Hello,
An Ontario judge has determined that Nathaniel Veltman’s attack on a Muslim family in London, Ont., which killed four people and injured a nine-year-old boy, was an act of terrorism. It’s the first time a court has made such a finding in a case of white nationalism.
The designation doesn’t affect Mr. Veltman’s sentence for first-degree murder, which carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years, but the case has been seen as a test of how Canada’s terrorism laws apply to white nationalists.
“I find that the offender’s actions constitute terrorist activity,” Justice Renee Pomerance told a sentencing hearing Thursday morning in London.
“The events of June 6, 2021, have caused many to question their safety when going about their business in London and beyond,” she continued.
Full story here by Colin Freeze.
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TODAY'S HEADLINES
Opposition parties urge immediate release of uncensored Winnipeg lab documents: The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois today urged the uncensored records on the firing of two scientists from Canada’s top infectious-disease laboratory be made available as soon as possible – echoing the recommendations of a special committee of MPs that evaluated the records.
Quebec government to table budget on March 12 amid warnings of larger deficit: Finance Minister Eric Girard said today the government’s priorities for the 2024-25 fiscal year will be health care and education.
Trudeau announces $13.3-million in funding for housing construction in Cape Breton: The funds, disclosed at a housing development south of Sydney, N.S., the largest city in Cape Breton, will fast-track the construction of 367 housing units over the next three years.
Nova Scotia Liberal MLA Brendan Maguire crosses floor to PCs, will enter cabinet: Premier Tim Houston will appoint Maguire minister of community services, a news release said.
Hostile political climate prompts resignation of Gatineau mayor: France Bélisle, the first female mayor of the Quebec city beside Ottawa, said today she is leaving to preserve her health and integrity, CBC reports.
Former Globe publisher and CEO Phillip Crawley honoured with lifetime achievement award: The Globe and Mail’s former publisher and CEO has been awarded the Canadian Journalism Foundation’s prize for lifetime achievement in recognition of his decades-long career in journalism and his dedication to the industry.
Muslim groups say MPs won’t be welcome in mosques until they call for Gaza ceasefire: An open letter signed by the National Council of Canadian Muslims and a number of prominent mosques, obtained by CBC News, says MPs who refuse to make these pledges publicly will not be “provided with a platform to address our congregations.”
GST, HST on Ottawa’s carbon price could raise billions over next seven years, budget watchdog says: The latest figures come from the parliamentary budget officer, based on a private member’s bill introduced last fall by Conservative MP Alex Ruff to eliminate the sales tax from carbon pricing completely.
Treasury Board president announces initiatives to support Black public servants: The first initiatives of the government’s plan for Black public servants includes almost $14-million in funding to three federal organizations, according to the Ottawa Citizen.
Officials could seek repayment from ArriveCan contractors, MPs told: Public Works and Government Services officials also said they are scaling back the use of sole-source contracting and vowed to increase scrutiny over what the government is actually buying when it pays contractor invoices.
Maestro Fresh Wes becomes the first hip-hop recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards: Wes Williams is one of the five laureates of the awards, which recognize Canadians who have made a lasting contribution to cultural life in the country and internationally.
Victims’ families hold vigil at site of Robert Pickton’s farm: The families of Pickton’s victims held a vigil at the site of his Port Coquitlam, B.C., farm, a day before the serial killer is eligible to apply for day parole, CBC reports.
TODAY’S POLITICAL QUOTES
“Hey Pierre, hold my beer.” – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on social-media platform X, responding to a poll by Alberta broadcaster Ryan Jespersen, that found more respondents would prefer to have a beer with Trudeau than Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
“Why would you want to have a beer with a self-righteous narcissist wagging his finger at you for heating your home & driving a car to work while he jets around the world?” – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, in response to Trudeau’s post.
“Sometimes I sit back and wonder who is running the country, Justin Trudeau or Guilbeault?” – Ontario Premier Doug Ford, on his exasperation with federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, in an interview today on Toronto radio station AM640.
THIS AND THAT
Harper and Moe in India: Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper says, in a social-media posting, that he was in Delhi today with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who is on a trade mission trip.
Johnson headed for Ottawa: Former British prime minister Boris Johnson will be the keynote speaker at this year’s national conference of the Canada Strong and Free organization, formerly the Manning Centre for Building Democracy. The organization today announced Johnson’s participation at their conference, which begins April 10 in Ottawa.
Governor-General and Order of Canada: Mary Simon invested a number of Canadians, including Oscar-winning filmmaker James Cameron, into the Order of Canada during a ceremony at Rideau Hall.
Commons and Senate on a break: Both the House of Commons and the Senate return Feb. 26.
Deputy Prime Minister’s day: Chrystia Freeland toured an affordable housing development, and took media questions.
Commons committee highlights: The government operations committee hears witnesses on the ArriveCan app.
Ministers on the road: Treasury Board President Anita Anand, in the Montreal-area city of Longueuil, with Lisa Campbell, Canadian Space Agency president, announced projects to demonstrate innovation in greening federal operations. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, in Montreal, participated in an armchair discussion at the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. Tourism Minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada, in St. John’s, addressed the Atlantic tourism community and participated in meetings at the 2024 Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Annual Conference and Trade Show. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, in Peterborough, Ont., announced $8.6-million support for a home energy efficiency program in the city. Filomena Tassi, minister for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, announced $8-million to support the development and commercialization of new transportation technologies and innovative solutions in Southern Ontario.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
In Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Justin Trudeau visited a long-term care facility at the Eskasoni First Nation, later made a housing announcement and then took media questions. Later, he met with first responders. He was also scheduled to do an interview with CBC’s Mainstreet Cape Breton with Wendy Bergfeldt.
LEADERS
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May travelled from Kitchener, Ont., to Toronto to attend private meetings.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has no public events scheduled today.
No schedules released for Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet or Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
THE DECIBEL
On today’s edition of The Globe and Mail podcast, John Ibbitson, the Globe’s writer-at-large, explains the factors that have led to the steep decline in support for the federal Liberals as measured by public-opinion polling and whether this is simply the end of a political cycle. The Decibel is here.
OPINION
The bravery of Alexey Navalny will outlive Putin’s cruelty
“Last Friday, the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin killed Alexey Navalny. It was done out of fear. So accurate and unremitting was Mr. Navalny’s criticism of the Russian dictator’s regime, so ruthless was its exposure of the cowardice, corruption and brutality that lie at the heart of it, and so inspiring was it to the Russian people, that Mr. Putin pulled the trigger. Not the literal trigger, of course. That would have required leaving the fortified security of the Kremlin. No, Mr. Putin finally succeeded in killing Mr. Navalny – after an embarrassingly botched poisoning attempt by his security forces in 2020 – with the help of corrupt courts, inhumane prisons, torture and, possibly, more poison.” – The Globe and Mail Editorial Board
Danielle Smith breaks pledged tax cut while promising the moon for Alberta’s Heritage Fund
“Alberta, Danielle Smith has just announced, has one last shot at getting it right. And by it, the Premier means turning the Heritage Savings Trust Fund into a behemoth financial asset – worth as much as $400-billion by 2050 – for “prosperity that will last long after our last barrel of oil has been produced.” In doing so, Ms. Smith is asking Albertans to believe she is capable of a new way of doing things – even though government raiding of the fund began as soon as its vaunted creator, Peter Lougheed, saw his government run into financial difficulties in the early 1980s.” – Kelly Cryderman
Hard choices lie ahead as Canada prepares to meet NATO defence target
“Most Canadians may not appreciate the hard choices that lie ahead as Canada prepares to meet its NATO commitment of devoting 2 per cent of this country’s gross domestic product to defence. Politicians are shielding voters from that harsh reality. They won’t be able to shield them much longer. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg declared this week that Canada must provide a hard date for meeting the 2-per-cent floor that all NATO members committed to last summer.” – John Ibbitson
Trudeau doesn’t look like a Prime Minister who’s ready to quit
“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn’t look defeated, defensive or worried. He may be down 20 per cent in the polls – a fact he shrugs off – but says he’ll be around to fight the next federal election.”I could not be the person I am and choose to step away from this fight right now when it is so important, just because it’s getting a little difficult or people are wondering if they’re not tired of me,” Trudeau told Ryan Jespersen of the Real Talk video show.” – Don Braid, The Calgary Herald
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Ian Bailey