Hello,
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canadian security agencies have been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link between India’s government and the killing of a Canadian citizen.
Trudeau told the House of Commons Monday he was referring to the case of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the president of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara who was shot dead at the Surrey, B.C., temple in June. Police have described the incident as a targeted killing. (Story here.)
Trudeau said Canada has declared its deep concerns to top intelligence and security officials of the Indian government, and that he raised the matter with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 summit in New Delhi last week
“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” said Trudeau. “It is contrary to the fundamental rules by which free, open, and democratic societies conduct themselves.”
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, in the House Commons, said that if the allegations are true, they represent “an outrageous affront to Canadian sovereignty” and that Canadian citizens must be safe from extrajudicial killings of all kinds.
Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife and Senior Parliamentary Reporter Steven Chase report here.
This is the daily Politics Briefing newsletter, written by Ian Bailey. It is available exclusively to our digital subscribers. If you’re reading this on the web, subscribers can sign up for the Politics newsletter and more than 20 others on our newsletter signup page. Have any feedback? Let us know what you think.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
Liberals make affordability, public safety top priorities as grocery executives meet with minister – The minority Liberals say affordability issues and public safety will top their fall agenda as they try to sharpen their focus amid falling support and an emboldened Conservative Party. Story here. Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau is running out of time to complete a string of promises made after the 2021 election, an expert on federal procedures warns, as the Prime Minister’s government changes tack to tackle the cost of living and housing crises. Story here.
Ontario court dismisses sex workers’ Charter challenge, rules laws are constitutional – Ontario’s Superior Court has dismissed a Charter challenge launched by an alliance of groups advocating for the rights of sex workers, ruling that Canada’s criminal laws on sex work are constitutional. Story here.
Chow-Ford meeting ends with Ontario commitment to provide Toronto $26.4-million to help house asylum seekers – The Ontario government says it will provide Toronto with $26.4-million to provide urgent assistance to asylum-seekers as part of a $42-million fund to support communities across the province to do the same. Monday’s announcement came after Premier Doug Ford met with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow for the first time since she took office earlier this summer. Story here from CP24.
Child-care advocates call for public inquiry after E. coli outbreak at Calgary daycares – Alberta’s NDP critic for child care and children and family services, along with child-care advocates across the country, are calling on the provincial government to launch a full public inquiry into an E. coli outbreak at Calgary daycares that as of last week had climbed to 337 confirmed cases with 12 patients receiving care in hospital. Story here.
Canada must better protect immigrants, refugees from foreign intimidation, report says – A new report by human-rights lawyers, released ahead of the public inquiry on foreign interference, says Canada must be prepared to take forceful action to protect those who are often the targets of these attacks: immigrants and refugees. Story here.
Trudeau calls for better progressive messaging at summit in Montreal – Progressive politicians hoping to triumph over right-leaning political adversaries can only succeed if they can do a better job bridging their lofty goals with people’s day-to-day struggles, Canada’s Prime Minister said Saturday. Story here.
Builders call Ottawa’s tax break ‘major needle mover’ on construction of rental units – Real estate companies say Ottawa’s new GST break on construction will spur them to develop thousands of new rental units by offsetting rising financing and building costs. Story here.
Katie Telford, long-serving chief of staff, is the last woman standing in Justin Trudeau’s inner circle – At this point, “Gotta check with Katie” is basically a Parliament Hill magical incantation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s chief of staff is the quiet voice that carries, the last person in the room, a first-name-only Ottawa main character. Shannon Proudfoot profiles Ms.Telford here.
Supreme Court lacking expected applicants for empty seat as court set to resume in October – In a field made thin by a shortage of bilingual candidates, francophone judges from Alberta and Manitoba have emerged as leading contenders to fill a seat on the Supreme Court of Canada that has been vacant since the resignation of Russell Brown in June. Story here.
Removal of B.C. MLA from NDP caucus unrelated to police, harassment, Premier says – British Columbia Premier David Eby says a complaint by an employee in late July led to the removal of MLA Adam Walker from the New Democrat caucus, but the issue doesn’t involve police or sexual harassment. Story here.
THIS AND THAT
Today in the Commons – Projected Order of Business at the House of Commons, Sept. 18, accessible here. The Senate sits again on Tuesday.
Deputy Prime Minister’s Day – Chrystia Freeland, in Ottawa, held private meetings and, with Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, met with executives from major grocery store chains. Ms. Freeland was also scheduled to attend Question Period.
Ministers on the Road -Defence Minister Bill Blair, in London, met with the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps. Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault, in Edmonton, announced investments to help create more green-economy training and career opportunities. Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, in Calgary, announced clean energy investments.
Committees – Konrad von Finckenstein, the interim conflict-of-interest and ethics commissioner, was scheduled to brief the standing committee on access to information, privacy and ethics at 3:30 pm. ET. Details here.
Parliamentary secretaries – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced a new roster of parliamentary secretaries – MPs from the government benches who assist ministers. There’s a list here. Among the announcements: Former Ontario finance minister Charles Sousa, elected to Parliament in a 2022 Toronto-area by-election, is parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement. There’s a guide to their duties here.
New Canadian ambassador in Haiti – André François Giroux, most recently Canada’s consul general in Sydney, has been named Canada’s new ambassador to Haiti, replacing Sébastien Carrière. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Jol announced the appointment on Monday.
Journalists to take on Crisis Communications – Three veteran journalists are joining a new crisis communications and issues management service at the Ottawa-based Sandstone Group, which provides strategic public affairs, government relations. The new recruits are former Canadian Press Parliament Hill reporter Joan Bryden, Toronto-based Anthony Furey a candidate for the mayor’s job in Toronto who has been a columnist for Postmedia, and former CBC News political reporter and foreign correspondent Neil Macdonald. Announcement here.
PRIME MINISTER’S DAY
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa, held private meetings and attended Question Period.
LEADERS
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet is in Washington, discussing Québec’s participation in North American supply chains and trade spaces. His agenda includes meetings with representatives of the State department, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and members of the Senate International Relations Committee.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attended Question Period, and was scheduled to participate in a party fundraiser in the Ottawa suburb of Manotick.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is in her Vancouver Island riding this week, holding meetings and participating virtually in Parliament after she had a stroke this summer.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, in Ottawa, held a news conference to discuss the NDP’s fall sitting priorities, then participated in Question Period and introduced a private-members’ bill on grocery CEOS and grocery prices.
THE DECIBEL
As Parliament resumes for the fall session, the Globe’s Deputy Ottawa Bureau Chief Bill Curry joins The Globe and Mail podcast to talk about what’s ahead for the party leaders and their parties and the three things to pay attention to during the coming session. The Decibel is here.
OPINION
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board on how, with the Toronto transit phone dispute Montreal shows the better way: “In 2001, the most popular phone in the world was the Nokia 3310. The little grey brick with a monochrome screen let you talk, text and play Snake. That November, Toronto Transit Commission staff began to investigate whether to install cellphone network access in subway tunnels. Fast forward to 2023. Mobile devices let users to browse the internet, watch videos and run programs more advanced than those on many desktop computers a generation ago. And starting in October, all TTC riders will finally be able to use their phones underground … for part of the ride. The speed of technological progress sure is stunning.”
Kelly Cryderman (The Globe and Mail) on the World Petroleum Congress coming to Calgary: “Some downtown streets will be closed beginning Sunday as more than 5,000 delegates and speakers make their way to the Calgary Stampede grounds and BMO Centre. The city is playing host for the World Petroleum Congress, billed by organizers as the Olympics of the oil and natural gas industry. Part networking event, part conference, the congress, held every three years, stands apart for its ability to draw a diverse group of oil industry elites. It includes OPEC and non-OPEC countries, and leaders from state-owned giants and Western oil majors.”
John Ibbitson (The Globe and Mail) on how there is only so much Ottawa can do about Canada’s housing crisis: “There is a simple solution to the housing crisis: Voters in municipalities across Canada could elect mayors and councils dedicated to stripping away zoning restrictions, while simplifying and lowering the costs of permissions and permits. Unfortunately, voters in municipal elections tend to be homeowners who benefit from escalating prices and who want to preserve their neighbourhoods. Councils reflect their will. This may be why federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is violating a core principle of his party: that it does not interfere in areas of provincial jurisdiction. Only Liberals do that.”
Hannah Sung and Sabreena Delhon (Contributed to The Globe and Mail) on how changing the workplace of Parliament Hill would change everything: “Freed of the political pressures of answering to party leaders, political adversaries and the sleeping giant of angry social-media mobs, the former MPs we spoke with were surprisingly open. No one should have to put up with a workplace that is a “horror” or a “nightmare,” but that’s how former NDP MP Cheryl Hardcastle described working in the House of Commons. She wasn’t alone in vividly recounting the routine heckling and hostility she witnessed among her colleagues. Ms. Hardcastle described a moment during Question Period when a senior male MP shouted at a younger female cabinet minister, telling her to “sit down, sit down! You’re in over your head, just sit down.”
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.