Justin Trudeau led the federal Liberals into the 2015 election on a promise to give the middle ground back to Canadians.
Before long, there was less middle ground.
It had already been shrinking for years when Mr. Trudeau became the Liberal Leader in 2013. He didn’t cause the polarization of Canadian politics, but he noticed it, acted on it, nudged it along. By 2021, that polarization came not only to save his career, but to define it.
The recent wave of pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses came on suddenly and shocked people across the nation. But the political tactics underlying some of the demonstrations were the result of months of training, planning and encouragement by longtime activists and left-wing groups.
At Columbia University, in the weeks and months before police took down encampments at the New York City campus and removed demonstrators occupying an academic building, student organizers began consulting with groups such as the National Students for Justice in Palestine, veterans of campus protests and former Black Panthers.
h/t Dana G.
The Canadian Armed Forces started exercises today in and around Goderich, ON going door to door conducting simulated "wellness checks", among other things.
Derek Noonan and the #TyrantPatrol have made contact with some of the CAF members participating.
📽️ @DerekNoona97876 pic.twitter.com/Qa4ehyEcRs
— Dacey Media (@chrisdacey) May 4, 2024
Since the encampment was set up Thursday, more than 3,100 U of T alumni have signed a letter in support of the students.
Pro-Palestinian student protesters entered the third day of their encampment demonstration at the University of Toronto Saturday and saw some faculty joining them in support.
Robyn Maynard, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, was at the encampment Saturday supporting students.
She said there’s a large number of university faculty there in solidarity.
Alleged alumni?
On 2 January, a young Ukrainian weapons inspector, Khrystyna Kimachuk, got word that an unusual-looking missile had crashed into a building in the city of Kharkiv. She began calling her contacts in the Ukrainian military, desperate to get her hands on it. Within a week, she had the mangled debris splayed out in front of her at a secure location in the capital Kyiv.
She began taking it apart and photographing every piece, including the screws and computer chips smaller than her fingernails. She could tell almost immediately this was not a Russian missile, but her challenge was to prove it.
Are we sleepwalking … Note that I can’t verify the following report, Only Macron seems to know for sure.
France sends combat troops to Ukraine battlefront
France has sent its first troops officially to Ukraine. They have been deployed in support of the Ukrainian 54th Independent Mechanized Brigade in Slavyansk. The French soldiers are drawn from France’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, which is one of the main elements of France’s Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère).
In 2022 France had a number of Ukrainians and Russians in the Foreign Legion. They were allowed to leave the Legion and, in the case of the Ukrainians, return to Ukraine to join Ukrainian forces. It isn’t clear if the Russians returned home.
h/t DS
Nearly 60 percent of Canadians believe Canada is doing a poor job in developing a shared long-term vision for the country’s energy future, a new poll has found.
Thirty percent of those surveyed say Ottawa is doing a “poor” job, and 29 percent say it is doing a “very poor” job, of planning for the country’s future energy needs, according to a poll conducted by Nanos Research.
Who the fuck thought this was a good idea? https://t.co/YNy6Sif36b
— Fancypants Maloney (@fancypants_s) May 5, 2024
h/t Mauser
Hamas’ response to the proposed ceasefire-prisoner swap deal will not arrive on Saturday night, Israel Hayom reported.
It is estimated that Hamas’ response will be received within the next 24 hours, but reports earlier this week made similar predictions, which were revealed to be unfounded.
The terror group told AFP that there has been no progress in negotiations over the past day, and that the negotiations will renew early next week.
Speaker Greg Fergus may not mean to be biased in favour of the Liberals in the House of Commons. Perhaps his partisanship is just drilled so deep into his marrow that he doesn’t even realize how biased he’s being.
Students made monkey chants at a black pro-Palestine protester in the latest ugly scene from US campuses.
The woman was greeted with jeers by a group of young men at the University of Mississippi, who also shouted “Lizzo” – referring to the black plus-size singer – at her.
A Republican congressman appeared to give his backing to the abuse, claiming the demonstrators were simply “taking care of business”.
She hates America, sides with Hamas she should expect to be called names.
Frat bros at @OleMiss chant, "Lizzo! Lizzo!" and shout, "F**k you fatass, f**k you b*tch" at a Black woman who was protesting for Palestine.
Do people really think these counterprotestors are doing it to support Jews? pic.twitter.com/gUNYgUR7YL
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) May 3, 2024
A white Ole Miss frat boy dances like a monkey and makes monkey noises near a Black woman who was protesting for Palestine.
Is this heart warming? (Video: @StaceyJSpiehler)pic.twitter.com/MgKqIVI3DH https://t.co/0FsAamDMPw
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) May 3, 2024
Super goal
DAVID PASTRNAK wins Game 7 ✌pic.twitter.com/DEhWp9fUwp— Prince Nishat (@teasersixer) May 5, 2024
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says that the United Kingdom’s recently published Cass report will inform the development of her government’s transgender policies. The document, which was produced by esteemed British pediatrician Hillary Cass after four years of investigatory work, convincingly shows that medical sex transitions for minors are risky and often unnecessary.
In an exclusive interview with the National Post, Smith said the Cass report confirmed that her government’s concerns about pediatric gender identity services are evidence-based. She said that she recently spoke with Cass to better understand her findings, and said, “If we want to take a science-based approach, we’ve got to use the best information available.”
Parents of students at Columbia and other Ivy League colleges are demanding refunds on tuition and looking to transfer to other schools as Gaza protests continue on campuses.
The universities have locked down campuses, suspended in-person classes and threatened to pare down graduation ceremonies, leaving families questioning the value — and considerable price tag — of higher education.
