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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WHAT'S THE SCOOP?
Getting aid to Gaza continues to be vital. On Sunday, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Canada will join an international effort to deliver humanitarian assistance to Gaza by sea. It comes as aid deliveries by land and air have proven to be difficult and dangerous. So now numerous countries are launching a maritime corridor between Cyprus and Gaza, as the war rages on and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians go hungry. Additionally, the Canadian gov says it will restore funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, aka UNRWA. Rewind: Canada and some other countries suspended funding in January, after Israel alleged employees of the agency were involved in the October 7 attack. Now Canada is resuming funding following an interim report from the United Nations into the allegations, as well as the dire situation on the ground, says International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen.
We may be hearing a lot less about inflation these days, but it’s still a concern. Last week, the Bank of Canada left its benchmark interest rate unchanged, holding it at 5.0 per cent for the fifth consecutive time. The bank’s head, Tiff Macklem, says it’s too early to cut interest rates until there’s more progress taming inflation. Inflation is cooling — the most recent figures available show it slowed to 2.9 per cent in January — but that’s still above the Bank of Canada’s mandated target of 2 per cent. Meanwhile, the parliamentary budget officer Yves Giroux, aka Canada’s budget watchdog, just released his latest economic and fiscal outlook. He projects inflation will return to the 2 per cent target by the end of the year, and he also expects the federal deficit to grow. We’ll know more soon… Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland will present the budget April 16.
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NEWS NUGGETS
Tax Tiff: Saskatchewan’s premier Scott Moe is doubling down on a controversial move. What’s that? The province is defying federal law by not remitting the carbon tax on home heating using natural gas. Moe says it’s a move made in the name of fairness. But federal Enviro Minister Steven Guilbeault called the decision immoral, while Natural Resources and Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says residents will feel the greatest impact.
Cases Confirmed: Cases of measles — a highly contagious virus — are surging worldwide, including in Canada. That’s prompting warnings from health officials, with top doc Theresa Tam urging Canadians to get up to date with their measles vaccine, especially with spring break approaching. Why are we seeing this rise, and what can be done about it? This pod has got you covered.
Support for Spavor: Remember the two Michaels — Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig — who spent more than 1,000 days in prison in China, amid a broader diplomatic feud between Canada and China? Michael Spavor has reached a settlement with the Canadian gov, and it’s reportedly for $7 million. In response to questions about the settlement, PM Trudeau said Canada is continuing to support the two Michaels.
WHAT ELSE WE'RE NIBBLING ON
To B.C. now, where what was supposed to be a new model for affordable housing has turned into a total mess. Vivid condominium development, a 135-unit building in Victoria, involved a government program meant to help middle-income families find affordable housing. But reporting by CBC shows B.C. Housing has sued 13 people accused of lying to obtain a below-market condos. Now B.C. Housing says there are even more lawsuits to come. Lastly this week, take a drive on Canada’s winter roads. More than 8,000 kilometres of winter roads exist in the North, with many serving as a lifeline for remote nations. But with climate change bringing increasingly unpredictable weather, half those roads could be unusable by 2050.
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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! |