This Week in Canadian Politics 2018-06-17

by | June 17, 2018

 

By Scott Douglas Jacobsen

“OTTAWA — During a visit to Ottawa this week, Tibet’s exiled political leader was warning Canada not to fall into a trap as its trade relationship with China deepens.

Especially amid recent uncertainty with Canada’s biggest trade partner, the United States, it makes economic sense to engage with China, said Lobsang Sangay, president of the Central Tibetan Administration, a “government-in-exile” based in India that represents Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

But Canada should be careful not to self-censor or turn a blind eye to human rights abuses by the Chinese government, he said in an interview with the National Post. It’s a trend that he said he has watched in Australia, which entered into a free-trade agreement with China in 2015.

“One should enter into trade with China. You do business with China. You have to have a relationship with China. You can’t avoid it, you can’t ignore it and you should make money,” Sangay said. “But you know, what I’ve noticed is the moment there’s a trade agreement with China, all of a sudden these countries start resorting to self-censorship. First Tibet, then Tiananmen, then Taiwan and all of the environmental and labour issues and women’s rights issues in China.””

Source: http://lfpress.com/news/politics/dont-self-censor-to-please-china-in-trading-relationship-exiled-tibetan-leader-tells-canada/wcm/9aef2058-65ff-4b57-9b5b-da91fe6ee62f.

“Next January, federal politicians will gather in a new, glass-ceilinged House of Commons that takes its architectural cues from a clearing in the woods.

The temporary chamber in the West Block will replace the Centre Block, currently home to the House of Commons and Senate chambers. Centre Block will remain closed for an estimated 10 years to undergo major renovations.

This week, journalists were given an early look at the project. The new Commons was built in what was once an outdoor courtyard, and natural light pours through a sweeping glass ceiling, about the size of a football field.”

Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/take-a-peek-at-canada-s-forest-inspired-house-of-commons-1.3976220.

“TORONTO — For the first time in decades, one of the world’s most durable and amicable alliances faces serious strain as Canadians — widely seen as some of the nicest, politest people on Earth — absorb Donald Trump’s insults against their prime minister and attacks on their country’s trade policies.

Some Canadians are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to seek peace with the U.S. president. Many others want him to hang tough even as Trump seeks to make political hay with his anti-Canada rhetoric.

But there’s broad agreement with this assessment by The Globe and Mail, a leading Canadian newspaper: “Relations between two of the world’s closest allies are now at a perilous low.””

Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-u-s-relations-at-a-low-after-trudeau-trump-trade-tiff-1.3973145.

“Politics sometimes makes for strange bedfellows — but what we’re seeing in Canada this week is a veritable orgy.

Everybody is jumping in bed with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: New Democrats, Greens, even Conservatives.

Heck, especially Conservatives.

Jason Kenney, Doug Ford, Andrew Scheer, Stephen Harper.

Name any prominent Canadian conservative, particularly those who despise Trudeau, and odds are you’ll find them snuggled under the sheets, politically speaking, with the prime minister.

It’s not that they’re particularly keen to spoon with Trudeau, but they want to be seen defending Canada against the bullying tactics of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Not only has Trump imposed punishing tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum exported to the U.S., but, in a move typical of a president whose political behaviour has yet to hit bottom, he began tweeting personal attacks against Trudeau as “very dishonest and weak.””

Source: http://edmontonjournal.com/news/politics/graham-thomson-canadas-politicians-pile-into-bed-with-prime-minister.

“Canada’s system of supply management has been the target of heated political debate for the better part of half a century — but very few Canadians outside of the affected farm sectors actually understand how it works, or who foots the bill for stabilizing farmers’ incomes.

Supply management is a system that allows specific commodity sectors — dairy, poultry and eggs — to limit the supply of their products to what Canadians are expected to consume in order to ensure predictable, stable prices.

While the federal government has played a role in supporting agricultural pricing policies for more than a century, the current system of supply management traces its origins to the 1960s — a period of overproduction due to technological advances that resulted in low prices for farmers.”

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-supply-management-explainer-1.4708341.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the Founder of In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal and In-Sight Publishing. He authored/co-authored some e-books, free or low-cost. If you want to contact Scott: Scott.D.Jacobsen@Gmail.com.

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