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politics briefing

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau takes part in a round table discussion in Vancouver, Friday, June 17, 2016.JONATHAN HAYWARD/The Canadian Press

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POLITICS BRIEFING

Federal and provincial finance ministers are in Vancouver today and will talk about expanding the Canada Pension Plan, something that the federal Liberals want. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne says that if a deal isn't reached, her province will continue moving forward with their own provincial pension plan.

What do Canadians think? Three-quarters of respondents to a new Angus Reid Institute poll say CPP should be expanded moderately or significantly. The polling firm's question included the possibility of higher premiums for higher benefits, though, based on another question, respondents did not seem to have heard too much about the debate.

And in other CPP reading, how Finance Minister Bill Morneau's views have evolved over the last few years.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW IN OTTAWA

> Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion has made only two decisions about exporting arms to other countries – one being the $15-billion deal to send armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, and the other, revealed for the first time, was to send military goods to Thailand, which has been ruled by an undemocratic junta since 2014. The federal government will not reveal what the military goods are, or whether Mr. Dion allowed or refused their exportation.

> Two men who held a fundraiser for Liberal MP Bill Blair, a former chief of Toronto's police, have been arrested on charges of fraud and money laundering.

> Fourteen security guards who work for Canada's embassy in Kabul were killed by a suicide bomber.

> A new group of First Nations who rely on the energy industry for their economic wellbeing are organizing to have their voices heard.

> Senator Serge Joyal, a former Liberal MP, says he hopes provincial governments challenge the new physician-assisted dying law in the courts.

> Liberal MP Rob Oliphant says that, while his caucus colleagues are friendly, there are still hints of homophobia in the group.

> Dominic LeBlanc – the Liberals' House Leader and now fisheries minister after the resignation of Hunter Tootoo – is navigating some difficult ethical waters in his new portfolio, given his ties to the Irving family.

> And what future awaits Jason Kenney: retirement, a run at the federal Conservative leadership, or uniting the right in Alberta? Sources tell The Globe's Adam Radwanski that it's probably the provincial option. (for subscribers)

WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT

Campbell Clark (Globe and Mail): "One notable group [in the Senate] spoke up for letting the elected govern, when push comes to shove: the independent senators Mr. Trudeau appointed in March. Several had opposed the [assisted-dying] bill before, but in the end, none voted to block it. Those newly appointed independents are key because they are a focus group for the future Mr. Trudeau has proposed for the Senate. He promised to reduce the partisanship; he booted Liberal senators from his caucus in 2014; in government, he promised to appoint independents. But Mr. Trudeau's vision comes with a question: If unelected senators exercise independent power, will they thwart democracy?" (for subscribers)

Juan E. Mendez (Globe and Mail): "[Solitary confinement] is largely used without reference to any specific conduct of the inmate and, even when it is based on a breach of prison rules, it is a sanction imposed without minimal due process. Not only is the use of solitary confinement more extensive, in many countries it seems to be used for longer and longer periods and even on an indefinite basis."

Tabatha Southey (Globe and Mail): "It's possible that LGBT people recognize in these killings a grotesque manifestation of a lesser hostility that they encounter constantly. Perhaps the hate from that night in Pulse is something they feel around them to a lesser degree all the time. Sure, conditions change depending on the day and where they are, but for the gay community, one way or another, that atmosphere is always there."

Michael Den Tandt (Postmedia): "C-14, as it now stands, won't be the last word. It will be scrutinized and challenged and an eventual return to the Supreme Court is probably inevitable. But in the time between now and then, medically assisted death will be implemented by doctors and measured against the real world, and that experience will inform any future changes. If there are eventually to be "advanced directives," or assisted deaths for people who are not yet terminally ill, this will be introduced methodically, under intense scrutiny, not under pressure of a prohibitive deadline."

Penny Collenette (Toronto Star): "Political reaction to tragedy does not have a one-size-fits-all template. Dignified silence, bombastic yelling, aggressive partisanship can all play a role, depending on circumstances and personalities. But while there may not be a template, there are consequences. As unnerving as it may be, tragedy is a powerful defining force in politics, a force to be used with great deftness and great caution. Used unwisely, it can become a magnet for anger and further chaos."

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