In today’s news: No-confidence vote in Ottawa, elections continue in BC and NB

By The Canadian Press on September 25, 2024.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to speak to reporters during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Here’s a roundup of articles from The Canadian Press to get you up to speed… No-confidence vote set for later today Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is back in Ottawa today as MPs prepare for a vote that could, but probably won’t, bring down his minority government. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre appealed to MPs during a debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday, saying a future Tory government would bring back the “promise of Canada.” His appeal to the other opposition parties for support was swiftly rebuffed. The NDP and Bloc Québécois say they will reject the motion in a vote scheduled after Question Period today. Inquiry into foreign interference to hear from academics A federal inquiry into foreign interference is scheduled to hear from academics today who are examining the flow of information at a time of growing distrust and polarization. The Media Ecosystem Observatory, a collaboration between McGill University and the University of Toronto, combines large-scale online data analysis with survey research. The federal inquiry’s latest public hearings are focusing on the ability of authorities to detect, prevent and combat foreign interference. The hearings, scheduled to continue through Oct. 16, will examine the practices of various institutions and the experiences of diaspora communities. New Brunswick election: Leaders’ debate to be televised The leaders of New Brunswick’s three largest political parties will face off in a televised debate tonight. The event will mark a major milestone in the provincial election campaign, which began last Thursday and culminates with a province-wide vote on Oct. 21. The debate will feature Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs, Liberal Leader Susan Holt and Green Leader David Coon. The incumbent Conservatives are seeking a third term in office. CBC TV will broadcast the debate beginning at 6 p.m. ADT (Advanced Authorities), and the event will also be streamed live for an online audience on cbc.ca. British Columbia party leaders campaign with mining promises British Columbia’s New Democrats and Conservatives released their plans for the mining industry as part of their election campaign in the province’s resource-rich communities. Both NDP Leader David Eby and Conservative Leader John Rustad say they will support the industry through improved permitting processes, with the NDP committing to timelines for permit reviews and the Conservatives proposing “one project, one permit.” In Terrace, Eby said an NDP government would upgrade key highway infrastructure in the northwest, while in Kimberley in the southeast, Rustad said his government would invest in gaps in rural infrastructure. Sonia Furstenau of the BC Greens will be the last party leader to announce carbon tax plans at an event in Victoria today. ‘Scandalous’ gap between rich and rest widens In his latest book on the growing gap between the very rich and the rest, Nova Scotia economist Lars Osberg argues that this trend is leading to disillusioned Canadians who tend to distrust each other and their governments. When Osberg published his first book – Economic Inequality in Canada – in 1981, he found that the country had enjoyed four decades of growth and inequality was stable. Forty-three years later, his latest work – The Scandalous Rise of Inequality in Canada (Lorimer) – describes a deepening gap that is undermining the social cohesion needed to combat problems from climate change to pandemics. Indigenous equity share increased in 2024 When electricity utility BC Hydro launched a procurement process earlier this year to find new sources of clean energy for the province’s power grid, it included a specific requirement: The projects must be at least 25 percent owned by First Nations. The procurement was BC Hydro’s first competitive tender in over 15 years, and the utility ultimately received bids for three times more energy than it had targeted. It plans to announce the successful applicants by the end of the year. BC Hydro’s energy program and its decision to impose equity requirements on First Nations were just one of several milestones achieved this year on the path to improved economic participation by Canada’s Indigenous people. Climate change impacts coffee supply and prices Climate change is causing and exacerbating extreme weather conditions in the world’s major coffee-producing countries, endangering future crops and putting pressure on world prices. Brazil and Vietnam are currently battling droughts, with Brazil experiencing the worst drought in more than 70 years. Experts say the impact of climate change on coffee will only get worse, driving up prices for consumers. Agricultural economist Sven Anders says rising demand for coffee is also adding pressure to the industry as supply threatens to shrink. He also says the wildfires ravaging parts of Brazil are likely to worsen damage to coffee crops this year. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2024 39
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