The latest sanctions, especially out of the EU, are a statement that this oligarchic wealth will no longer be tolerated. And they’re not just punitive. For years, elite Russian money has been distorting Western markets such as real estate, flooding the industry with suspect or illicit wealth and driving up prices. At a minimum, blocking this oligarchic wealth will help block these largely anonymous flows and slow spiraling costs.
The penalties are also a phenomenal soft power tool, a form of justice for regular citizens in Russia (and elsewhere) who have watched oligarchs use their political connections to feast on funds that should have otherwise gone to schools or hospitals.
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
CTF DISPLAYS CANADA'S EVER INCREASING DEBT
VICTORIA, B.C.: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is launching its national Debt Clock tour to show Canadians from coast to coast what it’s like to watch Canada’s trillion-dollar debt go up in real time.
“It’s hard for most of us to imagine a trillion-dollar debt, but we know what it’s like to watch a bill going up in real time and that’s exactly what the Debt Clock shows Canadians,” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF. “Canada’s national debt is already more than $1 trillion and it’s going up by almost $400 million every day.
The CTF first launched the national Debt Clock tour in the 1990s to push back against large deficits and debt. The CTF built a new Debt Clock because the previous one did not have enough digits to display the current government’s $1,000,000,000,000-debt.
“It’s hard for most of us to imagine a trillion-dollar debt, but we know what it’s like to watch a bill going up in real time and that’s exactly what the Debt Clock shows Canadians,” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF. “Canada’s national debt is already more than $1 trillion and it’s going up by almost $400 million every day.
The CTF first launched the national Debt Clock tour in the 1990s to push back against large deficits and debt. The CTF built a new Debt Clock because the previous one did not have enough digits to display the current government’s $1,000,000,000,000-debt.
PREMIER HORGAN INSULTS COVID RESTRICTION PROTESTORS
A major convoy protest planned for Victoria failed to materialize on Monday, but not without NDP Premier John Horgan letting British Columbians know what he thought of people protesting his government’s ongoing COVID restrictions.
“If people want to drive around and honk their horns, then fill your boots,” said Horgan on Friday. “And at $2.00 a litre (for gas) that’s not only bad judgment, that’s stupidity.”
Last week, B.C. became the last province to announce it would relax pandemic restrictions, including dropping masks on Friday and vaccine passports by April 8, the latter going ahead “assuming conditions continue to improve.” Before this, the provisional deadline for the passports had been June 30.
Even so, Dr. Bonnie Henry hinted restrictions were likely to return in the fall.
B.C. also continues to terminate government workers who were forced onto unpaid leave last fall after refusing to comply with vaccine mandates, even as other provinces including Alberta and Nova Scotia are welcoming unvaccinated workers back.
“If people want to drive around and honk their horns, then fill your boots,” said Horgan on Friday. “And at $2.00 a litre (for gas) that’s not only bad judgment, that’s stupidity.”
Last week, B.C. became the last province to announce it would relax pandemic restrictions, including dropping masks on Friday and vaccine passports by April 8, the latter going ahead “assuming conditions continue to improve.” Before this, the provisional deadline for the passports had been June 30.
Even so, Dr. Bonnie Henry hinted restrictions were likely to return in the fall.
B.C. also continues to terminate government workers who were forced onto unpaid leave last fall after refusing to comply with vaccine mandates, even as other provinces including Alberta and Nova Scotia are welcoming unvaccinated workers back.
SNOWFLAKES WANT TO EXTEND MASK MANDATES AT SCHOOL
The Ontario government has advised school boards to follow the province’s plan to end mask mandates in schools on March 21, despite pushback from some of them.
Some school boards have expressed concern about repealing the mask mandate, with some of them promising to keep it in place longer.
HWDSB trustee Alex Johnstone said the decision to remove masks felt “rushed.”
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable just lifting it, and I’m feeling like I’m being forced to vote this way,” said Johnstone. “And that’s not right.”
Some school boards have expressed concern about repealing the mask mandate, with some of them promising to keep it in place longer.
HWDSB trustee Alex Johnstone said the decision to remove masks felt “rushed.”
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable just lifting it, and I’m feeling like I’m being forced to vote this way,” said Johnstone. “And that’s not right.”
LIBERALS HIDING A 70% COST INCREASE IN CONTRACT
Internal government documents show that the value of a contract to build a new software tool for managing IT services across the federal government has grown by nearly 70 per cent, to $55-million – an increase Shared Services Canada has not publicly revealed.
The documents also show that while the original contract required all work to be conducted on-site for security purposes, the department later allowed several people to work on the project from home in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic – provided they took precautions such as keeping their computer screens away from windows so that no one could see what they were doing.
In Aug. 2019, Shared Services Canada (SSC) awarded the contract, initially valued at $32.4-million, to the Canadian arm of BMC Software Inc., a multinational IT firm based in Houston.
Documents released in response to access to information requests and later confirmed by SSC show the value of that contract increased to $52.4-million in February, 2020. Another document shows the contract was amended again on Dec. 31, 2021, increasing the total value to $55-million.
The documents also show that while the original contract required all work to be conducted on-site for security purposes, the department later allowed several people to work on the project from home in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic – provided they took precautions such as keeping their computer screens away from windows so that no one could see what they were doing.
In Aug. 2019, Shared Services Canada (SSC) awarded the contract, initially valued at $32.4-million, to the Canadian arm of BMC Software Inc., a multinational IT firm based in Houston.
Documents released in response to access to information requests and later confirmed by SSC show the value of that contract increased to $52.4-million in February, 2020. Another document shows the contract was amended again on Dec. 31, 2021, increasing the total value to $55-million.
Monday, March 14, 2022
NUCLEAR WAR COULD WRECK THE CLIMATE
A nuclear war would be disastrous for the earth’s climate, according to a recent piece in the Atlantic that drew harsh criticism for its focus on the harms posed to the environment by a potential nuclear exchange resulting from the current conflict in Ukraine.
The Wednesday essay, titled “On Top of Everything Else, Nuclear War Would Be a Climate Problem,” was penned by Atlantic staff writer Robinson Meyer and began by noting climate change is often associated with energy policy.
However, the author says, energy is not the sole domain that “has a direct bearing on whether we have a livable climate or not,” but “foreign policy—specifically, nuclear war” does too.
The Wednesday essay, titled “On Top of Everything Else, Nuclear War Would Be a Climate Problem,” was penned by Atlantic staff writer Robinson Meyer and began by noting climate change is often associated with energy policy.
However, the author says, energy is not the sole domain that “has a direct bearing on whether we have a livable climate or not,” but “foreign policy—specifically, nuclear war” does too.
LIBERALS STILL CLINGING TO THEIR COVID RESTRICTIONS
With B.C.’s announcement last week that it would be phasing out mask and vaccine mandates, all 10 provinces have now set an effective end-date to their treatment of COVID-19 as a public health emergency. By April 27 — the date when Ontario’s pandemic restrictions become the last to expire — mask, vaccine and physical distancing mandates will effectively cease to exist in Canadian daily life.
Except according to Ottawa. Even as each week yields the end of another provincial COVID mandate, the federal government is continuing to hold fast to virtually every restriction it has imposed over the course of the now two-year pandemic.
Vaccination remains mandatory for any Canadian over the age of 12 looking to board an aircraft, even if it’s a domestic flight. Transport Canada is also continuing to mandate masking aboard flights and in airports.
Government employment remains barred to anyone who can’t provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination — even to employees who are “teleworking” or “working remotely,” according to official guidelines.
Except according to Ottawa. Even as each week yields the end of another provincial COVID mandate, the federal government is continuing to hold fast to virtually every restriction it has imposed over the course of the now two-year pandemic.
Vaccination remains mandatory for any Canadian over the age of 12 looking to board an aircraft, even if it’s a domestic flight. Transport Canada is also continuing to mandate masking aboard flights and in airports.
Government employment remains barred to anyone who can’t provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination — even to employees who are “teleworking” or “working remotely,” according to official guidelines.
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