Ian returns to the podcast and we (belatedly) review our predictions for 2021 and look ahead to the year ahead. Plus a round up of the news.

Vote in the Greatest BC Premier Bracket

Links

* John Horgan announces he has completed his cancer treatment* 2021 Prediction Episode (Ep 221: 2021 is off to a helluva start)* BCCDC apologizes for creating confusion by repeatedly changing isolation advice  * Canada set to extend training mission in Ukraine as it considers aid request – The Globe and Mail* Adam Tooze: Chartbook #68 Putin’s Challenge to Western hegemony – the 2022 edition. * Government quietly seeks influencers to push out good news about troubled shipbuilding program | Ottawa Citizen* Jagmeet Singh and his wife have ‘realized their error,’ will pay for $1,895 rocking chair gift* Last Green leadership vote was not ‘legitimate,’ says interim leader | The Star

Our interview with BC Liberal leadership candidate Val Litwin & a round up of the week’s stories in BC and Federal politics.

Links

* Val Litwin’s website* BC Liberals launch review of new memberships ahead of leadership vote | Vancouver Sun* Jas Johal’s thread* British Columbians Ponder Who Can Deliver Affordable Housing – Research Co.* Record number of new homes registered in B.C.* Ottawa releases early details of landmark $40B First Nations child welfare agreement | CBC News 

Stewart Prest returns to discuss the evolving pandemic, how BC is adapting to omicron and why is it so hard for governments to articulate what the covid response goals are.

Links

* All travellers will once again need a molecular COVID-19 test before arriving in Canada | CBC News * Province strengthens COVID-19 measures for safer holiday season | BC Gov News* B.C.’s contact tracing and testing at maximum capacity, health officials say* Rapid tests not counted in official covid numbers* The Case of BC’s Missing COVID-19 Data | The Tyee* Stewart’s twitter thread on governments not articulating covid response goals* Opinion: The American polity is cracked, and might collapse. Canada must prepare – The Globe and Mail

Our last episode for 2021!

Provincially we’re facing the omicron variant and the NDP had a convention. Federally we got a fiscal update and some mandate letters.

But first, vote for Dave Barrett vs Dan Miller in the Greatest BC Premier Bracket.

Links

Covid

* Caught flat-footed, Canada once again fumbles its pandemic response – Macleans.ca

* Ontario offers COVID-19 booster shots to 18 and up on Monday | The Star

* Open boxes

* Just open boxes

* Federal NDP pitch

BCNDP Convention

* Strong Support for Horgan at NDP Convention | The Tyee

* Poll shows high favourability rating for Premier John Horgan | Georgia Straight

* Housing reforms receive support

Federal updates

* Freeland’s fiscal update reveals billions in new revenue, boosts spending on COVID-19 measures – The Globe and Mail

* Mandate Letters

Quick takes

* Vancouver eatery waiting on judge’s decision in whisky seizure case

Photo credit: flickr/bcgovphotos

The BCNDP is under internal pressure over RCMP action against protesters and land defenders in Wet’suwet’en territories. The government is also facing criticism over the increasing death toll from the toxic drug crisis. Across the aisle, the BC Liberal race has a new contestant. Federally, the opposition is pressing the government over Winnipeg lab documents and the handling of the evacuation of Afghanistan.

Vote in the Greatest BC Premier Bracket

Links

* CHEK News This Week in History: Premier Thomas Dufferin Pattullo

* Pattullo of BC | Maclean’s | JANUARY 1, 1934

* George Abbott View of Duff Pattullo and the Coalition Controversy of 1941

* Pattullo suggested the Yukon should simply join BC

* Chinese-Canadian veterans Pacific Unit 280 called for Pattullo’s name to be removed from bridge when it’s rebuilt

* Academics assess Gordon Campbell’s run as B.C. premier in new book

Main segment

* BC greenlit more Mounties on Wet’suwet’en territory before 3rd raid

* Vaughn Palmer: Cullen taking RCMP to task over handling of Coastal GasLink pipeline protesters 

* Cullen letter & reply from RCMP Commissioner Lucki

* NDP MPs press Singh to call on BC government to pull RCMP out of Wet’suwet’en territory

* BC experiences record loss of life due to drug toxicity | BC Gov News

* 2021 now deadliest year for illicit-drug overdoses in BC, after record 201 deaths in October, coroner says

* Government Policies Blamed as Toxic Drug Deaths Soar

* Jail is not the answer for people who deal fentanyl to support their own drug addiction, B.C. judge says

* Stan Sipos: Home

* Kevin Falcon on Twitter: “I fought to get the Canada Line built. Many municipal leaders opposed it at the time. It took vision and leadership to get the job done. BC deserves world-class rapid transit. As Premier, I will expand Skytrain to UBC, Langley, and the North Shore. #bcpoli #LetsWinBC #BCLib22”

* Gavin Dew Brews

*

Ian & Scott debate the BC Government’s alleged lack of response to financial requests from the Fraser Valley Regional District and recent FOI changes before turning their attention to the latest happenings in the House of Commons.

Links

* Vote in the Greatest BC Premier Bracket

* B.C. government criticized for slow flood aid response

* UPDATE: Sumas Lake will take weeks to drain, Highway 7 open, Chilliwack assesses damage

* BC government brings in $10 application fee for freedom-of-information requests

* MPs embrace after bill to ban conversion therapy passes unanimously in House

* Liberal bill would crackdown on health-care worker harassment and boost sick leave 

* Government Bill (House of Commons) C-3 (44-1) – First Reading – An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code – Parliament of Canada 

* Senate Bill S-1 evokes parliamentary tradition and Canada’s past

* Opposition parties demand Trudeau government release secret documents on fired Winnipeg scientists

* Liberals offer compromise to end parliamentary standoff over documents tied to firing of Winnipeg lab scientists

* Conservative vaccine mandate challenge founded: Speaker

*  Fiscal update coming

* Young Canadians launch court challenge to lower federal voting age from 18

* BC chiropractors vote for regulator to ‘take a stand’ against COVID-19 vaccine mandate

* COVID-19 vaccine now mandatory to get euthanized in Germany

* Barbados just got rid of the Queen — should Canada follow suit?

* For many Canadians, interest in remaining a constitutional monarchy will die with Queen Elizabeth

* Bloc shenanigans

Image credit: flickr/bcgovphotos

The House of Commons is back with a predictable throne speech and the BC legislature wraps up with predictable time allocation.

Vote in this week’s Greatest BC Premier Bracket contest: The battle of the Bennetts.

Links

* Throne Speech Building a Resilient Economy: A Cleaner & Healthier Future for Our Kids

* Five takeaways from a very cautious 2021 Throne Speech

* In a fiery speech, O’Toole says Canada is ‘drowning in debt and division’ on Trudeau’s watch

* Conservatives must be professional, show they are an alternative to Trudeau: O’Toole

* NDP reaction

* B.C.’s fiscal update projects deficit dip but doesn’t include costs associated with recent flood, mudslide

* Vaughn Palmer: NDP accused of ‘complete disregard’ for B.C.

* Conversion therapy survivors disappointed as B.C. NDP ignores 2nd bill seeking to ban practice

* 5 days paid sick leave coming for all British Columbians Jan. 1

* Paid sick leave: BC announces its plan | CTV News

* Journalists released after arrest at Wet’suwet’en pipeline dispute

* Mike Farnworth comments

* Green Party names Amita Kuttner as interim leader – National | Globalnews.ca

* Ep 190: A scientist runs for Green leader w Dr Amita Kuttner

Photo credit: flickr/Kyle Pearce

A once in 200 year flooding event, precipitated by an atmospheric river, has devastated the province. We’re losing track of how many disasters we’ve had in the past couple years. You’d think this would mean our politicians would have found a coherent strategy to respond to the crisis.

And amid the flooding the NDP have introduced a series of new pieces of legislation.

But first, vote for the greatest Conservative Premier in the latest round of the Greatest BC Premier Bracket.

Links

* How you can help BC residents who have been impacted by the storm | News

* Vote for Greatest BC Premier

* That time the premier of B.C. cut a cheque and doubled the size of Canada’s navy

Segment 1: The atmospheric river

* BC flood update: What you need to know

* Use of emergency alert system

* Canadian Army to build levee in Abbotsford in bid to save Sumas Prairie

* Emergency debate held in legislature

Segment 2: Full house

* Introduction of Attorney General statutes bill | BC Gov News

* New act protects important services from disruption | BC Gov News

* Access to Abortion Services Act

* Province building a more diverse, inclusive forest sector | BC Gov News

* Rob Shaw: Three birds, one stone

* Vaughn Palmer: B.C. forests bill gives minister complete control over compensation when cutting rights seized

* Katrine Conroy: B.C. old growth plan part of new vision for forest care  

Quick takes

* Wet’suwet’en territory tensions rise as RCMP move in on blockades

* Wet’suwet’en land defenders say inaction prompted Coastal GasLink eviction

* Arrests reported as RCMP move to clear Wet’suwet’en pipeline resistance in BC for 3rd time

* O’Toole defends decision to turf Batters as senator accuses him of keeping MPs in line with threats

A roundup of news from Ottawa this week.

Vote in the bracket

Links

* No deal to support Liberals on table, but NDP open to working with government: Singh

* O’Toole leaves MPs who questioned vaccine policy out of his shadow cabinet

* Departing officials complain Commons clerk was partial to Liberals, fell asleep during question period

* Annamie Paul formally resigns as Green leader, will end membership in party

* Bernier loses defamation fight against columnist who called him racist

* Justin McElroy FOI thread

* Natural Gas Royalty Review – Government of British Columbia

Urgently needed action will occur after a reasonable period. At least that’s the BC government’s message this week on old growth forest logging deferrals and drug decriminalization. And the Kevin Falcon campaign is rocked by sexual harassment allegations.

Links

* Premier’s statement on his health | BC Gov News

* Vote in the Bracket

* HAPHAZARD HISTORY: The interesting life of Amor de Cosmos – Williams Lake Tribune

* Charles Augustus Semlin

Segment 1: Decriminalizing Old Growth

* Government taking action on old-growth deferrals | BC Gov News

* BC promises to consult First Nations before pushing ahead with old-growth logging deferrals

* Steelworkers Union, Green Party unhappy with BC’s plan to defer old-growth logging

* UBCIC reaction

* B.C. government asks federal Liberals to decriminalize drugs across province

* BC 2021 Third Quarter Interim Financial Reports Available

* Federal Q3 financials

Segment 2: Falcon Falls

* Diamond Isinger’s allegations

* Kevin Falcon responds

* Michael Lee letter to BC Liberals elections committee and executive

Quick takes

* Defence Minister Anand moving military sexual misconduct cases into civilian justice system

* Antia Anand announcement

* In a move pollster calls ‘a direct challenge’ to O’Toole’s leadership, 15 to 30 Tory MPs and Senators starting new caucus to speak up for anti-vaxxers losing jobs

* Challenge of Manitoba PC leadership race inches ahead after new prem...