The News Rundown

Alberta bill would let political parties spend more, end some quarterly financial reporting and 'AFL loophole'

Last Friday the Alberta government released the PricewaterhouseCoopers Report on policing in Alberta.
This report was put forward after the fair deal panel put forward a review that Alberta should implement its own police force and not renew the contract with the RCMP.
Put simply, Ontario and Quebec already have their own police force so a blueprint exists for Alberta to do the same.
It would cost the province more as we would lose up to $170m in federal funding.
But with that response times would decrease and officers would be from the communities in question rather than potentially from out of province.
Most of the media reaction to this has centred on why Alberta shouldn’t do this but at the end of the day there’s a blueprint and Albertans will likely have the final say in a referendum at some point in the future.
But as with all things in Alberta this will hinge on our democracy.
The fall session of the Alberta legislature started and the UCP continues to tick off its 2019 platform commitments.
This week Bill 81 was introduced which will raise election spending limits to be in line with current prices, set a fixed election date, and close the so-called “AFL (Alberta Federation of Labour) Loophole” by prohibiting groups affiliated with political parties from running a registered political action committee.
The new funding formula would set a funding value of $1.16 per registered voter which creates a limit of $3.27m with about 2.8 million registered voters.
Since the Redford government Alberta has had a fixed election period. The new Bill would set a fixed election date of the last Monday in May every 4 years setting the start of the campaign period as the day the writ is issued rather than Feb 1.
Alongside this the number of advance voting stations will increase to increase accessibility for voters.
The AFL loophole is simple in that it prevents groups associated with a political party from running a PAC or political action committee.
In the past the Alberta Federation of Labour has had very close ties with the NDP and it’s this sort of hand and arm relationship that Bill 81 seeks to curtail.
For anyone wondering, the relationship in question is that the head of the AFL, Gil McGowan, has run for the federal NDP before and with the way that the NDP is structured, federal and Alberta NDP are inherently linked.
Under the bill, the chief electoral officer at Elections Alberta will be required to refuse the registration of a third-party advertiser, also known as a political action committee (PAC), if its higher-ups are also involved in making the decisions of a political party. It also directs the chief electoral officer to consider the “activities” of members of a PAC, including public statements in support of or opposition to registered political parties or candidates.
But most importantly in this Bill, another election promise is fulfilled: an annual donation limit of $30,000 for PACs will be put in place. Previously legislation brought in by the NDP only applied to the election period leaving a loophole.
What’s really rich in this story is that NDP democracy and ethics critic Thomas Dang said the changes in this bill are a “dangerous attack on democracy.”
The NDP this time is concerned that any extra donations received during nomination races could be donated to constituency associations.
The idea in the NDPs mind is that a grassroots party like the UCP that has open nominations and draws tons of attention would see candidates run and those who don’t win would have any extras sent to the constituency association in question skirting the new $12,500 (up from $10,000) limit for nominated candidates.
The difference of course is that this money will come from individual donors and not PACs, corporations, or unions.
Dang continued to use inflammatory language saying that the “system [will be] fundamentally unfair and rigged, so that Premier Jason Kenney can steal the next election.”
These are the exact same words that the media criticized Republicans south of the border for using after the 2020 general election that rhetoric seems to be fine for the Alberta NDP and media covering this story.
For Albertans who voted for the UCP in 2019 and were intrigued by their democratic reform platform that is nearly complete with the biggest items of recall legislation (pending regulation writing) and citizen referenda (again, pending regulation writing) finished. With putting limits on PACs, and setting fixed election dates coming into force very soon once Bill 81 passes.
It’s still so puzzling why people are surprised when the UCP does things that were in their platform.
Elections have consequences and that’s why it is so important that we pay attention when changes to our democracy happen.
Supplementals:

The biggest news out of BC this week is that Premier John Horgan has been diagnosed with throat cancer, after a biopsy on a growth on his neck last week. He says his prognosis is good and he expects to make a full recovery. He will begin radiation treatment soon. In the meantime, Horgan will continue as premier. Deputy Premier Mike Farnworth will step in in the event he is needed to assist with the premier’s duties. We wish Horgan well in his battle against cancer.
In other BC news this week, it appears that the Royal BC Museum, one of downtown Victoria's most popular tourist attractions, will be getting a face lift on half of its exhibits in an operation that could take years to complete. The museum, which was created in 1886, recognizes that some displays are an offensive and inadequate representation of Indigenous history, and said the changes are in response to a call to action from Indigenous leaders to “ensure the museum is a welcome place for everyone.”
The entire 3rd floor of the museum, known as the First People's gallery, includes the exhibits Our Living Languages: First People's Voices in B.C. and Becoming B.C. The Becoming B.C. gallery, which focuses on the story of European settlement in B.C. and has been widely criticized by First Nations for pushing a colonial narrative, will be the first to close. The main floor and second-floor natural history and special exhibit galleries will remain open, along with the IMAX theatre, which contains the largest IMAX screen in BC.
RBCM acting CEO Daniel Muzyka, who took over for the previous CEO after allegations of racism in the institution from First Nations staff, sent out a statement explaining the decision: "Decolonization of the museum’s galleries is important and long overdue. This is necessary to begin the long-term work of creating new narratives that include under-represented voices and reflect the lived experiences and contemporary stories of the people in B.C."
The announcement is part of the museum's response to calls to action from Indigenous leaders to increase cultural safety and make the museum a welcome place to all. The museum's goal is to reflect the lived experiences of people who live in modern British Columbia, as well as those who have historically lived in the region.
Muzyka, said the process means the exhibits in the Becoming B.C. Gallery chronicling early European settler history — including the Old Town replica, displays on the early logging and fishery industries and a replica of Captain George Vancouver’s ship, Discovery — will disappear. But elements of those displays will eventually return in a new form as the museum develops a “new narrative.” Displays on the third floor, such as Old Town and Vancouver's ship have long been among the museum’s most popular since their introduction in the 1960s, but Muzyka said the changes are essential to present a more accurate history for generations to come.
The First Peoples and Becoming BC galleries will be closed in phases, before being completely shut down on Jan. 2, 2022. The museum says the phased closure will give visitors a chance to view the exhibits as they currently appear.
It's currently unclear what the third-floor galleries will be replaced with. The museum says it will undertake extensive consultations and community outreach before any new exhibits are unveiled. Discussions will include First Nations from across B.C., Métis people and those of South Asian and Chinese heritage, who all played roles in the province’s history, said Muzyka.
Artifacts that are currently on display will be returned to the museum's collections as the First Peoples and Becoming BC galleries are closed down. The museum notes that this is not a renovation of the exhibits but an end to them.
The NDP's Minister of Tourism, Melanie Mark, who is the first First Nations woman to serve in cabinet, had harsh words for the museum. "Our government’s commitment to truth and reconciliation demands that we diversify and decolonize the way we share the history of B.C. For too long, museums have been colonial institutions that exclude others from telling their own stories. We have an opportunity to turn the museum inside out, and it starts here, now, on the museum’s third floor."
The chief of the local Tsartlip First Nation Don Tom said he was surprised by the announcement, but welcomes the changes and says that “it addresses some of our concerns about racism at the RBCM. It’s a step in the right direction, but there is much work to do. For me personally and [the Tsartlip] it presents an opportunity to educate the wider population about the real history of B.C.”
The museum has long been regarded as one of the best in Canada, and the decision has caused mixed reaction online, with many recounting favourite parts of the surprisingly lifelike and interactive exhibits. It remains to be seen what narratives the museum will try to tell with their new exhibits, but one thing's for sure, a huge pillar of Victoria will be irrevocably changed forever.
Supplementals:

Feds expected to announce plans to raise, re-lower flags for Remembrance Day

Since the graves of 215 expected children were found at a Kamloops residential school site this past May, flags in Canada have been at half mast.
The flag is as important of a national symbol as there is. It is what signifies Canada to the world abroad and acts as a display of national patriotism at home.
Canadians by and large when travelling abroad often wear a Canadian flag on their hat or bags to signify their national pride.
There has been a huge myriad of discussion through the election campaign about just when the flag would return to its full stature.
We now have the plan for the flag’s return.
On November 7th all flags currently at half mast in recognition of the victims and survivors of the residential school system will rise at sunset.
They will lower on November 8th for Indigenous Veterans Day and then be raised and lowered again on November 11th.
Following Remembrance Day on November 11th the flags will be raised again.
Conservative leader Erin O’Toole said, “Canada’s flag is our most important national symbol, which not only represents our dream for a better country, but our past… It was appropriate to lower the flag to recognize our tragic history of residential schools and the unspeakable trauma it has caused for generations of Indigenous peoples in Canada… In fact, because of the personal conduct of the Prime Minister, an opportunity to raise the flag after the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th was missed. Symbolic acts are not a substitute for concrete action on reconciliation.”
Some of the options discussed include raising an orange “every child matters” flag aside the Canadian flag.
“Every Child Matters” is an interesting slogan because in thinking about it, do we want each missing child and survivor to just “matter”? Or do we want them to attain justice and be remembered for their distinct culture and personality?
Having the push to have certain groups “matter” is a cop-out when it could be so much more.
This discussion around the flag comes from the same government that on last Friday afternoon announced they were going to appear in a court case that would have had the government compensate Indigenous children. Appealing the case is effectively taking Indigenous children to court.
After suffering backlash on this the government announced that while they would be appealing it, they’d also start the claims process.
If the government acts like this many will wonder, do they even care? Why are they making the flag a big deal?
Many will ask why not just raise a flag on the same pole with the Canadian flag?
That can’t be done. Current flag protocols state that the National Flag of Canada has to be flown on its own mast or pole and it’s improper to fly two or more flags on the same mast or pole.
The government’s statement on the matter says, “As the paramount symbol of our nation, the act of flying the National Flag of Canada at half-mast for the longest period of time in Canada’s history speaks to the extraordinary sense of loss.”
This is a profound moment in Canadian history and it’s causing many to take note of the flag, something at which they do not do often.
Part of having a robust country includes a certain level of patriotism and the flag falls squarely into that. This entire discussion since May is grounds to reopen the flag code and add further clarification about half mast.
Alongside this the government could also add language clarifying that derivatives of the Canadian flag are not to be flown in place of the Canadian flag.
There are other provisions as well that could be discussed but if anything this year teaches us that there should at least be a discussion on whether or not to limit how long a flag can be flown at half mast due to a certain event.
At the end of the day we must remember our veterans as it was those people fighting for freedom in both World Wars, Korea, and Afghanistan that have had a huge impact on our country.
Their sacrifices should not be forgotten or diminished and we can only hope that 2022 will see a proper space of time between flags being lowered on National Truth and Reconciliation Day and Remembrance Day.
Supplementals:

Firing Line

Canada will put a cap on oil and gas sector emissions, Trudeau tells COP26 summit

One of the bigger pieces of world news this past week that affects Canada has been the United Nations' Climate Change Conference, known as the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, being held between Oct 31st and Nov 12th. 25,000 delegates from 200 countries are attending, and around 120 heads of state.
Justin Trudeau has been attending of course, and has attempted to raise Canada's profile among the other nations with his own curious brand of politics. Trudeau announced that Canada will impose a hard cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Calling the promise "a major commitment" that should inspire other resource-rich countries to dramatically curb their own emissions, Trudeau said Canada is prepared to limit the growth of one of the country's largest industries to help the world hold the global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
"We'll cap oil and gas sector emissions today and ensure they decrease tomorrow at a pace and scale needed to reach net-zero by 2050. That's no small task for a major oil and gas producing country. It's a big step that's absolutely necessary."
Trudeau also invoked the memory of Lytton BC, on Monday as he called for global action in the fight against climate change and formally committed to a cap on emissions produced by Canada’s oil and gas sector. He told the assembled leaders: “What happened in Lytton can and has and will happen anywhere. How many more signs do we need? This is our time to step up — and step up together.”
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), the lobby group that represents oil and gas interests, has argued that Canada accounts for less than 1.5% of the world's GHG emissions and global climate change efforts should be directed at coal, which still accounts for half of all emissions.
CAPP president and CEO Tim McMillan disagrees with Trudeau's announcement that will hobble one of the country's most profitable industries: "Natural gas and oil are Canada's largest export products and a foundational pillar of Canada's economy and innovation capacity, supporting approximately 500,000 jobs and representing about $30 billion in annual economic investment. To achieve the ambitions of the Paris Agreement the world will need increased access to lower emission natural gas and oil. Canada, under the right policy environment, can position ourselves as a preferred global supplier, creating jobs and prosperity for Canadians and helping to lower global greenhouse gas emissions."
In a letter to the government's net-zero advisory board, former Greenpeace rooftop stuntman turned Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and former Environment Minister turned Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson say they need the board's help to craft the new sector emission cap.
"It is essential that as we move to a net-zero emissions economy, Canadian workers and communities continue to prosper. Our goal is a future in which the energy workers and communities that helped build this country have even greater opportunities than they do today, through a responsible transition to the low-carbon economy."
Guilbeault said he didn't have any details yet on what would happen to a company that goes beyond the cap, saying that the plan is still "in development", but was quick to say that John Kerry, Biden's special presidential envoy for climate, had expressed interest in the idea.
Guilbeault has long been an opponent of Canada's oil and gas industry. Shortly after being sworn in as Environment Minister, he made what amounts to a war declaration. “Ottawa will cap emissions from the oil and gas sector. We’re not doing that with any other sectors — not steel, not the auto industry, forestry, cement. We’re doing it for oil and gas because it represents 25% of emissions in Canada.” He says “for” oil and gas, as if it’s a favour.
Canada's carbon tax is set to become $170 a tonne by the end of the decade, despite stiff opposition from the Conservatives, and Trudeau is now trying to get other countries to put a carbon tax in place as well. He floated the idea of establishing a minimum global price on emissions to level the playing field for countries like Canada that already have levied taxes on fuel sources.
The tax hike will, however, result in higher costs for consumers when they buy gasoline. The price at the pump will increase by 37.57 cents a litre by 2030 as a result of the $170 a tonne tax, and the cost of light fuel oil for home heating, natural gas and propane will rise as well. Inflation has also caused many of these prices to rise as well already.
It remains to be seen what exactly the conference will really accomplish in terms of real action on climate change, or on ordinary citizens living around the world.
China's Xi Jinping was not attending the conference, and with greenhouse gas emissions by China being the world's largest by far, this makes it less likely the conference would result in a significant climate deal. The prime ministers or heads of state of South Africa, Russia, Iran, Mexico, Brazil, and Turkey did not attend the meeting either.
Elizabeth May, the Green Party's on again off again leader, decided to attend the conference with her fellow Green MPs, which consists of herself and Mike Morrice, MP of Kitchener Centre. She decided to take a train from London to Glasgow instead of a plane.
Delegates travelling to Glasgow in private jets were accused of hypocrisy by commentators and campaigners. Around 400 private jets arrived at Glasgow for the talks, making journeys which could mostly have been completed using scheduled flights. Event planners, however, insisted that the conference would be carbon-neutral.
U.S. President Joe Biden is thought to be the worst offender, as Air Force One and the four other large jets that accompany him will generate almost 1,000 tons of CO2 during his round-trip to Europe.
In addition, the president travelled from Edinburgh airport to the summit in Glasgow in a motorcade of 22 cars, creating around four tons of CO2 for the 150-km round trip. The president’s armoured limousine, nicknamed the Beast, manages just eight miles per gallon and emits 4kg of CO2 per mile. In contrast, a hybrid family car emits around 0.12kg per mile.
One wonders if the climate conference will actually reduce more CO2 than its attendees have emitted in just getting to Glasgow and back.
Supplementals:

Word of the Week

Decolonization - the action or process of a state withdrawing from a former colony, leaving it independent. In Canada, it refers to the action of erasing the remnants of European colonial history.

Quote of the Week

"Decolonization of the museum’s galleries is important and long overdue. This is necessary to begin the long-term work of creating new narratives that include under-represented voices and reflect the lived experiences and contemporary stories of the people in B.C." - Acting Royal BC Museum CEO Daniel Muzyka on the changes to the museum.

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Show Data

Episode Title: Unsettling

Teaser: Alberta continues to implement democratic reform, The Royal BC Museum is decolonizing its exhibits, and the Canadian flag will emulate a yoyo over the next week. Also, we discuss the impacts of the COP26 summit, as Trudeau continues to hobble oil and gas.

Recorded Date: November 5, 2021

Release Date: November 7, 2021

Duration: 52:11

Edit Notes: None

Podcast Summary Notes

Duration: XX:XX