an in-person appeal, and PM Trudeau telling Zelenskyy Canada stands with Ukraine. The G7 leaders also worked on global concerns like climate change, artificial intelligence and poverty, plus they called on China not to conduct interference activities (an issue raised by PM Trudeau). And in less serious news out of the summit, find out what manner legs are and why a photo showing Trudeau adopting this pose got mixed reactions. 

Some good news… provinces and territories have agreed to help meet 2030 federal targets for preserving and protecting Canada’s oceans and wild spaces. In a joint statement, federal, provincial and territorial leaders committed to “contribute toward halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 and to put nature on a path to recovery by 2050.” The Canadian gov previously set targets of conserving 30 per cent of Canada’s lands and oceans by 2030, but not all provinces had committed to helping Ottawa achieve that goal. Now Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says everyone agreed to work together. So what does a national biodiversity strategy actually mean for nature? Find out here. 

NEWS NUGGETS

Reforming Bail: Federal Justice Minister David Lametti recently introduced new bail reform legislation, with Bill C-48 making it more difficult for some repeat violent offenders to get released from prison on bail. The legislation comes amid an uptick in violent crime in Canada and, related, public safety concerns. But is bail reform the solution? Listen to this pod for reviews of the new plan.

Fighting Fires: Wildfires have been raging in Alberta, BC and now Nova Scotia, with tens of thousands facing evacuations, plus smoke blanketing the skies throughout western Canada and the United States. In a must-read piece, author John Vaillant, who spent years investigating what happened in the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, explains why we have a right to be angry about the current fire situation. 

Building Houses: Expect a new long-term infrastructure plan this fall, which will boost the stock of affordable housing across the country! That’s what PM Trudeau recently told Canada’s mayors, adding that his government will give more infrastructure money to provinces and cities with ambitious housing plans. Housing advocates are welcoming the idea so far, though everyone’s awaiting more details of the plan. 

Expecting Answers: Remember the mysterious firing in 2021 of two scientists from Canada’s high-security infectious disease laboratory, located in Winnipeg? Now the federal gov has named three former judges, who will help manage a special committee of MPs from four of the main parties investigating the firing. The judges will act as arbiters, settling any issues on what info or docs can be made public.

WHAT ELSE WE'RE NIBBLING ON

Leaving on a jet plane anytime soon? We’ve been hearing nonstop about the mess that is airport travel, from a recent pilot strike averted at the 11th hour to staffing shortages, plus a backlog of air travel complaints. There’s now a bright spot, with the federal gov announcing a new program to streamline airport security. Starting this summer, some travellers won’t have to take their personal belongings — think laptops and liquids — out of their carry-on luggage during airport security screening. While announcing this new Verified Traveller Program, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra acknowledged it’s been a tough year for travellers, and said governments, the private sector, airlines and airports are working hard to ensure travellers have the best experience. Hear hear!

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