Politics continues in a pandemic as MPs meet virtually for the first time and all the media wants to talk about are the views of each MP’s home that we got a glimpse at. Then we look at the steps various (non-BC) provinces have announced to reopen their societies. Finally, there’s a new study out looking at the costs of restoring the old Island Rail tracks from Victoria to Port Alberni and Courtenay.

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Photo credit: Flickr/BCGovPhotos

A transcript will be available soon at politicoast.ca

Links

Segment 1: Politics in Lockdown

* Mute buttons and decorating tips: the House of Commons stumbles through an online session

* House of Commons meeting virtually on a platform described as a ‘gold rush for cyber spies’

* Canada’s first ‘virtual parliament’: Here are the best, worst and eeriest MP backgrounds

* Federal deficit could top $252 billion, says budget officer

* PBO report [pdf]

* Conservative Party leadership race is back on, with Aug. 21 deadline for mail-in ballots

* Conservative leadership candidate ignores calls to apologize for attack on Canada’s top doctor

* Scott Reid’s Twitter thread on leak

* Supreme Court moves Sask., Ont. appeals of carbon tax to September

* House passes $9B aid package after emergency student benefit boosted

* Students who collect emergency COVID-19 aid must attest they’re looking for work

* Joint statement on memorandum of understanding on Wet’suwet’en rights and title

Note: After we recorded, it came out that the Wet’suwet’en elected council is strongly objecting to the MoU. We’ll take a closer look next week.

Segment 2: Ending the lockdown

* Where we stand in Canada: Reopenings by province and territory from coronavirus lockdown

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