Joe Biden was compelled to stand down — could Trudeau go next?
Age isn't a factor for the PM and Canada's democracy isn't facing a mortal threat
On Sunday afternoon, Justin Trudeau praised Joe Biden as an American patriot.
"He's a great man," the prime minister wrote on social media, "and everything he does is guided by his love for his country."
That sentence could be read broadly as expressing admiration for Biden's career of public service. It also could be read as praise specifically for the decision Biden took this weekend to relinquish the Democratic party's nomination for president — that was the message Barack Obama offered in his own statement, released about an hour earlier.
"I know he wouldn't make this decision unless he believed it was right for America," the former president wrote of his former running mate. "It's a testament to Joe Biden's love of country."
Either way, the subtext of Trudeau's four-sentence statement on Sunday was so obvious, it barely qualified as subtext. The prime minister, faced himself with calls to resign, was responding to another leader's decision to step aside. He was tipping his cap to a beleaguered counterpart, even while he seems committed to staying on.
Biden and Trudeau have much in common, even if it's largely a coincidence that they came to face leadership crises at the same exact moment this summer.
They're both progressive leaders. They're both contending with some of the same challenges and realities of political life in 2024 (inflation, social media, the legacy of a pandemic, a divisive war in the Middle East). They are both faced with populist conservative challengers.
For Trudeau, the doubts about his leadership became acute after the Liberals lost the byelection in Toronto-St. Paul's on June 24. Three days later, Biden struggled mightily through a televised debate with Donald Trump.
Neither Trudeau nor Biden immediately took those setbacks as their cue to leave, which is perhaps not all that surprising. You don't get to be a prime minister or president without possessing a high degree of self-confidence, a capacity to set aside doubt and an ability to withstand (or even ignore) criticism. (A decade ago, researchers found a correlation between a successful presidency and presidents who displayed signs of "grandiose narcissism.")
After great effort and sacrifice, the prospect of defeat — or even just the suggestion that someone else could do a better job — can be a difficult thing to face. And power is hard to relinquish.
All of that likely explains why Biden is the first president in nearly 60 years to willingly decline to seek re-election. Even in Canada — where the system of political leadership is arguably more flexible — roughly a half-dozen prime ministers could be said to have stepped aside of their own accord (the list gets smaller still if you exclude those whose health was ailing when they resigned).
How Biden was convinced to step aside
Ultimately, Biden's exit from the race was driven by two factors: the state of his health and the stakes of the election. Those two factors drove the interventions by donors and senior Democrats that finally drove Biden out of the race.
The president and his supporters could insist that he was still up to the job, but they could not change the fact that he is 81 years old. Two thirds of Americans believed Biden was too old to be president. And he was not going to convince voters to ignore what they saw when he appeared and spoke in public.
Still, the calls for Biden to step aside might have been fewer in number if Democrats and commentators did not view the presidential election in existential terms.
Republican
presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump reacts
following his speech on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention
(RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2024. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)
Donald Trump is a convicted felon who sought to overturn the result of the last presidential election and incited an attack on the Capitol in 2021. His return to power could result in real and lasting damage to the American system of government and democracy. The possibility of Biden losing — and perhaps dragging down other Democrats — could not be taken lightly.
Crucially, in the final days of his candidacy, Biden faced not just the grumbling of minor backbenchers, unnamed sources and columnists, but the misgivings of some of the most senior figures in his party. With just a month before their party's national convention — and just four months remaining before the general election — Democrats also had good reasons to move fast.
With all due respect, Wayne Long — the Liberal MP who publicly called on Trudeau to resign last month — is not Nancy Pelosi. And after a frenzied few days in the immediate aftermath of the Toronto-St. Paul's byelection, the public debate about Trudeau's leadership has largely gone quiet — though it wouldn't be surprising if Biden's exit now helps to revive questions about whether the Liberals should make their own change.
While progressives may take a dim view of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and what he might do as prime minister, no one is framing the next election in existential terms. The fate of Canadian democracy does not depend on the outcome.
At the same time, every election has consequences. And a majority Conservative government could do a lot to roll back the policies — on climate change and social policy, for instance — the Trudeau government implemented over the last nine years.
The most obvious difference between Biden and Trudeau is that one of them is 81 and the other is 52. Trudeau does not suffer from a liability as intrinsic as Biden's age and physical condition. There is no reason to doubt Trudeau's ability to campaign.
But in the wake of Toronto-St. Paul's — however imperfect a barometer a single byelection might be — it's fair to ask whether Trudeau is faced with too many voters who are simply unwilling to support a party led by him.
In theory, Trudeau could have as much as 15 months before the next election. He has time to continue implementing policies like dental care, to make a case against Poilievre and to introduce new policies. Interest rates might continue to fall. Frustration with inflation might recede. Anything can happen in a year.
Could Mark Carney — or any other candidate — succeed in Justin Trudeau's place? (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
But a simple reading of both polling and history suggests a Liberal Party led by Trudeau is a long shot to retain power. Is Trudeau still somehow the best of the Liberal Party's options? Or would Mark Carney, Chrystia Freeland or Dominic LeBlanc (or some other hypothetical candidate) give them a better chance?
For Democrats, it became clear they had to try the alternative. Liberals don't seem ready to go that far (at least not yet).
"The prime minister is the person who is the best placed to take the fight to Pierre Poilievre, someone that has a completely different view of what our country looks like and the direction it's going in — I think, quite a negative one," Immigration Minister Marc Miller, a a close friend of Trudeau's since high school, said a couple of days after the Toronto-St. Paul's vote.
"I love my country. I'm going to fight for every inch of it. I believe the prime minister is going to do it as well."
If patriotism compelled Biden to step aside, it seems to be persuading Trudeau to stay on.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MP quips Trudeau "admires" China's dictatorship as Liberals say Conservatives idolize other nations
Global News 
'Canada's standing in the world has slipped' under Trudeau, Marc Garneau says in autobiography
'The prime minister's aloofness led me to conclude that he did not consider my advice useful,' Garneau writes
Former foreign affairs minister Marc Garneau says Canada has lost its standing in the world under the tenure of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom he criticizes as an ill-prepared leader who prioritizes politics and makes big pronouncements without any follow-through.
"I believe Justin Trudeau has overestimated Canada's impact abroad," Garneau writes in his autobiography, A Most Extraordinary Ride: Space, Politics and the Pursuit of a Canadian Dream, which is scheduled to be released in October by Penguin Random House.
While much of the book is a trip down memory lane for Garneau's pre-politics career in the military and as an astronaut, the final third is devoted to his time as a member of Parliament.
Garneau, now 75, was first elected in 2008 as the Liberal MP for the Montreal riding of Westmount-Ville Marie, a riding that later became Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Westmount after boundary changes in 2015.
He staged an unsuccessful run for the party leadership in 2013, ultimately withdrawing from the race and backing Trudeau, who would go on to win in a landslide victory.
Trudeau,
with then-Minister of Transport Marc Garneau, far right, Harjit Sajjan
and Jonathan Vance, in Ottawa in January 2020. In his upcoming
autobiography, Garneau criticizes Trudeau as an ill-prepared leader who
prioritizes politics and makes big pronouncements without any
follow-through. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
After the Liberals came to power in 2015, Garneau served in Trudeau's cabinet for six years, more than five of those as the minister of transport. He spent the final nine months as the minister of foreign affairs, until Trudeau dropped him from cabinet completely after the 2021 election.
In his book, Garneau acknowledges being blindsided by that decision — one he says Trudeau never explained.
He makes it clear that he and Trudeau had little in common outside of their "Liberal values," and that the two were not close.
'Canada's standing in the world has slipped'
Another thing he makes clear: Garneau thinks Trudeau did not value the importance of a foreign affairs minister, and isn't very good at international relations.
"Unfortunately Canada's standing in the world has slipped, in part because our pronouncements are not always matched by a capacity to act or by actions that clearly demonstrate that we mean what we say," Garneau writes. "We are losing credibility."
He describes Trudeau's trips to China in 2016 and 2017, and to India in 2018, before his tenure as foreign minister, as "not successful."
The two China trips failed to kick-start free-trade talks with China, and Trudeau was criticized at the time for trying to bring non-trade issues to the table in talks with the Chinese government. That included pushing on human rights, which did not go over well in Beijing.
The India trip's failures were well-documented, including the embarrassment of inadvertently offering a reception invitation to a man convicted of trying to assassinate an Indian cabinet minister in Canada in 1986.
Sophie
Gregoire Trudeau with Jaspal Atwal at an Indian film industry event in
Mumbai in February 2018, during the prime minister's official visit to
India. Atwal — a Canadian of Indian descent, was convicted of attempted
murder for trying to assassinate Indian cabinet minister Malkiat Singh
Sidhu while he was visiting Vancouver Island in 1986. (Supplied by Jaspal Atwal)
"We were not properly prepared," Garneau said of the three foreign visits.
"At a fundamental level, we did not understand who we were meeting. We thought we could seduce and were surprised it didn't turn out that way. Gone was the clear-eyed approach of a prime minister like Jean Chretien, who always knew with whom he was dealing and who forged pragmatic alliances with world powers."
Garneau also criticizes Trudeau for delaying the release of new national strategies for dealing with China and expanding Canada's relationship in the Indo-Pacific region.
-
This Sunday, Cross Country Checkup wants to know... When did you decide it was time to step down from a job or something important to you? How did you convince someone you know to step aside? Fill out this form and you could appear on the show or have your comment read on air.
The China strategy was delayed largely because Trudeau and his "entourage" were hesitant to release anything on it while Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were still detained in China, he writes.
"I think that was a mistake, pure and simple."
Likewise, he says he could not get a new Indo-Pacific strategy in front of cabinet, and it wasn't actually released until November 2022 — a year after it was ready, and a year after Garneau had been moved out of the portfolio.
'He did not consider my advice useful enough'
Garneau declined a request for an interview about the book.
Trudeau's office has not responded to a request for comment on its contents.
The ex-astronaut is not the first former Trudeau cabinet minister to pen a memoir that lambastes the prime minister. In 2023, former finance minister Bill Morneau released his own memoir, which criticized Trudeau for making mostly unilateral decisions and putting politics ahead of policy.
Both of them describe a concentration of power in the Prime Minister's Office that did not improve despite Trudeau's promises to decentralize when he came into office in 2015.
Garneau writes that when he was in charge of transport, Trudeau didn't seem to have much interest in the file at all. When he moved to foreign affairs, he hoped the prime minister would be more interested in seeking out his input on issues.
But, Garneau says, he did not.
He writes that Trudeau only called upon him once to offer advice, at a meeting with then-ambassador to China Dominic Barton, in a discussion about the ongoing plight of the two Michaels.
Trudeau
shown here speaking to Xi Jinping at a G20 meeting in November 2022. In
his upcoming autobiography, Marc Garneau says Trudeau's China trips
failed to kick-start free-trade talks and pushing discussions on human
rights did not go over well in Beijing. (Reuters)
"The prime minister's aloofness led me to conclude that he did not consider my advice useful enough to want to hear from me directly, relying instead on his staff," Garneau recounts.
"I found this disappointing to say the least. The expectation was that communication between him and me would be via the [Prime Minister's Office], and so consequently I never knew what information, if any, reached him."
The Trudeau government, Garneau contends, is overall too reactive and ill-prepared.
"It is not sufficient to pay attention only when a concern arises, something this government has made a habit of," he writes.
Garneau says he found that the fact Canada had gone through so many different foreign affairs ministers undermined its credibility in the role and left an impression that Trudeau and Canada don't value or prioritize the file.
Garneau was the fourth of five people who have headed up Canadian foreign policy over the 8½ years Trudeau has been prime minister.
"Our allies could logically question whether Canada attached sufficient importance to this portfolio, and they did," Garneau writes.
During every one of his introductory calls with counterparts, he says he was told they hoped he'd last longer than his predecessors, something he describes as "a not so subtle message."
It didn't happen.
Garneau lasted just nine months, the shortest of any of the five.
Chrystia Freeland, the second to be named to the role, held the role for almost three years, and Mélanie Joly, the current foreign affairs minister, is closing in on 33 months in the role.
Stephane Dion was the first, holding the title for 18 months, and François-Philippe Champagne, who was the third minister of foreign affairs, was in place for 14 months.
Minister Joly meets with China’s Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi
Readout
July 19, 2024 - Beijing, People’s Republic of China - Global Affairs Canada
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, paid an official visit today to Beijing, People’s Republic of China, at the invitation of Wang Yi, China’s Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Minister Joly’s visit reaffirms the Minister’s commitment to pragmatic engagement with China and the development of sound and stable bilateral relations that advance and protect Canadian interests, contribute to security and stability, and enhance deep and historic people-to-people ties.
During the visit, the two Ministers held an extended bilateral meeting during which the Ministers discussed the opportunities and challenges in the bilateral relationship as well as a wide range of global issues of common concern, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict and tensions in the Korean peninsula. Both sides committed to greater coordination on shared issues in APEC and other appropriate multilateral fora.
Minister Joly stated that Canada would continue to defend our democracy and the values it has always stood for, including human rights, the rule of law, and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, as Canada does consistently in its international engagement. The Minister reaffirmed Canada’s One-China Policy, which remains unchanged.
During their engagements, the two Ministers took note of recent positive developments in relations, including the resumption of consular consultations, and the recent exchanges at senior levels. The two sides discussed their market access concerns and indicated a willingness to explore opportunities to strengthen engagement in the areas of trade, environmental protection and climate response, and in combating the harm caused by illicit drugs such as fentanyl. Recalling the rich ties between the people of both countries, they agreed to advance concrete measures for promoting people-to-people ties, including for tourists and students.
Minister Joly reiterated the importance of diplomatic relations that fully respect the Vienna conventions on consular and diplomatic relations, which codify the rules for the exchange, treatment, and behaviour of representatives abroad, and form the bedrock for the conduct of mutually respectful relations.
The Ministers agreed on the importance of maintaining open lines of communication and committed to holding regular discussions at the ministerial level, including on peace and security, and trade.
Associated links
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Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
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Tasha Kheiriddin: China aims to keep Mélanie Joly in line — is she even aware?
To Beijing, 'pragmatic engagement' means Canada doing what China wants
Whenever a Canadian politician travels abroad, it’s always useful to see how the foreign press reports on their trip. It helps one gain insight into how the host country really sees Canada, and whether we are accomplishing anything, or just shooting ourselves in the foot. Case in point: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s ill-fated jaunt to India in 2018, which was panned by the Indian media for his Bollywood cosplay and photo ops with Sikh extremists. Not exactly a shining moment on the world stage.
The same could be said about Global Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly’s recent visit to China. While there were no fashion faux pas, Joly’s trip to China exposed the current government’s refusal to see China for what it is: a threat to the West and the democratic order. Instead, Global Affairs crowed that “Minister Joly’s visit reaffirms the Minister’s commitment to pragmatic engagement with China and the development of sound and stable bilateral relations that advance and protect Canadian interests, contribute to security and stability, and enhance deep and historic people-to-people ties.”
That’s not exactly how the Chinese language press described it. Tencent News’ headline read: “Beijing welcomes Canadian Foreign Minister Joly, Foreign Minister Wang Yi mercilessly reminds: You need to seriously reflect” and castigated Canada for engaging in naval exercises with Japan and the U.S. in the South China Sea. “Not only has it not sent officials to visit China, but it has also continued to provoke China. For such a country that has no intention of repenting, China needs to warn it.”
The Global Times, another mouthpiece of the regime, described Joly’s visit as “an icebreaker” but then went on to remark that “A number of Canadian politicians hold no independent foreign policy positions of their own, and what they squawk over and over again is the rhetoric of China hawks in the US.”
My favourite is this blog by a former Chinese military officer which was posted by Alberta journalist Andy Lee on X. It parroted the use of the term “icebreaker” but added that “Bringing dog food to ‘show loyalty’ to the United States has become the diplomatic instinct of the Trudeau government… China will not tolerate Canada catering to the West’s ‘political correctness’… China’s diplomatic style is changing and our dog-beating sticks are also being upgraded.”
Arf.
Joly’s visit to Beijing was the first by a Canadian official since 2017. In 2018, the Chinese government arbitrarily arrested Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in retaliation for Canada’s detention of Huawei exec Meng Wanzhou. Relations between Canada and China have been in the deep freeze since then, and rightly so. Beijing’s belligerence has only increased, as has its expectation that we merrily go along with it.
As Terry Glavin wrote in the National Post this week, “In Beijing on Friday, (Chinese Foreign Minister) Wang Yi left little to the imagination in what China will expect of Canada in the back-to-the-future relationship Joly is hoping to restore. We should shut up about Beijing’s evisceration of Hong Kong’s democracy and its trampling of civil liberties there. We should shut up about the brutal oppression of the Muslim-minority Uyghur people of Xinjiang, and we should mind our business about Beijing’s menacing manoeuvres in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.”
In the words of former Canadian ambassador to China David Mulroney, “Minister Joly talked about encouraging ‘personnel and cultural exchanges,’ … at a time when China is ramping up arrests of foreign businesspeople, and as in-bound tourism to China is understandably collapsing … Joly’s visit to Beijing last week was built around an understanding of China that’s at least a decade out of date.”
And then there’s the opioid scourge. According to Global Affairs, Joly discussed “combating the harm caused by illicit drugs such as fentanyl.” Ironically, the Minister’s return to Canada coincides with the U.S. indictment of Chinese national Minsu “Fernando” Fang for importation of enough chemicals to make millions of fatal doses of fentanyl destined for the North American market.
China couldn’t care less about what Canada thinks, or what Joly says. It will do what it wants and bring out the “dog beating stick” when we get out of line. And this government is just dancing to its tune.
Postmedia News
Tasha Kheiriddin is Postmedia’s national politics columnist.
Canadians’ Negative View of Beijing Doesn’t Allow a ‘Formal Reset’ in Relations: Foreign Minister
Foreign
Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly speaks to reporters in the foyer of the
House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 27, 2023. (The
Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)
“There are many things that we need to do before a formal reset. There are too many aspects core to our relationship that need to be addressed, including foreign interference, including trade issues.”
Ms. Joly told The Globe she raised the issue of foreign interference as well as human rights, Taiwan, and Hong Kong during her meeting with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
Global Affairs Canada’s formal statement about the visit said the minister reaffirmed her “commitment to pragmatic engagement with China and the development of sound and stable bilateral relations that advance and protect Canadian interests, contribute to security and stability, and enhance deep and historic people-to-people ties.”
Under the One-China policy adopted since 1970, Ottawa recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the government of China, and takes “note” of the PRC’s position toward Taiwan, without endorsing or challenging it.
The two ministers also discussed topics related to trade and “environmental protection and climate response,” as well as combatting illegal drugs like fentanyl, the Canadian statement said.
A media statement from China said the two countries should “inject momentum into the restoration of normal relations between the two countries.” It added that the topics of Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong are off limits, saying there is “no external interference” allowed.
An ongoing public inquiry is currently examining China’s interference in Canada. Different parliamentary committees are also probing China’s meddling efforts, and the RCMP recently launched a special program in Quebec to address the Chinese regime’s increased harassment against the diaspora.
Sign up for the Morning Brief newsletter. Join 200,000+ Canadians who receive truthful news without bias or agenda, investigative reporting that matters, and important stories other media ignore.This Conservative MP is 'best friends' with Trump running mate J.D. Vance
VP candidate and MP Jamil Jivani bonded over being outsiders at a top U.S. law school
Two men from disparate backgrounds who say they forged a friendship while feeling like outsiders at an elite American institution could help chart the future of the Canada-U.S. relationship.
Those men are Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance — who was picked by former president Trump as his running mate on Monday — and Jamil Jivani, the Conservative MP who was elected to Parliament in a byelection earlier this year.
If their respective parties win power this year and next, the long personal history between these two political neophytes could be an asset for Canada, some politics-watchers say.
Canada's Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman told CBC's Power & Politics she is "very happy" to see Trump pick Vance, someone she said is well-known at the embassy for "supporting the Canada-U.S. relationship."
Some European diplomats, meanwhile, are fearful of Vance, an avowed isolationist who's campaigned against more aid for Ukraine.
A second Trump term — which, according to most polls, is the likely scenario — could be a turbulent one for Canada, with talk of a renewed trade war and a sustained push to make allies spend a lot more on defence or risk losing U.S. military support.
Canada is highly dependent on U.S. trade. It's also a long-time laggard on defence spending.
Under a Conservative government, Jivani could be Canada's conduit to the Oval Office.
Anthony Koch, a former spokesperson for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, said it doesn't hurt that one of Poilevre's high-profile recruits is close personal friends with a possible vice-president who's familiar with Canada and its people.
"But at the end of the day, national interest will trump personal interest," Koch told CBC News.
"I suspect both Jamil and J.D. are primarily concerned with serving their constituents more so than being chummy-chummy with the other side. But, yeah, it's cool, we'll see."
Republican
presidential candidate Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential
candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) attend the first day of the
Republican National Convention on Monday, July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)
Vance — a self-described "hillbilly" who grew up in a white working-class Ohio family with roots in neighbouring Kentucky's coal country — and Jivani, the Black son of a single mother from a Toronto suburb, were classmates at Yale Law School.
It was there that the two became, according to Jivani, "best friends."
"We attended a wine-and-cheese reception. I didn't know so many different kinds of cheese existed. And I had never tasted wine before. Needless to say, I felt out of place. Across the room stood a fellow student who seemed equally unfamiliar with wine and cheese," Jivani wrote of Vance in a November 2020 National Post op-ed.
"We went on to develop a strong friendship, forged through moments of shared discomfort over the course of our three years in the Ivy League."
Jivani also performed the Bible reading at Vance's wedding to his wife, Usha. In a social media post, Jivani described the U.S. senator-turned-VP candidate as his "brother."
Conservative
Leader Pierre Poilievre raises the hand of newly-elected Conservative
member of Parliament Jamil Jivani as he introduces him at a caucus
meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)
While previously unfamiliar with "hillbillies" and the people of Appalachia, Jivani said he bonded with Vance over their similar personal circumstances — growing up with poverty, addiction, "fatherlessness" and inadequate health care.
Jivani was not available for an interview.
Vance achieved fame after his book, Hillbilly Elegy, became a best-seller amid Trump's rise to the presidency.
Vance's memoir depicts his struggle to succeed in a "rust belt" town damaged by drug addiction and job loss as the manufacturing base was destroyed, in part, by globalization.
Vance's book was praised by critics for offering an inside look at why so many working-class voters in Middle America have grown disaffected with their political leaders.
After the book's success, Vance formed Our Ohio Renewal, a charitable organization focused on economic and social revitalization, and tapped Jivani to run its day-to-day operations — a testament to their continuing closeness years after their time at Yale.
The short-lived organization did relatively little work and brought in only about $300,000 in donations, according to a New York Times investigation.
Jivani would later say the group's work was derailed by his cancer diagnosis — his lymphoma is now in remission. Our Ohio Renewal was wound down as Vance plunged into electoral politics.
But the group's stated purpose — to tackle joblessness, the opioid crisis and broken families — reveals what drives these two millennial political figures.
In a 2017 video recorded at an event in Toledo, Ohio, where Jivani was representing Vance and his charity, the Canadian tied manufacturing job losses in the American heartland to drug addiction and broken families.
Jivani argued for more government intervention through community benefit agreements that guarantee jobs and benefits from companies that get government contracts.
In another era, conservatives like Vance and Jivani might have touted private sector solutions as the only fix.
Sen. J.D. Vance speaks during the Ohio March for Life rally at the Ohio State House in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023. (Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo)
Vance, an economic nationalist, and Jivani — a cultural warrior and critic of "wokeness" and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies — are on the frontlines of the fight to reshape conservatism into a form that eschews total devotion to free markets and free trade and supposed political correctness.
Jai Chabria, a former political adviser to Vance during his Senate race, said the VP pick is all about Trump's nationalistic and protectionist "America First" agenda.
"J.D. Vance is probably the best person to go on TV and very tough environments with hostile hosts [to] advocate for his vision. He has the ability to communicate a message to the cocktail party set, but also to everyday working class Americans," Chabria said when asked if Vance is the right pick for the job.
"He wants what's best for America."
In an April 2020 interview for Jivani's now-defunct YouTube series, The Road Home, the two men discussed economic decline, disorienting technological change, the decline of the two-parent family unit and the rise of China.
Vance, a critic of libertarians, lamented the decline of traditional working class institutions like churches and unions and the demonization of civic nationalism.
While he's the product of a prestigious law school with past work experience as a venture capitalist in San Francisco, Vance accused "elites" of ignoring people outside big, wealthy cities.
"The elite business class in our respective countries has become hyper-international. If you talk to a bank consultant in Toronto or Vancouver, would they feel more comfortable having dinner with an elite lawyer in Paris? Or a coal miner or an oil and gas worker in Alberta?" Vance told Jivani.
"For the elites of the U.S., there's this gravitational velocity where their interests are no longer connected to the working class of their own country."
In his March byelection victory speech, Jivani also railed against "liberal elites" in the Liberal Party but also people who run big corporations like banks and telecoms and Canada's public schools.
This sort of populist, anti-corporate rhetoric runs through the Vance-Jivani strain of conservatism.
In his interview with Jivani, Vance said corporate behemoths like Apple and Google develop products in North America only to offshore manufacturing to cheaper jurisdictions like China — depriving workers on this continent of good jobs that can sustain a middle-class family.
Vance said the U.S. has to take a hard look at its relationship with China.
"We want to ensure our critical supply chains are controlled by America or actual allies like Canada or the U.K., as opposed to the Chinese," Vance said in his interview with Jivani.
Vance has since endorsed Trump's proposal to impose tariffs as high as 10 per cent on all U.S. trading partners as part of a bid to spur companies to make more products in places like Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan.
In an op-ed he wrote in 2021 with former U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer — who renegotiated the trade pact with Canada and Mexico — Vance said Mexico is one reason why "America's industrial core" has been "hollowed out."
"These policies have made our country far less self-sufficient economically," Vance said, suggesting further changes may be needed to the trilateral trade deal.
But Vance's state depends on Canada — Ohio exports $21.4 billion in goods to Canada annually, according to government data. Ohio sells more goods to this country than to its next eight largest foreign markets combined.
"He's going to fight for what's best for America — not necessarily other parts of the world," Chabria said of Vance. "There are some conversations to be had with the rest of the world."
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From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 3:19 PM
Subject: Last week Viktor Orbán was meeting with Xi Now Melanie Joly is in China???
To: Greta.Bossenmaier <Greta.Bossenmaier@hq.nato.int>, Jens.Stoltenberg <Jens.Stoltenberg@hq.nato.int>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, Melanie.Joly <Melanie.Joly@parl.gc.ca>, dominic.leblanc <dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, fin.minfinance-financemin.fin <fin.minfinance-financemin.fin@canada.ca>, <ps.ministerofpublicsafety-ministredelasecuritepublique.sp@ps-sp.gc.ca>, Bill.Blair <Bill.Blair@parl.gc.ca>, ragingdissident <ragingdissident@protonmail.com>, Jason Lavigne <jason@yellowhead.vote>, jagmeet.singh <jagmeet.singh@parl.gc.ca>, pierre.poilievre <pierre.poilievre@parl.gc.ca>, Katie.Telford <Katie.Telford@pmo-cpm.gc.ca>, <DerekRants9595@gmail.com>, wayne.eyre <wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca>, National Citizens Inquiry <info@nationalcitizensinquiry.ca>, Michael.Duheme <Michael.Duheme@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, rob.moore <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, John.Williamson <John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca>, Marco.Mendicino <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, darrow.macintyre <darrow.macintyre@cbc.ca>, news-tips <news-tips@nytimes.com>, Newsroom <Newsroom@globeandmail.com>, <AWaugh@postmedia.com>, <nia_ig@navy.mi>, <ugyfelszolgalat@bm.gov.hu>, <Was.missions@kum.hu>, washington field <washington.field@ic.fbi.gov>, blaine.higgs <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, martin.gaudet <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>, Mark.Blakely <Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, premier <premier@gov.ab.ca>, Office of the Premier <scott.moe@gov.sk.ca>, premier <premier@gov.bc.ca>, premier <premier@ontario.ca>, premier <premier@gov.pe.ca>, premier <premier@gov.yk.ca>, premier <premier@gov.nt.ca>, premier <premier@gov.nl.ca>
Cc: nia_ig.fct <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>
Mélanie Joly's surprise visit to China is first by Canadian foreign minister in 7 years
Joly set to hold talks with her Chinese counterpart on Friday
Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is making a surprise visit to China in an effort to thaw relations between the two countries — the first face-to-face talks in Beijing involving a Canadian foreign minister in nearly seven years.
Joly is in Beijing at the invitation of Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign ministry said. Wang is China's foreign minister and a director of the all-powerful Communist Party of China's Central Committee.
A senior Canadian government official with direct knowledge of the visit told CBC News the meeting between the two foreign ministers on Friday is a "big step in the right direction" and "an important one" aimed at repairing the deteriorating ties between the two countries.
Those ties have soured in recent years after China's detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor — detentions Canada maintains were arbitrary — and recent reports of Chinese political interference in this country's politics.
The source told CBC News the visit has been discussed for a while but came together "over the course of a couple of weeks" and was finalized without the help of international partners.
In a statement, Joly's office says the ministers will "discuss possible avenues for collaboration on common challenges" and will also "exchange views on concrete ways to enhance the already deep ties between the people of Canada and China."
"As the world faces increasingly complex and intersecting global issues, Canada is committed to engaging pragmatically with a wide range of countries to advance our national interests and uphold our values," Joly said in a statement provided by her office.
"As described in Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, we must maintain open lines of communication and use diplomacy to challenge where we ought to, while seeking co-operation in areas that matter most to Canadians.
"I look forward to a productive meeting."
Michael
Kovrig embraces Vina Nadjibulla following his arrival on a Canadian air
force jet at Toronto's Pearson International Airport after his release
from detention in China in 2021; Michael Spavor leaves Calgary
International Airport after his release in 2021. Both men spent more
than 1,000 days in a Chinese prison. (Cpl. Justin Dreimanis/DND-MDN Canada/Reuters, Colin Hall/CBC)
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told journalists in his regular briefing Thursday that Joly and Wang "will have in-depth communication on China-Canada relations and issues of common concern to promote the improvement and development of bilateral relations."
The senior Canadian government source said the trip is also being seen as a way to open the door to other ministerial visits in the future. The source said the two countries have the potential to work together on a number of issues, such as climate change and the environment.
The source said a "big question mark" lingers over the prospect of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visiting the country soon, the source said.
"At the core, [Joly] will defend Canada's national interests, while keeping ... the door open for further collaboration on common interests," the source said, adding Joly should be expected "to continue her diplomacy, to set the tone for the relationship through dialogue."
Troubled relations
This is Joly's first trip to this country since her appointment as foreign minister in October 2021. Joly last met her Chinese counterpart in February, on the sidelines of a global security conference in Munich.
Canada's relationship with China entered a deep freeze following Beijing's detention of Kovrig and Spavor in December 2018. Their arrests were widely seen as retaliation for the Vancouver arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at the behest of the U.S. to face fraud charges related to American sanctions against Iran.
Although all three were released in 2021, tensions continue and Canada's spy agency has said it believes the Chinese government interfered in both the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.
More recently, Canada said it is considering a plan for potential tariffs to protect Canada's electric vehicle supply chain from what the Trudeau government calls unfair Chinese competition.
Despite that, when Joly and Wang met in February in Germany, the two foreign ministers signaled the thaw in diplomatic ties meant a path forward for negotiations on the most sensitive issues dividing the two countries.
"It is in the fundamental interests of both countries to promote the stabilization of China-Canada relations from further deterioration and achieve the improvement and development of bilateral relations," a readout — or summary — of the meeting released by China's foreign ministry said at the time.
"The economies of China and Canada are highly complementary and there is no conflict of fundamental interests between the two sides. The two sides are not rivals, let alone enemies, and should be partners of cooperation."
The last Canadian foreign affairs minister to visit China was Chrystia Freeland in 2017. Prime Minister Trudeau visited the country in December of that year, when Canada and China appeared poised to announce the formal start of negotiations toward a free trade agreement.
All hopes of that were dashed when the "two Michaels" were detained 12 months later, and bilateral relations between the two countries hit what Beijing described as "rock bottom" and a "freezing point" compared to any time since diplomatic ties were first established in 1970.
Friday's high-level visit by Joly comes just weeks after China's new top envoy began his post in Ottawa. The new Chinese Ambassador to Canada Wang Di — who officially began on June 26 — said at the time of his appointment that "China attaches importance to its relations with Canada."
The ambassador is quoted as saying that China "stands ready to work with Canada to promote healthy and stable development of the bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect, seeking common ground while putting aside differences and win-win co-operation," in a statement released by the embassy.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Thu, Jul 11, 2024 at 3:35 PM
Subject: Last year Viktor Orbán said It was up to Biden to decide when peace will materialize. Now he is meeting with Xi to discuss a potential Ukraine peace deal???
To: Greta.Bossenmaier <Greta.Bossenmaier@hq.nato.int
Cc: nia_ig.fct <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>, <nia_ig@navy.mi>, <ugyfelszolgalat@bm.gov.hu>, <Was.missions@kum.hu>, washington field <washington.field@ic.fbi.gov>, blaine.higgs <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, martin.gaudet <martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>
China angered by NATO's charge that it's a 'decisive enabler' of Russia's war in Ukraine
Hungary signed off on NATO statement but doesn't want alliance to become 'anti-China'
China on Thursday criticized a draft statement from the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., that described it as a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war effort in Ukraine.
Beijing continues to pose systemic challenges to Europe and to security, the planned statement also said.
Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this week at a news conference in Washington that China "is propping up Russia war's economy" in what he termed a "major strategic shift."
A spokesperson for the Chinese mission to the European Union described the draft as "full of Cold War mentality and belligerent rhetoric, and China-related content full of provocations, lies, incitement and smears."
"China's core position on the Ukraine issue is to promote peace talks and political settlement, which has been widely recognized and appreciated by the international community," said the spokesperson.
China has broken with the United States and its European allies over the war in Ukraine, refusing to condemn Russia's invasion or even to refer to it as an act of aggression in deference to Moscow. Its trade with Russia has grown since the invasion, at least partially offsetting the impact of Western sanctions.
WATCH l Retired major, a former NATO official, on the alliance's uncertain future with U.S.:
Strong NATO is ‘good for the United States,’ whether Biden or Trump wins: NATO secretary general
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jin said at a regular press briefing Thursday that the county's trade with Russia is legitimate.
"On the Ukraine crisis, NATO hyped up China's responsibility. It makes no sense and comes with malicious intent," said Lin. "We urge NATO to reflect on the root cause of the crisis and what it has done, and take concrete action to de-escalate rather than shift blame."
Chinese troops in Belarus for drills
Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a meeting of leaders or top officials from the 10 Shanghai Co-operation Organization countries in Kazakhstan.
This week, Chinese troops are in Belarus for joint drills near the border with Poland, a NATO member. The exercises are the first with Belarus, an ally of Russia, with which it shares a single-party system under President Alexander Lukashenko, whose regime cracked down brutally on mass protests against his rule in 2020. Lin described the joint training as a normal military operation that is not directed at any particular country.
Beijing put forward a 12-point paper more than a year ago that set out general principles for ending the war, but did not get into specifics. It received a lukewarm reception at the time in both Russia and Ukraine.
Chinese officials on Thursday also repeated charges that NATO has expanded its presence to the Asia-Pacific Region, saying it disrupts the prosperity and stability of the region.
Leaders of Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia are in attendance at the NATO summit in the U.S., having forged stronger ties with the security alliance amid rising concerns over China's aggressions in the South China Sea.
NATO member Hungary hasn't specifically commented on the draft statement, but Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told Hungary's state television on Thursday it does not want, and will not support, NATO becoming an "anti-China" bloc.
Earlier this week, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban paid an unexpected visit to Beijing, meeting with Xi to discuss a potential Ukraine peace deal.
Hungary has become an important trade and investment partner for China, in contrast with many other European nations, who are seeking to become less dependent on Beijing.
With files from The Associated Press
From: PMO-CPM <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Date: Thu, Jul 11, 2024 at 12:53 PM
Subject: Readout
To: <PM_AN_E@list.pm.gc.ca>
July 11, 2024
Washington, D.C., United States of America
Yesterday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on the margins of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Washington, D.C., United States of America.
The Prime Minister reiterated his condemnation of Russia’s increased indiscriminate attacks on civilians, including Russia’s recent abhorrent attack on Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine, and he offered further support in the wake of these attacks. He also underscored how these horrific attacks have only served to further strengthen NATO’s unity and resolve in support of Ukraine as Russia continues its unjustifiable war of aggression.
Prime Minister Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s ongoing and unwavering support for Ukraine. He noted Canada’s commitment to provide an additional $500 million in military assistance to Ukraine as part of NATO’s Pledge of Long-Term Security Assistance for Ukraine, as well as further support to enhance F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group Air Force Capability Coalition.
The leaders also exchanged views on Ukraine’s efforts toward a just and sustainable peace. They noted the need to continue building on the success of the recent Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 15 to 16, 2024, including Canada’s commitment to host a Ministerial event on Working Group Four to discuss the return of prisoners of war, unlawfully detained civilians, and illegally deported children.
The leaders discussed progress that has been made to provide critical assistance to Ukraine, including at this year’s NATO Summit. They also noted Ukraine’s progress as it continues on its path toward Euro-Atlantic integration and NATO membership.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy reaffirmed their intention to remain in close and regular contact.
Associated Links
The Prime Minister's Office - Communications
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Monday 6 May 2019
Voters everywhere are in no mood for the same-old
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 47 others
Methinks the polls are saying that most Canadians would be satisfied with a Conservative minority N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/
Voters everywhere are in no mood for the same-old
The Canada Votes newsletter is your weekly tip-sheet as we count down to Oct. 21.
Reading this online? Sign-up for the newsletter and receive it every Sunday.
Voters open to something different
Vassy Kapelos, host of Power & Politics
What does a byelection in Nanaimo-Ladysmith have in common with a Ukrainian comedian?
More than you might think. Or nothing. Bear with me for a few minutes.
The byelection tomorrow will be another window for something "different" to happen. And when I say "different," I mean something other than the typical outcome.
If you've been paying attention to the results of some recent provincial elections (and international ones, too), you'll notice small changes that have the potential to turn into something bigger.
In New Brunswick's provincial election back in September, voters showed they wanted change. OK, that's not unusual. What was unusual is where many of them chose to park their votes.
New Brunwsickers voted in a minority Conservative government - with the Greens and the People's Alliance of New Brunswick winning three seats apiece and holding the balance of power.
Last month, P.E.I's election saw another vote for change. Despite the economy's positive performance, voters in that province turfed the governing Liberals and voted in a Conservative minority government, with the Greens forming the Official Opposition.
As two former premiers from those provinces told me, voters increasingly are looking beyond the usual binary choice between voting Liberal or Conservative.
Is something going on here? If so, what?
It's hard to know, and I hesitate to use the term 'populism' because it conveys so many different things to different people right now. But what I do see is a clear appetite for change, anxiety about the status quo and a desire among a growing number of voters to see less-traditional options as vehicles for that change - a way to reject the status quo.
Former New Brunswick premier Brian Gallant, who was turfed in September's election, told me recently it would be a big mistake for federal parties to ignore this trend.
So what does that mean for Monday's byelection? I don't know. I gave up on predicting elections back in 2015, when I told a group of much more senior reporters that there was no way Albertans would ever vote for change. (Very smooth move on my part.)
But the Greens have a shot, and a decent one in Nanaimo, as my colleague Éric Grenier points out.
According to Éric's poll tracker, the Greens are just six points behind the NDP nationally. The Greens have struggled (as they did in P.E.I.) to convert that popular support into actual wins. But along with the newly-formed People's Party of Canada (helmed by ex-Tory Maxime Bernier), they certainly throw something different into the mix heading into October.
The electorate itself also appears to be different this time - less confined to traditional voting patterns, more willing to try something new.
Vassy Kapelos is host of Power & Politics, weekdays at 5 p.m. ET on CBC News Network.
Power Lines
The Power & Politics Power Panelists on where the big parties will be focused this week
Amanda Alvaro president and co-founder of Pomp & Circumstance
The Liberals will likely continue to highlight that Andrew Scheer and his campaign director were recently caught holding behind-closed-doors strategy sessions with oil industry executives and shadowy third party groups. While the Conservatives strategized about "silencing environmental critics," the Liberals will continue to focus on the importance of a real plan to fight climate change
Rachel Curran senior associate at Harper & Associates Consulting
The Conservatives will be focused this week on issues designed to keep the government on the defensive: SNC-Lavalin; the trial of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman and the recent revelation that retiring Liberal MP Andrew Leslie will be testifying for the defence; and ongoing provincial opposition to Trudeau's carbon tax, as articulated in clear terms by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney in his testimony before the Senate on Bill C-69. The Conservatives will also be playing some defence of their own, as the Liberals press Scheer for his own climate change plan.
Kathleen Monk principal at Earnscliffe Strategy Group
New Democrat Leader Jagmeet Singh is trying to catch the eye of Canadians who are looking for a new progressive champion, now that 44 per cent of Liberal voters report they disapprove of Justin Trudeau's performance. Singh is starting to lay out his key policy offers for Canadians, such as affordable medicine, access to housing and a Canadian version of AOC's "Green New Deal." With just a few sitting weeks left in this Parliament, Singh has an important opportunity to hold Liberals accountable and will continue to put corporate influence over the Liberals under the spotlight.
Poll Tracker Takeaway
Éric Grenier's weekly look at key numbers in the political public opinion polls.
On the face of it, the polls have been all over the map this past week.
Surveys by the Angus Reid Institute and Léger have given the Conservatives a lead of 13 percentage points over the Liberals. Nanos Research put the edge at just three points, while Ipsos suggested it was four. Forum Research split the difference with a seven-point margin.
The natural reaction might be to throw up your hands. But this is actually how it should be.
The Canada Poll Tracker currently shows the Conservatives with a lead of just over seven points nationwide. If that's the current political environment, then we should expect to see polls giving the Conservatives a double-digit edge, with others showing a gap within the theoretical margin of error.
Assume that these polls have a margin of error of about three points. Online surveys cannot calculate a margin of error in the same way as random surveys, but they are designed to replicate the same kind of accuracy — and a seven-point Conservative lead easily turns into a gaping 13-point edge when you add three points to the Conservative tally and take three points away from the Liberals.
Similarly, that seven point gap turns into a tight one-point margin just as easily. Suddenly we go from majority territory to a toss-up.
So don't worry too much about the differences between individual polls. They can still paint the same overall portrait — and right now, it's one that doesn't look good for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Tap here to go to the full Poll Tracker
More from CBC Politics
Conservatives, Liberals in closer fundraising race in decisive election battlegrounds
The Conservatives are dominating in fundraising nationwide, but where the money is coming from tells a different story.
Budget watchdog to crunch numbers on political campaign promises for 1st time
For the first time, Canada's budget watchdog has a mandate to cost out election campaign promises, but the uptake from political parties isn't clear.
Trudeau appoints Chrystia Freeland's chief of staff to run Liberals' election campaign
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his party's national campaign director this week, elevating his former deputy principal secretary Jeremy Broadhurst to the top of his re-election team.
Ask Us
We want to know what YOU want to know.Jim Hilson from Medicine Hat, Alta., emailed to ask… "I understand the reluctance of political parties to disclose too much too early. That just sets them up as a target. They have to keep electors on board and without giving away too much to the enemy. When is the right time for disclosure from a political party as to what they want to make the backbone of their campaign?"
The short answer is that there is no "right" time to release major parts of your eventual campaign platform. Most parties try to stagger announcements of significant policy initiatives to win as much attention as possible, and to force their opponents to respond. And, as you note, some parties prefer to wait to avoid having another party steal, incorporate, or otherwise assume all of parts of their plans.
For example, voters already have a good idea of how most of the parties plan to address climate change, and that's put pressure on the Conservatives to release their own plan before the summer, long before the formal campaign will begin this fall.
Most parties still time their campaign announcements to lead up to the formal release of a final, costed platform at some point in the campaign. Again, there's no firm rule about when a platform should be released.
Take 2015 as an example. The Liberals released the final, costed version of their platform on Oct. 5 while both the NDP and Conservatives unveiled their versions a few days later on Oct. 9.
The Greens were first-past-the-post, so to speak, when party leader Elizabeth May released her party's full platform on Sept 9.
There's a new wrinkle in this election. The Liberals passed legislation to allow the Parliamentary Budget Officer to give political parties the option of providing "independent and non-partisan" analysis of how much their platforms will cost taxpayers. So far, only the Liberals and Greens have given clear commitments to use the PBO's costing service, so stay tuned.
— Chris Hall, CBC National Affairs Editor and host of CBC Radio's The House
Thanks for reading. If you've got questions, criticisms or story tips, please email us at politics@cbc.ca.
Reading this online? Sign-up for the newsletter to have the Canada Votes Newsletter delivered to your inbox every Sunday.
Friday 2 April 2021
Russia warns NATO against deploying troops to Ukraine
https://twitter.com/
https://davidraymondamos3.
#nbpoli #cdnpoli #CORRUPTION
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/
Ukraine says Russia massing troops on border; U.S. warns Moscow
AFP Staff
Agence France-Presse’s network of 201 bureaus covers 151 countries, with 80 nationalities represented among its 2,400 collaborators. AFP is a global news agency delivering in-depth coverage of the events shaping our world from conflicts to politics, economics, sports, entertainment and the latest breakthroughs in health, science and technology.
The Agency operates regional hubs in five geographical zones: Africa, North America, Latin America, Asia, Middle East
Ukraine has been locked in a conflict with Russian-backed separatists since 2014. (AFP)
KYIV, UKRAINE -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday accused Moscow of building up troops on his country's border as the United States warned Russia against "intimidating" Ukraine.
Kiev has been locked in a conflict with Russian-backed separatists since 2014, and this week Ukrainian officials reported Russian troop movement in annexed Crimea and on the border, near territories controlled by Moscow-backed separatists.
On Thursday, Zelensky's ministers discussed the escalating security situation with Western allies including U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin.
"Muscle-flexing in the form of military exercises and possible provocations along the border are traditional Russian games," Zelensky said in a statement.
He accused Moscow of seeking to create "a threatening atmosphere" as Kiev hopes to resume a ceasefire brokered last year.
The U.S. State Department said it was "absolutely concerned by recent escalations of Russian aggressive and provocative actions in eastern Ukraine."
"What we would object to are aggressive actions that have an intent of intimidating, of threatening, our partner Ukraine," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.
Some observers say the reported Russian troop buildup is a test for the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, who caused an uproar in Moscow last month by calling his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a "killer".
This week, Moscow and Kyiv blamed each other for a rise in violence between government forces and Kremlin-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, which has undermined the ceasefire.
Zelensky said 20 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed and 57 wounded since the start of the year.
Separately, the military announced that a Ukrainian soldier was wounded in an attack it blamed on separatists.
'READY FOR AN OFFENSIVE'
On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of Defence Austin called his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Taran, Ukraine's defence ministry said.
Austin said during the call that Washington would "not leave Ukraine alone in the event of escalating Russian aggression", the ministry said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba for his part discussed the "aggravation by the Russian Federation of the security situation" on the frontline with his Canadian counterpart Marc Garneau.
Ukraine's military intelligence accused Russia of preparing to "expand its military presence" in the separatist-controlled eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.
In a statement, the intelligence service said it "does not rule out" an attempt by Russian forces to move "deep into Ukrainian territory".
A high-ranking Ukrainian government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the Russian army was practising "military co-ordination" with separatists.
"From mid-April their combat units will be ready for an offensive," the official told AFP.
WEST SHOULD NOT 'WORRY'
Moscow has repeatedly denied sending troops and arms to buttress the separatists and Putin's spokesman stressed on Thursday that Moscow is at liberty to move troops across its territory.
"The Russian Federation moves its armed forces within its territory at its discretion," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, but he did not directly confirm a troop buildup on the Ukrainian border.
He added that "it should not worry anyone and does not pose a threat to anyone".
The war in eastern Ukraine broke out in 2014 when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula following a bloody uprising that ousted Ukraine's Kremlin-friendly president Viktor Yanukovych.
On Wednesday, the Pentagon said U.S. forces in Europe had raised their alert status following the "recent escalations of Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine".
Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, also spoke with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, Valery Gerasimov and Ruslan Khomchak.
Khomchak said this week that 28,000 separatist fighters and "more than 2,000 Russian military instructors and advisers" are currently stationed in eastern Ukraine.
On Thursday, the deputy head of Zelensky's office, Roman Mashovets, called for joint drills with NATO forces to "help stabilise the security situation".
Zelensky was elected in 2019 promising to end the years-long conflict, but critics say a shaky ceasefire was his only tangible achievement.
The fighting has claimed more than 13,000 lives since 2014, according to the United Nations.
- ---------- Forwarded message ----------From: NIA_IG <nia_ig.fct@navy.mil>Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2021 11:03:08 +0000Subject: RE: [Non-DoD Source] Fwd: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie Cooper made a deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas Howie Anglin?To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
com> Dear David Amos,The Naval Intelligence Activity (NIA) Office of the Inspector General (IG) reviewed your email and attached .WAV file provided to the NIA Hotline on 2 April 2021. I found no connection to the United States Navy or United States Naval Intelligence.Naval Inspectors General exist to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of US Navy Programs, and strive to eliminate and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse with their respective departments. Naval IGs are restricted to assessing matters falling within the purview of their respective commanders.Citing the lack of an apparent connection to the US Navy or Naval Intelligence, I am unable to provide further assistance, or provide direct referral to any other agency or activity.Sincerely,Mark KonedaInvestigatorNaval Intelligence ActivityOffice of the Inspector General(301)669-3030 (unclass)TSVOIP 560-3030INSPECTOR GENERAL SENSITIVE INFORMATION - FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY The information contained in this email and any accompanying attachments may contain Inspector General sensitive or pre-decisional information, which is protected from mandatory disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA, 5 USC Section 552). It should not be released to unauthorized persons. If you are not the intended recipient of this information, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any action in reliance on this information is prohibited. If you received this email in error, please notify this office by email or bycalling (301) 669-3030.
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2021 16:20:15 -0300
Subject: Hey Jim perhaps many Yankees should say YO to Premiers Moe
and Higgy and all of Queen Dizzy Lizzy"s minions before another
needless war breaks out overseas EH???
To: Jim@conservativewriters.org, "fin.minfinance-financemin.
<fin.minfinance-financemin.
<scott.moe@gov.sk.ca>, "blaine.higgs" <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>,
"Greta.Bossenmaier" <Greta.Bossenmaier@hq.nato.int
art.mcdonald@forces.gc.ca, wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca, premier
<premier@ontario.ca>, premier <premier@gov.bc.ca>, premier
<premier@gov.ab.ca>, pm <pm@pm.gc.ca>, "Ian.Shugart"
<Ian.Shugart@pco-bcp.gc.ca>, premier <premier@gov.pe.ca>, premier
<premier@gov.nl.ca>, premier <premier@gov.nt.ca>, premier
<premier@gov.yk.ca>, premier <premier@leg.gov.mb.ca>, PREMIER
<PREMIER@gov.ns.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, "Mark.Blakely"
<Mark.Blakely@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "martin.gaudet"
<martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca>
"Ross.Wetmore" <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, erin.otoole@parl.gc.ca
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, Newsroom
<Newsroom@globeandmail.com>, Nathalie Sturgeon
<sturgeon.nathalie@
.
https://www.aljazeera.com/
Russia warns NATO against deploying troops to Ukraine
Moscow will act to ‘ensure its security’ if the alliance intervenes in the conflict, which has seen fresh fighting.
2 Apr 2021
![Renewed front-line clashes between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatist forces have gripped eastern Ukraine in recent weeks [File: Gleb Garanich/Reuters]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjd5-O1vcjPXnLlyrz_EVE0aESXJacMJjL4_Rnc6QMGsYp7cVMEDdB8qr5Y6Gt7tffVp0C1EwcLuPUv_D4A2wBHRcgL2_T_0W_nwdmEb8yXjGqMKIe0gVyAraVBBkXR5sZkSPPS3q4FEy2dZWLfz_eOdQ84EXyt1m-n4LHWeURnjT0X1qldjfSOh-29eNV_ndHuu6XNaIqn4PH7zPPGrVJkT3Zlo9j0OvvFhkEiYUkhbJGctTm8iN9HtJAZ-WpIghGesAAsC03FPZgb6YMyUq08UYtozj6AWFXZpR4DEVD7ow=s0-d-e1-ft)
Renewed front-line clashes between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatist forces have gripped eastern Ukraine in recent weeks [File: Gleb Garanich/Reuters]
Russia has warned NATO against deploying troops to Ukraine, saying such a move would escalate tensions nears its borders, amid renewed fears over the region’s long-simmering conflict.
Moscow’s comments came after NATO voiced concern on Thursday over what it said was a large Russian military build-up near eastern Ukraine, with leading member the United States pledging to stand by Ukraine in the event of any Russian “aggression”.
Renewed front-line clashes have gripped the region in recent weeks.
Russia earlier said an escalation in the conflict in Ukraine’s Donbass region could “destroy” Ukraine.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that the situation at the contact line in eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatist forces was concerning, and that multiple “provocations” were taking place there.
Peskov also said Russia would be forced to respond if NATO troops were deployed to Ukraine as he insisted Russia was not threatening Ukraine.
“There is no doubt such a scenario would lead to a further increase in tensions close to Russia’s borders. Of course, this would call for additional measures from the Russian side to ensure its security,” he said, without specifying which measures would be adopted.
“Russia is not threatening anyone, it has never threatened anyone.”
Ukraine has been battling pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Donetsk and Lugansk regions since 2014, following Moscow’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula after an uprising that toppled Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly President Viktor Yanukovych.
Moscow and Kyiv this week blamed each other for a rise in violence that has undermined a ceasefire brokered last year.
Peskov’s comments came after the US warned Russia against “intimidating” Ukraine, with both Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling their Ukrainian counterparts to stress support.
The Pentagon said earlier this week that US forces in Europe had raised their alert status following the “recent escalations of Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine”.
Moscow, Kyiv trade barbs
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday accused Russia of massing troops on the border and said 20 Ukrainian servicemen had been killed since the start of the year.
Ukraine’s military intelligence accused Russia of preparing to “expand its military presence” in the separatist-controlled regions.
Moscow has repeatedly denied sending troops and arms to support the separatists. The Kremlin has said that Russia is at liberty to move troops on its own territory.
“Russia is not a participant of the conflict,” Peskov said on Friday, accusing Ukraine’s armed forces of “multiple” provocations in the region.
A senior Russian official also dismissed reports of a plan to attack Ukraine as “fake”.
“Russia is not interested in any conflict with Ukraine, especially a military one,” deputy foreign minister Andrei Rudenko told state news agency RIA Novosti.
To date, the fighting in the region has killed more than 13,000 people, according to the United Nations.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Art.McDonald@forces.gc.ca
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2021 13:49:10 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Methinks the evil lawyer Howie Cooper made a
deal with the VERY NASTY FBI dudes in Beantown N'esy Pas Howie Anglin?
To: motomaniac333@gmail.com
The Acting Chief of the Defence Staff is LGen Wayne Eyre, he may be
reached at wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca.
Le Chef d'état-major de la Défense par intérim est le LGen Wayne Eyre.
Il peut être rejoint au wayne.eyre@forces.gc.ca.
Art McD
He/Him // Il/Lui
Admiral/amiral Art McDonald
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS)
Canadian Armed Forces
art.mcdonald@forces.gc.ca<
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From: "Higgs, Premier Blaine (PO/CPM)" <Blaine.Higgs@gnb.ca>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2021 18:52:19 +0000
Subject: Automatic reply: Continuation of our Conversation "The
Rothschilds also control BHP Billiton" Go figure why the BHP boss Jac
Nassar sent yours truly the letter hereto attached many moons ago
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
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From: "MinFinance / FinanceMin (FIN)" <fin.minfinance-financemin.
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2021 18:52:25 +0000
Subject: RE: Continuation of our Conversation "The Rothschilds also
control BHP Billiton" Go figure why the BHP boss Jac Nassar sent yours
truly the letter hereto attached many moons ago
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
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Subject: Automatic reply: Continuation of our Conversation "The
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Top US national security officials call counterparts as Russia and Ukraine tensions rise
By Oren Liebermann and Barbara Starr, CNN
Updated 8:54 PM ET, Wed March 31, 2021
(CNN)Top US national security officials have spoken with their Ukrainian counterparts, and America's top general held a call Wednesday with his Russian opposite number amid concern over Russian military activity in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, including what the US deemed a violation of a ceasefire by Moscow that led to the deaths of four Ukrainian soldiers last week.
Canadian warship transits South China Sea as diplomatic tensions remain high
HMCS Calgary passed near the disputed Spratly Islands, claimed by both China and the Philippines
The
HMCS Calgary, shown here returning to Victoria in 2008, passed through
the South China Sea while travelling from Brunei to Vietnam on Monday
and Tuesday. (Deddeda Stemler/The Canadian Press)A Canadian warship sailed through sensitive waters near China this week amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
The Department of National Defence says HMCS Calgary passed through the South China Sea while travelling from Brunei to Vietnam on Monday and Tuesday.
The passage did not go unnoticed by China, which shadowed the Canadian ship, according to a Defence official speaking on condition of anonymity.
China claims much of the sea as its territory and has been greatly expanding its military presence in the area. Many of those claims have been rejected by China's neighbours and several international rulings.
The Calgary's passage could aggravate tensions with Beijing, which has been engaged in a diplomatic dispute with Ottawa since Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested at the Vancouver airport in December 2018.
Beijing subsequently arrested two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, in what the federal government and others have described as an act of retaliation in response to Meng's detention.
Meng is now facing possible extradition to the U.S. to face fraud allegations, while China has launched court proceedings against Kovrig and Spavor behind closed doors in recent weeks.
Department of National Defence spokesperson Daniel Le Bouthillier confirmed the Calgary passed near the disputed Spratly Islands — which both China and the Philippines claim and where the Chinese military has set up facilities and equipment.
Demonstrating support for allies
He said the South China Sea was the most practical route for the warship. Canadian officials have previously denied trying to send any message when warships have passed through waters claimed by China.
But documents obtained by The Canadian Press last year show such passages are often discussed at the highest levels of government before being approved.
One transit by HMCS Ottawa through the South China Sea's Taiwan Strait last year was described in the documents as having "demonstrated Canadian support for our closest partners and allies, regional security and the rules-based international order."
Defence officials were told to keep quiet about the Ottawa's trip in September 2019, three months after Chinese fighter jets buzzed two other Canadian ships making the same voyage.
NATO scrambles jets 10 times to track Russian military planes across Europe
(CNN)NATO scrambled fighter jets 10 times Monday to track and intercept an unusually "rare peak" of Russian bombers and fighters flying over the North Sea, Black Sea and Baltic Sea, according to a NATO official.
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