Hey,
Toronto Mayor John Tory did the precise factor by resigning over his relationship with a former member of his employees, says the Deputy Prime Minister.
Arriving for a caucus assembly on Wednesday, Chrystia Freeland, additionally the Finance Minister, advised journalists that Mr. Tory admitted to a severe mistake and took accountability for it.
“And he took accountability by resigning,” stated Ms. Freeland, the MP for the Toronto driving of College—Rosedale. “That was the precise factor to do and that was the required factor to do.”
Ms. Freeland stated she was “very shocked, even shocked” by the mayor’s disclosure, which prompted him to announce his resignation final Friday.
She additionally rejected as “wholly unfaithful and inaccurate” a media report that, throughout a phone name with Mr. Tory, she urged him to not resign.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated he needed to acknowledge the mayor’s years of service to the Metropolis of Toronto. “He was a robust associate for us,” Mr. Trudeau advised journalists earlier than the caucus assembly.
“I do know Toronto is dealing with actual challenges and I definitely hope the present and future management is ready to step up and make it possible for Torontonians proceed to get the alternatives they want,” stated the Prime Minister.
Nonetheless, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says Mr. Tory shouldn’t go away, including that he has been “phenomenal associate” for the provincial authorities.
“My opinion? It’s not time to alter. Every little thing goes tickety-boo for the Metropolis of Toronto, working effectively with the provincial and federal authorities,” Mr. Ford advised a information convention in Brampton, Ont.
“Let’s not upset the apple cart for a private situation he’s coping with.”
He added, trying to the longer term, “If a lefty mayor will get in there, God assist the individuals of Toronto.” Specifically, he expressed considerations about elevated taxes and out-of-control spending.
In the meantime, some members of the federal Liberal caucus had been dealing with questions on whether or not they would run for the mayoralty.
Toronto MP Ahmed Hussen, who’s Housing and Range Minister, dominated it out. “I don’t intend to do something apart from my job. I hope that’s clear sufficient for all of you,” he advised journalists following Wednesday’s caucus assembly.
Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino, a Toronto-area MP, additionally dominated it out this week.
Michael Coteau, the MP for Don Valley East and a former provincial Liberal cupboard minister, stated he has been getting some calls in regards to the mayoralty from throughout the political spectrum.
“In fact, I’ve to take that severely. I care deeply about Toronto. The state of affairs at metropolis corridor proper now may be very unstable and really discouraging. As soon as Mr. Tory decides on his ultimate choice, then different political leaders can take into account their plan of action,” he stated in a press release.
In citing Mr. Tory’s “ultimate choice,” Mr. Coteau stated he was referring to the timing of the mayor submitting his formal resignation to town clerk.
That is the every day Politics Briefing publication, written by Ian Bailey. It’s accessible completely to our digital subscribers. In the event you’re studying this on the internet, subscribers can join the Politics publication and greater than 20 others on our publication signup web page. Have any suggestions? Tell us what you suppose.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CUTS OFF RESEARCH FUNDING – The federal authorities will now not fund analysis with Chinese language navy and state safety establishments and is urging the provinces and universities to undertake comparable national-security measures. Story right here. Reporter’s Remark, Steven Chase: “This announcement follows The Globe and Mail’s reporting Jan. 30 on how Canadian universities have for years collaborated with China’s Nationwide College of Protection Expertise (NUDT), a high Chinese language military scientific establishment, on a whole lot of superior know-how analysis initiatives, producing information that may assist drive China’s defence sector in cutting-edge, high-tech industries. As The Globe first reported, researchers at 50 Canadian universities, together with the College of Waterloo, College of Toronto, College of British Columbia and McGill College, have carried out and printed joint scientific papers from 2005 to 2022 with scientists linked to China’s navy.
“Up to now 5 years, lecturers at 10 of Canada’s main universities printed greater than 240 joint papers on subjects together with quantum cryptography, photonics and house science with Chinese language navy scientists at NUDT. A few of these NUDT researchers are specialists in missile efficiency and steering techniques, cellular robotics and automatic surveillance. That is the second time the Trudeau authorities has declared it could crack down on funding of analysis with China and adversarial international locations.”
LEGAULT CALLS ON TRUDEAU TO DISCOURAGE MIGRANTS FROM COMING TO CANADA – A day after Quebec confirmed that asylum seekers who cross the border irregularly are being despatched to different provinces, Premier François Legault referred to as on the Prime Minister to discourage migrants from coming to Canada. Story right here.
MPS WANT CANADA SOCCER TESTIMONY – Three members of the Home committee whose inquiry into Hockey Canada led to the resignations of the group’s chief government and board of administrators at the moment are inquisitive about listening to testimony from Canada Soccer, the nationwide governing physique chargeable for the game in Canada, as a dispute over pay fairness with the ladies’s nationwide soccer staff involves a head. Story right here.
ONTARIO CAN WEATHER RECESSION: FINANCE MINISTER – Ontario’s Finance Minister says the province’s financial system is resilient sufficient to face up to a doable recession. Peter Bethlenfalvy says the fiscal state of affairs has improved by billions of {dollars}, though nonetheless working at a deficit. Story right here.
PM ATTENDING CARIBBEAN LEADERS SUMMIT – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is anticipated to depart Ottawa on Wednesday for the Bahamas, the place members of the Caribbean Neighborhood are gathering to debate regional points, together with the deepening disaster in Haiti. Story right here.
OTTAWA URGED TO ADOPT NEW CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS – Ottawa is being irresponsible for not hastening the adoption of building requirements that may make new properties extra resilient to the harsher local weather, the insurance coverage business says, after a 12 months when extreme climate occasions precipitated billions of {dollars} in harm claims. Story right here.
BC LIBERALS TOUT HARM REDUCTION SUPPORT – B.C. Liberal Chief Kevin Falcon says the province’s supervised drug consumption websites have strayed too removed from their goal and, if elected, his authorities would overhaul the services to supply extra medical supervision and guarantee shoppers are higher steered towards remedy. Story right here.
FORD MUM ON QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCESS TO DAUGHTER’S STAG AND DOE – Ontario Premier Doug Ford didn’t reveal particulars of who despatched invites – together with to builders – for his daughter’s $150-a-ticket stag-and-doe celebration final summer time, saying solely “the boys” took care of the cash that was raised. Story right here.
TOP EXECUTIVES DON’T NEED FRENCH – The highest executives of Air Canada, Canadian Nationwide, Crown companies and different organizations topic to the Official Languages Act, akin to port and airport authorities, won’t be required to obviously communicate and perceive French, because the Quebec authorities has referred to as for. Story right here from CTV.
PREMIERS ON HEALTH CARE – British Columbia Premier David Eby – story right here – met with federal colleagues Tuesday to put the groundwork for a bilateral well being deal. In the meantime, Yukon’s Premier says federal well being care cash particularly for the territories is “vital” to service supply. Story right here.
LIBERAL MAY OPPOSE PARTY’S LANGUAGE BILL – Opposition events have modified the Liberal authorities’s official languages invoice a lot, a Quebec Liberal MP stated he’s undecided he can nonetheless vote for it. Story right here.
POILIEVRE BACKS ALBERTA OIL-AND-GAS CONCERNS – Federal Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre says he backs Alberta Premier Danielle Smith over her considerations about what she’s referred to as Ottawa’s anti-oil and gasoline agenda. Story right here.
WORLD’S LARGEST SKATING RINK ON THIN ICE – The world’s largest skating rink, in Ottawa, is on skinny ice as Canada’s heat winter prevents its opening. Story right here from The Guardian.
THIS AND THAT
TODAY IN THE COMMONS – Projected Order of Enterprise on the Home of Commons, Feb. 15, accessible right here.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER’S DAY – Chrystia Freeland, in Ottawa, attended personal conferences in addition to the nationwide caucus assembly and was, in Toronto, scheduled to attend and ship remarks on the twenty third Canadian Journalists for Free Expression Gala: A Evening to Honour Brave Reporting.
LEGAL CHALLENGE ON $6,000/NIGHT HOTEL BILL – The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says it’s launching a authorized problem to pressure the federal authorities to reveal who stayed within the $6,000-per-night resort room throughout Queen Elizabeth’s 2022 funeral in London. The federation filed an access-to-information request asking who stayed within the resort room, and the federal government replied with a redacted response, citing safety considerations and a clause within the Entry to Info Act that prohibits the discharge of non-public info. The Canadian delegation in London for the funeral included Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Governor-Normal Mary Simon and 4 former prime ministers. The Toronto Solar reported the delegation expensed almost $400,000 in resort prices alone, together with the $6,000-per-night River Suite on the Corinthia Lodge.
HAMILTON PROVINCIAL BYELECTION – A March 16 byelection has been referred to as within the provincial Hamilton driving of Hamilton Centre, which was held by former NDP chief Andrea Horwath from 2004 to 2022. Ms. Horwath left provincial politics after the final basic election and has since been elected Hamilton mayor.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held personal conferences, attended the weekly Liberal caucus assembly and was scheduled to depart for Nassau to attend a gathering of the Convention of Heads of Authorities of the Caribbean Neighborhood, together with its opening ceremony and a welcoming reception.
LEADERS
Bloc Québécois Chief Yves-François Blanchet held a information convention on well being transfers and the fiscal imbalance shortly earlier than attending Query Interval.
Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre held a information convention in Calgary.
NDP Chief Jagmeet Singh, in Ottawa, attended the celebration caucus assembly, took questions from journalists forward of Query Interval and attended Query Interval.
No schedules supplied for different celebration leaders.
THE DECIBEL
Wednesday’s version of The Globe and Mail podcast is about points associated to medical entry to psilocybin – higher often known as magic mushrooms. The psychedelic is unlawful in Canada however there’s elevated curiosity in its potential therapeutic advantages. Nonetheless-illegal magic mushroom dispensaries have begun to pop up in Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. The Globe’s Mike Hager went to at least one, and explores the enterprise behind magic mushrooms. The Decibel is right here.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board on what B.C. will do with its surging carbon-tax revenues: “B.C. was Canada’s carbon-tax pioneer. However it’s now, 15 years later, that more durable selections emerge, because the levy turns into extra onerous. Restoring the revenue-neutral strategy and lowering different taxes can be splendid. But when the NDP opts to proceed to deal with spending to scale back emissions, it have to be clear that the supply of these funds is rising carbon taxes paid by individuals within the province – who, in distinction to federal carbon pricing, won’t obtain offsetting funds.”
Andrew Coyne (The Globe and Mail) on how Israel’s authorized reforms look awfully Canadian – and that’s not good: “What has provoked all this division and rancour is a bundle of authorized reforms launched by the right-wing authorities of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the purpose of curbing the ability and independence of the nation’s Supreme Courtroom – or, for those who favor, of eradicating one of many few limits on the federal government’s personal energy. There are a number of items to the bundle, however at its coronary heart is a proposal that can sound acquainted to Canadians: one that may enable the Israeli parliament to override the Courtroom’s selections, upholding legal guidelines the Courtroom had discovered had been in violation of ensures of rights underneath Israel’s proto-constitution, the Fundamental Legal guidelines. Or in different phrases, the however clause. Mr. Netanyahu even refers to it as ‘the Canadian mannequin.’”
Daniel J. Caron, Evert Lindquist, and Robert P. Shepherd (Coverage Choices) on vital issues for the way forward for the general public service: “In a December 2022 column in Coverage Choices, ‘Canada wants a royal fee to repair issues with the federal public service,’ Kathryn Could conveyed Donald Savoie’s reluctant name for a royal fee to discover the state of the Canadian public service and its future route. Many alternative causes had been highlighted. The general public service is overloaded, counting on gradual and outdated processes. There was fast progress after COVID and but – regardless of an arguably fast pivot to implement authorities insurance policies – it has been gradual to deal with the demand for important providers. It additionally appears incapable of responding in a well timed method to access-to-information requests regardless of politicians’ trumpeting of ‘open authorities.’”
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