Future Timeline

Canada to open border to fully vaccinated U.S. citizens on Aug. 9
Source: Washington Post

TORONTO — Canada on Monday said it would begin to ease pandemic restrictions at the U.S.-Canada border next month, allowing U.S. citizens and permanent residents in the United States who are fully vaccinated with Canadian-authorized vaccines to enter for nonessential travel without quarantining.

The decision, which takes effect on Aug. 9, follows months of criticism from U.S. lawmakers across the political spectrum, business groups and some travelers over what they said was an overly cautious approach to lifting curbs that have split families, battered the tourism sector and upended life in close-knit border communities.

To be eligible for entry, fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents must present a negative covid-19 molecular test taken within 72 hours of flight departure or arrival at a land crossing. They will also be required to upload proof that they have received a full series of an authorized coronavirus vaccine at least 14 days before departure to a Canadian government app.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... sImNvb2tpZ

Conservatives outline plan for 'bold' new international human rights agenda

Aug 06, 2021

Erin O'Toole and the Conservatives say that if they form the next government, they'll make it easier for newcomers to Canada to find work in their fields while transforming Canada's role in promoting international human rights.

The party released today what it is describing as eight policies making up a "bold new international human rights agenda."

The announcement comes as many predict the Liberal government will trigger an early election within weeks.

"Helping newcomers maximize their success by allowing them to work in their field of knowledge will be good for Canada, good for the economy and, most importantly, good for these workers and their families," said O'Toole in a media release.

Canada already has programs that allow skilled workers to speed up their immigration applications if they meet certain requirements, but critics say it's still difficult for many of those workers to immigrate and find work in their fields.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/conser ... -1.6132728

Trudeau Planning Snap Elections for September
by Joseph Choi
August 12, 2021

https://thehill.com/policy/internationa ... ber-report

Introduction:

(The Hill) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reportedly planning on holding a snap election for voter approval on government spending to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Reuters reports.

Multiple sources close to the matter told Reuters that Trudeau is set to host the election on Sept. 20 with the announcement expected to come on Sunday.

Reuters notes that Trudeau's Liberal Party, which currently makes up the minority in the Canadian legislature, has racked up record levels of debt in spending to protect individuals and businesses from the pandemic.

Lawmakers in the Conservative Party of Canada, Trudeau's main adversaries, have accused Liberals of excessive spending and burdening future generations with debt.

"Circumstances have changed massively since 2019. We need to know whether Canadians support our plans for economic recovery," one source told Reuters.

Canada is headed for a federal election on Sept. 20
Source: CBC

Following a meeting with Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau this morning, Gov. Gen. Mary Simon approved his request to dissolve Parliament, triggering the issuing of the election writs and formally beginning Canada's 44th federal election.

The campaign will last 36 days — the minimum campaign length permitted by law.
...
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh went so far as to urge Simon to refuse Trudeau's request. Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole said Monday he was concerned about holding a campaign during a fourth wave of the pandemic and accused Trudeau of pursuing an election in his own political "self-interest."
...
The federal Liberals continue to hold a lead in public polling, capturing 35.6 per cent of public support against 28.8 per cent for the Conservatives and 19.3 per cent for the NDP, according to CBC's Poll Tracker. That level of support puts them just in range of the 170 seats needed to form a majority government.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federa ... -1.6141189

Canada’s Conservatives make gains weeks ahead of vote, polls show

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/2 ... polls-show

Canada’s federal Conservative Party has made recent gains compared with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, recent polls show, less than two weeks after Trudeau called an early election in a bid to get a parliamentary majority.

The Conservatives, led by Erin O’Toole, were favoured by 33.3 percent of eligible voters, according to a tracking survey released on Saturday by Nanos Research that was conducted for CTV News and The Globe and Mail newspaper.

Allegations of flagrant overspending, mishandling Afghanistan dominate campaign trail

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/federal ... -1.5556764

TORONTO -- Accusations of wanton spending, misleading the public and prioritizing votes over the crisis in Afghanistan dominated the seventh full day of the federal election campaign.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh began Sunday in Toronto at an event honouring the tenth anniversary of Jack Layton's death. Layton led the NDP for eight years and the party soared to historic heights under his guidance, winning 103 seats in the 2011 election.

Singh paid tribute to Layton and his legacy and then took aim at Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's response to the situation in Afghanistan. Choosing his words carefully, Singh said he wondered if the timing of Trudeau's election call has inhibited Canada's ability to help its allies in a country thrown into chaos since it fell to the Taliban this month.

--- Good article for those trying to understand why Trudeau is in trouble --

Canada’s Economy Unexpectedly Contracts 1.1%; Loonie Weakens

Canada’s rebound unexpectedly stalled through spring and early summer, raising questions about the resiliency of the nation’s economy.

Gross domestic product fell at an annualized 1.1% pace from April to June, Statistics Canada reported on Tuesday, down from a revised 5.5% gain in the first three months of the year. Economists in a Bloomberg survey were anticipating a 2.5% expansion. Adding to the disappointment, economic growth fell a further 0.4% in July, according to a preliminary estimate.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... ium-canada

----

Not surprising. Some rumors were that the Trudeau had numbers the economy was going to get bad so wanted to risk trying to get his majority now. Looks like he won't be rewarded but Canada is in for instability.

So just an update about this election since I'm sure everyone is curious (JK). Trudeau remains behind the Conservatives in popular vote as he has basically failed to define why he called this election, and basically this is becoming a referendum on his ethics + rising consumer/house prices. He has since tried to go full on scare tactics on the Conservatives saying that they are anti-abortion, going to legalize assault rifles, and want to privatize the health care system. Unfortunately for him, O'Toole has moved his party quite left-ward so this strategy does not appear to be working. Add in Trudeau has been coming under scrutiny for standing by a candidate who allegedly sexually harassed staffers and it does not seem the majority he was looking for is going to materialize if he manages to hold the government at all. Largely going to come down to whether the separatist Bloc Quebecois collapses in Quebec so that the Liberals could gain seats in Quebec (which people don't think will happen based off of the debate last week), as well as whether the Liberals are going to totally collapse in Atlantic Canada.

Climate change/reconciliation/pandemic management which were widely expected to be the major issues of this election really have not taken much spotlight at all... A lot of people don't like Justin and unfortunately for him this seems to be a referendum on him.

Ho ho.... steady she comes, that UBI.

Another update in the final days. Trudeau and O'Toole are basically tied. Political insiders are suggesting this may be one of the closest elections in Canadian history. Advantage slightly to the Liberals now but likely with a reduced minority. Trudeau's political career looking very uncertain as majority looks completely out of reach, even if he does win he may get forced out by his own party in favor of Chrystia Freeland or Mark Carney. Conservatives did a few self inflicted blows on themselves which helped Trudeau a bit, but his ethic continue to dog him. The Bloc Quebecois are also resurging in the province of Quebec after a racially charged question to their leader at the English debate infuriated French Canadians.

Ahead of Canadian Election, Bernie Sanders and Rashida Tlaib Endorse NDP
by Jessica Corbett
September 18, 2021

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/ ... ndorse-ndp

Introduction:

(Common Dreams) "Bernie, you have fought courageously for public healthcare, affordable medication, making the rich pay their fair share, and tackling the climate crisis," said party leader Jagmeet Singh. "We're doing the same here."

After high-profile Democrats expressed support for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party ahead of the country's federal election on Monday, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Rashida Tlaib endorsed the New Democratic Party, led by Jagmeet Singh.

"There's one party that stood up for working people in the pandemic. One leader who has the courage to make the wealthy pay their fair share so everyone gets the medication they need," Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted Friday, explaining his support for Singh and the NDP.

Tlaib (D-Mich.) shared Sanders' tweet, saying, "I endorse this message."

Conclusion:

Sanders and Tlaib's endorsements came after former U.S. President Barack Obama tweeted support for Trudeau Thursday, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton—who beat Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary then lost to former President Donald Trump—followed suit Friday.

Final update before tomorrow, but this is likely to result in a return for Trudeau to power with another minority government. Conservative support has been falling most of this week due to the Conservatives making a bunch of mistakes over COVID proposals and comments. Possibly room for some surprises tomorrow but pretty sure the Conservatives no longer have a chance at winning.

Trudeau makes final appeal ahead of Canada's election
Source: AP

By ROB GILLIES

TORONTO (AP) — On the final campaign day of a tight election battle, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned that his Conservative opponents would weaken the nation’s battle against the pandemic and said Canadians need a government that follows science.

Polls indicate Trudeau’s Liberal Party is in a close race with the rival Conservatives and that it is unlikely on Monday to get the outright majority needed to govern without relying on an opposition party to remain in power.

“We do not need a Conservative government that won’t be able to show the leadership of vaccinations and on science that we need to end this,” Trudeau said at a campaign stop in Montreal on Sunday.

Conservative leader Erin O’Toole has refused to say how many of his party’s candidates are unvaccinated and Trudeau has been reminding Canadians of that at every opportunity.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/canada-healt ... ed18616f7f

Trudeau’s Party Wins Canada Vote but Fails to Get Majority
September 21, 2021

https://www.courthousenews.com/trudeaus ... -majority/

Introduction:

(AP via Courthouse News) TORONTO — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party secured victory in parliamentary elections but failed to get the majority he wanted in a vote that focused on the coronavirus pandemic but that many Canadians saw as unnecessary.

Trudeau entered Monday's election leading a stable minority government that wasn’t under threat of being toppled — but he was hoping Canadians would reward him with a majority for navigating the pandemic better than many other leaders. Still, Trudeau struggled to justify why he called the election early given the virus, and the opposition was relentless in accusing him of holding the vote two years before the deadline for his own personal ambition.

In the end, the gamble did not pay off, and the results nearly mirrored those of two years ago. The Liberal Party was leading or elected in 158 seats — one more than they won 2019, and 12 short of the 170 needed for a majority in the House of Commons.

The Conservatives were leading or elected in 119 seats, two less than they won in 2019. The leftist New Democrats were leading or elected in 25, while the Bloc Québécois were leading or elected in 34 and the Greens were down to two.

Ottawa police considering military intervention to end ‘unlawful’ blockade

Police in Ottawa warned they may have to call in the military to disband “unlawful” protests in the nation’s capital and a town near the US border, amid mounting tensions between protesters opposing Covid restrictions and local residents.

The Ottawa police chief, Peter Sloly, warned on Wednesday that the officers did not have the resources to remove a fleet of trucks parked by the protesters in the national capital, adding the city was considering requesting help from Canadian armed forces.

But he warned bringing in the military carried a “massive risk”, adding that protesters are believed to have weapons.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... nada-covid

I just would like to say, what's happening right now in Canada is sickening. It's nothing short of a fucking occupation by extremist funded by a hostile foreign power. By all rights, the military should be called in to restore order and bring an end to public instability. I understand the Prime Minister does not have this authority, the Governor General does, and by tradition the Queen of Canada. I have to ask, what's the point of a "Commonwealth" without cause to defend common interest or safe being?

It's time to end this charade and nonsense, this is not merely a Canadian issue, but an international incursion funded by American extremist. A blockade on anyone's foreign border is a hostile militant action and should be treated as such. I don't give a damn if Elon Musk believes himself untouchable, or the Americans "invincible," because everyone has viewed themselves as such hubris at some point.

Canada needs to view its diplomatic relationship with the U.S. in a completely different lens, and perhaps pursue new alliances to safeguard its own sovereignty. If things are this way with the Biden Administration. just imagine how they'll be when things become openly hostile.

Just a few corrections. The army is at the control of the prime minister not the Queen or Governor General they are ceremonial not actual heads of state. Canada has the Emergencies Act which superceded the War Measures Act when Justin's father Pierre sent in the army and subjected the Montreal area into martial law during the 1970 October crisis. Justin Trudeau has indicated he is not going to use the army at this time, mostly because he hasn't been asked by the provinces and is assuming their police forces will deal with it.

Most policing is actually dealt with at the provincial level, and it is the provincial leadership which is going to take heat for not dealing with these morons. There are reports there is going to be a massive counter protest in Ottawa this weekend. If any violence occurs there expect to see the protesters removed from Ottawa in short order. Ontario's Conservative premier is also up for relection this spring, and likely is probably trying to gauge cracking down on the protesters or losing support of people opposed to the convoy which is about 70% of the Canadian population being highly opposed at this moment.

Thank you for educating me on this issue @Xyls. Perhaps military intervention is seen as a heavy-handed issue in regard to protest, so I can understand the Prime Minister's logic in this. It's just frustrating, knowing that a good portion of the funding for this maliciousness comes from the United States:

Canadian official says 'significant element' from US involved in anti-vaccine mandate protests
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/20 ... -protests/


Certain agitators, like Elon Musk, have possible been hinted to have some involvement:

Really, perhaps this is a reason why those with immense capital need to be kept in check. They possess an unfair advantage over the rest of the populace in regard to resources and political will. This can lead to just a mere few causing societal instability. I hope Canada's populace will be able to safeguard themselves for the issues they believe in.